Question:
...now that I ordered several RUSCICO DVDs the expensive way - direct from the RUSCICO site - I find that I could have ordered the same discs at a <a href="http://www.krdvd.com/browse.php?cid=10">considerably lower price</a> from this e-tailer (who, it seems, ships from Korea and/or Canada)...
...as Charlie Brown would say, . . . RATS ! ! ! . . .
. . . :( . . .
Damn you Charlie Brown. Why did you have to go on and spoil everything? I was perfectly happy sending out $35 checks every couple of months to the Gulag. And now... Now that I've already bought Dersu Uzala?
Ooops Lucy just pulled the football away.
:notworthy
Hey great find hendrick ... these are new as I looked at this site only last week and they had no russian section.
They do look like direct rusisco transfers although Spectrum is a Korean distributor.
does anyone know where to find reviews or detailed extra lists for Rusisco?
definitely fancy buying 'Come and See' which is arguably the best film about war ever made (gets ready for incoming criticism!)
thanks for any help, excuse me for being dumb
Arg...bought The Cranes Are Flying only yesterday.
Looks like I'll be saving money in the future though :thumbs:
Originally posted by jimto
does anyone know where to find reviews or detailed extra lists for Rusisco?
definitely fancy buying 'Come and See' which is arguably the best film about war ever made (gets ready for incoming criticism!)
I doubt you'll get too much criticism from people who have actually seen it!
I've reviewed the following:
<UL><LI><A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=524&story=2598">Aladdin's Magic Lamp</A> (fairly mediocre kids' film, not a patch on Disney)
<LI><A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=737&story=2971">Amphibian Man</A> (a little gem, a kind of aquatic Soviet <I>Edward Scissorhands</I>)
<LI><A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=309&story=2257">Ballad of a Soldier</A> (highly distinguished war film about a 19-year-old soldier)
<LI><A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=535&story=2624">The Cranes are Flying</A> (ditto, though this time about a girl whose lover is fighting)
<LI><A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=300&story=2235">Professor Dowell's Testament</A> (intriguing sci-fi film crammed with ideas, but preferring talk to action)
<LI><A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=594&story=2692">Solaris</A> (Tarkovsky's flawed but fascinating sci-fi classic, recently remade by Steven Soderbergh)
<LI><A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=785&story=3079">Stalker</A> (Tarkovsky's astonishing dystopian philosophical masterpiece - not really "sci-fi" in the accepted sense: it's more of a spiritual quest)
<LI><A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=500&story=2555">The Tale of Tsar Saltan</A> (delightful Pushkin adaptation of Russian folk tales, with charmingly ramshackle special effects)
<LI><A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=733&story=2964">Treasure Island</A> (competent but uninspired Robert Louis Stevenson adaptation)
<LI><A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=262&story=2133">Viy</A> (my first Ruscico disc is still my favourite: a wonderfully rip-roaring supernatural horror film with some of the creepiest monsters I've seen in ages)</ul>
Unfortunately, my subscription copy of <I>Come and See</I> has yet to arrive (despite it being released nearly a year ago), so I can't comment on that - and neither can I comment on <I>Mirror</I> (whose 5.1 remix is apparently ghastly) for the same reason. And there's also been a slight hiatus in my epic review project due to pressure of work and my current lack of a 5.1 sound system, though I do plan to continue it as soon as I can.
I've now seen enough to get a general idea of what to expect - the transfers are anamorphic where necessary, in the correct aspect ratio and sourced from often startlingly good prints, though they're prone to occasional annoying digital glitches (very momentary background freezing, for instance).
Soundwise, they're more controversial, as you only have the option of a 5.1 remix - <I>Stalker</I> is the exception, because there was such outrage over the remix that they reissued the title with a mono alternative. To be honest, I wish they'd include the mono original as mandatory on all their discs - with the possible exception of the titles aimed at very young children, I can't see any particularly good reason for including an English dub track, as the kind of people who'd buy these discs in the West would almost certainly only be interested in the Russian. Hopefully the row over <I>Stalker</I> and what looks like an even bigger row over <I>Mirror</I> (which doesn't include the mono original) might make them reconsider on this point.
No quibbles about the subtitles, though - often a dozen languages or more, generally covering every major European language plus Chinese, Japanese, Arabic and Hebrew. I can only vouch for the English subtitles, but they're excellent - very clear, idiomatic and they take real trouble to match the tone of the film (for example, <I>Treasure Island</I> has subtitles in authentic "arr Jim lad" English, while <I>The Tale of Tsar Saltan</I> even attempts a rhyming version of the Pushkin original!)
The extras are a real mixed bag - you almost invariably get filmographies, a stills gallery and a load of trailers, and most discs throw in quite a few other items: cast and crew interviews (either archive or specially shot for the DVD), documentaries, old footage, short films, cartoons, etc, some of which are fascinating - <I>Viy</I>, for instance, throws in an hour's worth of silent Russian horror films from the pre-Revolutionary era.
My only real complaint is that the menu design is so idiosyncratic that it's easy to miss something (<I>Andrei Rublyov</I> hides most of its extras in the chapter selection menu, and you really have to trawl through every filmography!) - and even if you find it there's often precious little contextual information.
But on the whole, without being in any way blind to their faults, I'm still extremely supportive of what Ruscico are doing - and I'd love other countries to attempt similar surveys of their output: it's hard to imagine the rationale for releasing some of the more obscure titles except as part of a project like this!
Whoops - double post, and at that length one is quite enough! :D
ah Dersu Uzala, have that on tape from Ch4, havent seen it yet.
anyone want to share their thoughts on this film, i dont even know what it is about.
Originally posted by KeyserSoze
ah Dersu Uzala, have that on tape from Ch4, havent seen it yet.
anyone want to share their thoughts on this film, i dont even know what it is about.
Dersu Uzala is possibly my favourite Kurosawa film. Can't really give you a much higher recommendation than that.
KeyserSoze: ...take a look <a href="http://www.cinescene.com/flicks/flicks042002.htm#dersu">here</a>...
. . . :o . . .
Yes, Spectrum have the rights to release most of the Ruscico titles in Korea - I read that on a Korean film site last year. I think Spectrum also have a deal to release some Bergman films - I think the same range that Tartan have been offering.
Bear in mind that these (or at least the Ruscicos) will be NTSC conversions from PAL sources with a noticeable drop in picture definition. There've been some complaints about the R1 release of 'Come & See'.
Originally posted by Hendrik
...now that I ordered several RUSCICO DVDs the expensive way - direct from the RUSCICO site - I find that I could have ordered the same discs at a <a href="http://www.krdvd.com/browse.php?cid=10">considerably lower price</a> from this e-tailer (who, it seems, ships from Korea and/or Canada)...
...as Charlie Brown would say, . . . RATS ! ! ! . . .
. . . :( . . .
Are those prices quoted in US$ or CAN$? The $19 discs will cost just above £10inc. in the latter currancy but just over £17inc. in the former.
Amphibian Man and Professor Dowel's Testament cost me £13.79inc. and £14.82inc. respectively direct from Ruscico.
They're quoting canadian post and will only accept payment via PayPal.
"...Amphibian Man and Professor Dowel's Testament cost me £13.79inc. and £14.82inc. respectively direct from Ruscico...."
...don't know how that computes from your POV... all I know is that, when I order direct from RUSCICO, they charge USD28.00 for a single-disc release (e.g. "The Cranes Are Flying", "Ballad Of a Soldier") and USD35.00 for a double disc release (e.g. "Solaris", "Agony", "Come And See")... and when you add it all up, that works out to a lot more than the amounts mentioned on the "Korean" site, even in USD (which is what, I'm sure, the prices shown on that site are, since it's a Korean, not a Canadian supplier!)...
. . . :o . . .
Originally posted by Hendrik
I[/i] order direct from RUSCICO, they charge USD28.00 for a single-disc release (e.g. "The Cranes Are Flying", "Ballad Of a Soldier") and USD35.00 for a double disc release
It isn't as straight forward as that Professor Dowell's Testament and Amphibian Man are both single discs and are $22 each on the RUSCICO site, here (http://www.ruscico.com/detail_eng.php?link=41) and here (http://www.ruscico.com/detail_eng.php?link=119)
Originally posted by Cornelius
Are those prices quoted in US$ or CAN$?
The prices are quoted in US$.
Also add US$4 for worldwide shipping.
...as Charlie Brown would say, . . . RATS ! ! ! . . .
. . . :( . . .
Answers:
Damn you Charlie Brown. Why did you have to go on and spoil everything? I was perfectly happy sending out $35 checks every couple of months to the Gulag. And now... Now that I've already bought Dersu Uzala?
Ooops Lucy just pulled the football away.
:notworthy
Answers:
Hey great find hendrick ... these are new as I looked at this site only last week and they had no russian section.
They do look like direct rusisco transfers although Spectrum is a Korean distributor.
Answers:
does anyone know where to find reviews or detailed extra lists for Rusisco?
definitely fancy buying 'Come and See' which is arguably the best film about war ever made (gets ready for incoming criticism!)
thanks for any help, excuse me for being dumb
Answers:
Arg...bought The Cranes Are Flying only yesterday.
Looks like I'll be saving money in the future though :thumbs:
Answers:
Originally posted by jimto
does anyone know where to find reviews or detailed extra lists for Rusisco?
definitely fancy buying 'Come and See' which is arguably the best film about war ever made (gets ready for incoming criticism!)
I doubt you'll get too much criticism from people who have actually seen it!
I've reviewed the following:
<UL><LI><A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=524&story=2598">Aladdin's Magic Lamp</A> (fairly mediocre kids' film, not a patch on Disney)
<LI><A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=737&story=2971">Amphibian Man</A> (a little gem, a kind of aquatic Soviet <I>Edward Scissorhands</I>)
<LI><A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=309&story=2257">Ballad of a Soldier</A> (highly distinguished war film about a 19-year-old soldier)
<LI><A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=535&story=2624">The Cranes are Flying</A> (ditto, though this time about a girl whose lover is fighting)
<LI><A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=300&story=2235">Professor Dowell's Testament</A> (intriguing sci-fi film crammed with ideas, but preferring talk to action)
<LI><A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=594&story=2692">Solaris</A> (Tarkovsky's flawed but fascinating sci-fi classic, recently remade by Steven Soderbergh)
<LI><A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=785&story=3079">Stalker</A> (Tarkovsky's astonishing dystopian philosophical masterpiece - not really "sci-fi" in the accepted sense: it's more of a spiritual quest)
<LI><A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=500&story=2555">The Tale of Tsar Saltan</A> (delightful Pushkin adaptation of Russian folk tales, with charmingly ramshackle special effects)
<LI><A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=733&story=2964">Treasure Island</A> (competent but uninspired Robert Louis Stevenson adaptation)
<LI><A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/index.cgi?page=Review&id=262&story=2133">Viy</A> (my first Ruscico disc is still my favourite: a wonderfully rip-roaring supernatural horror film with some of the creepiest monsters I've seen in ages)</ul>
Unfortunately, my subscription copy of <I>Come and See</I> has yet to arrive (despite it being released nearly a year ago), so I can't comment on that - and neither can I comment on <I>Mirror</I> (whose 5.1 remix is apparently ghastly) for the same reason. And there's also been a slight hiatus in my epic review project due to pressure of work and my current lack of a 5.1 sound system, though I do plan to continue it as soon as I can.
I've now seen enough to get a general idea of what to expect - the transfers are anamorphic where necessary, in the correct aspect ratio and sourced from often startlingly good prints, though they're prone to occasional annoying digital glitches (very momentary background freezing, for instance).
Soundwise, they're more controversial, as you only have the option of a 5.1 remix - <I>Stalker</I> is the exception, because there was such outrage over the remix that they reissued the title with a mono alternative. To be honest, I wish they'd include the mono original as mandatory on all their discs - with the possible exception of the titles aimed at very young children, I can't see any particularly good reason for including an English dub track, as the kind of people who'd buy these discs in the West would almost certainly only be interested in the Russian. Hopefully the row over <I>Stalker</I> and what looks like an even bigger row over <I>Mirror</I> (which doesn't include the mono original) might make them reconsider on this point.
No quibbles about the subtitles, though - often a dozen languages or more, generally covering every major European language plus Chinese, Japanese, Arabic and Hebrew. I can only vouch for the English subtitles, but they're excellent - very clear, idiomatic and they take real trouble to match the tone of the film (for example, <I>Treasure Island</I> has subtitles in authentic "arr Jim lad" English, while <I>The Tale of Tsar Saltan</I> even attempts a rhyming version of the Pushkin original!)
The extras are a real mixed bag - you almost invariably get filmographies, a stills gallery and a load of trailers, and most discs throw in quite a few other items: cast and crew interviews (either archive or specially shot for the DVD), documentaries, old footage, short films, cartoons, etc, some of which are fascinating - <I>Viy</I>, for instance, throws in an hour's worth of silent Russian horror films from the pre-Revolutionary era.
My only real complaint is that the menu design is so idiosyncratic that it's easy to miss something (<I>Andrei Rublyov</I> hides most of its extras in the chapter selection menu, and you really have to trawl through every filmography!) - and even if you find it there's often precious little contextual information.
But on the whole, without being in any way blind to their faults, I'm still extremely supportive of what Ruscico are doing - and I'd love other countries to attempt similar surveys of their output: it's hard to imagine the rationale for releasing some of the more obscure titles except as part of a project like this!
Answers:
Whoops - double post, and at that length one is quite enough! :D
Answers:
ah Dersu Uzala, have that on tape from Ch4, havent seen it yet.
anyone want to share their thoughts on this film, i dont even know what it is about.
Answers:
Originally posted by KeyserSoze
ah Dersu Uzala, have that on tape from Ch4, havent seen it yet.
anyone want to share their thoughts on this film, i dont even know what it is about.
Dersu Uzala is possibly my favourite Kurosawa film. Can't really give you a much higher recommendation than that.
Answers:
KeyserSoze: ...take a look <a href="http://www.cinescene.com/flicks/flicks042002.htm#dersu">here</a>...
. . . :o . . .
Answers:
Yes, Spectrum have the rights to release most of the Ruscico titles in Korea - I read that on a Korean film site last year. I think Spectrum also have a deal to release some Bergman films - I think the same range that Tartan have been offering.
Bear in mind that these (or at least the Ruscicos) will be NTSC conversions from PAL sources with a noticeable drop in picture definition. There've been some complaints about the R1 release of 'Come & See'.
Answers:
Originally posted by Hendrik
...now that I ordered several RUSCICO DVDs the expensive way - direct from the RUSCICO site - I find that I could have ordered the same discs at a <a href="http://www.krdvd.com/browse.php?cid=10">considerably lower price</a> from this e-tailer (who, it seems, ships from Korea and/or Canada)...
...as Charlie Brown would say, . . . RATS ! ! ! . . .
. . . :( . . .
Are those prices quoted in US$ or CAN$? The $19 discs will cost just above £10inc. in the latter currancy but just over £17inc. in the former.
Amphibian Man and Professor Dowel's Testament cost me £13.79inc. and £14.82inc. respectively direct from Ruscico.
They're quoting canadian post and will only accept payment via PayPal.
Answers:
"...Amphibian Man and Professor Dowel's Testament cost me £13.79inc. and £14.82inc. respectively direct from Ruscico...."
...don't know how that computes from your POV... all I know is that, when I order direct from RUSCICO, they charge USD28.00 for a single-disc release (e.g. "The Cranes Are Flying", "Ballad Of a Soldier") and USD35.00 for a double disc release (e.g. "Solaris", "Agony", "Come And See")... and when you add it all up, that works out to a lot more than the amounts mentioned on the "Korean" site, even in USD (which is what, I'm sure, the prices shown on that site are, since it's a Korean, not a Canadian supplier!)...
. . . :o . . .
Answers:
Originally posted by Hendrik
I[/i] order direct from RUSCICO, they charge USD28.00 for a single-disc release (e.g. "The Cranes Are Flying", "Ballad Of a Soldier") and USD35.00 for a double disc release
It isn't as straight forward as that Professor Dowell's Testament and Amphibian Man are both single discs and are $22 each on the RUSCICO site, here (http://www.ruscico.com/detail_eng.php?link=41) and here (http://www.ruscico.com/detail_eng.php?link=119)
Answers:
Originally posted by Cornelius
Are those prices quoted in US$ or CAN$?
The prices are quoted in US$.
Answers:
Also add US$4 for worldwide shipping.
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