The Russ Meyer Collection (13 DVD Boxset)

[pro-bassoonist]

Released on 31/10/11 with Europe in the Raw making its UK debut, this deluxe set includes a 100 page book on Meyer with archival stills, writing by Meyer friend and biographer David K. Frasier as well as interviews with the ‘rural Fellini’ himself!

Vixens, Supervixens, Motor Psychos and Wild Gals, welcome to the pneumatic world of soft-core kingpin Russ Meyer, the man who did more than any other director in the history of cinema to exalt the female anatomy and celebrate their finest assets.

You’ll see breasts so big they can barely be contained by the screen in Meyer’s revolutionary pictures which combine his obsession for Amazonian women with outrageous sex, bawdy humour, brain scrambling fast cuts and sights you’d never imagine could be legally captured on film in mid 20th century America.

Journey beneath the valley of the Ultravixens, Get messy with Mudhoney and find out what perversions go on in the common law cabin in the Russ Meyer DVD collection.

EXTRAS INCLUDE:

Brand new bookl by Russ Meyer friend and biographer David K. Frasier with new writing on Meyer’s career and unpublished interviews with King Leer himself!
Audio commentary by the *****cats on Faster *****cat Kill Kill
Original Audio Commentary by Russ Meyer on Vixen, Supervixens, Beneath the Valley of the Ultravixens and Faster *****cat Kill Kill
Vixen Featurette
Erica Gavin Photo Album
Featurette on Kitten Natividad
Interview with Kitten Natividad
Interview with Russ Meyer by Jonathan Ross
Brand new featurette with Ravon Delacroix
Go *****cat Go featurette
Trailer Reel

Pro-B

[McCrutchy]

Pro-B, Do you know if these will all be uncut?

[josuv22]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

Pro-B, Do you know if these will all be uncut?

arrow has released Faster *****cat! Kill! Kill!, Vixen, Supervixens, Mondo Topless, UP and Beneath the Valley of the Ultravixens fully uncut
others should be too

new set has following titles
Includes:
2001 Pandora Peaks
1979 Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens
1976 Up!
1975 Supervixens
1973 Black Snake
1970 Cherry, Harry & Raquel!
1968 Vixen!
1968 Finders Keepers, Lovers Weepers!
1967 Good Morning... and Goodbye!
1967 Common Law Cabin
1966 Mondo Topless
1965 Motor Psycho
1965 Faster, *****cat! Kill! Kill!
1965 Mudhoney
1964 Lorna
1963 Europe in the Raw
1962 Wild Gals of the Naked West
1961 Eve and the Handyman
1959 The Immoral Mr. Teas

[manicsounds]

Can't even say "*****cat" on this forum?

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

Pro-B, Do you know if these will all be uncut?

McCrutchy,

Sorry for the delay. I just saw your question. I believe they will be uncut. I can confirm in a couple of days.

Pro-B

[BladeRunner2007]

I own the old Russ Meyer Collection without the new 100 page book, and all movies are uncut.

[chip75]

Are these the same transfers as the old set? They weren't exactly perfect. I'm not sure I'd want them anywhere near a HD TV. Some of the films were great fun though and they all had their certain charms....

[DetroitSquirreL]

Originally Posted by manicsounds

Can't even say "*****cat" on this forum?

lol, nope..as you see in my sig, I had to cut it up...

[DetroitSquirreL]

WHY THEY REISSUED AND I STILL CANT HAVE THEM??? ARRRGGGGHHHHHHH

[josuv22]

Originally Posted by DetroitSquirreL

WHY THEY REISSUED AND I STILL CANT HAVE THEM??? ARRRGGGGHHHHHHH

it seems they wanted to do the arrow video treatment with poster new artwork etc but the liences holders said no. so they added new booklet and reboxed them .

[zombeaner]

Just to clarify, the only new material in this set is the 100 page book and Europe in the Raw, which RM films released earlier this year. That being said, as a Russ Meyer fanatic, I will find a way to get this set.

[josuv22]

Originally Posted by zombeaner

Just to clarify, the only new material in this set is the 100 page book and Europe in the Raw, which RM films released earlier this year. That being said, as a Russ Meyer fanatic, I will find a way to get this set.

direct from

Arrow Films & Video It is indeed getting a re-release but no major changes except the addition of another film and the booklet. We'd love to have restored them and made them Arrow Video but the film's owners, RM Films, would not allow us

[KrugerIndustrial]

Originally Posted by DetroitSquirreL

WHY THEY REISSUED AND I STILL CANT HAVE THEM??? ARRRGGGGHHHHHHH

Back to your tree, Squirrel.

[Show spoiler]

I've never seen any Russ Meyer films all the way to the end but I remember seeing something big...

[DetroitSquirreL]

I HAVE A REGION FREE BD PLAYER AND THEY RELEASE THESE ON PAL DVD? ARGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH

[fraz]

Hello Blu-ray.com community!

I'm a brand new member and I'd like to share some communication I had with the folks at RM Films International this past summer about the possibility of seeing Russ Meyer movies on the Blu-ray format.
Warning - the following information may frustrate fans of Russ Meyer and Blu-ray discs.

Here are the email exchanges between myself and Janice Cowart (Trustee, The Russell A. Meyer Charitable Trust) and Julio Dottavio (Director of Operations) for RM Films International:

My initial email:

Hi Janice and Dottavio,

I'm a BIG fan of Russ' movies and own all of them on DVD. I also recently bought his autobiography from you. While I have enjoyed these things very much, I'm very anxious about the possibility of having his movies remastered and made available in the Blu-ray format. It's clear that Blu-ray is the successor to DVD and Russ' movies deserve to be presented with the best picture and sound quality available - this necessitates the remastering of the original negatives.

I know there's much controversy surrounding the possibility of future high definition releases from RM Films - I've read the internet blogs and forum postings criticizing RM Films in this regard. I won't comment on the criticism, but would very much like to know your intentions about the future of Russ Meyer's catalogue on Blu-ray. Obviously Blu-ray editions of Russ' work would sell spectacularly - what could be the delay? Any investment RM Films would need to make to remaster and manufacture high definition releases would be recouped many times over.

I remember reading somewhere that RM Films was bound by the wishes and rules outlined in Meyer's will (some proceeds need to go to the Cancer Foundation?) Does his will prevent the remastering of his catalogue and its release on Blu-ray? Do the proceeds that need to go to charity outweigh the cost of starting such a venture? I think there are many Russ Meyer fans who share my puzzlement over this matter. If we could get a full explanation as to why we don't have Russ Meyer movies on Blu-ray yet, it would help us understand the delay and would put an end to the ongoing criticism.

I appreciate your work maintaining RM Films and look forward to giving you more money should Blu-ray editions of his movies get released.

Sincerely,
G. F.

Ms. Cowart's response:

Dear G.,

We share and appreciate the concern of the Russ Meyer fans about the future availability of his film legacy.

As a Trustee of the Russ Meyer Charitable Trust, and also a long time employee of Russ Meyer, I have the desire, as well as an obligation, to make sure RM’s intentions are followed. If RM Films International ceases to operate, RM’s movies and legacy will most likely disappear entirely.

The Home Entertainment business is currently in flux as DVD and Blu-ray sales have declined some 35% since last year. Warner Brothers and Disney have recently laid off workers in their home entertainment divisions. Blu-ray has not taken over from DVD as anticipated. The 4:3 aspect ratio that Russ used is not conducive to conversion to Blu-ray format. Therefore RM Films is currently exploring other aspects of possible means of distribution so that we may continue in business.

While you and the fans might be under the impression it would be simple to manufacture high definition releases, you are unaware of what is involved and the condition of the required film elements. You mention the investment to do so, “would be recouped many times over,” but we do not necessarily find this to be true. Based on the statements in your email there is a false perception of what is required to produce Blu-ray editions of the films of Russ Meyer and how easy it would be to recoup the costs.

We have every good intention and we are trying to continue to stay alive in these difficult economic conditions.

Sincerely,

Janice Cowart
Trustee
The Russell A. Meyer Charitable Trust

Mr. Dottavio's response:

Hello Mr. F.,

Thank you for your interest in Russ Meyer.
We do have plans to release some of the Russ Meyer film collection in HD or Blu-Ray in the future, however we are presently restoring some of the films that have not been seen in over 40 years.

These restorations require a lengthy and costly process. We are also restoring many of the 35 mm prints so that the public can actually enjoy Russ Meyer films on the big screen. The funds allocated for the restoration projects are dispersed gradually and cautiously. We therefore must proceed very slowly.

We realize that the Russ Meyer fans would like to see the entire collection on Blu-Ray, unfortunately it will take a long time before this happens, if at all. The Russell A Meyer Charitable Trust has an obligation to distribute the proceeds to cancer research, as per Russ Meyer's wishes.

Since figures for DVD spending in the US have dropped drastically this year, the Trust's marketing and business strategists disagree with your assumption that, "Any investment RM Films would need to make to remaster and manufacture high definition releases would be recouped many times over." and feel that funds would be more wisely spent in research and possibly saving a life than satisfying the Russ Meyer fans.

Thank you,
Julio Dottavio
Director of Operations

Sadly, it's clear we won't see Russ Meyer on Blu-ray anytime soon, if at all. Thank goodness for Arrow Films and their attempts to keep Russ Meyer's movies available in desirable box sets.

[DaveSimonH]

To be fair Janice & Julio are correct in that to do it properly it would be expensive, and they would be niche releases so unlikely to "sell spectacularly".

[fraz]

Originally Posted by DaveSimonH

To be fair Janice & Julio are correct in that to do it properly it would be expensive, and they would be niche releases so unlikely to "sell spectacularly".

I really appreciate the information Janice Cowart and Julio Dottavio gave me in their reply. It's the most comprehensive explanation I've read as to why we don't have any Russ Meyer movies on Blu-ray. If you want to read some real nastiness on the matter, check out what they're saying over at avmaniacs.com.
As a Russ Meyer fan it's frustrating, however, that lesser directors from Meyer's era already have their work out in high definiton. Russ took great care in ensuring his relatively low budget productions looked and sounded good - and they do - but they're ripe for the high definition treatment.
Russ Meyer is a very important filmmaker with many fans. If his work appeals to a "niche" market, that niche must be big. His movies refuse to go away and still play at festivals around the world. His work continues to influence popular culture and directors today (most obviously Quentin Tarantino), and there are many books written about Meyer, his films, and his cultural significance and influence.
There have been rumours circulating for a few years now that Hollywood is prepping a biopic on Meyer (Rob Cohen and more recently David O. Russell have been reported as possible directors attached to the project.) If this happens, hopefully it would generate enough mass market interest in Meyer's films to facilitate a remastering of his catalogue in the Blu-ray format.

[fraz]

As a big Russ Meyer fan I was very curious about Arrow Films' recent release of the new "Russ Meyer Collection" on DVD. I owned their previous box set (which does not include "Europe in the Raw" or the new 100-page booklet) and wondered if it was worth it to get the new set.

After selling my old set on Ebay, I ordered the new one (which is deeply discounted on Amazon.co.uk) and I'm happy I did.

-The new set has condensed packaging (it's about a third the size of the original box set) and takes up much less shelf space.
-The new 100-page booklet is quite nice with some good photos and a brief history of Meyer along with a couple of interviews from 1990.
-All of the films are in PAL format, Region 0, with the exception of the newly included movie "Europe in the Raw". This disc must be Region 2 locked (even though the disc is labeled Region 0) because it won't play for me while all the others in the set play fine. This is a minor bummer - I've seen "Europe in the Raw" and it's not an essential Russ Meyer movie.

-The greatest (pleasant) surprise for me was the quality of the transfers on this new set. I have owned several Region 1 RM Films releases as well as the aforementioned original Arrow Films Russ Meyer Collection box set, but this new set has the best image and sound of them all. I was under the impression that no transfer upgrade had taken place on the new set, but I'm certain that Arrow Films has done some minor improvements here. The transfers appear to be somewhat "cleaner" with fewer flecks and debris. There is greater contrast and more detail is evident. The sound is also somewhat clearer and well-synced. While the improvements (for this viewer) are noticeable, they are by no means drastic. Don't expect to experience a stunning improvement or anything approaching high definition quality. These are still old films that show their age and print damage is still evident. Having said that, until we get a remastering of the films in high definition, this release is the best on the market.

[DaveSimonH]

Originally Posted by fraz

[Show spoiler]As a big Russ Meyer fan I was very curious about Arrow Films' recent release of the new "Russ Meyer Collection" on DVD. I owned their previous box set (which does not include "Europe in the Raw" or the new 100-page booklet) and wondered if it was worth it to get the new set.

After selling my old set on Ebay, I ordered the new one (which is deeply discounted on Amazon.co.uk) and I'm happy I did.

-The new set has condensed packaging (it's about a third the size of the original box set) and takes up much less shelf space.
-The new 100-page booklet is quite nice with some good photos and a brief history of Meyer along with a couple of interviews from 1990.

-All of the films are in PAL format, Region 0, with the exception of the newly included movie "Europe in the Raw". This disc must be Region 2 locked (even though the disc is labeled Region 0) because it won't play for me while all the others in the set play fine. This is a minor bummer - I've seen "Europe in the Raw" and it's not an essential Russ Meyer movie.

[Show spoiler]-The greatest (pleasant) surprise for me was the quality of the transfers on this new set. I have owned several Region 1 RM Films releases as well as the aforementioned original Arrow Films Russ Meyer Collection box set, but this new set has the best image and sound of them all. I was under the impression that no transfer upgrade had taken place on the new set, but I'm certain that Arrow Films has done some minor improvements here. The transfers appear to be somewhat "cleaner" with fewer flecks and debris. There is greater contrast and more detail is evident. The sound is also somewhat clearer and well-synced. While the improvements (for this viewer) are noticeable, they are by no means drastic. Don't expect to experience a stunning improvement or anything approaching high definition quality. These are still old films that show their age and print damage is still evident. Having said that, until we get a remastering of the films in high definition, this release is the best on the market.

Have you tried playing Europe in the Raw in your PC? If you run the disc in VLC media player it should run as it will ignore the region. Not sure if VLC works as well on Macs, seem to recall someone saying that even with VLC they couldn't play region locked dvds. I suppose you could also use some software to backup the disc minus the region coding.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by fraz

-The new set has condensed packaging (it's about a third the size of the original box set) and takes up much less shelf space.

Would you mind taking a few pictures of the set?

As for the transfers do they exhibit the same combing effect they did on the previous release? I was under the impression they were the same ones (transfers). It would be fantastic if they were an improvement.