the bukowski tapes (2 Viewers)

That's a good link! I've downloaded lotsa stuff from there...:D
 
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I watched the 2nd half of this Saturday night. I wanted to walk up to the brewery to listen to one of my favorite local bands but had sinus pain so bad it hurt to walk. So, I stretched out on the bed with a bottle of vodka and the Bukowski Tapes. Yes, that monotonous piano music gets real old after about 30 times. What the hell were they thinking??
 
These tapes were produced by Barbet Schroeder as a *weekly* feature and sign-off for either a French or German tv station. I believe that it was German. It was the last thing the station played - or that's my understanding. Notice there are 52 of them? Once a week... for a year ... consequently the piano music before and aft. I happen to like the music as a palette cleanser between episodes. The segments were never designed to be shown back to back and I'm glad Schroeder left them in their original weekly format because I enjoy listening to them with that original format in mind. It's a short simple piano interlude in a classical style, and I would guess that Schroeder used it in deference to Bukowski's love of classical music. Music or no music, these tapes are the last things I'd give up in my Bukowski collection.
 
These tapes were produced by Barbet Schroeder as a *weekly* feature and sign-off for either a French or German tv station. I believe that it was German. It was the last thing the station played - or that's my understanding.

yes, it was on 3SAT, a German TV-station, in 1994. every sunday night after midnight (starting times veried between 0:00 and 1:20).

I remember staying awake and recording them every week on VHS-tape. (since time was variing and the pieces were so short, I couldn't just program the recorder. Had to stay up [and sober] to push the button at the right moment.)

yes, in that context the music made sense. and yes, watching them all in a row, the music sucks. a lot.
 
They were first aired in France on the old FR3 (France Régions 3) station.
 
does anyone have an image of the actual vcr tapes? i bought two copies because the first set i purchased looked like dubs, but i wasn't too upset because i got a mint clamshell case and an almost perfect viewing copy. the 2nd set i purchased looks like the real deal, but i recall seeing the tapes somewhere else(abe? ebay?) and they looked slightly different. here's an image of what i believe to be real deal...

CIMG2789.jpg
 
I know these are original. But yours could be too. I haven't see the Lagoon Video phone number on the labels of any bootlegs. Well, the two bootlegs I've seen, anyway.
 
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thanks mjp. the image you provided is of the tapes i saw elsewhere that made me second guess my copy. upon inspection of mine, they look as if they are 20+ years old, as does the label. maybe they made several prints/labels? well, since the viewing quality is perfect(as much as old vhs tapes can be) that's all that really matters...
 
James I have the same label on my copy. I too wondered about the difference and noticed that the phone # is different than MJP's copy also.
 
i do have the originals as a dvd. got them for the excellent booklet.

but still, i'd LOVE the cats here in germany to bring out a DVD-edition of them with the subtitles optionally blended in. they were decent. unfortunately, these suckers only brought them out on VHS some centuries ago. and it doesn't look like they will go for a dvd soon ...

too bad.
 
James I have the same label on my copy. I too wondered about the difference and noticed that the phone # is different than MJP's copy also.

I also have the same label on my copy, but also with a different phone number. The label is slightly different though. It reads:

The Charles Bukowski Tapes
Volume 2
Lagoon Video
P.O.Box 5730
Santa Monica, CA 90409
(310) 823-4024
c Les Films Du Losange

- I bought them from Kerouac.com (the same guy who has The Beat Museum) for $110 years ago.
 
Is'nt that segment already on Youtube? Last time I looked they had about half the segments (26 out of 52)...
 
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Or you could quit being a cheap prick and pony up fifteen bucks to buy the Bukowski Tapes. I know you're entitled to see anything you want for free, but maybe just this once, be outrageous and pay someone for their work.
 
Does anybody know where I could buy the Bukowski Tapes DVD in a PAL format, for Europe?... I checked on amazon.co.uk and it's only the NTSC version there. Thanks.

bogdan
 
I don't believe there has been a genuine PAL DVD edition produced. Yet.
 
Does anybody know where I could buy the Bukowski Tapes DVD in a PAL format, for Europe?
Maybe you need a multiple region DVD player. I'm watching the Bukowski tapes on my cheap multiple region DVD player without any problems. I'm glad I never have to worry about color systems and regions anymore.
You could watch the Buk tapes on you computer with the free VLC player though!

Btw, I just saw that a used copy costs $46 and upwards, and a new copy is $60 on Amazon.com...:eek:
 
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Btw, I just saw that a used copy costs $46 and upwards, and a new copy is $60 on Amazon.com...:eek:
Yeah, it's out of print. That's what happens. You can't put off buying short run DVDs these days. They disappear too fast.
 
Yeah, it's out of print.

Man, I'm so glad I bought them while they were still to have at a reasonable price.


I said this in the 'Barfly'-thread already: In Germany there's going to be published a 2-DVD-version of 'Barfly' which also includes 180 min of the 'Buk-Tapes'. That would be PAL then.

That double-DVD should be out end of September and I will have it in my shop. The price should be something like 19.90 EUR.
 
Thanks for the info. I'll wait then for the September release... If I got this right, are the Buk-Tapes longer actually, but only 180 min fit on this release?
 
[...] they were really annoying... Roni, could you confirm this?

I can confirm, that they ARE annoying.

Can't confirm, they cut it out, since I haven't seen the DVD yet. It's still only announced, not delivered. But I will tell you about the exact content right after this thing is out.
 
To cut 60 minutes they would have to take out more than the charming musical interlude.

It's unfortunate that these things come and go so quickly, but I guess that's what eBay is for, right? ;)
 
To cut 60 minutes they would have to take out more than the charming musical interlude.
that's why I don't believe, this is the full version just with the music cut out.
Well, the MAIN reason I believe this is:
they could make more money with a DVD release of Barfly plus one of the Buk-Tapes (complete). So obviously there was a problem, maybe in terms of copyright. I dunno.

I remember, there was a VHS-Tape-version of the 'BUK-Tapes' in Germany - With the subtitles (which weren't bad btw).

It's unfortunate that these things come and go so quickly, but I guess that's what eBay is for, right?
maybe ebay pays them for taking things off the free market ...
 
Warner Bros. must have licensed the Bukowski tapes, because they had four chapters on the US release of Barfly too. I would think the reason for the edit was strictly due to space limitations. I don't know if you can get 4 hours onto one DVD...if you can, then it must be some other reason.

If the new release is even WB...maybe it's not...
 
I said this in the 'Barfly'-thread already: In Germany there's going to be published a 2-DVD-version of 'Barfly' which also includes 180 min of the 'Buk-Tapes'. That would be PAL then.

That double-DVD should be out end of September and I will have it in my shop. The price should be something like 19.90 EUR.
Ah, I saw this one on amazon and wondered about the 2-DVD-version. If I didn't miss it, there were no infos about sticking the Buk-Tapes in. Where did you get that information, roni?

Strange about the 180, tho. Maybe they threw out some readings?
 
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... But why not release them as a whole together?

Yeah, I too don't see their point!

They are also bringing out a one-DVD-version of Barfly then.
So, it woulda been MUCH more money in one DVD of Barfly PLUS a two-DVD-set of the WHOLE Buk-Tapes.

I can't believe, they didn't see this. So the reason must be another. My guess is still, that there were copyright-issues in using the whole material. Nothing else makes the slightest bit of sense. (to me that is.)
 
The new 'Barfly' edition on Amazon is delayed too. I've tried to order it and they've send me an email twice saying it was delayed, last time was today. They said they hoped I would have it before Sept. 21, but it'll probably be delayed again...
 
I'm almost ashamed to say but I lifted the double VHS set from Tower Video on Sunset when I worked there in 89. Watched countless times and lost them in a move. Back when I lived inside a bottle.
 

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