Jerry Gerber

I haven't seen any posts here about this new distributor in classic world cinema as yet. Called THE MASTERS OF CINEMA SERIES, they are currently releasing what's considered the great Carl Dreyer's first masterpiece, MICHAEL in a 2-disc set with the second disc containing a different musical scoring and the original german intertitles. There's also a 20 page companion booklet that contains a wonderful essay by Jean Renoir and film scholar Tom Milne on the magic of Dreyer. Also so a fine audio commentary by a renowned Dreyer expert which is on par with his two excellent Criterion commentaries.

Coming down the pike for this label are two fascinating films by Teshigahara, the director of Woman in the Dunes. Also I believe Murnau's Tartuffe and Joe May's (a colleague of Fritz Lang), Asphalt.

Check out their website if you care:
http://www.eurekavideo.co.uk/moc/discs.htm

chente

Yeah, they look really good. I was posting in this subforum a couple of weeks ago about Michael. It sounds like a really nice edition and I'll pick it up when cash isn't so tight. MOC are also going to be issuing a Metropolis disk. My understanding is that it will have an identical transfer as the Kino disc but will include a nice hefty booklet.

Subgeniusguy

I already have Eureka's Metropolis. I wonder if this new edition will be the same except for having a spine number.

The Exister

Face of Another has been high on my wish list since I bought a DVD player - awesome news!

Yakuza Bengoshi

There's a big thread over at the CriterionForum that's got a couple of the MOC staff posting in it that's worth keeping an eye on for developments if you're interested. link

Jerry Gerber

>>MOC are also going to be issuing a Metropolis disk. My understanding is that it will have an identical transfer as the Kino disc but will include a nice hefty booklet.NTSC transfer, has American intertitles and all extras crammed on 1 disc. MoCEureka is pure PAL, has the original German interitiles with english subs and is on 2 discs so there's room for the extras. Not overly compressed as the Kino. That's my read on it. There is also the hefty booklet, some 30 pages I've been told. Not small differences IMO.

chente

You are correct. I meant to say it will be the same as the German Transit DVD but somehow it came out as Kino. My apologies.

unclehulot

When you get "Michael", be kind (well, you don't have to, I guess) -- I did the piano score for the disc 1 version, that Kino will be issuing as well (in December). Well, let me know what you think -- the disc 2 score is very interesting, but I think mine is a different, but valid take on the film, perhaps a bit more sympathetic to the characters (IMHO).

marty888

Thanks for the news - Michael sounds like a must-buy!

clckworang

I recently discovered the Masters of Cinema Web site, and I really love it. Great information, great articles, thorough information on releases, both Region 1 and other regions. I would definitely recommend going to the Web site. I haven't bought any of their discs yet, though, so I can't comment on the quality of their releases.

Jerry Gerber

I wanted to say that's it's great to have two versions with two different scores. And nice to hear from one of the composers as well. I heard the piano score when I watched MICHAEL on TCM and heard the german score while watching the European version in the MoCEureka set. Both scores are very different and provide a wonderful contrast. The American score is indeed more sympathetic while the German score is more melancholy and perhaps, more pointed to the mysteries of the human heart.
It will be interesting to read posts on which score is more aligned to the aims of Dreyer. But it's great to have both versions. Sort of a lesson in moviemaking. So thanks UncleHulot.

Jerry Gerber

Their specs are up for Murnau's Tartuffe. That cover is a wowser!

http://www.eurekavideo.co.uk/moc/004.htm

Jerry Gerber

Chente,
The specs are up on eureka/MoC for Metropolis. Seems quite a bit different than the Kino version.
Jerry

http://www.eurekavideo.co.uk/moc/008.htm

Subgeniusguy

Metroopolis now has the original German intertitles. If the frame rate is correct now it might be worth a double dip. Otherwise, I'll settle for my old Eureka release. I wonder if they'll do another "M" release for the new label.

chente

See my reply to your original post were I apoligized for my error in confusing the Kino version with the German Transit version.

Jerry Gerber

The specs are up for the Teshigaharas. Also a fascinating film by Joe May pulled from the brink of the forgotten. All these covers are beauts. My favorites are Tartuffe and Spione.

http://www.eurekavideo.co.uk/moc/discs.htm