Third Window Films Discussion Thread

[rapta]

Originally Posted by gouryella

Received my 7 titles today. Four had slipcases with very minor dings on a couple. Certainly nothing to complain about.

Yeah, I had a slight ding on the Tokyo Fist slip but definitely not worth sending it back let alone complain about. In fact, I experienced worse damage from Amazon pre-orders of the Kitano titles (which I did return for replacements; I was just unlucky, and they probably just resold them).

[CrockettandTubbs]

Originally Posted by Ste7en

Well, that sucks

Massive shame

Was going to order some more when I got home.

Base.com have some titles for £6.39.

[Ste7en]

I think Amazon had some as well. Don't forget if you are lucky enough to live near a Fopp their offer is still live.

[KrugerIndustrial]

The following titles are £6.99 @ Amazon:

Kamikaze Girls
Memories of Matsuko
Confessions
Cold Fish
Himizu
Love Exposure
Kotoko
The Woodsman and the Rain
Vulgaria
For Love's Sake
The Land of Hope
Tokyo Fist
Bullet Ballet
The Story of Yonosuke
Pluto (£6.46)
Lesson of Evil
Greatful Dead
Han Gon-ju
A Snake of June
Uzumasa Limelight

[CrockettandTubbs]

Originally Posted by Ste7en

I think Amazon had some as well. Don't forget if you are lucky enough to live near a Fopp their offer is still live.

Covent Garden is nearest for me.

Just ordered from base.com -

[Tom09]

Am I a bad person because I throw the slipcovers away in most cases? The only exception are the Disney slipcovers.

[Dougling]

Originally Posted by Tom09

Am I a bad person because I throw the slipcovers away in most cases? The only exception are the Disney slipcovers.

Each to their own, but there are collectors out there who might be mortified by your actions!

If I don't care for/don't want a slipcover for something, I just don't buy it the day it comes out. Most stuff goes down to under a tenner these days after a little while, so I figure that I might as well save the money and wait.

[CavebobSpongeman]

Originally Posted by Tom09

Am I a bad person because I throw the slipcovers away in most cases? The only exception are the Disney slipcovers.

If it's literally just a piece of cardboard, I usually chuck mine away. I keep the ones that have any kind of special thing about them (foil effect, spot gloss et al).

[tenia]

I paid for it, I keep it !
That's why I keep belly-bands and J-cards too.

[Pikylechu]

The only issue that I have with slipcovers is that if they get even a little bit dog-eared or crumpled, then they start to look like crap. The same with belly bands, and the infuriating j-cards that are stuck to the back of steelbooks using that crappy glue stuff, and cover the top and bottom so you have to remove them to open the case.

I keep all these things within reason, but I've thrown at least a couple of slips and j-cards out purely because of shelf damage wrecking their corners and making them look ugly on the shelf.

[Cinematt]

Originally Posted by Tom09

Am I a bad person because I throw the slipcovers away in most cases? The only exception are the Disney slipcovers.

TWF are the only ones I've cared about, simply because I decided to get their whole catalogue so it seemed right to get the first release versions. I've binned a few, eBayed some, but mostly I just don't give them a thought. I'll take features over packaging any day. I think the only fancy packaging I've ever really liked was the Evil Dead necronomicon release (that made my house stink of latex for ages!)

[Shingster]

Originally Posted by Pikylechu

The only issue that I have with slipcovers is that if they get even a little bit dog-eared or crumpled, then they start to look like crap. The same with belly bands, and the infuriating j-cards that are stuck to the back of steelbooks using that crappy glue stuff, and cover the top and bottom so you have to remove them to open the case.

For the life of me I will never understand why distributors persist in creating J-cards at the size they do instead of making them small enough to simple remove and place inside the steelbook itself. Common sense solution for those who want to keep them.

[Ste7en]

All of my O rings, J cards etc. are in a box file.

[rapta]

Well I just received Lesson of Evil in mint condition, so there you go. Absolutely no complaints from me!

[MarcusZoller]

Any recommendations on some titles worth picking up? I have been looking at these guys for a while and now seems like a good time to send some support their way.

[rapta]

Originally Posted by MarcusZoller

Any recommendations on some titles worth picking up? I have been looking at these guys for a while and now seems like a good time to send some support their way.

I'd immediately recommend all Kitano titles (A Scene at the Sea, Kids Return, Hana-bi, Kikujiro, Dolls), and you may want to check out Tsukamoto (Tetsuo I + II, Tokyo Fist, Bullet Ballet, A Snake of June, Kotoko). I'd watch a few trailers if you can, see if anything takes your fancy.

Sion Sono (Cold Fish, Himizu, Love Exposure, The Land of Hope, Love & Peace) is also quite popular, but from what I can tell he's an acquired taste - though you could say the same about any of these directors, including Miike and Nakashima too. Hence why I'd recommend watching some clips/trailers and reading a few reviews first, if I were you.

[roguejp]

Originally Posted by MarcusZoller

Any recommendations on some titles worth picking up? I have been looking at these guys for a while and now seems like a good time to send some support their way.

I haven't seen their whole catalogue yet, but the movies that really got to me emotionally are Memories of Matsuko, Han Gong-Ju and For Love's Sake. Once you see Cold Fish, you won't forget it soon and Lowlife Love is a funny and tragic movie.

[Ben_C]

Bullet Ballet turned up with a mint slip yesterday, it was sandwiched between some other titles, which obviously protected it a bit more.

[Grethiwha]

Originally Posted by Tom09

Am I a bad person because I throw the slipcovers away in most cases?

lol no you're not. I care about packaging. I really like digipacks and slipboxes and booklets and custom packaging etc. But slipcovers I'm pretty indifferent to. I didn't used to keep them on, since they looked cheap, and they'd always get damaged when I peeled the Bestbuy stickers off, y'know. Now I do keep them. Some are higher quality, like Third Window's, and I like when there's different case artwork to the slipcover artwork. Whatever. It's still a cheap marketing gimmick and I respect you for not getting bogged down in this nonsense. People care about "J-cards"??? - those sheets of cardboard companies print all their mandatory marketing spiel and barcodes on in the interest of not junking up the actual packaging??? lol I guess I'm not surprised.

Originally Posted by MarcusZoller

Any recommendations on some titles worth picking up? I have been looking at these guys for a while and now seems like a good time to send some support their way.

Lots of great filmmakers with distinctive styles represented in the TWF collection, you need to see which ones appeal to you. Love Exposure and Cold Fish are great starting points for Sion Sono. Hana-bi and Kikujiro are great intros to Takeshi Kitano. Tetsuo is probably the best starting point for Tsukamoto, but my personal fave is Tokyo Fist. Lesson of Evil is a must for fans of Takashi Miike's more extreme movies. Confessions is also a must from Tetsuya Nakashima, who's another really big name director now. If you wanna go more experimental, non-big-name stuff, I recommend the "New Directors from Japan" set, though it's OOP now so might be harder to find at a reasonable price.

[castor]

Originally Posted by MarcusZoller

Any recommendations on some titles worth picking up? I have been looking at these guys for a while and now seems like a good time to send some support their way.

I'd recommend Tetsuo The Iron Man, Confessions, and A Snake of June.