Bruno Dumont

[Oedipax]

Has Blaq Out said why they chose to forgo English subs? It just seems like such a no-brainer. The set could still be region-locked if they wanted. I just don't get it.

No specific stated reason that I'm aware of. It seems quite common behavior from a lot of French video distributors; une certaine tendance one could say. Even if they did limit an English-subbed release to region B, I suppose it could still hamper the ability for a UK distributor to sell their own version - it's kind of a secondary forced regionalization. The trouble is I doubt we'll see such a lavish and all-inclusive set from any other region, whether for reasons of diverse rights-holders or simply because of a lack (real or perceived) of commercial prospects. Just a few years ago we were begging for a bluray of Hors Satan to be released anywhere, after all.

[MichaelB]

The rightsholder may have explicitly forbidden English subtitles.

[repeat]

...speculating that they would be able to sell the rights to someone in the English-speaking world - which in a case like this is frankly just exceedingly unthinkable. So non-Francophone fans lose out, Blaq Out loses sales: who profits from this continuing idiocy? (Having said that, I'm getting this set, subs or not - they're really not that indispensable for these films, and besides, what better excuse to practice one's French listening comprehension?)

[tenia]

who profits from this continuing idiocy?

The right holders (1) and his English-World partners (2) who are happy to sell twice the rights (1) without having overlapping competition (2).

But otherwise, everybody loses.

[repeat]

who profits from this continuing idiocy?

The right holders (1) and his English-World partners (2) who are happy to sell twice the rights (1) without having overlapping competition (2).

Of course, but in a case like this where it is absolutely blindingly obvious that no second sale is likely to ever occur, one wishes that said rightsholders had some tiny grasp of marketplace realities to keep their greedy/misguided speculations in check.

Anyway, I'm not complaining for myself - after all releases like this (or Carlotta's Yoshida sets, or Potemkine's Panfilov box, etc. etc.) also serve as reminders that an at least passable grasp of French is no less mandatory in this walk of life these days than it was 50 years ago. But as someone dedicated to sharing the things I love with others, and knowing full well that those others may not have the patience to acquire new language skills for that purpose, they also always make me wish it didn't have to be quite so damn mandatory!

[Oedipax]

Maybe we'll see a shift in this behavior; after all, every film in this set was immediately made available in back channels online (a couple weeks before my set even arrived, actually) with English subs ported over from the earlier DVD releases. But I suppose as long as the number of potential buyers for an English-friendly set in another territory/region outnumbers the number of people savvy enough and willing to download a custom version online, we'll still see your more casual viewers and their dollars being excluded while the pirates get to enjoy free subtitled HD transfers.

[Dazza]

I don't know if it's been mentioned anywhere else, but I received my set a couple of weeks or so back and the Twentynine Palms disc includes the option of English subs as well as the expected French/French SDH ones. This isn't mentioned anywhere on the box (or sleeve for the individual film), but it is selectable from the menu.

And, just to repeat what's already been said in this thread - this really is a stunning set, with incredible PQ.

[thebrownbunny]

I don't know if it's been mentioned anywhere else, but I received my set a couple of weeks or so back and the Twentynine Palms disc includes the option of English subs as well as the expected French/French SDH ones. This isn't mentioned anywhere on the box (or sleeve for the individual film), but it is selectable from the menu.

Can you confirm whether any of the other discs in the set have english subtitles available?

[accatone]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m8oUfSM-CGk

L'EMPIRE - Bande-annonce

[Michael Kerpan]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=m8oUfSM-CGk

L'EMPIRE - Bande-annonce

Looks like it could be entertaining (and has a bit of kinship to his Joan films -- but updated).

[Soothsayer]

More like the Quinquin series (same detectives).