Review by George D.

As mentioned in item description this rare original version of Tetsuo was awarded grand-prix in Rome, Italy Film Festival. There is international interest for the movie yet you issue the DVD without English subtitles. Bad marketing. Please issue urgently with English subtitles for the rest of us outside Japan to buy!!

One of the least successfull albums of John Cale, avoid starting from this one and try the Island period (Fear, Slow Dazzle, Helen of Troy, Guts) and Paris 1919. Note to Japanese cardboard mini-LP makers: please reissue the splendid The Academy in Peril (1972) with the original gatefold diecut sleeve by Andy Warhol. Long awaited collector's item to be!

When seeing Japanese mini-LP SHM reissues one always expects something extra. It's not just a matter of added manufacturing quality (SHM) one pays more for, it's the bonus material often added usually never found anywhere else that makes these limited editions collectible. This release fails to make the difference by ommitting to add the out-of-print "Stripped Companion" CD (RSTS-SB/6) containing the new 4 Stripped outtakes, "Honest I Do" from the Hope Floats soundtrack, all live tracks from the Stripped CD singles, the TV special, plus the 4 single B-side tracks from Voodoo Lounge. Make this reissue worthwhile by including the 19-tracks of "Stripped Companion" as bonus: 1. Honest I Do 2. Let's Spend the Night Together 3. No Expectations 4. Beast of Burden 5. Memory Motel 6. Let it Bleed 7. Tumblig Dice 8. Gimme Shelter 9. Live With Me 10. Black Limousine 11. All Down the Line 12. Dead Flowers 13. Shine a Light 14. Sweet Virginia 15. Rip This Joint 16. The Storm 17. So Young 18. Jump On Top of Me 19. I'm Gonna Drive [Stripped Companion back cover notes for your best info: After the very fortunate discovery of five as yet unreleased March '95 Toshiba-session tracks, we are proud to offer you the perfect Stripped Companion collection for the first time ever on one single CD all available tracks not included on either the studio album Voodoo Lounge, nor on the live album Stripped. For your unrestrained listening pleasure, all the individual live tracks have been edited together to one uninterrupted live block].

It's a shame such magnificent releases of first class Japanese film makers are offered only with Japanese subtitles. The entire Kurosawa's film works are often seen on Greek state TV dedicated filmruns, along with other major film makers as Oshima and Kobayashi, all subtitled in Greek and Rashomon is among the favourite choices on many summer cinemas (i.e. Greek island or city small cinemas on terraces, without ceiling, showing mainly older first class movies for the cinefil movie-goers). It's a shame to discover we cannot buy your top quality BluRay disks due to lack of subtitles. One can't expect Greek (limited market), but at least English is a must. Please issue all your Japanese movie titles with English subtitles too, this is international target-group market you're missing! Raring: 5 for Kurosawa, 0 for lack of subtitles.

Same fine remastering and 19-track listing of the 1999 US pressing now on a wonderful miniature replication of the first stereo LP pressing: hard cardboard cover, original inner sleever artwork, even the first limited LP edition baby Buddah car bumber sticker is included, surely the best edition of this great record one can ever have.

Trout Mask Replica is avant-Rock landmark, but a pitty Japanese pressing doesn't go further than the usual!! Captain Beefheart records 1966-1982 deserve to be issued in cardboard mini-LP original cover with inner sleeve, SHM. The remaster is presently available.

2004 best screenplay academy award winner, 3 golden globes and 3 baftas tells the story about the movie. The Japanese DVD release blows away US/European or any other, awesome technically, packaging very well looked after, with the DVD in digipak sliding in a protective thick cardboard case, foldable inlet with great pictures sports a location map of the places Johansson and Murray have been to, and the cover page as it should be: in Japanese Kanji picturing Johansson all dressed up killing time in the hotel room while on the flip cover Murray in slippers wonders. Get it while you can, if possible along with the soundtrack.