Greek Cinema on Blu-ray

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Costa · #1 Post by **Costa** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 12:28 pm

Hello.
Thought to start this thread because being a Greek I'm a bit disappointed that old Greek cinema is ignored by labels as far as bluray is concerned.
We have the Iphigenia release from Olive which is an excellent film, but there are so many others:

eg. Theo Angelopoulos films (some have been released in Japan)
Other Oscar nominated films for best foreign film like:
Electra (1962)
The Red Lanterns (1963)
Blood on the Land (1965)

I also love the film Cavafy (1996) which is more like a sketch on the great Greek poet.

(I just mentioned the ones I've seen)

Surprised that Criterion hasn't released any Greek film yet, but has released other obscure movies from other countries.
And what about Arrow and Eureka?

has anyone here seen any old (pre-2000) Greek film?
What are your thoughts?

Adam X · #2 Post by **Adam X** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 1:48 pm

I'm guessing it's not what you had in mind, but Mondo Macabro's got a forthcoming double bill of The Wild Pussycat & The Deserter:
https://vimeo.com/255061665 https://vimeo.com/254894322.
As someone who can appreciate both Angelopoulos & crazy exploitation films, I think these two look quite wonderful. They've released a few Greek films on DVD over the last couple of years, but these are the first ones to make it to BD.

Also, pre-2000 is old?

ozufils · #3 Post by **ozufils** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 3:11 pm

There is also a really well done Nico Papatakis Box set by Gaumont.

Costa · #4 Post by **Costa** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 4:30 pm

Adam Grikepelis wrote:I'm guessing it's not what you had in mind, but Mondo Macabro's got a forthcoming double bill of The Wild Pussycat & The Deserter:

Also, pre-2000 is old?

Oh, I wasn't aware of these 2 movies. But yes, not what i had in mind.

Well, they're not new either.

Didn't know how to call them.

#5 Post by **domino harvey** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 4:33 pm

Pre-2000s is Old Films for the forum's purposes, but this doesn't belong in the Old Films subforum in the first place

L.A. · #6 Post by **L.A.** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 6:22 pm

Haven’t seen these yet but The Counterfeit Coin (Yorgos Javellas, 1955), The Ogre of Athens aka The Dragon (Nikos Koundoros, 1956) and Rembetiko (Costas Ferris, 1983) would be the three Greek films I’d so love to see on Blu.

Big Ben · #7 Post by **Big Ben** » Mon Feb 19, 2018 6:33 pm

I know that Angelopoulos' estate will give out prints to interested parties if they're willing to do all the necessary things. The problem is interest. Angelopoulos is virtually unknown outside art film circles and you'd have a hard time marketing something like The Travelling Players or Alexander the Great to anyone outside said group. I'd love to have all of his works in Blu-Ray but I just don't see it happening without considerable effort. If Angelopoulos can't get any major release outside of Artificial Eye I have my doubts things like The Ogre of Athens could as well.

Costa · #8 Post by **Costa** » Tue Feb 20, 2018 1:06 am

Big Ben wrote:I know that Angelopoulos' estate will give out prints to interested parties if they're willing to do all the necessary things. The problem is interest. Angelopoulos is virtually unknown outside art film circles and you'd have a hard time marketing something like The Travelling Players or Alexander the Great to anyone outside said group. I'd love to have all of his works in Blu-Ray but I just don't see it happening without considerable effort. If Angelopoulos can't get any major release outside of Artificial Eye I have my doubts things like The Ogre of Athens could as well.

Well, at least the "Eternity and a Day" could be marketed as the Palme D'or Winner, so maybe it would sell more.
Criterion can release anything and Criterion fans will follow.

By the way, the 3 Angelopoulos films I've seen on Bluray seem quite good, like restored or something!
So, there are HD ready versions.

Costa · #9 Post by **Costa** » Tue Feb 20, 2018 1:10 am

L.A. wrote:The Ogre of Athens aka The Dragon (Nikos Koundoros, 1956)

This is said to be the greatest Greek film ever!
(haven't seen it either yet)

edit: I found this list of BFI too:
http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news ... reek-films" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I forgot Stella and Never on Sunday which i have seen too and I would love blurays of them!

John Cope · #10 Post by **John Cope** » Wed Feb 21, 2018 2:13 am

Costa wrote:By the way, the 3 Angelopoulos films I've seen on Bluray seem quite good, like restored or something!
So, there are HD ready versions.

Which ones are those? I didn't realize that any of them were on Blu yet.

#11 Post by **swo17** » Wed Feb 21, 2018 2:17 am

I only know of Voyage to Cythera and Landscape in the Mist, which received BD releases in Japan.

John Cope · #12 Post by **John Cope** » Wed Feb 21, 2018 3:19 am

That's good to know. Thanks. Meanwhile, I would love to get a copy of Smaragdis's Kavafis on Blu with English subs if one is actually available anywhere. I've wanted to see that for years (and his El Greco too).

Big Ben · #13 Post by **Big Ben** » Wed Feb 21, 2018 7:52 am

Angelopoulos does have a cult following in Japan of all places which is why I'm not shocked by the revelation swo has posted. Several years ago I managed to track down scenes missing from Artificial Eye release of The Hunters that were on the Laserdisc from Japan. Funnily enough you mentioned me on this very forum before I had even joined because the story had gotten out that I was looking for them on another forum. Small world! The scenes in question were just extensions of existing ones. A bit more of a tracking shot of a car here and a little more of people standing around there. Most humorous however was going over the films with frontal nudity which had to be censored by Japanese law. Nothing like seeing a reconstruction of Ancient Greek sports with two huge blurred blobs in the center of the frame!

Anyway what I should be saying is that it's a joy to see those films get a Blu-Ray release in any capacity so thank you for bringing that to my attention swo. Angelopoulos is something I'd consider an acquired taste but I'd love to see him get some love over here.

Pepsi · #14 Post by **Pepsi** » Wed Feb 21, 2018 8:22 am

I only know of Voyage to Cythera and Landscape in the Mist, which received BD releases in Japan.

From Blu-ray.com, these also exist in Japan:
Eternity and a Day and Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow

Costa · #15 Post by **Costa** » Wed Feb 21, 2018 8:27 am

John Cope wrote:That's good to know. Thanks. Meanwhile, I would love to get a copy of Smaragdis's Kavafis on Blu with English subs if one is actually available anywhere. I've wanted to see that for years (and his El Greco too).

Unfortunately there aren't.
I have a DVD of Kavafis with custom made English subtitles.
PM me if you'd like some further information.

Ribs · #16 Post by **Ribs** » Wed Feb 21, 2018 4:22 pm

ozufils wrote:There is also a really well done Nico Papatakis Box set by Gaumont.

I'd hold off for now - Janus just tweeted about new restorations playing at Lincoln Center, so presumably it'll be added to the Criterion 'coming eventually' pile.

Costa · #17 Post by **Costa** » Wed Feb 21, 2018 7:17 pm

ozufils wrote:There is also a really well done Nico Papatakis Box set by Gaumont.

I had never heard of this director or his films.
I see though only 2 are in Greek so they can be considered Greek films.

By the way, i watched yesterday O Drakos (1956)!

Didn't like it at all!!
The theme was good but I found it very roughly executed (meaning techincally too), and some performances (not of the main lead) were quite laughable!
I'm surprised this is supposed to be the greatest Greek film.

#18 Post by **Matt** » Tue Mar 06, 2018 10:53 pm

Does anyone know if there's a decent, English-subtitled DVD or BD of Michael Cacoyannis' Stella available anywhere in the world? I know there is the old, out-of-print Fox Lorber DVD from 2000, but I imagine it looks like absolute garbage.

#19 Post by **swo17** » Tue Mar 06, 2018 11:01 pm

I believe that's the only edition ever released, but that the transfer isn't quite absolute garbage.

Costa · #20 Post by **Costa** » Tue Mar 06, 2018 11:51 pm

Matt wrote:Does anyone know if there's a decent, English-subtitled DVD or BD of Michael Cacoyannis' Stella available anywhere in the world? I know there is the old, out-of-print Fox Lorber DVD from 2000, but I imagine it looks like absolute garbage.

I have a PAL Greek DVD that is custom subtitled.
here's the quality:

Spoiler

#21 Post by **swo17** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 12:24 am

I'd say that looks about on par with the Fox Lorber.

CRITERIONaristos · Tue Jan 22, 2019 5:58 pm

Costa wrote: Wed Feb 21, 2018 8:27 am
John Cope wrote:That's good to know. Thanks. Meanwhile, I would love to get a copy of Smaragdis's Kavafis on Blu with English subs if one is actually available anywhere. I've wanted to see that for years (and his El Greco too).
Unfortunately there aren't.
I have a DVD of Kavafis with custom made English subtitles.
PM me if you'd like some further information.

Hello.
I am interested in the Kavafis DVD with English subtitles.
Could you please PM me? I just registered and the site does not allow me to PM.
Thank you so much.

#23 Post by **zedz** » Fri Apr 17, 2020 5:37 am

IPHIGENIA

Reasonably impressive classical epic from Michael Cacoyannis that draws some lessons from Pasolini’s mythic films in creating a tough, plausible ancient world using real locations, simple effects and occasional handheld camera. Unfortunately, the film is a lot more conventional in every other respect (score, costumes, performances, editing, casts of thousands). It makes a decent fist of bringing Euripides to the screen, but I found the acting rather unnuanced.

Costa · #24 Post by **Costa** » Wed Apr 09, 2025 7:05 pm

I've read at the blu-ray.com forum that Radiance is interested/will release (?) Angelopoulos!
Where did we come to this conclusion?
Have they said anything publicly?

Calvin · #25 Post by **Calvin** » Wed Apr 09, 2025 8:44 pm

Costa wrote: Wed Apr 09, 2025 7:05 pm I've read at the blu-ray.com forum that Radiance is interested/will release (?) Angelopoulos!
Where did we come to this conclusion?
Have they said anything publicly?

It's not a conclusion, it's an educated guess. They confirmed today that there will be a Greek film released later this year. 'Slow cinema masterpiece' is already a known clue to an upcoming title. And Radiance have a known interest in Angelopoulos and made enquiries as far back as 2022.

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