Arrow Films

[domino harvey]

Late 90s NGW 4 Supreme Court Justice

[rapta]

Since they've already done Cruel Story of Youth, I'm hoping MoC will handle the ATG Oshimas (and hopefully do just as good a job with contextualizing extras as Arrow would) - especially since Death By Hanging is already coming from Criterion, and I see no reason that more of these won't be coming from them in the hopefully not-too-distant future. This would leave Arrow, if they so chose, to focus on introducing more Japanese masters previously entirely neglected on English-friendly western home video.

My vote would go to Terayama as well. There's a Japanese Blu-ray boxset (unsubbed of course) containing his features Throw Away Your Books, Rally in the Streets, Pastoral: to Die in the Country, and Farewell to the Ark, and all of them look drop-dead gorgeous. As with Yoshida, feature-wise I think these three would be adequate for a set designed to introduce him to English-speaking audiences, but hopefully at least a handful of his shorts could be added as well.

That said, a set of Yoshida's late sixties "anti-melodramas" would be near the top of my list as well. I think in their own way these films are just as interesting and worthy of attention as the better known ones in the existing set.

More Oshima from MoC would be wonderful - as would a Teshigahara box set, if they could acquire enough to make a set (they already released Pitfall and The Face of Another in the past, so would depend on something like Woman of the Dunes to go with them).

I reckon that most likely from Arrow, then, would be Terayama...with a 'maybe' on Matsumoto (I say that because MoC released Funeral Parade of Roses already, though it's supposedly OOP). I'd also love for either label to release one or two Shinoda titles - his ATG ones being Himiko and Double Suicide, and his studio titles including Pale Flower, Assassination and Silence (the last two could be upgrades from MoC's DVD editions).

So yeah I'll be shouting "TESHIGAHARA" and "SHINODA" in all likely directions (Eureka/Arrow/BFI), but fully support a Terayama set from Arrow. Pretty sure 90% of cinephiles have already expressed their enthusiasm for him to be the choice!

[Drucker]

American Horror Project (UK/US) – 60% sold out
Audition SteelBook – 70% sold out
Battles Without Honour and Humanity UK – 80% sold out
Battles Without Honor and Humanity US – 100% sold out
Blood and Black Lace SteelBook – 80% sold out
Blood Rage (UK/US) – 50% sold out
The Cult Cinema Companion (UK) - 85% sold out
Deep Red – 100% sold out. Standard edition now up for pre-order!
Edgar Allan Poe’s Black Cats (UK) – 90% sold out
Edgar Allan Poe’s Black Cats (US) – 100% sold out
The Jacques Rivette Collection - 65% sold out
The Kiju Yoshida Collection - 80% sold out
The Long Good Friday + Mona Lisa set - 90% sold out
Nekromantik 2 – 100% sold out. Standard edition coming in 2016!
The Rainer Werner Fassbinder Collection - 70% sold out
Stray Cat Rock (UK) - 100% sold out
Stray Cat Rock (US) – 50% sold out

The percentages above are a reflection of what’s in our warehouse. Retailers do have copies but once they run out there won’t be more! As always, if there is an item above that you are keen to pick up do try to act swiftly to avoid disappointment. If a particular release hasn't been included in this list it this means we still have healthy stock available. Happy collecting!

[domino harvey]

I'm surprised the American Horror Project has sold so well already, considering the big price tag and no US retailer offering it for much of a discount (like most Arrow US releases)

[dwk]

Stray Cat Rock US set sure is a slow mover, especially considering how fast the UK release sold out (I guess a good chunk of the US audience had already imported the UK set.) Anyone know if Arrow has mentioned the stock levels for Massacre Gun and Retaliation?

[rapta]

Stray Cat Rock US set sure is a slow mover, especially considering how fast the UK release sold out (I guess a good chunk of the US audience had already imported the UK set.) Anyone know if Arrow has mentioned the stock levels for Massacre Gun and Retaliation?

Here:

If a particular release hasn't been included in this list it this means we still have healthy stock available.

So I'm guessing they're not even 50% sold out yet? Which might explain why their next yakuza titles were released as box sets - Battles Without Honour and Humanity (initially), Nikkatsu Diamond Guys and Outlaw: Gangster VIP.

I'm surprised Yoshida is still at 80%, the same as their last update. Still waiting to see if it will drop in price somewhere (perhaps Amazon or Zavvi), as I'm still not convinced it's worth the blind-buy at the current price - I'm happy to pay for The Human Condition and probably a Terayama set, but not sure Yoshida's entirely for me.

Glad to hear the Hoskins set is almost sold out though, as I may shift that one and pick up Mona Lisa on its own (and buy The Long Good Friday another time). It looks like I may have to miss out on Battles Without Honour and Humanity, and probably Rivette as well, due to the high price for both - but I will definitely pick up any reissues if and when they do show up (we at least know the Battles titles are getting separate treatments).

I do like the look of the Blood and Black Lace steelbook, but I'm happy to get the cheaper Amaray edition (which is also Dual Format). Almost bought the steelbook in the last Arrow sale but held back...may just get it in the next sale if other titles don't take first priority.

Will be keeping my Audition steelbook pre-order, as even though it might not sell out for another couple of months I don't really want to risk it...and £12.50 is a great price considering it includes a booklet and DVD copy as well. Also, it's one of the only Miike films I actually quite like!

[swo17]

I don't understand the apprehension at blind buying Arrow releases at this point. Worst case scenario: You hate the movies and sell the set in a year for twice what you originally paid for it.

[dwk]

Here:

If a particular release hasn't been included in this list it this means we still have healthy stock available.

So I'm guessing they're not even 50% sold out yet? Which might explain why their next yakuza titles were released as box sets - Battles Without Honour and Humanity (initially), Nikkatsu Diamond Guys and Outlaw: Gangster VIP.

Missed that, but I was hoping that they had mentioned a percentage.

The Gangster VIP films make sense to release as a set, as I doubt anyone would want, say, the third film but not the rest. (same with Battles, actually, I could see someone wanting only the first film, but I can't imagine that someone would want the fifth film but not the rest, so individual releases of these films don't really make sense to me.)

[rapta]

I don't understand the apprehension at blind buying Arrow releases at this point. Worst case scenario: You hate the movies and sell the set in a year for twice what you originally paid for it.

True, but knowing me I'd get a fussy buyer on eBay who would complain about a crease on the edge of the box. Not saying everyone's unreasonable but it's still a gamble with things this sought-after.

Anyway, my main point was that if I shell out £90 for the Rivette set or £55 for Yoshida, I might not be able to afford a set I know for certain I will appreciate (like the upcoming Kobayashi or Taviani sets). And I also have the inkling that Rivette and Yoshida will be a one-time watch thing and then sit on the shelf - you say I could sell it on, but I'm as guilty of being a box set fetishist as much as the next person, and would only give it up at the right price.

Besides, I'm sure Arrow will reissue them on DVD at some point (as to make full use of their license). So it's not like I won't ever get to see them. And whilst I'm not buying their box sets, I am still regularly buying their single titles - looking forward to Audition in a couple of weeks, followed by Waking Life (and Three Brothers)! I get a bit more variety for my money with these single titles, and they're generally a fair price too.

Here:

If a particular release hasn't been included in this list it this means we still have healthy stock available.

So I'm guessing they're not even 50% sold out yet? Which might explain why their next yakuza titles were released as box sets - Battles Without Honour and Humanity (initially), Nikkatsu Diamond Guys and Outlaw: Gangster VIP.

Missed that, but I was hoping that they had mentioned a percentage.

The Gangster VIP films make sense to release as a set, as I doubt anyone would want, say, the third film but not the rest. (same with Battles, actually, I could see someone wanting only the first film, but I can't imagine that someone would want the fifth film but not the rest, so individual releases of these films don't really make sense to me.)

I think it's both to get the most of their license and to make sure people can spread out the costs a bit - I will be picking up the Battles titles one-by-one, though admittedly may wait for them to drop into a sale (unless they make those limited edition as well). They don't do it with all of their titles, but I think Fukasaku has been their most popular Arrow Video director to date and they're wise to want to make his titles more available (even if they are part of a series).

Perhaps the thinking is that if you bought the first one, you'd want to see the second one, and so on and so forth. Those that are really excited about these titles would have already bought the limited box set, and there will be many that are still interested after that has gone OOP - much like the Borowczyk, Corman-Price, Hellraiser and Fassbinder sets. Yoshida and Rivette are a bit more niche, and the other yakuza titles have had somewhat unpredictable sales (e.g. notice the Stray Cat Rock set is sold out in the UK and gradually selling in the US, whilst the Battles set is still in-print in the UK and sold out in the US).

However, I have a feeling the Gangster VIP titles will be more popular than they anticipated. If they are, they might decide to standalone releases, or maybe even a reissue (though the current treatment seems to be like Stray Cat Rock, so a reissue might be US-only).

[TMDaines]

Oh, I didn't mean there's a review on Blu-ray.com. Just the general information on Arrow release page (I know this kind of information can be wrong from time to time, but...) : http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Generatio ... ray/84424/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And here's the Arrow link : http://www.arrowfilms.co.uk/generation-war-2/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Am I being really stupid here? I cannot see where either link says the subtitles are optional.

[TMDaines]

I tweeted them and they confirmed the subtitles on their Generation War Blu-ray are indeed optional.

[Orlac]

Turns out Deep Red was Region A and B...unless you believe Dr Svet, who is making a right boob of himself over at Blu-ray.com

[tenia]

Very simply : Deep Red LE has mistakenly been made authored as A+B. It shouldn't have but that's how it turned out to be.
I don't know who at Arrow answered it's Region B locked, but that isn't the case.

[David M.]

^ It actually wasn't an authoring mistake, but I assume a spec one.

[tenia]

I tried to make my phrasing the most precise it was, but it seems it wasn't precise enough still !

[TMDaines]

It looks like they'll be increasing in value further.

[Ribs]

Tune in on Friday 4th for our UK/US May releases, and on Monday 7th for our next Arrow Academy releases. 4pm GMT / 8am PST / 11am EST.

Releases, so maybe more than just the Taviani set we know is coming? Or I guess it could just be finishing up the individually released Fassbinders.

[tenia]

Seems like the FB picture of the announcement is Year of the Dragon.
Arrow also just submitted Too Late For Tears to the BBFC.

[What A Disgrace]

Seems like the FB picture of the announcement is Year of the Dragon.
Arrow also just submitted Too Late For Tears to the BBFC.

Now I can skip the part where I buy the Flicker Alley release and then sell it in favor of a superior overseas version.

[domino harvey]

Arrow is unlikely to top the FA release given that Eddie Muller, who nurtured the restoration and commissioned all the extras, was involved

[vidussoni]

That's not Year of the Dragon. It's definitely Suture.


https://www.cineplex.com/Movie/suture/Photos

[swo17]

Not sure how to interpret all of this but

[domino harvey]

There will be plenty of American Horror Projects available on the second hand market for years to come as unfortunate viewers pawn off their sets like the proverbial fruitcake

[cdnchris]

I still have to listen to the commentary on The Premonition but I like the idea behind the set and am actually beyond impressed by the effort that went into. It's a beautifully put together package.

Having said that, the films are terrible. I tried to give them their due and a chance, and was open to having my opinion swayed when I went through the features, but they really are awful. So yes, I can see this popping up on the second hand market with a certain frequency.

[dwk]

Looks like there will be no Nikkatsu Diamond Guys Volume 3.