"Benito Vergara" bvergara@sfsu.edu wrote:
Just to add to an old thread: with much glee, I saw on Amazon that :Don't Look Now" will be released in the US this coming September. Whee!
You should know that the French R2 DVD is uncut as far as the sex scenes are concerned, and the R1 DVD will contain the censored cut that has always been the domestic version. There was areal detailed discussion of the cuts on the Mobius Home Video Forum( www.mhvf.net ) a while ago. The site should be back up soon after they change servers.
Spent the last few days savoring my nth watching of Wong Kar-Wai's "In the Mood for Love" -- I owned a dodgy Hongkong VCD, then a Chinese DVD, and then I finally got to borrow an amazing Criterion Collection version (two director's interviews, a press conference with the actors, a documentary, an essay on HK in the '60s, deleted scenes, the short story on which it was based, and much more).
Holy shit this has got to be one of the most beautiful movies ever made. Michael Galasso's score was the greatest thing to happen in movies in 2000. Yes, the Criterion DVD outstrips the Tartan R2 set and all HK R0 sets.(I wish I'd waited for Criterion; I will be waiting for Solaris, Man Bites Dog, and Down By Law later this year.) Wong Kar-wai is quickly becoming one of my favorite filmmakers.
I've only recently started enjoying the joys of DVD -- is there a good website / store that features reviews of DVD extras, or which titles are about to be released (particularly non-US stuff)?
Good? eh. There are very few good reviews of any sort on the internet, IMNTBHO, the bar is just too low. But there are a few that occasionally let useful info leak out. www.dvdmaniacs.net reviews drive-in/euro-cult type stuff and has a thorough ratings system and the reviews seem to be written by adults - their forum is another matter, entirely. www.hometheaterforum.com is entertaining just for the reviews, which are utterly clueless. The DVD Savant column at www.dvdtalk.com offers some informed and opinionated reviews that matter. The Asian DVD Guide @ ezboard.com pub5.ezboard.com/bhongkongdvds is good for info about different versions of HK and Japanese releases. And of course, the only print magazine that matters is Video Watchdog.
ObZorn: I notice that Criterion has also released "Tokyo Drifter," which I've never seen, and which Zorn has, I believe, praised to high heavens. Does anyone here second his recommendations?
Yes, Tokyo Drifter is the shit. Another Criterion release, Kwaidan, is also highly recommended (although nothing like any Seijun Suzuki movie), especially if you like Toru Takemitsu scores. And no mention of recent DVDs would be complete without saying that Takashi Miike's Audition is the greatest horror/black comedy to ever be released. American Cinematheque's R1 DVD(the unrated one) should be easily available. -Sanchez NP: Johnny Mandel & the Stu Gardner Trio - "Point Blank" OMPS NR: "Your Pregnancy Week By Week" 4th edition