Dead or Alive Trilogy + Ludwig Limited Edition on Blu-ray
Arriving this week are a couple of eagerly anticipated releases from Arrow Video. The first is the “Ludwig Limited Edition 4-disk Blu-ray and DVD collection that is limited to a run of 3000 units. This set includes an illustrated booklet containing new writing by Peter Cowie.
LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS:
- 4K restoration from the original film negative
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
- Two viewing options: the full-length theatrical cut or as five individual parts
- Original Italian soundtrack with optional English subtitles
- Original English soundtrack available on home video for the first time ever
- with optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
- Brand-new interview with actor Helmut Berger
- Luchino Visconti, an hour-long documentary portrait of the director by Carlo Lizzani (Wake Up and Kill, Requiescant) containing interviews with Burt Lancaster, Vittorio Gassman, Francesco Rosi, Claudia Cardinale and others
- Speaking with Suso Cecchi d’Amico, an interview with the screenwriter Silvana Mangano: The Scent Of A Primrose, a half-hour portrait of the actress
- Theatrical trailer
- FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector s booklet containing new writing by Peter Cowie
Arrow Video has also released the “Dead or Alive” Trilogy in a 2-disk Special Edition that includes “Dead or Alive”, “Dead or Alive 2: Birds”, “Dead or Alive: Final”. Takashi Miike’s trilogy which ran from 1999-2002 is beloved by fans of provocative Japanese cinema. Now, the “Dead or Alive” films are available in high definition and a must have for Miike’s fans.
SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS:
- High Definition digital transfers of all three films
- Original uncompressed stereo audio
- Optional English subtitles for all three films
- New interview with actor Riki Takeuchi
- New interview with actor Sho Aikawa
- New interview with producer and screenwriter Toshiki Kimura
- New audio commentary for Dead or Alive by Miike biographer Tom Mes
- Archive interviews with cast and crew
- Archive making-of featurettes for DOA2: Birds and DOA: Final
- Original theatrical trailers for all three films
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Orlando Arocena
- FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector s booklet featuring new writing on the films by Kat Ellinger
By: Marc Ferman