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This is an interesting experiment for MoC, and I hope it works for them, though the rights situation that allows them to do a limited print run for this particular title presumably won't apply to a lot of their other titles, where rights have lapsed, transferred, or been withdrawn.

I like mfunk's idea, but if the amount of work required to line up that kind of potential release is as much as I suspect it might be, MoC may be reluctant to put in those hours without being able to commit to a definite release. Also, the kind of rights negotiations they do (generally for existing masters) might not allow for the delay of a 'fundraising' phase. It's a different situation from a rightsholder raising funds for restoration work, where the film isn't going anywhere in the meantime.

I've said this before, but I'd definitely be up for a 'Circle of Trust' type deal where I pay a subscription in advance for a year's worth of releases (or for the next however many releases), especially if that kind of arrangement allowed the company to take on edgier / riskier / more marginal projects. Toss in even one 'subscriber only' title, or some other juicy exclusive, and they'd probably rope in a lot of folks on here.

zedz wrote:I'd definitely be up for a 'Circle of Trust' type deal where I pay a subscription in advance for a year's worth of releases (or for the next however many releases), especially if that kind of arrangement allowed the company to take on edgier / riskier / more marginal projects. Toss in even one 'subscriber only' title, or some other juicy exclusive, and they'd probably rope in a lot of folks on here.

+1

Great news about this limited run of Dreyer's Michael. I assume it is identical to the original edition: 2 discs with two different versions, a commentary and an audio interview?

If so, that makes it an automatic buy.

I wonder which other OOP titles might qualify for such treatment to satisfy those who missed them the first time around. Probably a very short list since it would have to be works whose rights haven't been acquired by other DVD publishers.

Florinaldo wrote:Great news about this limited run of Dreyer's Michael. I assume it is identical to the original edition: 2 discs with two different versions, a commentary and an audio interview?

That's to be hoped. It would also be good if they corrected the authoring error that made it impossible to switch off the English subs on the second disc.

Florinaldo wrote:I wonder which other OOP titles might qualify for such treatment to satisfy those who missed them the first time around. Probably a very short list since it would have to be works whose rights haven't been acquired by other DVD publishers.

My first guess would be Toni, since I seem to recall peerpee saying last year that that one went out of print simply because it didn't sell well (and the remaining stock was destroyed in the Sony warehouse fire/raid), not because of any rights issues. In my experience, that one seemed to be even harder/more expensive to come by than Michael, so let's hope the rights haven't lapsed in the mean time.

Of course, the holy grail right now seems to be the Naruse box set, which I believe was in a similar situation as Toni as far as why it went OOP. It seems to me, though, like it would require a lot more effort and expense for Eureka to repress a gorgeous set like that. Then again, this is all just rampant speculation, so who knows?

The only thing I can say with any degree of certainty is that The Savage Innocents (which was requested a few posts back) will not be repressed, since that one definitely went out of print due to a rights issue.

Emak-Bakia wrote:Of course, the holy grail right now seems to be the Naruse box set, which I believe was in a similar situation as Toni as far as why it went OOP. It seems to me, though, like it would require a lot more effort and expense for Eureka to repress a gorgeous set like that. Then again, this is all just rampant speculation, so who knows?

So now people want the Naruse set? MoC was practically giving it away for years on end! Where were all of these people when their purchases might have made a difference and paved the way for a Volume 2?

zedz wrote: So now people want the Naruse set? MoC was practically giving it away for years on end! Where were all of these people when their purchases might have made a difference and paved the way for a Volume 2?

Truth. Every region free or UK based cinephile worth his salt should have pre-ordered that baby the moment it was announced, and everyone who went region free afterwards should have made it among their first purchases.

Oh, honestly, people come to things at different times in their lives, and I imagine a fair number of US based people discovered him after the Eclipse set came out.

Well, maybe if you're eighteen years old, but if you were a member of this forum when MoC were flogging it off for fifteen quid and there was a chorus of members saying "if you don't buy this ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL BOX SET now, you're crazy," then you've got nobody to blame but your damn fool self.

Increasingly, DVD and BluRay releases of marginal titles are only there on a use-'em-or-lose-'em basis. If you're not supporting the riskier titles labels like MoC, Criterion, the BFI and Edition Filmmuseum are putting out, you have no right to complain when that sector of the market dries up.

In this respect, I'm much more surprised that "Michael" and "Toni" did so badly. After all, these were films by two of the most acclaimed directors of world cinema, whereas many people - at least in the west - may not have heard too much about Naruse before the MoC and BFI sets (the latter also was available very cheaply some time after its release).

zedz wrote:Well, maybe if you're eighteen years old, but if you were a member of this forum when MoC were flogging it off for fifteen quid and there was a chorus of members saying "if you don't buy this ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL BOX SET now, you're crazy," then you've got nobody to blame but your damn fool self.

I bought this when I was 18 and a member of this forum, I paid £20 quid for it and 4 years later I still consider it one of my most cherished possessions.

perkizitore wrote:I bought this when I was 18 and a member of this forum, I paid £20 quid for it and 4 years later I still consider it one of my most cherished possessions.

But now you are creepingly old. I have been around and I'm a lot of younger than you.

Toni and the Naruse set are truly essential releases. However, probably only the first one would qualify for a limited run, as some have pointed out. The Savage Innocents is worth more for the combination with commentary than for the movie on its own.

I am especially pleased about Michael since it went OOP just as I was ready to include it in my next round of MoC puchases (perhaps I should have bought their whole catalogue in one fell swoop, just to be safe).

Can anyone in-the-know confirm that this reissue of Michael will be identical in every way to the original edition? Thanks.

I thought Gaumont was working on Toni, FWIW...

I would have thought it should be a carbon copy of the original release? As it is the most cost effective way to MOC

Has anyone who ordered Michael received their shipment? I ordered along with Double Indemnity... the blu showed up yesterday but Michael wasn't included in the package.

Michael wasn't going to be ready to ship until a week or perhaps longer after you could first place an order. I only just barely got my shipment of everything else that I had ordered along with it.

Ah, I didn't realize that. Thanks!

My copy of Michael arrived today.

The MoC sales pages have been updated and now have Cleopatra, Testament of Dr. Mabuse, Oedipus Rex, Soul Power, and Assassination.

raithrover wrote:I would have thought it should be a carbon copy of the original release? As it is the most cost effective way to MOC

I had little doubt about the discs, but I was not as certain regarding the booklet and packaging.

My copy arrived today and it is an exact reissue. The thumbnails do not do justice to the quality of this DVD package; with the choice of a beautifully composed screencap and the simple but well-advised layout and art direction, this is one of the most elegant covers in the whole MoC catalogue. I am very grateful they chose this title to try out this limited-run reissue experiment.

zedz wrote:I've said this before, but I'd definitely be up for a 'Circle of Trust' type deal where I pay a subscription in advance for a year's worth of releases (or for the next however many releases), especially if that kind of arrangement allowed the company to take on edgier / riskier / more marginal projects. Toss in even one 'subscriber only' title, or some other juicy exclusive, and they'd probably rope in a lot of folks on here.

I actually did do this with Ruscico's first releases - back then it was just about the first attempt I'd seen at curating the outstanding films of an entire national cinema on DVD, and the subscription offer appeared when I'd just been paid my first (and last) work-related bonus. So for several years, via a package of around half a dozen discs every few weeks, I was sent every single Ruscico release, and although there were a handful I could have done without (most of the fairytale films, for instance), the cost when calculated on a per-disc basis was gratifyingly low.

Sales page has now been updated with Park Row and Nibelungen.

New offers, including Joan of Arc and Trouble in Paradise pre-orders. Note that:

Eureka Newsletter wrote:We have two very special forthcoming SteelBooks that are selling extremely quickly and we only have around 800 of each left allocated to us, firstly Carl th. Dreyer's masterpiece The Passion of Joan of Arc, the SteelBook comes wrapped in a luxurious slipcase which houses the SteelBook itself and a substantial book. The second SteelBook is The Human Centipede 1 + 2 special edition, featuring both films in a four-disc set this is the best way to enter Tom Six's nightmare. Both of these are extremely limited and are available to pre-order here. As usual these will ship as soon as we have them in stock.

Are the Human Centipede films edited for U.K. home video release? Asking for a friend.