Ender
09-05-2006, 07:31 AM
Ara ra,
Didn't know whether to put this in the Misc. section, but I figure this was probably a better place for this kind of discussion. Anyway, my mail came early today, and two DVD sets I've been waiting for what seems like months--oh wait, it WAS months--came in.
What were they? Settle down Fancy Fenders, I'm getting to them. In the industry we call this "build-up."
Both films are classics from 1954 (they both competed for Best Picture), both star Takashi Shimura, both are two of my favorite films, and both have been re-issued in amazing DVD packages. The films are...
*By the way, the links below will take you to pages where you can probably get this films for the best possible deals on the web.*
***
Gojira/Godzilla: King of Monsters (http://www.deepdiscountdvd.com/dvd.cfm?itemID=SON084559)
Honda Inoshiro's best-known film. This was probably my first monster movie, so it will always hold a special place in my hear. Everyone knows Godzilla, but not everyone has seen the original, uncut Gojira that showed in Japanese theaters almost 50 years ago.
The DVD is a handsome two-disc set; with both Uncut-Japanese and Raymond Burr-American versions residing on seperate discs. The extras are not particularly extravagant, but they are definitely entertaining. I've already read through the booklet that comes with the package, and am just about ready to give the commentaries a shot.
Nice to know that after all these years, a nuclear parable featuring a man in a giant lizard suit still appeals to me.
Seven Samurai (http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Samurai-Collection-Akira-Kurosawa/dp/B000G8NXYG/sr=8-14/qid=1157464207/ref=sr_1_14/104-5467847-0247945?ie=UTF8&s=dvd)
Kurosawa is bar none my favorite filmmaker. And Seven Samurai happily resides as my 3rd favorite film of all time.
Seriously, this film belongs in every cinema fan's library. Especially those who wish to have an understanding of Japanese cinema. Criterion--as always--has done a fantastic job with this re-issue. I own the bare bones 1998 transfer, and did not think twice about buying this three-disc(!) set.
The picture, sound, and subtitles have all been improved. I'm probably going to need a good, solid weekend to go through all of the extras; a few commentaries, a couple of documentaries, and an interview size things out.
***
Given the state of foreign films on Region 1 DVD, I'd say this is a "sofa king" swanky goldmine for cinephiles.
What do you guys think? Cool news? Terrible news? Worth it? Not? Think this belongs in some other forum? Want to shoot me? The floor is yours.
Didn't know whether to put this in the Misc. section, but I figure this was probably a better place for this kind of discussion. Anyway, my mail came early today, and two DVD sets I've been waiting for what seems like months--oh wait, it WAS months--came in.
What were they? Settle down Fancy Fenders, I'm getting to them. In the industry we call this "build-up."
Both films are classics from 1954 (they both competed for Best Picture), both star Takashi Shimura, both are two of my favorite films, and both have been re-issued in amazing DVD packages. The films are...
*By the way, the links below will take you to pages where you can probably get this films for the best possible deals on the web.*
***
Gojira/Godzilla: King of Monsters (http://www.deepdiscountdvd.com/dvd.cfm?itemID=SON084559)
Honda Inoshiro's best-known film. This was probably my first monster movie, so it will always hold a special place in my hear. Everyone knows Godzilla, but not everyone has seen the original, uncut Gojira that showed in Japanese theaters almost 50 years ago.
The DVD is a handsome two-disc set; with both Uncut-Japanese and Raymond Burr-American versions residing on seperate discs. The extras are not particularly extravagant, but they are definitely entertaining. I've already read through the booklet that comes with the package, and am just about ready to give the commentaries a shot.
Nice to know that after all these years, a nuclear parable featuring a man in a giant lizard suit still appeals to me.
Seven Samurai (http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Samurai-Collection-Akira-Kurosawa/dp/B000G8NXYG/sr=8-14/qid=1157464207/ref=sr_1_14/104-5467847-0247945?ie=UTF8&s=dvd)
Kurosawa is bar none my favorite filmmaker. And Seven Samurai happily resides as my 3rd favorite film of all time.
Seriously, this film belongs in every cinema fan's library. Especially those who wish to have an understanding of Japanese cinema. Criterion--as always--has done a fantastic job with this re-issue. I own the bare bones 1998 transfer, and did not think twice about buying this three-disc(!) set.
The picture, sound, and subtitles have all been improved. I'm probably going to need a good, solid weekend to go through all of the extras; a few commentaries, a couple of documentaries, and an interview size things out.
***
Given the state of foreign films on Region 1 DVD, I'd say this is a "sofa king" swanky goldmine for cinephiles.
What do you guys think? Cool news? Terrible news? Worth it? Not? Think this belongs in some other forum? Want to shoot me? The floor is yours.