Gypo66

Anyone know anything about these DVDs of three excellent (imo) Bunuel films available in Mexico?
NAZARIN
http://www.sanborns.com.mx/sanborns/...arin&dept_id=3
ILLUSION TRAVELS BY STREETCAR
http://www.sanborns.com.mx/sanborns/...iaja&dept_id=3
MEXICAN BUSRIDE
http://www.sanborns.com.mx/sanborns/...ielo&dept_id=3
They seem to be availble at sanborns.com and at mixup.com -- who list them all as having NO English Subs. However, some guy is selling them on ebay and insisting that they DO have English Subs (and that the copies he's selling are not boots). So... any thoughts?

chente

If these are the Alter Film ones, they do have English subs.

www.alterfilms.com

Look under the Televisa banner and then under the Viva Mexico collection.

I looked for these briefly the last time I was in Mexico and found others from the series at Walmart for about $10 US but they were sold out of the Bunuel ones. I picked up a Santos one for kicks and was very pleased with the quality of the picture and subs.

Gypo66

Thanks, Chente. Yes, it looks like these are the same DVDs. I don't anticipate being in Mexico anytime soon, so any thoughts about where the best place might be to order them online? Are Mixup and/or Sanborns reliable, or is there somewhere else I might use (or, for that matter, can you order directly from alterfilms.com)?

chente

I haven't looked into ordering them online. I live in San Diego and was just going to look for them the next time I went to Tijuana or when I go visit my folks. The Alterfilms website makes it look like you can order via their webpage but when I tried to simulate an order, it say that the service is temporarily unavailable. I'd recommend sending them an email and inquiring.

There is likely to be a customs charge when ordering directly from Mexico. I hate to say it but the Mexican government loves beaurocracy. It may be just easier and more reliable to get them on EBay, even if they are marked up 100%.

The picture and sound on these is good but I wouldn't expect reference quality. Every disc I've looked at is in the proper aspect ratio and includes english and spanish subs. The menus are very simple and the discs include minimal extras, usually just talent files and trailers. One other thing, the disc I have has forced trailers. I'm not trying to turn you off, but want to make sure you know what to expect.

I'm very interested in one called

"Dos caras tiene el destino"

The trailer looked awesome for this one. It looks like vintage film noir.

mapasu

I have Buñuel's LOS OLVIDADOS & LA ILUSION VIAJA EN TRANVIA from Alter's. They are region 0 with english subs and have great transfers. Extras are a lost alternate ending for Los Olvidados, synopsis (wrote that right?) and actor/actress bio's. Bought them at Costco Mexicali for 80 pesos each. There is another movie I cant recall from Buñuel, but they are great looking and at a cool price.

slop101

I have Nazarine, and it's transfer is horrible - but it's watchable.

Gypo66

Hmmm.. not sure if a "horrible but watchable" transfer makes me really want to get NAZARIN, but the others sound really appealing. Besides the Bunuels and that noir-ish Dos Caras Tiene el Destino, there are a few other classics I'm dying to get -- Maria Candelaria, La Perla and Salon Mexico. Anyone seen the DVDs of any of these?
Still not sure about ordering these online from any of those Mexican sites, though. And that possibility of a custom charge puts a whole new wrinkle on the problem. Anybody else had any experience with this?

mapasu

What I've heard is that Televisa did restoration on these films and are not a mere transfer from video. LA PERLA, MARIA CANDELARIA, and SALON MEXICO are all available on dvd. I've seen them and right now at COMERCIAL MEXICANA and WALMART they sell them in two packs with COMO AGUA PARA CHOCOLATE. Let me say that COMO AGUA PARA CHOCOLATE looks cut and incomplete on this dvd.

chente

El Centro! My home town. Nice to see some one else from the Valley into good movies.

mapasu

What're you doing in SD? I was there @ SDSU 5 years and been living in the valley 3 now. I recently bought El Aviso Oportuno with Los Polivoces. Not sure if it's a good movie, but its so cheesy you just can't help it. The video is from Quality films 2.0 fullscreen. Recommended for its sillyness...

Gypo66

Suddenly I'm wishing I lived a whole lot closer to Mexico...

So anyway, has anybody had any actual first hand experience with online ordering from any of these places?

chente

I'm just living and working here. Don't talk to me about cheesy films, I own El Santo Y Blue Demon contra los Monstrous. I'm interested in picking up more classic Mexican films since I haven't really seen that many of them.

mapasu

Have seen it as rental only @ Blockbuster Mexico, but I highly recommend MATANDO CABOS. If you have seen it good. Otherwise, can't wait for the dvd. It was scheduled to come out last November, but it's nowhere in sight.

Gypo66

Still wondering if anyone knows anything about these possible "custom charges" for ordering directly from Mexico.

Also curious if anyone's ordered from sanborns.com. They seem to have the best prices and all the titles I want.

mapasu

I know there are no "custom charges", but shipping is pricey...

Gypo66

Arggh. I see what you mean about the pricey shipping at sanborns.com.... I assumed the shipping prices were in Mexican pesos, like all other prices listed on the site, and just now noticed the "dlls" notation by the shipping prices. Rats......

chente

DVDBeaver has reviewed two of the Alter Films series movies and the news is not good

Maria Candelaria

Frida, Naturaleza Viva

Gypo66

Amazing -- just a little earlier today I finally placed an order for this and a half dozen other Mexican classics from one of those Mexican web sites.

My timing just keeps getting better and better...

chente

Where did you get them and how much did you pay?

Gypo66

Chente, I ordered the DVDs from sanborns.com and paid about $11 US each for them. The ordering process was very confusing for a non-Spanish speaker like myself, though (and I'm someone who's managed to place orders on sites in a half dozen languages I don't speak)... and, on top of all that, I just checked my order status this morning and discovered it's now listed as "cancelado" -- no explanation, no emails, nada.
I think I'm right on the verge of giving up on Mexican DVDs...