30 / BD 150 Buster Keaton: Complete Short Films 1917-1923

[La Clé du Ciel]

Hullo.

Any news on what music will be accompanying the films? Any advance on the often-shaky Kino scores? I've only come across the Kino releases through the even poorer Network R2 set – the same music and images, as far as I have been able to discern, but poorer quality through being crammed into less space.

I do hope there will be good music – great image quality is one thing, but my heart would sink if the weedy Robert Israel or “vintageâ€

[La Clé du Ciel]

I did spot those stunning image captures on the R4 thread – they look as crisp and perfect as the version I saw at the NFT. I'm afraid I've been forever stalled in my purchase of other GENERALs due to the (lack of) Carl Davis score… Have you heard the Davis? What is the new one from Joe Hisaishi like? (And why on earth is Miyazaki's composer now scoring silent-era comedy??)

[peerpee]

[FilmFanSea]

Nick, I like both of the covers you've posted for this eagerly-awaited set, but the second one is sublime. Will it stay in black/white/grey? (I hope so)

[Jem]

Sorry Peerpee, but I think the list of films needs to be incorporated better, it looks too much like an after thought. Does it need the panel behind it?

(The previous cover image is perfect by the way)

[Jem]

The photo is sublime. Why not spread it over the entire width with the box title only across the Bottom, superimposed over the base of the image.

Then detach all the Shorts titles and have them running/floating across the image in a seemingly random pattern, like a Vorkapich montage (I know, I know) allowing Keaton's photo to dominate the words through semi-transparency.

Are you serious?

[godardslave]

buster keaton cover is incredible, wonderful. Beautifully understated.
Dont change anything.
and a 212 page book!

edit: ok 1 possible change: make the grey border behind the words semi-transparent.

David, your idea....please...just say your joking. 8-[

[Scharphedin2]

buster keaton cover is incredible, wonderful. Beautifully understated.
Dont change anything.
and a 212 page book!

I agree with godardslave! The first cover was great, this one is sublime. And, a 212 page book!! What will this contain? Is this an original MoC book, or a reprint of an existing book for this release?

[peerpee]

The hard box will contain three Amarays (containing four discs, one Amaray will hold two discs) *and* the 212-page book (all original MoC content).

The previous (blue) cover will be one of the Amaray covers.

[Gofter]

Price???

[peerpee]

£49.99. Which should translate to something like £39.99 online?

[Gofter]

Are there any subtitles on the DVDs??

£40 sounds fair, there's a German Box coming 9/2006 but the price will be 80€(SRP). Extra will be The Art of Buster Keaton Documentary from Pierre Étaix.

http://www.absolutmedien.de/main.php?vi ... st_item=60

[jcelwin]

The list would probably look better on the spine of the box.

[peerpee]

Are there any subtitles on the DVDs??

£40 sounds fair, there's a German Box coming 9/2006 but the price will be 80€(SRP). Extra will be The Art of Buster Keaton Documentary from Pierre Étaix.

http://www.absolutmedien.de/main.php?vi ... st_item=60

All the films have intertitles. There are no additional subtitles.

The Pierre Etaix piece is only about 10 minutes long and 95% of it is footage from the films, with Etaix talking (in French) over the top. We decided not to include this on our set, in favour of 6 x commentaries by Joseph McBride, a surprise audio extra, and the 212-page book.

[TheWatcher]

… 6 x commentaries by Joseph McBride, a surprise audio extra, and the 212-page book.

Hoo boy, can't wait for this one.

Love the cover. The top strap could be a smidgen more darker, and maybe have an outline on the "Buster Keaton" head to match the strap but, apart from these minor quibbles from a guy who works in publishing and design, it's wonderful. =D>

[Doctor Sunshine]

My box art critisim, it doesn't reflect the fact that these are comedies. That's not even a very good stone face, it looks more like a Saphead era 8x10 glossy. But otherwise, you have my blessings.

[La Clé du Ciel]

[faint voice] Any word on the accompanying music??

[Monsieur Verdoux]

Are we still on for an August release??

I think someone already asked about this (could have been be, can't be sure)... but these are in no way connected to the French MK2 Keaton DVDs are they? As i know Cinema Club have got his main features out already and they are fantastic prints.

[peerpee]

The music will be Neil Brand's piano scores.

Our material is sourced from Lobster Films in France.

[La Clé du Ciel]

[bows down in praise and thanks]

You've brought a smile to my thus-far tiresome evening. Neil Brand at the piano and Buster on the screen… bliss. No longer will I have to groan and wince my way through the tepid mishmash of music on the likes of Kino and that charlatan Network set. The piano and badly tuned violin combo muddling their way through a lukewarm score, the “vintageâ€

[Monsieur Verdoux]

The music will be Neil Brand's piano scores.

Our material is sourced from Lobster Films in France.

Fantastic news... Neil is great. He does most of the music for the screenings the business I work for. I was at Lobster a few months ago with the BBC when I was working on Paul Merton's Silent Clowns; Serge showed us some Keaton prints they had finsihed. I'm guessing it was the euerka DVD prints.

They looked interesting... but aren't they avaliable on a number of French DVDs already... in particular Hard Luck (1921).

[peerpee]

Correction:

Most of the musical accompaniment is by Neil Brand, but some of the shorts have music by Brian Benison, Gaylor Carter, etc.

[Cobz]

Well, it's August 15th and no release yet

does anyone know when this is actually going to be released?

[FilmFanSea]

Well, it's August 15th and no release yet

does anyone know when this is actually going to be released?

Last word from Nick (peerpee) is that it's tentatively scheduled for October. Last I checked, none of the major UK etailers have it listed yet for preordering.

[peerpee]

KEATON SET in October, NARUSE SET in November, F FOR FAKE in December, SHOAH in January.