MoC DVD/Blu-ray Region Guide

[MichaelB]

I imagine it would have been far more noticeable if NTSC material had been locked out of the European PS3s, since so much stuff has been deliberately released in NTSC on European labels. Classical music in particular is overwhelmingly dominated by NTSC releases, as it's much more convenient to achieve economies of scale, and also to prevent pitch-shifting.

[knives]

Though it's not Blu capable Microsoft products (including Xbox) have always been capable of both.

[eerik]

Nick tweeted: "Everything that's been announced but which has not yet been released, is Region B, I'm afraid. Out of our hands."

Not surprising.

[MichaelB]

I'd be more surprised if any of their studio licenses had been region-free.

In fact, I note that although Warner Bros tends to favour going region-free, they've demanded that the BFI's The Devils is Region 2, presumably to discourage curious Americans from importing it. (Yup, that's going to work).

[peerpee]

I bet Warners kept bumping into the Digibeta machine as it was dubbing off the BFI's master. All with their mobile phones out making calls and holding it right next to the machine.

[MichaelB]

I bet Warners kept bumping into the Digibeta machine as it was dubbing off the BFI's master. All with their mobile phones out making calls and holding it right next to the machine.

Apparently the transfer looks pretty stunning, which makes it doubly annoying that it's not in HD.

[zedz]

I bet Warners kept bumping into the Digibeta machine as it was dubbing off the BFI's master. All with their mobile phones out making calls and holding it right next to the machine.

Well, I laughed!

[The Narrator Returns]

Are the dual format editions of early region-free titles Region B? I just got Soul Power, and the packaging says it's Region B.

[knives]

Fantastic Planet is.

[Bürgermeister]

Are the dual format editions of early region-free titles Region B? I just got Soul Power, and the packaging says it's Region B.

Soul Power (DF) is region free, I watched it on my player when it was set to region A.

I think all the old blu case region free titles are still region free.

Not quite sure why they have "Region B" on the back, Maybe Nick can shed some light on it.

[peerpee]

The only light I can shed on it, is that I didn't design the SOUL POWER Dual Format sleeve – the one which has incorrect region coding information on it.

To change the region coding of a disc involves remastering it, at great cost, so I'd be very surprised if the discs were any different to how they were originally – especially as there's no reason why this film can't be region free.

[Bürgermeister]

I checked the other region free DF releases, Sunrise and City Girl also have the incorrect region info says "B" instead of "ABC".

[David M.]

That doesn't address my point - which is that despite being region-lockable, European PS3s can play a greater variety of material than their American cousins, despite ostensibly being the same machine.

As Chris says, there's no technical reason for this, which suggests that American PS3s have been deliberately crippled by Sony. But why weren't European ones?

Most American TVs also can't accept a 50hz signal (although this is changing recently). My two theories: to stop Europeans buying cheaper TVs from overseas, or more likely, because of American insularity. Very few people in the US would have foreign content, so it's not worth the R&D time to test it and get it working.

As for why it's locked out of the PS3, to deter importers is probably the reason.

And as for why that's not the case in Europe: like you say, there is a lot of NTSC over here. We haven't had 50/60hz incompatability issues since the 1990s here.

[tenia]

Hi all,

I'm having quite a blast doing screencaps of the Region Locked screens of all the MoC BDs I have (almost all of them, actually), but I'm missing some of them which I didn't buy (usually to avoid double dip).

Could someone be able to help me and get screen caps of the Region Locked screens of the following MoC BD release ?

#48 La poison
#53 La citta delle donne
#58 Le beau Serge
#59 Les cousins
#67 Van Gogh
#68 Red River

[manicsounds]

It's been a while since MoC released a region free Blu-ray, "Computer Chess", both BD and DVDs are region free.

[knives]

I imagine it's because they picked it up directly from Bujalski who probably couldn't give two flying fucks.

[manicsounds]

Got "If...." and "Boomerang"

"If...." BD is Region B.
"Boomerang!" BD is Region B, DVD is Region 2 NTSC.

Although prepare to be a bit disappointed with the "Boomerang!" wrong region message screen...
Not as imaginative as their other releases.

[tenia]

Although prepare to be a bit disappointed with the "Boomerang!" wrong region message screen...
Not as imaginative as their other releases.

It has been quite some time since the region lock screens have gotten less imaginative.

[Ozu Teapot]

I seem to remember reading Eureka saying somewhere (I can't remember where, sorry) that some of their licencing agreements prevented them from having the more creative lock screen messages on some titles in much the same way that some covers are missing the "Eureka!" logo and have a slightly different layout on the reverse cover. I don't know if that's the case with the titles you mentioned though.

[tenia]

Meanwhile, here is a link to the Region Lock screens I've been able to capture (almost all of them, actually). I'll just need to update it with the latest releases.

[lzx]

I just found out that their release of Metropolis (2001) is region free. It feels like this is the first in forever. Or have there been more recently?

[MichaelB]

Sony doesn't seem that fussed about region locking, even when someone else is handling the titles.

[rapta]

For some reason all the recent Sony acquisitions from Eureka have been Region B locked though, except Fright Night and Metropolis. No idea why those two are and the others aren't, but could it be contractual?

All Indicator titles from Sony are Region Free, but Criterion UK's Sony (and Warner Bros) titles are locked to Region B.

[Braitman]

Can someone post an updated list of which MOC are region-free? The last list I see here is from 2007!