MoC Forthcoming, Wishlist, and Random Speculation

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peerpee · #126 Post by **peerpee** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 12:10 am

I'd say that he's almost completely forgotten here (sadly). We enquired about his films a year ago but it's upto the bfi and C4 to pull their finger out. Sadly, there's probably not much money to be made from releasing his films on DVD, but "releasing his films on DVD" is the only thing that will get his films seen by a large number of people and thus the respect that he deserves.

Last I heard, there *was* some movement on the matter from some quarters.

devlinnn · #127 Post by **devlinnn** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 12:19 am

Sadly, there's probably not much money to be made from releasing his films on DVD

Yet Distant Voices, Still Lives is rightly regarded as one of the ten finest British films ever made on many of those 'influential lists' that turn up every so often. Simply depressing.

Steven H · #128 Post by **Steven H** » Mon May 02, 2005 5:37 pm

So according to the inside cover of Spione MoC has added John Ford to their list of directors. I'm pretty unfamiliar with his work, so maybe another board member can enlighten me as to what films they would be likely to release? Or, Nick can just tell us.

I'm very excited about the Von Sternberg. I hope we get to see some of his silents. Sjostrom would be nice as well (I wonder how much of his work has been restored?)

ola t · #129 Post by **ola t** » Tue May 03, 2005 3:53 am

Steven H wrote:Sjostrom would be nice as well (I wonder how much of his work has been restored?)

The Swedish Film Institute have restored all extant Swedish feature films from the nitrate era, so good materials should be available for those that aren't lost. I don't know what state his Hollywood films are in, though.

ben d banana · #130 Post by **ben d banana** » Tue May 10, 2005 12:53 pm

Not really a recommendation as much as a query: About half way through a Maurice Pialat retro here (I've made it to four of five, of course missing A Nos Amour, but I was simply too dead from a footballing marathon on the weekend) and I know Perpee is big on Dumont (clearly something of an heir), there's a Pialat link on the MoC page (again I get what I deserve for dropping French for Latin), and pretty much all of his features are out or coming in nice, loaded French editions (sans subtitles), so, like, any chance of MoC picking up the ball for us, the hopelessly monolingual?

swingo · #131 Post by **swingo** » Tue May 10, 2005 1:01 pm

ben d banana wrote:Not really a recommendation as much as a query: About half way through a Maurice Pialat retro here (I've made it to four of five, of course missing A Nos Amour, but I was simply too dead from a footballing marathon on the weekend) and I know Perpee is big on Dumont (clearly something of an heir), there's a Pialat link on the MoC page (again I get what I deserve for dropping French for Latin), and pretty much all of his features are out or coming in nice, loaded French editions (sans subtitles), so, like, any chance of MoC picking up the ball for us, the hopelessly monolingual?

I totally agree with you Ben, Maurice seems to get overlooked outside France, (and even in France!) it would be nice to see something of him, like L'Enfance Nue, Sous Le Soleil De Satan, La Guelle Ouverte, etc.

Maurice got my attention after reading one of my favorite books: L' Homme a la Camera by Néstor Almendros, on which he explains his work as the D.P. for Pialat's La Guelle Ouverte. I only have had chance to tape some of his movies that are projected on a national cultural channel. I'd love to get me some DVDs though.

Axel.

Subbuteo · #132 Post by **Subbuteo** » Tue May 10, 2005 4:49 pm

ben d banana wrote:I know Perpee is big on Dumont (clearly something of an heir), there's a Pialat link on the MoC page (again I get what I deserve for dropping French for Latin), and pretty much all of his features are out or coming in nice, loaded French editions (sans subtitles), so, like, any chance of MoC picking up the ball for us, the hopelessly monolingual?

I really can't see the link with MOC's output (to date), this is in no way a comment on Pialat's work. They continue to surprise us with gems, let it remain so (they are clearly fulfilling a niche)...maybe one day Pialat may have a shout; but I doubt MOC will cover it!

Steven H · #133 Post by **Steven H** » Fri May 13, 2005 12:21 pm

According to the MoC site there are no releases planned for June. I'm sure there are a number of things that can delay a DVD Unfortunate news.

Sai · #134 Post by **Sai** » Fri May 13, 2005 12:36 pm

Steven H wrote:So according to the inside cover of Spione MoC has added John Ford to their list of directors. I'm pretty unfamiliar with his work, so maybe another board member can enlighten me as to what films they would be likely to release? Or, Nick can just tell us.

I'm very excited about the Von Sternberg. I hope we get to see some of his silents. Sjostrom would be nice as well (I wonder how much of his work has been restored?)

A decent release of Underworld would be terrific.

What A Disgrace · #135 Post by **What A Disgrace** » Fri May 13, 2005 7:31 pm

With a lot of MoC discs being delayed another month or so, I broke down and ordered Asphalt, to ship alongside Francis, Giullare di Dio, instead of The Naked Island and Humanity and Paper Balloons. In retrospect, I don't know why I waited so long...I've always said that more German silent classics should be released on DVD, especially from unknown directors like May or Lupu Pick, and that I don't own it yet is practically hypocrisy.

With that said, I think Lupu Pick is in desperate need of attention.

Cinéslob · #136 Post by **Cinéslob** » Mon May 16, 2005 1:07 pm

I don't believe it's terribly likely to come to pass, but is there even the faintest possibility of Elem Klimov's Come and See being released under the MoC label? For such a film to be unavailable in the UK is both surprising and saddening, and I must readily admit that the perverse collector mentality within me longs for a pristine MoC cover for Come and See. So, what are the chances of it happening, given that there is no R2-UK release for the title?

ellipsis7 · #137 Post by **ellipsis7** » Tue May 31, 2005 10:21 am

John Ford is listed in the inside cover of FRANCESCO etc. as one of the directors to be included in MoC/Eureka's collection... Wonder which...

Lino · #138 Post by **Lino** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 3:48 am

It would be great to add that Toru Takemitsu docu I've been ranting about for the last months on the Assassination disc, peerpee...

peerpee · #139 Post by **peerpee** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:59 am

Unfortunately, it's with Sony and it's like trying to contact life on Mars getting through to them.

4LOM · #140 Post by **4LOM** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 5:47 pm

I found some facts related the "M" re-release on the website of TLEfilms:

Also, British label Eureka is planning a re-release of the TLEFilms DVD production of Fritz Lang's classic "M", this time containing the 95-minute TLE documentary THE HUNT FOR "M", with a new, vastly improved cleanup and encoding of the 2003 master, supervised all the way by TLEFilms, and to be issued as part of the "Masters Of Cinema" releases as a 2-Disc set. The release date is yet to be determined.

"M" was mastered from the very best, completely restored 35mm film elements available and transferred on a High Definition Spirit Datacine. See a comparison of the German release, based on the 2001 restoration, the Criterion 2004 DVD and the TLE master based on the 2003 transfer using the completely restored elements HERE.

In 2003, Eureka asked TLEFilms to search for a better master on Fritz Lang's classic "M". The 2002 transfer to Digital Betacam made for the German DVD distributor was checked and quickly discarded; the transfer had several problems, mainly in gray scale and density as well as several major cleanup errors.

With the help of "M" 35mm film restoration supervisor Martin Koerber TLEFilms verified that the best existing source was a just finished, completely picture-stabliized 35mm archival fine grain print that was corrected in months-long work at the renowned film restoration facility L'Image Ritrovata in Bologna. That print was still in pristine, mint condition when we transferred it at Taurus Medien Technik in Munich, Germany on a High Definition Spirit Datacine.

The first cleanup of the film was made in 2003 in Australia by ILM, but the results of the encoding were never really satisfactory to TLEFilms. In 2005, Eureka again approached TLEFilms, exploring the possibilities for a new DVD edition under the Masters Of Cinema issues. A completely new cleanup, digital restoration of damaged frames and a new encoding and authoring under the supervision of TLEFilms is currently in the final phase.

These are the contents TLEFilms produced for the Eureka 2-Disc Set:

‡ New digital transfer from the best existing restored 35mm film elements
‡ Completely restored version (107 Minutes @ 25fps PAL) including several missing sequences - framed at full aperture in the correct Aspect Ratio of 1.19 : 1
‡ Meticulously restored German language track (improved English subtitles available)
‡ Exclusive, new audio commentary track moderated by TLEFilms senior producer Torsten Kaiser; featuring Hollywood director and author Peter Bogdanovich, film restoration supervisor Martin Koerber and rare audio interview segments with Fritz Lang, recorded by Peter Bogdanovich in the 1960s

exclusive, new documentary:
‡ "The Hunt For 'M'" (95 Minutes) Retracing the actual murder cases and the murderer that the film is based on - and the restoration of the film
plus:
‡ Exclusive, 40-Minute Interview segment of Fritz Lang being interviewed by Peter Bogdanovich in the 1960s
‡ Photo Gallery
‡ 35-Minute documentary interview (1962) "Zum Beispiel Fritz Lang" featuring a (optionally subtitled) filmed interview with Lang, transferred from the best available 35mm elements on a High Definition Spirit Datacine

For more on the documentary, click here for "The Hunt For 'M'" (95 Minutes).

"M" is available from Eureka in the U.K. - however, the release date of the Masters Of Cinema issue featuring the new cleanup & encoding and more extras is yet to be determined.

About The Hunt for 'M':

Made in 2003, this feature-length documentary tells for the first time the story of the murderer and the murder cases that were the initial basis for the making of "M".

Legendary German director Fritz Lang and his then-wife Thea Von Harbou were at first working on something entirely different, when they came across the newspaper reports of the horrific murders in the western part of Germany back in 1929. By 1930, the script had changed from the devious deeds of a poison-pen letter writer to something much more serious: a child killer.

Following the actual case as it was layed out more than 70 before in a German courtroom, "The Hunt For 'M'" retraces the steps of the real-life and the fictioonal murderer in detailed comparisons - reality-to -screen, if you will.

Narrated by Barry Morse, an icon of the British stage and international TV and film productions himself (he personified Capt. Gerard opposite David Janssen in "The Fugitive" and was also part of the 1st season cast of "Space 1999") the 95-minute account of "M" focuses in the second part on "The Hunt For The Fil'M' Elements". Here, featuring interviews with Lang associates, biographers such as Hollywood director Peter Bogdanovich, and 35mm restoration supervision Martin Koerber the whole story about the many troubles of these film elements is told for the first time.

Banned by the Nazis in 1934, almost destroyed during the war and the frame composition badly affected by poor printing in the 1960s, "M" was cut but almost 20 Minutes. In this second part, TLEFilms followed the steps of the restoration and the transfer especially made on a High Definition Spirit Datacine for the Eureka DVD issue 2003, which was supervised by TLEFilms, all the way, with detailed comparisons.

I underlined the news about the re-release.

Cinephrenic · #141 Post by **Cinephrenic** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 7:32 pm

What was the 12th Japanese Summer film in the series? I believe its spine #19. Anyone know the lineup?

peerpee · #142 Post by **peerpee** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 8:01 pm

TLEFilms have hugely jumped the gun here. Nothing is currently planned, especially not something "supervised all the way by TLEFilms".

They have been asked to remove this false information from their website.

peerpee · #143 Post by **peerpee** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 8:06 pm

This was never announced.... and #19 will probably not be a Japanese film now. For over six months, #19 was going to be Kinoshita's BALLAD OF NARAYAMA, until we were informed that the rights had been accidentally sold twice (Tartan have it until 2008).

Steven H · #144 Post by **Steven H** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 8:52 pm

It's interesting that Tartan have invested in Kinoshita. I wonder what all we can expect from that (strange that they didn't go for 24 Eyes as well).

I hope you kept the receipt for Narayama. I hate losing those things.

peerpee · #145 Post by **peerpee** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 8:57 pm

Apparently they licensed it about 3 or 4 years ago. I wouldn't be surprised if it's not even on their production schedule.

Michael Kerpan · #146 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 9:23 pm

Why not pick up Kinoshita's "Carmen" films instead. The first is a treat in almost every respect. (Haven't seen the second, alas). I can't imagine Tartan bought these.

peerpee · #147 Post by **peerpee** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 9:35 pm

CARMEN wasn't going to be ready in time for us to release this year, and we're looking for films from other countries at the moment. We're not completely Japanned out yet, but I think we might be towards the end of September.

Michael Kerpan · #148 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Sun Jun 05, 2005 10:19 pm

Well, I hope you manage to snag not only "Carmen" but also some Shimizu for NEXT year at least. I still can't believe that Shochiku never released anything on DVD.

I notice the Film Center in Tokyo had (is having) retrospectives of both Toyoda and Inagaki (more than 50 films apiece). I suspect there are some real treasures to be found there. If only one had the chance to browse these cinematic pastures.

Lino · #149 Post by **Lino** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 12:51 pm

peerpee wrote:This was never announced.... and #19 will probably not be a Japanese film now. For over six months, #19 was going to be Kinoshita's BALLAD OF NARAYAMA, until we were informed that the rights had been accidentally sold twice (Tartan have it until 2008).

You could always keep the title but change the director: Shohei Imamura did a version of that story in 1982:

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/(simplemintwit ... =DSTD-2100

Just a thought.

peerpee · #150 Post by **peerpee** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 3:43 pm

Y, unfortunately, it doesn't work like that though.