Re: SOLARIS DVD Review !
 

Gary, Is this disc NTSC or PAL? Sorry if it's a dumb question, but I don't know what Rusico uses. I see it is R0.

Re: Sculpting in Time...
 

Speaking of books on Tarkvosky's films, would you recommend the book "The Films of Andrei Tarkovsky : A Visual Fugue"?

Thanks.

More interested in Tarkovsky's own words
 

No, I haven't read the other book yet and while I'm sure it has some interesting info, it is after all other people's "analysis" of Tarkovsky and his work. Since Tarkovsky wrote his own book, and I think he did it specifically because he knew others would as well, I wanted to read what he had to say first.

And it has been so powerfully good, I think I'll read it more than once just to digest it all. I often check for used books when I'm buying one and I could find not one used copy of Sculpting in Time and after reading it I know why, who would ever get rid of it?

NTSC and not read...
 

Hi Scarecrow... it's NTSC...

and cine I have not read or heard about "The Films of Andrei Tarkovsky : A Visual Fugue"... but after all this talk I did rewatch Mirror.... am still in awe...

Re: Re: SOLARIS DVD Review !
 

RusCiCo presses both PAL and NTSC DVDs. The RusCiCo disks distributed by Image Entertainment are all NTSC.

Someone mentioned Tarkovsky books. The upcoming (August 1st, not yet active URL) Nostalghia.com will contain a lot of Tarkovsky's own words, complete bibliography of books, articles, and documentaries, etc.

Stalker is now out on R2 DVD. An R0 is in the pipeline from RusCiCo - let's hope Fox Lorber doesn't stop them!

Re: Re: Re: SOLARIS DVD Review !
 

Fox Lorber can't stop them - it's all-region disc, not R1. I think, this loophole is the reason why www.st-p.com is still selling Solaris despite FBI threat from Criterion.

Whoa - Amazonsky. Affiliated at all? Looks like a site grifter.

Re: Re: Re: Re: SOLARIS DVD Review !
 

I think FoxLorber can stop Image Entertainment from distributing Stalker, just like Criterion stopped them from distributing Solaris... But, of course, we can buy Stalker from the aforementioned website, if you don't mind mail order, and if FBI hasn't had time to bust them yet (FBI is far too busy to deal with one particular title. That site otherwise sells only entirely legal titles, afaik). The R1 vs R0 is not at all the issue here, btw.... as was talked about on criteriondvd.com.

Yowser. Just checked out the shipping for st-p.

"International: There is a $50 charge for the first book/tape, and $2.50 for each additional book/tape. (Note: Shipping and handling for multi-volume books is counted $0.50 per each volume)."

Is that exhorbitant or what?

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: SOLARIS DVD Review !
 

I was talking about St-P site being able to sell the discs, not about Image distributing them. St-P can sell those as direct import from Belgium.

Great shipping price
 

I don't know what shipping is to Australia, but the copy of Solaris I ordered at http://www.st-p.com cost $34.99 and the shipping was just $2.00.

Re: Great shipping price
 

It's really great shipping price considering that the shipping is via UPS Ground (for domestic US).

Shipping to Oz (as posted above) is $50.00

Amazon, et al are around the $5 - $8 mark.

Andrei Rublev...
 

In connection with RusCiCo's release of Tarkovsky's Andrei Rublev, I added an update/discussion on the <a href="http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~tstronds/homepage/tarkovsky/posters.html">Andrei Tarkovsky Website</a>.

Warm regards,
trond

Is Ruscico Rublev now available for order in North America?

Ordering Ruscico Films
 

Yes, Ruscico is listing their Andre Rublev as released, however, I don't find it at the St. Petersburg Entertainment site.

We received Solaris yesterday and I can only add my agreement with all the plaudits it has received, it is stupendous! I can't believe how much was left out of the VHS, the story is much easier to understand since the DVD contains so many crucial scenes and subtitles that the video lacked.

The bonus material is just fabulous and now that we've seen the filmography of some of the actors/actresses we are very interested in obtaining more of their films.

I have written to RUSCICO asking for some clarification on where and how to obtain their DVDs and more info on their "subscription" program. Will let you know what they respond.

The delivery from St. Petersburg Entertainment was fast and cheap, can't say enough about their service and about this treasure of a DVD! I just wish they had a better website, as you are pursuing a search you suddenly find everything in Russian again.

If anyone has seen any of the other RUSCICO releases I'd love to hear about them.

Re: Ordering Ruscico Films
 

I also found it quite a challenge trying to stay in English and Secure modes when placing an order on their website.

Does anyone have info on the "Passion" DVD they have listed? It does not appear to be a Ruscico title.

Andei Rublyov isn't available yet.

Passions seems to be RusCiCo disc even though it's not listed on their website. The cover clearly states RUSCICO and has a RUSCICO sticker. Unfirtunately, I couldn't find much about the title except that in 1994 it won Nika Award (Russian Oscar) for best movie and best director. The storyline has something to do with horse racing. The movie isn't dubbed, but it has English, French, German and Dutch subtitles.

Here's clarification about RUSCICO subscription:

Right now they offer the subscription to all their discs. If you want to buy them separately from RUSCICO, you need to wait for them to open e-shop sometimes this summer or this fall:

The e-shop prices will be around:
$US 20-30 per singe disk set
$US 30-40 per double disk set
$US 40-50 per triple disk set

I don't know if it includes shipping.

Here's a list of Ruscico DVDs that I will buy immediately once available:

Zerkolo
Stalker
Solaris
Ivan's Childhood
Come and See
The Cranes are Flying
Pirosmani
Dersu Urzula
Tchaikovsky

I did not see Mat I Syn (Mother and Son) in the Ruscico catalogue. Anyone knows why this great film isn't in there? I refuse to buy that horrid DVD of Fox Lorber's.

The Cranes are Flying has been out for a while now and is available at usual suspects. I tend to believe that Sokurov is not well regarded outside of semiotics-obsessed "elite" in Russia, and it seems, they didn't like him at Cannes either, where his last film about Lenin got extremely negative reaction. Personally, I have not seen Mother and Son, but I didn't like his earlier movies. Ruscico probably assumed that Sokurov's films wouldn't appeal to international audience, and that's their target market.

Mother ans Son is relatively new film and RusCiCo now distributes only old cataloge. It's also Lenfilm, and there's only a few of those and there's no Sakurov on the list. Even if it's getting released in Russia, the quality isn't going to be any better than Fox Lorber.

Talking about Sakurov, I want to reccomend his 2 latest movies: Molokh (about Hitler) and Taurus (last days of Lenin). His next movie in this trilogy about dictators is going to be about Mao. Unfortunately, they are not available in USA in English.

I heard Tauraus was pretty bad - it opened with really tepid response at Cannes. I haven't heard about Molokh, but I'll putz around and see :)

Russian actor/actress
 

The special feature section of the Ruscico Solaris has a filmography of several of its actors, I was really intrigued by some that were listed for the stars Donatas Banionis; Natalya Bondarchuk - I'm really hoping Ruscico will release some of these is anyone else familiar with them?

These sound pretty interesting... gonna have to pick one up and check it out.

-k
###

Does St. Petersburg offer any coupons or anything. I want to pick up the Solaris DVD finally. Never ordered from there so if there are any codes available, please let me know. Thanks....