Japanese films on DVD - reply

[MileFilms@aol.com]

Dear Randy,

Yes, I do "watch" the Kine Japan list and offer ideas -- at least the spare 
times I have one. Having delegated new acquistions since my son was born 
three years ago, I'm just getting back to seeing a lot of films again. 

As for DVD, Milestone has deals with New Yorker (who will be putting out 
their first three releases which include Maborosi and Hana-Bi in December or 
so) and Image who will be putting out twenty-two DVDs of Milestone's at first 
which will include Village of Dreams, Woman in the Dunes and Antonio Gaudi. 
Woman in the Dunes, if a deal can be worked out, might actually go through 
Criterion. 

There is a mad rush for acquisitions from all companies this year (having 
released six Japanese films in a row, we're "doing" Europe at the moment) and 
I'm sure Image, Fox Lorber and Criterion will put out just about everything 
they own rights to on DVD with a lot more to come. Home Vision, of course, is 
a sister company to Criterion and everything on DVD will be produced and 
released by Criterion and distributed by Home Vision. As for New Yorker, they 
will take it very slowly but surely. It just might take some time.

Dennis Doros
Milestone


In a message dated 8/16/99 5:49:21 PM, ranman at csf.edu writes:

<< Both Amazon.com and Ken Crane's Laserdisc/DVD sell every Japanese language
feature currently available on DVD at 30% off list price. They both have
very useful online catalogues that include announcements of forthcoming
titles. Fox Lorber's DVD of Kurosawa's RAN is spectacular. It's never looked
so good. Not all of Criterion's Japanese films have yet made the transition
from laserdisc to DVD, and it's not a foregone conclusion that they will.
Image is also getting into the act with all three parts of Kobayashi's THE
HUMAN CONDITION for $25 each list. The largest Japanese collections on video
are still probably those of New Yorker and Homevision and are VHS only for
the forseeable future. I don't know about World Artists or Kino or
Milestone. Dennis, are you reading this? >>