Second Sight Films (UK)

[Gordon]

A pretty good British label. Their website has been "coming soon" for ages

But Benson's list their releases: Second Sight Films

Selected releases:

Branded To Kill
- Anamorphic 2.35:1

Tokyo Drifter
- Anamorphic 2.35:1

Christiane F
- Non-anamorphic 1.66:1

Cyrano De Bergerac (1990)
- Anamorphic 1.66:1
- Interview with Jean-Claude Carriere

Danton
- Anamorphic 1.66:1

The Fall And Rise Of Reginald Perrin - The Complete Collection

Monsieur Hire
- Anamorphic 2.35:1

Orson Welles' Macbeth
- Welles' Return to Glennascaul short film

Orson Welles' Othello
- Return To Glannascaul
- Restoring Othello Feature
- Restored Othello Trailers
- Production Stills

Pandora's Box (2-disc)
- Documentary Narrated By Shirley MacLaine
- Interview With Louise Brooks

Pretty Poison
- Anamorphic 1.85:1
- Audio commentary by director Noel Black and film historian Robert Fischer
- Deleted Scene (script only) with commentary by Noel Black
- Photo Gallery

A Heart In Winter
- Anamorphic 1.85:1

A Wedding
- Anamorphic 2.35:1
- Interview With Robert Altman
- Photo Gallery

Their recent transfers have been excellent and they have released films that are in high demand.

[spencerw]

There's also a Second Sight sale at Move Mail

[franco]

They are also releasing Catherine Breillat's Brief Crossing. I hope the transfer will be good!

[Dylan]

Just saw "Brief Crossing" and thought it was brilliant. The Wellspring DVD was a bit on the rough side, though (particularly when compared to the Criterion "Fat Girl"), and I think the image would seriously benefit from an anamorphic transfer. Are there any reviews/caps of this new DVD online?

[Subbuteo]

The Wellspring DVD was a bit on the rough side, though (particularly when compared to the Criterion "Fat Girl"), and I think the image would seriously benefit from an anamorphic transfer.

Ditto. The image on Second Sight is also pretty rough. It was a rental, so sorry no caps from me.

[Dylan]

I think a DVD Beaver comparison is needed. I'm very curious as to how the anamorphic enhancement of the 1.66 makes the film look.

Too bad Criterion couldn't have gotten ahold of this, particularly since their transfer of "Fat Girl" (made the same year) is superlative, and I think they're both great films ("Brief Crossing" being my favorite).

Has anybody else seen the Second Sight?

[Gregory]

Can anyone vouch for the quality of (or locate a review of) Second Sight's release of Totò the Hero from earlier this year?

[Gordon]

This review mentions everything except the video and audio quality

65% off at Amazon right now: Click here

[Gregory]

Yes, the video quality is the main thing I'm wondering about, but if I don't come across get any warnings in the next week or two I'll probably go for it. That is a good price (and quite a good film, if I can trust my memory of having seen it 10 years ago).

[Gordon]

It sounds like an interesting film - I might check it out myself.

[zedz]

Toto, as I recall, is almost entirely derivative of The Singing Detective in its form, and far less interesting in its content - though considerably frothier, if you like that sort of thing. If you're familiar with The Singing Detective, proceed with caution; if you're a fan of Toto, definitely check out the Potter.

[Gordon]

The super-rare and super-crazy, Hellzapoppin' will be finally see a DVD release in February!

[foggy eyes]

Great news. I think Second Sight have turned out to be a very respectable label. The Ophüls releases were a godsend!

[meanwhile]

Black Orpheus in March 07

'Brand new transfer of previously unavailable extended version' apparently.

[colinr0380]

'Brand new transfer of previously unavailable extended version' apparently.

They could just mean 'unavailable in the UK', since I don't think this has been released on DVD in this country before. Perhaps they are using the same source as the Criterion did, since they said on their 1999 disc 'Featuring four minutes of previously unseen footage'.

[devlinnn]

Can anyone vouch for the quality of (or locate a review of) Second Sight's release of Totò the Hero from earlier this year?

Apologies for the late reply, but the DVD is very good Gregory.

The added bonus is a recent interview/documentary with Jaco van Dormael, where he shows us around his office, and takes great pride in his 'working methods' ie filing system / script process. Kubrick would have blushed at all the cards, and is proof enough that the man will probably never make another film again.

[Gregory]

For those who may not already know, the Max Ophuls Collection DVDs are currently 70% off at Amazon.co.uk. I know I was among many for whom these were among the urgently awaited DVD releases of all. I steered clear of Madame De... after reading about serious problems with the transfer in the hopes that Criterion will finally release it. With two of these, The Reckless Moment and Letters From an Unknown Woman, I can't imagine any reason why anyone with the least interest in 1940s cinema (even if one doesn't consider oneself the least bit a fan of "melodrama") should not pick these up, especially at these prices (and if necessary a DVD player that can play R2 PAL discs, of course). There are a lot of films I haven't seen, but from what I have, it does not get any better than these two, and they look wonderful on these discs. Thus endeth the sales pitch.

A belated thanks, devlinnn, for confirming the quality of the Toto the Hero DVD. I did end up ordering it recently.

[colinr0380]

A review of the Second Sight disc of Black Orpheus is up at DVD Reviewer.

[Awesome Welles]

Their website is now up and running although still partly under construction.

July releases are Anthony Asquith's The Browning Version, Asquith/George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and Shaw's Major Barbara (Gabriel Pascal).

Also to be released are David Lean's Summertime and Peter Brook's Lord of the Flies.

[ellipsis7]

Fassbinder's Berlin Alexanderplatz comes to Second Sight in R2 UK/IRL on September 24th... CC R1 US must be soon after...

[Narshty]

They're bringing out the Karloff/Lugosi The Black Cat and The Raven in October, hopefully with the same deluxe treatment as the Ophuls titles.

[Narshty]

Just heard back from their customer services department - La Ronde is on the way next year.

[foggy eyes]

More information on Berlin Alexanderplatz from DVD Times:

The 15 ½ hour epic is spread across six-discs and comes with 160mins of special features: Making of, A Mega-Movie and Its Story, The Restoration – Before and After, Stills and Production Photo Galleries, The Original Recaps, Berlinale 2007 Trailer.

[Awesome Welles]

Berlin Alexanderplatz is now up for preorder at HMV where it is cheapest so far at £50, so unless Criterion's set is a lot more than $100 I think Second Sight will be losing out here.

The Black Cat artwork and preorder at HMV
The Raven artwork and preorder at HMV

Both are respectively priced at £9.99 no specs yet though.

[Kay Hoog]

Berlin Alexanderplatz is now up for preorder at MovieMail where it is slightly cheaper at £42.

I've been wainting to see this for so long now but there are so many other great dvd releases this Christmas is going to hugely expensive - perhaps this can wait till the New Year sales

Finally will be able to replace my VHS copy of Black Cat and looking forward to obtaining the raven, a film I've not seen. Now if someone were to release "Island of Lost Souls"...