New Australian DVD and BD Releases

[Solaris]

This is not surprising. Didn't they also have a big problem with A Short Film About Killing with the subtitles being out of synch and they had to recall all the DVDs?

Actually, it was A Short Film About Love. I believe they made no alteration to the cover of the DVD, so it was impossible to tell which DVD was which edition, without watching it of course.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

This is not surprising. Didn't they also have a big problem with A Short Film About Killing with the subtitles being out of synch and they had to recall all the DVDs?

Actually, it was A Short Film About Love. I believe they made no alteration to the cover of the DVD, so it was impossible to tell which DVD was which edition, without watching it of course.

This was Umbrella, not Madman. They may use the same authoring people though.

[Solaris]

RE: Short Film About Love it was released by Umbrella through AV Channel, who distribute Madman.

RE: John Waters, seems odd Minotaur took Pink Flamingos out of stock and put up an apology. Now that Roadshow are releasing a few back catalogue titles, perhaps a local release isn't too far away.

[marty]

RE: Short Film About Love it was released by Umbrella through AV Channel, who distribute Madman.

RE: John Waters, seems odd Minotaur took Pink Flamingos out of stock and put up an apology. Now that Roadshow are releasing a few back catalogue titles, perhaps a local release isn't too far away.

Umbrella do NOT do their own authoring. It is all done by Madman so it's Madman's sloppy authoring, not Umbrella's. That is what Umbrella paid them for!

[ChrisW]

RE: Short Film About Love it was released by Umbrella through AV Channel, who distribute Madman.

RE: John Waters, seems odd Minotaur took Pink Flamingos out of stock and put up an apology. Now that Roadshow are releasing a few back catalogue titles, perhaps a local release isn't too far away.

Umbrella do NOT do their own authoring. It is all done by Madman so it's Madman's sloppy authoring, not Umbrella's. That is what Umbrella paid them for!

This is not true. Umbrella progressively moved towards doing its own authoring almost two years ago (the authoring then separated under the name Eskimo Productions). Madman hasn't authored any DVD releases for them for about a year. To say that the quality of a DVD release is a case of sloppy authoring which is due to the authoring house is a total generalisation, as quality can also be constrained by budgets and/or available video and artwork materials (ie. cheap project budget = cheap authoring, expensive budget = great authoring, motion menus, etc.). This rule applies to any company that would author for another company.

EDIT: In regards to Short Film About Love - this title was not authored by Madman.

[ChrisW]

In March AV Channel are also releasing

Lift to the Scaffold
Sonny Chiba Collection Vol 1
Zatoichi 26 (last and worst of the series)
Hidden Blade
Godzilla: Final Wars
Kwaidan (as mentioned previously)

And I bet every one of the Japanese titles is an NTSC to PAL conversion. This label could easily be the R4 equivalent of Criterion or MOC if they took more care over their transfers. But as the late Maxwell Smart would say: "missed by that much".

Hi Rufus. I work as project manager for the Eastern Eye Asian DVD label. I can't comment on the Aztec releases but I can confirm that all of those Eastern Eye releases Sonny Chiba Collection Vol 1, Zatoichi 26, Godzilla: Final Wars and Kwaidan (uncut) are progressive PAL transfers.

While the Eastern Eye label is marketed more as a genre label rather than one for cinephiles, there is a lot of focus on ensuring good progressive film transfers for its releases, such that since mid-2005 almost all DVD releases have featured progressive transfers.

If there are any general or specific queries relating to Eastern Eye titles, I'll be happy to try and answer them.

Here's some info on upcoming releases (with transfer info included):

MARCH 29

The Quiet Family

Rental/Retail: Retail
Video: 16:9 Anamorphic
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Running Time: 96 mins
Transfer: Progressive PAL
Audio: Korean 5.1, Korean 2.0
Extras:
- Cast & Crew Interviews (total 19 mins)
- Storyboard Comparison (4 mins)
- Theatrical Trailer (3 mins)
- Stills Gallery (15)

Bang Rajan

Rental/Retail: Retail - 2 discs
Video: 16:9 Anamorphic
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Running Time: 114 mins
Transfer: Progressive PAL
Audio: Thai Dolby 5.1, DTS 5.1, English Dolby 5.1
Extras:
- Making of BANG RAJAN (5 mins)
- BANG RAJAN: The True Story (23 mins)
- Cast & Crew Interviews (total 105 mins)
- Stills Gallery (15)
- Original Trailers (4 mins)

Sonny Chiba Collection Vol 1
- The Bullet Train
- Golgo 13: Kowloon Assignment
- Street Fighter's Last Revenge

Rental/Retail: Retail - 3 discs
Video: 16:9 Anamorphic
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Running Time: 153/89/80 mins
Transfer: Progressive PAL
Audio: Japanese Dolby 2.0
Extras:
- Original Japanese Cover art as Reversible Cover
- Theatrical Trailer
- Posters Gallery
- Biography
- Original Trailers (4 mins)

Eko Eko Azarak 1: Wizard of Darkness

Rental/Retail: Retail
Video: 16:9 Anamorphic
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Running Time: 82 mins
Transfer: NTSC-PAL
Audio: Japanese Dolby 2.0
Extras:
- Making of EKO EKO AZARAK 1 (17 mins)
- Theatrical Trailer

MAY 17

Aragami

Rental/Retail: Rental
Video: 16:9 Anamorphic
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Running Time: 76 mins
Transfer: Progressive PAL
Audio: Japanese Dolby 5.1, DTS 5.1, English Dolby 2.0
Extras:
- Making of ARAGAMI (19 mins)
- "Duel" Press Conference (9 mins)
- Festival Opening (5 mins)
- PR Battle (3 mins)
- "Duel" Premiere (3 mins)
- Video Message for Premiere (5 mins)
- Theatrical Trailer
- Stills Gallery (15)

The Isle (Uncut)

Rental/Retail: Retail
Video: 16:9 Anamorphic
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Running Time: 87 mins
Transfer: Progressive PAL
Audio: Korean Dolby 5.1, Dolby 2.0
Extras:
- Making of THE ISLE (9 mins)
- Interviews with 7 cast & crew inc. Kim Ki-duk (total 27 mins)
- Featurette on Music Scoring (5 mins)
- Featurette covering Kim Ki-duk and his oeuvre (9 mins)
- Featurette about THE ISLE (7 mins)
- Original Theatrical Trailer
- Production Stills gallery (38 stills of behind-the-scenes & onset photos)

Sword of Doom

Rental/Retail: Retail
Video: 16:9 Anamorphic
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Running Time: 116 mins
Transfer: Progressive PAL
Audio: Japanese Dolby Dual-mono
Extras:
- Stills Gallery (15)

Eko Eko Azarak 2: Birth of The Wizard

Rental/Retail: Retail
Video: 16:9 Anamorphic
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Running Time: 84 mins
Transfer: NTSC-PAL
Audio: Japanese Dolby 2.0
Extras:
- Making of EKO EKO AZARAK 2 (18 mins)
- Theatrical Trailer

Eko Eko Azarak 3: Misa The Dark Angel

Rental/Retail: Retail
Video: 16:9 Anamorphic
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Running Time: 83 mins
Transfer: Progressive PAL
Audio: Japanese Dolby 2.0, English Dolby 2.0
Extras:
- Stills Gallery (10)

JUNE 21

Beautiful Boxer

Rental/Retail: Rental
Video: 16:9 Anamorphic
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Running Time: 114 mins
Transfer: Progressive PAL
Audio: Thai Dolby 5.1
Extras:
- "Open The Eye" - Interactively access Behind Scenes footage
- Documentary: In The Ring With Beautiful Boxer (58 mins)
- Inside Beautiful Boxer (4 mins)
- Cast & Crew Interviews (total 9 mins)
- Original Trailers (total 8 mins)
- Stills Gallery (15)

Infernal Affairs 2

Rental/Retail: Retail
Video: 16:9 Anamorphic
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Running Time: 115 mins
Transfer: Progressive PAL
Audio: Cantonese Dolby 5.1, DTS 5.1
Extras:
- Making of INFERNAL AFFAIRS 2 (22 mins)
- Confidential File (6 mins)
- 4 Deleted Scenes (total 11 mins)
- Original Trailers (total 12 mins)
- Stills Gallery (15)

Kill!

Rental/Retail: Retail
Video: 16:9 Anamorphic
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Running Time: 110 mins
Transfer: Progressive PAL
Audio: Japanese Dolby Dual-mono
Extras:
- Original Trailers (total 4 mins)
- Stills Gallery (15)

Zatoichi The Outlaw

Rental/Retail: Retail
Video: 16:9 Anamorphic
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Running Time: 92 mins
Transfer: Progressive PAL
Audio: Japanese Dolby Dual-mono
Extras:
- Original Zatoichi Trailers (total 12 mins)

Zatoichi's Conspiracy

Rental/Retail: Retail
Video: 16:9 Anamorphic
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Running Time: 84 mins
Transfer: Progressive PAL
Audio: Japanese Dolby Dual-mono
Extras:
- Original Zatoichi Trailers (total 12 mins)
- Stills Gallery (15)

[daniel p]

Thanks for all that info Chris.
I'm interested in The Isle. I own the R3 version, which is non 16x9, and I'm wondering how the PQ is coming along on the R4 release?

[yoshimori]

Still nothing on Hail, Mary?

[devlinnn]

Still nothing on Hail, Mary?

Top of the previous page yoshimori - I must be the only one who has purchased the film. To my eye the quality is very good, and includes The Book of Mary.

Sadly still not on the agenda for DVD release are numerous Paul Cox films. As some of us may have seen last night in his tender portrait of the wonderful Norman Kaye, these films continue to sparkle and enlighten the soul. Man of Flowers, A Woman's Tale, Island, Cactus, Golden Braid, My First Wife are the finest films of personal expression to have been made on these shores, yet gather dust in dark, lonely storage. A fucking disgrace.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Hi Rufus. I work as project manager for the Eastern Eye Asian DVD label. I can't comment on the Aztec releases but I can confirm that all of those Eastern Eye releases Sonny Chiba Collection Vol 1, Zatoichi 26, Godzilla: Final Wars and Kwaidan (uncut) are progressive PAL transfers.

Excellent, Chris, glad to hear that.

[devlinnn]

Yes, both doc's reduced me to tears David. I was not that aware of Jerrems work, but was left numb and humbled at the far reaches some need to go to continue on with IT!. While the Cox films continue to play in the mind, it was a jolt to the senses to re-affirm how close the textures, sounds and images of these films are to my own sense of self.

I've thankfully avoided The Silence, and continue to dream of a day in the future when the AFI vanishes without trace.

[devlinnn]

delete

[Solaris]

Still nothing on Hail, Mary?

Top of the previous page yoshimori - I must be the only one who has purchased the film. To my eye the quality is very good, and includes The Book of Mary.

I purchased the film. I agree the video quality was good (was 1.33:1 the original ratio?), but a few lines of the film were not translated which was quite an annoyance. I agree with most that Book of Mary is better than Hail Mary, but Godard's film is quite underrated and didn't deserve the panning it received upon release. Looking foward to upcoming release of Vivre sa vie, is it a Directors Suite title?

[solent]

last time I looked at AV Channel VIVRE was listed as being in the Director's Suite series. If the extra short does remain - remember the missing LA CHINOISE extras? - then it will be an interesting release. Quality may be the issue however.

[ChrisW]

last time I looked at AV Channel VIVRE was listed as being in the Director's Suite series. If the extra short does remain - remember the missing LA CHINOISE extras? - then it will be an interesting release. Quality may be the issue however.

Vivre Sa Vie will be released under the Directors Suite label with the following extras (which are finalised):
- Une Histoire d'eau - short film
- Commentary with film scholar/magazine editor Adrian Martin
- Stills Gallery

[marty]

What is the source master like for Vivre Sa Vie? There is nothing worse than releasing a film on R4 that is inferior to overseas copies. This is infuriating and has happened with some very recent titles. Hopscotch's Bergman films are appalling and should never have seen the light of day here and their Wong Kar-Wai early films they released are abysmal. Hopscotch should have gone to the effort to digitally restore all the masters for those films.

I am not holding my breath on Vivre Sa Vie and will only buy it if the quality is superior to the overseas quality. If not, then what's the point?

[Solaris]

Hopscotch's Bergman films are appalling and should never have seen the light of day here

I have the original three releases (Autumn Sonata,Seventh Seal and Virgin Spring) and I am quite pleased with them.

I thought Autumn Sonata and Seventh Seal transfers were as good as Criterion? Plus Autumn Sonata's extras are identical to the Criterion release, and Seventh Seal includes audio commentary. Not sure about Virgin Spring, but it seemed fine to me.

Yet to investigate the latest three releases.

[marty]

To say that the quality of a DVD release is a case of sloppy authoring which is due to the authoring house is a total generalisation, as quality can also be constrained by budgets and/or available video and artwork materials (ie. cheap project budget = cheap authoring, expensive budget = great authoring, motion menus, etc.). This rule applies to any company that would author for another company.

That is fine, Chris, but when distributors don't want to spend a bit of extra money restoring their films and then just throw them out in the marketplace like throwing meat to a dog, then don't expect the dog to swallow it. If you don't have the budget for whatever reason, then don't release it because people will buy the title only to be disappointed by its "budget" release.

[devlinnn]

Thankfully dogs don't eat their own crap, as opposed to various two-legged creatures.

[marty]

Thankfully dogs don't eat their own crap, as opposed to various two-legged creatures.

Don't be so hard on yourself. While some of your comments are misinformed ones, the bulk of your input here is considerably more worthy.

[devlinnn]

Oh, I love being hard on myself. Daily, if luck has it.

ChrisW, please pass on the congratulations to your friends at AV on bothering to pick up the rights to Vivre sa vie and getting Adrian Martin involved on the commentary in quick time. If still left to Accent, we would have been waiting an eternity, if ever.

[marty]

Oh, I love being hard on myself. Daily, if luck has it.

ChrisW, please pass on the congratulations to your friends at AV on bothering to pick up the rights to Vivre sa vie and getting Adrian Martin involved on the commentary in quick time. If still left to Accent, we would have been waiting an eternity, if ever.

Was it an Accent title first? I was not aware of this. Where did you read this?

[marty]

Oh, I love being hard on myself. Daily, if luck has it.

ChrisW, please pass on the congratulations to your friends at AV on bothering to pick up the rights to Vivre sa vie and getting Adrian Martin involved on the commentary in quick time. If still left to Accent, we would have been waiting an eternity, if ever.

By the way, if Hopscotch followed Accent's example their Wong Kar-Wai films would have been worthy buys as Accent's Fallen Angels is clearly the best executed transfer of the film in the world. Can AV Channel boast this? I can't think of one AV Channel/Madman title that has been acknowledged to be the best version of the film in the world. If there is, please let me know.

PS. I have a feeling that Chris is not the only one working for AV Channel in this forum!!!

[ChrisW]

To say that the quality of a DVD release is a case of sloppy authoring which is due to the authoring house is a total generalisation, as quality can also be constrained by budgets and/or available video and artwork materials (ie. cheap project budget = cheap authoring, expensive budget = great authoring, motion menus, etc.). This rule applies to any company that would author for another company.

That is fine, Chris, but when distributors don't want to spend a bit of extra money restoring their films and then just throw them out in the marketplace like throwing meat to a dog, then don't expect the dog to swallow it. If you don't have the budget for whatever reason, then don't release it because people will buy the title only to be disappointed by its "budget" release.

Yes, well that's another valid issue. Clarifying the role of "distributor" and "authoring house" when pointing a finger of blame was what I was talking about. If the distributor does to decide to do a budget job on a DVD that deserves more, then that is another unfortunate issue for sure.

By the way, if Hopscotch followed Accent's example their Wong Kar-Wai films would have been worthy buys as Accent's Fallen Angels is clearly the best executed transfer of the film in the world. Can AV Channel boast this? I can't think of one AV Channel/Madman title that has been acknowledged to be the best version of the film in the world. If there is, please let me know.

Sure we do. Well given that it's pretty rare for R4 DVDs to get "acknowledged" in the world market anyway, it would technically be difficult to answer that question. I will however gladly state which movies I think have been released by Eastern Eye (as I know these releases intimately) which are the best English-speaking DVDs out there - and WHY they are.

SANSHIRO SUGATA - a definitive edition of Kurosawa's first film. Features a restored progressive transfer of the film with newly translated subtitles. Also features 10 mins of deleted scenes recovered from a Russian archival print.

THE ISLE - the only version available uncut with an anamorphic progressive transfer with 5.1 track. Also has more extras than any other release.

ONG BAK - definitive 2-disc release with over 3 hours of extras. This is the only DVD release worldwide that contains the original cut of this film with original scoring.

PRINCESS BLADE - only DVD worldwide that has an anamorphic transfer with 5.1 audio.

SONATINE / BOILING POINT / VIOLENT COP - These are definitive editions with restored progressive transfers and 5.1 audio. The only releases worldwide that do.

RING: THE SPIRAL - The only release worldwide that contains an original uncropped progressive 1.85:1 transfer (all other releases are 1.78:1). Additionally, it uniquely has 5.1 and DTS tracks included.

THE EYE - only release that contains DTS with all the extras.

BANGKOK DANGEROUS - only DVD with 5.1 and DTS tracks with an interactive "Behind the Scenes" featurette

ONE TAKE ONLY - the only DVD to have a 5.1 soundtrack included.

GODZILLA - "Showa" era - all of our Showa releases (8 films so far) would be definitive versions as they are the only discs that contain restored & uncropped 2.35:1 progressive transfers with Japanese 5.1 and English audio and also uniquely includes the original theatrical trailer of the film.

KWAIDAN - the first restored, uncropped, progressive transfer of the uncut version of this film. (MoC have a release scheduled, so soon there'll be two out there.)

ARAGAMI - only DVD release that contains Japanese DTS and 5.1 audio. Additionally, also has an English audio track.

PS. I have a feeling that Chris is not the only one working for AV Channel in this forum!!!

I only just joined, but I'm not aware of anyone else at AV Channel using this forum.

[zedz]

last time I looked at AV Channel VIVRE was listed as being in the Director's Suite series. If the extra short does remain - remember the missing LA CHINOISE extras? - then it will be an interesting release. Quality may be the issue however.

I guess this is the place to mention that I picked up La Chinoise in a bargain bin recently and thought the transfer looked excellent (on my screen, anyway). James Hewison's commentary is a bit blah, though. I'm halfway through it without any great insights (just your boilerplate NV backgrounder - no real coming to grips with the particular challenges of this particular film), and it's hard to take seriously a commentator who claims that Antione Doinel is Jean-Pierre Leaud's "penultimate" role.