International Via Vision Entertainment announces new premium Blu-ray label IMPRINT (2 Viewers)

[cineMANIAC]

Yes, if you're not in Australia, these releases are very expensive. I fancied The President's Analyst, but it's £35 on eBay (that's the cheapest from a good seller that I've bought from before) & Alfie is £65! It's a two disc set & Imprint seen to charge by the disc, so god know what the Silver Screams & Hammer sets will cost. There comes a time when you just have to say no. I love The President's Analyst, but my US DVD looks pretty good, & if Paramount have licensed it out in Australia, well (I tell myself) there's a good chance they'll license it elsewhere, or even maybe release it themselves.

Boxed sets are pricey but they're in line with what other boutiques charge for similar sets in the UK and US. I get individual Imprint titles for $34 from Deep Discount - more or less what I pay for Arrow. OK, maybe a bit higher but these ARE hard to obtain outside of Australia so I don't mind paying a little more. I'm impressed by this label enough to grab select titles day 1 (when they're up for preorder at DD). I did make a mistake by purchasing the Major Dundee set, though. I should've anticipated a better release from another label down the line and, sure enough, Arrow announced their own release with an improved scan. Overall, an exciting label who have already released a handful of personal "grail" titles still MIA in the US.

Also, I've recently learned that the 1993 disaster film Alive was distributed by Paramount outside of North America (Disney controls US rights via Hollywood Pictures). I'll be over the moon if Imprint releases it on Blu-ray. I won't care if it's a dated master - I need this film in HD.

 

[jayembee]

Boxed sets are pricey but they're in line with what other boutiques charge for similar sets in the UK and US. I get individual Imprint titles for $34 from Deep Discount - more or less what I pay for Arrow. OK, maybe a bit higher but these ARE hard to obtain outside of Australia so I don't mind paying a little more. I'm impressed by this label enough to grab select titles day 1 (when they're up for preorder at DD). I did make a mistake by purchasing the Major Dundee set, though. I should've anticipated a better release from another label down the line and, sure enough, Arrow announced their own release with an improved scan. Overall, an exciting label who have already released a handful of personal "grail" titles still MIA in the US.

Also, I've recently learned that the 1993 disaster film Alive was distributed by Paramount outside of North America (Disney controls US rights via Hollywood Pictures). I'll be over the moon if Imprint releases it on Blu-ray. I won't care if it's a dated master - I need this film in HD.

The latest announcement from Imprint is an 8-film box set Collaborations: The Cinema of Zhang Yimou & Gong Li.

Collaborations: The Cinema of Zhang Yimou & Gong Li (1988 - 2014) - Imprint Collection #67 - 74 | Via Vision Entertainment

The Epic Collaborations of Zhang Yimou, one of the cinema's greatest auteurs, and acclaimed Chinese actress Gong Li in a limited edition 8-disc Blu-ray ...

viavision.com.au

Priced at AU$200, which is currently about US$150. With eight films, that's under $20 per film.

Regarding Alive, I'm not especially interested in that film, but I hadn't considered Imprint releasing films that Disney has NA rights to while Paramount has non-NA rights. The thought that they might release Dragonslayer is exciting.

On edit: Of course, I realize that I have that last bit bass-ackwards. Dragonslayer was from Paramount in NA and Disney everywhere else.

 

[Bob Cashill]

Imprint’s The Face Behind the Mask is most welcome, a good transfer of an excellent, unsung film with fine supplements by Alan K. Rode and Kim Newman.

 

[Wade Sowers]

Strong second for THE FACE BEHIND THE MASK. Fine transfer, excellent film. One of Peter Lorre's best.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Finally got around to viewing The President's Analyst last night and what a great film and very underrated. The Imprint disc is ok with the image and could have been better but the sound was good.

 

[borisfw]

Watched both Face Behind the Mask and The President's Analyst this past weekend. I'll third The Face Behind the Mask being a great film. Very good film with an excellent Lorre performance. PA is also a fun smart 60s farce with a very good Coburn performance. I thought both looked pretty good. But i am not an expert on techs of picture quality so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

 

[David Weicker]

Very happy about The Assassination Bureau. A very fun film

 

[Martin_Teller]

Super excited about Browning Version! Never seen the 1994, but the 1951 is one of my all-time favorites.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Love the Harry Palmer series but already have them on Blu-ray. There are some new extras so maybe if it's on sale i might buy it. According to Imprint The Ipcress File is a restored 2K master, Funeral In Berlin is a HD presentation by Paramount Pictures and Billion Dollar Brain is a HD presentation by MGM. Might wait for the reviews first.

 

[jayembee]

Love the Harry Palmer series but already have them on Blu-ray. There are some new extras so maybe if it's on sale i might buy it. According to Imprint The Ipcress File is a restored 2K master, Funeral In Berlin is a HD presentation by Paramount Pictures and Billion Dollar Brain is a HD presentation by MGM. Might wait for the reviews first.

I suspect they're all the same masters as the existing discs (Kino Lorber for the 1st & 3rd, Paramount for the 2nd).

 

[Randy Korstick]

From this batch I am definitely interested in The Assassination Bureau. A great and fun movie and one that is overlooked.

 

[Keith Cobby]

My copy of The Bridges at Toko-Ri arrived yesterday. I’m happy with the presentation. Is this disc a brand new remaster? Doubtful. Could this presentation look better? Perhaps. Imprint’s disc, however, is damn good. Colors are strong, with little fade, and skin tones look natural. Dirt and such is at a minimum. Film grain is alive and well without being too intrusive. The film definitely looks much better here than the VHS and DVD copy I have. I consider the purchase an upgrade and a win.

I wanted to buy this but the price for the full screen presentation put me off so I bought it on Prime and will wait for a tidied up widescreen blu ray. This film would have been spectacular on VistaVision, the aerial and carrier scenes, locations and (of course) Grace Kelly.

 

[TheSteig]

Curious if anyone picked up the Hammer set and what their thoughts are.

 

[Christopher McG]

Curious if anyone picked up the Hammer set and what their thoughts are.

Got it and love it. SO many bonus features -- great deep-dives into every film. Perfect for this Hammerhead.

 

[John Sparks]

Just received WHEN WORLDS COLLIDES and A/B'd it with the SD...what an upgrade!

 

[Ronald Epstein]

 

[Andrew Budgell]

I'm in for Lady in a Cage! The specs don't boast a new HD master, but it will still be good to have this one on disc. Coming on the heels of The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, Santa Fe Trail, and The Screaming Woman, this rounds out a great year for Olivia de Havilland on Blu-ray.

 

[Dick]

I'm in for Lady in a Cage! The specs don't boast a new HD master, but it will still be good to have this one on disc. Coming on the heels of The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, Santa Fe Trail, and The Screaming Woman, this rounds out a great year for Olivia de Havilland on Blu-ray.

They're going back to Paramount titles after a few months' hiatus. Maybe DRAGONSLAYER will be upcoming, with a commentary and behind-the-scenes f/x documentaries. This batch has a few titles not yet available in the U.S. In particular, I am interested in COUNTRY GIRL ands NAKED JUNGLE.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I’ve always liked The Naked Jungle. I can hear William Conrad say “Marabunta” in my head.