Tora-san films with English subtitles coming from Shochiku

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by logboy

glad it's now a plausible set for international interest. expensive still, of course. would hope for a variation or version elsewhere, but i can only remember DVD sets with subs in HK and i don't hold out hope for BDs there - the market doesn't seem to support such things. i would really like to see them all - my happy experience with zatoichi, and the rarity of getting series as a whole from japanese cinema, makes me look at runs in a similar vein differently.

I was researching the series and it seems that after Panorama stopped releasing them in Hong Kong, Shochiku decided to take up the slack and provide all of the films with English subtitles on Japanese DVD when they released remastered versions in 2008 (at least that's how Stuart Galbraith IV tells it in a DVD review here), so the series has actually been available in English-friendly form for over a decade already.

The fact that these DVDs have received stunningly little coverage must have something to do with why we are getting the English subtitles again on Japanese Blu-ray, versus any or all of the 49 films being licensed and released on Blu-ray in English-speaking territories.

[logboy]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

The fact that these DVDs have received stunningly little coverage must have something to do with why we are getting the English subtitles again on Japanese Blu-ray, versus any or all of the 49 films being licensed and released on Blu-ray in English-speaking territories.

don't know. friend of mine in japan has been working for yamada (at his personal request) subbing some of his new films, and i think he may have done the restored first one of tora-san or maybe the new upcoming one too? might have to ask him if there's any knowledge he has as to why they'd be subbed this time around, given there's so many and it's rare to get an individual film subbed in japan.

the lack of coverage of the tora-san discs put out in HK for the series - both individually and as rerelease collection boxes - i think is far more symptomatic of what bias there is in the taste of non japanese audiences for J cinema that escalates the further away you are geographically. even those that are / were well aware of HK as a relatively good source compared to most countries, especially for films that haven't had to travel far and therefore don't seem to suffer from that same level of distortion in what's licensed, didn't talk about tora-san. perhaps they seemed old fashioned - yamada can look a little too straightforward and commercial, and i haven't bothered with them in recent years at all because they now look like TV films more than ever. the only 'arthouse' part of his filmography i know is the more recent samurai trilogy so that played a part in many people's perception of what they thought they would get from all of it when they looked back across the decades, perhaps?

think they're part of a lot of relatively early DVDs that predate a more widespread interest, as developed as DVD had been established for a while. i would look back over those rather plain-looking panorama discs of j films - and did pick up some, including quite a few yamada's, and like the 'gakko' films - but by that time i think at least one tora-san panorama set had gone OOP and the others seemed expensive if you didn't know where to get the missing one. never worked out if the individual discs that can still be found make up for the missing set at all.

[Ben_C]

I’ve seen the first few Tora-san films from that region 1 dvd set, and thought they were pretty enjoyable, but I do wonder if the series gets a tad repetitive with that many films?

Would be nice to see English friendly releases of Yamada’s samurai trilogy on blu-ray. Spent quite a bit importing the very nice Japanese limited edition dvd sets back in the day (was particularly pleased to get a new copy of Twilight Samurai for a decent price on eBay long after it had gone out of print).
The Yellow Handkerchief was also pretty good, and it looks like it’s available in Japan, but no English subs.

[logboy]

Originally Posted by Ben_C

I’ve seen the first few Tora-san films from that region 1 dvd set, and thought they were pretty enjoyable, but I do wonder if the series gets a tad repetitive with that many films?

think that aspect required a perception shift, more akin to accepting TV shows go on for (sometimes) years, decades, hundreds of episodes.

lots of film series, and maybe even the decision to do them, and for TV to eventually follow suit, probably come from a time when TV wasn't as widespread or available, numerous in channels and overall content.

if they can get you once, they'll try to get you again, i guess. zatoichi struck me as something you could view all of, or dip in and out off without necessarily knowing the set-up. i'd imagine people just picking up what they fancied at the time and accepting they'd miss some or could get a great experience if they were interested enough to see more.

might be why boxsets of films work in japan, too - people could see those they missed, or pick out the ones they like via rental stores.

[sprocket]

Originally Posted by Ben_C

The Yellow Handkerchief was also pretty good, and it looks like it’s available in Japan, but no English subs.

This?

https://www.twilighttimemovies.com/y...kachi-blu-ray/

[Ben_C]

Didn’t think to check whether it had been released anywhere other than Japan, as I thought it would be just a bit too obscure.

[McCrutchy]

Now down to ¥148,341 (¥137,391 without tax) on Amazon. This is getting cheaper than I thought it would...I wonder how low it will go?

EDIT: Sorry, I guess it was ¥148,382, not ¥148,341, though I swear I saw the latter a little while ago...

[Geode]

Originally Posted by Ben_C

I’ve seen the first few Tora-san films from that region 1 dvd set, and thought they were pretty enjoyable, but I do wonder if the series gets a tad repetitive with that many films?

Would be nice to see English friendly releases of Yamada’s samurai trilogy on blu-ray. Spent quite a bit importing the very nice Japanese limited edition dvd sets back in the day (was particularly pleased to get a new copy of Twilight Samurai for a decent price on eBay long after it had gone out of print).
The Yellow Handkerchief was also pretty good, and it looks like it’s available in Japan, but no English subs.

Actually they are very repetitive as they all basically have the same plot. Tora-san returns home to Shibamata and the leaves when clashing with family. He starts some new scheme and falls in love. The scheme fails as well as his romance. Reset for next entry.

"Twilight Samurai" has been released on blu-ray. I have the Panorama version from HK but Twilight Time released it in the US as well.

"The Hidden Blade" was released on blu-ray in a set with a DVD by Palisades Tartan years ago. I have this set.

I think "Love and Honor" remains unreleased on blu-ray outside of Japan (where it lacks English subs).

[giopna]

Originally Posted by logboy

don't know. friend of mine in japan has been working for yamada (at his personal request) subbing some of his new films, and i think he may have done the restored first one of tora-san or maybe the new upcoming one too? might have to ask him if there's any knowledge he has as to why they'd be subbed this time around, given there's so many and it's rare to get an individual film subbed in japan.

Is your friend in Japan Don Brown? It seems he has translated the soon to be released, "Tora-san, Welcome Back!" and Yamada's more recent films.

[logboy]

Originally Posted by giopna

Is your friend in Japan Don Brown? It seems he has translated the soon to be released, "Tora-san, Welcome Back!" and Yamada's more recent films.

sure.

[Vidov]

Planning to buy around 5-7 of these for now. Any recommendations? Should I just buy them in order?

Seems like some nice fun after a long working day.

[manicsounds]

Just watched the 50th “Tora-san” movie yesterday and I liked it more than I thought I would, as it has an actual story and uses footage from previous films in flashback form to very good effect. Much better than the fairly useless 49th film that was a mishmash of old footage with some new. Also unfortunate if this upcoming boxset doesn’t have a “future proof” slot to add the 50th film’s disc once that is released.

[e_d]

Amazon is saying back in stock in June. Seems a bit far out?

https://www.shochiku-home-enta.com/c/japanese/SHBR0582 also says June.

Estimated delivery date: June 5, 2020 (Fri)
Last order 〆 Deadline: January 31, 2020 (Fri)

Is it being pushed back or something? A second pressing?

[tsetse27]

Originally Posted by e_d

Amazon is saying back in stock in June. Seems a bit far out?

https://www.shochiku-home-enta.com/c/japanese/SHBR0582 also says June.

Estimated delivery date: June 5, 2020 (Fri)
Last order 〆 Deadline: January 31, 2020 (Fri)

Is it being pushed back or something? A second pressing?

it must be 2nd pressing. My pre ordered with Amazon earlier this year already delivered yesterday.

[shibal]

Are the restrictions still in place for ordering the Amazon JP exclusive version to ship to the US? I see the deadline for ordering is Jan 31 on the Shochiku site but I don't see it on Amazon JP?

[veyron]

Originally Posted by manicsounds

Just watched the 50th “Tora-san” movie yesterday and I liked it more than I thought I would, as it has an actual story and uses footage from previous films in flashback form to very good effect. Much better than the fairly useless 49th film that was a mishmash of old footage with some new. Also unfortunate if this upcoming boxset doesn’t have a “future proof” slot to add the 50th film’s disc once that is released.

Just wondering, if the series ended in 1997, and there is 49 movies, what is the 50'th?
A new movie, or a new release of an older one🤔

[tsetse27]

this is one monster box set!!

found a unboxed video:

男��ら�よ 50周年記念�定 復刻寅ん� ブルーレイ全巻ボックス - YouTube

[tsetse27]

Originally Posted by manicsounds

Just watched the 50th “Tora-san” movie yesterday and I liked it more than I thought I would, as it has an actual story and uses footage from previous films in flashback form to very good effect. Much better than the fairly useless 49th film that was a mishmash of old footage with some new. Also unfortunate if this upcoming boxset doesn’t have a “future proof” slot to add the 50th film’s disc once that is released.

The box (I should call it a suit-case) does have a slot for Tora-san 50th.

[thisgenius]

Originally Posted by veyron

Just wondering, if the series ended in 1997, and there is 49 movies, what is the 50'th?
A new movie, or a new release of an older one🤔

Tora-san: Wish You Were Here
Director: Yoji Yamada

"50 years since his movie debut, Tora-san is back in a new story. One of Japan's most beloved characters returns to the big screen through a combination of new footage and 4K restored images."

『男��ら�よ　�帰り 寅�ん�予告編 | Tora-san, Wish You Were Here - Trailer HD - YouTube

[*manics*]

Got the set also today, luckily amazon japan sends the set to foreign customers.

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