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Last week, a whole 18 months after the screening of Aizskalotais (Flushed Away) in Riga cinemas (back in December 2006), we have finally got the DVD version in our hands. Joining Aizskalotais is also Šarlotes tīkls (15 months later) and Šreks Trešais (12 months later) which have also only recently appeared on video store shelves. Why it takes so long to release the Latvian DVD versions remains a mystery.

If you are looking out for the professionally dubbed Latvian DVDs for the younger audience here is a quick overview of what is now available:

    

    

Although the DVD covers have been nicely translated to Latvian the distributers seemed to have forgot about the printing on the actual DVD disks which are in either Russian or English.

Both Šreks 2 (Shrek 2) and Haizivs stāsts (Shark Tale) are still only available in VHS video casette format. Noķert vilni (Surf’s Up) and Hortons (Horton hears a Who) both of which have screened in the last 6 months are yet to be released on DVD. The Latvian version of Kung Fu Panda is currently showing in cinemas. Trauksme mežā (Open Season) seems to have been forgotten completely (screened nearly 2 years ago) and only the Russian DVD version continues to be available in Latvia.

“Noķert vilni” (Surf’s Up) by Sony Pictures has been showing in Latvian cinemas since October 12th. We sincerely hope that Sony gets their act together and starts to release some of the earlier Latvian dubbed films on DVD as well (during the last 12 months only the Russian versions have been released in the Baltics).

“Noķert vilni” features the voices of Aivars Čivželis, Kaspars Pūce, Gustavs Butelis, Sarmīte Rubule, Jānis Kirmuška, Edgars Lipors, Artis Robežnieks and Jānis Reinis.

Ratatouille or “Gardēdis” is testament to why Walt Disney Pictures needs to keep producing great animation films together with Pixar - to experience it all in Latvian puts the icing on the cake. Can’t wait for the DVD release of “Gardēdis” which begs the question - why haven’t any new Latvian dubbed DVDs been released since December, 2006. We are still eagerly waiting for the latest Lotte, Trauksme Mežā (Open Season), Aizskalotājs (Flushed Away) and Šarlotes tīkls (Charlotte’s Web) - the first two films screened nearly 12 months ago.

Gardēdis is dubbed in Latvian by Artūrs Skrastiņš, Pēteris Šogolovs, Ivars Auziņš, Artis Robežnieks, Uldis Dumpis, Karīna Tatarinova, Juris Strenga and well known Latvian chef Mārtiņš Rītiņš.

When they said that this was going to be released worldwide on 27th July they meant it - even in Rīga cinemas! The most surpising thing about this film was the apparent absence of any advance information that there was going to be a Latvian version as well. Something obviously went haywire with the marketing - even the film previews from only a few weeks before were shown only in English. Anyway they did a great job with the dubbing. You could swear that Marge has finally learnt Latvian - Bart and Maggie were quite convincing too.

Dubbed by Santa Didžus, Ieva Pļavniece, Laila Kirmuška, Ģirts Jakovļevs and Ārija Stūrniece.

Shrek returns for a third time - the Latvian dubbed version debuting in Rīga cinemas on June 3, 2007.

It looks like the Hollywood-based film studio Dreamworks is quite happy to keep investing in the Baltics market and has once again asked local Latvian film studio “Rijas studija” to assemble the Latvian cast: Gundars Āboliņš (Shrek), Artūrs Skrastiņš (Donkey), Evija Skulte (Princess Fiona), Akvelīna Līvmane (Queen Lillian), Ģirts Jakovļevs (King Harold), Pēteris Šogolocs (Puss In Boots), Artis Robežnieks (Prince Charming), Katrīne Pasternaka (Fairy), Jakovs Rafalsons (Wicked Mother) as well as Dita Lūriņa, Rēzija Kalniņa, Maija Apine, Zane Burnicka, Pēteris Liepiņš, Imants Vekmanis, Jānis Jarāns, Jānis Kirmuška, Leons Krivāns, Imants Pakalnietis, Andris Freidenfelds and Kaspars Upacieris in other roles.

Although Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Bruņrupuči Nindzjas) debuted in Latvian cinemas on 27th April, 2007 it seems that as of writing (less than 2 months later) to have already dropped off the big screen.

Thanks to Warner Bros and the local talent of Edgars Lipors, Ainārs Ančevskis, Armands Berģis, Aldis Siliņš, Andris Freidenfelds, Jānis Kirmuška and others our turtle heros have learnt Latvian as well. Hopefully it won’t be too long before we see the Latvian DVD release.

The latest film adaptation by Paramount Pictures of the best selling children’s paperback of all time “Charlotte’s Web” (E. B. White) begins screening in Latvian cinemas this week.

Up until now only the bigger animation movies (Shrek, Ice Age, Cars, Flushed Away) got the Latvian treatment, but now “Šarlotes tīkls“ joins them as the first feature film to be fully dubbed in Latvian.

“Šarlotes tīkls“ features the voices of Ilze Skarbule (Fern), Gustavs Hartmanis (Wilber), Andris Keišs, Ivars Puga, Akvelīna Līvmane, Ģirts Jakovļevs, Katrīna Pasternaka, Juris Kalniņš, Ieva Pļavniece, Jānis Kirmuška and others.

"Ice Age 2: The Meltdown” ("Ledus Laikmets 2: Atkusnis") by 20th Century Fox was first shown in Latvian cinemas in mid-April, 2006 and was finally released in DVD format in November, 2006.

It is fully dubbed in Latvian featuring the well known Latvian voices of Kaspars Upacieris/Ufo, Aivars Čivželis/Čižiks, Jana Kalniņa, Pēteris Šogolovs, Edgars Lipors, Ainārs Ančevskis, Andris Freidenfelds/Fredis, Jānis Jarāns and others.

You can select Latvian as the spoken language as well as Latvian sub-titles or even both simultaneously. This DVD is coded only for Region 2 so if you live outside of Europe you will need to use a region free DVD player. This is the first time that the Baltic distributors, Forum Cinemas, have decided to release the Latvian version of a blockbuster film in DVD format - up until November of last year all films dubbed in Latvian were available only in VHS format. Ledus Laikmets 2: Atkusnis is also available in VHS format.

"Vāģi” ("Cars") by Walt Disney Pictures/Pixar was first shown in Latvian cinemas at the beginning of August, 2006 and was finally released in DVD format earlier this week. It is fully dubbed in Latvian featuring the well known Latvian voices of Gundars Silakaktiņš, Rēzija Kalniņa, Pēteris Liepiņš, Uldis Dumpis, Jānis Kirmuška, Valdis Liepiņš, Jānis Jarāns, Pēteris Šogolovs, Leons Krivāns and others.

You can select Latvian as the spoken language as well as Latvian sub-titles or even both simultaneously. This DVD is coded for Regions 2 & 5 so if you live outside of Europe you will need to use a region free DVD player. Vāģi is also available in VHS format.

2006 has been a busy year for the Rīga-based Rija film studio. This latest DreamWorks production more commonly known as “Flushed Away” hits the Forum Cinemas today and is fully dubbed in Latvian featuring the voices of Kaspars Pūce, Artis Robežnieks, Ieva Pļavniece, Jānis Jarāns, Pēteris Šogolovs, Jānis Kirmuška and others.

It could be several months before we see it released on DVD.