Unauthorized Releases & Bootlegs

[myrnaloyisdope]

I download a lot of films, it's a great resource for a lot of films. I know I've been able to find a ton of pre-code films I wouldn't have had access to, as well as silents, foreign films, and general curiosities.

That being said, I still buy a lot of films as well, generally my plan of action is to download a film I'm interested in, and then if I like it I end up buying. I think I'm now over 700 DVD's because of this policy.

The only blind buys I make, are for films I can't find elsewhere, or if I like a film or two in a boxset, I'll generally get the set.

I've found online renting to be frustrating, due to having to wait for films. Also my experience with Les Vampires involved receiving the 2nd disc of the set first, and then having to wait another 10 days for the 1st disc to arrive so I could actually watch the set. Stuff like that is irritating.

[Anthony Thorne]

Francesco Rosi's ILLUSTRIOUS CORPSES has turned up at a couple of UK bootleg sites, with subs added to a picture taken from the now OOP Italian DVD (the latter 16x9 and with a 5.1 mix). Sadly the subs are of just okay quality, a shame as SBS TV in Australia screened a properly subtitled version years ago and the translation they provided was exemplary. I'm hoping Criterion get to this eventually.

A chap in Armenia(!) has promised to send me a copy of Rosi's THE MATTEI AFFAIR with subs. This is another I'd buy if it popped up properly.

I did get hold of a subbed, 16x9 copy of Umberto Lenzi's KRIMINAL recently. With more obscure Eurocult titles like this I expect fansubbed editions to be a last port of call, with legit Region 1 or 2 releases looking increasingly unlikely.

[unclehulot]

Someone who shall remain nameless has asked me if anyone anywhere has managed to do English subs for three early Ophuls, Die Verkaufte Braut, Verliebte Firma and and Lachende Erben. I can't find anything at the usual place but this doesn't mean they are not out there. Certainly a print of Verkaufte can be made available if subs are possible.

Here's Verkaufte w/subs. Not great, but certainly no worse than the VHS I saw years ago, and subs are readable:

[Cineman]

There has been a number of significant titles added recently to the catalogue on the website below and over the past month:

RareDVDs4Sale

As well as unreleased movies there are a number of documentaries on directors, short films and interviews too.

Titles include:

Best Intentions (Swedish 5.5hr TV Version)
El Sur (Erice - with english subs)
Filming Othello (Welles)
La Fièvre monte à El Pao aka Fever mounts in El Pao (Bunuel - with eng subs)
Liebelei (Ophuls - with eng subs)
Mashgh-e Shab aka Homework (Kiarostami - with eng subs)
Quatre Nuits d'un Rêveur aka Four Nights of a Dreamer (Bresson - recent upgrade version - with english subs)
Samuel Fuller: Lecture at Edinburgh Film Festival
Shzors (Dovzhenko - stunning - sadly no english subs)
Tih Minh (Feuillade - sadly missing last 70mins)
Tales Out Of School (David Leland TV Series)
Around 50 episodes from Play for Today/Wednesday Play

Forthcoming titles include:

L'Amour Fou (Rivette - with english subs)
Underground (Kusturica - 5hr TV version with english subs)

Thanks also goes to Scharphedin2 on page 8 for reviewing some of the titles he purchased from here a while back.

[myrnaloyisdope]

RareDVDs4Sale is a really good resource. I've had nothing but good experiences, and the guy who runs the site is friendly and helpful.

I should note that Tih Minh is without English subs for anyone who might be inclined to check it out.

[Jonathan S]

Is it also missing the last 70 minutes, as reported elsewhere about another burn?

I don't have it, but on the RareDVDs4Sale listing for Tih Minh, it says:

I had started restoring film and adding english titlecards but sadly film is now found to be incomplete and missing last part

[Knappen]

Well, at least there are existing prints that are as good as complete.

Saw one at the Cinémathèque française three years ago. With Italian subs, I think.

[denti alligator]

It's been restored by Gaumont and should be coming, eventually.

They seem to be doing the major serials in chronological order, so I suspect Judex will be next, followed by Tih Minh. 2013 is my guess. With the AE following in 2016. I said it here first. I'd like to be proven wrong.

[Knappen]

Why don't they wait another 5 years? 2018 would make it such a nice, round number!

[HerrSchreck]

Knap, Scharph, dave, etc..: Let's all make a pact that, since it looks like we're going to hafta wait another few dozen fucking years for them, those who still live will bring-- instead of roses-- copies of the Feulliade dvd's to leave on the grave of those who have passed by the time they finally come out.

[Knappen]

We'll bring DVD9 copies. No compression!

[HerrSchreck]

NO NO NOES!!! BD-R's ONLY!!!! (do they even exist yet?)

[Knappen]

In any case we'll make sure it will be a worthy conclusion for a silent film buff.

With funeral music specially composed by Giorgio Moroder !

[subliminac]

Could anyone provide me with some good sites that offer custom made subtitles? Hopefully something I can direct download, without having to use P2P software if possible (although I will if it is my only option). Feel free to PM if you would rather not post openly. Thanks.

[myrnaloyisdope]

opensubtitles is one of the one's I've used quite a bit.

[Stefan Andersson]

I´m looking for a US bootleg site. Can´t remember the name, think it´s a long one like "worldwidemoviesondvd". Well-designed, graphics-heavy site, lots of color thumbs of non-US DVDs.

[Cash Flagg]

How are http://www.LovingTheClassics.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and http://www.robertsvideos.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ? Both have copies of Take Me to Town available, but the former's price is $14.99 (though curiously the VHS is $19.95), the latter's $24.95.

[domino harvey]

It's on iOffer for $9...

[Cash Flagg]

Wasn't familiar with that site, thanks.

[spectre]

Yes. Sci-fi films (and novels) are my thing - especially by master filmmakers. I am trying to compile a list of GREAT sci-fi films to track down. If anybody has any suggestions or recommendations please contact me via private message.

I am now also looking for a bootleg copy or whatever of Konstantin Lopushansky's LETTERS FROM A DEAD MAN - it sounds incredible.

I just watched this last night and was blown away by it. Not sure if anyone's interested now (the post I'm quoting is from 12 years ago!), but I just found a version with English subs going here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LETTERS-DEAD ... 2f0aacc216" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's probably either a bootleg or a port of the Russian DVD release (same cover) with (hopefully decent) English subtitles added over the top – either way, it seems to be about the only thing going right now. Anyway, I've purchased a copy with some hesitance, and will report back!

[yoshimori]

Ugly Swans, Museum Visitor, and Letters from a Dead Man were all available on legit Russian PAL dvd years ago. My records -- I have a list with me, but I'm away from the physical discs for the next two weeks -- indicate that the Ugly Swans disc came with English subs, but that I (or parties even more unsavory) may have had to add them to the other two films.

[spectre]

What I'd give for a decent DVD with English subtitles of Visitor of a Museum! Second Run, et al, are you listening!?

[Aunt Peg]

Francesco Rosi's ILLUSTRIOUS CORPSES has turned up at a couple of UK bootleg sites, with subs added to a picture taken from the now OOP Italian DVD (the latter 16x9 and with a 5.1 mix). Sadly the subs are of just okay quality, a shame as SBS TV in Australia screened a properly subtitled version years ago and the translation they provided was exemplary. I'm hoping Criterion get to this eventually.

A chap in Armenia(!) has promised to send me a copy of Rosi's THE MATTEI AFFAIR with subs. This is another I'd buy if it popped up properly.

I did get hold of a subbed, 16x9 copy of Umberto Lenzi's KRIMINAL recently. With more obscure Eurocult titles like this I expect fansubbed editions to be a last port of call, with legit Region 1 or 2 releases looking increasingly unlikely.

Don't know if you still are on these boards but this site has a subtitle copy of The Mattei Affair with English subtitles:

http://www.moviedetective.net/product_p/icm.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Actually, Movie Detective is loaded with hard to find foreign language films. The quality of about 90% is very good (all are DVD-R) and come in plastic slips, though some titles look like VHS masters. Whenever any titles gets proper release in the U.S. it is promptly removed from the site.

[Boosmahn]

Is my copy of The Treatment a bootleg? I just picked it up (sealed) from my local Half Price Books. The back of the disc looks a little odd; it's much darker than the other Blu-rays I have. Artsploitation Films is a boutique label, though, so their products could be made differently.

Front:



Back:

[domino harvey]

I believe many (all?) of Artsploitations early Blu-rays were MOD BD-Rs, which is what that is