What Do You Think Of Zatoichi? And What About Lone Wolf And Cub!? - DVDfile.com forum for DVD, Blu-Ray, and HD-DVD

Squid Lips · 05-15-2002, 06:18 PM

These were my purchases of the week and I was stoked! And to have HVE do them even better!! Though I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth, I was saddened to hear they were only making 17 of the 26

"Home Vision Entertainment, the company responsible for the famed Criterion Collection are planning the release of Zatoichi: The Blind , a seventeen-part series of films detailing the struggle of one of Japan's most famous screen heroes.

The first five episodes will be released this year including Zatoichi Monogatari (The Life and Opinion of Masseur Ichi), Zoku Zatoichi Monogatari (The Return of Masseur Ichi), Shin Zatoichi Monogatari (Masseur Ichi Enters Again), Zatoichi Kyo Jyo Tabi (Masseur Ichi, the Fugitive), and Zatoichi Kenka-Tabi (Zatoichi on the Road)."

I have a feeling that Zatoichi meets Yojimbo may be sadly missing from their release.

But, they have made a very nice disc with what appears to be a very cool series of covers. What did any of you Samurai fans think?

Also, I am hoping Animeigo gets going on their DVD release of Lone Wolf And Cub as I got rid of my LDs a long time ago and have refrained from the Pal DVDs thus far. My question: Has anyone seen the transfers of the R2 LWAC DVDs and what's the review?

Squid

marty · 05-15-2002, 08:53 PM

I'm waiting for my copies to ship. Maybe the remaining 9 were made by a different studio? and thats why HVE won't have them?
I'd also pick up Lone Wolf and Cub. Jet Li's Hong Xiguan zhi Shaolin wu zu aka Legend of the Red Dragon is a good live action fill in, in the meantime.

Squid Lips · 05-16-2002, 08:01 AM

Hi Marty,

Yeah, I am tempted to pick up R2 copies of Lone Wolf on Ebay but wonder what the transfers are like? Have you seen them? I know that animiego has promised to release them this year and my guess is their transfers might be better, but I am not sure.

And, as for the remaining Zatoichi DVDs, I noticed that animiego states on the same page as the Lone Wolf release that they will be releasing Zatoichi as well. maybe they have the other 9....? I hope so.

marty · 05-16-2002, 01:15 PM

I haven't seen the region 2 releases. If they are region coded, and do not have Chinese subtitles then they're legit releases. If so the video on average should be as good as a region 1 release.

walter-konkrete · 05-16-2002, 05:09 PM

Zatoichi inhabits a place between the over-the top gore and gleeful comic-book violence of the Bby cart sereies, and the more restarined, lyric kurosawa style samurai films.

zatoichi films move a liitle slower, with more character development and more intricate plots than the lone wolf pics, but it delivers more stylized and wildly fantastic action tha say, the seven samurai or YOJIMBO.

zatoichi is a cool character, shintaro katsu is great. I would recommned zatoichi to any samurai film fan.

Squid Lips · 05-16-2002, 08:10 PM

You are right, on Ebay there are two versions of the Lone Wolf DVDs available. One, from China, that actually seem to have NO SUBTITLES and only Chinese and Japanese language (not too many bids). And then there are Region 0 Lone Wolf DVDs available that are widescreen and subtitled but MAY be some sort of region 0 transfer of a Region 2 disc as the covers are exactly the same as the R2 discs.

I may just buy one to take a look. But, given the choice, I would take the Animiego as they "seem" to be more concerned about waiting for a better print transfer to do the DVD. Now, I don't know if the one they used for the LDs is not appropriate or if the current one being used for the R2 DVDs is not up to par, but for some reason they are waiting.

As for the above Zatoichi films, yes I agree they are more character driven than the Lone Wolf films, but I just have a big love of these Japanese samurai films.

Oh PLEASE release SWORD OF DOOM on DVD soon!!!!

05-15-2002, 06:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
Squid Lips Actor Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Los Angeles CA	What Do You Think Of Zatoichi? And What About Lone Wolf And Cub!? These were my purchases of the week and I was stoked! And to have HVE do them even better!! Though I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth, I was saddened to hear they were only making 17 of the 26 "Home Vision Entertainment, the company responsible for the famed Criterion Collection are planning the release of Zatoichi: The Blind , a seventeen-part series of films detailing the struggle of one of Japan's most famous screen heroes. The first five episodes will be released this year including Zatoichi Monogatari (The Life and Opinion of Masseur Ichi), Zoku Zatoichi Monogatari (The Return of Masseur Ichi), Shin Zatoichi Monogatari (Masseur Ichi Enters Again), Zatoichi Kyo Jyo Tabi (Masseur Ichi, the Fugitive), and Zatoichi Kenka-Tabi (Zatoichi on the Road)." I have a feeling that Zatoichi meets Yojimbo may be sadly missing from their release. But, they have made a very nice disc with what appears to be a very cool series of covers. What did any of you Samurai fans think? Also, I am hoping Animeigo gets going on their DVD release of Lone Wolf And Cub as I got rid of my LDs a long time ago and have refrained from the Pal DVDs thus far. My question: Has anyone seen the transfers of the R2 LWAC DVDs and what's the review? Squid

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05-15-2002, 08:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
marty Actor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Massachewsets	I'm waiting for my copies to ship. Maybe the remaining 9 were made by a different studio? and thats why HVE won't have them? I'd also pick up Lone Wolf and Cub. Jet Li's Hong Xiguan zhi Shaolin wu zu aka Legend of the Red Dragon is a good live action fill in, in the meantime.

05-16-2002, 08:01 AM	#3 (permalink)
Squid Lips Actor Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Los Angeles CA	Hi Marty, Yeah, I am tempted to pick up R2 copies of Lone Wolf on Ebay but wonder what the transfers are like? Have you seen them? I know that animiego has promised to release them this year and my guess is their transfers might be better, but I am not sure. And, as for the remaining Zatoichi DVDs, I noticed that animiego states on the same page as the Lone Wolf release that they will be releasing Zatoichi as well. maybe they have the other 9....? I hope so.

05-16-2002, 01:15 PM	#4 (permalink)
marty Actor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Massachewsets	I haven't seen the region 2 releases. If they are region coded, and do not have Chinese subtitles then they're legit releases. If so the video on average should be as good as a region 1 release.

05-16-2002, 05:09 PM	#5 (permalink)
walter-konkrete Supporting Actor Join Date: May 2002 Location: the nude bowl	Zatoichi inhabits a place between the over-the top gore and gleeful comic-book violence of the Bby cart sereies, and the more restarined, lyric kurosawa style samurai films. zatoichi films move a liitle slower, with more character development and more intricate plots than the lone wolf pics, but it delivers more stylized and wildly fantastic action tha say, the seven samurai or YOJIMBO. zatoichi is a cool character, shintaro katsu is great. I would recommned zatoichi to any samurai film fan.

05-16-2002, 08:10 PM	#6 (permalink)
Squid Lips Actor Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Los Angeles CA	You are right, on Ebay there are two versions of the Lone Wolf DVDs available. One, from China, that actually seem to have NO SUBTITLES and only Chinese and Japanese language (not too many bids). And then there are Region 0 Lone Wolf DVDs available that are widescreen and subtitled but MAY be some sort of region 0 transfer of a Region 2 disc as the covers are exactly the same as the R2 discs. I may just buy one to take a look. But, given the choice, I would take the Animiego as they "seem" to be more concerned about waiting for a better print transfer to do the DVD. Now, I don't know if the one they used for the LDs is not appropriate or if the current one being used for the R2 DVDs is not up to par, but for some reason they are waiting. As for the above Zatoichi films, yes I agree they are more character driven than the Lone Wolf films, but I just have a big love of these Japanese samurai films. Oh PLEASE release SWORD OF DOOM on DVD soon!!!!