Horse Money (Pedro Costa) from Second Run in 2016

[Yami]

Second Run have confirmed that they will be releasing Pedro Costa's award winning film Horse Money on Blu-Ray in early 2016.

Already fantastic news, but even more so as it will be Second Run's debut Blu-Ray release!

Trailer

[Dougling]

This is excellent news. Wonderful film, and it's great to see Second Run dipping their toes into the Blu-Ray world. They put out some excellent stuff on DVD.

[rapta]

Wow, very cool! Was going to try and start collecting some more of their releases. Knew they had this one but didn't think they'd ever have a stab at Blu-ray - I thought the margins were too tight? Perhaps if this one sells well we'll see some more Blu-rays from Second Run!

Excellent news though...not even Eureka managed to release their Costa on Blu-ray!

[McCrutchy]

Well, this is absolutely the news of the year.

Second Run are the label that was missing from the UK Blu-ray market, and I honestly never thought they would make the jump, given their comments about doing so before. This can only be really, really great, and I think I can safely say that every one of their Blu-ray releases will be going in my collection.

These guys have a huge lineup of fantastic films most people have never even heard of, and every one of their DVDs is obviously a labor of love, so to think that they will be going to Blu-ray is just amazing.

Wonderful, wonderful news. I can't wait to order Horse Money.

[ravenus]

Will pick this up to support them. Hope their margins are justified.

[malakaheso]

Guess the hassling paid off! Cinema Guild were supposed to put this out soon but there have been no announcements.

This is an essential purchase for me.

Costa is probably the best active imae maker in feature film along with Sokurov

[aewb]

I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand it's great that Horse Money will be available on blu but on the other I hope this doesn't change the kind of films Second Run release.

Plus this is going to cause a lot of whinging. "Why won't you upgrade Tropical Malady?" "Why is this obscure 50s Czech film only getting a dvd release?".

[deepbreathsanddeath]

Terrific to see them get into the blu market. I'll grab a copy for sure.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

These are precisely the problems that Second Run has been wrestling with for years - they were genuinely worried, and presumably still are worried, that people would simply stop buying their DVDs on the most likely false assumption that a BD would be along at some point.

Agreed. I suspect that this will be just an occasional event in their catalog and most of their releases will still be on DVD only. Better if SR can make some announcement about what their policy will be towards HD releases, like "If we do a blu-ray it will be announced well in advance and be a simultaneous release or not at all", so that DVD sales are not hurt on account of people waiting for a future blu.
Hope they don't overstretch their thin margins by dipping into blu-ray, which must significantly more expensive for the small runs their titles are likely to have.

[malakaheso]

Originally Posted by rapta

Wow, very cool! Was going to try and start collecting some more of their releases. Knew they had this one but didn't think they'd ever have a stab at Blu-ray - I thought the margins were too tight? Perhaps if this one sells well we'll see some more Blu-rays from Second Run!

Excellent news though...not even Eureka managed to release their Costa on Blu-ray!

Costa is more my idea of an original and inventive film maker than DGG, just to carry on our last conversation ;-)

Costa, along with Sokurov, is arguably the best pure image making in the feature film 'business' that is currently active.

Second Run have made a very wise choice releasing this on blu.

[adamhopelies]

This is a really exciting development. I too suspect that Blu-ray will only be used sparingly by SR, but here's hoping they'll be able to make it work. Horse Money was in my top ten of last year and I urge everyone to check it out.

[malakaheso]

Originally Posted by adamhopelies

This is a really exciting development. I too suspect that Blu-ray will only be used sparingly by SR, but here's hoping they'll be able to make it work. Horse Money was in my top ten of last year and I urge everyone to check it out.

well technically it was only released this year. Last year it was on the festival circuit.

just in your top ten? What the hell was better than it? Please don't say Goodbye To Language

[nitin]

will pre-order to support Second Run even though I;m not a huge Costa fan myself.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by malakaheso

well technically it was only released this year. Last year it was on the festival circuit.

I play fast and loose with these things, what can I say, I'm a risk-taker.

Seriously though, Horse Money is a 2014 film.

[Aunt Peg]

I'll be blind buy this.

I'm far from being a big fan of Pedro Costa fan but I do want to see this and want to support Second Run with their blu ray release.

[ravenus]

Yeah I'd love to order more box sets from SR (only have the Czech New Wave) but I get screwed by the customs for any order >20GBP (~45% duty charges ).

[Yami]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

Take their Czech films, for instance. Even now, in 2015, the number of decent HD masters is minuscule, and aside from Marketa Lazarová I can't think of anything in their catalogue that they could upgrade now. And there's little point upgrading Marketa because the BBFC will most likely still cut it for animal cruelty and there are perfectly decent English-friendly BDs available in the US (Criterion) and the Czech Republic (the Czech National Film Archive).

There are HD transfers in existence for Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (out from Criterion) and Daisies (out in Germany), and I think the Czech NFA are in the process of restoring Adelheid. Outside of the Czech films, there's also the new restoration of The Round-Up and the Polish films. But as much as I'd love to see them upgraded, I too would worry about Second Run's business model if they were to do upgrades.

[rapta]

Certain it will be a case-by-case basis, at least at first - similar to other labels like Soda, Axiom, Second Sight, New Wave/Verve, Mr Bongo. More likely they'll just release any theatrical acquisitions on Blu-ray, but would be pleasantly surprised if it grows into anything more than that.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

They've confirmed that it will be a case-by-case basis, and that they'll be watching the response very closely indeed.

And they also urge people not to shun their DVDs, especially since most of them can't get a BD upgrade. Not just because of the lack of HD materials but sometimes because even if an HD master is available the likely sales simply wouldn't justify the extra expense. It's scandalous that it still costs so much more to produce a BD than it does to produce a DVD, but such is the case.

Yep, glad to hear they're gonna approach it sensibly and not 'give in' to the pressures of the Blu-ray community. As I understand it, their DVD's are the best possible quality anyway so it would be unwise to ignore their DVD output. Like many other smaller labels it'll be dependant on the popularity of a particular title when they decide whether to release it on Blu-ray as well, or just DVD (so it's not just a matter of the quality of materials).

Full quote (for the sake of reference):

It may feel like we’ve come a little late to Blu-ray but as a carefully curated and independent label we really had many things to take into consideration, chief amongst them the fact that some of the wonderful films we wish to release may never have materials or size of audience that allow for anything but a DVD release.

Writing here gives us the chance to share our cares and concerns with you... after judging the response we get to the Blu-ray release of HORSE MONEY please know that we hope to do BD’s whenever possible but we will still continue to really need your support for the films we release on DVD, otherwise those great films and films like them will once again be lost and remain unseen.

[rapta]