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Yes, I got a similar notification from Amazon:

Hello,

Unfortunately, the release date for the item(s) listed below was changed by the supplier, and we need to provide you with a new estimated delivery date based on the new release date:

Minosuke Bandô, et al "The Mizoguchi Collection [DVD]"
Estimated arrival date: January 02 2012 - January 03 2012

I wonder if AE have run into the same print quality problems that the BFI once told me prevented their intended (VHS) release of Story of the Late Chrysanthemums. When it was broadcast on UK TV, I didn't think it was that bad, all things considered, and Criterion has of course released two of the other films in the set.

A recent email from Amazon informed me that The Eel has been pushed to 2012.

Any reviews of the Tarkovsky Collection yet?

Artificial Eye has just confirmed on their Facebook page that:

1. The new Tarkovsky DVDs are all based on recent transfers;
2. They're looking into Blu-ray "hopefully next year".

And here's an early review, but it's pretty useless except as a guide for total beginners.

I am surprised there are no reviews of Artificial Eye's Tarkovsky Collection yet. I got my set in mail today. I have had chance to spot-check Andrei Rublev only, and that looks quite beautiful. (I have not seen the previous version, so cannot compare). I would be interested in views of people who have seen several versions and give a comparative assessment.

How does Stalker look? Any better than previous versions at least when it comes to subs?

Equally important: How does "Nostalghia" look? Same source as the Czech dvd, which is fine except for the lack of English subs? Or as disappointing as the new German release from PierrotLeFou?

Does it look at beautiful as the Russian bluray?

Andrei Rublev and Solaris are the only two films in anamorphic 16:9. All others are 4:3. Nostalghia is non-anamorphic wide-screen, with black bars on top and bottom. I am not sure why this could not have been produced anamorphically. Other versions state the aspect ratio for this to be 1.66:1, but visually the version in the Tarkovsky Collection seemed a bit wider than that as seen on my Sony HDTV (I did not measure it). Apart from the potential aspect ratio question the image looked very good. I cannot answer several questions raised by various members because i do not have access to versions referenced by them.
These remarks should be taken as layman's observations. A proper technical review is clearly needed.

kekid wrote: Nostalghia is non-anamorphic wide-screen, with black bars on top and bottom. I am not sure why this could not have been produced anamorphically.

Which probably means that again this is not from the same the master as the Czech dvd, which, if I remember correctly, is anamorphic; and more importantly, the only release of this film so far that gets the colours right. Major disappointment.

Does anyone have the Kiarostami DVD set released by Artificial Eye? I see no reviews yet of the set and wondering how the transfers of Ten & ABC Africa are, I'm assuming the rest of the films are just re-releases of existing versions but if they've improved on it yay.

Terrific news: Amazon are now listing The Theo Angelopoulos Collection Vol. 1 (5 Discs) and The Dust of Time for release on October 24th. No word on what's in the collection yet. Also listed is Kieslowski's Three Colours Trilogy BD for the same date which is welcome news. I've got the DVD set so it will be nice to see how this new BD package will compare to the forthcoming Criterion set. What a huge month from AE.

I really hope that Angelopoulos set doesn't get delayed like their Tarkovsky and Mizogushi boxes have.

Just looking at the named actors on the Amazon page, if this is accurate (I don't know why it wouldn't be), then it's pretty much certain this set will house Days of '36 as all the mentioned actors were players in that film. I'd hope this would mean that we will see all of his Trilogy of History (Days of '36, The Travelling Players and O Megalexendros) housed in this set and include The Hunters and Reconstruction to complete his first 5 major works. Ditto hoping it finds no delays (it's been a long, long time coming but happy it's finally making it's way onto the AE roster).

Will be interesting to see how Colours compares to Colors. AE's Veronique did not look too bad compared to Criterion's. One of the biggest differences of course will be the price.

bigP wrote:Terrific news: Amazon are now listing The Theo Angelopoulos Collection Vol. 1 (5 Discs) and The Dust of Time for release on October 24th. No word on what's in the collection yet. Also listed is Kieslowski's Three Colours Trilogy BD for the same date which is welcome news. I've got the DVD set so it will be nice to see how this new BD package will compare to the forthcoming Criterion set. What a huge month from AE.

An October re-release of the 10-disc Michael Haneke Collection will be announced in August as well.

Apologies, I missed a bunch of other releases for October too; here's the rest of the AE October / November lineup:
Angels of Evil - October 3rd
The Films of Michael Haneke - October 3rd
The Tree - October 10th
War and Peace - October 10th
A Separation - 24th October
The Big Picture - November 7th

I could have sworn they released War and Peace previously.

I just really hope AE includes the Filming Dreams doc on their Dust of Time.

bigP wrote:Just looking at the named actors on the Amazon page, if this is accurate (I don't know why it wouldn't be), then it's pretty much certain this set will house Days of '36 as all the mentioned actors were players in that film. I'd hope this would mean that we will see all of his Trilogy of History (Days of '36, The Travelling Players and O Megalexendros) housed in this set and include The Hunters and Reconstruction to complete his first 5 major works. Ditto hoping it finds no delays (it's been a long, long time coming but happy it's finally making it's way onto the AE roster).

The details on the Amazon page seems to have been updated since the previous posts:

This first set includes Reconstruction (1970) Days of '36 (1972) The Travelling Players (1975) and The Hunters (1977).

I guess that will account for four out of the five discs. Hopefully bigP will be correct in his prediction and O Megalexendros will be the other title.

I have a feeling that Travelling Players will take up two discs, since the film is four hours long?

New Star got it on one.