Well perhaps!

Follow the link to Amazon.co.uk

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/feature.h...cId=1000161913

Any good buys here?

Thanks.

I think the must own in the list is the Jean Vigo set. Other ones I have picked up include Weekend; Code Unknown; Black Cat, White Cat; Life is a Miracle; The Apu Trilogy -though I think this is cheaper via sendit.com.

Amazon.co.uk has pretty much had those prices all along they are just lumped them together on one page.

Actually they've raised the prices a bit, approx. a pound or so. AE and a few SODA discs have been selling, during the last month or so, for as low as 4.99.

I would like to recommend a few great discs and/or point to better versions.


1. Van Gogh: I personally prefer to AE since it is offered as a 2DVD but the SONY R1 is just as good (transfers are practically identical, both progressive).

2. The Commissar: The UK disc is progressive and properly transfered. The KINO disc I reviewed isn't. Both discs use the same master. The R2 wins

3. Lemming: I reviewed the R1 disc and as expected it is PAL-NTSC port. The AE disc is notably better with a correct progressive transfer.

4. Those Who Lobe Me Can Take The Train: Arguably one of the best French films from the 90s, as far as I am concerned as impressive as Carax's Lovers On the Bridge. Great transfer, the subs are a tiny bit too big for my taste, but overall a great package. The KINO disc is non-anamorphic and truly dull. Again, this is a great Chereau (lovely soundtrack: Bjork, Everything But The Girl, etc.)

5. Merci Pour Le Chocolat: Again a solid port of the French print. Properly converted, progressive. The R1 is non-anamorphic. I am not such a big fan of this Chabrol work however.

5. Sex is Comedy: Contrary to what most reviews claim I actually think that this is one of Breillat's best works. It is not as provocative and edgy and Anne Parrilaud (Nikita) offer a strong and nuanced performance. I can understand however why people would not like it, the dialog is very French and the story difficult to embrace. The R1 is not the way to go.

6. The Captive: I actually ordered this film for 4.99 and I see now that it is back to 14.99. It is one of Chantal Ackerman's best and while the R1 disc is very strong it is not as good as this one.

7. Time Regained: Avoid. A great film but this disc isn't one of AE's stellar products. Unfortunately it is the only alternative to the overpriced French disc and as far as I know a better English friendly version is still needed.

8. Kings & Queen: Outstanding Desplechin. One of the best French films from the last five years. Superb transfer, excellent progressive treatment, miles ahead of the poor R1 disc. Very strongly recommended.

9. The Barbarian Invasions: I actually am pretty happy with my R1 disc so perhaps you could save your money and opt for something more appealing from the R2 crop discussed here.

10. Historie de Marie et Julien: I personally prefer this disc over the Koch Lorber Films version. It is stronger, a direct port of the French release, and more importantly the translation here is slightly more accurate than what Koch Lorber Films have provided. Great film.

11. Tickets: a great project. There are a number of different releases of this film available in R2 land but this AE disc is one of the best out there. Olmi, Loach, Kiarostami, offer excellent point of views. The R1 is a PAL-NTSC port.

12. The Jean Vigo Collection: I don't think that any promotion is needed here and as far as I am concerned this is a great price. I have seen this set go down to 6.99 only once. So, if you don't own it yet and don't mind paying a pound more (look at this way, if you choose to wait for the best price by the time you get it the dollar would have likely slipped even further down against the pound/euro).

13. Black Cat, White Cat: I personally like this film better than Underground. It is right next to Time of the Gypsies. The AE disc uses the same French print that the Aussie disc has (which has been out for a substantially longer period of time). Very Highly Recommended.

14. The Consequences of Love: This disc offers the exact same Italian transfer from the Italian disc I reviewed for TALK. Outstanding film. While you at it also buy The Family Friend, Sorentino's latest work which hands down is one of the most stylish Italian films I have seen in the last 10 years. Superb transfer from AE as well (and the Italian disc isn't English-friendly so this is your ticket).

15. Stalker: Unless you absolutely have to own this disc I won't recommend it. I have my reservations about it and I do believe that sooner rather than later we will have a definitive release. (Same goes for Andrei Rublev as Criterion will have the final say).

16. L'enui: First the film - very difficult to like, and extremely challenging. It is one of Kahn's best works but from what I have read in the press critics either hate or love it. The script is very polarizing. The AE disc is absolutely gorgeous and miles and miles ahead of the R1 wreck.

17. La Belle Noiseuse: I recommend that you wait. The current price for this disc, on my computer is 9.98, I have seen it as low as 5.99. The film needs no comments, the AE transfer is gorgeous and I prefer it over the Koch Lorber disc which has some minor combing.

18. Zidane: Never thought highly of this film even though I understand its mass appeal in the UK, or France for that matter. It is an interesting summation of the life of one of this century's greatest football players (sorry no soccer here ). I do believe that unless you follow European football this one would be a difficult sell.

19. Ivan's Childhood - The Criterion disc is better, substantially, but picture-boxed. Still, I would pick the R1 over this one.

20. Innocence - Magnificent film. Evocative and imaginative. I would strongly recommend that you pick the R2 disc as the R1 is non-progressive, sadly.

21. An Angel at My Table - the Criterion disc is the obvious choice here even though I don't like their color correction(s).

22. Code Unknown - this is a direct pot of the French MK2 release, very solid. Avoid the non-anamorphic R1 KINO. With this in mind however, if you are on the market for this film I would actually recommend that you spend a bit more and get the Haneke set. It is worth it.

23. Life is a Miracle - another Kusturica release and sadly another "missing in action" film as far as the US is concerned. Strongly recommended, not the director's best but after the long wait it is nice to have this one with a top-notch transfer (French port).

24. Pialat's Loulou - Good thing that AE are here. This is a superb film, at least as far as Pialat's body of work is concerned, and I don't think we will be getting it any time soon in the US (I thought Criterion might release a Pialat boxset but it is now a wishful thinking on my part I suppose). I strongly recommend that you pick this disc up as it uses the same transfer as the one from the Pialat French, unsubbed, boxset.

25. The Keys to the House - I am unsure if I like this transfer. It is not bad but somewhat dull. There are some edge-enhancement issues here. Still, for those who wish to own this film the AE release is notably better than the R1.

26. Time of the Wolf- same comments as the ones I made for Code Unknown, why not opt for the Hanake set.

27. The Girl from Paris - Sorry, AE isn't the way to go here, the French, English-friendly set wins (audio, extras).

28. Pickpocket - I believe that this disc is better than the Criterion. It uses the MK2 transfer and there are a number of other aspects I like better about it.

29. The Page Turner - I reviewed the R1 disc, a PAL-NTSC port, and ended up adding this AE release to my library.

30. The Piano Teacher - See the Code Unknown/Time of the Wolf comments.

31. Laissez Passer - Outstanding film with a rock solid transfer. Last week however this disc was selling for 4.99. One of Tavernier's best (and it has favorite Jacques Gamblin in it). The R1 release is PAL-NTSC port.

32. Beau Travail - I am a big fan of Claire Denis and own just about everything that has been released (I don't own Nenette...) and this film is on the top of my list. Excellent transfer and once again the R1 is a PAL-port.

33. Three Colors Trilogy - I am sorry, I prefer the R1 Miramax release, not a fan of the MK2 transfer which AE used.

Ok, this should do, the rest have high-price tags at the moment. If additional comments are needed, feel free to post.

Ciao,
Pro-B

How about AE's Mirror? I've never been too pleased with the Kino release, but I'm not sure AE is supposed to be that much better.

I'm surprised you think a definitive Stalker release is coming up. I hope you're right!

Again, the AE disc is slightly better than the KINO disc but the transfer has its fare share of issues.
The reason I am somewhat optimistic is because we are only a year away from celebrating the film's 30th anniversary and Tarkovsky's The Sacrifice had a new theatrical run in the UK this past December. 2009 isn't that far away.

Pro-B

Are the UK and the russian releases the same ?

Thank you Pro-b. YOu are credit to these forums.

I initially bought a few and will add more.

1 "Black Cat, White Cat [1998]"
Bajram Sevredzan; DVD; £4.66

1 "L'Ennui [2000]"
Charles Berling; DVD; £4.23

1 "Land And Freedom [1995]"
Ian Hart; DVD; £5.09

1 "The Consequences Of Love [2004]"
Toni Servillo; DVD; £5.09

1 "Innocence [2005]"
Marion Cotillard; DVD; £4.66

Yes, they are identical with the Russian disc offering more sub-options. If you are opting for the Russian disc, for whatever reason, make sure that you pick up the PAL version as their NTSC copy is also an improper PAL-NTSC port.

Samper: You're welcome.

Pro-B

Thanks Pro-B.
I just found the DVDTimes review, I'm lucky I own the PAL version, I didn't know their NTSC port are not that good.

The most annoying thing about Russian films on Artifical Eye is a minute long warning texts and Russian Cinema Council logo. They are unskippable and applied to movie spreaded discs.

I love this film. Highly recommended.

You should get Sorentino's new film then: The Family Friend (L'amico di Famiglia). Much more stylish, and dark. The AE disc is excellent.

Pro-B

The AE Springtime in a Small Town is the best English-friendly edition that I'm aware of -- the R1 from Palm is one of their classic PAL-to-NTSC jobs. A beautiful film even if the AE isn't perfect. Shanghai Dreams is a good little film ("little" in the complimentary sense) that doesn't have a U.S. distributor; it's not Wang's best, but it's pretty effective at straddling the line between melodrama and realism (moreso than Beijing Bicycle, IMO).