Deaf Crocodile

[Mario G.]

How would you rate the quality of the essays? That's what I'm most interested in, as far as the deluxe boxes go. I've only read two DC essays so far, and they were fine - relatively short, but well researched. I was hoping the multiple essays in the boxes might dive a bit deeper.

I wasn't particularly taken with the film (probably wasn't in the right mood when I watched it) so I only skimmed through the essays, but they were both relatively well written and informative from the bits I read. There doesn't seem to be a lot info about this movie online, so the extra context and facts is appreciated. I'm just not sure the essays alone make the set worth it. They're both decently length as far as included essays go (counted 18 total pages of essay text in the 60 page booklet), but I wasn't riveted enough by either to buckle down and give them a thorough read. If we're using the $9 difference in price between the standard and deluxe as a benchmark, I would not personally pay $9 to read these two essay.

[TMDaines]

All the non-slipcase editions come with the booklets still, right?

[Finch]

No. The booklets are now exclusive to the Limited Editions.

[karmajuice]

No. The booklets are now exclusive to the Limited Editions.

Going forward, at least. I believe all the OCN-era releases will still have booklets, even without the slipcase.

[MichaelB]

My three-month international subscription package has just turned up, and I can see that I'm going to have to have a significant shelf-space rethink going forward!

Still, they look gorgeous.

[Finch]

Has anyone who didn't order Adela from Deaf Crocodile or Diabolik direct received their copy yet? Seems they're taking forever to provide other retailers like Orbit with their stock.

[TechnicolorAcid]

Has anyone who didn't order Adela from Deaf Crocodile or Diabolik direct received their copy yet? Seems they're taking forever to provide other retailers like Orbit with their stock.

My guess is that those retailers get it a month after stock from those two places ship out as was my experience with getting Savage Hunt.

[Finch]

Agh, wonderful. It's holding up my order of Love on Delivery which I've been dying to see since I watched VS's trailer. Thanks for letting me know, TA. I'll just order from DC direct and not add their titles to my Orbit orders anymore. Tired of a single title holding up everything else.

[What A Disgrace]

I got a cute little Deaf Crocodile coin with my copy of In the Moscow Slums.

[Finch]

Gwen and the book of Sand is getting a 4K with Dolby Vision and HDR as well as the Blu ray (I'm not sure if two or three months ago it was originally announced as the former; I know Felidae was and one other title). The screenshots shared in their newsletter look lovely.

[ryannichols7]

I got the King Stakh box as a test and it didn’t make me feel like I needed to get the box versions going forward. On disc stuff is great as always, but the physical extras felt a bit more amateurish. Box isn’t the same quality as the Arrow ones and the booklet featured a larger number of stills from the film than I was expecting. I also just can’t help the feeling it’s missing polish. For example, book is missing a table of contents and the j card has an ineffable “graphic design is my passion” feeling to it. All extremely minor quibbles, but does not feel like a premium product in my opinion. Will still pick up the odd standard release here and there though!

did the same for Adela and mixed bag here - you're extremely spot on about the J-cards. I didn't see King Stakh's (though do plan to get it eventually) but Adela's J card is very amateur and comedic looking. I don't like this trend (that VS notably also do) where they feel the "back cover" or so can kinda be formatless. this continues with the inside case - I get their whole thing is being boutique or different than the other labels but I'd like to think there's a format for Bluray disc back covers? and it seems kinda wacky to deviate. anyway this is hard to describe so I won't nitpick it. the missing table of contents is a bit disappointing

but where we differ - I am pretty happy with the hardbox. it isn't insanely sturdy like some of the Arrow or MOC ones but you had me expecting much worse. I think Arrow used a similar one for the recent Withnail and I 4K and I'm pleased with it. I got this in an order with Michael Powell: The Early Works from BFI and that just has a cardboard side-entry slip, which is still quite nice. but the Deaf Crocodile one is nicer. I haven''t read the booklet yet but thumbing through it, it looked pretty legit! I know the work of Walter Chaw and especially Jonathan Owen, so I know I can expect really good quality writing, and the length looks pretty good, there's footnotes, etc. so I don't mind picking up the deluxe for now - I would love to see a few of these things change, but overall it's solid. I don't plan to buy everything this label does (it's a little too late to be 100% on slipcovers without paying an arm and a leg to VS scalpers on eBay, unfortunately) but since the deluxe editions are only a little bit more than the standards, I'll grab

hope this helps anyone curious about the delxue editions, as Mario's post did. I don't mean to "attack" this smaller label before anyone accuses me of doing so - I'm sure the two dudes that run it would say "sorry we'd rather focus on the disc content" which is fair, but just some feedback. that said, I cringed at first when I saw a QR code in the inside case, but what did it lead to? a transcript of the commentary in PDF form! that rocked! do more of that if possible! I'd love to be able to read back over what I just listened to. can't wait to watch the disc and listen to the commentary and all that, will try and follow up when I do

[Finch]

Based on the feedback on the deluxe editions, I'm feeling good about having gone for the standard edition of Adela and planning to do the same for any future title that piques my interest. At this moment, Radiance, Indicator and 88 are the only labels where I'm compelled to get the limited versions unless it's Arrow and a title I don't want to wait 6-12 months for the regular disc.

[ryannichols7]

Based on the feedback on the deluxe editions, I'm feeling good about having gone for the standard edition of Adela and planning to do the same for any future title that piques my interest. At this moment, Radiance, Indicator and 88 are the only labels where I'm compelled to get the limited versions unless it's Arrow and a title I don't want to wait 6-12 months for the regular disc.

I feel the pricing for the delxue isn't too exorbitant so I'm fine with it, but I wouldn't fault anyone for skipping them. I'm with you, while 88 isn't my cup of tea, I feel Radiance and Indicator really do the deluxe stuff best - Arrow's booklets sometime leave a little to be desired (but then they knock it out of the park with Moodysson and Bruce Lee? inconsistent!). I love the look of the new Silence of the Lambs but wasn't in love with the book for it. MOC have cut back a little but theirs are great whenever they do happen. but yes, while I'm excited to read the essays for Adela, this was a $9 increase, so there is that...

[Finch]

I'm a fan of Walter Chaw too but not to the extent of paying $9 more. Your take on the Lambs book doesn't surprise me. Second Sight's book contributors aren't worth the extra expense most of the time either (most recent exception was Daniel Bird on Picnic). I do wish Arrow would follow Second Sight's practice of announcing all editions simultaneously but maybe that's THG's call rather than Arrow's.

[ryannichols7]

yes, I was gonna say if anything we should praise DC for offering the standard edition alongside the deluxe. it's definitely a practice I support - I understand Radiance or Indicator not doing it, since their LEs aren't usually "super" deluxe sort of deals like Arrow and SS are (with some exceptions). I own very few SS releases but since I'm choosy I usually get ones Daniel Bird is involved with (Berlin Alexanderplatz, Heimat) so I've been really pleased with the quality so far. I'm probably gonna adopt this for Deaf Crocodile going forward - I am intrigued by King Stakh and maybe even In the Moscow Slums but they have stuff in the pipeline upcoming that's decidely not for me as much, so if I blind buy I'm more likely to go for the standard. I see Chaw did an essay for Moscow and Peter Rollberg seems to have decent credentials, so who knows, maybe I will keep this up!

above all, props to Craig and Dennis for breaking free and doing their own thing. I genuinely really hope it's successful for them, and I'll support it where I can

[ikms]

Got my international subscription as well, but ouch - that shipping cost ($40?!? Covid era rates!) for just the three discs, and diabolik won't attach to another order, or allow a hold for the next installment. The next "subscription" (shouldn't that be "one-off-bundle"?) includes five titles:

• TRAPPED ASHES (4K/HDR & Blu-ray Combo) LIMITED DELUXE EDITION
• TAMALA 2010: A PUNK CAT IN SPACE LIMITED DELUXE EDITION
• THE OUTCASTS LIMITED DELUXE EDITION
• FELIDAE (4K/HDR & Blu-ray Combo) LIMITED DELUXE EDITION
• THE GOLDEN FERN LIMITED DELUXE EDITION

$210 shipped. I pulled the trigger once more but on consideration I think it makes sense to just order titles I am interested in from DC direct and use a package forwarder at the end of the year (Trapped Ashes, err???). I just received the BFI Flipside for The Outcasts yesterday but luckily it seems the DC supplements are quite divergent:

• New video interview with director Robert Wynne-Simmons (assuming this is the same?)
• New Commentary by producer and professor Rod Stoneman, former head of the Irish Film Board and former Director of the Huston Film School at the National University of Ireland, Galway
• New Essay by Paul Duane (deluxe edition exclusive)
• New Essay by Walter Chaw (deluxe edition exclusive)
• Rare early short films by Robert Wynne-Simmons including: “The Judgement Of Albion – Prophesies of William Blake”, “The Scroll”, “L’Eredita di Diavolo”, “The Greatest All Star Advertial Of All Time” (featuring Charlton Heston, Michael Redgrave, Brian Rix, and Peter O'Toole) and “Bomb Disposal” (featuring a cameo by Sammy Davis Jr.)

[What A Disgrace]

Speckled Max and the Spooks was confirmed for 2025.

[domino harvey]

A handsome young shepherd (Jean Marais lookalike Vít Olmer) stumbles across a magical golden fern in the forest, which transforms itself into a stunning, enigmatic woman, Lesanka (Karla Chadimová) who becomes hopelessly devoted to him.

This is such a bizarre thing to say in an official description. We’re now not namechecking other films the stars have been in, but highlighting that they look like someone else?

[MichaelB]

I rather like it. For starters, they're not wrong, and it's much more eye-catching than, say, namechecking another Vít Olmer film that - let's be realistic here - non-specialists are unlikely even to have heard of, let alone seen.