MoC Forthcoming, Wishlist, and Random Speculation

[zedz]

BFI have about three inches more room on my dvd shelves than MoC. I guess that will change soon. After this I would like an upgrade of one or two of the Naruse films, rather than more Mizoguchi, if that was a choice.

Given the sales of the Naruse set, I'd say we can expect these around the same time that MoC releases the original cut of Star Wars on Blu.

[swo17]

We thought of lots of variants. We were going to do straight Blu-rays at one point. To be honest, we're not expecting to get to CHIKAMATSU and AKASEN, so we figured this would be it. Would love to be proved wrong!

So if the individual releases for CHIKAMATSU and AKASEN are OOP, what are the options going to be for those who want to own all eight films, each in the best format available? Will you have to buy the box and the dual formats and try to sell off the duplicates? Will the other two DVD onlies go back in print? Will anyone ever buy the boxset again? Or will it perhaps be replaced with an awkwardly shaped, multi-purpose box as per below? So many questions.

[YnEoS]

Not the most exciting announcement in the world for those of us still clinging to the outdated DVD format. But still excited about Lifeboat, and highly anticipating the Passion of Joan of Arc release. Still appreciate all the hard work MoC does, even if I'm a bit left out this time around.

[Minkin]

Will anyone ever buy the boxset again?

I'll probably have been the last one then. Knew I should have waited three days for announcements to be made. Sigh.

Great news on the Wilders. I suppose we have to wait until beyond Q3 for some Lang then?

[Gregory]

I'm still hoping for some Douglas Sirk releases, but are the annoucements done? (As they said "one more thing..." for "Jean de Arc")

I wanted to echo the desire to see more Sirk, for future releases if there are not already some in development. I don't know if dual-format rights would be available, though perhaps not for the Universal ones, since that didn't happen when MoC did There's Always Tomorrow a couple years ago. Whatever the reason in Region B, it now appears that most of Sirk's peers among major directors in the 1940s and '50s now have a few titles available on Blu on one side of the pond or the other, while Sirk is starting to seem overlooked.

[Gaddis]

Congrats on a stellar line-up you're the best label in the world.All must buys for me!

Now hurry up and give Cockfighter the release it deserves.

[ellipsis7]

Just wondering, Nick, if MURIEL will still make it on to BR/DVD dual format? - see the original MoC DVD remains available on Amazon etc...

[peerpee]

MURIEL should make it. Don't know when.

[Drakath]

What are the chances of MoC giving De Sica's La ciociara a UK release?

[peerpee]

At the moment, we're booked up well into 2013 and we're not in acquisitions mode. It's frustrating that can't release 7 or 8 a month!

[knives]

If only you had that Criterion scratch.

[CSM126]

At the moment, we're booked up well into 2013 and we're not in acquisitions mode. It's frustrating that can't release 7 or 8 a month!

You're doing amazing things at the current rate, man. Don't worry too much!

[Perkins Cobb]

I wish I could get more excited about this batch of Hollywood studio licenses and inevitable Criterion Blu-ray upgrade overlap. Without an Eclipse or Flipside equivalent, MOC is kind of leaving me behind, or vice versa.

Muriel on Blu, though ... that'd be tempting.

[MichaelB]

Now hurry up and give Cockfighter the release it deserves.

This is probably impossible for a UK label, thanks to the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act. From what I hear, the hotel room scene almost certainly infringes it, which makes the uncut version legally unreleasable in Britain.

[MB17]

I'm afraid DF upgrades of CHIKAMATSU and AKASEN CHITAI would rely very heavily on these new UGETSU and SANSHO DFs performing well. We would, of course, love to do them in 1080p.

Just to thank Eureka for the Mizoguchi's. I have them all in DVD, but will double dip whatever you release. Chikamatsu would look wonderful. I hope everybody buys the first two titles and you keep on 'Mizogushing'. Thanks anyway.

PS: What about Oharu which has only had mediocre DVDs at best?

[swo17]

PS: What about Oharu which has only had mediocre DVDs at best?

Criterion is likely releasing this in 2012.

[MB17]

PS: What about Oharu which has only had mediocre DVDs at best?

Criterion is likely releasing this in 2012.

Great! Thanks

[isakborg]

Swo17,

I've been on the lookout for a Criterion Oharu for quite a while, but haven't seen any hint that one is coming, at least in an immediate future. Did I miss something?

[swo17]

It's one of the more easily read clues in this photo, originally discussed here.

[Tommaso]

I wish I could get more excited about this batch of Hollywood studio licenses and inevitable Criterion Blu-ray upgrade overlap. Without an Eclipse or Flipside equivalent, MOC is kind of leaving me behind, or vice versa.

Unfortunately, I feel the same way. Apart from "A man vanishes" and "Coeur fidele", I really can't remember what was the last film that MoC released which wasn't already available, even in an English friendly release. Of course I'm looking forward to some of the upgrades, particularly the Pasolinis, but still I'm looking back yearningly to those days when MoC blew my socks with first time releases like the Mizos, Ichikawas or Franjus, not to speak of "Asphalt" or "Michael"...

[MichaelB]

Apart from "A man vanishes" and "Coeur fidele", I really can't remember what was the last film that MoC released which wasn't already available, even in an English friendly release.

Four out of the five versions of Touch of Evil included in the MoC package?

[Jonathan S]

All three widescreen versions are in the later R1 edition.

[MichaelB]

Two out of the five versions, then?

[Perkins Cobb]

Two out of the five versions, then?

Not that I disapprove of MOC's Touch of Evil package in any way, but that's hardly the same thing as debuting an obscure film on home video, which is what Tommaso is getting at.

[matrixschmatrix]

Aren't both of the extra movies on the Imamura discs otherwise unavailable? Were Comizi d'amore or Sopralluoghi in Palestina, or the wartime Hitch shorts on Lifeboat available?

I don't see why we should restrict ourselves to the main feature on a disc for this little game.