Customer Reviews

Essential Art House - 50 Years of Janus Films

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is certainly the most remarkable collection of films to come out in one DVD package. And I would really like to thank Criterion for overpricing their DVDs so much that I had very little overlap with my existing library, having passed on most of their editions of these films. Here are a few observations that might be of use to potential buyers:
1) the widescreen movies are anamorphic
2) Haxen is 104 min, substantially longer than the 77 min version that has shown on premium cable.
3) I compared the Janus versions of two films, Wages of Fear and Seven Samurai, with the Criterion versions I had. I expected them to be identical (figuring that Criterion probably did the work for Janus) but they were considerably different. In both cases, the Janus copies were amazingly superior: much better (and louder)sound, crisper images with fewer defects, much better definition in shadowy areas, and a much more stable image. I never realized how poor the Criterion prints were until I saw the comparison. It's amazing the psychological effect of all that. In both cases, I was strongly tempted to continue watching the whole film with Janus, and found the Criterion copy 'tiring'. The translations also differed, with Janus having fewer errors (e.g. Samurai's "the rice we're eating now" v.s. "the rice we're eating, how"). I cannot wait to watch the rest of these films.
3. I could detect no difference between Anchor Bay's and Janus's Kind Hearts and Coronets.
4. The print of Lady Vanishes is the clearest I've seen. The el cheapo Brentwood print, in their Hitchcock collection, is unwatchable.
5. The one really bad aspect of the collection is that the DVDs are wedged tightly into paper slots. Every single disc was covered with tiny flecks of paper, and every disc was scratched, sometimes quite badly (but not enough to affect playback, I think). Whether this occurred putting the disc in, or taking it out, I can't say. However, repeating this process would rapidly damage the surface. I put all the discs into individual cases, and I STRONGLY recommend doing so. Some of the discs felt like they were glued to the page, the packaging was so tight. If you are a real fanatic about surface defects, and don't plan on reselling the set, you might even want to use a razor to cut the paper and LIFT the disc out. Whatever you do, don't rotate the disc as you try to unstick it or you may get a spiralling defect.
Despite that caveat, this is an incredible bargain - less than $12 per film instead of $30 for Criterion's. That makes those commentaries pretty bloody expensive.
One can only hope Janus will put out another 50 movies (hopefully in individual cases, though).

I would like to notify everyone who got scared about this set when they heard the dvds came in outrageoulsy tight slots that either this has been changed, it never was true, or i have an exeptionally awsome set because mine is not that way at all. In my set every page of the DVD book has 4 dvds that are in slots that are not too tight or loose. You do not have to induvidually unwrap the dvds or anything, just open up the book, and pull a dvd out. I have been pulling these discs out and putting back in and have seen absolutely no damage done. Not one of the movies has skipped yet. I have seen no "flecks of paper" and none of my DVDs "felt like they were glued to the page" like -a movie fan's-. I strongly suggest everyone with a film appretiation to buy this set, even if you already have a few from the set. It is definatally worth it. And about the special features, I would like to inform anyone turned off by the fact that there are none that there is a 200 page book that comes with the set. That book has rare posters, photographs, the history of revolutionary JANUS and a page description of every film - the context of time and place the film came out, a little about the director and actors, the impact the film had, the meaning behind the film, etc. If that is not enough for you, then...sorry. I personally dont mind, considering the internet exists for any other information about the film I want to know.

Re: The previous reviewer's points: The product info is somewhat vague on this, but this set is put out by Criterion. As the comment on that review says, any differences vs. earlier Criterion releases are attributable to upgrades made in later editions. Seven Samurai and M have been upgraded since their original Criterion release, and there may be other cases among the films collected here. On another point, it's true that individual Criterion releases are expensive, but they usually include many extras of interest to cinephiles. If price is your main consideration, this package is a great way to get Criterion quality at a lower price per disc (although without the extras). I will be ordering one at some point, even though I already have about a dozen of the films, just because it looks to be a gorgeous package. FYI, there is a review in the NY Times today (11/7/2006) that provides some historical background on Janus and Criterion.

The DVD video and audio presentation is excellent. I can live without the commentaries and special features but did they have to omit them, really? Fine, one star.

The book is very nice, one star.

The price is great, one star.

The case is nice on display, but the DVD packaging is tight and can scratch the DVDs, I'm not happy but I can deal, half a star. I will try to be gentle anyway with a set this valuable, so hopefully there won't be too many scratches I have deal with.

Selection of films, half a star bringing us to four total. I disagree with Janus' choice to split the Criterion box sets, especially the ones that are out of print or where individual titles are unavailable. The collector who owns the Criterion WRONG MEN, NOTORIOUS WOMEN box and the ESSENTIAL JANUS set now has two copies of THE 39 STEPS and THE LADY VANISHES. Even worse are selections such as ASHES AND DIAMONDS, which comes in the Criterion ANDRZEJ WAJDA: THREE WAR FILMS box set where the other titles in the box, A GENERATION and KANAL aren't available from Janus individually. The Criterion Box SERGEI EISENSTEIN: THE SOUND YEARS has been broken up as well, with ALEXANDER NEVSKY and IVAN THE TERRIBLE PART II included in the ESSENTIAL JANUS set with no decent copy of IVAN THE TERRIBLE PART I on DVD individually available anywhere. I could go on... In my opinion, this set should have been an official numbered Criterion release. There are many excellent films in the Criterion library which are available individual releases that could have easily been in this set. My two cents, BOB THE GAMBLER, CHILDREN OF PARADISE, NANOOK OF THE NORTH, NIGHTS OF CABIRIA, PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET, RIFIFI, THE BLOB, THE LADY EVE, THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME, etc.

I don't disagree with the choice of films based on the value of the films. The ESSENTIAL ART HOUSE - 50 YEARS OF JANUS FILMS DVD set is a fine collector's item and a welcome addition to my DVD shelf. I would highly recommend this set to anyone, not only for it's valuable content, but as it is sure to be the most sought after DVD set for film aficionado's for years to come.

Though some people seem concerned about scratching their discs, and seem surprised there's no extra content -- even though no extras were ever advertised or announced -- to me these are minor quibbles at best. This is a beautiful package, a real treasure trove, and indispensable for lovers of international film. I've only watched about ten titles so far, but the transfers are all stellar, and it of course goes with out saying the films are at worst fascinating, at best magnificent. I'm also pleased with the inclusion of some "lesser known" titles -- like, say, Fellini's The White Sheik over a more obvious choice like 8 1/2 -- since this only encourages further exploration and discovery.

Sure, there aren't any extras, but even though I might be in the minority here, I usually have little use for extras, even from a top notch company like Janus/Criterion. The films are what counts, and they're done full justice here, at a great average price per disc as well. And for those of you worried about scratches: remember, a DVD isn't like a record made of vinyl that comes in physical contact with a needle. Of course, you want to take as much care as possible with a DVD, but having these DVDs come in contact with the cardboard surface they're stored in is not going to pose any huge risk of damage. I haven't noticed any skips or playbacks problems at all thus far.

Not a review as much as a warning, you can buy this set new on the official website for Janus Films for $650.00.

I agree with the previous rating. I have viewed a few of the films in this set, and while I agree that the transfer to DVD is very good and the accompanying book is also very good, I was a little let down by one point.

I have purchased a few of the "Criterion Collection" DVD's from Criterion in the past. Having all the commentaries and background information and "extras" is wonderful for a film lover, especially someone like me, who has never seen the vast majority of these masterpieces.

When I ordered the set I just expected that in addition to the movies themselves all these cool "extras" would be included. Unfortuately, this is not the case. The only options available are the scene selections and the choice of the subtitles. I guess this was a mistake on my part to assume this, but what gets me is why should they go to the trouble to remake these DVD's without all the extras, if they weren't hoping that we'd turn around and buy the "Complete Criterion Version" with the extras included?

So for this reason I can only rate this set with four stars.

Well, I finally got through this monster of a box set four months after buying it. I was already familiar with a couple of the films but hadn't even heard of many of the others since most were made in the generation preceding mine. One can argue over what could have been included and what could have been omitted, but remember that this is a collection put together from its stable of films by the company that distributed them and is not intended to be someone's idea of the fifty "best ever". At any rate, the distributor tries hard for geographical dispersion so that no foreign countries that are important to film-making during the period covered are left out.
I like most of the movies in the set. Indeed, there is only one I really dislike and that is the corny Importance of Being Earnest. The rest at least had something to like about them even if they were not really to my taste. Pandora's Box, Summertime, and the White Sheik are in that category as are Brief Encounter and Fallen Idol. Then you have Alexander Nevsky which is great on costuming and spectacle but quite bombastic and often cartoonish in its Manichean worldview.
Before buying the set, I was already familiar with and enjoyed Ashes and Diamonds, Black Orpheus, The Seventh Seal and The Third Man. Knowing the quality of those made it easier to take the financial plunge purchase of the Essential Art House box set requires.
Here are the fifteen I think are the best of the ones I hadn't seen before:
1)Ballad of a Soldier: A beautifully told story of a WWII Russian soldier as he struggles to get home to see his mother and then back to his unit before his pass expires. Finds romantic interest on the way and there is always something conspiring to delay him and keep him from his goal. An excellent, well-acted Soviet-era film devoid of clumsy propaganda.
2)Beauty and the Beast-Funny I never saw this as a kid, but its a great fairy tale that shows Jean Cocteau at his best and most accessible.
3)Fires On the Plain-A great WWII story through the eyes of the Japanese.
4)Fists In the Pocket-Nihilistic worldview may have shocked audiences at the time, but today its old hat. Still, a powerfully told and acted tale of evil and greed.
5)The Grand Illusion-Damned by the Nazis, probably because of a German woman's dalliance with an escaped French POW, and because of its anti-militaristic overtones, this film thankfully survived the war and remains one of the finest war movies I've seen.
6)Haxan-An excellent early film about witches, witchcraft, and what happened to those accused of practicing witchcraft through the ages. Quite hilarious at times, but also thought-provoking.
7)Kind Hearts and Coronets-The title itself would never have attracted me but the movie turned out to be one of the best. An excellent tale of a greedy and scheming minor nobleman who eliminates those ahead of him in the line of succession one by one so that he can claim not only his fief, but the fortune he thinks is the birthright he has been wrongly denied. Complete with love triangles and packed with humor. The unexpected ending is most delicious.
8)Knife in the Water-A taut story of machismo and infidelty. Here one sees the budding genius of Roman Polanski.
9)Le Jour Se Leve-Jean Gabin's acting makes this murder/suicide drama a must see.
10)M Hulot's Holiday-French comedy at its best. The clumsy protagonist always leaves some kind of mess in his wake, but the film never degenerates into mere slapstick.
11)Miss Julie-An impetuous Swedish noblewoman doesn't seem to know her place and thus earns the disdain of those who work the estate on which she lives. An excellent storyline, a tragedy really, and first-rate costuming.
12)Pepe Le Moko-Here's Jean Gabin again, as a wanted petty criminal who is beloved in the rabbit warren of the Algiers casbah in which he hides. Quite the womanizer, only a woman could induce him to leave it and when he finally does, it proves to be his undoing. Gabin always acts with much passion and is a perfect fit in the role of the protagonist.
13)Rules of the Game-A sharp, but indirect attack on the debauchery and hypocrisy of the French upper class. Word has it that they did not like the film, but you will.
14)The Wages of Fear-One of the most intense films I have seen. The gnawing fear of immolation felt by the drivers who took on the dangerous job of transporting a cargo of volatile nitroglycerine over primitive Venezuelan backroads affects the viewer as well. Lots of nail-biting moments and the end, though tragic, is almost fitting. Plenty of subtle social commentary about corporate morality and duplicity interspersed with the taut action.
15)The Virgin Spring-A great Bergman film that is more than just a medieval tale. In it are many questions about religion, superstition, the woman's role in society, and the frictions that arise as a society transforms itself from a pagan one to a Christian one. Great period costumes and the acting of Max von Sydow and Co. make this a must-see.

I was nearly tempted to give this a five star rating, but there are a couple of detracting factors which should be mentioned. One is the subtitling on the non-English films. On some it is adequate, on others it is practically non-existent. Often what one character says might be partially translated while what the other says is ignored completely. Its a common problem, and not just with this set. You just have to watch closely and take things in context. Another is the lack of extras. Even some films I buy for ten dollars have extras, so price comparison with Criterion sets is a red herring. Lastly, while the accompanying book is quite elegant, there is a lot of useful information about most movies left out which is annoying mostly because Janus cut short the usual trail of credits from many of the films.
Overall, however, I would say that my money was well-spent. If you like serious cinema, particularly foreign cinema, then you can't go wrong with this! The price has risen and fallen here many times. Watch for a bargain, then go for it.

This is one of the more tempting megasets available, as it offers a superlative selection of films in a handsomely bound book. Most if it not all of these films have been remastered, with lost footage restored. You get such a remarkable cross section of world cinema from classic Weimar films such as Pandora's Box to French new wave in Truffaut to Fellini's classic La Strada. You also get essential early Soviet films in Alexander Nevsky and Ivan the Terrible. Not to mention Cocteau, Hitchcock and Bergman. Three Documentaries by Saul J. Turell is only available through this boxed set. The hardback book is wonderfully illustrated and a beautiful addition to the films. Definitely an item to put on your Christmas wish list.

wonderful collection - presently on sale, directly from janus/criterion, for $650. Why not match that, Amazon? :)