Radiance Films Round Robin w/ Elliot Coen, Nathan Jones and Film Blogger Sam

A discussion about Radiance Films, their releases so far, the critical reception, their long terms plans and our hopes for the future.

[@modestyblaise4167]

Great discussion of an exciting label. Thank you Elliot for recommending Thieves Like Us. Not only is it a great Altman film but a great introduction for newcomers to Radiance films before contemplating the leap into world cinema. Glad to see both Miami Blues and Welcome to the Dollhouse brought up later in the discussion though and both would be my recommendations as great starting points.

[@chrismohan]

Thank you! We had a great time recording it 😀 Great recommendations for a starting place with the label. I thoroughly enjoyed both of those and am really keen for more Solondz in the coming years 😀

[@hildamontes6146]

I would have to say "The Dead Mother" you watch it and are disgusted with some scenes but then your obsessed with it and it just stays in your memory. Will certainly watch it again to absorb more from it. Also has a great soundtrack which is included in the special edition.

[@chrismohan]

Thank you! It’s on my shelf in wrapper. Perfect impetus to get through in the next few weeks. I’ll report back 😀

[@DavysFlicks]

Great stream with...legends, icons, heroes and Sam.

[@chrismohan]

😂😂 ‘Great stream with Sam, legends, icons and heroes.’ *fixed it for ya !

[@DavysFlicks]

@@chrismohan 🤣 I wouldnae bother with them THAT much tho..not even Celts!

[@FilmBloggerSam]

This was a fun stream! Thanks for having us Chris. Look forward to more in the future 👍

[@chrismohan]

Cheers bud. Always feels like Cbristmas when we get the chance to get together.

[@richardking3206]

Elliot was very quiet in an otherwise interesting discussion. Like you all, I’m loving Radiance thus far. You talked about most of my favourites. I’ve not got the Costa Nostra set yet, just waiting to afford it, really. I’m big on World Cinema so would love to see films from currently under-represented countries and regions. The Criterion World Cinema Project releases are good, and I’d love to see Radiance let us have something similar. So many excellent films get little or no releases, while some are endlessly re-released.

[@chrismohan]

I’d live then to go down the World Cinema Project line. So many voices in cinema right across the world that deserve their own showcase and I am so hungry to discover them. Thanks for checking out the stream. Doing them live uses such different energy 😀

[@modestyblaise4167]

I’ve been recommending Radiance as an exciting new label to many people. One of the biggest criticisms I’ve had is for such a small catalogue, it’s already world cinema heavy. Elliot reminded the others that perhaps an American movie should be recommended as a newcomer to any new label and I’d agree with that. Personally I feel there’s been a nice variety so far so for me I hope they continue on the same path.

[@richardking3206]

@@modestyblaise4167 It’s precisely because it’s World Cinema ‘heavy’ that I love it! Almost every other label has at least cut right back on, if not stopped releasing such films. US films have almost always dominated releases. Indicator, for instance, (an excellent label) is almost entirely English language films. I’ve not heard a word against their slate since they started. All these Japanese/Asian Action films that have become the go-to/norm for many labels must be popular because they’ve become utterly ubiquitous! Eureka used to have such a range of releases but these days have become like many others, apart from an occasional Silent or Zulawski-type set.

[@modestyblaise4167]

@@richardking3206 Radiance are much younger and smaller than Criterion so it’s extremely important for them to offer a wide variety movie types to grow. World cinema is very niche and I feel fans should be pleased with what Radiance has put out so far. Fran has said many times that that he doesn’t want to go too much into any one thing but focus on films that are ‘first to time to Blu-ray’. Here in the U.K. there are so many US films that are stuck on DVD, or worst still VHS only. Yes, indicator have done some but that doesn’t mean Radiance shouldn’t. Have you seen any of the US films released on Radiance? All absolute quality.