The Death of Tartan Films

[GP]

Tartan films is, sadly, no more.
I've written an obituary of sorts. I'd be stoked if you cats would give it a read and perhaps even leave a comment or two.

www.thequietus.com/articles/on-the-demise-of-tartan-films

[GL]

Even though I never really cared for the films they released (with my not-watching-Asian-horror state) it's always sad to see something you loved go belly-up.

[Jen]

I had read about Tartan going under (and of course posted about it in the Asian section) and was saddened. Anyway, finally had the time to read this, great article, GP. And a couple of the films you mentioned I have never even heard of, which have now been added to my Netflix queue.

[GP]

Thanks for the feedback Jen. It really is much appreciated.
GL, there is (was) much more to Tartan's line than Asian Horror.
Check out Belgium's greatest ever film export Man Bites Dog.

[GL]

Oh, really? Every single Asian horror film I saw in the stores had the Tartan Extreme logo plastered across the top so I was just going from personal experience. If it's European I'll give any horror film a shot.

[GP]

You're probably right to an extent GL as I course am just going by Tartan's European catalogue.
There is no doubt that a lot of Tartan's fare was Asian (and one of the reasons they failed was that a lot of it was rather poor) and the Tartan USA label may not have distributed the same non-Asian titles in the US as in the UK. Good example are Solaris and other films by Andrei Tarkovsky. Tartan in Europe, Criterion in the USA.

[HNT]

I also found myself tired of the endless asian sleaze paraded through by Tartan, but I have to say that anyone who can add Irreversible, Funny Games, and Man Bites Dog to their resume has a stellar list of films right there. Three of my all time faves. I can't help but think that in the US a few of Tartan's films were released by Lions Gate and other companies, though