18 Passenger

Discuss releases by Second Run and the films on them.
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rs98762001
Joined: Mon Jul 25, 2005 6:04 pm

#26 Post by rs98762001 » Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:48 am

Fantastic news, and as good an explanation as could be hoped for.

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What A Disgrace
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#27 Post by What A Disgrace » Wed Jun 21, 2006 8:40 pm

And, here it is, according to Play.com.

'The Last Pictures': a documentary on the film and Andrzej Munk, made in 2001 by the assistant director on Passenger Andrzej Brzozowski

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What A Disgrace
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#28 Post by What A Disgrace » Wed Jul 05, 2006 7:42 am

...and now, delayed until August 28.

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What A Disgrace
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#29 Post by What A Disgrace » Sun Aug 06, 2006 9:33 pm

Final details according to Amazon.

Released for the first time on DVD this is one of the most audacious films ever made about the Holocaust. Regarded by critics as a lost masterpiece.
•"I can think of no other movie to compare…in the precise and harrowing of romantic beauty and terror" - New York Times Winner of Venice Film Festival and Special Award at Cannes on release.
•Andrzej Munk, the Director died during the making of the film; it was completed posthumously by colleagues.


Special Features
).•Extras include ‘The Last Pictures', a 47 minute documentary on the film and Andrzej Munk, made in 2001 by his assistant director on ‘Passenger', Andrzej Brzozowski.
•Digitally remastered and full audio restoration.
•New English subtitles.
•Booklet features essays on the film and filmmaker by academic/author Ewa Mazierska (Roman Polanksi and New European Cinema) and writer Stewart Klawans (The Nation).

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What A Disgrace
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#30 Post by What A Disgrace » Wed Aug 16, 2006 8:50 am

Hopefully, this is the last delay...new release is September 11.

rollotomassi
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#31 Post by rollotomassi » Wed Aug 30, 2006 7:30 am

It isn't...play now has 25th September...so many delays you'd think Railtrack were sponsoring Second Run these days. I'm beginning to think it'll never happen...that wy if it doesn, it's a bonus...

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Bikey
Joined: Wed Aug 17, 2005 4:09 am

#32 Post by Bikey » Wed Aug 30, 2006 11:56 am

"I think you will find that those series of delays were a matter for the train operating companies. We just maintain the track..."

If you look back over the last year I think that you will find that we delivered 94.7% of releases on time. This is in line with the targets set by the Culture Secretary's DVD Delivery Guidelines Advisory Panel.

Passenger will be available before the end of September.

rollotomassi
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#33 Post by rollotomassi » Wed Aug 30, 2006 3:31 pm

Fair enough, Bikey. We'll see what happens. What hasn't helped is that due to the delays re this and Teutonic we know of no future releases. We have heard The Party and the Guests and, best of all, Marketa Lazarova, are in the pipeline, but there's still nothing concrete (actual release date announcments, even if they were for January/Feb 07). I think the lack of optimism would be quenched a little if we actually had some news aboput future releases after this much cursed duo, so we were looking to the future...

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Bikey
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#34 Post by Bikey » Sun Sep 10, 2006 5:51 pm

Rollo,

Update posted:

viewtopic.php?t=5056

rollotomassi
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#35 Post by rollotomassi » Mon Sep 11, 2006 5:03 pm

Thanks for the info, Bikey. I have been telling friends that MLazarova will probably be Jan-Feb because I know both yourselves and nostalgia.cz have been working extensively on a restoration. The caps on their site look stunning. At last I'll be able to get rid of my awful semi panned DVDR and homemade cover.

I also hope the Jancsos will improve on the recent French releases. One suggestion for the future, however, might be to look back at some early Czech stuff from Martin Fric and, best of all, Gustav Machaty. His Erotikon, Extase and From Saturday to Sunday are waiting for proper versions...

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MichaelB
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#36 Post by MichaelB » Wed Sep 13, 2006 6:32 am

rollotomassi wrote:One suggestion for the future, however, might be to look back at some early Czech stuff from Martin Fric and, best of all, Gustav Machaty. His Erotikon, Extase and From Saturday to Sunday are waiting for proper versions...
There's tons of Martin Fric available in the Czech Republic, virtually all of it with English subtitles. Last time I checked, I counted 23 features available in English-friendly editions, and that may well be understating the situation.

Agree about Gustav Machaty, though.

rollotomassi
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#37 Post by rollotomassi » Wed Sep 13, 2006 2:19 pm

Yes, I know there's some Fric in the Czech Republic as I have my copies of Zeman's The Proud Princess and Menzel's Cutting it Short from there, but he should be known more over here...Machaty is long overdue...

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Bikey
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#38 Post by Bikey » Thu Sep 21, 2006 6:28 pm


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Ashirg
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#39 Post by Ashirg » Thu Sep 21, 2006 6:37 pm


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tavernier
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#40 Post by tavernier » Fri Sep 22, 2006 7:49 pm

davidhare wrote:The 1.66 framing of this disc is totally wrong!!!!!.What on earth did Second Run think they were doing?
Good question....when I saw this in NYC a few years back at a Munk retro, I was blown away by the widescreen shots, as beautiful as Marienbad (also shot using the Dyaliscope process).

Oops?

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Bikey
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#41 Post by Bikey » Sun Sep 24, 2006 10:13 am

Folks,

I meant to post this here and at the website when the Passenger details went live:

Andrzej Munk's PASSENGER was originally shot in Dyaliscope in 1960/61; unfortunately, neither the film's Producers nor the Polish National Archives were able to provide us with a copy in this aspect ratio. The best copy they had available was in 1:66; we delayed the release in the hope that the producers would be able to locate and provide us with a suitable Dyaliscope version.

In the meantime,we also tracked down the documentary "The Last Pictures" made by Andrzej Brzozowski, Munk's Assistant Director on PASSENGER. The many clips of PASSENGER used in Brzozowski's documentary are also in 1:66.

After months of searching, it seemed most unlikely that the producers would locate a reasonable quality version, without burnt-in subtitles and in the original aspect ratio. With no surviving member of the production team alive to consult, we finally decided it was more appropriate to make this important film available than to withold it's release. We hope you agree.

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tavernier
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#42 Post by tavernier » Sun Sep 24, 2006 10:17 am

Bikey wrote:I meant to post this here and at the website when the Passenger details went live:

Andrzej Munk's PASSENGER was originally shot in Dyaliscope in 1960/61; unfortunately, neither the film's Producers nor the Polish National Archives were able to provide us with a copy in this aspect ratio. The best copy they had available was in 1:66; we delayed the release in the hope that the producers would be able to locate and provide us with a suitable Dyaliscope version.

In the meantime,we also tracked down the documentary "The Last Pictures" made by Andrzej Brzozowski, Munk's Assistant Director on PASSENGER. The many clips of PASSENGER used in Brzozowski's documentary are also in 1:66.

After months of searching, it seemed most unlikely that the producers would locate a reasonable quality version, without burnt-in subtitles and in the original aspect ratio. With no surviving member of the production team alive to consult, we finally decided it was more appropriate to make this important film available than to withold it's release. We hope you agree.
Thanks for the explanation; is this information listed anywhere on the PASSENGER disc to warn buyers? It should be.

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MichaelB
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#43 Post by MichaelB » Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:52 pm

davidhare wrote:The NY 90s retro season had no problem acquiring a fine quality 35mm Scope print.
Were the subtitles burned in or electronically added?

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What A Disgrace
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#44 Post by What A Disgrace » Tue Sep 26, 2006 9:38 am

I don't mean to add further criticism, but I do think it would be best to seek out and secure ideal, or close to ideal materials for these releases before announcing them. I'm able to bear some of the problems with your past releases (the source material for Mother Joans, the non-progressive David Holzman, the heavy combing during select scenes of The Red and the White), but not having the proper aspect ratio is, in my opinion, something that your customers would consider worth pushing a release back for, especially one as significant as this. Even if it is for a long time.

If the opportunity presents itself in the future to release this film in a better presentation, will you be able to do so?

Mine is on the way, anyway.

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tavernier
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#45 Post by tavernier » Tue Sep 26, 2006 9:54 am

What A Disgrace wrote:Mine is on the way, anyway.
So is mine, and I'm not looking forward to it.

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Ovader
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:56 am
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#46 Post by Ovader » Tue Sep 26, 2006 11:12 am

Thanks to the information of this board I have cancelled my pre-order of this DVD. I will wait for a better alternative but will continue to support Secondrun with their other releases.

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Subbuteo
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 2:10 am
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#47 Post by Subbuteo » Tue Sep 26, 2006 6:04 pm

Bikey
As you can see members on this forum are passionate about film (as if you weren't aware), and clearly well informed!
It has to be said when a company such as Secondrun comes along there is jubilation as well as anticipation. Some of the titles you plan to release (have released) are much sought after by the brethren here... consequently expectations are high!
Secondrun have met those demands and if it is any consolation you have joined the pantheon of those held in high esteem on this forum. Remember both Criterion and MOC regularly receive microscopic analysis and appropriate critique.

In the case of 'Pasazerka' I must confess I share the dissapointment

rollotomassi
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#48 Post by rollotomassi » Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:14 pm

Well, I won't repeat what I said on the Knights of the teutonic Order page, only to say I will keep my order, but just have to make allowances for the shoddiness of the release.

I'm hopeful Marketa Lazarova will be better as I have seen the screencaps of the Czech restoration for that and they are proper 2.35. If the Second Run isn't, I'll just get the planned Czech release which will have English subs as well.

I think it's safe to say that both these releases, Passenger and Teutonic Order, have redefined the term 'anti-climactic" and hopefully Second Run will learn from this and not announce any future releases without securing the actual film as intended, rather than a bastardised version...

Hopefully we'll be OK with the Jancso releases, too, as they've been released in proper ratio in France, so they just need to obtain them and restore from that.

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Bikey
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#49 Post by Bikey » Thu Sep 28, 2006 6:01 am

OK so in repsonse to comments regarding our Passenger release that have been posted here (and elsewhere) can I first say I'm perfectly happy to come on here and defend our actions where necessary. This forum is full of passionate, knowledgeable people and we do accept that anything perceived to be substandard will, quite rightly, be picked up on and discussed (or torn to shreds) here. This forum is a key part of our core audience and we have to listen to what is posted here and take it on board.

In the case of Passenger we can see that what has offended so much was the lack of information about the release being in a compromised OAR. This was a balls-up on our part and I would like to extend our apologies to anyone who feels let down by this. However, this was a genuine mistake and not a deliberate omission. The production of Passenger was a very long, protracted affair and, for reasons way too dull to go into, the notice was missed from the artwork.

There was no duplicity intended on our part - we have always detailed any such information upfront (viz. Mother Joan, Konkurs and the forthcoming Knights) - and, while I may be reading too much into it, I absolutely reject any implication that there was. That really isn't our style. Our hopes of sustaining Second Run as a long term business would be lost if we started behaving in that kind of way. You have been with us right from the start of Second Run and know what we do and where our ethos lies.

We have always intended to bring you important and neglected films, in the best possible condition that we can and with as much care as if it was our own film. We hope you will continue to keep with us and I hope that some of our forthcoming 2007 releases will restore any faith that may have been lost over the last couple of days.

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Bikey
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#50 Post by Bikey » Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:44 am

That's a difficult one to call. We consider every film on an individual basis. The thing with ingrained subs is that, especially for our older Eastern Euro classics, it's not that the subs are ingrained that's the major problem but that the translations are so bad and can often completely damage one's understanding of the subtleties of the film.

I saw Intimate Lighting here at the NFT in London earlier this year and it was a miserable experience. Judging by the state of the print it was from the film's first release and the subs were borderline incoherent in places. Which, if you know the film well, can provide a certain masochistic kind of pleasure but if you don't know the film then it could seriously affect your enjoyment/response. This is why we go through the expense of commissioning new translations - in some cases it's not worth releasing no matter what condition or aspect ratio the rest of the film is in.

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