Reasons to go all-region ...
06-19-07, 11:41 PM
#1
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Reasons to go all-region ...
Well, I'm hoping that some of you would be willing to help me out. It could turn out to be kind of an ongoing project, though it certainly doesn't require a lot of effort on anyone's part.
I work at a newspaper, and we're really working hard at expanding our entertainment site. At the paper, I'm a copy editor and I also write DVD reviews. It looks like I'm also getting a DVD/HD-type blog. I figure I'll list release dates, put up cover art, links to articles, occasional recommendations.
Anyway, once it gets going, I'd also like to do something like "This week's reason to go all-region." It doesn't have to be an exclusive to another region, though that's always cool. For things available in region 1, I was already considering things like the recently announced Blade Runner special edition out of Australia or the Phantasm collectors set. But I was also planning on spotlighting region exclusives like Spaced and Battle Royale.
So, I turn to you, my fellow International DVD posters, to help me out. Any suggestions? It can be new, old. It's pretty wide open what I can put on there. I'm hoping SOMEONE out there will see it and join the Region 0 gang.
By the way, if someone knows a good site to refer people to if they question the legality of importing, is there somewhere I can point them?
I work at a newspaper, and we're really working hard at expanding our entertainment site. At the paper, I'm a copy editor and I also write DVD reviews. It looks like I'm also getting a DVD/HD-type blog. I figure I'll list release dates, put up cover art, links to articles, occasional recommendations.
Anyway, once it gets going, I'd also like to do something like "This week's reason to go all-region." It doesn't have to be an exclusive to another region, though that's always cool. For things available in region 1, I was already considering things like the recently announced Blade Runner special edition out of Australia or the Phantasm collectors set. But I was also planning on spotlighting region exclusives like Spaced and Battle Royale.
So, I turn to you, my fellow International DVD posters, to help me out. Any suggestions? It can be new, old. It's pretty wide open what I can put on there. I'm hoping SOMEONE out there will see it and join the Region 0 gang.
By the way, if someone knows a good site to refer people to if they question the legality of importing, is there somewhere I can point them?
06-20-07, 01:15 AM
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The just released HOT FUZZ (uk 2 disc edition).
Not coming out til next month in the US, and all the bonus features will be carried over to the HD edition only.
Not coming out til next month in the US, and all the bonus features will be carried over to the HD edition only.
06-20-07, 02:23 AM
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release dates and covers tend to be handle best by big retail sites - therefore they're also the best guide to whats coming up. for america, use amazon.com's advance search options once you're in the DVD area, and you can click to order them by release date once the initial results are displayed; look for a pull-down top-right of your results. for other countries, the retail behavious shifts slightly - korea and HK tend to give short notice of new releases (see dvdfromkorea.com and dddhouse.com), the UK has a habit of revealing stuff too far in advance and dates subsequently shifting (the best for UK is play.com, i think - click DVD, select genre, look far right and you'll see a 'coming soon' section with 'more titles' - you're now into the listings by each weeks releases) far too often.
personally, it's often the case that a lot can be achieved if someone has the skill to find snippets of coverage made by other sites and find a way to convey it as they pass it on - that way you can access a variety of specialist knowledges and access their stuff in a way that often becomes hard for many, because there's so many sites, so many different things... and you'll be tempted (but frustrated) by trying to even master them slightly.
as for the legality of importing (and exporting) this seems to vary from country to country. in the UK, there's some laws that result in grey areas - you can individually select to import anything you wish (for what's often termed 'research purposes') even if it's not legally allowed to be sold within the UK. with the same respect, anything without a BBFC certification (or not displaying a certificate - thats anothe way of seeing it - or equivalent to a PG certificate) cannot be sold on premises or from premises within the UK. this way, each transaction isolates each individual in a realtionship with a foreign retailer - UK companies that sell R1s via magazine adverts are exploiting this loophole in how they carry out the process "on your behalf" and not as though they were stocking and selling on. for some other grey area reason, it's possible for anything not displaying a BBFC certificate (from what ive been told by HMC&E) to be confiscated if they deem it seizable - this could theoretically mean legal cause to take your disney imports off you... but i'm sure, as others will say, there's grey areas open to interpretation, they leave people frustrated at how it seems biased against importers. oh, and HMC&E can open and study / seize if they suspect a parcel might contain something dodgy.
personally, it's often the case that a lot can be achieved if someone has the skill to find snippets of coverage made by other sites and find a way to convey it as they pass it on - that way you can access a variety of specialist knowledges and access their stuff in a way that often becomes hard for many, because there's so many sites, so many different things... and you'll be tempted (but frustrated) by trying to even master them slightly.
as for the legality of importing (and exporting) this seems to vary from country to country. in the UK, there's some laws that result in grey areas - you can individually select to import anything you wish (for what's often termed 'research purposes') even if it's not legally allowed to be sold within the UK. with the same respect, anything without a BBFC certification (or not displaying a certificate - thats anothe way of seeing it - or equivalent to a PG certificate) cannot be sold on premises or from premises within the UK. this way, each transaction isolates each individual in a realtionship with a foreign retailer - UK companies that sell R1s via magazine adverts are exploiting this loophole in how they carry out the process "on your behalf" and not as though they were stocking and selling on. for some other grey area reason, it's possible for anything not displaying a BBFC certificate (from what ive been told by HMC&E) to be confiscated if they deem it seizable - this could theoretically mean legal cause to take your disney imports off you... but i'm sure, as others will say, there's grey areas open to interpretation, they leave people frustrated at how it seems biased against importers. oh, and HMC&E can open and study / seize if they suspect a parcel might contain something dodgy.
Last edited by logboy; 06-20-07 at 02:27 AM.
06-20-07, 06:52 AM
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CLCKWORANG,
I've got a topic for you for one week - "Foreign animation for children that does not play in the USA due to protecting-the-children hypocracy". And this award goes to the French master animator, Michel Ocelot. He is France's animation equivalent of USA's Walt Disney or Japan's Hayou Miyazaki. His movies don't get released in the USA, because in his Kirikou movies, there are many scenes of naked African villagers, even a female villain with naked breasts, and a scene of Kirikuo the baby crawling out of the mama's womb. In Azur and Azmar, the opening scene is of a white baby and an arab baby breast-feeding from a muslim woman (she's the wet nurse to the white kid). He had many offers for his filmed to be released in the USA, even by Disney, but they told him he has to censor his "naked scenes." So he basically told Disney and others to go F*** themselves. USA never learns, especially after many years, finally releasing Miyazaki movies on DVD. So, here we are again with Michel Ocelot.
There is one NTSC version of KIRIKOU AND THE SORCERESS, but it's not a great copy. Here are the following French DVDs to buy, and another reason to go Multi-Region:
1. PRINCES AND PRINCESSES - Anamorphic, French audio, English subtitles
2. KIRIKOU AND THE SORCERESS - Anamorphic, French audio or English audio, (no English subtitles for the French audio though)
3. KIRKOU AND THE WILD BEASTS - Anamorphic, French audio, French subtitles, No English subtitles, but easy to follow if you don't speak French.
4. AZUR AND ASMAR - Anamorphic, French audio, French subtitles, No English subtitles, but easy to follow if you don't speak French.
All are great, touching movies. Azur and Asmar is a bit flat, and not as good as the rest, but it's still worth watching for the amazing animation of authentic Arabic culture, certainly making Disney's Aladdin look rascist.
I've got a topic for you for one week - "Foreign animation for children that does not play in the USA due to protecting-the-children hypocracy". And this award goes to the French master animator, Michel Ocelot. He is France's animation equivalent of USA's Walt Disney or Japan's Hayou Miyazaki. His movies don't get released in the USA, because in his Kirikou movies, there are many scenes of naked African villagers, even a female villain with naked breasts, and a scene of Kirikuo the baby crawling out of the mama's womb. In Azur and Azmar, the opening scene is of a white baby and an arab baby breast-feeding from a muslim woman (she's the wet nurse to the white kid). He had many offers for his filmed to be released in the USA, even by Disney, but they told him he has to censor his "naked scenes." So he basically told Disney and others to go F*** themselves. USA never learns, especially after many years, finally releasing Miyazaki movies on DVD. So, here we are again with Michel Ocelot.
There is one NTSC version of KIRIKOU AND THE SORCERESS, but it's not a great copy. Here are the following French DVDs to buy, and another reason to go Multi-Region:
1. PRINCES AND PRINCESSES - Anamorphic, French audio, English subtitles
2. KIRIKOU AND THE SORCERESS - Anamorphic, French audio or English audio, (no English subtitles for the French audio though)
3. KIRKOU AND THE WILD BEASTS - Anamorphic, French audio, French subtitles, No English subtitles, but easy to follow if you don't speak French.
4. AZUR AND ASMAR - Anamorphic, French audio, French subtitles, No English subtitles, but easy to follow if you don't speak French.
All are great, touching movies. Azur and Asmar is a bit flat, and not as good as the rest, but it's still worth watching for the amazing animation of authentic Arabic culture, certainly making Disney's Aladdin look rascist.
Last edited by toddly6666; 06-20-07 at 06:59 AM.
06-20-07, 07:57 AM
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Here's a short list of exclusives you wouldn't get on R1:
Aftermath - German Limited Edition by Dragon coming in a metal case with a glass top. There's a dissected corpse figure behind the glass;
Arizona Dream - great Kusturica film of 1993 that to my knowledge haven't yet seen the light of day as a R1 release;
Ken Park - another movie that exists on R0, but not on R1;
Band of Brothers - one of the greatest releases ever in the form of a military bag (Korean);
Into the Mirror - stylish Korean horror flick never released in the US. Released in UK and in Korea (the latter has a reflective cover so you may look into it as into the mirror);
Death Ship - cheezy horror somewhat classic from 1980 not released on R1. There's a German release;
Deep Red - German 3-disc Limited Edition by Dragon (3rd disc is a soundtrack);
Suspiria/Deep Red - Great Japanese edition with the cover that changes color reacting on your hands' heat and reveals a hidden design;
Deranged - a 1974 Ed Gein story existing in the US only as a double-pack. Released in Germany (30th anniversary edition with stylish cover);
Door into Darkness - German edition of early Argento TV-films;
Hellraiser - UK R2 Lament configuration box set;
Kill Bill 1&2 - Japanese Premium boxes;
Pan's Labyrinth - fancy Korean LE;
Pulp Fiction - French Collector's edition made to look like a book;
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - Austrian chainsaw-shaped DVD case;
There're many editions that look by far more interesting than R1 ones and there's even more films that only exist in non-R1 formats.
Aftermath - German Limited Edition by Dragon coming in a metal case with a glass top. There's a dissected corpse figure behind the glass;
Arizona Dream - great Kusturica film of 1993 that to my knowledge haven't yet seen the light of day as a R1 release;
Ken Park - another movie that exists on R0, but not on R1;
Band of Brothers - one of the greatest releases ever in the form of a military bag (Korean);
Into the Mirror - stylish Korean horror flick never released in the US. Released in UK and in Korea (the latter has a reflective cover so you may look into it as into the mirror);
Death Ship - cheezy horror somewhat classic from 1980 not released on R1. There's a German release;
Deep Red - German 3-disc Limited Edition by Dragon (3rd disc is a soundtrack);
Suspiria/Deep Red - Great Japanese edition with the cover that changes color reacting on your hands' heat and reveals a hidden design;
Deranged - a 1974 Ed Gein story existing in the US only as a double-pack. Released in Germany (30th anniversary edition with stylish cover);
Door into Darkness - German edition of early Argento TV-films;
Hellraiser - UK R2 Lament configuration box set;
Kill Bill 1&2 - Japanese Premium boxes;
Pan's Labyrinth - fancy Korean LE;
Pulp Fiction - French Collector's edition made to look like a book;
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - Austrian chainsaw-shaped DVD case;
There're many editions that look by far more interesting than R1 ones and there's even more films that only exist in non-R1 formats.
06-20-07, 08:23 AM
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The non R1 DVDs I hvae and love are:
Kill Bill 1&2 Twinpack (JP) (UNCUT!!)
1492 (AUS)
The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi (UK) (Superior A/V Transfer)
Eyes WIde Shut (KOR) (UNCUT!!)
Friday The 13th (UK) (UNCUT!!)
Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence (UK) (GREAT English DUB)
Hero (JAP) (Superior A/V Transfer)
House of Flying Daggers (JAP) (Superior A/V Transfer)
Infernal Affairs (HK) (Superior A/V Transfer)
Ju-On 2 (KOR) (Superior A/V Transfer)
Kung Fu Hustle (HK) (UNCUT!!)
Kontroll (HUN) (Superior A/V Transfer)
Millennium Mambo (FR) (Superior A/V Transfer)
Musa: The Warrior (KOR) (Superior A/V Transfer)
Night Watch (RUS) (UNCUT!!)
Raise The Red Lantern (HK) (Superior A/V Transfer)
Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (KOR) (Superior A/V Transfer)
John Woo's The Killer (UK) (Superior A/V Transfer)
Kill Bill 1&2 Twinpack (JP) (UNCUT!!)
1492 (AUS)
The Blind Swordsman: Zatoichi (UK) (Superior A/V Transfer)
Eyes WIde Shut (KOR) (UNCUT!!)
Friday The 13th (UK) (UNCUT!!)
Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence (UK) (GREAT English DUB)
Hero (JAP) (Superior A/V Transfer)
House of Flying Daggers (JAP) (Superior A/V Transfer)
Infernal Affairs (HK) (Superior A/V Transfer)
Ju-On 2 (KOR) (Superior A/V Transfer)
Kung Fu Hustle (HK) (UNCUT!!)
Kontroll (HUN) (Superior A/V Transfer)
Millennium Mambo (FR) (Superior A/V Transfer)
Musa: The Warrior (KOR) (Superior A/V Transfer)
Night Watch (RUS) (UNCUT!!)
Raise The Red Lantern (HK) (Superior A/V Transfer)
Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (KOR) (Superior A/V Transfer)
John Woo's The Killer (UK) (Superior A/V Transfer)
06-20-07, 09:58 AM
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but these last two posts above are editions not out in the USA, not films not out in the USA - it's not quite as important, this DVD thing, as this film thing is... so things like 'kill bill' as uncut japanese-only (?) editions seem to qualify as more interesting than extra discs and nicer packaging.
i would suggest guest articles would be a good way to access knowledge about all the various things that often dont get covered due to the relatively narrow range of one persons taste versus aspects of many peoples tastes.
i would suggest guest articles would be a good way to access knowledge about all the various things that often dont get covered due to the relatively narrow range of one persons taste versus aspects of many peoples tastes.
06-22-07, 03:14 AM
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^^^ Yeah, I'm definitely open to input, logboy. That's why I'm here, because while I might have a pretty wide spectrum of films that I've seen, I know there are a ton more GREAT ones that I haven't -- and maybe not even heard of before.
Well, like those animated films that were suggested. They sound really interesting, but I'm not sure if I remember them on my radar before.
But just for looks value, it's nice to throw in some cool packaging type of stuff as well.
I appreciate all the suggestions. Ugh, now I just have to wait for corporate to set up the damn thing. The joy of red tape ...
Well, like those animated films that were suggested. They sound really interesting, but I'm not sure if I remember them on my radar before.
But just for looks value, it's nice to throw in some cool packaging type of stuff as well.
I appreciate all the suggestions. Ugh, now I just have to wait for corporate to set up the damn thing. The joy of red tape ...
06-22-07, 10:30 AM
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For aficionados of British television, multi-region is the only way to go. There are just so many great period dramas, such as Secret Army, Tenko, By the Sword Divided, A Family at War, and many others, unavailable in region 1.
Sometimes, being able to play other regions can be cheaper too -- witness the 24-disc complete Poirot set in R2, which sells as low as GBP70 at times, and compare it to the many different American sets, which combined retail for more than three times this amount.
And, if you like obscure and/or "forgotten" UK TV, there's a gold mine out there -- The Caesars, Beasts, Strange Report, Department S, Dick Turpin, and the list goes on.
The trouble is finding the time to watch it all! ;-)
Sometimes, being able to play other regions can be cheaper too -- witness the 24-disc complete Poirot set in R2, which sells as low as GBP70 at times, and compare it to the many different American sets, which combined retail for more than three times this amount.
And, if you like obscure and/or "forgotten" UK TV, there's a gold mine out there -- The Caesars, Beasts, Strange Report, Department S, Dick Turpin, and the list goes on.
The trouble is finding the time to watch it all! ;-)
06-22-07, 03:21 PM
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Here's some:
Doctor Who: The Movie. (Paul McGann, which bridges the classic series to the current one. Won't get a US release due to an uninterested Universal having home video rights over here).
Doc Martin. Although series 1 is getting a US release over the summer, both series are available in the UK, and for less cash.
Hex. The UK editions are cheaper and, more importantly, are completely unedited/unaltered and arranged in their original UK seasons. I don't know whether it's been actually confirmed yet or not, but there have been people saying the US set is expected to be cut and/or music-substituted.
Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman. First two seasons available in UK and Australia. Held up in US due to rights issues.
The Frankie Howerd Collection, which contains the really great Britcom Up Pompeii, amongst other things.
Steptoe and Son, the show which inspired the (IMO) inferior US version, Sanford and Son.
Hammer House of Horror. The R2 and R4 versions had a remastering/cleanup, which didn't happen for the US version, making them far superior. The R4 version is far, far cheaper than the R2 despite using the same masters.
Man About the House and George and Mildred, the UK originals that inspired Three's Company and The Ropers, respectively. The R4 "series 2" releases of both titles have commentaries (which aren't on the R2s), but R2 is the only worldwide region (thus far) to get releases past series 2.
Doctor Who: The Movie. (Paul McGann, which bridges the classic series to the current one. Won't get a US release due to an uninterested Universal having home video rights over here).
Doc Martin. Although series 1 is getting a US release over the summer, both series are available in the UK, and for less cash.
Hex. The UK editions are cheaper and, more importantly, are completely unedited/unaltered and arranged in their original UK seasons. I don't know whether it's been actually confirmed yet or not, but there have been people saying the US set is expected to be cut and/or music-substituted.
Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman. First two seasons available in UK and Australia. Held up in US due to rights issues.
The Frankie Howerd Collection, which contains the really great Britcom Up Pompeii, amongst other things.
Steptoe and Son, the show which inspired the (IMO) inferior US version, Sanford and Son.
Hammer House of Horror. The R2 and R4 versions had a remastering/cleanup, which didn't happen for the US version, making them far superior. The R4 version is far, far cheaper than the R2 despite using the same masters.
Man About the House and George and Mildred, the UK originals that inspired Three's Company and The Ropers, respectively. The R4 "series 2" releases of both titles have commentaries (which aren't on the R2s), but R2 is the only worldwide region (thus far) to get releases past series 2.
06-24-07, 10:58 AM
#12
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by toddly6666
1. PRINCES AND PRINCESSES - Anamorphic, French audio, English subtitles
2. KIRIKOU AND THE SORCERESS - Anamorphic, French audio or English audio, (no English subtitles for the French audio though)
3. KIRKOU AND THE WILD BEASTS - Anamorphic, French audio, French subtitles, No English subtitles, but easy to follow if you don't speak
2. KIRIKOU AND THE SORCERESS - Anamorphic, French audio or English audio, (no English subtitles for the French audio though)
3. KIRKOU AND THE WILD BEASTS - Anamorphic, French audio, French subtitles, No English subtitles, but easy to follow if you don't speak
http://www.hkflix.com/xq/asp/filmID....qx/details.htm
http://mall.jsdvd.com/product_info.p...oducts_id=6374
http://mall.jsdvd.com/product_info.p...ducts_id=10879
http://mall.jsdvd.com/product_info.p...ducts_id=10648
I can't vouch for the quality of these releases, but the DVDs that aren't KIRIKOU AND THE SORCERESS at least appear to be anamorphic.
06-24-07, 11:12 AM
#13
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by mythmaker18
Hex. The UK editions are cheaper and, more importantly, are completely unedited/unaltered and arranged in their original UK seasons. I don't know whether it's been actually confirmed yet or not, but there have been people saying the US set is expected to be cut and/or music-substituted.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/discussionb...e=ReviewDetail
There's been a lot of discussion as to whether the Episodes on the the Region 1 discs are censored like the airings on BBC America.
I am happy to report that the content (on an episode by episode basis) is EXACTLY the same as the Region 2 Discs. They even retained the opening credits song "#1 Fan" that was not used in the BBC airings.
I am happy to report that the content (on an episode by episode basis) is EXACTLY the same as the Region 2 Discs. They even retained the opening credits song "#1 Fan" that was not used in the BBC airings.
06-24-07, 11:20 AM
#14
DVD Talk Gold Edition
My suggestion would be to do an article on some of the UK companies that are releasing some great DVD lines:
Hong Kong Legends:
http://www.hongkonglegends.co.uk/
Eureka Entertainment - Masters of Cinema:
http://www.eurekavideo.co.uk/moc-series/
Optimum Releasing:
http://www.optimumreleasing.com/dvds.php
Hong Kong Legends:
http://www.hongkonglegends.co.uk/
Eureka Entertainment - Masters of Cinema:
http://www.eurekavideo.co.uk/moc-series/
Optimum Releasing:
http://www.optimumreleasing.com/dvds.php
06-24-07, 12:08 PM
#15
DVD Talk Legend
Some movie/alternate cut suggestions for your article:
Arahan - Korean action-comedy that's so accessible it's surprising it hasn't made its way over to the US yet.
http://www.kungfucinema.com/reviews/arahan.htm
Taxi - The original French film, and its sequels, have yet to be released in the US and deserve to be better known than the sad US remake.
Fearless - Jet Li's last martial-arts epic has a Director's Cut available that adds 20 minutes to the film, and is only available in R3.
Ong Bak - Australia and the UK got DVDs that contained the original Thai cut of the film, although I think the UK release had an altered soundtrack.
Revolver - Guy Ritchie's latest film is still unreleased in the US, although this film has admittedly gotten very mixed reviews.
Casino Royale (2006) - The latest James Bond film was released uncut only in R3; the US and UK received versions that were edited for ratings reasons in different ways.
Arahan - Korean action-comedy that's so accessible it's surprising it hasn't made its way over to the US yet.
http://www.kungfucinema.com/reviews/arahan.htm
Taxi - The original French film, and its sequels, have yet to be released in the US and deserve to be better known than the sad US remake.
Fearless - Jet Li's last martial-arts epic has a Director's Cut available that adds 20 minutes to the film, and is only available in R3.
Ong Bak - Australia and the UK got DVDs that contained the original Thai cut of the film, although I think the UK release had an altered soundtrack.
Revolver - Guy Ritchie's latest film is still unreleased in the US, although this film has admittedly gotten very mixed reviews.
Casino Royale (2006) - The latest James Bond film was released uncut only in R3; the US and UK received versions that were edited for ratings reasons in different ways.
06-24-07, 02:45 PM
#16
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Thread Starter
Definitely some great suggestions. My weekly reason to go all-region might become a daily thing, with all these great suggestions. I'm hoping **fingers crossed** that things will be set up by tomorrow. But things move SOOO slowly anytime you have to make corporate do anything.
