dwk wrote: Sun Sep 20, 2026 4:27 pm
I'd love a UHD set of the OOP Teshigahara set, but all 3 of the films are Toho and I'm not sure when/if they'd get around to doing 4K masters of them. He has a small enough filmography (something like 10 features, a tv movie, 2 episodes of the Zatoichi tv show, and 10 or 11 shorts) that I'd love a complete set of work.
Sounds like a perfect candidate for a Radiance “Radical Japan” set, though I doubt we’ll get the Zatoichi TV episodes. (Have all of the Zatoichi TV episodes been released in the US — or anywhere English-friendly? I have a couple of the early sets on DVD. I think there were about 100 episodes overall.)
Media Blasters only released the first season of the Zatoichi TV series on DVD. I think the series is (or was) streaming on Tubi.
As for Radiance, I'm not sure who owns the 6 unreleased titles, but, as I said, the 4 that Criterion has are Toho. I remember Ronin (a sublabel of BCI) had announced a couple of Teshigahara titles for DVD, but BCI killed the label before they were released.
Just saw that Altitude in the UK is releasing a 4K of 24 Hour Party People.
Seeing that the MVD release is no longer in print, and that this has been featured on the channel multiple times, I am curious if Criterion will pick it up for a release? The MVD was flawed (probably due to the limitations of the source material) and I could go for a Factory Records supplement.
It's only going to look so good because it was shot in PAL-format standard definition digital video (with, I think, some Super 8 and archival footage mixed in). Could be that the master for this 4K release is scanned from a film source—that seems to be what people are doing these days for films shot in pre-4K video because it preserves how it would have been seen in theaters.
This Altitude UHD release doesn't appear to carry over any of the deleted scenes or commentaries from the previous releases, so as much as I love this film, I think I can hold out for something better. I won't hold my breath for a Criterion since they've never shown much interest in Winterbottom before (other than putting this and "The Trip" on the Channel).
Blutarsky wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2026 1:42 am
Just saw that Altitude in the UK is releasing a 4K of 24 Hour Party People.
Seeing that the MVD release is no longer in print, and that this has been featured on the channel multiple times, I am curious if Criterion will pick it up for a release? The MVD was flawed (probably due to the limitations of the source material) and I could go for a Factory Records supplement.
He’s so prolific, but I don’t think Michael Winterbottom has ever recorded a single commentary. I’m amazed that Severin got a new interview with him for Butterfly Kiss on their second House of Psychotic Women set
