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International Blu-ray discs from Japan (1 Viewer)

Ed Lachmann

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A few upcoming titles I found the other day while visiting Amazon.jp:

Harry and Tonto

Emperor of the North

Modesty Blaise

April 22 is the release date. Wonder if they plan to put these out here in upcoming months.

The only place one can find a BD of Lean's Summertime is Japan, and it is a gorgeous transfer.
 

youworkmen

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Main problem with Japanese discs are the incredibly high prices.

Needs to be something very important for me to shell out.


I did go for the Columbo Bluray set which is lovely but costs 10 times the current price of the complete dvd set.


I nearly went for UFO but fortunately it was released in Germany for 1/3 of the Japanese price
 

bigshot

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Is the Columbo blu-ray the entire series? Some of those looked pretty rough on DVD. How does the blu look?
 

youworkmen

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bigshot said:
Is the Columbo blu-ray the entire series? Some of those looked pretty rough on DVD. How does the blu look?

Yes its the whole series with all the 70's episodes in 4:3 and all the revival episodes from 89 onwards in 16:9.

I just finished the 70's ones the other week . Some of the pre-titles previews that appeared on some episodes do look inferior to the episodes themselves.


The whole set is done very nicely . The downside are the very nice printed extras that come with it - they're unsurprisingly all in Japanese.

However the episode titles are in English on the back covers and on the discs.


Several of the old and new episodes also come with separate music and effects tracks.


They claim this set is Limited but its been out for well over 3 years so I guess the price is making it shift slowly.

Like the Japanese dvd set the original directors cut of Etude In Black is also included . The true version is the short version but unfortunately the short version is only in SD on the Bluray. And the short version is the only one with the original Mystery Movie opening and the Mancini theme.


Cheapest place by a mile to buy it is Amazon Japan . Ebay sellers often charge 50% more than Amazon and I have seen listings for almost double what I paid


At the moment it looks like the Amazon Japan price is about 10000 Yen more than when I got it a couple of years ago but sellers have it cheaper including some fulfilled by Amazon.


http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E5%88%91%E4%BA%8B%E3%82%B3%E3%83%AD%E3%83%B3%E3%83%9C-%E3%82%B3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%97%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%83%88-%E3%83%96%E3%83%AB%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AC%E3%82%A4BOX-Blu-ray-%E3%83%94%E3%83%BC%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC%E3%83%BB%E3%83%95%E3%82%A9%E3%83%BC%E3%82%AF/dp/B0058BDP80/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425072159&sr=8-1&keywords=columbo
 

Robin9

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Ed Lachmann said:
A few upcoming titles I found the other day while visiting Amazon.jp:

Harry and Tonto

Emperor of the North

Modesty Blaise

April 22 is the release date. Wonder if they plan to put these out here in upcoming months.

The only place one can find a BD of Lean's Summertime is Japan, and it is a gorgeous transfer.

I've placed my order for Summertime. I've forgotten so please remind me: what Zone are Japanese Blu-ray discs? Come to think of it, is Summertime Zone-free?
 

Robin9

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haineshisway said:
And is Summertime in its proper ratio for the first time?

What is the correct aspect ratio for Summertime? It's been so many years since I saw this film in a theater, I've forgotten.
 

Ed Lachmann

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Check out the screen caps for the Japanese BD of Summertime over at dvdbeaver. They've had them up for a couple years now. They sure look gorgeous, and correct, to me. I'm surprised that this title has not been released in blu-ray anywhere else by now.
 

Mike Frezon

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The only Japanese disc I've imported is the Nathan Lane/Matthew Broderick version of The Producers.


A few years ago, I was bemoaning the lack of a Blu of that 2005 title and someone here tipped me off that it was available from there. It is a very nice release. Great picture and sound.
 

Robin9

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Ed Lachmann said:
Check out the screen caps for the Japanese BD of Summertime over at dvdbeaver. They've had them up for a couple years now. They sure look gorgeous, and correct, to me. I'm surprised that this title has not been released in blu-ray anywhere else by now.

Am I going crazy or is Beaver even worse than usual? He declares that both this new Japanese Blu-ray disc and the old Criterion DVD are 1.33:1 . . . and then displays screen caps which show different aspect ratios! I haven't been drinking . . . . . .
 

haineshisway

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Robin9 said:
What is the correct aspect ratio for Summertime? It's been so many years since I saw this film in a theater, I've forgotten.
One look at the Beaver caps will tell you your answer. No one can possibly think Mr. Lean was such a novice that he would have that kind of head room in ever shot. It was shown in the US in 1.85.
 

Dave B Ferris

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bigshot said:
Is the Columbo blu-ray the entire series? Some of those looked pretty rough on DVD. How does the blu look?
Bigshot, are you in California?


I'm asking because, I am. I order CD's from Amazon-Japan nine or ten times a year, usually just one or two CD's at a time. I realize CD's are of course pretty small.


I always get my shipments in two days, from DHL. Never a problem.


Yesterday, after some hesitancy, I put the Columbo set in my cart, but the order was blocked - a message said they can not ship to my address. I ordered a CD, and a (single) Blu-Ray separately, and that order has already shipped.


So, I'm thinking, just the size of the Columbo set must be a red-flag for shipping to California.
 

cinerama10

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Mike Frezon said:
The only Japanese disc I've imported is the Nathan Lane/Matthew Broderick version of The Producers.


A few years ago, I was bemoaning the lack of a Blu of that 2005 title and someone here tipped me off that it was available from there. It is a very nice release. Great picture and sound.
Was it a cd or dvd/bluray pf the Producers?
 

youworkmen

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Dave B Ferris said:
Bigshot, are you in California?


I'm asking because, I am. I order CD's from Amazon-Japan nine or ten times a year, usually just one or two CD's at a time. I realize CD's are of course pretty small.


I always get my shipments in two days, from DHL. Never a problem.


Yesterday, after some hesitancy, I put the Columbo set in my cart, but the order was blocked - a message said they can not ship to my address. I ordered a CD, and a (single) Blu-Ray separately, and that order has already shipped.


So, I'm thinking, just the size of the Columbo set must be a red-flag for shipping to California.


Did you check the set of Columbo you ordered was being sent by Amazon themselves and not a seller? Sometimes the price shown is the price from a seller if its cheaper than Amazon so you place it in your basket to find they won't send it.

If that is the case you only need to go down the list of "used and new" to see who is the cheapest seller to send internationally - its usually Amazon.


I purchased the set from Amazon Japan and I'm in the UK


Although its been available for over 3 years its worth noting that it was supposed to be a Limited Edition so at some point it may only be available from sellers if you delay too long


Edit - just checked and that does seem to be the case . Even those sellers who items are Fulfilled by Amazon do not always post outside Japan.

You'll need to try some as unfortunately at the moment the Amazon price is over 50000 Yen as opposed to the 22000 available from sellers which is why the Amazon listing is way way down
 

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