sitom

I'm a new subscriber to this site and am enjoying the posts regarding British films. Living in the States, we get a good supply of British releases on DVD but they tend to release only the most popular films. I'd like to see some more obscure films that have been released and have noticed that Amazon offers these for sale through their UK site. My question is which releases are worthwhile? I'm not familiar with the releasing companies and don't want to get stuck with poor DVD-quality films. Any companies I should steer clear of? Which ones can I trust to put out a good product? I'll be purchasing a region-free player soon and am looking forward to seeing films I've only read about.
Any suggestions are appreciated.

Tom Cowan
NYC

Wetherby Pond

I thoroughly recommend this site - it's a massive database of links to countless DVD review sites, and it's the first place I go whenever I want to find out if a DVD has been reviewed.

sitom

Thanks, Wetherby. Much appreciated.

Tom

Steve Crook

Apart from Wetherby's very good suggestion, it depends on what sort of films you're interested in. There are quite a few specialist labels, some better than others. How obscure do you want to get?

Steve

DB7

Maybe the likes of DDVideo? All depends what era of films you're looking for.

Wetherby Pond

The problem I have with recommending specific labels is that in my experience the quality varies enormously even amongst the good ones. For instance, Criterion in the US, the BFI in Britain and Anchor Bay in both are usually good, often excellent and occasionally world-class - but certainly not always.

Often there's a reason for particular releases being below par that's outside the label's control - in the case of Withnail & I, both the Criterion (US) and Anchor Bay (UK) discs have non-anamorphic widescreen transfers because the rightsholder wouldn't grant them access to anything better - but issues like this show why it's important to approach these things on a title-by-title basis.

sitom

I'm very interested in films from the 40's through 60's. I'm familiar with Criterion, BFI, and Anchor Bay and would not hesitate to purchase films from them. In the States, we have some bottom of the barrel companies that issue barely passable releases at very cheap prices. The films look about the same as a poor VHS tape might. In some cases, these films have fallen into the public domain so if one really wants to see a film, there's no other way to see it, so you just put down your five bucks and hope for the best.
I guess there is no way to really know in advance unless I do my research on a film by film basis.
Thanks again for your suggestions Wetherby, Steve, and DB7!

Tom

room 237

Hi Tom welcome to Britmovie.com you have just signed up to the best site on the web and believe me you are in for a rollercoaster ride when asking for anything specific here! There are many classic vintage brilliant films around some unfortunately have never been released onto DVD but if you ever need anything you could always PM me! I will give you a few titles to start with first! Dead Of Night Ealing Studios Black & White Ghostly sort of film brilliant and well acted drama with Mervyn Johns "A dream within a Dream This film is at the top of the classics list// The Halfway House Rare and unreleased on DVD or Video again another Ealing Studio's classic with Mervyn Johns who plays with his daughter the keeper of an old Welsh Inn//A Matter Of Life And Death with David Niven Brilliant rich colour film which concerns the story of Peter Carter who was supposed to have died after he bailed out of his bomber after a bombing run over Germany during WW2. But he survived after a messenger from heaven missed him and did not collect his soul! Wow what a classic! Sole Survivor starring William Shatner which is not available on DVD or VHS however you can pick up copies of this film which obviously is not a 40's film but was made around the mid 60's concerns a crew from an ill fated B-24 Bomber a fledgling outfit named Cinema Center 100 productions produced this film. A Team of U.S Airforce investigators that fly to the site of the wreck to determine the facts of whether a Survivor-Played by Richard Basehart as General Russell Hamner is telling the truth or is actually a man with a secret and yellow streak about a mile wide.Reluctantly Hamner grudgingly agrees to go along but has no idea there are a few of his former crew still nursing their wounds and plotting their revenge-after seventeen years! This film is as rare as they come and although it is unreleased onto DVD i managed to pick up an original of this film for just under £50.00! Enjoy yourself on this site and be part of all of us people who are lovers of rare and brilliant classic films not just British ones!