Thank God for region-free players! (1 Viewer)

In Los Angeles, we have a couple of stores that sell DVDs from regions 2-7, and they are what made me dredge through the muck to get a region-free player. I find it fascinating some of the little gems that have yet to be released in the USA, and these are American films! Here is a short list:

WINGS (first Best Production Oscar winner, an R6 disc)
THE IRON HORSE (a BFI release, R2)
THE PRISONER OF SHARK ISLAND (R2)
SUNRISE (a 2-disc R2 set with more extras than the US disc)
NICKELODEON (R2 disc)
UNFAITHFULLY YOURS (same extras as on the Criterion disc, for 1/2 price on an R2 disc)
and from Australia-NAPOLEON-the Universal/Zoetrope version.

I've also seen THE AFRICAN QUEEN, THE HURRICANE (1937), HOBSON'S CHOICE, BUSTER KEATON-A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW and a future release of Kevin Brownlow/David Gill's HOLLYWOOD-THE PIONEERS out for R2 but no US release. I even managed to procure Region 0 copies of EL CID and THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (the latter unfortunately at 1:85 instead of 2:2, but it is the full-length version) for only $12US each, while I wait until doomsday for Miramax to finally bring them out.

Where is Region 6?

I assume you mean Abe Gance's Napoleon. Has any restoration been done to this? I own the laser disc box set and while it's terrific to watch, the PQ leaves an awfully lot to be desired. I hope this disc wasn't simply a porting over of the LD.

The R4 Australia Abel Gance's Napoleon is the only official release todate. I have seen it and the quality is not perfect. It does not look like any restoration had been done. I guess we are lucy just to be able to see this 1927 masterpiece. Beware of Korean bootlegs.

By the way, Region 6 is China.

It is the Kevin Brownlow reconstruction that Francis Coppola distributed in the US. It's too bad they put it on one side of one disc and there are very few chapters, but at least it is out. I do not think they went anamorphic with the tryptich scene at the finale, though.

I really wish there were more like you in the U.S., Jeff. Then , eventually we really would have a Region Free world. It would guarantee instant adoption and success to either of the new HD formats if they guaranteed Region Free status and set ALL enthusiasts free of this injustice.

Check out this thread where Irina kindly compiled a list of recommended international films , some of which are exclusive to regions other than R1.

Some helpful sites you may have tried : www.dvdbeaver.com
www.dvdcompare.net
http://www.dvd-basen.dk/uk/home.php3

Best,
~M~

The title of this thread offends me. Shouldn't we instead be thanking the companies who actually make the players?

Other than that, I heartily agree everyone should take advantage of being multi-region and not be restricted by only being limited to Region 1 releases. There's an entire planet out there with a multitude of various releases. Research is also helpful with the sites Manus has posted. There're also other forums, i.e. The Import Forums, which are actually far superior to our own HTF in terms of the multi-regional aspects thing.

Thanks Ray!
Great post!
Thanks for the Imports Forums tip.

Ditto Ray, Thanks !

Here' s another one :

http://www.criterionforum.org/forum/

~M~