The Lukas Moodysson Collection

[yoloswegmaster]

LIMITED EDITION BOXSET CONTENTS

• High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentations of all seven films
• Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround and 2.0 stereo mixes for all seven films
• Optional English subtitles for all films, plus English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing on Mammoth and the English version of Container
• New video interviews with Lukas Moodysson and other cast and crew, moderated by film programmer Sarah Lutton
• 200-page hardback book featuring new writing by Peter Walsh, excerpts from the original press kits for each film, including interviews with and directors’ statements from Moodysson, and essays on his films from a 2014 special issue of the Nordic culture journal Scandinavica by C. Claire Thomson, Helga H. Lúthersdóttir, Elina Nilsson, Scott MacKenzie & Anna Westerståhl Stenport and Kjerstin Moody

DISC ONE – FUCKING ÅMÅL (aka SHOW ME LOVE)

• 2K restoration by the Swedish Film Institute, approved by director Lukas Moodysson and cinematographer Ulf Brantås
• New interview with Lukas Moodysson
• New interview with star Alexandra Dahlström
• Did You Know She’s A Lesbian?, an appreciation by Dr. Clara Bradbury-Rance, author of Lesbian Cinema After Queer Theory
• Talk (Bara prata lite), a short film directed by Moodysson in 1997
• Theatrical trailer
• Image gallery

DISC TWO – TOGETHER

• 4K restoration by the Swedish Film Institute from the original camera negative, approved by director Lukas Moodysson and cinematographer Ulf Brantås
• New interview with Lukas Moodysson
• New interview with script supervisor Malin Fornander
• New interview with editor Michal Leszczylowski
• Deleted scenes
• Theatrical trailer
• Image gallery

DISC THREE – LILYA 4-EVER

• New interview with Lukas Moodysson
• New interview with costume designer Denise Östholm
• Guardian Interview with Lukas Moodysson, a Q&A with the director filmed at the London Film Festival in 2002
• Theatrical trailer
• Image gallery

DISC FOUR – A HOLE IN MY HEART / CONTAINER

• New interviews with Lukas Moodysson on both films
• Lukas Moodysson Masterclass, an interview with the director filmed at London’s National Film & Television School in 2004
• A Hole in My Second Heart, a behind-the-scenes featurette from 2004
• Swedish and English narration options for Container
• Inside the Container Crypt, a 2007 featurette on the themes of Container
• Theatrical trailers and image galleries for both films

DISC FIVE – MAMMOTH

• New interview with Lukas Moodysson
• New interview with line producer Malte Forssell
• Promotional interviews with Moodysson and Gael Garcia Bernal from 2009
• Theatrical trailer
• Image gallery

DISC SIX – WE ARE THE BEST!

• New interview with Lukas Moodysson
• New interview with cinematographer Ulf Brantås
• A New Expression, a look at the background to the film by Swedish punk historian David Andersson
• Q&A from the 2013 London Film Festival screening, featuring Moodysson and stars Liv LeMoyne and Mira Barkhammar
• Theatrical trailer
• Image gallery

Individual threads for:

Container
Mammoth
We Are the Best!

[therewillbeblus]

Well, we already have a winner for release of the year 2023 - I wonder how the subs on Fucking Amal will compare to the newest ones on back channels, which seem to communicate the linguistic nuances far better than any other physical release/fan-subbed translations. There's no mention of the subtitles being new translations, unless I'm missing something on the announcement?

[ryannichols7]

holy hell release of the year with Moodysson, it really did all get included - I was worried We Are the Best! would be left out but very thrilled. is it UK only or US? only matters as to where I order it....gonna be a day 1

[MichaelB]

It’s very appropriate that the Moodysson box was announced in the week of my 20th wedding anniversary as Together was the most successful first date film of my life.

[Calvin]

We had thought for a while that Moodysson set was coming but it's still a surprise to see that it's so comprehensive! The extras sound great, particularly the book which seems to address my common complaint that releases of 'world' cinema very rarely include contributions from local critics/writers.

holy hell release of the year with Moodysson, it really did all get included

Almost. It looks to be missing his documentary 'Terrorists: The Kids They Sentenced'. According to Wikipedia, Moodysson used to distribute homemade copies himself so I'm surprised to see it not included though I'm sure no one is going to miss it.

[Finch]

holy hell release of the year with Moodysson, it really did all get included - I was worried We Are the Best! would be left out but very thrilled. is it UK only or US? only matters as to where I order it....gonna be a day 1

It's at least a US release as mifunefan found the listing on a US site but it's most likely for both territories.

Here's an additional packaging shot:

[denti alligator]

I’m coming late to Moodysson. Only watched Fucking Amal a few months ago for the first time. I was blown away. I assume the rest are on par or close? Are we looking at a February release?

[swo17]

I would call Lilya and We Are the Best! the other highlights

[Red Screamer]

The book sounds impressive! Since it came out, We Are the Best! has been one of the few films where me recommending it to people has had a 100% success rate.

[Finch]

I'd be new to Moodyson as well. I gather that Fucking Amal, Together and We Are The Best! are joyful films while Lilya-4-Ever is supposedly a very well-made total downer. I know nothing about the other two titles. (PS.: Funny how Arrow saw the need to mask the first film's swearword in the spec description when it's in plain sight on the front of the box)

[therewillbeblus]

I think it's a January release, and I agree with swo. All three of those films he mentions are masterpieces, and I'm far less enthusiastic about the others - though I haven't seen A Hole in My Heart, Container, or the shorts. I'd say the other major work of Moodysson's to seek out is his recent TV series Gösta (which was on HBO Max and now might be on Hulu?) - I loved it and tracked my thoughts here, but I don't know if anyone else got around to it. Nothing is on par with Fucking Amal, but it's right up there with the others, and as close to perfect TV as we get these days

[jheez]

This is the release of the decade for me. Lilya 4-Ever is one of my absolute favorite films and I don't even think it's been released in the US?

I haven't seen Mammoth, but Fucking Amal, Together, Lilya 4-Ever, and We are the Best! are all top tier films for me. I consider Fucking Amal and Lilya 4-Ever masterpieces. A Hole in the Heart and Container were a bit hard to get through ("feel bad" movies), but they're still worth checking out and I'm looking forward to revisiting them.

I can't wait!

[soundchaser]

Let me add to the chorus of Fucking Åmål praise - it's a lively, engaging piece of work with a hilarious ending. Haven't seen any of the others, but this'll probably be the first Arrow release I pick up in ages.

[domino harvey]

I would call Lilya and We Are the Best! the other highlights

Exactly this, having seen all of the films in this set, though Tilsammans has its fans. Container and Hjarta are awful, and Mammoth is too earnest (and late to the party). The early short is good and quite dark as well

And yes, an essential release on the whole

[criterionsnob]

Incredible set. I'm looking forward to rewatching them all. The only Moodysson I haven't been able to see in Canada is the Gösta series. Would love to be able to buy that on Blu-ray or stream it someday.

[domino harvey]

This set is also missing his documentary, Terrorister

EDIT Whoops, already noted by Calvin

I’m pretty sure I first watched it on Google Video, remember when that was like a public facing Pirate Bay?

[Calvin]

This set is also missing his documentary, Terrorister

EDIT Whoops, already noted by Calvin

I’m pretty sure I first watched it on Google Video, remember when that was like a public facing Pirate Bay?

Is it worth watching?

[domino harvey]

Not really, from what I can recall (ie next to nothing about it!)

[domino harvey]

I don't know if these are still on the Moodysson fan site anymore (does it even still exist?), but they used to have these incredible video clips shot secretly during Fucking Amal's original theatrical run showing the audience reaction of a packed house of Swedish filmgoers to the car scene and the O'Boy scene in the film.... and they are fucking wild. There is no question as to why the film was a cultural phenomena in its home country, as everyone reacts like they're at their child's play: enormous belly laughs and cheers and infectious enthusiasm. It really helped me see the film in a new way, and I'd already seen it countless times at that point. I have the clips on a hard drive somewhere-- Arrow, you're welcome to them!

[ryannichols7]

holy hell release of the year with Moodysson, it really did all get included

Almost. It looks to be missing his documentary 'Terrorists: The Kids They Sentenced'. According to Wikipedia, Moodysson used to distribute homemade copies himself so I'm surprised to see it not included though I'm sure no one is going to miss it.

considering how closely he seemed to work with Arrow on this, I'm sure that was his choice, though I'd certainly be curious to see it..unless its another Hole in My Heart type affair

holy hell release of the year with Moodysson, it really did all get included - I was worried We Are the Best! would be left out but very thrilled. is it UK only or US? only matters as to where I order it....gonna be a day 1

It's at least a US release as mifunefan found the listing on a US site but it's most likely for both territories.

so this is major (even more than it already was) as I'm pretty sure this is the first time Magnolia has licensed to a boutique label. maybe we can get rescues of Shoplifters (desperately in need - only a DVD release in the US) and an even better disc of Melancholia, among others. We Are the Best! is certainly a deserving one

I don't know if these are still on the Moodysson fan site anymore (does it even still exist?), but they used to have these incredible video clips shot secretly during Fucking Amal's original theatrical run showing the audience reaction of a packed house of Swedish filmgoers to the car scene and the O'Boy scene in the film.... and they are fucking wild. There is no question as to why the film was a cultural phenomena in its home country, as everyone reacts like they're at their child's play: enormous belly laughs and cheers and infectious enthusiasm. It really helped me see the film in a new way, and I'd already seen it countless times at that point. I have the clips on a hard drive somewhere-- Arrow, you're welcome to them!

I personally would love to see these, and think they'd be a really fun/fitting inclusion. I have thought about this clip of a theatre audience (extreme headphone warning) seeing Snakes on a Plane and always joke about it being applied to other movies I love. Fucking Amal (and especially the scenes you mention) would be perfect for that

I'd say this box has drummed up more interest than any Arrow release lately on here..arguably more than Shawscope. and look who produced both

[JamesF]

Thanks for the kind words everyone, and thrilled to see the leaked announcement get the positive response I was hoping for. I've loved Moodysson's films since a Swedish ex-girlfriend introduced me to Fucking Åmål back at university (and still have the UK DVD set of the first four films, signed by Moodysson after a screening of We Are The Best!), so when Fran told me getting all the films was a possibility nearly three years ago, I enthusiastically pushed for the assignment. Various things have delayed it along the way, from COVID to materials and rights issues with some of the films, so it's great to finally get it out there.

Answering a few questions posted in this thread:

It looks to be missing his documentary 'Terrorists: The Kids They Sentenced'. According to Wikipedia, Moodysson used to distribute homemade copies himself so I'm surprised to see it not included though I'm sure no one is going to miss it.

Believe me, Terrorists was one of the first things I asked about for potential bonus content, and an official release of that film isn't legally possible due to underlying rights issues - hence why there's never been one before!

I wonder how the subs on Fucking Amal will compare to the newest ones on back channels, which seem to communicate the linguistic nuances far better than any other physical release/fan-subbed translations. There's no mention of the subtitles being new translations, unless I'm missing something on the announcement?

No, none of the films' subtitles are newly translated from scratch, rather we've made several targeted improvements to the existing subs for each film during QC. I haven't seen the fansubs you're referring to, but I saw another post elsewhere about them reinstating swearing missing in the original subs - I can assure you, our subs have plenty of swearing in them! If by "linguistic improvements" you mean a stricter adherence to directly translating cultural specifics, I know there's certainly a preference for some to faithfully transcribe every single thing rather than dumb it down for Anglophone viewers, but I can't say I personally share that view. In both Fucking Åmål and We Are The Best!, for example, there are scenes where characters refer by name to O'Boy, a brand of chocolate milk virtually unknown outside Sweden, and where characters are sung the Swedish equivalent of "Happy Birthday" (“Ja må han/hon leva”, meaning "Long may he/she live"). The Arrow subs translate them as "chocolate milk" and with the lyrics to "Happy Birthday", respectively, as have previous home video releases. It's a decision that may prove unpopular with some, but I'm sure everyone understands the rationale - to facilitate a simpler and more seamless viewing experience for US/UK audiences who come to the set knowing little to nothing about Swedish culture. Hope that's not a disappointment for anyone here.

I don't know if these are still on the Moodysson fan site anymore (does it even still exist?), but they used to have these incredible video clips shot secretly during Fucking Amal's original theatrical run showing the audience reaction of a packed house of Swedish filmgoers to the car scene and the O'Boy scene in the film.... and they are fucking wild. There is no question as to why the film was a cultural phenomena in its home country, as everyone reacts like they're at their child's play: enormous belly laughs and cheers and infectious enthusiasm. It really helped me see the film in a new way, and I'd already seen it countless times at that point. I have the clips on a hard drive somewhere-- Arrow, you're welcome to them!

Those sound fascinating but we've already signed off the discs so it's too late to change or add anything - thanks for the offer though, dom! It sounds like the kind of thing that might be quite tricky to clear as well, especially as said fansite is no longer online. Hopefully the extras and accompanying book (which I certainly urge people to ensure they get the box for, there's loads of info that isn't in the video extras) do a decent enough job of communicating what a chord it struck with Swedish audiences at the time and why.

so this is major (even more than it already was) as I'm pretty sure this is the first time Magnolia has licensed to a boutique label. maybe we can get rescues of Shoplifters (desperately in need - only a DVD release in the US) and an even better disc of Melancholia, among others. We Are the Best! is certainly a deserving one

Sorry to disappoint but there's no ongoing Magnolia deal, it's just a one-off for the boxset.

[JamesF]

(PS.: Funny how Arrow saw the need to mask the first film's swearword in the spec description when it's in plain sight on the front of the box)

Not me, I've been effing and blinding in my official copy left right and centre - blame the prudes at blu-ray.com and their swear filter!

[therewillbeblus]

Thanks for your response! To clarify about the subs, I don't necessarily mean stricter adherence, but more thorough mining of the text which makes it come across more naturally at times. For example, one of the more exciting and pronounced changes I noticed on the new ones is that the diary entry on Agnes' computer at the start is actually translated out- whereas it's severely truncated on the old R1 DVD, in part likely because the shot length isn't very long

[Zot!]

Wow, fabulous. Have been a fan since I saw Fucking Amal at Cannes (out of competition, but in the Palais) back in...'99! I still have the press kit somehwere.
It has everything people want, so not a complaint, but if I was going to the list of fun stuff mssing, there were soundtracks at least to Fucking Amal and Lilja 4-Ever. Also I don't know if any of Moodysson's poetry or writings have been translated.

[Aunt Peg]

Day one purchase for me.

My late father was a big Lukas Moodysson fan.