International English-Friendly Blu-rays Unreleased in the US, UK or Oz (1 Viewer)

[gonda]

Elephant Films in France has recently released on Blu-ray, I Know Where I’m Going by The Archers (UK film with optional French subtitles).

https://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/ASIN/B075L1PT35

Very interested to read reviews by any members who’ve already bought this, as although it’s a favourite, the current price is a bit too steep for me to gamble on an Elephant Film, as their output has been of variable quality.

You'll find the review here:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film6/blu-ray_reviews_80/i_know_where_im_going_blu-ray.htm

 

[Brent Reid]

I've just updated the OP, nearly doubling the number of films.

...I like the idea of this thread, Brent. I'm relatively new to being region-free in terms of viewing Blu-rays. I started this thread in which I openly solicited people to recommend films only available outside the US. I got a ton of good suggestions there (many of them from you!) of US films which are available but are non-Region A.

To have a list which tries to be comprehensive of such releases would be a very helpful resource for people like me.

You're most welcome, Mike. I don't start threads often, but when I do I try to make them ones others will find useful. I've now gone back through your region free thread and added all the relevant suggestions from there. Next I'll re-read the BDs from Germany thread, but I suspect most will already be listed here.

There is a European edition on Blu ray of the terrific adaptation of 'The Count of Monte Cristo' with Gerard Depardieu and the wondrous Ornella Muti. But dammit, no English subtitles!
If word comes of an English-viewer friendly edition, please post the news.....

Sorry Anthony, but there are no legit BDs of The Count of Monte Cristo French miniseries (1998). There are two unsubbed Spanish bootlegs from Llamentol and Mapetac, both ripped from poor, non-anamorphic DVD. Each has over 6½ hours (!) of programme on an R0 single-layer disc, with Dolby Digital audio. Of course, even the original DVDs look better.
Unless a foreign label picks it up, perhaps due to Depardieu's questionable international appeal, a BD is most likely to come from France or Italy, but again with no guarantee of English subs.

Note that various 1950s sci-fi B-movies – Alligator People (1959), It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958) Land Unknown (1957), The Mole People (1956), The Monolith Monsters (1957), Tarantula (1955) – have now been released in dual format sets by 101 Films in the UK. Although all marked Region B, at least one (It!) is actually region 0. They have the same transfers as previous US, French and German BDs, but unlike them are completely vanilla, lacking even trailers or subs.

More suggestions, please!

 

[RMajidi]

Next I'll re-read the BDs from Germany thread, but I suspect most will already be listed here.

Some more German releases for you, Brent. These will all be on Robin’s Germany thread already.

The entire Koch Western Legenden series, containing a few dozen Westerns (many from Universal Studios).

The Big Clock, in a Koch boxset with Ministry of Fear and The Dark Mirror (the latter two have been released on Blu in the US by Criterion and Olive respectively):
https://www.amazon.de/Film-Noir-Classics-Die-pechschwarze-Serie-Blu-ray/dp/B00IB8S2VC

Captain Lightfoot from Koch Media (Elephant has now also released it in France):
https://www.amazon.de/Captain-Lightfoot-Blu-ray/dp/B00O2UN6AA

The Glenn Miller Story (Koch):
https://www.amazon.de/The-Glenn-Miller-Story-Blu-ray/dp/B00KHK1SJ0

Against All Flags (Koch):
https://www.amazon.de/Against-All-Flags-Blu-ray/dp/B006OV6WPG

Call Northside 777 (Alive)
https://www.amazon.de/Call-Northside-777-Blu-ray/dp/B01N4GT2JU

Seven Thieves (Koch)
https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B017LIHNDU

 

[AnthonyClarke]

I've just updated the OP, nearly doubling the number of films.

You're most welcome, Mike. I don't start threads often, but when I do I try to make them ones others will find useful. I've now gone back through your region free thread and added all the relevant suggestions from there. Next I'll re-read the BDs from Germany thread, but I suspect most will already be listed here.

Sorry Anthony, but there are no legit BDs of The Count of Monte Cristo French miniseries (1998). There are two unsubbed Spanish bootlegs from Llamentol and Mapetac, both ripped from poor, non-anamorphic DVD. Each has over 6½ hours (!) of programme on an R0 single-layer disc, with Dolby Digital audio. Of course, even the original DVDs look better.
Unless a foreign label picks it up, perhaps due to Depardieu's questionable international appeal, a BD is most likely to come from France or Italy, but again with no guarantee of English subs.

Note that various 1950s sci-fi B-movies – Alligator People (1959), It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958) Land Unknown (1957), The Mole People (1956), The Monolith Monsters (1957), Tarantula (1955) – have now been released in dual format sets by 101 Films in the UK. Although all marked Region B, at least one (It!) is actually region 0. They have the same transfers as previous US, French and German BDs, but unlike them are completely vanilla, lacking even trailers or subs.

More suggestions, please!

Thanks for the info .... it at least means there may be a chance of a legit subtitled release one day down the road.....

 

[battlebeast]

Does anyone know if the French Blu Ray of Moulin Rouge (1952) is region A playable?

 

[Mike Frezon]

Brent: I'm not sure if these fit your focus...but I've imported Japanese Blu-ray releases of Mel Brooks' The Producers (2005) and David Lynch's The Straight Story. Both have English Audio tracks and are non-region-locked. I'm no expert but both discs look and sound great to me.

 

[gonda]

Two French films with English subtitles not yet released in US or UK.
1.Le Corbeau (1942) dir .Henri Georges Clouzot with Pierre Fresnay, Ginette Leclerc
2. Quai des Orfevres (1947) dir. Henri Georges Clouzot with Louis Jouvet, Bernard Blier, Suzy Delair
Remark: both Blu rays will be released in UK on Mar, 6th.

 

[blakey55]

union pacific(1939) has been released in germany.

 

[Brent Reid]

I'm currently working on a way to improve and expand this list comprehensively, which will take a little while. In the meantime, thanks for these suggestions, guys – do keep 'em coming!

 

[Robert Crawford]

• Joan of Arc (1948) – France

Kino releasing it on March 27th. https://www.amazon.com/Joan-Arc-Blu...641&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=joan+of+arc+blu+ray

 

[Thomas T]

The Seduction Of Joe Tynan (1979) with Alan Alda, Meryl Streep and Barbara Harris on French blu ray is on its way to me. There is a domestic MOD via the Universal vault available.

 

[Worth]

A few available in France that I don't think have been mentioned...

L'Africain (1983)
The Hit (1984)
The Last Grenade (1970)
Trafic (1971)

 

[marcco00]

I'm seeing De Mille's THE KING OF KINGS has been restored & released in a 5 disc blu ray/ dvd combo set by Lobster films in France.

The restoration trailer on youtube looks fantastic, I'll just HAVE TO fork out the $50 for this set!!!

 

[Indy Guy]

I recently purchased a 4K of the 2021 French film "Eiffel" from a FNAC store in Paris. I knew it offered no English subtitles, but had seen it on Air France and felt it was worth the 4K price to see the stunning recreation of the Eiffel Tower construction alone.
When I returned home, a friend surprised me with a thumb drive containing the English subs for Eiffel!
A disc player (like Oppo) with a USB input, will recognize the content and add it to the disc subtitle menu, appearing as "other". Clicking "other" with the player remote brings up English subs in perfect sync with the film...really quite a miracle!
Some USB drives are small and cheap enough to store inside the corner of a Blu ray case.
The file size requires less space than the smallest capacity drives.
I have no idea how extensive the subtitle libraries are, as this was gifted to me by a friend. However, having this hidden option reduces my hesitation about buying foreign films without English translations.

 

[24fpsNinja]

I recently purchased a 4K of the 2021 French film "Eiffel" from a FNAC store in Paris. I knew it offered no English subtitles, but had seen it on Air France and felt it was worth the 4K price to see the stunning recreation of the Eiffel Tower construction alone.
When I returned home, a friend surprised me with a thumb drive containing the English subs for Eiffel!
A disc player (like Oppo) with a USB input, will recognize the content and add it to the disc subtitle menu, appearing as "other". Clicking "other" with the player remote brings up English subs in perfect sync with the film...really quite a miracle!
Some USB drives are small and cheap enough to store inside the corner of a Blu ray case.
The file size requires less space than the smallest capacity drives.
I have no idea how extensive the subtitle libraries are, as this was gifted to me by a friend. However, having this hidden option reduces my hesitation about buying foreign films without English translations.

I’m afraid of some of these subtitle sites. I’ve seen Russian ones and other dodgy locations. How do I know which are legitimate?

 

[Indy Guy]

I wish I could help. As I stated, this was a surprise from a friend and I just plugged it in and it worked. I won't be able to contact my friend as to his source for a while as he is currently on an extended vacation