New Australian DVD and BD Releases

[devlinnn]

Just a warning on this one - Hopscotch, the label releasing the Bergman films through Roadshow are oblivious to the current demands and wishes of the buying public and continue to release only pan n' scan versions of their catalogue (Cyclo, The City of Lost Children, Hear My Song, etc. etc.) I doubt very much we will see Autumn Sonata in 1:66:1 here. Now at their third distributor this year, you would thing they would get the message on why no one is interested in buying their stuff.

[Solaris]

According to Sanity website, both Seventh Seal and Autumn Sonata contain the following extras - Commentary by film historian and Ingmar Bergman expert Peter Cowie, Stills Gallery. Virgin Spring contains no extras.

If they're releasing extras with Autumn Sonata, perhaps it will be a 1.66:1 print.


Also, the Sanity website now lists Persona as a discontinued item.

[devlinnn]

Watched Rififi for the first time on SBS Saturday night, loved it!
I was going to try and find a copy of the Madman edition to save myself some money and time waiting for a Criterion to arrive from OS, though according to DVD Beaver Madman's version is pretty average.

Can anyone confirm if this is true, agreed the Criterion would be better
though is the Madman version that bad? I'm fussy but not fanatical about quality.

DVD Beaver review:
http://207.136.67.23/film/dvdcompare/rififi.htm

Jem, AV are re-releasing Rififi in January, as part of their Director's Suite. New digital transfer and Dassin interview is promised ($30rrp).

[squarefoot]

According to Sanity website, both Seventh Seal and Autumn Sonata contain the following extras - Commentary by film historian and Ingmar Bergman expert Peter Cowie, Stills Gallery. Virgin Spring contains no extras.

If they're releasing extras with Autumn Sonata, perhaps it will be a 1.66:1 print.


Also, the Sanity website now lists Persona as a discontinued item.

Wrote to Hopscotch to register disappointment at City of Lost Children being pan & scan and asked about the Bergmans. Got the following reply:

"I empathise with your disappointment. Our intention had been to release a version of the film in its correct ratio but due to various boring factors
like expiring contracts, it didn't end up being possible.

Yep the Bergmans are presented in their original aspect ratios (obviously
you would be aware that many of them were not originally shot in widescreen
ratios; the later ones like Autumn Sonata were). Our restored prints come
direct from Europe and are OAR.

Cheers
Pete"

Things are sounding better

[squarefoot]

Wrote again to Hopscotch asking about further Bergmans to come. Reply:

"Yep there's 6 that we've scheduled; The Virgin Spring, Seventh Seal & Autumn Sonata are out next week, and there's another batch (Smiles Of A Summer Night, Cries & Whispers and Wild Strawberries) probably in Feb or March. With more titles likely to follow once we've secured the rights to some extras & stuff."

[Jem]

Jem, AV are re-releasing Rififi in January, as part of their Director's Suite. New digital transfer and Dassin interview is promised ($30rrp).

Thank you Devlinnn, Dassin interview sounds promising.
Hopefully Beaver will add it to their Rififi comparisons.

[Solaris]

Wrote again to Hopscotch asking about further Bergmans to come. Reply:

"Yep there's 6 that we've scheduled; The Virgin Spring, Seventh Seal & Autumn Sonata are out next week, and there's another batch (Smiles Of A Summer Night, Cries & Whispers and Wild Strawberries) probably in Feb or March. With more titles likely to follow once we've secured the rights to some extras & stuff."

Great news about more Bergman from Hopscotch. I presume Accent isn't releasing anymore.
And whatever happened to those four titles (Hour of the Wolf, Serpent's Egg, Passion, Shame) that MGM were gonna release?

[solent]

I always thought that the MGM Bergmans would have eventually made it here in Oz since the Warners Visconti titles did. The only problem is that any Australians into Bergman would have bought the US/UK versions yonks ago so who would be left here to get them? By the way, what happened to BLOW UP? It arrived and then promptly disappeared again. I got the US version but the audio is a re-mixed low fidelity version and it is cropped to fit the medium instead of being 1.66. so I am not happy with it.

THIS SPORTING LIFE is out here on November 9 but it is listed as being under $15 and 4:3 so the possible Criterion is still the one to wait for.

[Solaris]

I actually found Blowup for only $15 at Borders last weekend. That's the only place I know of that still has copies. Apparently the R4 edition has more nudity than the R1 or something.

[solent]

If by "nudity" you mean the sex scene with Sara Miles & her painter husband I did notice that the scene was longer in the R1 edition compared to the version screened on ABC a while back. I believe the VHS version [c. 1985] was also edited. Perhaps the scene with the models is longer?

[devlinnn]

Wednesday 23 November Warner Bros. will be releasing King Kong (1933) in a 2disc set.

Ezydvd will be selling it in an exclusive tin box.

Ezydvd seem to have jumped the gun here with the original King Kong. They have pulled the release date to unknown and nowhere else can you find info on a local release. (I really doubt Warner has the local rights.)

[Solaris]

What ever happened to the local release of Un Chien Andalou by Stomp?

[Subbuteo]

Nice to see you back

[Solaris]

RE - Blowup
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompar ... nsored.htm

[devlinnn]

Do we know if the cuts exist with the new Network UK disc?

Many thanks for clearing this up David. What a disgrace.

[Solaris]

Has anyone got a Hopscotch Bergman DVD yet? What's the verdict?

[duane hall]

Has anyone checked out Aztec International's DVD of Hal Hartley's Trust? Their website still lists September '05 as a release date. Did they indeed hold to this release date?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Has anyone got a Hopscotch Bergman DVD yet? What's the verdict?

I have not bought any of these, but having seen them in the shops my verdict is that the covers are ruined by those f&%#ing OFLC classification logos.

[Jem]

I have not bought any of these, but having seen them in the shops my verdict is that the covers are ruined by those f&%#ing OFLC classification logos.

Yes I feel for the designer having the stick that "subtle" label on their covers!
Nice job otherwise, refreshingly simple.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Wednesday 23 November Warner Bros. will be releasing King Kong (1933) in a 2disc set.

Ezydvd will be selling it in an exclusive tin box.

Ezydvd seem to have jumped the gun here with the original King Kong. They have pulled the release date to unknown and nowhere else can you find info on a local release. (I really doubt Warner has the local rights.)

Release date is now 1 March 2006 according to the michaeldvd site.

[Gordon]

Oh, no, not again! The funky yella' certificate spoils another beautiful cover! Bastards!

I spun the Criterion Seventh Seal a few months back and I have to say that the transfer holds up brilliantly. But is it progressive?

[devlinnn]

I just love the fact Hopscotch persuaded Kevin, 'just call me Gobbles' Ruddock to pose for the Seventh Seal cover in his casual attire. Now where is that conga line?

[Jem]

I just love the fact Hopscotch persuaded Kevin, 'just call me Gobbles' Ruddock to pose for the Seventh Seal cover in his casual attire.

Ouch!
So true, the man looks like the walking un-dead.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I think maybe they've confused him with Kevin Rudd, who looks almost human by comparison.

It can't be Phillip Ruddock in the picture - it's not a horror film.

[devlinnn]

Yes, Kevin - Phil, same thing...(apologies to any Kevins and Phils)

Back on topic a little - I've not seen the transfers, but a friend who has tells me the Bergmans are 'terrific!'. Criterion is credited on the back for providing the Cowie commentaries, and is 'SF' for the transfers.

R4 news - the new Fox 2-disc edition of Laura includes a making-of doc. (around 15 minutes) not present on the R1. All the other R1 extra material is there as well, even if it's hard to tell from the cover.

What they have in common besides the bleedin' obvious I'm not sure, but Umbrella is going to challenge the JBHiFi populace and release a boxset in December called 'Classics from the Closet: Vol. 1'. Included - Peter Allen: The Boy from Oz, The Naked Civil Servant and My Beautiful Laundrette. Thankfully, they will also be re-releasing Rocco and His Brosthers at 177min. (not the two-hour version currently on the shelves).