Boutique Blu-ray

For the discussion of movies and TV shows not distributed by Toho.
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tbeasley
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Boutique Blu-ray

Post by tbeasley »

A thread to discuss boutique DVD and Blu-ray labels including Criterion, Arrow Films, Shout! Factory and many more. I'm aware of this thread, but considering it's more speculative in nature I thought a thread like this was warranted.

I'll start off by sharing this beauty from Criterion -

World of Wong Kar Wai
With his lush and sensual visuals, pitch-perfect soundtracks, and soulful romanticism, Wong Kar Wai has established himself as one of the defining auteurs of contemporary cinema. Joined by such key collaborators as cinematographer Christopher Doyle; editor and production and costume designer William Chang Suk Ping; and actors Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Maggie Cheung Man Yuk, Wong (or WKW, as he is often known) has written and directed films that have enraptured audiences and critics worldwide and inspired countless other filmmakers with their poetic moods and music, narrative and stylistic daring, and potent themes of alienation and memory. Whether they’re tragically romantic, soaked in blood, or quirkily comedic, the seven films collected here are an invitation into the unique and wistful world of a deeply influential artist.
Coming soon, available Mar 23, 2021
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Major sssspielberg!
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Re: Boutique Blu-ray

Post by Major sssspielberg! »

Recently copped Sonny Chiba's Street Fighter movies from Shout. Pretty damn fine but hard to buy Shout Select as a peer to Arrow-type releases. Pricepoint is good though, and the movies look ok.
Kaltes-Herzeleid wrote: Thu Jan 06, 2022 9:44 am I love Final Wars. I praise Final Wars. Simple as.

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kingkevzilla88
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Re: Boutique Blu-ray

Post by kingkevzilla88 »

We're living in great time for this. Since I love in the UK, the vast majority of my collection is made up of Arrow and 88 Films releases. I highly recommend the latter's Jackie Chan releases, there on the same level as Criterion.

I've said this before so many times, but buying a region free blu-ray player is a must if you want to get right into this.

Here's a list of all the English language, boutique labels.
  • 101 Films
    88 Films
    A24
    AGFA
    After Hours Cinema
    Artsploitation Films
    Arrow Video
    BFI
    Blue Underground
    Camp Motion Pictures
    Cauldron Films
    Code Red
    Criterion
    Cult Epics
    Dark Force Entertainment
    Epic Pictures
    Eureka
    Flicker Alley
    Garagehouse Pictures
    Grindhouse Releasing
    Imprint Films
    Kino Lorber
    Massacre Video
    MVD Rewind
    Mondo Macabro
    Paramount Presents
    Powerhouse/Indicator Films
    Retromedia
    Scorpion Releasing
    Second Run
    Second Sight
    Severin Films
    Shameless Screen Entertainment
    Shout/Scream Factory
    Something Weird
    StudioCanal
    SRS Cinema
    Synapse Films
    Troma
    Unearthed Films
    Vestron Video
    Vinegar Syndrome
    Warner Archive
    Wild Eye
Last edited by kingkevzilla88 on Sun Feb 07, 2021 7:39 am, edited 1 time in total.

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MaxRebo320
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Re: Boutique Blu-ray

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Good idea for a thread. A new label calling themselves Error 4444 have recently surfaced, promising to bring us underseen Asian horror/fantasy/sci-fi films. I would expect anything Toho from them, but stuff like some of Shintoho's Kaiden films (Particularly Nobuo Nakagawa's Ghost of Yotsuya) or Cruel Ghost Legend would be fantastic.
https://error4444.bigcartel.com/
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Purzel2205
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Re: Boutique Blu-ray

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MaxRebo320 wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 11:08 am Good idea for a thread. A new label calling themselves Error 4444 have recently surfaced, promising to bring us underseen Asian horror/fantasy/sci-fi films. I would expect anything Toho from them, but stuff like some of Shintoho's Kaiden films (Particularly Nobuo Nakagawa's Ghost of Yotsuya) or Cruel Ghost Legend would be fantastic.
You can currently help secure additional funding for them by voting for them in a competition, its linked on their instagram and facebook

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Angilasman
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Re: Boutique Blu-ray

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Man, I love collecting movies - I used to buy too much, ended up selling or trading half of what I got, but I'm better now; renting and streaming primarily and only buying what I'm sure I want in my collection.
I feel like 90% the Blu-rays I own come from boutique labels. Despite the downturn in physical media, the last couple years have been excellent for the format, as the market has recalibrated for weirdo collectors like me!

The big Wong Kar Wai box is intriguing. He is one of the biggest holes in my movie knowledge, and while I understand there's been controversy over him tinkering with the new versions of the films, George Lucas-style, as I have never seen them before and have no connection to the previous versions, that's not much of an issue for me!
Recently copped Sonny Chiba's Street Fighter movies from Shout. Pretty damn fine but hard to buy Shout Select as a peer to Arrow-type releases. Pricepoint is good though, and the movies look ok.
Shout brought out their Street Fighter set at roughly the same time Arrow released their Sister Street Fighter set almost exactly two years ago. I remember because I got both for my birthday! Chiba is just brutal, but I like Etsuko Shinomi just as much because of the way she snaps into those clean, cool-looking martial arts poses!

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Major sssspielberg!
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Re: Boutique Blu-ray

Post by Major sssspielberg! »

Angilasman wrote: Wed Feb 10, 2021 6:40 pm Shout brought out their Street Fighter set at roughly the same time Arrow released their Sister Street Fighter set almost exactly two years ago. I remember because I got both for my birthday! Chiba is just brutal, but I like Etsuko Shinomi just as much because of the way she snaps into those clean, cool-looking martial arts poses!
I really need to watch Sister Street Fighter, and I didn't know Arrow did a release of them. Checking out some clips on youtube right now and you're damn right, she really does snap into 'em!
Kaltes-Herzeleid wrote: Thu Jan 06, 2022 9:44 am I love Final Wars. I praise Final Wars. Simple as.

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Re: Boutique Blu-ray

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Severin Films's new box set, The Eurocrypt of Christopher Lee. It's six movies and a TV show.

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Angilasman
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Re: Boutique Blu-ray

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I just pulled "90% of my blu-rays are from boutique labels" out of my ass a few days ago, but now looking closely at my shelves and... it's a true statement!

I'm trying to methodically go through my "to buy" list and knock everything out before they spend years on said list and go out of print (it happens!). Working my way through the Hammer Horror discs in my list (Shout Factory discs are all that's left), then onto the next subset.

The secret to having fun collecting something is to not let your eyes get bigger than your stomach, don't be afraid of getting rid of stuff, and don't let the size of your "to buy" list or a mountain of new purchases become overwhelming. You gotta find the balance, or else collecting becomes a chore.

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Angilasman
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Re: Boutique Blu-ray

Post by Angilasman »

KINO is putting out the classic Kolchak TV series on Blu ! They did the two TV movies a few tears ago and they were great releases. Excellent news!

Now if only someone would license Columbo. The HD versions have been streaming and on TV for years.

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Re: Boutique Blu-ray

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I'll admit, I haven't seen too much of Kolchak, but enjoyed what little I have, and would like to see it in full sometime. Guess this is the perfect opportunity. And indeed, Columbo is way overdue.

Yasuzo Masumura's rip-roaring satire of late 50s Capitalistic Japan Giants and Toys has been announced for release by Arrow. If you enjoy the Pacific Pharmacuticals scenes in King Kong vs. Godzilla, you should love this. I feel it's only a matter of time until we see Masumura's Blind Beast announced.
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Giants-a ... ay/286993/
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Angilasman
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Re: Boutique Blu-ray

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^ I tend not to "blind buy" these days, but I may make an exception here: I've heard a lot of reconnendations for this over the years!

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tbeasley
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Re: Boutique Blu-ray

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The original Nightmare Alley (1947) is coming to the Criterion Collection May 25, just in time for Guillermo del Toro's re-adaptation on December 3 -

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More of what's coming soon.
And new releases.

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Angilasman
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Re: Boutique Blu-ray

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^ Ooooh, have to pick that up during the next sale!

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Re: Boutique Blu-ray

Post by Terasawa »

It's cool that Arrow is releasing a Bill Rebane box set but it's cripplingly depressing that a brand new restoration of Monster A-Go Go will be available in the West before most of the best films in the Toho sci-fi catalog.
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Angilasman
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Re: Boutique Blu-ray

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When we getting the Coleman Francis retrospective?

(I'd buy a set of the Russia fantasy films featured on MST3K in a heartbeat. Those rock)

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Angilasman
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Re: Boutique Blu-ray

Post by Angilasman »

About two years ago Discotek released a nice little fleet of toku releases with Star Fleet, Message From Space, and Juspion. Since then, when asked about whether more toku is coming the response has been a rather cagey "that was an experiment." Well, now we've got a more promising hint towards more to come:

https://mobile.twitter.com/discotekmedi ... 1105096706

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Rando Yaguchi
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Re: Boutique Blu-ray

Post by Rando Yaguchi »

kingkevzilla88 wrote: Sun Feb 07, 2021 3:40 am We're living in great time for this.
Indeed. It's interesting that while physical media sales in general are in decline, boutique companies like Criterion are doing better than ever.

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Angilasman
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Re: Boutique Blu-ray

Post by Angilasman »

Wowee - according to their social media, Hakaider is the first Media Blasters release since their "return" to sell out of its first run. I give the company guff (and deservedly so), but after a round of solid releases and an emphasis on tokusatsu that seems to be doing well for them I'm excited about any new potential releases!

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Vakanai
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Re: Boutique Blu-ray

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Angilasman wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 2:54 pm Wowee - according to their social media, Hakaider is the first Media Blasters release since their "return" to sell out of its first run. I give the company guff (and deservedly so), but after a round of solid releases and an emphasis on tokusatsu that seems to be doing well for them I'm excited about any new potential releases!
Wow, that was quick. Hope they're in stock again with a second run next time I've got some cash to spare...
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