December 24, 2003

[MoC DVD OF THE YEAR AWARD 2003]

The Masters of Cinema DVD Award of the Year 2003 results are here. Thanks to everyone who voted and congratulations to the Criterion Collection in New York who took more than 60% of the total vote. Happy festivities to all our readers!

December 22, 2003

["UNAVAILABLE?"]

A special treat - a new article entitled "Unavailable?". In development for two months, it is a survey and investigation of films that are "most wanted" on DVD, including responses from Acquarello, Ray Carney, David Ehrenstein, Martin Koerber, Mark Le Fanu, James Quandt, Jonathan Rosenbaum, David Shepard and Robin Wood.

We'd like to wish all our readers a joyous festive season, and don't forget that the MoC DVD of the year 2003 will be announced here on Christmas Eve - December 24.
Thanks for a great first year!

December 13, 2003

[BELA TARR]

Another month, another Bela Tarr delay. Chalk up the sixth release date delay for Artificial Eye's (UK) release of Werckmeister Harmonies & Damnation. The new date is February 26, 2004. We now have some info as to why the release schedule for this title, originally announced for July 2003, has become so farcical: apparently an interview with Tarr has just been recorded for this release.

Artificial Eye have also said that they will consider releasing Bela Tarr's monumental Sátántangó if sales for Werckmeister Harmonies / Damnation are good. Hopefully, we'll all be able to show them very soon how much we want Sátántangó on DVD...

December 7, 2003

[THEO ANGELOPOULOS]

The NFT in London are currently having a Theo Angelopoulos retrospective. It runs until December 28, 2003.

Artificial Eye plan to release his new film To livadi pou dakrizi theatrically in addition to a DVD release of Eternity and a Day in late 2004.

Swedish newspaper Sydsvenskan reports: "At present he [Angelopoulos] is working on a DVD box that will be released internationally and will contain no less than twelve films plus extensive extras. For example, Angelopoulos has an hour's worth of deleted scenes from Ulysses' Gaze."

At long last, things appear to be blossoming.

December 1-23, 2003

[MoC DVD OF THE YEAR AWARD 2003]

The Masters of Cinema DVD Award of the Year 2003 will be announced here on Xmas Eve. It is voted for by you - our dear readers. The voting period is from now until December 23.

We really would like the award to speak for our readers and go to the most important DVD out there this year so here are some simple guidelines that may help you decide: 1.) The DVD can be from anywhere in the world and must have been released sometime in 2003; 2.) This award should not be for the DVD with the most extras, the winner could be a barebones disc if deemed an important release; 3.) You can vote for box sets; 4.) Please choose what you think to be the most important DVD release of the year! Thanks.

Simply send your ONE title here. This is the only way to vote. If you're reading this - please vote! Thankyou! - NB. only one vote per reader please.

November 29, 2003

[ANDREI TARKOVSKY]

Two new and restored Tarkovsky DVDs are on the horizon. Firstly, the Swedish Film Institute are releasing The Sacrifice on January 30, 2004. According to the SFI a lot of time, effort and money has been invested in restoring the film and sound. The visual quality of Michal Leszczylowski's accompanying documentary Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky [REGI ANDREJ TARKOVSKIJ] has also been much improved over previous DVD editions. Both films have subtitles in English.

Secondly, a private publisher has informed us of a new Nostalghia disc (possibly a 2 x DVD set) that they are working on for release in the first half of 2004. The DVD will have no region coding, the best possible anamorphic PAL transfer, Dolby Digital mono Italian soundtrack and English subtitles. Tempo di viaggio is one of the documentaries scheduled to be included. If any of our readers have additional suggestions for DVD bonus materials, please let us know and we shall forward all information to the producer. Stay tuned for further details.

For further details about these two releases please visit dedicated MoC site nostalghia.com the most indepth online Tarkovsky resource.

November 26, 2003

[ROBERT BRESSON - Updated]

Dedicated MoC site robert-bresson.com today interviewed the producer of the highly anticipated, forthcoming Criterion Diary of a Country Priest release. Eleven minutes of deleted scenes and a Peter Cowie commentary are promised. Full details here.

Further superb Bresson news today, Artificial Eye in the UK are releasing A Man Escaped, Lancelot du Lac and The Devil, Probably on DVD in May 2004. It seems we have a worldwide Bresson race on our hands. Let's hope nobody rushes these masterworks!

November 13, 2003

[BELA TARR]

Artificial Eye (UK) are now planning to release Werckmeister Harmonies & Damnation on January 26, 2004. However, take that with a pinch of salt because this is now the fifth release date change for this title. Originally announced for July 2003, Tarr fans have had their hopes dashed each month as five different release dates have been thoughtlessly announced. The last release date was set for late November. Artificial Eye's release schedule for this title seems to be as glacial as Tarr's approach to time. UPDATE: see December 13, 2003

November 7, 2003

[YASUJIRO OZU]

It has come to our attention that the English subtitles on the Yasujiro Ozu DVDs from Panorama (Hong Kong) leave a lot to be desired. Some of the initial releases are slightly better than others, but the English subtitles on An Autumn Afternoon are practically incoherent. The deftness, wit, and humour of the Ozu/Noda script is entirely ruined on this disc where the subtitles are so sloppy they might as well not be there. Not only is there poor syntax, spelling mistakes, badly timed subtitles, but whole sentences go untranslated. It is the type of job you'd expect from a bootleg, not an officially licensed Shochiku product.

We have written to Panorama about this shambles in the hope that the THIRTY other Ozu titles they just announced could be correctly subtitled by a professional translator and proof-reader. If Panorama realise just what an insult this is to Ozu they may do something about it. Here's an example of the sloppiness. Please email Panorama's press officer here if you would like to lobby for decent English subtitles. We will keep you updated.

November 6, 2003

[MIKLÓS JANCSÓ - UPDATED]

Dreamquest Films (Canada) have recently released Jancsó's Silence and Cry [Csend és kiéltés] (1967) on a region 0 NTSC DVD. This non-anamorphic 2.35:1 disc has optional English, French and Spanish subtitles along with Jancsó's short film trilogy The Presence (30 minutes) and a complete director filmography. For a fine set of articles on Jancsó see here.

UPDATE: In 2004, Dreamquest Films will release Jancsó's The Confrontation [Fényes szelek] (1968). It will be OAR (2.35:1) with English, French, and Spanish subtitles; interviews with Miklós Jancsó; and a full length audio commentary by Miklós Jancsó. Also in 2004 they plan to release Márton Keleti's The Corporal and the Others (1965) and Istvan Szabo's The Age of Illusions (1964) (complete with Szabo commentary). This year Dreamquest have already released Peter Bacso's banned classic film The Witness (1969).

November 1, 2003

[INGMAR BERGMAN]

MGM Home Entertainment (USA) have announced a six-disc special edition R1 DVD box set of five Ingmar Bergman films on February 10, 2004. List price is a whopping $112.96.

The films are Persona (1966), Hour Of The Wolf (1968), Shame (1968), The Passion Of Anna (A Passion) (1969) and er... The Serpent's Egg (1977). Subtitles are optional on all films and alternative language audio tracks are present on three of the films. The sixth disc will be a bonus disc of materials only available with the boxed set (which suggests that the films will also be able to buy separately at some point). Altogether there are over fourteen hours of featurettes, audio commentaries, interviews, and photo galleries. All the 1960s films feature audio commentary by Bergman biographer Marc Gervais, whilst The Serpent's Egg features commentary by its star David Carradine.

The bonus disc is 90 minutes long and contains: "Sven Nykvist: With One Eye He Cries" (a "featurette"); "Faro Island Mystique" (exploring the principal location of many Bergman films through photographs and interviews with key cast members); "Intermezzo 2002" (Swedish television program episode on which Bergman was a guest); "An Interview With Ingmar Bergman" (1970); American Cinematographer Article: "Film-Making In Sweden" reprinted collection of original articles on the works of Bergman; intimate photographs from Bergman's life and work; film poster gallery. [Thanks to Glenn Kenny for the details.]

October 31, 2003

[ANTONIONI / VISCONTI]

Warner Home Video (USA) finally acknowledge more of their World Cinema catalogue with the February 17, 2004 releases of Blowup (Antonioni, 1966), The Damned (Visconti, 1969), and Death in Venice (Visconti, 1971). They will all be barebones, but more importantly, they will be anamorphic original aspect ratio with a selection of original language soundtracks.

October 27, 2003

[ELEM KLIMOV 1933-2003]

Elem Klimov has died at the age of 70.

Klimov graduated from the VGIK in 1964, and was thus of the same generation as Andrei Tarkovsky, Gleb Panfilov, and Nikita Mikhalkov. The Russian director first received international attention with Agony, completed in 1975 but banned until 1981 when it was shown at the Moscow Film Festival. It subsequently won the Fipresci Prize at the Venice Film Festival in 1982. A significantly shortened version was released internationally in 1985.

When his wife, director Larissa Shepitko, died in a tragic 1979 auto accident Klimov took it upon himself to complete the film begun by her, Farewell. In 1985 he completed his last film, the gut-wrenching classic Come and See, perhaps one of the most soberingly realistic portrayals of wartime atrocities ever to hit the screen. The film is based in part on his own WWII childhood experiences. Said Klimov, "What I ended up filming was a lightened-up version of the truth. Had I included everything I knew and shown the whole truth, even I could not have watched it." After Come and See Klimov all but disappeared, apparently having lost all interest in making films. However, in one of his last interviews (Komsomlskaya pravda 09.07.03), he says "After Come and See I wanted to make Master and Margarita by M. Bulgakov. Not a literal version, rather an improvisation on a theme. I wrote the script together with A. German. One's hair stood on end, as we worked on it. We continued the life of M. Bulgakov, we joined with him."

Klimov's funeral will be held on October 30, in Moscow.

(Report by MoC's Trond Trondsen)

October 25, 2003

[VICTOR ERICE]

The new UK DVD of Spirit of the Beehive by Optimum Releasing (UK) is a treat. It is original aspect ratio 1.66:1 and, although a non-anamorphic transfer, the print used is new and exceptional. (We've provided DVDBeaver with grabs, have a look). After decades of poor VHS and badly damaged theatrical prints it is a revelation to see this film looking so good. English subtitles are optional too. It's refreshing to see a small company obtaining a new transfer from a lovely new print when major companies such as Columbia Tristar continue to treat World Cinema with disrespect (see October 22 news story).

[CRITERION]

A number of new titles from Criterion have been announced recently in their new catalogue. Titles on their slate for 2004 include Samuel Fuller's Pickup on South Street, Akira Kurosawa's Ikiru, Barbet Schroeder's Maitresse, and Robert Bresson's Diary of a Country Priest. Criterion have mentioned on their website that Jean Renoir's Rules of the Game and Gillo Pontecorvo's The Battle of Algiers are also forthcoming in 2004. In addition, their Fox deal has resulted in reports that Russ Meyer's Beyond the Valley of the Dolls will be getting a Criterion release and prestonsturges.com have reported that Preston Sturges' Unfaithfully Yours will be getting the Criterion treatment also.

October 22, 2003

[SATYAJIT RAY]

Columbia Tristar's eagerly awaited R1 USA DVDs of Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy are released separately on October 28. Unfortunately, they are unrestored, have ingrained English subtitles, and zero extras (not even liner notes). See for yourself at DVDBeaver. Considering their price this is extremely disappointing because restored film elements do exist in the USA. We hope that there is time to cancel any preorders if you were expecting more from a major company such as Columbia Tristar. The films are available in the UK from Artificial Eye with copious extras and optional English subtitles.

October 20, 2003

[JEAN RENOIR]

A slew of Renoir has hit DVD for the first time in the second half of 2003. First up was the bfi's disc of Partie de campagne (1936) which was released in the UK in August (expect an article about this disc before the end of the month).

Last month saw the French release of Vivre libre (This Land is Mine) (1943) which comes with both the original English and French audio tracks.

Thirdly, we have a new French boxset on October 21 of Tire-au-flanc (1928), On purge bébé (1931) and La Chienne (1931). Unfortunately there are definitely no English subtitles on this release but the transfers are very nice.

Lastly, also in France, Studio Canal release Le Crime de Monsieur Lange (1936) on November 4. If this release is like their last wave of releases there won't be English subtitles on this either.

All eyes are now on the UK and USA rightsholders of Renoir's films to readdress the balance here!

[YASUJIRO OZU]

www.ozuyasujiro.com has the latest on the just released Japanese Ozu boxset #1, the newly announced French Arte boxset, the newly announced UK Tartan boxset, and the first release from Panorama (HK) - Late Autumn.

October 16, 2003

[INGMAR BERGMAN]

Sweden are getting their own DVD releases of Bergman's films starting in December (more titles in Spring 2004). Unfortunately, they won't have English subtitles but many of the films are already available from Tartan (UK) and Criterion (USA). The interesting aspect of the forthcoming Swedish discs is that a number of the films will have short intros from Bergman himself (recorded in Summer 2002 when Swedish Television showed his films). Additionally, the Swedish release of Scenes from a Marriage will be the complete restored TV version (unlike the recent Tartan (UK) DVD which was the theatrical release of the film). Again, no English subtitles on any of these releases, but Criterion have told us that they would love to release Scenes from a Marriage in the USA, so although nothing is confirmed it's good to know that plans are being hatched. [Thanks to Daniel Stenvall for the fine detail.]

[GILLO PONTECORVO]

Further to our piece from September 24, Criterion have announced that they plan to release The Battle of Algiers on DVD in 2004 (after Rialto's confirmed theatrical rerelease).

October 13, 2003

[FRANCOIS TRUFFAUT]

Francois Truffaut's second film Shoot the Pianist will be released on DVD in the UK by Tartan on January 5, 2004. This seems to be a continuation of their Truffaut series licensed from MK2.

October 3, 2003

[ALFRED LIND]

Early cinema enthusiasts haven't exactly been well catered for in the midst of the DVD boom but the Danish Film Insitute are going some way to rectify this with their continuing series of DVDs. They have just released two films by Alfred Lind on one DVD, The Flying Circus (1912) and The Bear Tamer (1912) with musical accompaniment by the formidable pianist Neil Brand. These two films are the only known surviving films of the Scandinavian-Russian Trading Company (who produced 25 films in the 1911-13 period). As a bonus, the disc features an eight minute showcase reel of death-defying stunts featuring Emilie Sannom called Daredevil of the Movies (1923). Emilie died in 1931 whilst performing a stunt where her parachute failed to open.

October 2, 2003

[MIZOGUCHI / NARUSE / OZU] - updated

Three new books about three important Japanese filmmakers are on their way. First up will be an English translation of Yoshida Kiju's Ozu's Anti-cinema in November, published by the Center for Japanese Studies Publications, at the University of Michigan. There is a book reading, signing, and reception from 4pm-6pm on November 6 at Shaman Drum Bookshop, 311-315 S. State Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. Film director Yoshida Kiju will read from Ozu's Anti-Cinema and be available to sign autographs. [More detailed info at ozuyasujiro.com.]

Secondly, we've learnt that Catherine Russell is writing the first major study in the West of the wonderful Mikio Naruse which promises to be an essential read in late 2004.

Finally, author Mark Le Fanu has written the first new English book about Kenji Mizoguchi in decades (Keiko MacDonald's book has been out-of-print for many years and Donald Kirihara's book on Mizoguchi limits his study to the films of the thirties). Le Fanu's Mizoguchi and Japan should appear in late 2004 courtesy of the British Film Institute. It intends to be an introduction — straightforward in methodology — designed to introduce a new generation of film-lovers to this master director. No doubt a great companion to the Mizoguchi DVDs we constantly dream about.

September 26, 2003

[ROBERT BRESSON]

Film Forum (NYC) are showing Robert Bresson's exquisite Au hasard Balthazar (1966) for two weeks only, October 17-30. Lucky New Yorkers get to see this new Rialto 35mm print — with a new translation and new subtitles — at a time when there are currently no English subtitled DVDs of this film in the West (there aren't even any Bresson films on DVD in France). Rialto theatrical re-releases usually end up as Criterion discs. We're hoping that this film makes it to Criterion DVD in 2004. [As regular readers will know, the news page at robert-bresson.com has more detailed Bresson information.]

September 24, 2003

[GILLO PONTECORVO]

Argent Films (UK) are releasing Gillo Pontecorvo's The Battle of Algiers in the UK (R2 PAL) on November 3. Digitally remastered from a new print (restoring the film's "newsreel look" through experiments with film stock, light and lab processing by director Pontecorvo and cinematographer Marcello Gatti), and incorporating previously unseen footage (featuring the recitation of an Islamic prayer), this version of The Battle of Algiers was assembled with the participation of Channel 4's dedicated film channel FilmFour and represents the most complete version of the film available. There is a very nice Italian DVD already, with Italian commentary, but the new UK version sounds to be a more complete cut. Rumours abound of US companies preparing this title for the R1 market.
UPDATE: see October 16 news.

September 19, 2003

[AKI KAURISMÄKI]

Sandrew Metronome (Sweden) have announced a 5 x DVD Aki Kaurismäki boxset for December. It will contain the previously released The Man without a Past [Mies vailla menneisyyttä] (2002) & Drifting Clouds [Kauas pilvet karkaavat] (1996) - but will also add three titles new to DVD, from the "Proletarian trilogy" ie. Shadows in Paradise [Varjoja paratiisissa] (1986), Ariel (1988), and The Match Factory Girl [Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö] (1990). All discs have been confirmed as having English subtitles (yippee!). The three new titles will also be available separately. Sandrew Metronome also plan to release more Kaurismäki in 2004. [MoC thanks Daniel for the detective work]

September 14, 2003

[FRITZ LANG]

See our indepth look at Fritz Lang's M which gets the royal treatment from Eureka Video (UK) next month (October 6).

This is a pertinent time to announce the Masters of Cinema DVD of the Year Award which will be awarded here on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2003. Each of the four editors of MoC has one vote and so do you! In early December we will begin accepting email votes from our readers. We really would like the award to speak for our readers and go to the best DVD out there so here are some simple guidelines that may help you decide: 1.) The DVD can be from anywhere in the world and must have been released sometime in 2003; 2.) This award should not be for the DVD with the most extras, the winner could be a barebones disc if the film is important and the transfer superb; 3.) Vote for what you think to be the most important DVD release of the year. Voting starts here, early December.

[JEAN RENOIR]

Further to our piece from August 7, Criterion announced the discovery last week of a film element for Rules of the Game [La Règle du Jeu] previously thought to be lost. Criterion's staff had already spent months on the new high-definition master that was to be at the heart of a two-disc special edition when a French lab finally unearthed the fine-grain master of the reconstructed version, one generation closer to the original than anything previously available. A similar fortuitous find delayed Criterion's impeccable Grand Illusion release four years ago. MoC greatly respects Criterion's decision to forego the work they'd already done.

September 11, 2003

[KRZYSZTOF KIESLOWSKI] - update

Warner Brothers Poland have confirmed to us that their new release of Kieslowski's Dekalog on 11 x DVDs will consist of new transfers and have two soundtracks: the original mono and a newly remixed 5.0 track. Each DVD consists of one episode plus 30 mins of supplements. The films are subtitled in English, French, and Polish. The supplements are in Polish only. Each 30 minute supplement consists of information about the creators and the actors, interviews with actors from the given episode, and interviews with Krzysztof Piesiewicz and Artur Barcis (different interview on each DVD). The 11th disc contains video materials about and with Kieslowski from the Polish Television archives, including those aired after his death. It seems that this disc will also be untranslated but we're not sure about that. The release date is "hopefully November 14".

[LARS VON TRIER]

Many months before the US theatrical release, Nordisk/Egmont (Denmark) will be releasing Lars von Trier's Dogville as a 2 x disc set on November 19, 2003 (DK199,00 R2 PAL). There is an English audio commentary by Lars von Trier and DP Anthony Dod Mantle but they chose only to comment on specific scenes (the film is 3hrs+). Subtitles on the main feature are in Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish (the film's language is English). Disc 2 features a 52 min documentary by Sami Saif, a huge amount of interviews, experimental footage, etc. Extra material will not be subtitled. [MoC thanks Diana Bilbjerg and Henrik Sylow for providing the Danish info.]

September 10, 2003

[HOU HSIAO-HSIEN]

Cahiers du Cinema is reporting that the world premiere of Hou Hsiao-hsien's new film Kafei Shiguang [Coffee Time] will be on December 12, 2003 in Japan (the 100th anniversary of Yasujiro Ozu's birth). Conceived as an homage to Ozu the film is written by Hou's usual screenwriter Chu Tien-wen and depicts a romance between an Ozu-like heroine, played by Taiwanese-Japanese pop singer Hitoto Yoh, and an employee in a second-hand bookshop (Tadanobu Asano, star of Maborosi, Taboo, Ichi the Killer, Bright Future, etc). Hou started shooting the film on August 2 in Japan using a small Taiwanese crew. It is set in Tokyo and Yubari, Hokkaido (which Hou used for the snow scenes in Millennium Mambo). The film's language is Japanese and shooting is planned to last until September 20.

The Chinese title Kafei Shiguang translates as Coffee Time and "reflects the feeling that drinking coffee with close friends in leisurely surroundings gives you". The project was initiated by Shochiku as part of the celebrations of Ozu's birth centenary. Shochiku plans a Japanese general release in 2004 and to show it at Cannes. [MoC thanks Ian Johnston for this translation]

September 9, 2003

[ROSSELLINI / KUROSAWA / VISCONTI / POWELL / TATI]

bfi (UK) have provided us with their latest DVD release information. Michael Powell's The Edge of the World will be released in December; Visconti's The Leopard has slipped to 2004; and the forthcoming Kurosawa discs (Red Beard, Ikiru, and Sanjuro will "all be made from newly restored high definition masters from original negative materials from Toho Studios." Their Tati discs are now also due in early 2004 (Mon oncle and Playtime). Rossellini's Journey to Italy is scheduled for November 17. The bfi have tentative plans to release Rossellini's War Trilogy in 2004 but nothing is confirmed yet. All bfi discs in the DVD Calendar (to the right) now contain the most up-to-date release information.

September 3, 2003

[YASUJIRO OZU]

The Ozu Retrospective hits theatres across the USA over the next few months during Ozu's Centenary year (1903-2003).

So far we've heard from the
Detroit Film Theatre, BAM/PFA (The University of California, Berkeley Art Museum, & Pacific Film Archive), San Francisco's Castro and New York's Ozu Retrospective as part of the New York Film Festival. All NY films will be screened at the Walter Reade Theater at Lincoln Center. Click here for full details.

[You can keep abreast of all things Ozu at: ozuyasujiro.com.]

August 21, 2003

[S. RAY]

Columbia (USA) have announced barebones R1 discs of Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali, Aparajito, and World of Apu for October 28. They are poor transfers, ingrained subtitles with no extras and the discs are $29.95 each. For those that don't already know about it, MoC recommends Artificial Eye's already released Apu Trilogy boxset [R2 UK] because of the copious extras.

August 7, 2003

[FELLINI / TARR]

The Criterion Collection (USA) have informed online retailers of their November releases. Among them is the long-awaited special edition of La Strada (Fellini, 1954).

In other news today, Artificial Eye (UK) have pushed back their Werckmeister Harmonies / Damnation (Tarr) 2 x DVD set to late November due to subtitling issues.

August 1, 2003

[CISSÉ]

Kino (USA) will be releasing Souleymane Cissé's Yeelen [Brightness] (1987) at a consumer price of $29.95 in October (it was previously available to institutions for $250). The film has been widely cited as the greatest African film ever made (Rosenbaum is a big fan).

July 31, 2003

[KUROSAWA]

We've never known a week quite like this for important new releases. Now the bfi (UK) are releasing an Ikiru [To Live] (Kurosawa, 1952) DVD on September 22nd 2003. Extras seem to consist of only an introduction by Alex Cox. Most of the earlier bfi Kurosawa DVDs were unrestored prints with ingrained subs, so let's hope this is an improvement. (MoC would like to remind readers that a Criterion disc of Ikiru is expected in the next 12 months)

July 30, 2003

[OZU / MELVILLE]

The good news train rolls on! Matchless DVD magicians The Criterion Collection (USA) have announced details to retailers concerning an October twin disc release of Ozu's Tokyo Story (1953) with Kazuo Inoue's superb I Lived, But... (1983) documentary. Please see ozuyasujiro.com for a full rundown of the extras.

Criterion also released details of Le Cercle Rouge (Melville, 1970), which is also a 2 x disc set, and also an October release.

July 29, 2003

[MIZOGUCHI]

It is with enormous pleasure that we bring the official news that Artificial Eye (UK) are releasing Life of Oharu (Mizoguchi, 1952) on DVD in April/May 2004. The film will be shown at the Renoir Cinema in London in December 2003.

July 28, 2003

[DREYER / FANCK / LANG / MURNAU / PABST]

Eureka Video (UK) have exclusively revealed to MoC their forthcoming DVD releases for 2004. Titles and release dates are subject to change but the current schedule looks like this:

Sunrise (Murnau, 1927) - January
Doctor Mabuse I & II (Lang, 1922) - February
The Testament of Dr Mabuse (Lang, 1933) - March
The Holy Mountain (Fanck, 1926) - March
The Last Laugh (Murnau, 1924) - April
Herr Tartüff (Murnau, 1926) - May
Diary of a Lost Girl (Pabst, 1929) - June
Die Nibelungen I & II (Lang, 1924) - June
Michael [Mikaël] (Dreyer, 1924) - September

All this comes after Eureka's exciting 2003 slate which contains Der Golem (Wegener, 1920) in September, and M
(Lang, 1931) in October.

July 25, 2003

[SCHLESINGER]

The British filmmaker John Schlesinger died today in a Californian hospital aged 77 — he had been ill for a number of weeks. His films included a handful of gems, among them Billy Liar (1963), Far From The Madding Crowd (1967), Midnight Cowboy (1969) and Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971). His style, comparable to his British contemporary Nic Roeg, was admired by critics, the viewing public, and even the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences didn't slip up — nominating him three times for BEST DIRECTOR, and giving him the Oscar for Midnight Cowboy in 1969. In the late 60s and early 70s Schlesinger helped to spearhead the last great golden Hollywood era along with Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Altman, Roman Polanski, Sidney Lumet, and many others.

July 24-27, 2003

[SOKUROV] - updated

Ideale Audience in France are releasing (in Feb 2004) a limited edition 30 copies of "MILITARY SERIES" an Alexander Sokurov 3 x DVD boxset for 12,000 Euros (yes, twelve thousand (that's $14,000)). The Spanish art gallery Elba Benitez are also distributing the set in Spain. The films are Confession (1988, 210 mins in 5 parts, "Made before the Kursk disaster, but now seemingly haunted by it, this poetic diary of "confession" of a ship captain is one of Sokurov's most majestic and troubling achievements."); Spiritual Voices (1995, 327 mins in 5 parts, "a soft and subtle portrait of lonely Russian soldiers whose inner strength serves as a metaphor for humanity's ultimately spiritual nature"); A Soldier's Dream (1995, 11 mins, a short made with material from Spiritual Voices, "This smaller film was created as a kind of gift to the film critic and historian Dr Hans Schlegel, who has done so much for me and for so many other Eastern European cinematographers."). The 3 DVDs total 9 hrs 13 mins, are R1-8 compatible, encoded in NTSC. These are the original Russian video versions with menus allowing a choice of different subtitles (English, French, Italian, TBC German and Spanish) and providing access to different chapters. Included is a bonus CD-ROM with synopses, articles, press information, screening conditions and photos from each film, including the biographical elements and other relevant background material in English. Apparently, this is a limited edition, signed by Sokurov — for museums, filmotheques and collectors which includes rights to screen them. MoC hope that more realistically priced versions are also forthcoming.

July 21, 2003

[KUROSAWA]

Criterion (USA) representative Jon Mulvaney has stated that their forthcoming The Lower Depths DVD will be delayed from its previously announced release date to sometime late 2003 or early 2004 "in order to add further content". MoC hope that this further content will involve a film of the same title by Jean Renoir...

[OZU]

Panorama (Hong Kong) have informed us that they will be releasing 35 x Ozu VCD & DVD titles starting in August. [For full details on subtitles, the first two releases, and the elements being used please visit: ozuyasujiro.com.]

July 19, 2003

[BRESSON | DREYER]

MK2 in France have postponed their planned Bresson DVDs from September 2003 to "sometime in 2004". This will most likely impact on the five Artificial Eye UK Robert Bresson DVDs releases they had planned for later in 2003. [Full details at robert-bresson.com.]

In other news, Artificial Eye have announced that they'll be showing La Passion De Jeanne D'Arc at the Renoir in London and releasing it on DVD in the UK. [Full details at carldreyer.com.]

July 8, 2003

[TARR | OZU]

Artificial Eye (UK) will be releasing Bela Tarr's Werckmeister Harmonies on DVD in November (a 2 x disc set, backed with Tarr's Damnation also). They will also be releasing Yasujiro Ozu's non-Shochiku films End of Summer and Floating Weeds on R2 PAL DVD in early 2004. In related news, Shochiku have stated that their forthcoming 6 x Ozu boxsets will *not* have English subtitles. [Full details on these Ozu stories at: ozuyasujiro.com.]

July 6, 2003

[ERICE]

Optimum Releasing in the UK have informed us that the first DVD of Spirit Of The Beehive with English subtitles is due for release on October 13.

July 1, 2003

Welcome!

We hope you will bookmark Masters of Cinema and find it a fountain of useful information. Isn't life great without advertisements?

December, 2003

A Man Escaped
(Bresson, 1956) New Yorker, R1 USA [INDEFINITELY DELAYED]

L'Argent
(Bresson, 1983) New Yorker, R1 USA [INDEFINITELY DELAYED]

AKI KAURISMÄKI 5 x DVD BOXSET (Shadows in Paradise [Varjoja paratiisissa] (1986), Ariel (1988), The Match Factory Girl [Tulitikkutehtaan tyttö] (1990), Drifting Clouds [Kauas pilvet karkaavat] (1996) and The Man without a Past [Mies vailla menneisyyttä] (2002))
(Kaurismäki, 1986-2002) ENGLISH SUBTITLES CONFIRMED - Sandrew Metronome R2 Sweden

Fanny and Alexander
(Bergman, 1982) 2 x DVD, Sandrews, Sweden R2 (no Eng subs) PAL (confirmed as the shorter theatrical version (183 minutes) non-anamorphic, no Eng subs (just Danish, Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish), with a making of docu (115 minutes)). There is also a Danish release of this set out this month too.

Scenes from a Marriage
(Bergman, 1973) Sandrew R2 Sweden - (restored, full TV version, no English subs)

Bay of Angels
(Demy, 1963) Wellspring R1 USA

Lola
(Demy, 1961) Wellspring R1 USA

Peau d'Ane [Donkey Skin]
(Demy, 1970) - English subs, nice extras, 2 x disc - Paramount R1 France

A Brief Vacation
(De Sica, 1973) - Home Vision R1 USA

November, 2003

Kvinnodröm [Dreams/Journey Into Autumn]
(Bergman, 1955) Sandrews, Sweden R2 (no Eng subs) PAL

Gycklarnas afton [The Naked Night/Sawdust and Tinsel]
(Bergman, 1953) Sandrews, Sweden R2 (no Eng subs) PAL

Söndagsbarn [Sunday's Children]
(Daniel Bergman, 1992) Sandrews, Sweden R2 (no Eng subs) PAL

La Strada
(Fellini, 1954) Criterion R1 USA

Journey To Italy [Viaggio in Italia]
(Rossellini, 1953) bfi R2 UK - [Laura Mulvey commentary]

Camera Buff [Amator]
(Kieslowski, 1979) Artificial Eye R2 UK

No End [Bez konca]
(Kieslowski, 1985) Artificial Eye R2 UK

Dogville
(von Trier, 2003) Nordisk/Egmont R2 Denmark - 2 x disc set. LvT selected commentary with Anthony Dod Mantle (DP), 52 min making of docu, many interviews, etc

F. W. MURNAU Box Set
(Murnau) Kino, R1 USA - 5 x disc set featuring Tartuffe, Tabu, The Last Laugh, Faust, and Nosferatu. Kino are accepting advance orders in early October

The Battle of Algiers
(Pontecorvo, 1966) Argent Films R2 UK

Dolls
(Kitano, 2002) [+ interview with Kitano] Artificial Eye R2 UK

Forty Guns
(Fuller, 1957) [as "Vierzig Gewehre"] Koch Vision R2 Germany

Pickup on South Street
(Fuller, 1953) [as "Polizei greift ein"] Koch Vision R2 Germany

Where the Sidewalk Ends
(Preminger, 1950) [as "Faustrecht der Großstadt"] Koch Vision R2 Germany

Happy Together
(Wong, 1997) Artificial Eye R2 UK - [2 x disc set with Buenos Aires Zero Degree (1999) (ie. the making of Happy Together, directed by Pung-Leung Kwan]

Love Me Tonight
(Mamoulian, 1932) Kino R1 USA

Applause
(Mamoulian, 1929) Kino R1 USA

October, 2003

M
(Fritz Lang, 1931) 2 x DVD (restored transfer, commentary, 2 x docus), Eureka R2 UK

Tokyo Story
(Ozu, 1953) 2 x DVD (restored transfer, commentary, docu, etc - see news item for July 30 and here for an exclusive interview), Criterion R1 USA

Le Cercle Rouge
(Melville, 1970) 2 x DVD, Criterion R1 USA

Spirit of the Beehive
(Erice, 1973) Optimum Releasing, R2 UK (lovely new transfer, non-anamorphic 1.66:1, optional English subtitles - confirmed by MoC)

Pather Panchali
(Ray, 1955) Columbia R1 USA [WARNING: unrestored, ingrained subs, no extras, & not cheap]

Aparajito
(Ray, 1956) Columbia R1 USA [WARNING: unrestored, ingrained subs, no extras, & not cheap]

World of Apu
(Ray, 1959) Columbia R1 USA [WARNING: unrestored, ingrained subs, no extras, & not cheap]

Blind Chance
(Kieslowski, 1982) Artificial Eye R2 UK

The Scar
(Kieslowski, 1976) Artificial Eye R2 UK

The Early Films Part One
(Greenaway) Dear Phone, Intervals, H is for House, Water Wrackets, Windows and the featurette A Walk Through H - bfi R2 UK

The Early Films Part Two
(Greenaway) The Falls and featurette Vertical Features Remake - bfi R2 UK

Yeelen [Brightness]
(Souleymane Cissé, 1987) Kino R1 USA

Genesis
(Chieck Oumar Sissoko , 1999) Kino R1 USA

Hyenas
(Djibril Diop Mambéty, 1992) Kino R1 USA

Silence and Cry
(Jancsó, 1967) Dreamquest Films R0 NTSC Canada - [non-anamorphic 2.35:1, regardless of what amazon or the back of the box says!]

September, 2003

A Short Film About Killing
(Kieslowski, 1988) Artificial Eye R2 UK

A Short Film About Love
(Kieslowski, 1988) Artificial Eye R2 UK

Playtime
(Tati, 1967) 2 x DVD (David Lynch intro), Wild Side Video R2 France

Letter from an Unknown Woman
(Ophuls, 1948) (intro by Noel Herpe, commentary by Phillipe Roger, docu "A propos de Max Ophuls"), Wild Side Video R2 France [WARNING: INGRAINED FRENCH SUBTITLES]

Tokyo Ga / Carnet de notes
(Wenders, 1985) 2 x DVD, Wild Side Video R2 France

Chambre 666 / Les Lumieres de Berlin
(Wenders, 1983) 2 x DVD, Wild Side Video R2 France

The BRD Trilogy (The Marriage of Maria Braun, Lola, Veronika Voss)
(Fassbinder, 1978-82) Criterion R1 USA

The Devil and Daniel Webster
(Dieterle, 1941) Criterion R1 USA

Russian Ark
(Sokurov, 2002) Artificial Eye R2 UK

Russian Ark
(Sokurov, 2002) Wellspring R1 USA

To Joy
(Bergman, 1950) Tartan R2 UK

Scenes From A Marriage (theatrical version)
(Bergman, 1973) Tartan R2 UK

Slow Motion
(Godard, 1980) Artificial Eye R2 UK [DELAYED]

Weekend
(Godard, 1967) Artificial Eye R2 UK [DELAYED]

The Chess Players
(S. Ray, 1977) Artificial Eye R2 UK [DELAYED TO 2004]

Devi
(S. Ray, 1960) Artificial Eye R2 UK [POSTPONED INDEFINITELY]

Der Golem
(Wegener, 1920) Eureka R2 UK

Moonfleet
(Lang, 1955) Warner R2 France

Lilya-4-ever
(Moodysson, 2002) (interview with Moodysson, UNICEF film, etc) Metrodome R2 UK [delayed from August]

Shoah
(Lanzmann, 1985) New Yorker R1 USA

Ikiru [To Live]
(Kurosawa, 1952) bfi R2 UK

Red Beard
(Kurosawa, 1965) bfi R2 UK

Sanjuro
(Kurosawa, 1962) bfi R2 UK

The Lower Depths
(Kurosawa, 1957) Criterion R1 USA [DELAYED]

Complete CHAPLIN boxset
(18 discs, none of the awful PAL>NTSC conversion problems which beset the R1 release) (Chaplin, 1921-57) Warners/MK2 R2 UK

Alfred Lind: The Flying Circus / The Bear Tamer
(Lind, 1911-13) DFI R2 Denmark

Yasujiro Ozu boxset #1 (of 6)
(Ozu) Shochiku R2 Japan

The Man Who Laughs
(Muni, 1928) Kino R1 USA

August, 2003

A Film Trilogy (Through a Glass Darkly, Winter Light, The Silence) (Bergman, 1961-64) + "Ingmar Bergman Makes A Movie" 145 minute docu - Criterion R1 USA

Polanski Boxset: Knife in the Water, Repulsion, and Cul-de-sac (4 discs)
(Polanski, 1962-66) Anchor Bay R2 UK

The Story of Adele H.
(Truffaut, 1975) MGM R2 UK

Partie de campagne
(Jean Renoir, 1936) bfi R2 UK

The Decalogue
(Kieslowski, 1988) Facets R1 USA

The Wild Child [L'Enfant Sauvage]
(Truffaut, 1970) MGM R2 UK

Small Change [L'Argent de Poche]
(Truffaut, 1976) MGM R2 UK

Les Espions
(Clouzot, 1957) C'est la vie, R2 UK

July 2003

Umberto D
(De Sica, 1952) Criterion R1 USA

The Pornographers
(Imamura, 1966) Criterion R1 USA

La Jetee/Sans Soleil
(Marker, 1962/82) Nouveaux Pictures R2 UK

The Son
(Dardenne Bros, 2002) Artificial Eye R2 UK

Ten
(Kiarostami, 2002) Optimum Releasing R2 UK





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