Kill!
Street Date: 10/4/2005
Specifications
* 1968
* BW
* Action/Adventure
Samurai
Black Comedy
* Runtime: 114 min
* DVD
* 2.35:1 aspect
* monaural
* In Japanese with optional English subtitles
Other Information
* Suggested retail: $29.95
* Cat no.: KIL060
* ISBN: 0-78003-036-2
* UPC: 0-37429-20992-9
Samurai Rebellion
Street Date: 10/4/2005
Specifications
* 1967
* BW
* Drama
Samurai
* Runtime: 121 min
* DVD
* 2.35:1 aspect
* monaural
* In Japanese with optional English subtitles
Other Information
* Suggested retail: $29.95
* Cat no.: SAM170
* ISBN: 0-78003-037-0
* UPC: 0-37429-21002-4
Samurai Spy
Street Date: 10/4/2005
Specifications
* 1965
* BW
* Drama
Samurai
* Runtime: 100 min
* DVD
* 2.35:1 aspect
* monaural
* In Japanese with optional English subtitles
Other Information
* Suggested retail: $29.95
* Cat no.: SAM160
* ISBN: 0-78003-035-4
* UPC: 0-37429-20982-0
Rebel Samurai: Sixties Swordplay Classics (Four-Disc Collector's Set)
Street Date: 10/4/2005
This boxed set includes the following titles:
* Samurai Rebellion
* Sword of the Beast
* Samurai Spy
* Kill!
Specifications
* 2005
* BW
* Drama
Samurai
Black Comedy
* Runtime: 420 min
* DVD
* 2.35:1 aspect
* monaural
* In Japanese with optional English subtitles
Other Information
* Suggested retail: $99.95
* Cat no.: SWO050
* ISBN: 0-78003-038-9
* UPC: 0-37429-21012-3
Doesn't mention Wages of Fear, or anything else other than this box set...yet.
Poink
08-01-05, 12:39 PM
Le Samouraï
The Criterion Collection
DVD • $29.95
In a career-defining performance, Alain Delon plays blue-eyed Jef Costello, a fedora- and trench-coat-wearing contract killer with samurai instincts. When Jef assassinates a nightclub owner, he finds himself confronted by a series of witnesses, who drop his perfect world into the hands of a persistent police investigator and Jef's shadowy employer, both of whom are determined to put an end to the smooth criminal. more »
This movie is mentioned in every "Why isn't this on DVD!!!?!?!?" thread I've ever seen. Everyone can rest well now.
Also,
The Wages of Fear (All-New Restored Special Edition)
The Criterion Collection
DVD • $29.95
In the squalid, impoverished South American town of Las Piedras, desperate men and women from all over the world scrape out a living and dream of escape, under the watchful eye of the ruling Southern Oil Company. When a well explodes 300 miles away, the American company conscripts four of these unfortunates to drive trucks loaded with volatile nitroglycerin through treacherous mountains, a suicide mission that is their only way out. more »
From the same link you posted...
jbnugent
08-01-05, 12:42 PM
Thanks for the heads up. It now features info on Wages of Fear and Le Samourai.
Jimmy
cultshock
08-01-05, 01:15 PM
LE SAMOURAI?? Excellent! :up: I was thinking about picking up an import version, but I'll gladly wait for this. Hopefully it has as many nice extras as their LE CERCLE ROUGE set.
Skoobooz
08-01-05, 01:38 PM
The Wages of Fear (All-New Restored Special Edition)
Special Features
* New, restored high-definition digital transfer
* New interview with assistant director Michel Romanoff
* New interview with Henri-Georges Clouzot biographer Marc Godin
* Archival interview with Yves Montand, on working with Clouzot
* A new essay by novelist Dennis Lehane (Mystic River, Sacred)
* Original theatrical trailer
* New and improved English subtitle translation
* More!
Kill!
Special Features
* New, restored high-definition digital transfer
* Original theatrical trailer
* New essay by film historian and culture critic Howard Hampton
* New and improved English subtitle translation
Samurai Rebellion
Special Features
* New, restored high-definition digital transfer
* Excerpts from a 1993 interview with director Masaki Kobayashi
* Original theatrical trailer
* New essay by Japanese-film historian Donald Richie
* New and improved English subtitle translation
Sword of the Beast
Special Features
* New, restored high-definition digital transfer
* New essay by Japanese-film and pop-culture authority Patrick Macias
* New and improved English subtitle translation
Samurai Spy
Special Features
* New, restored high-definition digital transfer
* Exclusive new video interview with director Masahiro Shinoda
* New essay by film scholar Alain Silver
* New and improved English subtitle translation
Le Samouraï
Special Features
* New, restored high-definition digital transfer
* New video interviews with Jean-Pierre Melville historians Rui Noguiera and Ginette Vincendeau
* Collection of excerpts from archival interviews with Melivlle and actors Alain Delon, Cathy Rosier, Nathalie Delon, and François Périer
* Theatrical trailer
* New and improved English subtitle translation
* A new essay by film scholar David Thomson and a reprinted tribute by filmmaker John Woo
* More!
Heat
08-01-05, 02:09 PM
Are there any Spanish language Criterion movies yet?
chente
08-01-05, 02:24 PM
Are there any Spanish language Criterion movies yet?
Unfortunately no. I'm still hoping for a box set of Bunuel's mexican films.
chente
08-01-05, 02:26 PM
Going to be a damn, expensive month. I will definitely be getting Le Samurai and Wages of Fear and that Japanese Samurai box looks pretty tasty too.
pro-bassoonist
08-01-05, 02:30 PM
I certainly hope Criterion will not manipulate the colors in Le Samourai as they did in Le Cercle Rouge....
Pro-B
Bobbin
08-01-05, 02:51 PM
Kill! sounds pretty cool. May have to give it a rent.
Lemdog
08-01-05, 03:03 PM
Crap there goes all of my money for October.
cultshock
08-01-05, 03:58 PM
I certainly hope Criterion will not manipulate the colors in Le Samourai as they did in Le Cercle Rouge....
Pro-B
Really? I wasn't aware of that. Details? (I just recently picked up the Criterion disc. Maybe I should have done some research first)
Mondo Kane
08-01-05, 04:22 PM
Kill! sounds pretty cool. May have to give it a rent.
IFC showed it around a year ago. I didn't get to finish it, but I liked what I saw. You can tell it's not a Kurosawa film due to it's unusual pace.
jrsl76
08-01-05, 04:27 PM
Yessssssssssss!!!!!! I have been waiting for Samurai Rebellion since Criterion started releasing, in fact I e-mailed Mulvaney about it way back in mid-98, so it is great to see this. I'm excited about a remastered Wages and a R1 Le Samourai. Great month (and getting more and more expensive with each day).
pro-bassoonist
08-01-05, 04:35 PM
Really? I wasn't aware of that. Details? (I just recently picked up the Criterion disc. Maybe I should have done some research first)
Cultshock:
What Gary Tooze only partially touches upon in his comparison at DVDBEAVER I would describe as a much more serious issue. I think that nobody (certainly not on this forum) wanted to go into detail as to why the color scheme is different. I've owned well over 4 different versions of this film including a very old Bulgarian VHS tape that certainly did not have the "accurate" colors which one could see in the Criterion DVD (I considered this tape to be a good comparison source for many years).
I also think that not the French but the UK disc has the most accurate colors...I clearly see contrast boosting on the French disc (hence...avoid!!).
Either way as much respect as I have for Criterion this was the first (out of two discs in about a year or so...) that they dropped the ball on. The other one being Balthazar whch blown out on a huge screen (see it with a digital projector) clearly showcases "ghosting" (non-progressive transfer I would assume). The Criterion version still has some impressive extras though.
See the color issue of Le Cercle Rouge here:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare2/cerclerouge/cerclerouge3.html
Regards,
Pro-B
wendersfan
08-01-05, 04:48 PM
<b>Le Samourai</b> is the best DVD news I've heard in months.
Noojimbo
08-01-05, 05:02 PM
:clap: Le Samouraï
jmj713
08-01-05, 05:06 PM
pro, in the Beaver comparison, the Criterion image is easily the best. The other two looked washed out and colorless. For the best argument, look at the pool table shot.
DrGerbil
08-01-05, 05:06 PM
Le Samourai
http://img318.imageshack.us/img318/6682/yahoo8rn.gif
pro-bassoonist
08-01-05, 05:14 PM
pro, in the Beaver comparison, the Criterion image is easily the best. The other two looked washed out and colorless. For the best argument, look at the pool table shot.
Jmj713:
With all due respect IT IS NOT...it is a tad sharper but we are discussing the color handling. In fact, if anything I would consdier the film grain the biggest Criterion advantage when discussing strictly the picture quality (sans extras). Believe it or not a lot of the older Melvile films were meant to have the blue-ish tint.
Regards,
Pro-B
jmj713
08-01-05, 05:16 PM
Tint is good. But when you have a totally washed out image with no solid blacks, it tends to look crappy. I like my 2-disc Criterion of Le Cercle Rouge as it is. Maybe I'm not as discriminating a film fan as Mr. Tooze and yourself, but DVD Beaver's comparison sometimes have absolutely rididulous conclusions. With all due respect.
Also notice, Criterion's image contains a tiny bit more information than the counterparts, on top and bottom (even a bit on both sides), as is evident, again, in the pool table shot.
pro-bassoonist
08-01-05, 05:21 PM
Tint is good. But when you have a totally washed out image with no solid blacks, it tends to look crappy......
Well, you are certainly free to choose...yet I believe that it is a blatant exaggeration to describe the BFI disc as totally washed-out. Let me repeat one more time...the misty blueish tint is absolutely 100% intentional. The fact remains that the color scheme is visibly manipulated.
Regards,
Pro-B
pro-bassoonist
08-01-05, 05:26 PM
Tint is good. But when you have a totally washed out image with no solid blacks, it tends to look crappy. I like my 2-disc Criterion of Le Cercle Rouge as it is. Maybe I'm not as discriminating a film fan as Mr. Tooze and yourself, but DVD Beaver's comparison sometimes have absolutely rididulous conclusions. With all due respect.
Also notice, Criterion's image contains a tiny bit more information than the counterparts, on top and bottom, as is evident, again, in the pool table shot.
Ok...you keep adding up to your post every 5 seconds...with this said...though I would not place myself in the elite group of a respected source as DVDBEAVER I certainly think that people refer to the site specifically for the fact that Gary is discriminating as you described him (me)...and tends to elaborate on small detrails that separate what is worthy from what is not.
For the record Gary is a firm Criterion supporter in every sense of the word!!
Regards,
Pro-B
jmj713
08-01-05, 05:30 PM
I don't mean to pick a fight, pro, I'm just stating what, to my eyes, appears right and wrong. Case in point, Beaver's recent comparison of Ozu's Late Spring: the Beaver says Tartan has the better image, while to my eyes, looking at the shots provided, the winner is clearly the Bo Ying edition (Tartan's image is way too dark and less sharp).
Nice to hear Wages of Fear is getting a better image and some extras. Just for the hell of it I would have liked to see them include the american cut from back when it was first released. As much as I like the film, the beginning does drag a bit.
ReservoirDog45
08-01-05, 06:26 PM
*boogies down*
Hells yes, finally Le Samourai
PopcornTreeCt
08-02-05, 01:33 AM
To buy the box set or not? Hmm..October is shaking up to be the greatest DVD month of the year...Criterions..Batman Boxset and Begins...Titanic...Wizard of Oz.
cultshock
08-02-05, 11:25 AM
Cultshock:
What Gary Tooze only partially touches upon in his comparison at DVDBEAVER I would describe as a much more serious issue. I think that nobody (certainly not on this forum) wanted to go into detail as to why the color scheme is different. I've owned well over 4 different versions of this film including a very old Bulgarian VHS tape that certainly did not have the "accurate" colors which one could see in the Criterion DVD (I considered this tape to be a good comparison source for many years).
I also think that not the French but the UK disc has the most accurate colors...I clearly see contrast boosting on the French disc (hence...avoid!!).
Either way as much respect as I have for Criterion this was the first (out of two discs in about a year or so...) that they dropped the ball on. The other one being Balthazar whch blown out on a huge screen (see it with a digital projector) clearly showcases "ghosting" (non-progressive transfer I would assume). The Criterion version still has some impressive extras though.
See the color issue of Le Cercle Rouge here:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare2/cerclerouge/cerclerouge3.html
Regards,
Pro-B
Thanks Pro-B. I usually check out dvdbeaver for potential issues before I pick up a disc, but I completely forgot about it in this case. :( Ah well, at least I picked it up cheap, and yes, the extras are nice, especially the vintage Melville interviews.
honking
08-02-05, 05:42 PM
I am real excited about Le Samourai, but am sorta disappointed there are no horror criterion releases during the halloween month. Oh well, still great releases.
Shagrath
08-03-05, 02:48 PM
Here's the covers for the new October releases:
Looks like they have a typo on Samurai Rebellion. The director's first name is Masaki, not Maski. Hopefully they'll clear that up before the release.
I see that Criterion continues to pander to the lowbrow audience by releasing still more <i>jidai-geki</i>
jdpatri
08-03-05, 03:00 PM
There's nothing wrong with a little lowbrow samurai slicing and dicing. I'll probably pick it up someday... but first... Les Samourai will most definitely be mine.
Mondo Kane
08-03-05, 03:01 PM
Aw man, thought WAGES would've had a better cover than that.
SFranke
08-03-05, 03:18 PM
Aw man, thought WAGES would've had a better cover than that.
You can tell those guys on the cover are pretty bummed about it, too.
goosh
08-03-05, 04:12 PM
I see that Criterion continues to pander to the lowbrow audience by releasing still more jidai-geki
Apparently they also have standards, as they still have not released a Wenders film.
PopcornTreeCt
08-03-05, 06:33 PM
Nice month. No ***** talkie romances. :)
DrGerbil
08-03-05, 06:50 PM
Apparently they also have standards, as they still have not released a Wenders film.
That's not fair... Wendersfan's complaints likely stem from anger regarding the absence of Kings of the Road on Criterion DVD. ;)
Gerry P.
08-03-05, 06:51 PM
Apparently they also have standards, as they still have not released a Wenders film.The things I'd do for Criterion editions of Kings of the Road and Alice in the Cities...
Coral
08-03-05, 07:21 PM
Other than a few covers, Criterion's artwork has been pretty bland the last few months.
RyoHazuki
08-03-05, 07:43 PM
Those coverarts aren't great. Too bad.
pro-bassoonist
08-04-05, 12:36 AM
Those coverarts aren't great. Too bad.
Correct. They are actually quite poor. In a few min. I will post the R2 European covers which Avanti/Wild Side did....for some of their Japanese titles...
Very, very poor Criterion design(s)...it sure looks like Image is taking over :)
That's not fair... Wendersfan's complaints likely stem from anger regarding the absence of Kings of the Road on Criterion DVD.
I have nothing against Mr. Wenders, his films, or his fans and hope that Criterion will eventually release Kings of the Road. What's not fair is Wendersfan's pompous attitude towards the jidai-geki genre and its audience. Lowbrow? Come on, you know that was asking for a witty retort.
However, I think we can all agree that Criterions release of Melville's Le Samourai is very welcome.
jmj713
08-04-05, 10:29 AM
Those R2 covers are not at all better than Criterion's, especially Kwaidan and Onibaba.
wendersfan
08-04-05, 10:53 AM
The things I'd do for Criterion editions of Kings of the Road and Alice in the Cities...Don't forget <b>The Wrong Move</b>. :)
wendersfan
08-04-05, 10:56 AM
What's not fair is Wendersfan's pompous attitude towards the jidai-geki genre and its audience. Lowbrow? Come on, you know that was asking for a witty retort.It was practically begging for it. :lol:
I personally don't have anything against samurai movies, or action movies, in general. My complaint is two-pronged, first, that Criterion isn't spending their time and efforts in releasing genuine classics of Japanese cinema, and by not doing so, misleading people into thinking that these films they are releasing are something they are not.
RyoHazuki
08-04-05, 03:55 PM
Dang Pro-B, those are nice. What are those movies in the bottom middle?
jmj713
08-04-05, 05:48 PM
wendersfan, Criterion has Kurosawa's Ran later this year. Maybe even another Ozu (Late Spring?).
Grimfarrow
08-04-05, 06:11 PM
Samurai Rebellion isn't a genuine classic? Nor is Harakiri? O....kay.
That being said, I wouldn't mind Naruse or Shimizu or Oshima in the collection - finally.
RichDB10
08-04-05, 06:16 PM
Those R2 covers are not at all better than Criterion's, especially Kwaidan and Onibaba.
TBH i actually prefer the R2 Kwaidan cover to the Criterion version and coupled with the fact that Wild Side release VERY reputable quality releases i think this will surpass the current Criterion edition unless they choose to revisit the title as what appears to be Criterion's current trend etc.
Am looking forward to Le Samourai however!
Comfort Eagle
08-04-05, 06:25 PM
Le Samouraï for sure! Nice to see Criterion with the release.
scott1598
08-04-05, 07:16 PM
when is "The Island" gonna be released by Criterion?
naitram
08-04-05, 08:38 PM
when is "The Island" gonna be released by Criterion?
Hopefully by the end of the year.
Those covers do suck as far as Criterion covers go, but they still make me want to see the movies, so I guess they're effective anyway. They just seem really cheesy with not a whole lot of thought and care put into them.
Skoobooz
08-04-05, 08:51 PM
Hopefully by the end of the year.
I hope you're kidding...
wendersfan
08-04-05, 09:24 PM
wendersfan, Criterion has Kurosawa's Ran later this year. Maybe even another Ozu (Late Spring?).I think Kurosawa is overrated, especially <b>Ran</b>, <b>Kagemusha</b>, and <b>Hidden Fortress</b>. I think he gets a lot of fanboy love because his movies are big and violent and spectacular, and it's cooler to say you're into Kurosawa instead of John Ford or Michael Bay.
Gerry P.
08-05-05, 12:57 AM
I think he gets a lot of fanboy love because his movies are big and violent and spectacular...That's quite a generalization. His body of work ranges grately in substance and scope.
pro-bassoonist
08-05-05, 01:14 AM
Dang Pro-B, those are nice. What are those movies in the bottom middle?
Those, I believe, are the restored Fukasaku titles Wild Side did...Aventi are promoting/distributing them though.
Ciao,
Pro-B
RyoHazuki
08-05-05, 02:07 AM
Are they any good?
wendersfan
08-05-05, 08:08 AM
That's quite a generalization. His body of work ranges grately in substance and scope.I agree, his film career was long and varied. I wasn't commenting on Kurosawa's films <i>per se</i>, but more on audience reaction to them. We're now venturing way off topic, so that's all I'll say.
Criterion's site currently lists France as the country for "Kill!".
That's a mistake right?
I think so, a double-check with IMDB shows Japan as the only country.
Perhaps Criterion got this titled confused with the French film Surrender!. ;) (just kidding, the Other forum is rubbing off on me).
I'm guessing they just did a cut/paste job and forgot to change the country.
PopcornTreeCt
08-07-05, 02:01 AM
Hopefully by the end of the year.
Those covers do suck as far as Criterion covers go, but they still make me want to see the movies, so I guess they're effective anyway. They just seem really cheesy with not a whole lot of thought and care put into them.
It worked!
DVD Smurf
08-07-05, 10:39 AM
Ok, I am excited about Le Samouraï, but what really gets me fired up is the Sword of the Beast DVD. Not to mention the upcoming Naked. Anyway, if you guys did not check out the Story of a Prostitute that was released earlier this month, do your self a favor and watch it. Mesmerizing!
Cheers :beer:
DVD Smurf :)
DVD Smurf
08-07-05, 10:45 AM
I think Kurosawa is overrated, especially <b>Ran</b>, <b>Kagemusha</b>, and <b>Hidden Fortress</b>. I think he gets a lot of fanboy love because his movies are big and violent and spectacular, and it's cooler to say you're into Kurosawa instead of John Ford or Michael Bay.
Personally, I thought Kagemusha was brilliant, but not for its violent depiction. I thought it was much more interesting, as a perceptive view of his own struggles. Read my review... Kagemusha Review (http://www.cinematica.org/archives/k/kagemusha.htm) I think most of his films are brilliant in their own way, even if they also have a great appeal to the general audience. And on occasion, violent action can also be entertaining. :)
Cheers :beer:
DVD Smurf :)
eXcentris
08-07-05, 12:30 PM
I personally don't have anything against samurai movies, or action movies, in general. My complaint is two-pronged, first, that Criterion isn't spending their time and efforts in releasing genuine classics of Japanese cinema, and by not doing so, misleading people into thinking that these films they are releasing are something they are not.
I would tend to believe that people who consistently buy Criterion titles are perfectly capable of making the difference between classics and lesser films. I don't know anyone who was mislead or fooled when Criterion released Armageddon. :)
PopcornTreeCt
08-07-05, 04:56 PM
I would tend to believe that people who consistently buy Criterion titles are perfectly capable of making the difference between classics and lesser films. I don't know anyone who was mislead or fooled when Criterion released Armageddon. :)
I agree. I like to think that people that are fans of Criterion are first and foremost fans of brilliant cinema and have a good knowledge beforehand of what the best of the best is. IMO, Kurosawa > Ozu. :)
Cameron
09-29-05, 01:38 AM
davis dvd
Criterion's Kill!, Rebel Samurai: Sixties Swordplay Classics, Samurai Rebellion, Samurai Spy, Sword of the Beast, Le Samourai and The Wages of Fear have been moved from October 4th & 18th to October 25th
pro-bassoonist
09-29-05, 02:48 AM
I agree. I like to think that people that are fans of Criterion are first and foremost fans of brilliant cinema and have a good knowledge beforehand of what the best of the best is. IMO, Kurosawa > Ozu. :)
I am anything but a Criterion fan...I am a fan of some of the films they release. If there is anything that I admire about the company it is the care they put in their work. The name, spine numbers, and collector's mentality are not my forte.
Pro-B
chente
09-29-05, 01:31 PM
I think Kurosawa is overrated, especially <b>Ran</b>, <b>Kagemusha</b>, and <b>Hidden Fortress</b>. I think he gets a lot of fanboy love because his movies are big and violent and spectacular, and it's cooler to say you're into Kurosawa instead of John Ford or Michael Bay.
But Red Beard, Throne of Blood and Ikiru are exceptional.
Kerborus
09-29-05, 08:07 PM
But Red Beard, Throne of Blood and Ikiru are exceptional.
Agreed. And having just watched Kagemusha recently, I was just stunned at how brilliant it is.
Some people just have a chip on their shoulder.
Cameron
09-30-05, 12:24 AM
i am an uncool john ford fan
Cameron
10-20-05, 04:00 AM
reviews
Ian Jane Reviews Rebel Samurai - Sixties Swordplay Classics (http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=18302)
Ian Jane Reviews Le Samourai - Criterion Collection (http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=18287)
DVD King
10-20-05, 10:23 AM
Nice review on Le Samourai. I'm excited over all the praise it gets around here, it will be my first time blind buying a criterion.
Buy: