New Australian DVD and BD Releases

[devlinnn]

I finally picked up the Kubrick set - the Shining is the 115min cut.

Geez, I looked at the single issue release the day it came out and it stated 152 minutes on the back. A friend just received the collection for Christmas, and that copy is 115 min. Different art-work as well. No idea if the single-issue is the full-length, or they just used the US art-work without changing the running-time. Again, typical local f***-wits running the show with no idea, or little care, in what to do.

[Rich Malloy]

So, I ordered the AU "Millennium Mambo" disc this past weekend, and came across a few interesting titles. I wonder if anyone can help shed some light on quality?

"The Short Films of Francois Ozon" from Accent:
Someone on this forum or another suggested that it was likely a port of the relevant disc from the French boxset (which I own). However, the DVDNET review of this title here indicates that it's possibly of a different origin. First, the collection of films is on two discs in the Aussie release as opposed to the single disc of the French boxset. But, more than that, the DVDNET reviewer indicates that "See the Sea" is 16x9 enhanced ("Both the films on disc one have been anamorphically mastered for maximum transfer quality, and the result shows in beautifully rendered details and tones"). Although the French boxset release is superior to the (anamorphic) US release, it is not 16x9 enhanced. Can anyone confirm whether "See the Sea" is 16x9 enhanced on the Accent release, or generally whether this entire release is a different (superior?) transfer?

Riget/The Kingdom I Directors Suite release:
Superior to the Danish release? Specifically, there's an obtrusive artifact running down the left frame margin of the Danish release - only on the season 1 discs - marring an otherwise excellent release. Is this present on the Aussie "Riget I"?

Persona from Accent:
Superior release, or possibly a direct port of the R2?

Thanks!

[Rich Malloy]

Thanks, David!

In fact, I had read somewhere that "Water Drops" and "Criminal Lovers" were ports of the French set, and that the Short Films release also may be. I have the French boxset, so this would not be an upgrade if that were the case. And, yes, I'm certain it would best the R1 shorts release, as well as the "See the Sea" disc (which happens to be 16x9 enhanced, but otherwise quite inferior to the French boxset release).

However, the dvdnet review I linked to above reports that "See the Sea" on the Accent disc is 16x9 enhanced, unlike the French boxset release. This, along with the other superlatives I've heard regarding the transfer, leads me to believe that the Accent release is not only a different transfer than the French release, but a superior one as well.

So, I guess it comes down to whether anyone can confirm that "See the Sea" is 16x9 enhanced on the Accent disc? I think that would indicate whether or not it's a port of the French set, or a new and likely superior transfer.

[Solaris]

I just saw this on ezydvd

Am I right in assuming this is the first release with english subs?

Awful cover art btw

[domino harvey]

I just saw this on IMDb

Am I right in assuming this is the first release with english subs?

Awful cover art btw

It also came exclusively in the 30-disc Tartan set.

[Accent Film Entertainment]

So, I guess it comes down to whether anyone can confirm that "See the Sea" is 16x9 enhanced on the Accent disc? I think that would indicate whether or not it's a port of the French set, or a new and likely superior transfer.

Rich, See The Sea is 16/9 anamorphic. We always strive to provide 16x9 anamorphic versions of all of our DVDs wherever possible. For your information, we now have a DVD online store called MyFlix so all of our titles are currently available to purchase.

[Solaris]

And it screened on SBS last year (pre their fucking Commercial added New Y-gen Capitalist era) in what looked like a restored print.

It's a teriible movie! Ingmar imitating Siodmak, or is it Mank? Totally DREADFUL. Genuinely worthy of the hideous pre-psychedelic cover art.

Yeah I saw it on SBS a few years back as well and remember finding it quite boring and uninteresting.

Also, Madman seem to be releasing the BFI Dreyer discs. Those who only own the Criterions may want to pick these up for the extra short films and Gertrud's correct ratio (that is if you can find them cheaper than $35). Plus shock will be releasing Passion of Joan soon, which I assume will be a port of the Criterion.

Regarding Accent DVDs - The transfer of Persona is beautiful, I have compared it to screen caps of the R2 and have found it to be superior. Definitely superior to the cropped R1.

Riget - I forgot all about these releases. If someone who owns them (or perhaps Accent themselves) can comment on this discs then I will probably order these soon.

[Accent Film Entertainment]

Riget - I forgot all about these releases. If someone who owns them (or perhaps Accent themselves) can comment on this discs then I will probably order these soon.

Solaris, we released The Kingdom (Riget) 1 and 2 via Madman's Director's Suite and we acquired the DLTs from Zentropa's DVD production company, Electric Parc, so they are virtually identical to the Danish releases. Not sure how the US and UK releases differ but they may have done the same thing or authored themselves. This is a rare instance where we did not author ourselves due to the very high quality of the remastering and extra features done by Zentropa. Unlike other titles, we could not improve it so we used their DLTs.

Specifically, there's an obtrusive artifact running down the left frame margin of the Danish release - only on the season 1 discs - marring an otherwise excellent release. Is this present on the Aussie "Riget I"?

Rich, we would need the check the DVD itself as we are not aware of any artifact on Season 1 discs. The artifact may only be specific to the Danish DVD release and may have since been corrected on international releases.

[Rich Malloy]

Thanks to David and Accent Films on all the excellent info. I seem to be ordering more and more Australian discs of late (most from Accent/Madman), and it's great to have another English-friendly region coming up with such fantastic releases!

[Tim]

Any further news on whether Madman is offering replacement discs that fix the sync problems on Kings of the Road?

[Solaris]

Regarding the Gospel of St Matthew R4, the video transfer is surprisingly good, I'm guessing it was taken from the Tartan disc. Also contains a unique extra - Seeking Locations in Palestine

[Cold Bishop]

Regarding the Gospel of St Matthew R4, the video transfer is surprisingly good, I'm guessing it was taken from the Tartan disc. Also contains a unique extra - Seeking Locations in Palestine

Screenshots please?

[Darth Lavender]

The Tartan is (according to screenshots; from DVDBeaver, I think) an NTSC>PAL transfer, with ghosting & burnt in subtitles (albeit, obviously taken from a very good NTSC source)

Regardless, I just bought the debatably excellent Kinowelt edition, so I don't see myself upgrading any time soon (although it's remarkable how watchable this film is; even without any subtitles)

[Tim]

To answer my own question, Madman is indeed offering replacement discs for Kings of the Road. They replied to my query immediately, apologized for the fault in the original release, and promised to send me the replacement next week.

[Solaris]

I've posted some caps in the screen captures thread (most of them the same as Beavers so you can compare)

The transfer seems identical to the Tartan release (there is some ghosting, not sure if it is NTSC>PAL)
The subtitles are removable on the film, but not on the Sopraluoghi in Palestina short. Re - the short on Tartan's release, I too never had a copy (only the original atrocious R1 release by Image), but it's not mentioned on the Beaver review.

[devlinnn]

It's only taken a few years for some of these...Warner in April (to name a few)
Adam's Rib
Anna Karenina
Captains Courageous
Ninotchka
Star Is Born, A: Special Edition
Wait Until Dark
Woman of the Year

[devlinnn]

Warner have deleted Blade Runner BD from the catalogue - and there is no release schedule for any future releases for the next four months at least.

Universal meanwhile still have scheduled 8-10 HD titles per month. Nothing great here (Waterworld etc.) but Big Lebowski is due Feb. But damn are these pricey - at $40-$50 a pop, no wonder retailers don't want to touch these at all.

[solent]

Not sure if mentioned before but Shock are putting Godard's WEEKEND out in their Distinction series on March 17. Will this be the BFI transfer?

[devlinnn]

More April news - Marriage, Italian Style from Universal ($15), along with The Graduate in HD. Still TBC - Hit the Deck and Kismet to be added to the Warner slate. Hiroshima, mon amour from Umbrella.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Madman's April releases include Demy's Donkey Skin and Sirk's The Tarnished Angels and Imitation of Life.

[luridedith]

Speaking of Madman, what is going on with the Michael Haneke Complete films box set release? Even though it was supposedly released in December last year, its out of stock everywhere and it doesn't even have cover art on the website. Couldn't they get the rights from Accent for Code Unknown?

[devlinnn]

There's also word that the majority of the Universal noirs have been palmed off and will be out this year through either Umbrella, Madman or DV1. Umbrella will be releasing Audie Murphy's To Hell and Back this April. Which obviously begs the questions - have Universal in Sydney lost their friggin' mind? Why would you sell off deep, strong catalogue for a song just to keep competitors afloat. They could easily release 6 - 10 titles a month for around $15 each. But now these will be $20 (Umbrella) to $30-$35 (Madman). Or has Alan Jones not seen these classics yet?

[cantinflas]

Does anyone have The John Cassavetes Collection 7-disc Distinction Series set put out by Shock late last year?


I want to pick it up but am unsure of the aspect ratio/transfer format. On that site I linked it describes it as Widescreen and 16X9 Enhanced however on the back of the box (I checked it out at JB Hi-Fi where they had it for ~$65) it just has printed 1.33:1. I'm wondering if anyone can shed some light on this and also the quality of the whole set.

[solent]

My guess is that the extras on both the R1 & R2 versions will be absent on this R4 release but that may not be an issue for you. The transfers must be the same as overseas [i.e. 16:9] so the "1.33:1" is very strange and could only apply to SHADOWS.

[devlinnn]

These are very strange days indeed in the weird world of DVD re-release.

Speaking of re-releases, Warner have just re-issued Jezebel as part of their "Award Winners" promo. After The Shining fiasco, you would think they would look twice before attacking the photocopier. On the back is a picture of the US release with "Newly Restored and Remastered". Yet it's just the same old R4/NTSC release from years ago.

The Flynn releases have also been issued bare-bones, as opposed the the extras laden R1 - The Charge of the Light Brigade (rated M for violence!) and Adventures of Don Juan.

For those keeping count - a friend just picked up Cukor's Little Women from the same promo. On the back is the jacket to the R1 Liz Taylor version!