Produced and Abandond #14

Ten more titles deserving a R1 DVD release:


1. M (1951)- Joseph Losey's remake of the Fritz Lang classic is available on a Blu-Ray Import from Spain, but no where to be found on these shores. TCM does have it in the rotation, and with a West Coast Losey retrospective upcoming, maybe this one will finally get a relese.

2. Black Cat, White Cat (1999)- Available on the old (and great) New Yorker VHS, Emir Kusturica's Serbian tale was part of the IFC channel's rotation back in the day, but long gone since. It's a bit sad that Kusturica has fallen off the cinematic map- although IMDB does show a couple of works in production- and his 90's run with lengthy, crazy masterpieces such as "Underground" and "Arizona Dream" were impressive.

3. The Goddess (1960)- Really more of an impassioned plea for more... any... Satyajit Ray on DVD. The synopsis, about a young woman's imposed marriage and the destruction it causes in her household, sounds immersive. One major blind spot in my cinematic viewing is Ray.

4. Before the Revolution (1964)- Another terrific film, once available on New Yorker, that served as one of my very first introductions to foreign cinema. I can remember picking up this Bertolucci film and Godard's "Contempt".... and the rest is history. I honestly don't understand why a major film such as this isn't available in the US, strictly confined to a BFI Blu-Ray version.

5. Night Wind (1999)- Like Satyajit Ray, "Night Wind" is more of a request that Philippe Garrel films are available out there. Granted, my appreciation of Garrel's work is inconsistent at best. I loved "Regular Lovers" and "Frontier of Dawn", yawned my way through his highly experimental "The Inner Scar" and remain lukewarm about "Emergency Kisses" and "I Can Hear the Guitar Singing". Having said all that, his films are exciting and meta-movie.... and I like that.

6. The Alphabet Murders (1965)- Frank Tashlin's detective spoof follows Detective Poirot (Tony Randall) as he investigates the above mentioned murders of the alphabet. I really have no idea how good this film is, but it routinely crops up on the lists of most requested movies wanted on DVD.

7. Air Doll (2009)- Maybe the idea of a blow-p doll coming to life and falling in love with a vieo store clerk is too risque for modern audiences? Nah. The more shocking fact is that "Air Doll" was directed by the acclaimed Hirokazu Koreeda and it can't find a home beyond a Canadian and Japanese DVD version.

8. El bonaerense (2002)- One of my favorite international directors working today is Pablo Trapero. Please, please seek out "Carancho" and "Lion's Den". This 2002 film tells the story of a locksmith who joins the Buenos Aries police force. Receiving alot of attention from Cannes and Toronto in '02, it's a complete mystery why this film isn't available (except in the UK, Spain, Greece....) and Trapero's other films are.

9. Man Without A Map (1968)- I do know where a copy of this long-lost Hiroshi Teshigahara film can be found and I'm considering it, since I doubt it'll ever be released. From IMDB- "A private detective is hired to find a missing man by his wife. While his search is unsuccessful, the detective's own life begins to resemble the man for whom he is searching." Teshigahara is such a provocative filmmaker. Three of his films were recently released in a boxset ("Woman In the Dunes", "Pitfall" and "The Face of Another") and all are worth your time.

10. Night breed (1989)- Oh the wrath this film brought upon itself from hard core Clive Barker fans. As a fourteen year old, it just scared the shit out of me. With Halloween approaching, I'd love to see it again. The DVD is OOP but can be bought reasonably on amazon.