Polish Cinema on DVD

Discuss internationally-released DVDs and Blu-rays or other international DVD and Blu-ray-related topics.
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djvaso
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#751 Post by djvaso » Tue Apr 13, 2021 9:41 am

I am very glad about "Pan Tadeusz" Blu-ray. I remember that the disc could be borrowed freely for the public screening ages ago.

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TMDaines
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#752 Post by TMDaines » Thu Apr 15, 2021 5:25 am

L.A. wrote:
Mon Apr 12, 2021 9:57 am
Blu-rays of Pan Tadeusz, Pan Wołodyjowski and Potop available for purchase on April 15th. Hopefully with English subtitles. [-o<
Blu-rays of these titles have been available for years and were English-friendly, so not sure what is new. Frustratingly the third part of the trilogy still does not get a standalone release and is only available in the relatively much more expensive boxset.

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L.A.
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#753 Post by L.A. » Thu Apr 15, 2021 6:49 am

Oh that’s right, there was that box set.

Pan Tadeusz (1928) is finally available with English subtitles so that is definitely new.

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MichaelB
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#754 Post by MichaelB » Thu Apr 15, 2021 6:56 am

There were also separate 2018 releases of Pan Wołodyjowski and Potop - I have both.

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L.A.
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#755 Post by L.A. » Thu Apr 15, 2021 7:21 am

I do have fond memories of ordering from Poland. Merlin.pl was my favorite eshop, mostly picked up those Telewizja Kino Polska sets which were at those days’ standards good. The packaging was possible the best that I have witnessed, something that could withstand even a bulldozer and usually there were cool catalogues and samples of Polish coffee included :D.

Of the KP releases I really wish they would upgrade the Pojechane w kosmos set with four rare Polish scifi films The Silent Star (1960), Sygnały MMXX (1970), Inquest of Pilot Pirx (1978) and Curse of Snakes Valley (1988). Especially TSS could use an upgrade because it was severely cropped.

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TMDaines
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#756 Post by TMDaines » Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:07 am

MichaelB wrote:
Thu Apr 15, 2021 6:56 am
There were also separate 2018 releases of Pan Wołodyjowski and Potop - I have both.
Me too. I just don't have the final film in the trilogy (based on the first book, but the third film shot and released) as for some reason it never gets a standalone release, and that boxset was so expensive in comparison to individual releases.

djvaso
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#757 Post by djvaso » Thu Apr 15, 2021 9:29 am

TMDaines wrote:
Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:07 am
MichaelB wrote:
Thu Apr 15, 2021 6:56 am
There were also separate 2018 releases of Pan Wołodyjowski and Potop - I have both.
Me too. I just don't have the final film in the trilogy (based on the first book, but the third film shot and released) as for some reason it never gets a standalone release, and that boxset was so expensive in comparison to individual releases.
There is also a standalone release of "Ogniem i Mieczem" Blu-ray.

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Michael Kerpan
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#758 Post by Michael Kerpan » Thu Apr 15, 2021 1:41 pm

Dumb question time.

Are there any intelligent (and good looking), reasonably humorous Polish films on DVD/Bluray? (I've encountered some that are very dark, dark humor -- e.g., Three Colors: White -- but none that are lighter in tone).

djvaso
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#759 Post by djvaso » Thu Apr 15, 2021 4:10 pm

The full list of titles that will appear in Filmoteka Narodowa store later this year:
1) Deluge I and II, dir. Jerzy Hoffman (reissue)
2) The Deluge Redivivus, dir. Jerzy Hoffman (reissue)
3) Mr. Wołodyjowski, dir. Jerzy Hoffman (reissue)
4) Pan Tadeusz, dir. Ryszard Ordyński
5) Agent no.1 (1972), dir. Zbigniew Kuźmiński
6) Akademia pana Kleksa 1 and 2 (1984), dir. Krzysztof Gradowski (reissue)
7) The Travels of Mr. Kleks 1 and 2 (1986), dir. Krzysztof Gradowski (reissue)
8) Mr. Kleks in Space 1 and 2 (1988), dir. Krzysztof Gradowski (reissue)
9) The Depot of the Dead (1959), dir. Czesław Petelski
10) The Deserters part. 1 and 2 (1986), dir. Janusz Majewski
11) Gangsters and philanthropists (1963), dir. Jerzy Hoffman, Edward Skórzewski (reissue)
12) Hubal (1973), dir. Bohdan Poręba
13) Karate Polish Style (1983), dir. Wojciech Wójcik
14) The Last Ferry (1989), dir. Waldemar Krzystek
Last edited by djvaso on Tue Aug 17, 2021 3:47 am, edited 3 times in total.

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TMDaines
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#760 Post by TMDaines » Fri Apr 16, 2021 6:42 am

djvaso wrote:
Thu Apr 15, 2021 9:29 am
TMDaines wrote:
Thu Apr 15, 2021 8:07 am
MichaelB wrote:
Thu Apr 15, 2021 6:56 am
There were also separate 2018 releases of Pan Wołodyjowski and Potop - I have both.
Me too. I just don't have the final film in the trilogy (based on the first book, but the third film shot and released) as for some reason it never gets a standalone release, and that boxset was so expensive in comparison to individual releases.
There is also a standalone release of "Ogniem i Mieczem" Blu-ray.
Sorry, yes I remember now, but only in the very expensive releases with booklets (https://www.dvdmax.pl/ogniem-i-mieczem- ... ,art574217).

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MichaelB
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#761 Post by MichaelB » Fri Apr 16, 2021 6:51 am

Michael Kerpan wrote:
Thu Apr 15, 2021 1:41 pm
Dumb question time.

Are there any intelligent (and good looking), reasonably humorous Polish films on DVD/Bluray? (I've encountered some that are very dark, dark humor -- e.g., Three Colors: White -- but none that are lighter in tone).
Polish humour does tend towards the jet-black (with their history, this is hardly surprising), and most Polish comedies don't travel abroad except to well-defined Polish expat communities, but you might well enjoy Wojciech Marczewski's anti-censorship satire Escape from the 'Liberty' Cinema (1990), which is the best example I can think of that ticks all of your boxes.

This basically takes the concept of The Purple Rose of Cairo (Woody Allen generously let Marczewski use clips free of charge) and applies it to actors in a typical late-1980s Polish melodrama, the conceit being that they're so bored with the offensively sanitised drivel that they're having to perform in that they rebel onscreen, causing major headaches for the authorities in general and the local censor (the marvellously hangdog Janusz Gajos) in particular - who is less than ideal as a problem-solver as the actors have all had official run-ins with him in the past and are not remotely inclined to co-operate.

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Michael Kerpan
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#762 Post by Michael Kerpan » Fri Apr 16, 2021 9:16 am

Thank you, MichaelB -- Any (easy) way to see this?

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MichaelB
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#763 Post by MichaelB » Fri Apr 16, 2021 9:37 am

It was once on Netflix, believe it or not, but it seems to have vanished. But there's a subtitled Polish Blu-ray, and Second Run put it out on DVD.

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Ogre Kovacs
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#764 Post by Ogre Kovacs » Sat Apr 17, 2021 9:34 am

Michael Kerpan wrote:
Thu Apr 15, 2021 1:41 pm
Dumb question time.

Are there any intelligent (and good looking), reasonably humorous Polish films on DVD/Bluray? (I've encountered some that are very dark, dark humor -- e.g., Three Colors: White -- but none that are lighter in tone).
I would perhaps suggest The Saragossa Manuscript. I was cracking up throughout the first time I saw it. It didn't hold up quite as well the second, but I probably had too many expectations from my first watch (something I am prone to). This often gets described as Buñuelian perhaps a bit superficially. I don't think it is quite as focused and razor sharp as Buñuel at his best, but gives a rough ballpark of the tone (I think) compared to other Polish films that I have seen.

Not sure if it is streaming anywhere. There was a subtitled Polish blu-ray and Mr. Bongo released it as well. Most people felt the Polish blu-ray was overly DNR'd and waxy. I think the Mr. Bongo is a direct port (or at least that is their usual practice).

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Michael Kerpan
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#765 Post by Michael Kerpan » Sat Apr 17, 2021 10:39 am

Thank you, Ogre K.

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rapta
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#766 Post by rapta » Wed May 05, 2021 6:54 pm

Ogre Kovacs wrote:
Sat Apr 17, 2021 9:34 am
Michael Kerpan wrote:
Thu Apr 15, 2021 1:41 pm
Dumb question time.

Are there any intelligent (and good looking), reasonably humorous Polish films on DVD/Bluray? (I've encountered some that are very dark, dark humor -- e.g., Three Colors: White -- but none that are lighter in tone).
I would perhaps suggest The Saragossa Manuscript. I was cracking up throughout the first time I saw it. It didn't hold up quite as well the second, but I probably had too many expectations from my first watch (something I am prone to). This often gets described as Buñuelian perhaps a bit superficially. I don't think it is quite as focused and razor sharp as Buñuel at his best, but gives a rough ballpark of the tone (I think) compared to other Polish films that I have seen.

Not sure if it is streaming anywhere. There was a subtitled Polish blu-ray and Mr. Bongo released it as well. Most people felt the Polish blu-ray was overly DNR'd and waxy. I think the Mr. Bongo is a direct port (or at least that is their usual practice).
Just got hold of all three volumes of the 'Masterpieces of Polish Cinema' Blu-ray sets and this is one of the titles in there. Will be curious to see how it compares to the Mr. Bongo disc (and will also compare Knife in the Water, Hourglass Sanatorium and the Kieslowski titles at some point, plus Mother Joan of the Angels which I have on DVD).

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L.A.
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#767 Post by L.A. » Thu Jun 03, 2021 6:55 am

TMDaines wrote:
Fri Feb 14, 2020 11:26 am
You also missed Sprawa Gorgonowej (1977 - Janusz Majewski).
Heh, was checking available editions for Terence Fisher’s The Gorgon at Amazon UK and saw this sold by a marketplace seller - The Gorgon Case. Sounds interesting after doing some research about the film; based on actual events it tells about Rita Gorgonowa who was accused of the murder of her employer’s daughter in 1931. One of the most talked about crime cases in Poland. Unfortunately the Blu-ray seems OOP so ordered the DVD from Punkt44 along with the silent version of Pan Tadeusz.

Just wondering are the Blu-ray releases for these Polish films limited to very few pressings? Pan Tadeusz has been showing out-of-stock for many weeks at Filmoteka Narodowa’s own shop and The Gorgon Case too is quite rare now.

djvaso
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#768 Post by djvaso » Thu Jun 03, 2021 3:15 pm

L.A. wrote:
Thu Jun 03, 2021 6:55 am
TMDaines wrote:
Fri Feb 14, 2020 11:26 am
You also missed Sprawa Gorgonowej (1977 - Janusz Majewski).
Heh, was checking available editions for Terence Fisher’s The Gorgon at Amazon UK and saw this sold by a marketplace seller - The Gorgon Case. Sounds interesting after doing some research about the film; based on actual events it tells about Rita Gorgonowa who was accused of the murder of her employer’s daughter in 1931. One of the most talked about crime cases in Poland. Unfortunately the Blu-ray seems OOP so ordered the DVD from Punkt44 along with the silent version of Pan Tadeusz.

Just wondering are the Blu-ray releases for these Polish films limited to very few pressings? Pan Tadeusz has been showing out-of-stock for many weeks at Filmoteka Narodowa’s own shop and The Gorgon Case too is quite rare now.
It seems that the whole circulation of the latest releases of Filmoteka Narodowa was bought by DVDMax seller. I was quickly enough to buy them from FN for a decent price. I think that the Blu-ray of "The Gorgon Case" is cancelled.

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MichaelB
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#769 Post by MichaelB » Thu Jun 03, 2021 3:17 pm

I've had Sprawa Gorgonowej on order for over a year, and ordered it when it was brand new.

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L.A.
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#770 Post by L.A. » Fri Jun 04, 2021 5:04 am

djvaso wrote:
Thu Jun 03, 2021 3:15 pm
I think that the Blu-ray of "The Gorgon Case" is cancelled.
MichaelB wrote:
Thu Jun 03, 2021 3:17 pm
I've had Sprawa Gorgonowej on order for over a year, and ordered it when it was brand new.
Good to know the situation.

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vertovfan
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#771 Post by vertovfan » Fri Jun 04, 2021 10:24 am

I pre-ordered the “Sprawa Gorgonowej” blu-ray from DVDMax or Punkt44 (I don’t remember which). There were some delays due to the pandemic, and I eventually received an email from them stating that the blu-ray release had been cancelled by the manufacturer. They sent the DVD instead, and refunded the difference.

djvaso
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#772 Post by djvaso » Thu Jul 08, 2021 3:20 am

5) Agent no.1 (1972), dir. Zbigniew Kuźmiński
Image
11) Gangsters and philanthropists (1963), dir. Jerzy Hoffman, Edward Skórzewski (reissue)
Image
13) Karate Polish Style (1983), dir. Wojciech Wójcik
Image

Release date: July 15

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L.A.
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#773 Post by L.A. » Thu Jul 08, 2021 5:38 am

Hopefully Baza ludzi umarłych / The Depot of the Dead (1959) is still on the cards and Blu-ray of course.

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L.A.
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#774 Post by L.A. » Mon Jul 12, 2021 2:55 pm

Very pleasantly surprised to see Wajda’s Rough Treatment (1978) on Blu-ray. Probably old news but to me this is something I have completely missed. I think the first release of RT with English subtitles appeared on this Telewizja Kinopolska set.

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MichaelB
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Re: Polish Cinema on DVD

#775 Post by MichaelB » Mon Jul 12, 2021 3:46 pm

Yes, it came out early last year along with the vast majority of Wajda's 1960-1990 output (the major exceptions being the foreign co-productions, although Danton is not only included but has better-synchronised English subtitles than the Gaumont edition). All discs have English subtitles, although they're presented at 1080i/50, which may cause compatibility issues with some non-European set-ups.

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