Ganes (FS Film - Finland) - First BD with user manageable subs

[kannisto]

I just got Ganes on BD today, the first Finnish movie on Blu-ray (released by FS Film). This release is reported to be the first Blu-ray disc in the world with player generated user controllable subtitles (user can apparently control the size and position of subs). I guess the implementation is somewhat similar in style to the Studio Canal HD DVDs that had controllable subs.

Promotional web page of the movie: http://www.ganes.fi/
Trailer: http://www.ganes.fi/filkka.html

Case pics:


http://www.filmifriikki.fi/~95Xax000...06438044132564
http://www.discshop.fi/shop/ds_produ...=movies&&ref=#

Some spec info from the back cover:
Video: 1080p 1.78:1
User controllable subs: Finnish for the hearing impaired, Swedish, English
Audio: Finnish Dolby TrueHD 7.1, DD 2.0, Commentary track: 2.0

Includes PIP video commentary (BonusView), Making of, some other documentary type extra, Deleted scenes with commentary, Trailer and Teaser, Music video: "I Will Stay", Photo Gallery etc. Bonus materials have no subs.

BD-25 and marked as Region B in the back cover.
EDIT: I heard from a reliable source that the disc is in fact Region ABC regardless of the cover marking.

With English subs and as Region ABC (in reality) release this is nice for importers who are interested in exploring a Finnish film about a famous (in Finland) rock'n roll band in the 70's "Hurriganes" and the colorful life of the band's lead character, "Remu Aaltonen".

I won't be able to try it out before I get back from my holiday trip in Finland though. I'll post some more impressions when I'm back in Tokyo.

[Arkadin]

very cool!
I came across that title on one of my internet title mining operations, and had no idea what it was.
now I know.
btw: wish I was on a trip in Finland right now.
you are one lucky dude.

[leonardodm]

Looks interesting. Checked the links, couldn't understand a single word tough...so hadn´t bought !

[hatih]

Originally Posted by kannisto

I won't be able to try it out before I get back from my holiday trip in Finland though.

This is so off topic but is Kannisto your last name? In other words, are you a Finn who lives in Japan?

[lgans316]

Yes. Kannisto is an Iceman living in the land of rising sun.
I appreciate him for always going the extra mile to post such detailed information on rare imports.

[kannisto]

Originally Posted by hatih

This is so off topic but is Kannisto your last name? In other words, are you a Finn who lives in Japan?

That's right

[kannisto]

Originally Posted by Arkadin

very cool!
I came across that title on one of my internet title mining operations, and had no idea what it was.
now I know.
btw: wish I was on a trip in Finland right now.
you are one lucky dude.

The weather's a bit variable here but at least I can pick up the Nordic exclusive releases nicely during my holiday Already got 9 + ordered "I'm not There" from Denmark (Axel Music) as it gets released there first and in Finland a bit later (a day after I fly back)...

It seems Scanbox' Nordic releases are released at slightly different timings in various Nordic countries depending on the theatrical release timings. For example Cleaner was released first in Finland and comes out later in other Nordic countries, probably because it was directed by a Finnish expat in Hollywood, Renny Harlin.

It's a bit annoying that most Nordic exclusives seem to be marked as Region B releases in the back covers though. 8 out of 9 I got are marked as Region B, but hopefully many of them are secretly region free, like Ganes.

I didn't notice any Scanbox releases in the http://bluray.liesinc.net/ list, so I have to find out by myself... 6 of my picks were Scanbox releases.

[hatih]

Originally Posted by kannisto

That's right

Then there is a slight possibility that we have common relatives. I have cousins here in Turku area with that last name.

[Arkadin]

of the other releases do they also have English subs?

[kannisto]

Originally Posted by Arkadin

of the other releases do they also have English subs?

No, Scanbox releases seem to have always Danish, Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish subs only. Arn - Tempelriddaren is an FS-Film release, a Swedish movie and seems to have only Nordic subtitle languages also.

Of course the original audio track is always included on all of them and many of them are in English. I got the following so far:

- Ganes (Finnish movie with English subs, FS-Film)
- Arn - Tempelriddaren (Swedish movie, FS-Film)
- Revolver (Nordisk Film)
- Seraphim Falls (Scanbox)
- 88 Minutes (Scanbox)
- Cassandra's Dream (Scanbox, only PCM 2.0 soundtrack listed in back cover)
- Cleaner (Scanbox)
- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (French movie and audio, Scanbox)
- Butterfly on a Wheel (Scanbox)

[Arkadin]

bummer!
I came across those titles the other day, and was really excited to see "Cassandra's Dream" and "Diving Bell....."
I'm a big Woody Allen fan even though he still seems to be pretty much blacklisted in US.

[kannisto]

Originally Posted by Arkadin

bummer!
I came across those titles the other day, and was really excited to see "Cassandra's Dream" and "Diving Bell....."
I'm a big Woody Allen fan even though he still seems to be pretty much blacklisted in US.

Yeah, I liked Match Point pretty much and Cassandra's Dream is supposed to have some similarities and it's also a London movie. I guess PCM 2.0 track is OK for a Woody Allen film. I just wish the region codes turn out to be case markings only. I have very high expectations for Diving Bell as well

[kannisto]

Added case pics on the original post. I don't have so good image postprocessing tools here at the moment so I couldn't straighten and crop them.