Paramount R4 releasing Johnny Guitar in July at under 10 AUD!

Given the older French disc was encoded both R2 and 4 this will presumably be the same quite serviceable transfer.

Watched madmans Day of Wrath. Overall a good print - Overall. Some scenes show some wear and tear.... but there are also scenes that look wonderfull, crisp adn clean.

Love the new classification explanation for Boudo Saved From Drowning - PG: Mild themes of suicide.

At least it's not Themes of Mild Suicide.

These are the same fuckwits who banned Final Exit, and the Peaceful Pill Handbook of course.

On the same trajectory as the NSW Police who are now far more gainfully employed off the crime ridden streets of this ghettoized city raiding art galleries and prosecuting artists and gallery owners for kiddie porn. Welcome to 1965.

And that mealy mouthed petit bourgeois jesus freak, the fabulous new PM carries on about Australian values. He's like Blair without the intellectual rigor.

Nothing changes kiddo. Nanny state and cotton wool.

(Will take happy pill later, if not peaceful pill. Tempting as that may be.)

I'm still trying to find the "high level sexual activity" in the Madman Wenders discs.

My my Davidhare you have given us the most comprehensive and apt description of the PM to date. He certainly is developing a penchant for promising something first then [reluctantly?] trying hard to deliver it later (forgetting that the world-in-his-haed does not remain static).

Those who want to compare the ALICE IN THE CITIES disc: R2 to R4 check out the DVD times review. http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=67843

Completely OT- we simply had no choice but to vote Howard out. Even the peasants - I mean Aspirational Families - who kept him in power for 11 years were fed up.

But a Sydney journalist writing about Rudd last year before the election raised warnings about his venality arrogance and absolutism, all of which are coming into play now. They are doing outstandingly stupid things like reducing the scope of solar energy rebates based on income when it's the better off who are driving the switchover from carbon energy sources. And they are clinging to the idea that oil will never run out with their idiotic fuel tax. Then they finally get around to processing the 200 odd remaining anti gay discriminatory laws in the Federal arena but refuse to permit gay civil partnerships let alone marriage. The whole thing smells horribly like Blair and New Labour in the UK, but without the Iraqui War as the icing. Of course Rudd like Blair is a full-on rampaging Christian.

And now Rudd - sniffing a populist walkover - sticks his unlovely nose into the fucking scandal of the NSW cops raiding art galleries and mounting prosecutions of Bill Henson. (Like Liz Farrelly I don't really like his work but that's beside the point.) This of course is a very convenient distraction for his criminal chums in the terminally sick NSW Labor Party who run this sleazepit of a city (for their business mates) and who spent 10 years covering up a serial pedophile Labor minister, Orkopoulos and crucifying the woman who blew the whistle. This vermin is now doing nine years but the Bill Henson vice squad raids have conveniently pushed Orkopoulos and NSW Labor corruption off the front page.

It's all too depressing.

Completely agree (although I LOVE Bill Henson's work and he is a huge influence of mine). I really feel ashamed to have voted for Rudd, his comments on Bill Henson's work and gay marriage are so unbelievably ignorant and embarrassing. He really is just an miniature centrist version of Howard - never wanting to take many risks or opinions except the obvious ones in case he "offends" anybody. He is pandering to the right and its disgusting.

We had no other choice!

Rudd is far more socially conservative than say Malcolm Turnbull who will be leading the Libs at the next election obviously.

I thought and hoped for a minute or two Rudd's basic decency would prevail but it is unfortunately moored to a titanically controlling ego. And with the Henson stuff he's just another shitty opportunist.

I used to like Bill Henson very much - but I feel that what used to be a very skilfull formal technique (lighting and staging of the models) which was organized to appear almost accidental, gave the subjects and their uncertain contexts an even more unnerving sense of unknowable activity and atmosphere, but it has now turned somewhat into a regular signature. The earlier rougher work (from the 80s and 90s) is more interesting to me than the more recent, highly polished pictures.

Avoiding the politic issues entirely (I despise politics. In my experience, political opinions tend to be based around "hatred" of the other guy)

I'm going to play Devil's Advocate for a moment on the 'child pornography' thing. I actually like what I've seen if Henson's work, btw.
But, the thing that hasn't been addressed in art vs exploitation is this;
Ask a woman (or man) to pose for a nude picture (assuming one is a great artist) and some women will say "yes," and some women (no matter how artistic the work will be) shall say "no" (some women (and men) are like that, they just plain don't like even the most artistic of nude photographs of themselves out there for the world to see.))
The thing about nude photographs of children, is that the children aren't really able to make an informed decision about a very permanent thing (having nude photographs 'out there' for the rest of their lives)
I'm genuinely unsure if that's enough to outweigh what society gains, by seeing the art. But, I think it's a valid point to consider.

There is, of course, the more easily dismissed issue of pedophiles 'enjoying' the work. But, from what I've read on the subject, most people with illegal interests, aren't even particularly interested in the 'hard-core' I've seen pedophiles interviewed saying they were most interested in 'cute' children that left a little to the imagination. And, then, there's things like Ted Bundy, at the height of his crimes, having nothing in the way of 'pornography' beyond some chaste girl-scout magazines.

Can anyone compare the Australian version of Wenders' "Alice in the Cities" with the German version?

Just recently at work I had to sit through a trial in which the not uncommon allegation of "inaprropriate sexual behavior" came up in cross examination. Then the Counsel tendered a photograph - which this guy had kept in his possession! - of himself, taken by himself standing in the shower with an erection (pointing the camera downwards) which he was apparently encourageing the three year old boy, his son, to suck.

THAT is child pornogprahy and it's rightly illegal. Exquisitely composed photos of pre and early adolescent boys or girls in highly stylized light and shade, in hommage to earlier centruies of the nude in great works of art is not.

That simple. The whole thing is a political beatup to distract attention from real issues. Smoke and mirrors. And it dovetails into the wowserism of our modern society in which any conceivable exploitation of children is fine ( dolly girls and advertising and beuaty pagenats and over achieiving sports) so long as they aren't naked.

When I was a kid 50 year ago it was totally unexceptional for us to be naked at the beach. Today it is simply impossible. For all the wrong reasons.

Kekid I assume the source print for all the ALICE [& Wenders] DVDs are from Germany and hence the same. I would be very surprised if other sources were found. To my mind the review on DVD Times for ALICE sounds the same - in terms of visuals - as the R4.

Thank you, Solent.

And in of themselves, these are valid points. But, as a response to my argument
I never actually criticised the photos as pornography. Only raised the question of wether ANY nude depiction of children (pornography, erotica or just plain artistic nudity) might be unfair to the child.
The photographs are, indeed, impressive (and I think the only possible debate is wether they depict 'erotica' or 'artistic nudity' the idea that they are 'pornography' is simply silly (on that debate, btw, I lean towards (non-erotic) 'artistic nudity' and might elaborate on my reasoning there later). But, the point I am trying to raise is, even as artistic nudity, I'm sure many/some adults, asked to model for such photos, would choose not to. And on that basis I wonder if it's fair to ask children to do so (since they can't yet reach informed, adult decisions)

Madman have clinched the rights to Fassbinder films in Oz and are putting out FEAR EATS THE SOUL [9 July] with a new commentary.

This set of the 3 gangster films is coming out too - hopefully with white subs. I assume the 16:9 refers only to LOVE IS COLDER THAN DEATH. Since the other two - as are most of Fassbinder's films - are 4:3.

This hopefully responds to what you're saying. I have assumed, perhaps wrongly, Henson obtained signed consents from his models or in the case of people under 18 consents signed by their legal guardians, as this is required for all professional photographers in the context of a legal contract. If he has I think that's the end of that issue, and the models who've responded supporting Henson in the press were all fully aware of the shooting context and in some cases chose not to undress.

My point about mores 50 years ago was that child nudity per se was considered completely uncontroversial. And it is of course a running feature through centuries of Western art for representation of both the idealized and 'Natural" form. Now - yes it seems to be the basis for social panic, as are people like the suspiciously driven Hettie Johnson and her "child abuse" campaigns which seems to be based on the assumption that all men - straight and gay - are rockspiders. She is one piece of work. (And we can thank her for the banning Salo as well.)

To the guy who made the first comment on Rudd: I totally hear you, and that's why I didn't vote him last election. I knew once he'd get in he would get more smug and arrogant, eventually caring less and less for anything other what will keep him popular.

The Bill Henson issue was the biggest joke, and what I saw as the stupidest political move I've seen in Australia in a long time. He won the election on young people and on people pissed off about AWAs. I honestly can't think of how to piss young people off more than telling them what is and is not art. I have two friends who are at (well one just finished) university studying engineering (as far away from arts as you get) who were insulted. The reaction of my friends who are still at uni in arts/creative arts were a little more insulted, but everyone is talking about it.

And a DVD related question: anyone have the Andrei Tarkovsky boxset Shock has put out? I've got Solaris as a Criterion but I would like hard copies of Stalker and Mirror. Andrei Rublev I've read is apparently getting a re-release soon? So I'm not as desperate to buy it in the set, but at around $70 it didn't sound too bad. What's the quality like, subtitle accuracy, etc.?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this would be the first Joan Crawford release on DVD for Australia. Friggin' amazin'.

Oh - the Shock Tarkovsky's are fine. Trawl through past pages and you will find details/pics etc.

Mister Lonely available 16 July

Also from Kojo, both available 13 August:

Battle in Heaven
Japón

Univesal decide to keep stuff for themselves for a change. Due September - a few things to sing about!
$10 titles
* Darling
* The Fallen Idol
* The Criminal
* Champagne Charlie
* You Only Live Once (Lang)
* Two-Way Stretch
* Endless Night

$19.95 titles
Bad Faith - (Mauvaise Foi)
Apartment, The - (L’ Appartement)
Farewell Friend - (Adieu L'ami)
Hunter Will Get You - (L’ Alpagueur)
Swords Of Blood - (Cartouche)
The Sucker (Le Corniaud)
Don't Look Now, We're Being Shot At - (La Grande Vadrouille)
Mr Klein - (M. Klein)
Stavisky
The Grand Illusion - (La Grand Illusion)
Dirty Money - (Un Flic)

Hello, I posted a message earlier asking about the australian Andrei Tarkovsky boxed set. If anyone is interested in buying it, I picked it up a week or so ago and have re-watched most of the films in it. It's a nice set with a good amount of interesting special features. It also includes a documentary on the filming of The Sacrifice in Sweden which is very interesting to see Tarkovsky and Sven Nykvist at work in collaboration.

The only things I picked up that I didn't like were the subtitles on Andrei Rublev are sometimes out of sync and different to the subtitles on the Criterion set. (I know this because I first watched the film on a friend's Criterion edition).

Madman have another Fassbinder triple pack coming out in September. This time a melodrama set with EFFI, FEAR OF FEAR & MARTHA. This follows on the heels of the Ganster set out in August. Details here.

SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY out in October on Shock.

I assume this is the Peter Finch film. Hopefully an improvement on the R1 release of many years ago.

According to Umbrella's site, they are releasing The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith and The Devil's Playground in November, the former a two-discer. These are two films I've been waiting for on DVD for what seems like forever.

Also in November are two "Ozploitation" boxsets, to tie in to the documentary Not Quite Hollywood.

Volume I - Adventures of Barry McKenzie, Razorback, The True Story of Eskimo Nell, Long Weekend, Fantasm, The Chain Reaction

Volume II - Stone, Turkey Shoot, The Naked Bunyip, Roadgames, Harlequin, Night of Fear

I presume these are just repackages of DVDs already available singly. I certainly hope so, as I own all of those except Razorback. (My copy of Stone is the original Magna Pacific release, not the two-disc Umbrella one. Night of Fear - which is only 50 minutes long - shares its disc with Inn of the Damned, which is over twice as long and deeply tedious.)

Have they got subtitles of any kind?