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Awesome Imamura retro in March at BAM.

forweg wrote:Thanks, Michael. Could you please comment on the video and subtitle quality of Black Rain?

The French Black Rain DVD looks good generally and has decent subtitles.

I just noticed that Amazon UK has The Ballad of Narayama (misspelled as Naryama) coming from Tartan on June 11.

Shohei Imamura retrospective happening at the Melbourne International Film Festival this year, including Vengeance Is Mine, The Pornographers, Black Rain, The Ballad Of Narayama, Intentions Of Murder, A Man Vanishes, and Eijanaika.

Having only seen The Eel and Vengeance Is Mine thus far I'm keen to catch as many as possible on the big screen.

What are the "not to be missed" entries from the above? I guess his documentaries, A Man Vanishes and Eijanaika are the only two I'm thinking of skipping (time constraints). Any major objections there?

A Man Vanishes is definitely not to be missed. It's far from a typical documentary and more like a blending of documentary and fiction. I'd even go so far as to say it's a response to the documentary format in general.

soma wrote:Shohei Imamura retrospective happening at the Melbourne International Film Festival this year, including Vengeance Is Mine, The Pornographers, Black Rain, The Ballad Of Narayama, Intentions Of Murder, A Man Vanishes, and Eijanaika.

Having only seen The Eel and Vengeance Is Mine thus far I'm keen to catch as many as possible on the big screen.

What are the "not to be missed" entries from the above? I guess his documentaries, A Man Vanishes and Eijanaika are the only two I'm thinking of skipping (time constraints). Any major objections there?

Eijanaika is one of my favorites -- I enjoy it a lot more than Pornographers,

Man Vanishes is pretty amazing....

I'm not much help: don't miss anything, but especially not A Man Vanishes. For some reason it's never attained the same profile of the films that surround it, but I think it's his greatest 60s achievement alongside The Profound Desire of the Gods. If you absolutely have to skip something, skip the ones that are available in decent DVD editions.

Ha, I should have known better than to ask such questions - it's people like you that drive me to see nearly 50 films in a 2 and a half week period each time the Festival is on! I will be seeing them all then, cheers for the advice

And to add to the thread, The Eel is available in R4 from Madman's Director's Suite in a perfectly serviceable edition, in anamorphic widescreen.

souvenir wrote:I just noticed that Amazon UK has The Ballad of Narayama (misspelled as Naryama) coming from Tartan on June 11.

This is the Kinoshita version, not the Imamura (whatever Amazon claims).

Imamura's early works need to be on DVD in the west, and it's a shame much of it is taking so long. The other night I watched "Scorsese on Imamura" and made me want to watch his stuff again. (Why did they have to ruin the ending of "Man Vanishes".....?)

what's with Japanese New Wave Cinema Classics who supposedly owns the US rights to the early stuff?

manicsounds wrote:what's with Japanese New Wave Cinema Classics who supposedly owns the US rights to the early stuff?

These were basically fan-subs -- not licensed releases.

manicsounds wrote:what's with Japanese New Wave Cinema Classics who supposedly owns the US rights to the early stuff?

Well, if its never been cemented that imdb.com is unreliable when it comes to some things, there you have it (fan subs = rightsholders? the hell?). As I understand it, the R1 rights are all Criterion, and they're big on buying up rights and sitting on them (except for the Eclipse clearing house, that is), but there's no excuse for R2, UK and French releases should be up to our ears. Imamura's a huge name in world cinema, and at least his death should have brought it work out in the open a bit more, but I think all we got were two competing versions of Vengeance Is Mine (no small thing, as its an amazing film) and the HK Battle of Narayama (which left a bit to be desired.)

Hopefully Eclipse will rectify this, but I'm not holding my breath.

I've been told directly by Criterion that Pigs and Battleships and Intentions of Murder are probably their next two releases. An Imamura set was directly mentioned in On Five as upcoming for Eclipse also so these titles are in the pipeline.

I know I should be happy with the current Criterion of The Pornographers, but its lack of extra material keeps me hoping that a release will pop up in R2. Have there been any signs that MoC might release another Imamura title?

Steven H wrote:... the HK Battle of Narayama ...

Now that's an Imamura movie I want to see!

I think that's my favorite slipup I've ever made (of which there are countless). Can you imagine...

souvenir wrote:I just noticed that Amazon UK has The Ballad of Narayama (misspelled as Naryama) coming from Tartan on June 11.

A little confused about this release, Amazon lists this is the Imamura version, whilst BensonsWorld and DVD Times lists it as the Kinoshita version.

Does anyone have any confirmation either way? Judging by MichaelB's post above I'm assuming the latter? If so, a shame. Talk about dashing one's hopes, setting them on fire, and reversing over them with a semi-trailer.

Yes, it's definitely the Kinoshita. Blame Amazon for getting my hopes up.

It's 100% definitely the Kinoshita - I have a pre-release copy and have already watched it.

Amazon obviously didn't realise that there were two Japanese films with that title, and just slapped the Imamura details onto the page.

Fair enough, cheers for the update. After that semi-trailer add a splash of napalm and a few grenades for good measure.

I'm really struggling with the concept that there are no decent DVD releases for Black Rain, The Ballad Of Narayama, The Insect Woman, Pigs And Battleships, etc. Imamura is far too recent and far too praised and widely respected to go so sadly unnoticed.

Come on Criterion, these are URGENT! We can all do without that umpteenth Kurosawa title.

Black Rain is available on a decent DVD from France (with Engl. subs).

MichaelB wrote:It's 100% definitely the Kinoshita - I have a pre-release copy and have already watched it.

Amazon obviously didn't realise that there were two Japanese films with that title, and just slapped the Imamura details onto the page.

Isn't this the first English friendly release of the Kinoshita version? You should be happy then, the movie is great, and for the Imamura version the Hong Kong release is just fine:

That looks like my VHS.

A MAN VANISHES: THE LEGACY OF SHOHEI IMMAMURA: 18 films.

Makes me wish I was still living in Seattle...

Jesus Christ, that's an incredible lineup...missed it when most of these came to the Cinematheque Ontario, and I'm kicking myself now. I didn't really even know who he was when it was in Toronto, but now, after seeing The Eel, Vengeance is Mine, Dr. Akagi, and The Pornographers, I really think I could appreciate a retrospective. Oh well...Criterion, hurry that Eclipse set up!

18 FILMS, 10 NOT AVAILABLE ON VIDEO

Can someone tell me where at least 5 of those 8 are on video?