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[quote]“Right now we consider ourselves ‘The Criterion of Smut',â€

[quote="Narshty"][quote]“Right now we consider ourselves ‘The Criterion of Smut',â€

Jess Franco's Macumba sexual and Mansion of the Living Dead are being released in October.

Got a reply email from Severin Films stating that they will release the two Borowczyk's titles in January. They also add that "you've never seen them look as good as this before", so I guess this is good news, right?

Severin Films Coming soon page has been updated.

Once Upon a Girl, uncut on DVD in a gorgeous anamorphic transfer with extras - I really have seen everything now. [/b]

Watch the original theatrical trailers for the omnibus movie Private Collections here and the one for Borowczyk's Immoral Women here.

DVDManiacs already has a review for Immoral Women.

DVDTalk reviews Private Collections.

Mondo Digital has reviews too, I ordered both from DeepDiscountDvd. I really love that Private Collections cover.

DVDBeaver is now offering reviews for Private Collections and Immoral Women.

DVDManiacs now reviews Private Collections.

Here's more for the boys coming up from Severin...

Out today: Lucio Fulci's Perversion Story. On March 27th: Joe D'Amato's Black Emmanuelle Box (Emmanuelle in Bangkok, Sister Emmanuelle and Emmanuelle Around the World). And, on April 24th, two Jess Franco flicks -- Sexual Story of O and The Inconfessable Orgies of Emmanuelle.

Has anyone seen either the films (or any of Severin's output)? I saw Fulci's Zombi, when I was a lad, and it scared me half to death. I am still undecided, whether I need to go back for another peek. Never seen anything by these other Euro schlockers. Is there anything of interest here?

Borowczyk's films are really special, but then my feeling is that he sits rather uncomfortably with the other directors showcased on Severin.

One of the DVD Times reviewers has posted on Perversion Story on his own blog here, here and here, along with a Word document detailing all the various additions and edits here.

From his comments, it looks like the Severin release is the French 'sexy' edit that adds 4 and a half minutes of different footage, but the video version has over 10 minutes of other material that isn't included on the DVD. The reviewer is a bit annoyed by this and asks why Severin chose to release the French cut rather than the other version, but I think an even more important question to ask is why they didn't include both versions?

I have only seen their Borowczyk titles, but I thought that the image was good, the main thing that annoys me about them is that there releases are encoded for DVD-5 (at least the ones I have seen). Sadly no store near me had the Fulci film so I am waiting on my copy to ship in the mail.

I am hoping that some day La Marge, Lulu and The Bloodbath of Dr. Jekyll will finally be released.

colinr0380 wrote:From his comments, it looks like the Severin release is the French 'sexy' edit that adds 4 and a half minutes of different footage, but the video version has over 10 minutes of other material that isn't included on the DVD. The reviewer is a bit annoyed by this and asks why Severin chose to release the French cut rather than the other version, but I think an even more important question to ask is why they didn't include both versions?

There is a very comprehensive thread on this over at DVD Maniacs forum which covers most of the bases. Start at page 3.

ouatitw wrote:I am hoping that some day La Marge, Lulu and The Bloodbath of Dr. Jekyll will finally be released.

Me too but hopefully not from them. Mind, I'm glad they're putting out Immoral Women and Private Collections but there's a bucketload of Borowczyk shorts just waiting for a DVD release and they've could have included one or two for these releases.

I even emailed them about it but they seemed to be unaware of them and didn't express much interest either. And I'm sure there's plenty of people out there just waiting to be asked to provide interviews or audio-commentaries for his films. But I'm not complaining too much -- at least the features presented are completely uncut and in above average A/V conditions.

Scharphedin2 wrote:Has anyone seen either the films (or any of Severin's output)? I saw Fulci's Zombi, when I was a lad, and it scared me half to death. I am still undecided, whether I need to go back for another peek. Never seen anything by these other Euro schlockers. Is there anything of interest here?

Borowczyk's films are really special, but then my feeling is that he sits rather uncomfortably with the other directors showcased on Severin.

I have seen Private Collections, a good DVD but bare, a booklet would have been nice. I thought the Jaeckin was fairly obvious but Laura Gemser was fairly divine, the Borowczyk disappointed me but I think that was more to do with Maupassant than him.

He sits rather uncomfortably with the other directors

Hmmm. I like Borowczyk from all periods but I wonder if you may be judging him by his earlier films rather than the Euro-Cult ones he was making here (and happily I presume)? Jaeckin was significant in this field, and in a wider field too. I like him, and would like to see Gwendoline. Then again all this has big nostalgia for me...

The Terayama is spellbinding however and worth the price of admission alone. I have yet to watch his Fruits of Passion, the only other legit release I have of his, which has been going cheap in the shops over here, but if it is anything like this or Pastoral:To Die In The Country, then the casual buyers are in for a shock...

Fulci's Devil's Honey is crying out for a release and would be right up Severin's street. Currently in a hideous VHS Transfer from Luminus complete with Greek (?) subtitles or a DVD from HK with Chinese Subs.

Lino wrote:but there's a bucketload of Borowczyk shorts just waiting for a DVD release and they've could have included one or two for these releases.

I am not sure if you have ever seen this site, but here you can get several of some of his early shorts, including my favorite Dom. Although sadly they are not translated and in extremely poor quality. Link Here --> UBU

Lulu is out on DVD already if you're not fazed by French dialogue and no subtitles.

(Or by the fact that it really wasn't worth digging up: probably the biggest Borowczyk-related disappointment I've ever had).

there's a bucketload of Borowczyk shorts just waiting for a DVD release and they've could have included one or two for these releases.

I've amassed eight shorts on DVD to date, via extras on the French Arte disc of La Bête and the Italian box set of Goto, Immoral Tales and La Bête. Since I already had the Nouveaux disc of La Bête this makes me look like some kind of twisted bestialist, but thankfully I have an understanding wife.

Michael, since you do seem to take a rather bestial interest in Borowczyk these days, would you have any hunches as to whether we should get our hopes up of seeing more of the unreleased titles (especially Dr. Jekyll and the shorts) released in UK (or anywhere else) any time soon? (and a big wink, of course)

Scharphedin2 wrote:Michael, since you do seem to take a rather bestial interest in Borowczyk these days, would you have any hunches as to whether we should get our hopes up of seeing more of the unreleased titles (especially Dr. Jekyll and the shorts) released in UK (or anywhere else) any time soon? (and a big wink, of course)

None whatsoever - sorry!

I believe there is supposed to be a Borowczyk shorts collection coming from Cult Epics. I have not heard anything about this for a long time though. I may have to contact Cult Epics to see what they say. I really hope this does happen - Borowczyk's animation work is incredible and it would be wonderful to have a good quality dvd edition. Other than the shorts I really wish someone would get round to releasing Blanche, one of Borowczyk's finest films.

MichaelB wrote:...the Nouveaux disc of La Bête...

I used to have that one too but quickly binned it when Cult Epics released their amazing 3xDVD edition a few years back.

vogler wrote:I believe there is supposed to be a Borowczyk shorts collection coming from Cult Epics. I have not heard anything about this for a long time though.

You're right. I keep forgetting that. And although I do know about the UBU project and website, I'd rather have them properly restored and subtitled on a shiny digital versatile disc.

MichaelB wrote:Lulu is out on DVD already if you're not fazed by French dialogue and no subtitles.

(Or by the fact that it really wasn't worth digging up: probably the biggest Borowczyk-related disappointment I've ever had).

I've known about the french disc for quite awhile but like you, it's not one of my favorite Boros so I'll wait for an english-friendly edition. It does however feature some great moments in it, most notably the piss-drinking old man!

vogler wrote:Other than the shorts I really wish someone would get round to releasing Blanche, one of Borowczyk's finest films.

And one that keeps eluding me. I've seen practically everything he's done, live-action wise and including the disappointing La Marge, but I'm virtually itching to catch Blanche. Let's all hope it comes out sooner than later.

I am curious what is disappointing about La Marge, the thought of Joe Dallesandro and Sylvia Kristel in a Borowczyk film sounds promising.