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FSimeoni wrote:

18 FILMS, 10 NOT AVAILABLE ON VIDEO

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

The Pornographers: Criterion DVD
Vengeance is Mine: Criterion/MOC DVD
The Eel: New Yorker DVD
Dr. Akagi: Kino (I believe) DVD
Black Rain: OOP Image DVD
Warm Water Under A Red Bridge: HVE DVD
Insect Woman and The Ballad of Narayama: Home Vision/Connoisseur VHS

EDIT- More comprehensive list below.

FSimeoni wrote:

18 FILMS, 10 NOT AVAILABLE ON VIDEO

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

In R1 alone, you have Pornographers and Vengeance Is Mine on DVD from Criterion; The Eel from New Yorker; Dr. Akagi from Kino; and, Warm Water Under a Red Bridge from HVe.

Of course there is the excellent release of Vengeance of Mine in UK from MoC. And, I think I remember that Black Rain was released on DVD with English subs in France. There was also a good laserdisc from Image Entertainment, which (if nothing else) will probably have made it to boot at this point.

Then you have Insect Woman, Pigs and Warships, Intentions of Murder, A Man Vanishes and Profound Desire of the Gods, all of which Japanese New Wave provided (gorgeous transfers from DVDs released in Japan wtih English subs added). JNW folded, but I am sure you can find their releases out there.

On laserdisc (in addition to Black Rain), I own Insect Woman, Vengeance Is Mine and a very poor edition of Eijanaika. If I remember correctly, Ballad of Narayama was also out, and if not, it certainly was on VHS.

So, if you are willing to put some time and money into the project, you would be able to have almost as comprehensive an Imamura retrospective in your own home

A rather mediocre (but better than nothing) version of Eijanaika was released on DVD in HK by Panorama.

The French DVD of Black Rain is quite acceptable ---but I don't believe it has any extras (none recall offhand).

Scharphedin2 wrote:

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

Pornographers and Vengeance Is Mine on DVD from Criterion; The Eel from New Yorker; Dr. Akagi from Kino; and, Warm Water Under a Red Bridge from HVe.

So that's 5+

...Black Rain was released on DVD with English subs in France.

1+

Insect Woman, Pigs and Warships, Intentions of Murder, A Man Vanishes and Profound Desire of the Gods, all of which Japanese New Wave provided (gorgeous transfers from DVDs released in Japan with English subs added).

5+

Ballad of Narayama was also out, and if not, it certainly was on VHS.

1

So that makes 12 available though not very easily. I would have thought the website would only condone official releases thus eliminating the JNW discs (of which I own all 5). It just left me puzzled that they would say that there were 8 films available when they could quite easily say that there were less thus making their retrospective even more appealing. What I was really after was Narayama which of course is not easily available with English subs.

I have a perfectly acceptable DVD of Ballad of Narayama from Intercontinental Video Ltd., and it has English subs. I'm sure I got it at YesAsia.

Imamura on DVD

Wow, what a fantastic retrospective. I'm jealous of everyone that can go. Be sure and catch A Man Vanishes. It's one of the best films of the decade.

Michael Kerpan wrote:I agree -- but think the director whose attitude towards women comes closest (at points) to that of Imamura is Naruse.

Had the good fortune to pair Insect Woman with some Naruse last month with my wife. I think this comparison is fruitful but, I'd say, mostly for the differences.

Both share a certain resigned hopelessness, but Naruse tends to endow his betrodden protagonists with a noble grace. Obviously, Imamura does nothing of the sort in Insect Woman, a rare film in which I'm actually hoping for some merciful accident to befall the main character by the film's end.

Not really a two-sides of the coin situation, but excellent companions. Mama from When A Woman Ascends the Stairs, as one example of Naruse's working woman, is presented as a magnificently, gorgeously, romantically tragic character, though tragic nonetheless. In Insect Woman, we see something much more seedy. Though I wouldn't call the film more complex, Imamura's film certainly gets some added mileage by delving into its character's complicity in the life she's found herself leading. But at no point do I ever feel strongly that there were better options for her. What I think makes the pairing of the film with Naruse's work interesting to me is that Naruse's films don't present any attractive alternatives. Sure, the characters are more sympathetic because they are not opportunistic, but in return they get nothing but melancholie.

I'd be interested in looking at some Mizoguchi in comparison here as well. Although I must say that he's never really been my favorite.

PS - I recently relocated to Germany, and at the moment I'm really feeling like my English hasn't had much exercise lately. I hope the above doesn't come off too wonky...

shirobamba wrote:It would be an interesting task, to compare his 60´s work to some works of Mizoguchi

I agree -- but think the director whose attitude towards women comes closest (at points) to that of Imamura is Naruse.

backstreetsbackalright wrote: Obviously, Imamura does nothing of the sort in Insect Woman, a rare film in which I'm actually hoping for some merciful accident to befall the main character by the film's end.

Well, the hanao (thong) on one of her geta (clogs) breaks. I can tell you, from sad personal experience, that this is not a good thing to happen in the middle of a long walk. ;~}

What I find interesting in Insect Woman is the setting up of the opposition between mother and daughter right before the end -- with a hint that the daughter's own stubbornness might lead her to choose a less destructive course than the one her mother chose. (We see sort of the same motif in Pornographers).

Any news on the R1 Narayama DVD?

Don Lope de Aguirre wrote:Any news on the R1 Narayama DVD?

It's now available. If that is what you are asking. Narayama

Could someone let us know what the animeigo disc of Narayama is like if they have acquired it? Or if they spot any reviews?

I've been on the point of ordering this for several days now but want some reassurances about picture quality (and extras) first.

Murasaki53 wrote:Could someone let us know what the animeigo disc of Narayama is like if they have acquired it? Or if they spot any reviews?

I've been on the point of ordering this for several days now but want some reassurances about picture quality (and extras) first.

I should have it any day now. It is one of my most anticipated, so I'll watch it right away.

I bought today "The Ballad of Narayama". Of course I haven't seen it yet but my first impressions are positive. The transfer looks very nice, it is anamorphic 1.85:1 which is the OAR.

The extras are thin, but slightly more than I expected from Animeigo. Because I have most of their non-Anime titles and they usually contain only the trailer for the film and extensive notes. Well, this disc has 4 trailers for this film plus another 4 for other films (and extensive notes).

Thanks for that information. I've gone ahead and ordered the DVD as it's very reasonably priced.

DVD Beaver comparison of Narayama

shirobamba wrote:

Gordon McMurphy wrote:Which other Imamura films are worth seeing?

Profound Desires of the Gods (another experimental feature masterpiece, which went terribly over budget and failed at the boxoffice, interrupting Imamura's career for ten years.)

I love "Profound Desires of the Gods" which screened on Film Four a couple of years back; also love 'The Eel', which I've just ordered via Amazon France.

I've also just ordered 'Ballad Of Narayama' and will be interested in comparing with my other version of this film.

shirobamba wrote:Profound Desires of the Gods (another experimental feature masterpiece, which went terribly over budget and failed at the boxoffice, interrupting Imamura's career for ten years.)
Except for "The Pornographers" at the present time, all of these are only available as boots, or unsubbed Japanese DVDs.

According to DVDAf, Criterion owns the rights to this, so perhaps we will see a release at some point.

I'm desperately looking for any way I can get hold of copies of some of Imamura's sixties films. All I have seen are The Pornogarphers, Vengeance is Mine, Ballad of Narayama and The Eel, all of which I thought were grea.

Anyone know where I can find The Insect Woman, Intentions of Murder and Pigs & Battleships?

Gary

These 60s films are all available on DVD -- without subs -- from retailers who handle Japanese DVD. It is possible that there are subtitling files online somewhere. with the right software (VLC, perhaps), you can watch the DVDs with the supplemental subs.

thanks. any websites that would sell these films?

call_me_ishmael wrote:thanks. any websites that would sell these films?

YesAsia and (if you can deal with a partially Japanese site) Amazon Japan. (note: Amazon Japan requires its own registration process -- unlike the Canadian and European branches of amazon -- which can be logged into by anyone with a US Amazon account).

Having just received the OOP New Yorker DVD of The Eel, I looked up the movie and saw that some DVD releases call themselves a "director's cut." Are there two different cuts, and if so, which releases have which cut?

The New Yorker is 117 min. The Director's cut is 135 min (Australian PAL DVD). I don't know which version is the one screened at Cannes.

The Cannes website lists the running time as 117 minutes. What are the differences between the two cuts?

Mungo wrote:The Cannes website lists the running time as 117 minutes. What are the differences between the two cuts?

I haven't seen the longer version so I can't say what the differences are but, according to Amazon Japan, the 2001 Japanese DVD contained the 117min. theatrical cut with the 134min. 'Complete Version' coming out on DVD in Japan in 2004 and being described as 'a director's cut complete version newly edited by director Imamura Shōhei'. The YesAsia listing here from the title and image appears to be the Complete Version despite the running time being listed as 117mins. It does not unfortunately appear to be English friendly though.

I think the Australian DVD was the longer version as well.