Fritz Lang on DVD/Blu-ray

[TMDaines]

Anyone know how the UK DVD of American Guerrilla In The Philippines shapes up in comparison to the alternatives? It was released by a label called Pegasus that I know nothing about.

[perkizitore]

Pegasus usually releases PD nightmares, so you should give this a pass.

[Tuco]

Matrixschmatrix:

Thanks for the update. My collection has John Ford's work represented pretty well (thanks to the recent $50 Ford at Fox deal), but then Herr Lang comes in second. Very much looking forward to HANGMEN ALSO DIE and MAN HUNT.

[Drucker]

Matrix-Secret Beyond the Door also has a blu-ray from Carlotta.

[HitchcockLang]

You and Me forthcoming from TCM? Since when?

[matrixschmatrix]

Since Dark Crimes Vol. 2 was announced.

[HitchcockLang]

So awesome. Pre-ordered! That was the last Lang not available on region 1.

Also, the Fox Archive of American Guerilla is already out and has been for months. You may want to take forthcoming out of your list. They also released Confirm or Deny which is another film Lang abandoned and Archie Mayo picked up. I believe Lang did even less work on it than Moontide. Maybe none but it is still of historical interest to Lang completists.

[rockysds]

Koch released Western Union in Germany. Though I haven't seen it myself yet.

[matrixschmatrix]

Just so everyone knows, the dvd/blu guide is now in the OP

[rockysds]

Koch Media releasing The Return of Frank James on blu-ray in March.

[Tommaso]

The new resto of "Der Müde Tod" gets a German dvd release by Murnau-Stiftung on March 11. No sign of a blu (yet).

[HitchcockLang]

Kino is releasing BDs of both Spione and Woman in the Moon.

[senseabove]

In case anyone was hoping for it, KinoInsider said this morning:

We had acquired Liliom from an independent source and they don't have the film elements needed to create a respectable HD master.

[black&huge]

I have a question regarding Spione and Frau Im Mond's blu releases from MoC and Kino.

I know Kino fixed an AR issue for both in their Lang box but was that issue that the films were in 1.33:1 like the currently available MoC blus and they fixed em to 1.28:1 or was their AR issue different than MoC's?

That being said I looked at beaver's comparison's for both and it looks as if both labels have the same framing (no info lost or gained on any sides of the picture) but MoC is just stretched to which I barely noticed in the caps anyways.

I'd rather get the MoC's but do any of you see a huge issue with the differing AR's or if it's more noticeable/distracting in motion? Which versions should I go for?

[denti alligator]

I have a question regarding Spione and Frau Im Mond's blu releases from MoC and Kino.

I know Kino fixed an AR issue for both in their Lang box but was that issue that the films were in 1.33:1 like the currently available MoC blus and they fixed em to 1.28:1 or was their AR issue different than MoC's?

That being said I looked at beaver's comparison's for both and it looks as if both labels have the same framing (no info lost or gained on any sides of the picture) but MoC is just stretched to which I barely noticed in the caps anyways.

I'd rather get the MoC's but do any of you see a huge issue with the differing AR's or if it's more noticeable/distracting in motion? Which versions should I go for?

I’m also curious about this. Anyone?

[EddieLarkin]

You've got it the wrong way round. The MoC discs are properly 1.33:1 but the Kino discs were originally squashed to 1.28:1. There's nothing wrong with the MoCs now nor was there before, so definitely go for those if they're your preference anyway.

Kino are rarely to be trusted with silent films, sadly.

[ryannichols7]

Kino are rarely to be trusted with silent films, sadly.

they are the kings of slapping English intertitles on there with no alternative. they've botched all licenses from FWMS - so please go for MOC on Pabst's Diary of a Lost Girl and such as well too. Kino have defended all of these decisions on the other forum, nonetheless!

[swo17]

You've got it the wrong way round. The MoC discs are properly 1.33:1 but the Kino discs were originally squashed to 1.28:1. There's nothing wrong with the MoCs now nor was there before, so definitely go for those if they're your preference anyway.

Kino are rarely to be trusted with silent films, sadly.

But didn't Kino fix that in their big Lang box? In which case that box might be an acceptable, more affordable option for someone that hasn't gotten either yet

[Roscoe]

You've got it the wrong way round. The MoC discs are properly 1.33:1 but the Kino discs were originally squashed to 1.28:1. There's nothing wrong with the MoCs now nor was there before, so definitely go for those if they're your preference anyway.

Kino are rarely to be trusted with silent films, sadly.

But didn't Kino fix that in their big Lang box? In which case that box might be an acceptable, more affordable option for someone that hasn't gotten either yet

Yes, Kino did fix the issues in their big Lang box, the announcement for which contained the first acknowledgement of the error having occurred (all the way at the very very very bottom of the announcement) -- they denied there was an issue, and stuck to their story, and never issued replacement copies.

I've got several Kino silent releases, and have been more than happy with most of them. Their releases of the other Lang silents were pretty well splendid, and that LAST LAUGH they put out is admirable too. But I always wait now to read reviews of their releases before purchasing.

[hearthesilence]

I posted this in Kino's threads, but generally with silent films, it was a good rule of thumb to skip Kino and wait for an MoC reissue every single time. Three great exceptions to that rule: Der Golem where Kino did a better job of encoding (or MoC possibly did something incorrect, forgot which), Tartuffe because for some reason MoC used an old master while Kino used a new 4K restoration from the Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau Foundation, and the recent Hitchcock set of the BFI's newly restored British silents simply because MoC hasn't licensed them (in fact, IIRC for some strange reason no British label has reissued these restorations on Blu-ray, not even the BFI).

[domino harvey]

Considering you can get the Lang box for $75 or less if you wait long enough, it’s clearly the better deal by far and there are no red flags with any titles in the box

[EddieLarkin]

As far as I know, some of the earlier titles in the Kino box are from their period of swapping out the German intertitles for their own English ones (Metropolis for sure it looks like). And you get the Kalat commentaries on the MoC discs, still some of the best commentaries committed to disc. But yes, the Kino box is the much cheaper option.

[JakeStewart]

Clash By Night aired on TCM yesterday in what really looked like new scan. I’ve seen it numerous times over the years, and it’s never looked this good.

[andyli]

Clash By Night aired on TCM yesterday in what really looked like new scan. I’ve seen it numerous times over the years, and it’s never looked this good.

it's got a 4K restoration according to Park Circus website.