35-37 Naruse: Volume One

[Steven H]

Amazon.co.uk (with DVDbeaver link) has this listed now MSRP at 49.99, discounted to 37.49 (comes to 34.99 minus VAT adding shipping), which is about 67 bucks for three films. I can definitely handle that. I'm standing on my head waiting for this release, and it's got a street date (Nov. 20th) five days before my birthday. When it arrives, I might spontaneously combust (we sagittariuses are so excitable).

[htdm]

I looked through the thread until now but no one seems to have answered Titus' question whether this release will be NTSC or PAL - Peerpee?

[Michael Kerpan]

The title has changed to: "NARUSE: VOLUME ONE"

Volume One! I like the sound of that. No, I LOVE the sound of that.

Are you taking suggestions for vol. 2? Even counting very conservatively, I'd say there are at least 35 Naruse films that fans of classic Asian cinema would very much enjoy seeing. A volume 2 will be a good start. ;~}

Devotedly yours

MEK

[kinjitsu]

Even counting very conservatively, I'd say there are at least 35 Naruse films that fans of classic Asian cinema would very much enjoy seeing.

A volume 2 will be a good start. ;~}

That would be more than 1/3 of his output.

Volume Two!

Okay Michael, have a go!

[zedz]

Volume One! I like the sound of that. No, I LOVE the sound of that.

Me too! Here's hoping it's not just a cruel variation on the old joke:

"Three weeks to get my suit cleaned? But it says 'One Hour Drycleaning'!"

"That's just the name of the shop, love."

Nice box design, by the way.

[Michael Kerpan]

The film that needs most to get issued (and hasn't already been mentioned for release by any other company) is "Lightning".

Since "Lightning" is based on Fumiko Hayashi's work -- one could include "Wanderer's Notebook" and "Tsuma" (Wife) in a set.

"Yearning" needs to be released and so does "Okaasan" (Mother).

The silents "Apart from You" and "Every Night Dreams" are essential -- but perhaps belong in a set with another early film or two.

Naruse has 69 surviving films -- of the 50-something I've seen, only a few are negligible.

[fred]

Thank you. The prospect of a volume two makes me very very happy. Of the 32 Naruse films I've seen to date, the one I'd most like to see MoC do next would be the sublime Yearning. It would please me no end to have "wasted" $40 on the unsubbed Japanese DVD.

A somewhat more oddball choice would be Daughters, Wives and a Mother, which I think is really underrated. But *anything* would be most welcome.

(I second all of Michael Kerpan's suggestions, especially Lightning.)

[Michael Kerpan]

"Daughters, Wives, Mother(s)" -- I really loved this the first time I saw it, but my affection has cooled a bit since then. It is less visually striking than Naruse's contemporaneous black and white films (and even the earlier color film "As a Wife, As a Woman" is more effective in this respect). Still Hara channeling Audrey Hepburn (perhaps) is rather charming.

[jguitar]

Here's another voice--not that it's required--for Yearning. The entire film is extraordinary, but that last shot is one of my most treasured memories in film-viewing. I gave a little cry of joy when I saw that "volume 1" addition to the post title. Thanks, MoC.

[artfilmfan]

Wishful thinking:

Vol. 2: A Wife's Heart/Yearning/Husband and Wife

Vol. 3: The Wanderer's Notebook/Mother/Scattered Clouds

Vol. 4: Daughters Wives Mothers/The Approach of Autumn/Anzukko

I would have put "The Wanderer's Notebook" in Vol. 2 if it were not for the selfish reason of wanting to own the DVDs of "A Wife's Heart" and "Husband and Wife".

I suspect that the reason the release of Vol. 1 (Volume 1! Sounds great!) keeps getting delayed is because peerpee keeps sneaking out of the Mo' to go on vacation. I thought there was an understanding that no vacation was to be taken until ...

[Michael Kerpan]

And a volume devoted to great Naruse films of the 40s is needed...with (at least) "Traveling Actors", "Song Lantern" and "Spring Awakens" (the latter is totally unknown -- but one of Naruse's best -- from any decade).

And there are so many more utterly wonderful films....

[colinr0380]

Even counting very conservatively, I'd say there are at least 35 Naruse films that fans of classic Asian cinema would very much enjoy seeing.

A volume 2 will be a good start. ;~}

I agree, as long as volume 2 is a 35 film boxset!

[Michael Kerpan]

I agree, as long as volume 2 is a 35 film boxset!

Now, now -- let's not be greedy. As long as they do three or so at a time -- and we buy them -- there will be incentive to offer us more sets.

As much as I want to see more subbed Naruse, I also want to see MOC continue to make enough money to keep moving ahead.

[peerpee]

Thanks Michael. Yes, can't stress how important it is for folk to buy this set instead of getting burns from a friend.

If you get burns, you'll miss out on the beautiful book, and you'll be doing nothing to help make further volumes available.

Licencing these films, redoing subtitles from scratch, and packaging them really isn't cheap and it takes a long time. We tend to spend more effort on disc production rather than PR and our pre-orders are very low for this box set at the moment (likewise Keaton).

The appearance of a NARUSE: VOLUME TWO box set rests entirely on the sales of NARUSE: VOLUME ONE in the next two months.

[davebert]

Well, I'll be doing my part on both the Naruse and the Keaton.

(As an aside, it's also been suggested that burns are more susceptible to disc rot, I believe.)

[Michael Kerpan]

The inclusion of a significant amount of written material makes this set especially valuable. Right now, there is virtually nothing in print (in English) about Naruse's work. And there never has been anything (readily available) more extensive than Audie Bock's chapter on Naruse on her book on Japanese directors.

[a.khan]

As long as MoC continues with put out such important releases with the care and effort they deserve, you will always have my support.

My copy has been preordered. Look forward to Vol. 2 then!

P.S. Completely unrelated, just a few minutes before I got up this morning, I was dreaming about a banner on the MoC MySpace page (I just lost all credibility, right here, right now) promoting their deluxe treatment of Fincher's "The Game." Oh yeah, I'm stupid and encouragable!

[TheGodfather]

The appearance of a NARUSE: VOLUME TWO box set rests entirely on the sales of NARUSE: VOLUME ONE in the next two months.

That`s good to know. Was already getting my copy of the Volume 1 box, but will be getting it for sure now since I`d love a volume 2

[denti alligator]

To show my support and to hasten Volume 2 I've ordered it from amazon.co.uk. Man, I can't wait!

[jguitar]

Frankly, it never occurred to me that something like the Naruse box wouldn't sell well (doesn't everyone want this?). I know, I live in a bubble. But I wanted to do my part to help usher in a Naruse v.2, and hopefully future ones as well.

[Scharphedin2]

Just saw the updated artwork and the Vol. 1 announcement!

This one has been a given for me ever since it was first announced. Reading Kerpan's many posts on the great quality of Naruse's work has just served to fuel my anticipation...

As usual the design of the release is beautiful, and I cannot wait to see the book. Thanks Peerpee for making these films available...

I deviated from standard personal practice and placed my pre-order with Amazon today.

[jguitar]

doesn't everyone want this?.

I wouldn't go that far. I'm not sure this kind of classic Japanese cinema has that big an audience outside Japan. Obviously Kurosawa and the Samurai genre have a significant following, Ozu and Mizoguchi are listed in every "Top ***" or "Must See" movie list so they'll sell but Naruse is relatively unknown among your average DVD buyer.

That was just me making fun of myself and my taste in films, which is both artsy and fartsy.

Although part of me thinks that everyone really should want this, I'm just enough in the real world to understand that this isn't the case.

[Tommaso]

Peerpee, I'm one of those unenlightened souls who have never seen a Naruse film before, one of the reasons why I have not yet pre-ordered the box. When will you make trailers available on the website like with the other films? They were really helpful trying to find out whether I could have an interest in the film or not (I would probably have ignored 'Funeral Parade of Roses' if the trailer hadn't knocked me off my chair...).

[Michael Kerpan]

No trailer -- but a link to some screen shots (from the Japanese DVD) of "Repast"

[peerpee]

....only thing I don't like is that it shows 4 pictures on the spine, while it is a 3xDVD box.
just my thoughts....

As Michael suggested, the fourth picture is the cover of the 184-page book.