Region 2 Bava DVDs
The Image Bava DVDs are actually quite expensive and seeing as Anchor Bay are said to be planning new SEs, I have't bought much of them, even though I am a huge Bava fan. There are great, uncut transfers many of Bava's films already available in Europe, for example:
Black Sunday: 2-Disc Special Edition (1960)
Compared at DVD Beaver: http://www.dvd-basen.dk/redirect.php3?id=136865&index=52395
Available: http://www.xploitedcinema.com/dvds/dvds.asp?title=3950
The Whip and the Body (1963) (German anamorphic edition in Italian with English subtitles)
Available: http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/dvd-de/B000AAXH14/tech-info/ref=ed_tec_dp_2_1/028-4676665-9203753
The German edition also has the Tim Lucas commentary!
Blood and Black Lace (1964) (German anamorphic edition in Italian with English subtitles)
Reviewed: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare/bloodandblacklace.htm
- The 2-disc was a Limted Edition (only 1000 copies) but
there is a single disc edition, but it doesn't have the
English subs. I'm still kicking myself for not ordering
the 2-disc set.
Planet of the Vampire (1966) (Anamorphic German edition, with English dub track)
Review: http://www.cinefacts.de/dvd/review/ansicht.php?reid=1880 (In German language)
Available: http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/tg/stores/detail/-/dvd-de/B00026M6EU/tech-info/ref=ed_tec_dp_2_1/028-4676665-9203753
- The gorgeous anamorphic German edition is based on the
same print as the R1 MGM edition, which is NON-anamorphic.
Kill, Baby... Kill! (1966) (German letterboxed edition with NO English subtitles)
Comparison: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare8/killbabykill.htm at DVD Beaver
Available http://www.xploitedcinema.com/dvds/dvds.asp?title=2531
Hatchet for the Honeymoon (1969) (UK edition is gorgeous and includes a 60-minute docu on the Maestro)
Compared: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare10/hatchet_for_the_honeymoon.htm at DVD Beaver
Available: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002CH7WA/qid=1127081405/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_10_1/202-7240404-3167868
Twitch of the Death Nerve (1971) (Italian edition with excellent anamorphic transfer and English subtitles)
Startling comparison: http://web12.dvd2web.de/bayofblood/bayofblood.htm between the R1 and excellent Italian R2
Available: http://www.xploitedcinema.com/dvds/dvds.asp?title=4403
Baron Blood (1972) (Italian edition with excellent anamorphic transfer and English subtitles)
Reviewed: There was a DVD Maniacs review of the Italian R2 disc, but it has disappeared.
Available: http://www.xploitedcinema.com/dvds/dvds.asp?title=4430
Rabid Dogs (1974) (German edition with superior transfer, but had no subtitles)
Comparison: http://www.10kbullets.com/reviews/rabiddogscomparison.htm
The OOP R1 is available http://www.superhappyfun.com/content.htm (Type in "Rabid Dogs")
Lisa and the Devil: Italian 2-Disc Special Edition (Anamorphic widescreen) (1974/75)
Reviewed: http://www.dvdmaniacs.net/Reviews/I-L/lisa_devil_raro.html (the screenshots have died)
Available: http://www.xploitedcinema.com/dvds/dvds.asp?title=3533
The recut "House of Exorcism" is one of Bava's worst
films, but Lisa and the Devil is one of his
very best, I feel.
DVD Savant's review is excellent, also: http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s122lisa.html
DVD Maniacs' review page is also well worth reading:
http://www.mondo-digital.com/mariobava.html
Tartan Video in the UK said that they were going to be releasing a Bava boxed set in late 2005, but I haven't heard anything. Anchor Bay in the USA were also rumoured to be working on many films, but the Image discs haven't went OOP, so I'm not sure what's going on there. The best person to ask in probably Tim Lucas: [email protected]
"Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must remain silent." - Ludwig Wittgenstein