Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
01-31-25 | 07:35 PM
#1
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DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
This boutique label used to be with Vinegar Syndrome but split for for . . . reasons and partnered with Diabolik, I believe. They’ve tended to fall of my radar since then, but new release email from Diabolik today revealed Deaf Crocodile has a couple of vintage East German DEFA science-fiction movies coming out later in February as a double feature set: SIGNALS: A SPACE ADVENTURE and IN THE DUST OF THE STARS. Naturally, they’re a bit overpackaged with three separate box options. These old Cold War sci-fi films are a quite interesting to watch in comparison to their snappier U.S. counterparts of the era. They’re usually slower-paced and with less conflict, but the production design in them is often a sight to behold.
https://diabolikdvd.com/?_kx=rOdFQfj...0THE%2520STARS
https://shop-deafcrocodile.company.s...rd=In+the+dust
IN THE DUST OF THE STARS was previously on DVD from First Run Features, and in their DEFA SCI-FI COLLECTION boxed set from 20 years ago with SILENT STAR and EOLOMEA. I see now that that set’s been OOP a while, so it’s probably time to sell mine.
The pictures below are the deluxe sets, limited to 300 of each. There’s also a standard version.
Figured these might be a good excuse to finally start a thread for this label.
DF released some cool editions of Soviet era sci-fi (and other) animation previously that made it to VS’s sales (a handful are 50% off at the Deaf Crocodile’s site now), but I’m hoping they have more of these live action sci-if pictures in the pipeline. They made quite a few back in the day. I’m generally not fond of their pricing, and some of their stuff is over-packaged for such obscure fare, but for these I might make an exception.
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Theyre also releasing standard and LE 4K+Blu editions of the 1985 French animated film GWEN AND THE BOOK OF SAND.
https://shop-deafcrocodile.company.s...ion-p723589529
https://diabolikdvd.com/?_kx=rOdFQfj...0THE%2520STARS
https://shop-deafcrocodile.company.s...rd=In+the+dust
IN THE DUST OF THE STARS was previously on DVD from First Run Features, and in their DEFA SCI-FI COLLECTION boxed set from 20 years ago with SILENT STAR and EOLOMEA. I see now that that set’s been OOP a while, so it’s probably time to sell mine.
The pictures below are the deluxe sets, limited to 300 of each. There’s also a standard version.
Figured these might be a good excuse to finally start a thread for this label.
DF released some cool editions of Soviet era sci-fi (and other) animation previously that made it to VS’s sales (a handful are 50% off at the Deaf Crocodile’s site now), but I’m hoping they have more of these live action sci-if pictures in the pipeline. They made quite a few back in the day. I’m generally not fond of their pricing, and some of their stuff is over-packaged for such obscure fare, but for these I might make an exception.
Deluxe Limited Edition 300 units (per cover)
TWO-DISC BLU-RAY SET
SIGNALS: A SPACE ADVENTURE (SIGNALE – EIN WELTRAUMABENTEUER), 1970, DEFA, 86 min. The first and most ambitious of two epic space operas that prolific East German genre director Gottfried Kolditz (1922-1982) made for the state-run DEFA film studios, SIGNALS was DEFA’s cheeky attempt to outdo Kubrick’s 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY behind the Iron Curtain. The film used many of the same tricks: expansive, visually stunning shots of the cosmos … gorgeous Futurist space-design with ergonomic chairs, IBM lookalike computers, Mod mini-dresses and “STAR TREK” space uniforms … even a copycat free-floating in tunnel sequence with a wild electronic Perry-Kingsley type score. Featuring breathtaking 70mm cinematography, recently restored in 6K from the original camera negative by the University of Massachusetts Amherst / DEFA Film Library for its first-ever world Blu-ray release by Deaf Crocodile. In German with English subtitles.
IN THE DUST OF THE STARS (IM STAUB DER STERNE), 1976, DEFA, 95 min. Who could possibly resist an insanely groovy mid-1970s East German space opera with an Ennio Morricone-like theme song, a nonstop underground disco where partygoers spritz hallucinogenic mouth-spray, scantily clad super-models voguing in an abstract sculpture garden, tons of silver glam-rock boots and glittery eyeshadow and red leather space-suits, and dialogue like “Thob, I’ll upload them to the Lambda channel” and “The Temians are fun people – fun and a little crazy”?! Director Gottfried Kolditz’s delirious gem of Socialist eye-candy ranks alongside Mario Bava’s PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES as one of the most eye-popping genre treats of the era, with generous helpings of ZARDOZ, “SPACE: 1999,” and “BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25th CENTURY” thrown in for good measure. In German with English subtitles.
Special Features
TWO-DISC BLU-RAY SET
SIGNALS: A SPACE ADVENTURE (SIGNALE – EIN WELTRAUMABENTEUER), 1970, DEFA, 86 min. The first and most ambitious of two epic space operas that prolific East German genre director Gottfried Kolditz (1922-1982) made for the state-run DEFA film studios, SIGNALS was DEFA’s cheeky attempt to outdo Kubrick’s 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY behind the Iron Curtain. The film used many of the same tricks: expansive, visually stunning shots of the cosmos … gorgeous Futurist space-design with ergonomic chairs, IBM lookalike computers, Mod mini-dresses and “STAR TREK” space uniforms … even a copycat free-floating in tunnel sequence with a wild electronic Perry-Kingsley type score. Featuring breathtaking 70mm cinematography, recently restored in 6K from the original camera negative by the University of Massachusetts Amherst / DEFA Film Library for its first-ever world Blu-ray release by Deaf Crocodile. In German with English subtitles.
IN THE DUST OF THE STARS (IM STAUB DER STERNE), 1976, DEFA, 95 min. Who could possibly resist an insanely groovy mid-1970s East German space opera with an Ennio Morricone-like theme song, a nonstop underground disco where partygoers spritz hallucinogenic mouth-spray, scantily clad super-models voguing in an abstract sculpture garden, tons of silver glam-rock boots and glittery eyeshadow and red leather space-suits, and dialogue like “Thob, I’ll upload them to the Lambda channel” and “The Temians are fun people – fun and a little crazy”?! Director Gottfried Kolditz’s delirious gem of Socialist eye-candy ranks alongside Mario Bava’s PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES as one of the most eye-popping genre treats of the era, with generous helpings of ZARDOZ, “SPACE: 1999,” and “BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25th CENTURY” thrown in for good measure. In German with English subtitles.
Special Features
- New commentary by film historian and comics artist Stephen R. Bissette and Dr. Mariana Ovanova of the DEFA Film Library
- “Other worlds, strange dreams: the East German space operas of director Gottfried Kolditz” - new video essay by film historian Evan Chester
- Original DEFA trailers for both films
- Blu-ray authoring by David Mackenzie of Fidelity In Motion
- New art by Beth Morris
- Slipcase featuring 4 new alternate covers by Steve Thomas
- 80-page illustrated book with:
- New essay by film historian Rolf Giesen
- New essay by Jennifer Barker
- New essay by Walter Chaw
- New written interview with the director’s son Stefan Kolditz
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Theyre also releasing standard and LE 4K+Blu editions of the 1985 French animated film GWEN AND THE BOOK OF SAND.
https://shop-deafcrocodile.company.s...ion-p723589529
Deluxe Limited Edition of only 1250 units
4K HDR/Blu-ray combo
GWEN AND THE BOOK OF SAND (GWEN ET LE LIVRE DE SABLE) – 1985, La Traverse Films, 64 min. “Why search the sand for answers? It has told us everything,” whispers Roseline (voiced by Michel Robin), the 173-year old desert nomad narrator of French director Jean-François Laguionie’s hauntingly poetic animated feature of life after the apocalypse, where the few hardy survivors walk on stilts from well to well, scorpions glow like lanterns, and the mysterious Makou drops giant everyday objects – forks, eyeglasses, bathtubs – from the skies. Into this desolate science-fiction landscape, part-DUNE, part-FURY ROAD, emerges the story’s teenage heroine, Gwen (voiced by Lorella Di Cicco), who refuses to stay silent and hide in the shadows – and whose love for teenage boy Nokmoon, kidnapped by the Makou and its followers, will drive her and Roseline on an epic journey across the endless sands, “the still silence of chaos and oblivion.” A sublime and breathtaking masterpiece of world animation, painted in remarkable gouache images, GWEN… is on par with René Laloux’s FANTASTIC PLANET, Hayao Miyazaki’s NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND and Mamoru Oshii’s ANGEL’S EGG as a visually stunning and truly otherworldly experience, interwoven with surreal and dreamlike moments: a pillow fight in the desert; phantom projections of red UFOs in the night sky; a mystery cult who worship an ancient product catalog and sing gorgeous hymns to fireworks and a watering can made of galvanized steel. Beautifully restored in 4K with the director’s participation for La Traverse Films in France and released for the first time ever in the U.S. by Deaf Crocodile. In French with English subtitles.
Special Features:
4K HDR/Blu-ray combo
GWEN AND THE BOOK OF SAND (GWEN ET LE LIVRE DE SABLE) – 1985, La Traverse Films, 64 min. “Why search the sand for answers? It has told us everything,” whispers Roseline (voiced by Michel Robin), the 173-year old desert nomad narrator of French director Jean-François Laguionie’s hauntingly poetic animated feature of life after the apocalypse, where the few hardy survivors walk on stilts from well to well, scorpions glow like lanterns, and the mysterious Makou drops giant everyday objects – forks, eyeglasses, bathtubs – from the skies. Into this desolate science-fiction landscape, part-DUNE, part-FURY ROAD, emerges the story’s teenage heroine, Gwen (voiced by Lorella Di Cicco), who refuses to stay silent and hide in the shadows – and whose love for teenage boy Nokmoon, kidnapped by the Makou and its followers, will drive her and Roseline on an epic journey across the endless sands, “the still silence of chaos and oblivion.” A sublime and breathtaking masterpiece of world animation, painted in remarkable gouache images, GWEN… is on par with René Laloux’s FANTASTIC PLANET, Hayao Miyazaki’s NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND and Mamoru Oshii’s ANGEL’S EGG as a visually stunning and truly otherworldly experience, interwoven with surreal and dreamlike moments: a pillow fight in the desert; phantom projections of red UFOs in the night sky; a mystery cult who worship an ancient product catalog and sing gorgeous hymns to fireworks and a watering can made of galvanized steel. Beautifully restored in 4K with the director’s participation for La Traverse Films in France and released for the first time ever in the U.S. by Deaf Crocodile. In French with English subtitles.
Special Features:
- New video interview with director Jean-François Laguionie, moderated by Dennis Bartok of Deaf Crocodile. (In French with simultaneous English translation by Fred Cassidy).
- New video essay by journalist and physical media expert Ryan Verrill (The Disc Connected) and film professor Dr. Will Dodson.
- New commentary by film historian Samm Deighan.
- New Dolby Vision HDR color grading (4K disc only)
- Blu-ray authoring by David Mackenzie of Fidelity In Motion.
- New art by Beth Morris
- Slipcase featuring new illustration by Beth Morris.
- 60-page illustrated book with a newly translated essay by director Jean-François Laguionie about the making of the film
- New essay by film historian Jennifer Barker
- New essay by film critic Walter Chaw
Last edited by Brian T; 01-31-25 at 07:56 PM.
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BackStJoe (02-21-25)
02-08-25 | 05:26 PM
#2
Thread Starter
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
Got an email today announcing a new volume dedicated to Soviet-era Russian animated films. Can’t say I’m keen on the fact that there’s only three films running barely over 90 minutes (especially when this old set had six hours worth, despite many imperfections) but I guess they gotta make it last:
Deaf Crocodile is thrilled to announce the first volume in a series of new 4K restorations of classic and rare Soviet animated gems from the vaults of the legendary Soyuzmultfilm studios. Volume 1 kicks off with two treasures of animated sci-fi from directors Roman Kachanov (1921-1993), creator of the much-loved stop motion character Cheburashka, and Vladimir Tarasov (b. 1939), famed for his surreal, psychedelic sci-fi short films.
Subsequent volumes will feature rare treasures from directors Lev Atamanov including his legendary THE SNOW QUEEN (1957); pioneering female directors Valentina and Zinaida Brumberg (The Brumberg Sisters); Ivan Ivanov-Vano; and Roman Davydov.
THE MYSTERY OF THE THIRD PLANET (TAYNA TRETEY PLANETY), 1981, Soyuzmultfilm, 48 min. Dir. Roman Kachanov. A trio of intrepid space explorers, Professor Seleznyov, his 9-year old daughter Alisa and the hilariously doom-and-gloom Captain Zelyonyy (“Any bad news??” is his constant query) set off on a rocket ship in the year 2181 to collect rare alien creatures for the Moscow Zoo. They’re immediately drawn into an amazingly convoluted mystery involving a sinister doctor, a nearly-extinct Chatter-bird, and two legendary missing cosmonauts, while galaxy hopping from one wildly colorful and hallucinatory planet to the next. A delirious cosmic treat for fans of FANTASTIC PLANET and DELTA SPACE MISSION, MYSTERY… features a gallery of psychedelic space creatures straight out of YELLOW SUBMARINE: blue-skinned aliens with ears on the tops of their heads, a tiger-rat from the planet Penelope, a blue-and-purple flying cow with fairy’s wings. Based on “Alisa’s Voyage” by famed Soviet sci-fi author Kir Bulychev, director Roman Kachanov’s long sought-after gem packs enough plot, surreal imagery, phantasmagorical creatures and otherworldly worlds into its 48 minutes for an entire mini-series. In Russian with English subtitles.
THE PASS (PEREVAL), 1988, Soyuzmultfilm, 30 min. “On this night, Oleg was on duty near the fence … He sensed the emptiness and the routine. Three times people went to the Pass. It was all in vain.” So begins Russian director Vladimir Tarasov’s sublime, surreal masterpiece of animated sci-fi in which a group of terrified human survivors on an alien world try to reach their derelict spacecraft 16 years after it crashed. On par with Tarkovsky’s SOLARIS and STALKER and Chris Marker’s LA JETÉE as one of the most hypnotic and visually stunning science-fiction stories ever filmed, THE PASS is filled with cascading, pulsating images: night creatures that bleed in from the darkness to attack and then recede, a cat’s eyes flickering in the candlelight, frightened children reciting stories of another planet, another time. The closest comparison may be to H.P. Lovecraft’s classic of cosmic terror At the Mountains of Madness: both feature “tiny figures in a vast, empty and alien world,” dwarfed by gigantic Cubist distortions. Director Vladimir Tarasov (b. 1939) is the great master of Soviet animated sci-fi, acclaimed for his brilliant short films include “Contact,” “The Return” and “Contract.” THE PASS is the longest of his works and arguably his finest achievement, adapted from the first chapter in sci-fi author Kir Bulychev’s novel “The Settlement” (aka “Those Who Survive”) and featuring a stunning, swirling score of otherworldly chanting voices by composer Aleksandr Gradskiy. Both films newly restored in 4K by Deaf Crocodile in collaboration with the famed Soyuzmultfilm animation studios for their first-ever U.S. Blu-ray release. Co-presented with Seagull Films. In Russian with English subtitles
Subsequent volumes will feature rare treasures from directors Lev Atamanov including his legendary THE SNOW QUEEN (1957); pioneering female directors Valentina and Zinaida Brumberg (The Brumberg Sisters); Ivan Ivanov-Vano; and Roman Davydov.
Treasures of Soviet Animation
Volume 1:
THE RETURN (VOZVRASHCHENIE), 1980, Soyuzmultfilm, 10 min. – In director Vladimir Tarasov's mindbending psychedelic masterpiece, a sleeping cosmonaut hurtles unaware towards his home planet -- but will he awake in time? Newly restored in 4K by Deaf Crocodile.THE MYSTERY OF THE THIRD PLANET (TAYNA TRETEY PLANETY), 1981, Soyuzmultfilm, 48 min. Dir. Roman Kachanov. A trio of intrepid space explorers, Professor Seleznyov, his 9-year old daughter Alisa and the hilariously doom-and-gloom Captain Zelyonyy (“Any bad news??” is his constant query) set off on a rocket ship in the year 2181 to collect rare alien creatures for the Moscow Zoo. They’re immediately drawn into an amazingly convoluted mystery involving a sinister doctor, a nearly-extinct Chatter-bird, and two legendary missing cosmonauts, while galaxy hopping from one wildly colorful and hallucinatory planet to the next. A delirious cosmic treat for fans of FANTASTIC PLANET and DELTA SPACE MISSION, MYSTERY… features a gallery of psychedelic space creatures straight out of YELLOW SUBMARINE: blue-skinned aliens with ears on the tops of their heads, a tiger-rat from the planet Penelope, a blue-and-purple flying cow with fairy’s wings. Based on “Alisa’s Voyage” by famed Soviet sci-fi author Kir Bulychev, director Roman Kachanov’s long sought-after gem packs enough plot, surreal imagery, phantasmagorical creatures and otherworldly worlds into its 48 minutes for an entire mini-series. In Russian with English subtitles.
THE PASS (PEREVAL), 1988, Soyuzmultfilm, 30 min. “On this night, Oleg was on duty near the fence … He sensed the emptiness and the routine. Three times people went to the Pass. It was all in vain.” So begins Russian director Vladimir Tarasov’s sublime, surreal masterpiece of animated sci-fi in which a group of terrified human survivors on an alien world try to reach their derelict spacecraft 16 years after it crashed. On par with Tarkovsky’s SOLARIS and STALKER and Chris Marker’s LA JETÉE as one of the most hypnotic and visually stunning science-fiction stories ever filmed, THE PASS is filled with cascading, pulsating images: night creatures that bleed in from the darkness to attack and then recede, a cat’s eyes flickering in the candlelight, frightened children reciting stories of another planet, another time. The closest comparison may be to H.P. Lovecraft’s classic of cosmic terror At the Mountains of Madness: both feature “tiny figures in a vast, empty and alien world,” dwarfed by gigantic Cubist distortions. Director Vladimir Tarasov (b. 1939) is the great master of Soviet animated sci-fi, acclaimed for his brilliant short films include “Contact,” “The Return” and “Contract.” THE PASS is the longest of his works and arguably his finest achievement, adapted from the first chapter in sci-fi author Kir Bulychev’s novel “The Settlement” (aka “Those Who Survive”) and featuring a stunning, swirling score of otherworldly chanting voices by composer Aleksandr Gradskiy. Both films newly restored in 4K by Deaf Crocodile in collaboration with the famed Soyuzmultfilm animation studios for their first-ever U.S. Blu-ray release. Co-presented with Seagull Films. In Russian with English subtitles
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Adam Tyner (02-08-25)
04-16-25 | 06:11 PM
#3
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
Deaf Crocodile has come in hot and is one of my favorite new indie boutique labels!
Felidae was my first 4K from them and I have a few more titles on Blu-ray and 4K disc. They source only the finest elements and use Fidelity in Motion for Authoring and encoding services for a majority of their titles.
Felidae was my first 4K from them and I have a few more titles on Blu-ray and 4K disc. They source only the finest elements and use Fidelity in Motion for Authoring and encoding services for a majority of their titles.
04-16-25 | 07:19 PM
#4
Thread Starter
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
They do seem to have carved out a fairly unique niche for themselves with the Eastern European and Soviet/Russian stuff, among other offbeat fare. I haven’t kept all of their titles I picked up in the Vinegar Syndrome days, but most were well worth the time and a few did become keepers, especially some of the animated sci-fi. I’d like to see them get more of that. My absolute favorite from them so far is THE PIED PIPER.
I do think they blew it with the new East German sci-fi double feature by not just bundling all four of the DEFA sci-fi epics in one box. Eureka did that, and with a better selection of supplements, so they’ll probably eat some of Deaf Crocodile’s lunch on that front.
There are a bunch of old 30’s to 60’s (maybe 70’s) Russian, Czech, etc sci-fi movies from a company called Video Dimensions (not sure if they’re legit) that would probably look great restored for Blu-ray, assuming decent element are still available. Most of them seem to be in DC’s wheelhouse.
They also recently announced that their Treasures of Soviet Animation series has been expanded to six volumes. I’d still prefer one or two deluxe sets as some of that stuff doesn’t necessarily inspire repeat views. The three films in the first ‘set’ barely total 90 minutes, so presumably the supplements will compensate. Also, all three have been on YouTube for ages, often posted by users in the countries of origin, sometimes with subs, sometimes without, so at least you can test drive beforehand. This is true, for better or worse, for a lot of the stuff they announce, although their versions will undoubtedly look a lot better. These are the three shorts in the first soviet animation set. Pretty trippy stuff:
Apparently they had to cancel the planned releases of a couple of Romanian fantasy films for reasons beyond their control. These don’t have English subs, but they look . . . interesting:
KINGDOM IN THE CLOUDS
I do think they blew it with the new East German sci-fi double feature by not just bundling all four of the DEFA sci-fi epics in one box. Eureka did that, and with a better selection of supplements, so they’ll probably eat some of Deaf Crocodile’s lunch on that front.
There are a bunch of old 30’s to 60’s (maybe 70’s) Russian, Czech, etc sci-fi movies from a company called Video Dimensions (not sure if they’re legit) that would probably look great restored for Blu-ray, assuming decent element are still available. Most of them seem to be in DC’s wheelhouse.
They also recently announced that their Treasures of Soviet Animation series has been expanded to six volumes. I’d still prefer one or two deluxe sets as some of that stuff doesn’t necessarily inspire repeat views. The three films in the first ‘set’ barely total 90 minutes, so presumably the supplements will compensate. Also, all three have been on YouTube for ages, often posted by users in the countries of origin, sometimes with subs, sometimes without, so at least you can test drive beforehand. This is true, for better or worse, for a lot of the stuff they announce, although their versions will undoubtedly look a lot better. These are the three shorts in the first soviet animation set. Pretty trippy stuff:
Apparently they had to cancel the planned releases of a couple of Romanian fantasy films for reasons beyond their control. These don’t have English subs, but they look . . . interesting:
KINGDOM IN THE CLOUDS
Last edited by Brian T; 04-16-25 at 08:00 PM.
04-18-25 | 05:09 PM
#5
Thread Starter
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
No sooner do I mention PIED PIPER – which went OOP some time ago – and today DC announces a new 2-disc edition with additional short films from the director (only one of which was on the prior edition). Presumably the earlier bonus features will be retained.
Earlier DF trailer, in case anyone missed it:
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They also announced a ”Lithuanian rock opera” called THE DEVIL’S BRIDE (1974)
Found the first few minutes on YouTube, with subs (tap the CC icon). Looks kooky.
THE PIED PIPER (KRYSAŘ), 1986, Czechoslovakia, 53 min. Director Jiří Barta’s stop-motion animated masterpiece, based on The Pied Piper of Hamelin, is set in a dark and twisted medieval village of narrow streets and weird Gothic arches, half-CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI and half-Jan van Eyck. The money-obsessed citizens, carved out of wood blocks and speaking in an onomatopoeic babble, are like George Grosz caricatures, literally spouting coins from their mouths instead of words. The rats are far more organic and sympathetic, made of real fur and whiskers, constantly tunneling and burrowing under the towering arches and cobblestone streets above. Fans of fellow Czech animation legend Jan Švankmajer and the Brothers Quay will adore Barta’s eerie, Expressionist gem, restored by Deaf Crocodile in association with Krátký Film Praha and Comeback Company.
This new Deluxe 2-Disc Edition will feature seven beautifully restored Barta short films.
This new Deluxe 2-Disc Edition will feature seven beautifully restored Barta short films.
- RIDDLES FOR A CANDY (1978, 8 min.) In Barta’s debut short, a fantastical anteater-shaped creature must solve complicated riddles posed by a magical book.
- DISC JOCKEY (1980, 10 min.). Everyday life is a world of discs: plates, ashtrays, buttons, a copy of “Abbey Road,” in Barta’s satire of empty modern life.
- THE DESIGN (1981, 6 min.). An apartment block comes to life on a drafting board, in Barta’s critique of state-socialist housing.
- THE VANISHED WORLD OF GLOVES (1982, 16 min.), a marvelous tour through the history of cinema.
- A BALLAD ABOUT GREEN WOOD (1983, 11 min.) A miniature masterpiece about the occult mysteries of earth, sky, stone, wood and snow.
- THE LAST THEFT (1987, 21 min.) Barta’s spectral ghost story follows a thief who breaks into an apparently-abandoned mansion to loot it of its treasures.
- THE CLUB OF THE LAID OFF (1989, 25 min.) Barta’s disturbing stop-motion gem is set in a decrepit apartment where wooden mannequins mimic their almost-human "lives."
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They also announced a ”Lithuanian rock opera” called THE DEVIL’S BRIDE (1974)
THE DEVIL’S BRIDE (VELNIO NUOTAKA) – 1974, Lithuanian Film Centre, 78 min. Imagine a wildly surreal early 1970s Lithuanian rock opera directed by Ken Russell circa TOMMY that is equal parts JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (wailing guitar-heavy ballads, religious theme), FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (rural village setting) and THE WICKER MAN / BLOOD ON SATAN’S CLAW (folklore / folk magic), and you have some idea of the elemental strangeness and beauty of director Arūnas Žebriūnas’ THE DEVIL’S BRIDE. The film opens with one of our favorite musical sequences ever: a long-haired flower child God sits on his throne in the heavenly mountains, adored by angelic hosts in white robes and wings. Suddenly the guitars kick in, the angels throw off their robes revealing orange Mod dresses and bowler hats, and the party descends into a choreographed pansexual orgy like nothing you’ve ever seen. An incredibly ambitious sung-through musical ala THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG (where the entire story is performed in song without traditional dialogue), the story revolves around a devil named Pinčiukas (Gediminas Girdvainis) who is booted out of Heaven and drops into a frog pond owned by farmer Baltaragis (Vasilijus Simčičius). Quick as you can say “The Devil and Daniel Webster,” Pinčiukas promises him the hand of his beautiful blonde love Marcelė (Vaiva Mainelytė) in exchange for their as-yet unborn daughter Jurga (also played by Mainelytė as an adult), and wicked complications ensue over the years. Based on the book Whitehorn's Windmill by Kazys Boruta with music by Viačeslavas Ganelinas and utterly stunning, crystal-pure cinematography by Algimantas Mockus, the film is interlaced with Lithuanian folklore and surreal images: legions of female devils riding bareback on horses; a black carriage drawn by a team of devils disappearing into the waters of a lake; rituals of mistletoe roots and rowan berries and straw men. In a wild twist, the devil Pinčiukas winds up being one of the most sympathetic characters, doomed to live on earth while he longs to return to Heaven. A beloved cult hit in Lithuania and a major rediscovery for fans of film musicals, THE DEVIL’S BRIDE has been beautifully restored by the Lithuanian Film Centre for its first-ever U.S. release by Deaf Crocodile. In Lithuanian with English subtitles.
More details to come…
More details to come…
Last edited by Brian T; 04-18-25 at 05:20 PM.
04-18-25 | 05:25 PM
#6
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
Yeah, got the email for that. Will definitely be getting those.
05-07-25 | 11:58 AM
#7
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
Deaf Crocodile has been hitting it out of the park with some releases:
https://whysoblu.com/category/deaf-crocodile/
https://whysoblu.com/category/deaf-crocodile/
05-07-25 | 12:15 PM
#8
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
Deaf Crocodile has been hitting it out of the park with some releases:
https://whysoblu.com/category/deaf-crocodile/
https://whysoblu.com/category/deaf-crocodile/
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Why So Blu? (05-08-25)
05-08-25 | 02:38 PM
#9
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
Got an email this morning that they will be increasing prices due to tariffs. They are also redesigning the shop and adding subscription tiers for their titles. That looks neat,
They will also be increasing prices due to tariffs, as was also included in the new email about their new revamped shop and subscription tiers:
They will also be increasing prices due to tariffs, as was also included in the new email about their new revamped shop and subscription tiers:
Our discs are manufactured in Germany and sadly we just received our first Tariff bill from UPS.
As much as we wish we didn’t have to pass this cost on to our customers, we simply can’t float that kind of added cost each and every month. With the launch of our new shop on the 15th you’ll see an added “tariff offset fee” added to each disc in your order (get your orders now if you want to avoid that fee). If and when these tariffs go away, we’ll of course remove this fee. We’re very sorry and promise we hate this even more than you do.
As much as we wish we didn’t have to pass this cost on to our customers, we simply can’t float that kind of added cost each and every month. With the launch of our new shop on the 15th you’ll see an added “tariff offset fee” added to each disc in your order (get your orders now if you want to avoid that fee). If and when these tariffs go away, we’ll of course remove this fee. We’re very sorry and promise we hate this even more than you do.
05-23-25 | 11:13 AM
#10
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
The following users liked this post:
Brian T (05-23-25)
05-31-25 | 10:22 AM
#11
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
The following users liked this post:
kefrank (06-07-25)
06-05-25 | 10:37 AM
#12
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
The 4Ks for Felidae and Gwen and the Book of Sand are exquisite:
https://whysoblu.com/gwen-and-the-bo...lu-ray-review/
https://whysoblu.com/felidae-4k-uhd-bluray-review/
https://whysoblu.com/gwen-and-the-bo...lu-ray-review/
https://whysoblu.com/felidae-4k-uhd-bluray-review/
06-13-25 | 03:22 PM
#13
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
Reviewed I Married a Strange Person! on Blu-ray from DF -- got flashbacks from that short lived series from the early 90s called The Edge. They had Bill Plymptonsegments that broke up the skits in between. I forgot how much I liked Plympton's artwork and animation works.
https://whysoblu.com/i-married-a-str...lu-ray-review/
https://whysoblu.com/i-married-a-str...lu-ray-review/
06-13-25 | 04:17 PM
#14
Thread Starter
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
^ DF’s edition of Plympton’s THE TUNE was definitive, and packed in even more extras from him and his collaborators. The site says ‘Low Stock’ on both titles, but I can’t really picture DF letting stuff go OOP anymore (other than the LEs) as a lot of it is pretty esoteric for many other boutique labels.
The following users liked this post:
Why So Blu? (06-13-25)
06-13-25 | 04:33 PM
#15
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
^ DF’s edition of Plympton’s THE TUNE was definitive, and packed in even more extras from him and his collaborators. The site says ‘Low Stock’ on both titles, but I can’t really picture DF letting stuff go OOP anymore (other than the LEs) as a lot of it is pretty esoteric for many other boutique labels.
Yeah, I don't get the special editions sent for review, so will have to go back and snag those on my own. I already have a healthy stash of LE's in my collection. Also, DiabolikDVD and Orbit carry their items, with DD being their main seller (joint venture, I think).
06-18-25 | 12:42 PM
#16
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
Did not care for Cathedral of New Emotions as a film but the animation, music, and Blu-ray specs rock:
https://whysoblu.com/the-cathedral-o...lu-ray-review/
Freckled Max and the Spooks was awesome, though:
https://whysoblu.com/freckled-max-an...lu-ray-review/
https://whysoblu.com/the-cathedral-o...lu-ray-review/
Freckled Max and the Spooks was awesome, though:
https://whysoblu.com/freckled-max-an...lu-ray-review/
06-20-25 | 01:58 PM
#17
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
Two new pre-orders are live:
https://deafcrocodile.com/products/t...d-edition-copy
https://deafcrocodile.com/products/t...imited-edition
https://deafcrocodile.com/products/t...d-edition-copy
https://deafcrocodile.com/products/t...imited-edition
06-21-25 | 05:52 AM
#18
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
If you like movies like this but don't want to blind buy, I highly recommend checking out Night Flight +. The streaming app has a Deaf Crocodile collection where you can stream currently 17 of their films. I have been real impressed with their picture quality on streaming so far.
Deaf Crocodile | Night Flight Plus
Deaf Crocodile | Night Flight Plus
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07-18-25 | 03:52 PM
#19
Thread Starter
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
Details for SOVIET ANIMATION VOL. 2 (not sure if the pics will display for everyone as I’m just cut/pasting from their email, but preorder link is included). Still wish they’d include more than just three films in these as few of them are ever feature-length, but I guess they can extend the line longer doing it this way.
As always, for those who like to test drive first, all three films are on YouTube in excellent prints with English subs. THE KEY is uploaded in four parts but the other two are single uploads.
Lev Atamanov’s
THE SNOW QUEEN + THE SCARLET FLOWER + THE KEY
New artwork by Haleigh Buck and Beth Morris
The Scarlet Flower
The Snow Queen
The Key
This is the second volume in a series of new restorations of classic & rare Soviet animated gems from the vaults of the legendary Soyuzmultfilm studios, focused on Soviet-Armenian director Lev Atamanov (1905-1981). Atamanov was a brilliantly creative artist whose lyrical storytelling and stunning imagery put him on par with masters such as Walt Disney and Hayao Miyazaki, who praised THE SNOW QUEEN as “my destiny and my favorite film.”
THE SNOW QUEEN (SNEZHNAYA KOROLEVA) - 1957, 65 min.
Atamanov’s sublime and terrifyingly beautiful masterpiece, based on a Hans Christian Andersen story, follows a resourceful young girl, Gerda (voiced by Yanina Zheymo), as she embarks on an epic journey to save her friend Kay (Anna Komolova) from the frozen embraces of the magnificent Snow Queen (Mariya Babanova.) “Had I not one day seen ‘The Snow Queen’ during a film screening hosted by the company labor union, I honestly doubt that I would have continued working as an animator.” – Hayao Miyazaki
THE SCARLET FLOWER (ÁLENKIY TSVETÓTCHEK) - 1952, 42 min.
An almost impossibly lovely, bejeweled fantasy adventure, a mixture of Ptushko’s THE STONE FLOWER and SADKO with Cocteau’s BEAUTY & THE BEAST. A ship’s captain promises his youngest daughter Nastenka (voiced by Nina Krachkovskaya) a scarlet flower as a gift. But when he plucks it, the enraged beast who owns it demands a sacrifice – and Nastenka offers herself up as the monster’s prisoner on an enchanted isle.
THE KEY (KLYUCH) - 1961, 58 min. Atamanov’s delightfully quirky gem is one of his most surprising efforts, a surreal parable about the benefits of Magic vs. the value of Good Hard Work. THE KEY is told in a totally different visual style than Atamanov’s lush earlier works, closer to the mid-century modern look of UPA circa “Gerald McBoing Boing” and “Mr. Magoo.”
All three films in Russian with English subtitles. Co-presented with Seagull Films.
Special Features:
https://deafcrocodile.com/products/t...imited-edition
https://deafcrocodile.com/products/t...andard-edition
- - - - - - - - -
They also announced TAMALA 2030: A PUNK CAT IN THE DARK, the sequel to TAMALA 2010, as a joint venture with the Cartuna label, with a theatrical release next year.
As always, for those who like to test drive first, all three films are on YouTube in excellent prints with English subs. THE KEY is uploaded in four parts but the other two are single uploads.
Lev Atamanov’s
THE SNOW QUEEN + THE SCARLET FLOWER + THE KEY
Treasures of Soviet Animation Vol. 2
New artwork by Haleigh Buck and Beth Morris The Scarlet FlowerThe Snow Queen
The Key
This is the second volume in a series of new restorations of classic & rare Soviet animated gems from the vaults of the legendary Soyuzmultfilm studios, focused on Soviet-Armenian director Lev Atamanov (1905-1981). Atamanov was a brilliantly creative artist whose lyrical storytelling and stunning imagery put him on par with masters such as Walt Disney and Hayao Miyazaki, who praised THE SNOW QUEEN as “my destiny and my favorite film.”
THE SNOW QUEEN (SNEZHNAYA KOROLEVA) - 1957, 65 min.
Atamanov’s sublime and terrifyingly beautiful masterpiece, based on a Hans Christian Andersen story, follows a resourceful young girl, Gerda (voiced by Yanina Zheymo), as she embarks on an epic journey to save her friend Kay (Anna Komolova) from the frozen embraces of the magnificent Snow Queen (Mariya Babanova.) “Had I not one day seen ‘The Snow Queen’ during a film screening hosted by the company labor union, I honestly doubt that I would have continued working as an animator.” – Hayao Miyazaki
THE SCARLET FLOWER (ÁLENKIY TSVETÓTCHEK) - 1952, 42 min.
An almost impossibly lovely, bejeweled fantasy adventure, a mixture of Ptushko’s THE STONE FLOWER and SADKO with Cocteau’s BEAUTY & THE BEAST. A ship’s captain promises his youngest daughter Nastenka (voiced by Nina Krachkovskaya) a scarlet flower as a gift. But when he plucks it, the enraged beast who owns it demands a sacrifice – and Nastenka offers herself up as the monster’s prisoner on an enchanted isle.
THE KEY (KLYUCH) - 1961, 58 min. Atamanov’s delightfully quirky gem is one of his most surprising efforts, a surreal parable about the benefits of Magic vs. the value of Good Hard Work. THE KEY is told in a totally different visual style than Atamanov’s lush earlier works, closer to the mid-century modern look of UPA circa “Gerald McBoing Boing” and “Mr. Magoo.”
All three films in Russian with English subtitles. Co-presented with Seagull Films.
Special Features:
- “Written With Ice Crystals: Master Soviet Animator Lev Atamanov and The Snow Queen” – new video essay by film historian Evan Chester
- “Innocence & Cynicism: The Snow Queen and Hayao Miyazaki” – new video essay by animation expert John Adkins of Animation Obsessive
- New commentary tracks by film historian Rolf Giesen
- New artwork by Beth Morris
- Blu-ray authoring by David Mackenzie of Fidelity In Motion
- Slipcase featuring new artwork by Haleigh Buck.
- 60-page illustrated book
- New essay by film historian Rolf Giesen
- New essay by film critic Walter Chaw
https://deafcrocodile.com/products/t...imited-edition
https://deafcrocodile.com/products/t...andard-edition
- - - - - - - - -
They also announced TAMALA 2030: A PUNK CAT IN THE DARK, the sequel to TAMALA 2010, as a joint venture with the Cartuna label, with a theatrical release next year.
Last edited by Brian T; 07-18-25 at 03:58 PM.
The following 2 users liked this post by Brian T:
faust69 (10-14-25),
Why So Blu? (07-19-25)
08-15-25 | 11:35 AM
#20
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
New release up for pre-order at DC:
https://deafcrocodile.com/products/s...imited-edition
Special Features
A STANDARD EDITION WILL BE RELEASED AT A LATER DATE.
https://deafcrocodile.com/products/s...imited-edition
DELUXE LIMITED EDITION (1500 UNITS)
SIRIUS (SZÍRIUSZ) -- 1942, 103 min. A truly marvelous rediscovery courtesy of the National Film Institute (NFI) in Hungary, director Ákos D. Hamza’s SIRIUS is an intensely romantic time-travel film with overtones of the Christopher Reeve/Jane Seymour-starring SOMEWHERE IN TIME and BACK TO THE FUTURE. In the 1940s, a brash Hungarian playboy (László Szilassy) travels back two hundred years with a mad scientist to the mid-18th century world of wigs and pompadours, where he falls in love with a penniless opera singer (Katalin Karády) and makes enemies of all the aristocratic fools he encounters (including his own great-grandfather). But can he make it back to the present before dawn with his new love – or will he lose her forever? One of the first great divas in Hungarian film and music, lead actress Katalin Karády was brutally tortured by the Nazis during WW2 and saved the lives of a number of Hungarian Jewish children who were set to be executed by the Danube River, for which she was posthumously honored by the Yad Vashem, Israel’s official memorial to victims of the Holocaust. Beautifully restored from the original 35mm B&W nitrate negative by the NFI, and released for the first time on Blu-ray in the U.S. by Deaf Crocodile. In Hungarian with English subtitles.Special Features
- “SIRIUS Werkfilm” (1942, 3 min., B&W, silent) – this ultra-rare behind-the-scenes footage of SIRIUS during production was shot by a 19-year old studio trainee and shows the director and lead actors setting up for filming. Purchased as a 9.5mm amateur home reel in 1985 and recently preserved by the NFI in Budapest
- New video interview with György Ráduly, director of the National Film Institute (NFI) – Film Archive on the making and preservation of SIRIUS, moderated by Dennis Bartok. (In English)
- New video essay by journalist and physical media expert Ryan Verrill and film professor Dr. Will Dodson of Someone’s Favorite Productions.
- New commentary track by hall of fame comics artist, film historian, and author Stephen R. Bissette.
- New artwork by Beth Morris
- Blu-ray authoring by David Mackenzie of Fidelity In Motion.
- Slipcase featuring new artwork by Richard Cox
- 60-page illustrated book
- New essay by film historian Rolf Giesen
- New essay by film critic Walter Chaw
- Limited to 1500 units
A STANDARD EDITION WILL BE RELEASED AT A LATER DATE.
Last edited by Why So Blu?; 08-15-25 at 11:43 AM.
08-15-25 | 02:25 PM
#21
Thread Starter
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
^ Looks interesting. They just put up the trailer about an hour ago:
The following 2 users liked this post by Brian T:
Spiderbite (08-15-25),
Why So Blu? (08-15-25)
The following users liked this post:
Brian T (10-11-25)
10-27-25 | 08:36 AM
#23
Thread Starter
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
Just a heads-up that Deaf Crocodile is having a 50% off sale on all in-stock standard editions (including slips) starting Wednesday, Oct. 29, for 48 hours. Might be a good way to sample their catalog. Naturally, I just picked up two of their standard releases, SOVIET ANIMATION VOL. 1 and TRAGEDY OF MAN, at a video store here two days ago at regular price (plus a stamped card for a small discount), but there is still a bunch of stuff I’d take at half-price. This could be dangerous. 
Also noted in their email:
Also noted in their email:
The new printing of HEROIC TIMES (including new slipcover), and the standard edition of ALRAUNE + THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE will also drop on Wednesday and WILL be included in this sale!
Last edited by Brian T; 10-27-25 at 09:01 AM.
11-07-25 | 01:09 PM
#24
Thread Starter
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
Deaf Crocodile announced their next Subscription Enrollment beginning Nov. 17, with some teases. Looks like they’re jumping on the martial arts bandwagon but considering the tilt of their catalog I’m curious if that will be some old item from Hong Kong or if they’ve found something from one of their Eastern European standbys that’s kinda under-the-radar. They’ve done a release from Japan, so I suppose it could be from there, too. Also curious about the DEFA multi-film set, and whether it might be the other two sci-fi pictures from the discontinued Eureka collection, or maybe a Region A version of Eureka’s Wrack & Ruin box, or something else entirely.
Anyway, here’s the cut-and-paste from their email blast, including a note about stock shortage of the SOVIET ANIMATION VOL. 1 in the recent sale, in case anyone partook:
Release dates may slip (we really try not to, but things happen!), but you are guaranteed the 10 planned releases no matter what.
And to whet your appetite…
Deluxe Limited Edition cover art by Richard Cox
KRAKATIT, 1948, N.F.A., 101 min. “Long wandering,” a voice whispers in the brain of a man staggering along a misty riverbank, the night as fog-shrouded as his shattered mind. Czech director Otakar Vávra’s astonishing KRAKATIT is a literal fever dream of a movie that mixes 1940s Film Noir, paranoid thriller and speculative atomic-bomb Sci-Fi in the story of a chemist named Prokop who hallucinates fragments of how he's invented a proto-nuclear weapon -- and the mystery of what's happened to the formula for it. The film has overtones of Rudolph Maté's classic Noir D.O.A. (seriously-ill man racing against the clock), 1940s Orson Welles films like THE STRANGER and THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI (stunning deep-focus B&W photography, atmosphere of surreal paranoia), and Hitchcock's SPELLBOUND (distorted dream sequences). Karel Höger delivers an unforgettable performance in the lead, grasping at his own memories like a walking ghost. Based on a 1924 novel by famed sci-fi author Karel Čapek (who invented the word “robot” in his play R.U.R.), the film’s unique structure of memories within memories within flashbacks are like Russian nesting dolls -- all shot by DOP Václav Hanuš in some of the most remarkable B&W images since NIGHT OF THE HUNTER. Long wandering, indeed. Deaf Crocodile is thrilled to present the first-ever 4K UHD + Blu-ray release for this overlooked classic of Czech cinema and World Noir, beautifully restored in 4K by the Národní filmový archiv (NFA) in Prague and co-presented with the Comeback Company.
Disc details to come.
Deluxe Limited Edition cover art by Steven Thomas
WHITE SUN OF THE DESERT – 1970, Mosfilm, 84 min.
“Have you been here long?” quips laconic, seemingly un-killable Red Army soldier Fyodor to a man he’s just discovered buried up to the neck in the middle of the desert. Director Vladimir Motyl’s surreal action classic is arguably the most entertaining of the Soviet “Osterns” inspired by films like STAGECOACH, HIGH NOON and 1960s Spaghetti Westerns (and certainly by Kurosawa’s YOJIMBO as well.) Set during the Russian Civil War, the story follows Fyodor (Anatoliy Kuznetsov) tramping across the sands of Turkmenistan and desperate to get home to his wife -- when he’s diverted into guarding a harem of Muslim women caught in a struggle between a renegade Red Army unit and local Basmachi guerillas led by Abdullah (Kakhi Kavsadze). Filled with endlessly-quotable dialogue and song lyrics -- "A knife is good for he who has it -- and it's bad for he who doesn't at the right moment" and "No luck in dying, I'll have luck in love" are two gems --, WHITE SUN is as visually striking as Leone’s A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS, with its resourceful hero waging a one-man battle against the bandit chieftain and his army. (It also has a surprisingly feminist theme with Fyodor encouraging the niqab-wearing women to take control of their destinies: “Comrade women, the revolution has set you free!” he exhorts them.) The best comparison, though, may be to Georgiy Daneliya’s sci-fi masterpiece KIN-DZA-DZA! (also released by Deaf Crocodile): both films are about Everyman Russians trapped in alien desert landscapes, and rather than freaking out, responding in the most matter-of-fact ways to whatever misfortunes they encounter. One of the most popular Soviet films ever made, WHITE SUN has been beautifully restored by Mosfilm for its first-ever U.S. Blu-ray release through Deaf Crocodile, in association with Seagull Films. In Russian with English subtitles.
Disc details to come.
Our “All Treats, No Tricks” sale truly caught us by surprise. You all ordered a LOT! Shipping is backed up, but orders are going out as quickly as possible.
It also just came to our attention this morning that the warehouse biffed the inventory on TREASURES OF SOVIET ANIMATION VOL 1 causing it to be oversold. A rush reorder has been placed, but they’re not scheduled to arrive until 11/25. If you don’t want to wait until then please contact us and I can cancel that disc from your order and refund you. VERY sorry for the hassle.
Anyway, here’s the cut-and-paste from their email blast, including a note about stock shortage of the SOVIET ANIMATION VOL. 1 in the recent sale, in case anyone partook:
- More 4K than ever before - including a stunning 4K restoration from original 35mm nitrate negative!
- Our first martial arts film - as only you'd expect from Deaf Crocodile!
- A new 4K restoration of an incredible Eastern European Sci-Fi / Mystery!
- Another DEFA Studios multi-film set!
- Three astonishing and surreal Animated Features!
- A huge star's Pop/Sci-Fi debut, newly restored in collaboration with the B.F.I. - and so much more!
Release dates may slip (we really try not to, but things happen!), but you are guaranteed the 10 planned releases no matter what.
And to whet your appetite…
The first two releases of the new subscription period!
Deluxe Limited Edition cover art by Richard CoxKRAKATIT, 1948, N.F.A., 101 min. “Long wandering,” a voice whispers in the brain of a man staggering along a misty riverbank, the night as fog-shrouded as his shattered mind. Czech director Otakar Vávra’s astonishing KRAKATIT is a literal fever dream of a movie that mixes 1940s Film Noir, paranoid thriller and speculative atomic-bomb Sci-Fi in the story of a chemist named Prokop who hallucinates fragments of how he's invented a proto-nuclear weapon -- and the mystery of what's happened to the formula for it. The film has overtones of Rudolph Maté's classic Noir D.O.A. (seriously-ill man racing against the clock), 1940s Orson Welles films like THE STRANGER and THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI (stunning deep-focus B&W photography, atmosphere of surreal paranoia), and Hitchcock's SPELLBOUND (distorted dream sequences). Karel Höger delivers an unforgettable performance in the lead, grasping at his own memories like a walking ghost. Based on a 1924 novel by famed sci-fi author Karel Čapek (who invented the word “robot” in his play R.U.R.), the film’s unique structure of memories within memories within flashbacks are like Russian nesting dolls -- all shot by DOP Václav Hanuš in some of the most remarkable B&W images since NIGHT OF THE HUNTER. Long wandering, indeed. Deaf Crocodile is thrilled to present the first-ever 4K UHD + Blu-ray release for this overlooked classic of Czech cinema and World Noir, beautifully restored in 4K by the Národní filmový archiv (NFA) in Prague and co-presented with the Comeback Company.
Disc details to come.
Deluxe Limited Edition cover art by Steven ThomasWHITE SUN OF THE DESERT – 1970, Mosfilm, 84 min.
“Have you been here long?” quips laconic, seemingly un-killable Red Army soldier Fyodor to a man he’s just discovered buried up to the neck in the middle of the desert. Director Vladimir Motyl’s surreal action classic is arguably the most entertaining of the Soviet “Osterns” inspired by films like STAGECOACH, HIGH NOON and 1960s Spaghetti Westerns (and certainly by Kurosawa’s YOJIMBO as well.) Set during the Russian Civil War, the story follows Fyodor (Anatoliy Kuznetsov) tramping across the sands of Turkmenistan and desperate to get home to his wife -- when he’s diverted into guarding a harem of Muslim women caught in a struggle between a renegade Red Army unit and local Basmachi guerillas led by Abdullah (Kakhi Kavsadze). Filled with endlessly-quotable dialogue and song lyrics -- "A knife is good for he who has it -- and it's bad for he who doesn't at the right moment" and "No luck in dying, I'll have luck in love" are two gems --, WHITE SUN is as visually striking as Leone’s A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS, with its resourceful hero waging a one-man battle against the bandit chieftain and his army. (It also has a surprisingly feminist theme with Fyodor encouraging the niqab-wearing women to take control of their destinies: “Comrade women, the revolution has set you free!” he exhorts them.) The best comparison, though, may be to Georgiy Daneliya’s sci-fi masterpiece KIN-DZA-DZA! (also released by Deaf Crocodile): both films are about Everyman Russians trapped in alien desert landscapes, and rather than freaking out, responding in the most matter-of-fact ways to whatever misfortunes they encounter. One of the most popular Soviet films ever made, WHITE SUN has been beautifully restored by Mosfilm for its first-ever U.S. Blu-ray release through Deaf Crocodile, in association with Seagull Films. In Russian with English subtitles.
Disc details to come.
Just one more thing…
Oversold…
Our “All Treats, No Tricks” sale truly caught us by surprise. You all ordered a LOT! Shipping is backed up, but orders are going out as quickly as possible. It also just came to our attention this morning that the warehouse biffed the inventory on TREASURES OF SOVIET ANIMATION VOL 1 causing it to be oversold. A rush reorder has been placed, but they’re not scheduled to arrive until 11/25. If you don’t want to wait until then please contact us and I can cancel that disc from your order and refund you. VERY sorry for the hassle.
11-12-25 | 04:39 AM
#25
Thread Starter
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Deaf Crocodile Films Blu-rays
Looks like they’re jumping on the martial arts bandwagon but considering the tilt of their catalog I’m curious if that will be some old item from Hong Kong or if they’ve found something from one of their Eastern European standbys that’s kinda under-the-radar. They’ve done a release from Japan, so I suppose it could be from there, too.
https://deafcrocodile.com/pages/where-is-romero