Stray Cat Rock

[domino harvey]

Shipping notice from Amazon, finally!

[manicsounds]

The Digital Fix review

[EddieLarkin]

I got my set today. He's right that the blacks are pretty murky, but this definitely appears to be due to the nature of the original photography rather than a colour space issue (there's even a note at the back of the booklet about it). Switching over to PC Levels results in theoretically more pleasing blacks but you lose shadow detail a lot of the time, so it's not evidence of a wrong colour space. I wonder if Nikkatsu delivered them as they appear on the disc or if the blacks were even weaker and Arrow had to correct for it.

In other news, at the back of the booklet is the following:

Other films starring Meiko Kaji available from Arrow Video include the Lady Snowblood collection and Blind Woman's Curse. Look out for more Meiko Kaji films coming soon from Arrow Video!

Which means that possibly Female Convict Scorpion, Wandering Ginza Butterfly and/or Battles Without Honor and Humanity sets could be coming in the future.

[manicsounds]

I missed out on buying the Eureka DVD set of the "Female Convict Scorpion" movies. If Arrow got the rights and issued the on blu-ray that would be amazing.

Ever since Arrow released "Battle Royale" which included the trailer reel for other Kinji Fukasaku films, I've been waiting for more, so "Battles Without Honor And Humanity" would be another welcome addition. I believe Eureka released the first film in the UK but none of the sequels?

HD masters exist, since the series was released on blu-ray in Japan already, the 6 films plus the 4 hour television digest recut version.

[longstone]

My set arrived yesterday and I managed to find time to watch the first film , I love seeing the 1970s location shots (around Tokyo I assume ).
Is it documented anywhere who the bands were in the film ? Obviously the lead actress sings a few vocals but the first band to appear were pretty interesting for example . I'm looking forward to the rest of the set now and I also hope Arrow might release all the sets you mention above .

[antnield]

Packaging pics.

[swo17]

It's just like the Herzog box packaging, only it doesn't concern me as much here. Part of this is because it's a dual format set, and you can reposition the discs so that either all the Blu-rays or all the DVDs are in front--that way you're not constantly having to take two discs out just to play the one on the bottom. Also, from a design standpoint, it just plain looks cool.

[manicsounds]

Locations of the bike/buggy chase scene of "Delinquent Girl Boss", 1970 and 2015.

[Forrest Taft]

Is that right next to Shinjuku station?

[manicsounds]

Is that right next to Shinjuku station?

Yes it is. Shot around the west side of the station.

[Forrest Taft]

I thought it looked familiar. Took a couple of pictures on that overpass myself two years ago (and stayed at a hotel almost visible on the bottom picture!).

[colinr0380]

I love all these 'then and now' pictures. It really captures how any film can capture elements of its reality and act as a kind of time capsule, something which is even more emphasised in an urban setting.

[manicsounds]

Arrow has put the pictures above on their blog (with my permission, of course)

[Rustle]

Did anyone besides me get screwed by Amazon on this one? Or has anyone had a similar situation?
I pre-ordered SCR upon announcement, along with some other discs with susequent release dates. As SCR sold out, they apparently did not reserve my pre-order while shipment waited for one other title to street.
I got the "Order cancelled" email, had a fit, and was just told "Sorry. Sold out. Can't ship what we don't have." I've spent most of the last month having followup fits, which of course has accomplished nothing.
This is of substantial concern. Amazon probably sees this as another way to punish and threaten buyers who do not pay pay for their premium services, in this case the risks of not checking the "ship separately" button.

[MichaelB]

Did anyone besides me get screwed by Amazon on this one? Or has anyone had a similar situation?
I pre-ordered SCR upon announcement, along with some other discs with susequent release dates. As SCR sold out, they apparently did not reserve my pre-order while shipment waited for one other title to street.
I got the "Order cancelled" email, had a fit, and was just told "Sorry. Sold out. Can't ship what we don't have." I've spent most of the last month having followup fits, which of course has accomplished nothing.
This is of substantial concern. Amazon probably sees this as another way to punish and threaten buyers who do not pay pay for their premium services, in this case the risks of not checking the "ship separately" button.

I seriously doubt this. I've had similar experiences with other retailers, dating right back to the late 1990s and DVD Express (remember them?). In this case I'd ordered the Criterion 'Sid and Nancy' along with some other as yet unreleased stuff, and by the time the package was shipped the Criterion was OOP and they replaced it with the far inferior alternative edition. Although they did at least refund the cost when I complained.

Sadly, it's all too easy to see how automated ordering systems allow such situations to arise - but Arrow has confirmed that Stray Cat Rock will be released in the US at some point, so at least you get a second chance. Which I never had.

[dwk]

US release is coming July 14th. Still limited to 3,000 copies.

[Rustle]

Did anyone besides me get screwed by Amazon on this one? Or has anyone had a similar situation?
I pre-ordered SCR upon announcement, along with some other discs with susequent release dates. As SCR sold out, they apparently did not reserve my pre-order while shipment waited for one other title to street.
I got the "Order cancelled" email, had a fit, and was just told "Sorry. Sold out. Can't ship what we don't have." I've spent most of the last month having followup fits, which of course has accomplished nothing.
This is of substantial concern. Amazon probably sees this as another way to punish and threaten buyers who do not pay pay for their premium services, in this case the risks of not checking the "ship separately" button.

I seriously doubt this. I've had similar experiences with other retailers, dating right back to the late 1990s and DVD Express (remember them?). In this case I'd ordered the Criterion 'Sid and Nancy' along with some other as yet unreleased stuff, and by the time the package was shipped the Criterion was OOP and they replaced it with the far inferior alternative edition. Although they did at least refund the cost when I complained.

Sadly, it's all too easy to see how automated ordering systems allow such situations to arise - but Arrow has confirmed that Stray Cat Rock will be released in the US at some point, so at least you get a second chance. Which I never had.

Michael and dwk:
Thank you for the good news of a US release. I agree that my accusation of being punished by Amazon is hyperbolic. It just made me so gosh-darn mad. But it also made me feel lucky that I actually did get /Camera Obscura/ ordered under identical circumstances. The lesson clearly is to weigh the benefits of saving on shipping against the risk of letting everyone else get served ahead of you like my father at the waffle cone stand.