by Allan Fish
In the UK, the idea of anyone not having multi region playback facility, for DVD at least, is an unthinkable one. We have it easier, of course, in that the European PAL standard is sharper than NTSC so can adjust downwards much easier than NTSC equipment can grade upwards. Plus, in the US, there has always been a more isolationist stance that prevents people from going out there and actually realising there are great stuff beyond the 50 States.
This selection of 60 is of films released prior to 2011 on DVD or Blu Ray and which are available only abroad. In some cases the films themselves may be out in the US, but not of the same quality. This is an exercise in making people look beyond Criterion. Again, those not from the UK do have English subtitles.
60 – Kwaidan – Extended Version 1964, Masaki Kobayashi – DVD, Region 2, Masters of Cinema (UK)
Though there have been Criterion rumours since this was released, the Criterion under 3 hour version looks truly nasty compared to the full extended restoration here. I place it 60 only because there may even be a Blu Ray upgrade from Masters of Cinema themselves soon, so may be prudent to wait.
59 – Under the Bridges 1945, Helmut Kautner – DVD, Region 2, Transit (Germany)
One of the forgotten classics of German cinema, the best film of an equally forgotten director.
58 – Will Hay Collection 1934-1938, various – DVD, Region 2, ITV (UK)
I actually have them as individual double disc sets as below, but now available as a nine film set with Windbag the Sailor thrown in, these films represent the greatest comedy genius of British cinema of the 1930s at his peak with Oh Mr Porter! and Ask a Policeman highlights.
57 – Blood on Satan’s Claw 1970, Piers Haggard – DVD, Region 2, Network (UK)
A beautiful remaster of one of the forgotten classics of British horror. Linda Hayden never better, despite awful demonic fake eyebrows, and poor Wendy ‘Zoe’ Padbury on the receiving end of one of the most disturbing rape and murder scenes you will see.
56 – Tabu 1931, Friedrich W.Murnau – DVD, Region 2, Masters of Cinema
Murnau’s tropical idyll turned production nightmare as it was meant to be seen.
55 – The Battle of the Somme 1916, anon – DVD, Region 2, Imperial War Museum/DD Entertainment (UK)
One of the most moving of all pieces of war reportage and priceless both cinematically and historically.
54 – The Witness 1968, Petr Bacsó – DVD. Region 2, Mokep (Hungary)
One of the greatest and least seen political satires, banned for years, now available for those with the desire to seek it out.
53 – Roselyne et les Lions 1989, Jean-Jacques Beineix – DVD, Region 4, Madman (Australia)
Not necessary great cinema, but a welcome release of the full 3 hour director’s cut of Beineix’s most bizarre film.
52 – The Chelsea Girls 1966, Andy Warhol, Paul Morrissey – DVD, Region 2, Raro Films (Italy)
Love it or loathe it, it’s the only way you’ll probably ever see it.
51 – Toni 1934, Jean Renoir – DVD, Region 2, Masters of Cinema (UK)
One of Renoir’s forgotten masterworks. Get it quickly, it’s deleted after the Sony fire and prices will sky rocket.
50 – Hellzapoppin’ 1941, H.C.Potter – DVD, Region 2, Universal (UK)
The legal reasons why this has never been on VHS, let alone DVD, in the US are thornier than Christ’s crown, but it’s available easy here, so why are you still waiting?
49 – Dekalog 1-10 1988, Krzysztof Kieslowski – DVD, Region 2, Artificial Eye (UK)
Though it may be on DVD with Facets Stateside, it’s only a poor rip of this. Get the real thing.
48 – Alfred Hitchcock – The Early Years 1927-1938 – DVD. Region 2, Concorde (Germany)
Deleted but traceable if you look hard enough, the prints of The Man Who Knew too Much, The Secret Agent, Sabotage, Young and Innocent and The Lady Vanishes are better than any other on DVD. Also you get The Lodger and Downhill as well.
47 – Karin Mansdotter 1954, Alf Sjöberg – DVD, Region 2, Sandrews (Sweden)
Sjöberg’s second great film made from a Strindberg source. In America it doesn’t exist. To be fair, in Britain it largely doesn’t exist. There are other excellent Swedish films in this series with English subtitles that should be better known; Night Games (1966, Mai Zetterling), Dear John (1964, Lars-Magnus Lindgren), A Handful of Love (1974, Vilgot Sjöman), etc.
46 – Zvenigora 1928, A.P.Dovzhenko – DVD, Region 2, Mr Bongo (UK)
The one of the sacred Dovzhenko triptych not on DVD in the States. So what are you holding on for?
45 – Memories of Matsuko 2006, Tetsuya Nakashima – Blu Ray, Zone B, Third Window (UK)
While it may be on DVD in the US, it certainly isn’t on Blu Ray and few films improve so much for the upgrade. Confessions also on Blu Ray from Third Window and the same director.
44 – En cas de Malheur 1958, Claude Autant-Lara – DVD, Region 0, Prestige Film (Russia)
Though the French Rene Chateau DVD has English subtitles, the edge to this as it’s completely uncut, with the censored shot of Bardot reinstated into the actual film.
43 – Witches Hammer 1969, Otakar Vavra – DVD, Region 2, Bonton Film (Czech Republic)
Forget the Facets monstrosity, get the full 2.35:1 remaster to see a masterpiece of a master who reached 100 just prior to his death last year.
42 – Tokyo Story 1953, Yasujiro Ozu – Blu Ray, Zone B, BFI (UK)
The only place you can get Ozu on Blu Ray and you get Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family as a bonus on DVD. Other dual sets include Late Spring, Early Summer and An Autumn Afternoon.
41 – Benjamin Christensen Collection 1914-1916 – DVD, Region 2, Danish FilmMuseum (Denmark)
Two silent masterpieces from one of the great Scandinavian master; The Mysterious X (1914) and Blind Justice (1916).
40 – L’Idée 1932, Berthold Bartosch – DVD, Region 0, Re-Voir (France)
OK, so it’s expensive at £30 ($45) for a half hour film, but with rarities like this, you have to take the leap. Re-Voir’s package is fully English friendly including the booklet. Other rarities from them include Isadore Isou’s Traite de bave et d’éternité (1951).
39 – Master of the House 1925, Carl Th. Dreyer – DVD, Region 2, BFI (UK)
Criterion’s Danish Dreyers didn’t go back to the silents, but this is the best of them, a wonderful piece that deserves to be far better known.
38 – Rouge 1987, Stanley Kwan – DVD, Region 6, Fortune Star (Hong Kong)
Superb special edition of Kwan’s romantic masterwork, with a booklet which, while only in Chinese, acts as a lovely tribute to its ill-fated stars, Leslie Cheung and Anita Mui. His Actress (Centre Stage) is also available in Hong Kong in an extended version.
37 – Shoah 1985, Claude Lanzmann – DVD, Region 2, Masters of Cinema (UK)
The version approved by Lanzmann and as monumental as the subject demands. Essential.
36 – Verdun 1928, Leon Poirier – DVD, Region 2, Carlotta (France)
Another masterwork about World War I neglected in the English speaking world.
35 – When the Cat Comes 1963, Vojtech Jasny – DVD, Region 2, FilmExport (Czech Republic)
One of the great children’s fantasies from the country that does them for fun. Make sure you get the version in the picture – note the telltale British flag to denote English subs that is on all FE’s English subbed DVDs.
34 – The New Babylon 1929, Grigori Kozintsev, Leonid Trauberg – DVD, Region 2, ARTE (Germany)
The best of Kozintsev and Trauberg’s classics and a gorgeous transfer. Should need no more recommendation.
33 – Enthusiasm 1931, Dziga Vertov – DVD, Region 0, FilmMuseum (Germany)
Vertov’s early sound masterpiece in a dog’s bollocks version from the greatest independent film restoration company in Europe. Show your gratitude, slaves.
32 – French Can-Can 1954, Jean Renoir – Blu Ray, Zone B, Gaumont (France)
Though the same print has been ported into a BFI Blu Ray only a couple of months ago, which to be honest, you’re as well getting, I mention this here because Gaumont did the restoration job.
31 – Erotikon 1929, Gustav Machaty – DVD, Region 2, FilmExport (Czech Republic)
One of the greatest unseen masterpieces of the silent cinema. Period.
30 – Lorna/Mudhoney 1964-1965, Russ Meyer – DVD, Region 2, Arrow (UK)
Criminal that so many Meyer films are still not available in the US. Lorna may be mediocre, but Mudhoney is one of the great underground masterpieces and essential for any student of trash.
29 – Buster Keaton Shorts Collection 1919-1923 – DVD, Region 2, Masters of Cinema (UK)
The best all in one package of Keaton’s two reelers, from his early Arbuckle classics to the unqualified masterpieces Cops, The Electric House, The Paleface and One Week. Heaven.
28 – The Story of Sin 1975, Walerian Borowczyk, Nouveaux (UK)
Borowczyk’s most unnerving study of sexual obsession, maybe not quite his masterpiece (that, Blanche, still awaits a release anywhere) but it’s special in itself.
27 – The Tale of the Fox 1930, Wladyslaw Starewicz – DVD, Region 0, Doriane Films (France)
Starewicz’s masterpiece. Do you really need persuading?
26 – Metropolis 1927/2008, Fritz Lang – DVD/Blu Ray Combo, Region/Zone B, Masters of Cinema (UK)
Though in terms of quality it should place higher, it drops a bit because it is on Blu Ray in the US on Kino. But there’s only one version to get…really. The green covered copy in the photo is DVD and Blu Ray combined. Red is DVD only, Blue is Blu Ray only.
25 – Le Diable au Corps 1947, Claude Autant-Lara – DVD, Region 2, Warner/Studio Canal (France)
Getting a place this high not only due to its quality because it’s a rare instance of the French actually putting English subs on a classic film release. Come on, Messieurs. I can understand it with new films you want to get their own release later on, but with classics, it’s silly…
24 – L’Argent 1928, Marcel l’Herbier – DVD, Region 2, Masters of Cinema (UK)
Essentially a port of the Carlotta French DVD restoration, but made English friendly, an essential purchase of the commonly acepted masterpiece of one of the French film masters ignored in the US. Ironically, he made one film even better, Le Diable au Coeur (1928), not to be confused with the previous entry, but that isn’t on DVD.
23 – The Great War 1964 TV – DVD, Region 2, DD Entertainment (UK)
The greatest war documentary series of all time – OK, a tie with Burns’ The Civil War – and the definitive statement on the greatest calamity to befall mankind. This should be shown in schools in the US and UK through November.
22 – Vive l’Amour 1994, Tsai Ming-Liang – DVD/Blu Ray Combo, Multi Zone, Taiwan Film Archive (Taiwan)
Though it is on DVD in a now deleted print in the US, this version blows it away so much and is the peak of a series released by the Taiwanese archive that also included Hsiao-Hsien’s Dust in the Wind. Either will suffice.
21 – Steptoe and Son 1962-1974, various – DVD, Region 2, BBC (UK)
The greatest two hander sitcom in history in a deluxe boxset. Every episode. Pure genius. Makes the US remake Sanford and Son look like the drivel it is.
20 – Visage 2009, Tsai Ming-Liang – DVD, Region 2, ARTE (France)
Impossible to describe for those who haven’t seen it, but essential to a select few who have. Costly, but worth every Euro.
19 – Laurel & Hardy Collection 1926-1940 – DVD, Region 2, Universal (UK)
While the features and some of the talkie shorts are available in the US, the only place to see all them plus the silents is here in this now quite cheap boxset. I bought each volume individually when they were going cheap, but it’s as easier to get the boxset.
18 – Sacha Guitry Collection 1936-1939 – DVD, Region 2, Gaumont (France)
Losing a few place because several of the films here did get a Criterion Eclipse release, but two essentials didn’t; Faisons en Reve and Mot de Cambronne, making this original set still the benchmark.
17 – Mikio Naruse Collection 1954-1960 – DVD, Region 2, BFI (UK)
While one third of this triptych, When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960), is available on Criterion, the other two, Late Chrysanthemums (1954) and the imperious Floating Clouds (1955) are not and remian unlikely to be so. You know it makes sense…
16 – Humanity and Paper Balloons 1937, Sadao Yamanaka – DVD, Region 2, Masters of Cinema (UK)
Yamanaka’s masterpiece rescued from oblivion and, if rumours are to be believed, to be joined in 2012 by his Sazen Tange and the Pot Worth a Million Ryo (1935), which may be better still.
15 – Land of Promise 1931-1948 – DVD, Region 2, BFI (UK)
A collection of the greatest documentaries ever made, including seminal works by Flaherty, Rotha, Jennings and Wright.
14 – Sátántangó 1994, Béla Tarr – DVD, Region 2, Artificial Eye (UK)
While it’s also available on Facets, does anyone seriously not want to own what will probably remain the best edition?
13 – The Wedding at Hardanger 1926, Rasmus Breistein – DVD, Region 2, Norwegian Film Institute (Norway)
One of the greatest of all Scandinavian silents and virtually unknown outside of its homeland.
12 – A Man Escaped 1956, Robert Bresson – Blu Ray, Zone B, Gaumont (France)
OK, so it may come to the UK or US on Blu Ray even this year, but do you really want to risk losing it?
11 – Blood 1989, Pedro Costa – DVD, Region 2, Second Run (UK)
While Second Run are best known for their Eastern European output and for the release of Marketa Lazarova which would have placed higher had the Czech Blu Ray not supplanted it last month, I’ll go for this as the nicest surprise, a great film about childhood and thoroughly underappreciated.
10 – Cross of Love 1946, Teuvo Tulio – DVD, Region 2, Finn Kino (Finland)
The greatest film of the greatest melodrama master in all Scandinavia, and released in English friendly editions. The Way You Wanted Me in particular pushes close, but this is the cherry on the bakewell.
9 – Naruse Volume 1 1951-1956 – DVD, Region 2, Masters of Cinema (UK)
Moving into the top 10 there are quite a few entries now deleted that may cost something to get now but which makes them all the more essential. Sadly, this Naruse set, including Repast (1951), Sound of the Mountain (1954) and Flowing (1956), didn’t sell too well, and Vol 2 was put on the backburner long before the Sony fire disposed of all the stock and ensured its deletion. If only more people Stateside had been made aware, it might have sold well enough to encourage them to do Vol 2. A shame.
8 – The World 2004, Zhang Ke-Jia – Blu Ray, Zone B, Masters of Cinema (UK)
Superb transfer of a deeply complex film, for me Zhang’s best.
7 – Satyajit Ray Collection Vol 1 1963-1966 – DVD, Region 2, Artificial Eye (UK)
Though the Apu trilogy may seem a more obvious choice, a Blu Ray seems to be just around the corner, so try and seek this one out, with three superb works (The Big City (1963), Nayak (1966) and the masterful Charulata (1964).
6 – Sunrise 1927, Friedrich W.Murnau – Blu Ray, Zone B, Masters of Cinema (UK)
The greatest silent of them all on High-Def. You need telling any more? It had to be special to trounce the TCF print from the Murnau/Borzage/Fox set on Region 1, but it does.
5 – Tex Avery Collection 1942-1955 – DVD, Region 2, Warner (France)
Don’t ask me why Warner only released this in France and not the US or UK, but I’m glad I bit the bullet when I did. Red Hot Riding Hood, Magical Maestro, King Size Canary et al fully restored and remastered and with removable French subs.
4 – The Housemaid 1960, Kim Ki-young – DVD, Region 0, Korean Film Archive (South Korea)
Many Korean classics have been released since, but still the most important, a Hitchcockian tale of deceit that non-possession of should be a criminal offence.
3 – Blackmail 1929, Alfred Hitchcock – DVD, Region 2, Arte (Germany)
Yes, it’s available elsewhere, but not this sharp and not with the silent version as well.
2 – Heimat Trilogy 1984/1992/2004, Edgar Reitz – DVD, Region 2, Tartan/Artificial Eye (UK)
Though there is a Facets version of the first one (perhaps two), and there have been a couple of reissues in the UK, this is the version to get if you can track them down. The first two volumes were done by Tartan but Artificial Eye had the rights to the third. It was originally to be a blue box, but they agreed to combine with Tartan’s wishes and make it yellow so that, on the shelf, the set represents the German flag. Call me pernickety, but I wouldn’t have it presented any other way.
1 – Joyless Street/Die Freudlose Gasse 1925, G.W.Pabst – DVD, Region 0, FilmMuseum (Germany)
The greatest German silent not available on either Kino or Masters of Cinema is this truly splendorous restoration of Pabst’s first masterpiece, formerly only available at 60 or 90m, now fully restored to 150. Asta Nielsen’s last great part, Garbo’s second, so much to relish. Absolutely, life-threateningly essential.
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Writers/Founders
The only people who should seriously consider buying multi-region players are ones that regularly buy DVDs or blu-rays. The netflix service in the US will only offer Region 1 titles. But beyond this, the line-up here is more persuasive than anything a salesman could ever come up with.
Serious movie lovers should have this. The more casual viewers may never really ultilize the worth.
Casual viewers be damned, spawn of Satan! 🙂
I own 35 of these titles including the three Heimats and the Laurel and Hardy collection.
Wasn’t aware that HELLZAPOPPIN was out in the UK! Will get it, though I do have a copy of it on a DVDR.
I’ll have more to say later.
Didn’t realise you didnt have it. Just check you don’t. Sure it wasn’t one of the ones I got you when I bought you a tonne on my first stay over (along with Genevieve, Tree Grows in Brooklyn, etc).
I do have a copy, but not the original. I never did.
I really hate Facet DVDs. They have some of the greatest films in their collection: Dekalog, Satantango, Hitler – A film from Germany, Vally of the Bees and Marketa Lazarova, yet their transfers are just awful. I’m hoping either Kino or Criterion release some of their titles.
Personally I love The Chelsea Girls and believe it deserves a US release, along with Welles’ Falstaff, Cassavetes’ Love Streams, almost all of post 60s Godard (I’m happy to see Histoire(s) du cinéma finally hit the states, but still no Every Man for Himself or Number Two!?), and also ALL of Edward Yang’s films before Yi Yi (Taipei Story, Terrorizes, A Brighter Summer Day).
While I largely agree with you Anu, HITLER: A FILM FROM GERMANY, which is ONLY available from Facets, offers a nice transfer. VALLEY OF THE BEES is dire, but is has since usurped by that fantastic widescreen transfer by SECOND RUN. In some instances, though, like Vlacil’s THE WHITE DOVE we must be grateful we even have FACETS, as for all the questionable transfers, they are holding the torch for some titles that otherwise would not have been released by anyone. As to the Yangs I quite agree. The now defunct-online service SUPER HAPPY FUN, released A BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY and others in decent-quality prints, as they did the excellent Oshimas including BOY, DEATH BY HANGING and THE CELEBRATION with added translations.
To be fair, the Facets of the Syberbergs is nearly as good as that frpmthe Syuberberg Foundation in Germany that I have, they just ported it across but lost sharpness in changing to NTSC. If Facets hadn’t released them, they would of course have been in my 60, both Hitler and Ludwig.
The selection of the FilmMuseum THE JOYLESS STREET as the
#1 choice is admittedly an inspired one. It’s one of my most treasured DVDs as well, as like every title in this Rolls royce German series, it’s fantastic in every sense. The series can’t match Criterion nor Masters of Cinema in catalogue scope remotely, but I would say their DVDs are untouchable by anyone.
They are very pricey though, and you need to mortgage your house to pay for shipping from Germany.
I have five of these titles in my own collection. Allan has more.
I bought you three of them as presents including the Pabst 😀
You did indeed.
I went multi-region for DVD’s of Wender’s “Until the End of the World” and Godard’s “Histoire(s) du Cinema”, and though I’m often on the look out for things to pick up, it’s not a major priority at the moment. Partly because even with multi-region, you still have to be careful which sets to pick up. Case in point, a few months ago I was all primed up to purchase a UK release of the Satoshi Kon anime series “Paranoia Agent”, a show that had been popular in America but had gone out of print in R1 (something that happens more and more often nowadays– even “Neon Genesis Evangelion” is going out of print). The price was right, but a quick search to check out the set turned up one rather surprising fact– that the UK set had been cut by the BBFC, excising a scene in which a girl hangs herself. Hopefully there’ll be a future rerelease in the US, seeing as the show was just put on blu ray over in Japan (too bad my PS3 doesn’t do multi-region, but whatever).