tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85664087052484235732024-03-18T09:15:17.216-04:00DVD ExoticaShowcasing rare and worthwhile DVDs, blu-rays, UHDS and laserdiscs from around the world.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.comBlogger640125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-35051041725270393602024-03-15T08:04:00.001-04:002024-03-15T08:09:30.233-04:00Importing Larry Clark's Magnum Opus, Bully<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhTf5_VCmXBGhrGKG5e2YK1QiiRip4pkMRT-161hOgfwg6dNUkOO5ZDfATdBg9zgjRE49shAty4G6QtCGRptFwX_8IUIaML0sb-IML75zuEj4Bra_gXPtRRTJLoPooSANTBMuKwYwIK95PiZMTER7GiF1t_l_vpNHk7g37Ikn15GjoccFXZcnyVDM2S0/s3740/bullys.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2567" data-original-width="3740" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhTf5_VCmXBGhrGKG5e2YK1QiiRip4pkMRT-161hOgfwg6dNUkOO5ZDfATdBg9zgjRE49shAty4G6QtCGRptFwX_8IUIaML0sb-IML75zuEj4Bra_gXPtRRTJLoPooSANTBMuKwYwIK95PiZMTER7GiF1t_l_vpNHk7g37Ikn15GjoccFXZcnyVDM2S0/s0/bullys.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>There are other films called <i>Bully</i>, but this one from 2001 is the good one. And there are plenty of other <b>Larry Clark</b> films, but this is the great one. This has been high on my list of titles I've been dying to upgrade to HD since the blu-ray format debuted. And given that this is an explicit, controversial indie film with some possibly tricky music rights issues, I was beginning to worry the day would never come. But I guess <b>Santa </b>read my letters, because it finally came out this winter.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjevNnm7n4sqyud3iladhsyw_JqHtSEy_E_ucqoPc7e3sdYqxvcWyUVBF37T4muC3gRCBslNhZ1S30FG_2cx4TmS44xOxQISX_UOSoqwCbDGK0Y7vYpKQOzRM_U73U3SRnX5dn9N5ucmu4EFibt8vzuVE0UlPSCKZUCtNVxDr6ZJKPIss6bHhh-oQD9CFQ/s1920/bully1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1037" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjevNnm7n4sqyud3iladhsyw_JqHtSEy_E_ucqoPc7e3sdYqxvcWyUVBF37T4muC3gRCBslNhZ1S30FG_2cx4TmS44xOxQISX_UOSoqwCbDGK0Y7vYpKQOzRM_U73U3SRnX5dn9N5ucmu4EFibt8vzuVE0UlPSCKZUCtNVxDr6ZJKPIss6bHhh-oQD9CFQ/s800/bully1.png" width="400" /></a></div><i>Kids </i>is his most (in)famous work, but <i>Bully </i>is his
masterpiece. Larry Clark enters the world of true crime here, and it's a
genre to which he's particularly suited. His determination to document
the grit and dark side of American youth adds authenticity and life to a
true story that keeps him focused and driven, where his other films
tend to meander. The genre helps him and he helps the genre; it's a
shame he doesn't make a ton more of these. His casting, as always, is first rate. Whether they're great actors or just naturally embodying their roles, everybody is exceptional in this, even the small roles.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4i6yilVKDgXMiY6CzrYWod3LahjUjsVbtBx1A3yzwOCQHfKVg5CxrNuQZcug4YwF3_7w2xzvA2B-SluHV_e4XN74-ryj2WxjNP-QeGRfJufLtNyvdCfdlMB_ggdMsu-QiwCTu2Cv8zPq8XIzKz_oQjBb2FphZCPYZbI_nTLxe9m04Vn4fxsk7RE9WZ4/s1920/bully2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4i6yilVKDgXMiY6CzrYWod3LahjUjsVbtBx1A3yzwOCQHfKVg5CxrNuQZcug4YwF3_7w2xzvA2B-SluHV_e4XN74-ryj2WxjNP-QeGRfJufLtNyvdCfdlMB_ggdMsu-QiwCTu2Cv8zPq8XIzKz_oQjBb2FphZCPYZbI_nTLxe9m04Vn4fxsk7RE9WZ4/s800/bully2.png" width="400" /></a></div>That said, Clark's proclivities maybe steer him a little wrong. I
don't think it would be unfair to say Clark has a preoccupation with
underage sex and drugs. It can be charming (see his remake of <i>Teenage Caveman</i>), but it's always distracting. Even before his films, his photography books
were famous for that. And this film does come off as over-sexed,
especially in the first half. And yes, these kids are supposed to be
over-sexed. The real girls had been involved in underage prostitution,
one was a teenage mother married at seventeen, and the the fact that
these kids are all wasting their lives in self indulgent behavior.
That's the point, and it's a good one. But the constant leering
camerawork just plays as exploitive, and when they're getting into stuff
like dripping candle wax on each other's naked bodies, it starts to
feel like late night Cinemax rather than reality. It starts to hurt the film, but luckily as the plot kicks into gear it pulls Clark away from his nonsense and things get more and spell-bindingly dramatic: the advantage his other films lack.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghQS32H2FCBxX1LO8a7m63E9vg9mOWtF3R_tQ_bv62q8i1tZuwm1x-uGsqY7VCT-bFWWJUluEh-OdYa2s586nbjQcJjloK6Y611-cnt59EXBxi8QLpM59V00mHYNJT7aoOaBrYdd-3zcLcLBHGkF9ZfmFtExNh-K3nYhWtT3oyIuM0a6r94_yHkJuVcE8/s1920/bully3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghQS32H2FCBxX1LO8a7m63E9vg9mOWtF3R_tQ_bv62q8i1tZuwm1x-uGsqY7VCT-bFWWJUluEh-OdYa2s586nbjQcJjloK6Y611-cnt59EXBxi8QLpM59V00mHYNJT7aoOaBrYdd-3zcLcLBHGkF9ZfmFtExNh-K3nYhWtT3oyIuM0a6r94_yHkJuVcE8/s800/bully3.png" width="400" /></a></div>Lions Gate released as a new release DVD in 2002. In 2023, Studio
Canal released it France as a BD/ DVD combo-pack. I've seen some
confusion online, because of how the DVD packaging labels their disc as
the "Theatrical Version." It's become pretty common for a film to have a
theatrical version and an uncut/ unrated version, leading some to
worry that the DVD is cut. In this case the theatrical version is the
uncut version, and that's what's on both the Lions Gate and Studio Canal
discs. There was a cut down R-rated cut that cuts out a little of the
sex, but both of these releases are completely uncut.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCRiOG4iA9o_A1Vl-qQoSiG1lqYCIT1aa5wQU4HgUEjyjRmg3O4PMR4hmNvqJuvEqeUuH79M5VIZ5D2uYCMWKp0y3Pv2UWxIOSLWeJ2WRwd1kgZVaNmdt3WUWpgcaDGV7GDEn9Yxj6A6ZV4J-VyGoDtTZyzi3SNZ5kkoKW2FLCFxXlBHDJeG15ZungGGI/s1919/bullyc1a3510.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1039" data-original-width="1919" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCRiOG4iA9o_A1Vl-qQoSiG1lqYCIT1aa5wQU4HgUEjyjRmg3O4PMR4hmNvqJuvEqeUuH79M5VIZ5D2uYCMWKp0y3Pv2UWxIOSLWeJ2WRwd1kgZVaNmdt3WUWpgcaDGV7GDEn9Yxj6A6ZV4J-VyGoDtTZyzi3SNZ5kkoKW2FLCFxXlBHDJeG15ZungGGI/s800/bullyc1a3510.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2002 Lions Gate DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2023 SC DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 2023 SC BD. </span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_OTjIgIY9DKP-B2wUmeL1AqdiPfanroB7iYCNDwGR4OgMuIlr2D9FvfGU2C1QSY9rmdYDj4GL7HDlJjQj-iHdjOskdgJylnWLFBhxXPGss4A2e5ptnWEv94RhyAfnT3JIgBnlsMLIDKE5aiATOqF-YWf_ZuIGiomU1oZ4fFPLn3nIaopi4tG-twJmJ14/s1920/bullyc1b3327.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_OTjIgIY9DKP-B2wUmeL1AqdiPfanroB7iYCNDwGR4OgMuIlr2D9FvfGU2C1QSY9rmdYDj4GL7HDlJjQj-iHdjOskdgJylnWLFBhxXPGss4A2e5ptnWEv94RhyAfnT3JIgBnlsMLIDKE5aiATOqF-YWf_ZuIGiomU1oZ4fFPLn3nIaopi4tG-twJmJ14/s800/bullyc1b3327.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8dQRWqdz0WJaC2dSJrzIxJyAjBRgL2GR-nH8MSQLhIxIm2KwxiU5ejX9iIRk_8u_GrZg6xpq3A1v4NIglEyysoQMgejnNQb7jI2R-MQsvcCYa_BklXmlhuuWl5CZfNH6dbEEJmaoehu8CvNpZO648PhZc8R4Vfz6E3HxqN7yVgLxV7ntc-GaPMbQoVs/s1920/bullyc1c3451.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8dQRWqdz0WJaC2dSJrzIxJyAjBRgL2GR-nH8MSQLhIxIm2KwxiU5ejX9iIRk_8u_GrZg6xpq3A1v4NIglEyysoQMgejnNQb7jI2R-MQsvcCYa_BklXmlhuuWl5CZfNH6dbEEJmaoehu8CvNpZO648PhZc8R4Vfz6E3HxqN7yVgLxV7ntc-GaPMbQoVs/s800/bullyc1c3451.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvXmu4WZeKWT__pkMTWEwrBQQ08XRBXowZ0ZSxpmxd1qYbdImeHN8UT2D2dfVwsq9IT1jIpkAFKUIk8lIQV-Opv8VFspgG77WCisATIcPc05KHvcDs5F3aIj9AiARtVTFNxYsNSxLdOVTr4nm0izO4JMrtMBlzc19b_OVwiKuv1rHdfLnUCR8qvzCHQw/s1919/bullyc2a4246.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1039" data-original-width="1919" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvXmu4WZeKWT__pkMTWEwrBQQ08XRBXowZ0ZSxpmxd1qYbdImeHN8UT2D2dfVwsq9IT1jIpkAFKUIk8lIQV-Opv8VFspgG77WCisATIcPc05KHvcDs5F3aIj9AiARtVTFNxYsNSxLdOVTr4nm0izO4JMrtMBlzc19b_OVwiKuv1rHdfLnUCR8qvzCHQw/s800/bullyc2a4246.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPSGB0byZKbQS0OKomZVRgtY2xomtAFeZGbnTgsLw0oDxVdwml3skS_MVYqiMChYWjxKB8Ws_Tug2qAQkS5wHL4wjcTDsUmYvFzOIA_qGFLnwJyRdrbbzwSAw3ZFe8raUKK9gQH7uwcZZHEB0uc4ZkeK7VpCAs4u36NRqcyvfQxmJ5huXR4TulzCKKaY/s1920/bullyc2b4044.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1035" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPSGB0byZKbQS0OKomZVRgtY2xomtAFeZGbnTgsLw0oDxVdwml3skS_MVYqiMChYWjxKB8Ws_Tug2qAQkS5wHL4wjcTDsUmYvFzOIA_qGFLnwJyRdrbbzwSAw3ZFe8raUKK9gQH7uwcZZHEB0uc4ZkeK7VpCAs4u36NRqcyvfQxmJ5huXR4TulzCKKaY/s800/bullyc2b4044.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPhAOlTe-l-sUh27Rkq3udZ8Ywh87X0k92SXlV9le5G5jiXoYK642jCh-FrGCUGwpY2hym2HOxWnf3k8C35KMB-9jSWzZOr1lQqiwH2sCgsnBkgAwGxbQVAelFve549yAhFpissIhXjaYH9rIlIm5aYeIy6Cp-CtHDfcougU-d0-V_AR72jrpbrHr2kQ/s1920/bullyc2c4226.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjPhAOlTe-l-sUh27Rkq3udZ8Ywh87X0k92SXlV9le5G5jiXoYK642jCh-FrGCUGwpY2hym2HOxWnf3k8C35KMB-9jSWzZOr1lQqiwH2sCgsnBkgAwGxbQVAelFve549yAhFpissIhXjaYH9rIlIm5aYeIy6Cp-CtHDfcougU-d0-V_AR72jrpbrHr2kQ/s800/bullyc2c4226.png" width="400" /></a></div>The
jump in quality from DVD to BD isn't so dramatic because Lions Gate
DVD, despite being old, is actually pretty good. It's anamorphic
widescreen, not interlaced, and seems to be using the same master as the
new Studio Canal discs. Just looking at the two DVDs, there's barely
any difference at all. The AR has been adjusted from 1.847:1 to exactly
1.85:1, but that's a virtually imperceptible difference of a couple
pixels. The colors are slightly improved, too... notice the sky in the
first set of shots is truly blue on the SC disc, but has a reddish hue
on the LG. Then, of course, the actual jump to HD does give slightly
sharper edges and you can make out tiny detail (compare the posters on
the wall in the second set of shots) a little more clearly on the blu.
So it's a solid upgrade, but not an exciting/ impressive one, because
again, the DVD was already pretty damn good. On the other hand, this
was shot on 35, and a 4k remaster could probably look even better, but
this is not that.<br /><br />And audio-wise, it's a bit of a trade off. The
DVD had a lossy 5.1 with optional English subtitles. The BD has a
lossless DTS-HD 2.0 with no English subtitles. It also has a French dub
and yes, fully removable French subtitles.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbl0VSHhmFOxAOpLkqraafYdsjQSP4jEz90iS0R_cJtkaOx6VBYjN1xHN4-PjD8CEsKZi_Q_Q97La8Sbc6iKjIPbOBuBU_2RMRCCVfunguJPOHdE6aVp77QWQDxc-kzpcCkJd9I75sNmt6rUugGyYUeRs6yQcSleODJha1zHHu-OzT5aZFqnMCeON_dU/s1421/bullye1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1421" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbl0VSHhmFOxAOpLkqraafYdsjQSP4jEz90iS0R_cJtkaOx6VBYjN1xHN4-PjD8CEsKZi_Q_Q97La8Sbc6iKjIPbOBuBU_2RMRCCVfunguJPOHdE6aVp77QWQDxc-kzpcCkJd9I75sNmt6rUugGyYUeRs6yQcSleODJha1zHHu-OzT5aZFqnMCeON_dU/s800/bullye1.png" width="400" /></a></div>It's technically a trade-off in the extras department, too; but I
would say Studio Canal thoroughly wins this round. Lions Gate starts us
off with some decent stuff, though, including about half an hour of
on-set interview clips with Clark and the cast. They're fine but pretty
short and superficial. There's also an isolated music track, a gallery (of the real people) and the
trailer. Oh, and an ad for the soundtrack.<br /><br />Studio Canal, sadly,
has none of that, not even the trailer. It also has two features which
might be nice for French audiences, but leaves us foreigners out in the
cold: two interviews with French critics. One is a nine minute intro,
and then there's a longer, 40-minute interview with somebody else.
There are no subtitles or English-language options, though, so I have no
idea what they're saying.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif5bn4ASCjy7wy6vDJ31Wgft38gt2Gs0urGA9y9NXivoTMRRzHyo4SZvFfWgl_Zd-FD7HFQZHzIUqrGspSYn_lWTjqB5pI9D9Kf_n5K-DZ8dlqE7zcTWWpcgWTDexmAIS-lOCid9b4sf7HTuSVSjd3XOAvMXgzCGgIY2yVUtqu7O8p3yJDAGvJ2sjq0wU/s1440/bullye.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif5bn4ASCjy7wy6vDJ31Wgft38gt2Gs0urGA9y9NXivoTMRRzHyo4SZvFfWgl_Zd-FD7HFQZHzIUqrGspSYn_lWTjqB5pI9D9Kf_n5K-DZ8dlqE7zcTWWpcgWTDexmAIS-lOCid9b4sf7HTuSVSjd3XOAvMXgzCGgIY2yVUtqu7O8p3yJDAGvJ2sjq0wU/s800/bullye.png" width="400" /></a></div>What
puts SC's release back into the
lead, though, is the hour long 'making of' documentary, which is
actually pretty terrific. There's lots of shaky, handheld footage on
set, capturing the filming and questioning all the producers, which is
already better than Lions Gate's interviews. But then it goes further,
interviewing cops and lawyers involved in the original case, getting
their first-hand opinions of the real crime and its participants. And
then, more impressively still, things get really candid. We see a fight
on location between the actors that any normal 'making of' doc would
cut out to protect everybody involved. Cast members talk about their
real histories of abuse and damaged childhoods. And then <b>Brad Renfro</b>
gets
arrested, and the movie takes a fascinating detour into that, showing us
local news reports, asking Brad what really happened and even filming
the entire process of the producers meeting with the bail bondsman.
This is a fascinating viewing experience in and of itself.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCVrJsUZW0KVksdQ5ADGTyJEGTlFn-L9FZHuHFeBhSgEdnhJp7PiCVZGNAD7ZxOJ92m0YwjZEvPaQAkdoPktwr-qxebmQSwgGmwZPNYzejz5SksK2T0tfRhWjtwsQHBu5BwqPe4-uaPyToRt3R9AeCIN56332JjDu7jH9zA2hYG8jj_8fG8aomT1g6ZI/s1920/bully4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCVrJsUZW0KVksdQ5ADGTyJEGTlFn-L9FZHuHFeBhSgEdnhJp7PiCVZGNAD7ZxOJ92m0YwjZEvPaQAkdoPktwr-qxebmQSwgGmwZPNYzejz5SksK2T0tfRhWjtwsQHBu5BwqPe4-uaPyToRt3R9AeCIN56332JjDu7jH9zA2hYG8jj_8fG8aomT1g6ZI/s800/bully4.png" width="400" /></a></div>So is this worth upgrading to? Yes, I'd certainly say so. But
there's another edition coming soon from Umbrella in Australia purports
to be even better. It's probably using the same master, but has the
5.1, isolated score, optional English subtitles and replaces the French
experts with English speaking ones, in addition to having the
documentary, plus some fancy packaging swag if you get it direct from
Umbrella's site. Either way you go, though, the exciting news is that the wait for <i>Bully </i>to come to blu is finally over.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-6367344980730570462024-03-04T07:11:00.002-05:002024-03-04T07:24:39.862-05:00You Can Have a Lot of Fun with Two Thousand Maniacs!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhgiOdHQBJPN2c5WdG8iKvg8SgN8pcyapOLTgkQ4VjwWfVKAI6DXay3E242vbvjekaU7rhFhwetf59V_O6r0FLpUTqnQWAyvP0SDJ96y_jaSwY5p-kkOeccorME6GqR9tzurLHtpa1OhpuDTFFbz9h5RknALb2Nf-4owosrvk61ehaIK9yE1MY01klNQ/s3304/2000ms.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="3304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhgiOdHQBJPN2c5WdG8iKvg8SgN8pcyapOLTgkQ4VjwWfVKAI6DXay3E242vbvjekaU7rhFhwetf59V_O6r0FLpUTqnQWAyvP0SDJ96y_jaSwY5p-kkOeccorME6GqR9tzurLHtpa1OhpuDTFFbz9h5RknALb2Nf-4owosrvk61ehaIK9yE1MY01klNQ/s0/2000ms.jpg" width="498" /></a></div><b>Herschell Gordon Lewis</b> just feels like a filmmaker who should've been on this site since Day 1, and it's downright wild to me that this is the first Something Weird Video disc I'm covering here. But we're fixing it all today with <i>Two Thousand Maniacs!</i>, which I'd say is easily the best, definitive Lewis work. Like, if you only get one HG Lewis film - and honestly, that's probably the right amount for most people - it should be this one.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhopt5y5hMVX6D3MgpSl1JFLw2u2v28EPWZG4gHXMYvZTs_uKF9JqAZbT7hCLGm6SCGZ43j83-UaTJN7oOI1QrCZ9ZQR9Gsd8skpLZmaCWty5SF3Tto5GsR7xa_hOT7p_gtBBYuj_54YGYJq-Mxl2Vb7VIhevYWL_at5WRznI77uNa9eB4OIG9qtHwfs64/s1920/2000m1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhopt5y5hMVX6D3MgpSl1JFLw2u2v28EPWZG4gHXMYvZTs_uKF9JqAZbT7hCLGm6SCGZ43j83-UaTJN7oOI1QrCZ9ZQR9Gsd8skpLZmaCWty5SF3Tto5GsR7xa_hOT7p_gtBBYuj_54YGYJq-Mxl2Vb7VIhevYWL_at5WRznI77uNa9eB4OIG9qtHwfs64/s800/2000m1.png" width="400" /></a></div>Sure, <i>Blood Feast</i> is more famous, and earns a lot of
reputational points for being possibly the first "gore movie" and an
foundational slasher. And plenty of the Lewis's later films are fun and
worth checking out at least once. <i>Maniacs </i>is the one that
really comes together, with a genuinely great, original horror premise, a
more substantial budget and some of the most entertaining
performances. It's a wild ride, that in some aspects at least, still
holds up today. It's got inventive kills, decent production values for
such a low budget flick, and some surprisingly good music. Okay, the
leads are awkwardly wooden, the editing is clumsy and the photography is pretty
flat and static. But you're never going to have more fun than you will with <i>Two Thousand Maniacs</i>. ...And hey, forget movies; that's just a good tip for life in general.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7VMVHLoOwFrkFdUi44JAT6qISiowMga6sNyd_ZD5lr7MXnAbcq7PVP3hyS5F37GBY9zIwz-eQXi_5bqhkqEpkvodh9VpHEnJTcnNmoCvF8TLlxEwGOs7peVW3quXL7dkrvi-bPYlTlJqK0c495rdw1qvRAKSbFSFHR3pfJm-dDEjh7bKBJLHl4CZ-VEw/s1920/2000m2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7VMVHLoOwFrkFdUi44JAT6qISiowMga6sNyd_ZD5lr7MXnAbcq7PVP3hyS5F37GBY9zIwz-eQXi_5bqhkqEpkvodh9VpHEnJTcnNmoCvF8TLlxEwGOs7peVW3quXL7dkrvi-bPYlTlJqK0c495rdw1qvRAKSbFSFHR3pfJm-dDEjh7bKBJLHl4CZ-VEw/s800/2000m2.png" width="400" /></a></div>So Something Weird first released this on DVD back
in 2000, and that's what I've got. They later bundled it up as part of
the "Blood Trilogy" (with <i>Blood Feast</i> and<i> Color Me Blood Red</i>)
in 2006. And there was also an Image blu-ray set of the same trilogy in
2011. In 2016, Arrow released their sizeable, 17-disc (including DVD copies) "Herschell Gordon Lewis
Feast" boxed set. There was also a special "Shock and Gore" version that included a 7" record, an eyeball and additional swag, that was limited to just 500 copies. And later in 2018, they put out separate releases,
including the <i>Two Thousand Maniacs</i>/ <i>Moonshine Mountain</i> blu I've got for us today.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpotjYx_gX8eifTfQq_ftIIZVKuEWvNiNWLtHy7IVfdxqr4O7rmX2pJPriTm2hFKKN7bW8amSQuvGrsPr1ffV7gX8aumzby8IGmAZGRvMRgzTWdeGnO20f4NU0UzYCc9yaANTYxRXMBqQsSOYnhTNarM34_Q8JuUwxq2usWZMYfSCZrFgsNb8o0pUlE7A/s1417/2000mc1a5006.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1417" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpotjYx_gX8eifTfQq_ftIIZVKuEWvNiNWLtHy7IVfdxqr4O7rmX2pJPriTm2hFKKN7bW8amSQuvGrsPr1ffV7gX8aumzby8IGmAZGRvMRgzTWdeGnO20f4NU0UzYCc9yaANTYxRXMBqQsSOYnhTNarM34_Q8JuUwxq2usWZMYfSCZrFgsNb8o0pUlE7A/s800/2000mc1a5006.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2000 SWV DVD top; 2018 Arrow BD bottom.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kfyWxUtm9lkPOTziSgmRubl9LHYaiZqpcj2afN5luNqDTgwEXpj8VKDJxNT2Tu9s0Sk3nOhWsOyrwxI3ZU2WPPvBU8jsDROclmUkbpb8ZyfBEs_bNkZaBnQMZWV0rXMg8a1xJGOMJo9jPOKBINWLbf1sYYgFsQhYuKHW2DpO8OF1bG5_7WaSmegi1c4/s1920/2000mc1b5208.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kfyWxUtm9lkPOTziSgmRubl9LHYaiZqpcj2afN5luNqDTgwEXpj8VKDJxNT2Tu9s0Sk3nOhWsOyrwxI3ZU2WPPvBU8jsDROclmUkbpb8ZyfBEs_bNkZaBnQMZWV0rXMg8a1xJGOMJo9jPOKBINWLbf1sYYgFsQhYuKHW2DpO8OF1bG5_7WaSmegi1c4/s800/2000mc1b5208.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpUqQG5RfJe_RaCQRP7xz7NL096dt-SWH3AV8l2pvIBTbCBnKhGoVwsj7HoeGYLbbqQ88XeoIiMxUTMKe_tmI4l5S4dGnKMwxwCteLS4BIVKF7tetuwK1FSHgnJnrwg3Im0vV3rM-81l-oXE0Y9P2FHrJ7FkhFzW5F-jY-o-raBPvedhVkHyzAhP_EMrA/s1418/2000mc2a1820.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpUqQG5RfJe_RaCQRP7xz7NL096dt-SWH3AV8l2pvIBTbCBnKhGoVwsj7HoeGYLbbqQ88XeoIiMxUTMKe_tmI4l5S4dGnKMwxwCteLS4BIVKF7tetuwK1FSHgnJnrwg3Im0vV3rM-81l-oXE0Y9P2FHrJ7FkhFzW5F-jY-o-raBPvedhVkHyzAhP_EMrA/s800/2000mc2a1820.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmgQucMo0Dugg4VWYf-lyYs19ULrSQPPdZL1nX-5TIA71geyQmh_yUhp3ft2wKZ_KrNPi1X4IuH77n_2ix6us688u34PDWbfdhmK2TzRMjNAhkYC1it6LJZzZQxAZ5IrFqmJh1ZhKAZMQaRsJnZjiO7ZIrWuQRqre0s_tEBw3abe8YDAuOaTA1-DcslI/s1920/2000mc2b1859.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmgQucMo0Dugg4VWYf-lyYs19ULrSQPPdZL1nX-5TIA71geyQmh_yUhp3ft2wKZ_KrNPi1X4IuH77n_2ix6us688u34PDWbfdhmK2TzRMjNAhkYC1it6LJZzZQxAZ5IrFqmJh1ZhKAZMQaRsJnZjiO7ZIrWuQRqre0s_tEBw3abe8YDAuOaTA1-DcslI/s800/2000mc2b1859.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5NbaIQiEZ_f5cFLwbC6NZfOqYsibff3tPWpFJvEHsJjg5uFfIDDmBIShEkuKpZM_ZsezhEhB9weGFaLgQPk03eT6VcpR48rrZpbzT_WEyYbxbrKUibjME5pfXa1D74Er7lIR6ox394CgL7R8-NtNdZQOirv01FDqtwzKoOALWWkRKOSl87LgIYrbpXk/s1417/2000mc3a1820.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1417" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq5NbaIQiEZ_f5cFLwbC6NZfOqYsibff3tPWpFJvEHsJjg5uFfIDDmBIShEkuKpZM_ZsezhEhB9weGFaLgQPk03eT6VcpR48rrZpbzT_WEyYbxbrKUibjME5pfXa1D74Er7lIR6ox394CgL7R8-NtNdZQOirv01FDqtwzKoOALWWkRKOSl87LgIYrbpXk/s800/2000mc3a1820.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQxH5qDY4fizulAqf5QBygLfUymI83I5rKdRiI4lI9VXOOdfhGVvQwlxjoqXjiCDUVY6iMLFzeDM0A3M9SoQtnrxbVlrud2YqJrNOoKMs4jpiSP7zHlm2sBUpLFWVj3DZNH1BbwiXl_CNNh8I-3IoiqPxqkveH50uIMQH2yjiD7Rmg6KIywNE5bBBU7k/s1781/2000mc3b1859.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQxH5qDY4fizulAqf5QBygLfUymI83I5rKdRiI4lI9VXOOdfhGVvQwlxjoqXjiCDUVY6iMLFzeDM0A3M9SoQtnrxbVlrud2YqJrNOoKMs4jpiSP7zHlm2sBUpLFWVj3DZNH1BbwiXl_CNNh8I-3IoiqPxqkveH50uIMQH2yjiD7Rmg6KIywNE5bBBU7k/s800/2000mc3b1859.png" width="400" /></a></div>Something
Weird's original DVD was open matte at 1.31:1, somewhat damaged and
interlaced. So fans were eager up for an upgrade, but unfortunately,
the original film elements were in rough shape. But they've made a
serious effort, and it paid off pretty well. By "they," I mainly mean
Something Weird, because according to Arrow's booklet, they're using
SW's restoration, which I believe they made for that Image BD set. It's
mostly matted to 1.78:1, which also finds some more image along the
sides, and looks considerably stronger with bolder & properly white
balanced colors and more visible detail, albeit with even more film
damage, including plenty of scratches. And, naturally, it's not
interlaced.<br /><br />I used the word "mostly," though, because the film
elements their using for the HD master are so damaged, they're missing
frames and brief snatches of the film. These sections have standard def
tape masters composited in. In the sets of shots above, the second BD
shot is from film and the third is from tape. You can see the aspect
ratio shifts to 1.65:1, replacing information on the sides with
pillarboxing, which matches the edge of the frame on the DVD transfers.
It's considerably softer, looks like it's been forcibly deinterlaced
(which is to say using filters to correct the interlacing that softens
and compresses the combing) and more washed. It's a bit jarring to see
the PQ shift back and forth mid-scene, but I agree with whoever did the
reconstruction that it's the lesser evil, and preferable to not
salvaging every frame they can or just leaving out footage entirely. In
brief, it's a bit of a mess, but a major improvement over what came
before and as good as we can hope for unless someone unearths better
quality film elements.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Lh9SCEecekD7ioE3MazlmkgAiXbJtIm9Fn0UY7QJwYVyIDJIg5maIGsJov_cmoPPfON9PXezuJiwqdD58MKSA1PqwWPwpNi5AwvC_3uyfkGuJRfGXz12QA8Zhb3cSec-o40LdOM531zS1YjAilK1kb7aAN_I20-JnqviGEUZpuTWCH8vYEtO6BhZ5E8/s1920/2000me.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Lh9SCEecekD7ioE3MazlmkgAiXbJtIm9Fn0UY7QJwYVyIDJIg5maIGsJov_cmoPPfON9PXezuJiwqdD58MKSA1PqwWPwpNi5AwvC_3uyfkGuJRfGXz12QA8Zhb3cSec-o40LdOM531zS1YjAilK1kb7aAN_I20-JnqviGEUZpuTWCH8vYEtO6BhZ5E8/s800/2000me.png" width="400" /></a></div>Something Weird's DVD includes the original mono audio, plus a
French dub. Arrow drops the dub, but bumps up the audio to lossless
LPCM and adds optional English subtitles. Given the state of the
picture, the sound is surprisingly clear, on both the DVD and the BD.
It's awful echoey, but that's clearly down to how the sound was recorded
and no fault of the disc transfers.<br /><br />The special features here
are pretty great. The DVD introduced a great audio commentary by HG
Lewis with two moderators who keep things lively and informative. It
also had a gallery and the trailer, all of which was carried over to
Arrow's blu. And they've added a whole bunch more, including 16 minutes
of outtakes, a brief interview with Lewis on his history in
advertising, an interview with <b>Tim Sullivan</b>, who directed the remake, a featurette about producer <b>David Friedman</b> that interviews Lewis, Sullivan, <b>Bob Murawski</b> and <b>Fred Olen Ray</b> and a fun and well researched study on the history of hicks depicted in film.<b><br /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNjjWmGwfxnzhkr2OX-s9KxlD6OfzohssjUVJlVDu3otkWRm8trtgFq39TH_L3VO5Qv1Zp_hOXAC-4ZXj6W9cBZkVS6rQqYwDtU9FFJPXTsfTxSl_Gj1jDxVkXkn1Mt0QMgotXSw454BuxLuKZqbNjZe3G1qowq7Uego-By3kcWTTN7lRCn-hR5FzPr3I/s1440/2000mmm1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNjjWmGwfxnzhkr2OX-s9KxlD6OfzohssjUVJlVDu3otkWRm8trtgFq39TH_L3VO5Qv1Zp_hOXAC-4ZXj6W9cBZkVS6rQqYwDtU9FFJPXTsfTxSl_Gj1jDxVkXkn1Mt0QMgotXSw454BuxLuKZqbNjZe3G1qowq7Uego-By3kcWTTN7lRCn-hR5FzPr3I/s800/2000mmm1.png" width="400" /></a></div>If you thought <i>Maniacs </i>looked rough, though, hooey! Take a look at <i>Moonshine Mountain</i>. <i>Moonshine </i>is
not a horror movie, but shares its Southern hillbilly angle, even
taking it to far greater extremes. It's a musical comedy about a
country western singer who travels to an ostensibly authentic small
Southern town, and gets caught up in hoedown, a scandal involving a
crooked sheriff and the world's biggest still. A couple of <i>Maniacs</i>' actors recur, including the mayor as the family patriarch. The comedy is broad and unfunny, but also like <i>Maniacs</i>,
some of the music is genuinely impressive - I can't get "White
Lightning" out of my head. It's not a good movie by any stretch, but
it's affable, and the sort of thing that you'd never buy on its own, but
is nice to get as a bonus feature.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizP81GXiw51hYPdP2aazOqAEsov-TIX57vepZMoP5h0RL_dacDU_-EO-t2Oqw_WeVOkZhssPFxPDkbmGTjiOnAFL0E6p__Ur0f_X7OUxcOtmXKBtt_H629yUUgUK84z54aCDlpKSJtYaBd1xcp-4xDC1dPRS-8pzNLR0T_5e7kNvuaKkyDunGZoFbJV80/s1440/2000mmmc2a3318.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizP81GXiw51hYPdP2aazOqAEsov-TIX57vepZMoP5h0RL_dacDU_-EO-t2Oqw_WeVOkZhssPFxPDkbmGTjiOnAFL0E6p__Ur0f_X7OUxcOtmXKBtt_H629yUUgUK84z54aCDlpKSJtYaBd1xcp-4xDC1dPRS-8pzNLR0T_5e7kNvuaKkyDunGZoFbJV80/s800/2000mmmc2a3318.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2018 Arrow BD bottom.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRjN7W7Eyx9TfLj7bzK1F5W_IK08MkEszHQWg6JuzNL3m8ihahIsNacpDbg0MkwfAsoUlcRcJOItQ4uIYea3Toqqt7GVYHcLfe2eVe8ODB3K6ViFeez4dQjRgq936qGVbeNA9OiMhF-4cF9F1ixKF2nsZ97zM_U4FNWP9jYrsxm9nnNikmafIyl12i02s/s1440/2000mmmc1a.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRjN7W7Eyx9TfLj7bzK1F5W_IK08MkEszHQWg6JuzNL3m8ihahIsNacpDbg0MkwfAsoUlcRcJOItQ4uIYea3Toqqt7GVYHcLfe2eVe8ODB3K6ViFeez4dQjRgq936qGVbeNA9OiMhF-4cF9F1ixKF2nsZ97zM_U4FNWP9jYrsxm9nnNikmafIyl12i02s/s800/2000mmmc1a.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf81OmK35dWxDWkpOv0isPVUCewZsoWhFXCIad0Ih_sKSl-OyCt6jO9N8IRvr-_Pfs8J2Zr7aqvSTnEzBdppxShoMNkrIWICBocZWplV9zgmLwpJpBYClgoL1FFWnJ0clZzhxNKYSC6XRKJ2DmDNWeTz1njh8wkf-J69U4YFt_CH_eU3x4ll00-JExwGo/s1301/2000mmmc1ab.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="1301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf81OmK35dWxDWkpOv0isPVUCewZsoWhFXCIad0Ih_sKSl-OyCt6jO9N8IRvr-_Pfs8J2Zr7aqvSTnEzBdppxShoMNkrIWICBocZWplV9zgmLwpJpBYClgoL1FFWnJ0clZzhxNKYSC6XRKJ2DmDNWeTz1njh8wkf-J69U4YFt_CH_eU3x4ll00-JExwGo/s800/2000mmmc1ab.png" width="400" /></a></div>Arrow
presents the film in mostly 1.33:1, with a shocking amount of damage,
including washed out colors, scratches, flecks and... I mean, just look
at these shots. It's not all as bad as that first shot, but it's
rough. Apparently, this is a composite of the best 35mm prints they
could find, as the negatives were lost. And I used the word "mostly"
again because they've also had to include clips from an SD tape master
in this one, too. The second and third shots show the same shot taken
from film and video, and the difference will make you appreciate the
former regardless of the damage. The tape is slightly window-boxed to
1.28:1 and even more washed out, as well as being softer, blown out and
less detailed. The rest is a pretty strong, high fidelity capture of the film... it just happens to be beat to crap film.<br /><br />The audio has more hiss and pops than <i>Maniacs</i>, but
it still sounds better than you'd think looking at the image. It's
lossless again, and happily Arrow didn't cheap out on subtitles for this
bonus feature.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvwF-K-rhaN8_cG8rGe_HgzCVDLtdITnOgMwZA6RAimzASY_zZeGpGaAf12HvEsVO-x8yMN60VOC6AeOzzXRXu-AR-D9upAg4clAwaaRX3IAS1Y6_QOzPLdrV74ud3NVQKEBHKS3-PA9ME7Buv2TDbzpxRxLOFfQ6iBtMqtDc0atwlaAFNFC4EsjRSbk/s1440/2000mmm2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvwF-K-rhaN8_cG8rGe_HgzCVDLtdITnOgMwZA6RAimzASY_zZeGpGaAf12HvEsVO-x8yMN60VOC6AeOzzXRXu-AR-D9upAg4clAwaaRX3IAS1Y6_QOzPLdrV74ud3NVQKEBHKS3-PA9ME7Buv2TDbzpxRxLOFfQ6iBtMqtDc0atwlaAFNFC4EsjRSbk/s800/2000mmm2.png" width="400" /></a></div>There's not a lot of extras for <i>Moonshine</i>, since it's
practically an extra itself, but Lewis did film an intro for this one,
too, and they also wrangled up its theatrical trailer. And while the
solo release doesn't include the book or fancy set from the big Feast
box, it does still include reversible cover art an a card for another
Arrow release (mine was: <i>The Snake and the Silver Haired Witch</i>).<br /><br />All
in all, this is a very satisfying package of Lewis's most rewarding
movie. And unless someone discovers better elements in a barn
somewhere, I wouldn't hold my breath for a UHD. So if you don't already
own this release, I recommend you pick it up the next time you come
across an Arrow sale.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-60151613637628872432024-02-25T21:58:00.001-05:002024-02-25T23:32:00.371-05:00The Remaining Bergmans, Now With More Face To Face<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-lSWyOGzvmUAGF2dcUwYxGrqu5oEypWjAQYEk3GoQvStZt6LPi8ZqWh90Ne-oII3NVHFRq-ERs2O0dJ6pJ82oDosVtAcZGQzShqxyZlxBDQG_huDXwKeZZFXlFNdFZsibDAhCoeWjGh73M_6mL7ux3UuWLdT6iP14lqNJLFQgoCCYYr30kMMsjJG/s5496/rembergs.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2450" data-original-width="5496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz-lSWyOGzvmUAGF2dcUwYxGrqu5oEypWjAQYEk3GoQvStZt6LPi8ZqWh90Ne-oII3NVHFRq-ERs2O0dJ6pJ82oDosVtAcZGQzShqxyZlxBDQG_huDXwKeZZFXlFNdFZsibDAhCoeWjGh73M_6mL7ux3UuWLdT6iP14lqNJLFQgoCCYYr30kMMsjJG/s0/rembergs.jpg" width="498" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAdhyhrtpF10hsfZ9enQkyBWmlDErSJ3ZeOQo1ACbwOiAKA2qOJRgyP1tQgk3n3SSBob1f_ZssK7Tr8tuS8ZPoOb8UwGnn4GlN1p4bgty3nJv2byVqc9tBEdcJAAcIx-50n2_2f0zZ6Wupz_8lNvlSKSCOvyG2pn7MB5oyBfd10p6W8FzM4JoJPnf3TrI/s2403/rembergfacebd.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2403" data-original-width="1894" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAdhyhrtpF10hsfZ9enQkyBWmlDErSJ3ZeOQo1ACbwOiAKA2qOJRgyP1tQgk3n3SSBob1f_ZssK7Tr8tuS8ZPoOb8UwGnn4GlN1p4bgty3nJv2byVqc9tBEdcJAAcIx-50n2_2f0zZ6Wupz_8lNvlSKSCOvyG2pn7MB5oyBfd10p6W8FzM4JoJPnf3TrI/s800/rembergfacebd.jpg" width="158" /></a></div>Okay, so you've bought Criterion's big <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2020/10/the-rest-of-bergman-box-part-1-previous.html">Ingmar Bergman's Cinema</a> box, The BFI's <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2020/10/the-rest-of-bergman-box-part-1-previous.html">Ingmar Bergman's Cinema</a> and even Artificial Eye's <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2021/03/the-other-essential-bergman-set.html">Classic Bergman</a> set. But you're still hungry. <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/IngmarBergman"><b>Ingmar Bergman</b></a>'s an unparalleled master and you know he's made plenty more films than those, so what else can you get your hands on and add to the collection? Well, unfortunately, not a whole lot, despite the large number of films he's written and/ or directed that remain unavailable on home video. There's <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2019/09/the-infuriating-release-i-finally-broke.html"><i>Best Intentions</i></a> and <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/11/liv-ullmann-directs-ingmar-bergmans.html"><i>Faithless</i></a>, which I've already covered, and then just three more. And two of those are DVD-only.<br /><br /><u><span style="color: #800180;">Update 10/3/22 - 2/25/24:</span></u> Well, thanks to Imprint's new <i>Face To Face</i> blu-ray edition, now only one of these are DVD-only. Can we make it zero? And release all of Bergman's remaining films? Hopefully, but today let's just be happy about <i>Face To Face</i>.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcFM9VTmvkq5coshAAOR_KjswUB0fmfkeWCnJYxSfo6kwgS-zsFnu-bpzZI4Jj3oQjB6Sb6inwKT9zSjTh5AQLdn-lKg4mfpt8h9wEv33a0JiNPOafYAcMTYq9s-WWpe2ZHVGiqu3O76cRwSAaz79KeUJpfy_KRE0qtQosMqH-z_bEBpa1Qq8zRft/s1440/rembergslie1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcFM9VTmvkq5coshAAOR_KjswUB0fmfkeWCnJYxSfo6kwgS-zsFnu-bpzZI4Jj3oQjB6Sb6inwKT9zSjTh5AQLdn-lKg4mfpt8h9wEv33a0JiNPOafYAcMTYq9s-WWpe2ZHVGiqu3O76cRwSAaz79KeUJpfy_KRE0qtQosMqH-z_bEBpa1Qq8zRft/s800/rembergslie1.png" width="400" /></a></div>In 1970, Bergman wrote an original feature length film for Swedish television called <i>The Lie</i>, directed by <b>Jan Molander</b>, and starring one of Bergman's greatest actors, <b>Erland Josephson</b>,
about a middle class couple hopelessly trapped in a mass of deception.
If the made-for-TV aspect makes it sound less interesting, remember
some of Bergman's most acclaimed and beloved works were made for Swedish
television, like <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2020/10/the-rest-of-bergman-box-part-1-previous.html"><i>Fanny & Alexander</i></a> and <a href="https://www.dvdexotica.com/2019/07/scenes-from-marriages.html"><i>Scenes From a Marriage</i></a>
(both also with Josephson, by the way). Sounds like something you'd
like to see now, huh? Well, tough noogies; you can't. It's another on
the very long list of Bergman films never released in an
English-friendly capacity, or even really as a Swedish-only release,
apart from its televised broadcast.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzvahJqoXdr7mkdsESQgolJa2MGTqMFGKuHMB45c6EHewFh8ys31FAxz8hHJ4H48HWbbneFW7ZswSniZFZK_3neVbE7KDW7WQYVC4go6M8fvp-1eBB85v42Z3AOTcvdsrgnUs_PbltW-z6uLXVaNe56C1bYPqpri9K41YVcS7CjK1W44qN2X6o_NN/s1440/rembergslie3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzvahJqoXdr7mkdsESQgolJa2MGTqMFGKuHMB45c6EHewFh8ys31FAxz8hHJ4H48HWbbneFW7ZswSniZFZK_3neVbE7KDW7WQYVC4go6M8fvp-1eBB85v42Z3AOTcvdsrgnUs_PbltW-z6uLXVaNe56C1bYPqpri9K41YVcS7CjK1W44qN2X6o_NN/s800/rembergslie3.png" width="400" /></a></div>However in America, Bergman's same script was adapted into an English-language television film starring <b>George Segal</b>, <b>Shirley Knight</b> and <b>Robert Culp</b>.
Ah, but no, you can't get that one anywhere either. BUT, also during
that time the BBC adapted the very same screenplay for British
television, starring <b>Gemma Jones</b> (<a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2019/06/a-pair-of-twilight-times-1-sense.html"><i>Sense & Sensibility</i></a>, <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2016/07/warner-bros-please-stop-being-jerks-and.html"><i>The Devils</i></a>) and <b>Frank Finlay</b> (<i>Lifeforce</i>, <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/DennisPotter"><b>Dennis Potter</b></a>'s <i>Casanova</i>).
The performances are powerful and nuanced, the director seems to be making deliberate nods to Bergman as a director (like all those mirror shots), and the writing is some of Bergman's strongest. Only the music seems out of place, like BBC library stock stuff; but even that's not bad, just incongruous. And this version of <i>The Lie</i> actually IS available. And this version won a BAFTA, so
we shouldn't feel too short-changed. It's on blu-ray as part of the
BFI's first volume of its <i>Play for Today</i> box sets from 2020.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAT45FhfwWLdb8qTZG-lVB1IZEv4FMzaBv_i4cTiz6UEb_rPS04TYRqN49BbnUpRPgcC8SLh6xBJlwvUc6QD6h3QTxBZqVEu4MkxcTYSUu6yJanBRKlJLbVfyWlUv4YdN20JqJYfLVMmyQ9EpAyhYTAVY8AqS_1qIog9R96VlCtD-aNr6iLslfZatF/s1440/rembergslie2.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAT45FhfwWLdb8qTZG-lVB1IZEv4FMzaBv_i4cTiz6UEb_rPS04TYRqN49BbnUpRPgcC8SLh6xBJlwvUc6QD6h3QTxBZqVEu4MkxcTYSUu6yJanBRKlJLbVfyWlUv4YdN20JqJYfLVMmyQ9EpAyhYTAVY8AqS_1qIog9R96VlCtD-aNr6iLslfZatF/s800/rembergslie2.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2020 UK BFI BD.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSw_8BtySSAedQju_mxrGF3Pdq_q0s8yySHqGT7Cq1-ytEg1rKNdXCKK_pU8SqycjWl2lKvnzrWSeG7Mw_nGuEcbFLm8Ii-u1VlgiuOLLLlXvJvv-hDYcvuTsBsnE-4520ahH6fWqfyRAHsI0tHmuHA7w3HKr_7W6rlS7qyQGyqnCaxw3Mu3BPAgka/s1440/rembergslie4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSw_8BtySSAedQju_mxrGF3Pdq_q0s8yySHqGT7Cq1-ytEg1rKNdXCKK_pU8SqycjWl2lKvnzrWSeG7Mw_nGuEcbFLm8Ii-u1VlgiuOLLLlXvJvv-hDYcvuTsBsnE-4520ahH6fWqfyRAHsI0tHmuHA7w3HKr_7W6rlS7qyQGyqnCaxw3Mu3BPAgka/s800/rembergslie4.png" width="400" /></a></div>According to the included booklet, the episodes in this box are broken into two categories: those shot on video and "sourced from the best existing tape materials preserved by the BBC" and those shot on film, which are "newly scanned at 2k resolution from the original 17mm A/B roll camera negatives." Fortunately, <i>The Lie</i> is one of the latter, and looks fantastic. It's presented in its original 1.33:1 and looks very grainy, something that never would've come through during its original airings. But it's very clearly encoded and looks quite impressive. There is no interlacing despite it being a vintage 70s British television program, because they went back to the original film elements. The original mono track is presented in a strong, lossless LPCM track with optional English subtitles.<br /><br />The only extras are an image gallery and an 80-page full-color booklet, and of course the other seven <i>Play for Today</i> episodes, which range from good to great. There's one on the troubles in Ireland that struck me as much more compelling than <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/KennethBranagh"><b>Branagh</b></a>'s <i>Belfast </i>which came out around the same time as this set, and a creepy horror story called <i>A Photograph</i>. So I can understand a Bergman fan being frustrated they can't just buy <i>The Lie</i> by itself, but the whole set is worth having in your collection.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU9s1YqSX39TXGWvoX_HZfTUEBs_E3xuEN67vMjDxHuhfV_QbkP60pY0gpUiszS_tcWfijcXWlz2u3SKK6Z3dITAHPJoj-yAIF4OhwB8I6ZynYj1J6cxZeQ4il6hZlMXGhYLDGcfYZ8wwg2ph1zikv4K6z3kdvWNAJgw3rJQrrNclCz9DnaFURdRQP/s1920/rembergface2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU9s1YqSX39TXGWvoX_HZfTUEBs_E3xuEN67vMjDxHuhfV_QbkP60pY0gpUiszS_tcWfijcXWlz2u3SKK6Z3dITAHPJoj-yAIF4OhwB8I6ZynYj1J6cxZeQ4il6hZlMXGhYLDGcfYZ8wwg2ph1zikv4K6z3kdvWNAJgw3rJQrrNclCz9DnaFURdRQP/s800/rembergface2.png" width="400" /></a></div>Next up is a proper theatrical film (although there was an extended television version released afterwards) written and directed by Bergman: 1975's <i>Face To Face</i>. Bergman and star <b>Liv Ullmann</b> were both nominated for Oscars for this picture, so again, it's not like it's all lesser work that's been neglected on blu. This one's a pretty harrowing tale of mental illness, with Ullmann as a psychiatrist whose problems run as deep as her patients'. She takes on a lover, Erland Josephson again, who proves to be a far more loving companion than her own husband, and <b>Gunnar Bjornstrand</b> appears as her aging grandfather. This one's pretty dark, and relatable despite risking going over the top at more than one point. And it includes some of the most believable and heart-wrenching dream sequences committed to cinema, making those famous <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2020/10/the-rest-of-bergman-box-part-1-previous.html"><i>Wild Strawberries</i></a> bits feel like trivialities.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikWxjJk2oN7khCIo2ZnZncVHITjWgaMw8jR1zPWsH8A_4hr8J1NkK0kMRZfarxGlaJEgR0JPAH9MFXgHiofM-_FqxFkrLMENlL-55r_lZmDUFwzZAa_wQJUPLcwm_dAL3uHjB4fJBBHylMQ1m-psSlmzpaF3wSB-X7HlYw8Ye758hqAnAobCpdLs2z/s1920/rembergface1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikWxjJk2oN7khCIo2ZnZncVHITjWgaMw8jR1zPWsH8A_4hr8J1NkK0kMRZfarxGlaJEgR0JPAH9MFXgHiofM-_FqxFkrLMENlL-55r_lZmDUFwzZAa_wQJUPLcwm_dAL3uHjB4fJBBHylMQ1m-psSlmzpaF3wSB-X7HlYw8Ye758hqAnAobCpdLs2z/s800/rembergface1.png" width="400" /></a></div><i>Face To Face</i> had only been available (English-friendly at any rate)
as a 2011 barebones DVD from Olive Films, though at least it's anamorphic
widescreen. I remember some controversy when it was released, because
people felt Olive acquiring the rights cut off Criterion from giving
this a proper restoration, and possibly both cuts. But of course it's pure speculation that
they would've done that, and certainly getting this disc was better than
the other possible alternative: nothing. But now we don't have to choose between a DVD or nothing; we have a brand new blu-ray edition (also of the theatrical version; the extended TV cut is still unavailable anywhere) from Via Vision's Imprint, due out this Wednesday.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP9wkfYNtVKLqyPizxd4-4j0X30s1UZU7n7eMcjxMOyCrpG5Li7fbnbpu74JtP_HPN1CDNszCyfMnIFBmGWd0e1aPflEzMICSPHWvZXmk6DKfvRBuLhOcpnjcc-DG3uKmnmfpg7obr7FL-dFLiNBMop3pVxl1d__JmMxV568KEDUip2lvDw4aJtt5j/s1920/rembergface3.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP9wkfYNtVKLqyPizxd4-4j0X30s1UZU7n7eMcjxMOyCrpG5Li7fbnbpu74JtP_HPN1CDNszCyfMnIFBmGWd0e1aPflEzMICSPHWvZXmk6DKfvRBuLhOcpnjcc-DG3uKmnmfpg7obr7FL-dFLiNBMop3pVxl1d__JmMxV568KEDUip2lvDw4aJtt5j/s800/rembergface3.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2011 US Olive Films DVD top; 2024 AUS Imprint BD bottom.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4ZvkOBj3-sr1hoRnGsJxM81XHvjm-pz4yovpjQCNfLTCpfbqTGR5xkocbIVWcLRCNgRw2izyeqrgyCLZjQrA2Jf-y4nip058h3PR98wld7X-VF2-ZfGQBfRarILp7WcCnC0wP3ii-9DpnRBlhHh8cdG7BHFycQ3-qhyphenhyphenckShR7y3Es3PF0Bf9QLoNhdw/s1801/rembergface3b2518.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1801" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4ZvkOBj3-sr1hoRnGsJxM81XHvjm-pz4yovpjQCNfLTCpfbqTGR5xkocbIVWcLRCNgRw2izyeqrgyCLZjQrA2Jf-y4nip058h3PR98wld7X-VF2-ZfGQBfRarILp7WcCnC0wP3ii-9DpnRBlhHh8cdG7BHFycQ3-qhyphenhyphenckShR7y3Es3PF0Bf9QLoNhdw/s0/rembergface3b2518.png" width="400" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsvqYT8whpUnGRsRBXEmgqs14pHjr5Y5EyoN7A4vKZ-rTGNk69WWOguaW0tnOJe7RMIT1VLAZzbRPqUqo2TKwSLKombk-rPxiVQWLBYuTpdnzN4EU4qPgghr9-x9E4_oDYx2ZqzRz0ZhtzaxwDUtXsCsywFQ2XDaMXh2-H0RGhC9B-5_R32894V5R_/s1920/rembergface5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsvqYT8whpUnGRsRBXEmgqs14pHjr5Y5EyoN7A4vKZ-rTGNk69WWOguaW0tnOJe7RMIT1VLAZzbRPqUqo2TKwSLKombk-rPxiVQWLBYuTpdnzN4EU4qPgghr9-x9E4_oDYx2ZqzRz0ZhtzaxwDUtXsCsywFQ2XDaMXh2-H0RGhC9B-5_R32894V5R_/s800/rembergface5.png" width="400" /><br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArz7sJYus9Bwl5RdOZ9owE3KV13cnQos5jFTf23ACdo8MoVbuNGBzjKPSytREpirfXWeWjO0ZjvLQd_Jepa6pILjokkZji1oOd3qERFGpl5XijETAhdwKwtP5tWeJv4bdeOXbYJPAj1dW-Nf8Ukx6z-E2WqJqPCPHAO-BLneckm9GwMMkcFuO8VxRgUE/s1801/rembergface5b3839.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1801" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArz7sJYus9Bwl5RdOZ9owE3KV13cnQos5jFTf23ACdo8MoVbuNGBzjKPSytREpirfXWeWjO0ZjvLQd_Jepa6pILjokkZji1oOd3qERFGpl5XijETAhdwKwtP5tWeJv4bdeOXbYJPAj1dW-Nf8Ukx6z-E2WqJqPCPHAO-BLneckm9GwMMkcFuO8VxRgUE/s0/rembergface5b3839.png" width="400" /></a></div></div>Olive presents <i>Face To Face</i> in a rather fuzzy 1.78:1. It's standard def, so the hints we get of film grain are about the most we could ask for, but it sure seems like this image could be sharper, even on DVD. But the real problem is the sound. It's a static-y mess that sounds like it's been Noise Gate'd, so it's silent between words, but whenever anybody speaks, it's a metallic mess, as if you're hearing them through a bad telephone connection; and when people make small, innocuous movements, it sometimes sounds like they're sitting on their lavaliers.<br /><br />Imprint presents the film in a sharper 1.67:1, giving us more vertically, though shaving a sliver off the sides. And though the film is still on the soft side (almost looking like 16mm, though I understand it was shot on 35, so I'm guessing this was taken from a later generation element, rather than the original negatives), the film grain tell us this is a much clearer look at the film source. It certainly brings detail and edges into focus. And thank goodness, they've improved the sound. It's still not perfect... it's still excessively loud when people sit on the sofa or rustle their coats, and there's slight background hiss. But it's nothing like the static-y DVD. It's also lossless now. The whole thing's a big improvement. Oh, and in both cases, the subtitles are removable.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz5uqyQ91-KRT9-geZBUcl-GGEdbbMT6KPU3hJqSf2MEM8DMzNaWRmJorcS92VcM5KqLROM8eDoyhvOe1JVKBIH8-SgXSPPLaNemv_oRfc1qRsK5f6N-y-qLHqtlU9yvNCFgRMYscR6UGY1F7RE7HOdgYnNZ-LztCil7T8b7B7YnALwpOc9pAbGN_lS_g/s1920/rembergfacee.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz5uqyQ91-KRT9-geZBUcl-GGEdbbMT6KPU3hJqSf2MEM8DMzNaWRmJorcS92VcM5KqLROM8eDoyhvOe1JVKBIH8-SgXSPPLaNemv_oRfc1qRsK5f6N-y-qLHqtlU9yvNCFgRMYscR6UGY1F7RE7HOdgYnNZ-LztCil7T8b7B7YnALwpOc9pAbGN_lS_g/s0/rembergfacee.png" width="400" /></a></div>Olive has no extras, not even the trailer. Imprint doesn't have the
trailer either, but comes in a stylish slipcase; and more importantly,
they've got some impressive goodies. First up is an expert commentary
by <b>Michael Brooke</b>, and it's damn good. A lot of "expert"
commentaries and featurettes I've watched lately have been eye rollingly
indulgent if not outright wastes of our time. But this guy's pretty
great, very well informed, leaves no dead air, cites lots of sources and
is consistently interesting. I wish other commentators would aim for
this standard, even if they can't reach it every time. Also on here is a
visual essay by <b>Kat Ellinger</b>, and similarly, I've been a little
let down by some of her recent output... maybe she's just agreeing to
too many projects and unable to devote enough time to them all? Or
maybe she just takes a deeper interest in some films and their special
features more than others? I don't know, but she nails it here.
Starting off very informative and citing interesting sources, then
easing into her excellently made thesis that this is an
under-appreciated (including by Bergman himself) feminist work.<br /><br />My
only nitpick, and this is admittedly a petty one, is that she uses fake
film damage, jitter and projector noise... you know, that fake "old
timey" video filter that comes packaged in every free video editor. And
it's like, why spoil the rare photos she's sharing in her video for a
silly gimmick? There's never a good reason to degrade good footage with
those cheesy filters. But again, I acknowledge that's pure nitpickery;
just a little pet peeve of mine. Honestly, I might've skipped over
both of these extras if I didn't feel obligated to watch them for this
review, but I'm glad I gave them the chance and recommend all you
readers do the same.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdXgyfDsPVHWAp5qTsE0TdpQL5FWO2l97llLgxe2KxeEco9ERu0AfBqr3jFiFWXYbSgMEpg5GoP6LULB3WoI3Qbmx__eynJpLe37qqgtKCqamLaoF8Yc3awVnVGGLfDPIqn7YS21qKXczIgX9SYMTWQW5MDDzUTPNqg8yp8j20S3FLcdRPBBFQO3cF/s1414/rembergimagem1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdXgyfDsPVHWAp5qTsE0TdpQL5FWO2l97llLgxe2KxeEco9ERu0AfBqr3jFiFWXYbSgMEpg5GoP6LULB3WoI3Qbmx__eynJpLe37qqgtKCqamLaoF8Yc3awVnVGGLfDPIqn7YS21qKXczIgX9SYMTWQW5MDDzUTPNqg8yp8j20S3FLcdRPBBFQO3cF/s800/rembergimagem1.png" width="400" /></a></div>Finally, we end with the most underrated of the three, 2000's <i>The Image Makers</i>.
This is another made-for-Swedish-television project, and in this case
really looks it. It's all set in one room like a stage-play, which in
fact it originally was, although the camera is certainly moving and
cutting around. This one's directed by Bergman (and he also directed
the original theatrical production) but written by <b>Per Olov Enquist</b> (<i>Pelle the Conqueror</i>),
although it really, really feels like a Bergman script, to the point
where I suspect he at least had a hand in rewriting it for the screen,
and perhaps rather liberally. It's certainly an interesting coincidence
that both this and <i>Face To Face</i> have an older person tell a middle-aged woman that "old age is Hell."<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4htH-aHX9YiMKTKsQrb7hO9wgGXM8MBa8hgxGfIbwJ023J6d0Qoi5mRHoH8TEa7nMf6aP-_Iql8hCAroiyZJzFIFrUzOFLd-0EdCQDPLso6ejcSQb2sqjnKzP0_eGJDSoDSHRFhl6enhkHcTAVfCOC0_WH9ts6dHxAs-M4itC-2KFUY2sNWr68YQ/s1414/rembergimagem2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="1414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS4htH-aHX9YiMKTKsQrb7hO9wgGXM8MBa8hgxGfIbwJ023J6d0Qoi5mRHoH8TEa7nMf6aP-_Iql8hCAroiyZJzFIFrUzOFLd-0EdCQDPLso6ejcSQb2sqjnKzP0_eGJDSoDSHRFhl6enhkHcTAVfCOC0_WH9ts6dHxAs-M4itC-2KFUY2sNWr68YQ/s800/rembergimagem2.png" width="400" /></a></div>Anyway, it's the story of the making of the classic Swedish ghost movie, 1921's <i>The Phantom Carriage</i>. The author of the original film arrives at the studio to see clips of the film <b>Victor Sjöström</b> and his cinematographer <b>Julius Jaenzon</b> have made of her work. However, to complicate matters, <b>Tora Teje</b>,
the actress having an affair with the director and who feels the
leading part should have been hers, shows up at the same time and makes a
scene. It's on one hand a fascinating mediation on the ownership/
creation of art - how can the author, director, actor and photographer
each feel the art projected on screen is their singular vision? But
it's also a powerful human drama where the making of <i>The Phantom Carriage</i>
is really just the backdrop to a forceful study of love, heartbreak,
infidelity and cruel fathers. There's a cheap shot-on-video look to the
film, amplified by the staginess of the setting, that signals <i>The Image Makers</i>
as a forgettable lesser work. But when you really settle into it, it's
as moving and thoughtful a work as Bergman's greatest films.<br /><br />But to date, this film has only been released on DVD in the UK by Tartan in 2008.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqo74IKe6SVys4l8az2qHkclT1cRZTyUK7Ca9R1G9SKNKXDanI22wkc4VafklYX1SB1q5zChfLnj_wPfdCI6-G-nxDOJ5qEghFyZpcOmJ2giyH5dhT6QHiJ--2nkmVSqN4Pidz8S2gyLBSoB9RndGQpSXUjtYBICahfL2cLi2SYPsofOKDhrE95W_A/s1306/rembergpc.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="1306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqo74IKe6SVys4l8az2qHkclT1cRZTyUK7Ca9R1G9SKNKXDanI22wkc4VafklYX1SB1q5zChfLnj_wPfdCI6-G-nxDOJ5qEghFyZpcOmJ2giyH5dhT6QHiJ--2nkmVSqN4Pidz8S2gyLBSoB9RndGQpSXUjtYBICahfL2cLi2SYPsofOKDhrE95W_A/s800/rembergpc.png" width="400" /></a></div>You may've also noticed that Tartan's release is a 2-disc double feature, and in fact the lead film isn't <i>The Image Makers</i>, but the original <i>Phantom Carriage</i>. It works as a nice supplement to <i>The Image Makers</i>,
but as a stand-alone disc, it's not too impressive. It's somewhat
window-boxed 1.32:1, interlaced, and barebones. So in an age where Criterion
has released an impressive special edition blu-ray, this really isn't a
go-to disc for <i>Phantom Carriage</i>. The reason to buy this set is <i>The Image Makers</i>. But it's a damn good reason.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL97B9Q_vXYN4uAFJhY_4dn-FXUxnkwGcNBKsJ6nJpjuaHw4vEx55uKYaGye4esqydmsmUQjUcdaeS-Eq6iCSYc58D6YfHrYwSCmSxhcZWw6UuCbADnh_wpBO-JOLVtdx9tVbOUhs_B0lpH5Se_ZSz26WSdiha86nj0IhM3mvWIvol8m2P1lzS251C/s1415/rembergimagem3.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1415" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL97B9Q_vXYN4uAFJhY_4dn-FXUxnkwGcNBKsJ6nJpjuaHw4vEx55uKYaGye4esqydmsmUQjUcdaeS-Eq6iCSYc58D6YfHrYwSCmSxhcZWw6UuCbADnh_wpBO-JOLVtdx9tVbOUhs_B0lpH5Se_ZSz26WSdiha86nj0IhM3mvWIvol8m2P1lzS251C/s800/rembergimagem3.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2008 UK Tartan DVD.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSIFBfBj8FLuXcwOwUFanZkf-WKLRshpz3C7bGGwIM3tEmaI6Y4JRoMt4Jo_pR4Dr-_hJSoq-WyB4Tavdm7TkTjkBZtGRAUJkVBSOlEUsq6MMWWCVcDhSo_mXDAW1mrIYZ8IlImWZD7UpWpz5qIS4TlivW8ubyhskNTIWw9TEusYlQn46w8MsqG9KR/s1412/rembergimagem4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSIFBfBj8FLuXcwOwUFanZkf-WKLRshpz3C7bGGwIM3tEmaI6Y4JRoMt4Jo_pR4Dr-_hJSoq-WyB4Tavdm7TkTjkBZtGRAUJkVBSOlEUsq6MMWWCVcDhSo_mXDAW1mrIYZ8IlImWZD7UpWpz5qIS4TlivW8ubyhskNTIWw9TEusYlQn46w8MsqG9KR/s800/rembergimagem4.png" width="400" /></a></div>Thankfully, even though disc 1 is interlaced, <i>The Image Makers</i>' DVD is not. It's 1.32:1 just like the <i>The Phantom Carriage</i>,
and apart from a handful of clips from the 1921 film, looks like it was
shot on video. If it was shot on film, then this was definitely taken
from a video master. Either way, it looks bold and clear, and about as
good as you could hope for from a master like this. It would be
interesting to see if an HD restoration from the original elements -
whatever those may be - could do for this film; but I wouldn't expect
much. The sound is a clean mono track, the subtitles are removable, and
the only extra is a fold-out insert with notes by <b>David Thompson</b>, director of <i>Encountering Bergman</i>.<br /><br />Needless
to say, all three of the releases covered above are must-haves for
Bergman fans. And yes, it's very much worthy double-dipping from Olive's DVD to Imprint's BD of <i>Face To Face</i>. Now hopefully some label or other will see fit to
continue to plumb the depths of Bergman's incredible catalog.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-36925571041709146992024-02-23T18:19:00.001-05:002024-02-26T21:56:41.664-05:00Eric Rohmer's Troubled Tales Of the Four Seasons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6w4vtPIRBxa6sBqQeKz7I8JX2tHXsLGDccWj7Ud31H-4JaJWTE_TVY57jcF2M8DuIwp_g_9ksvebmhU8xh_pGcJVCmSzTZ5apTo0_65JgL1fBoQYOU0LcOKCfURnbMTFSF4Jh9KkAo13xxcT8DkymTwcjqeACjuKIWMOank4EcdSnxX_ad8Do3Kb1CE/s3716/ericrtalesofss.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2419" data-original-width="3716" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6w4vtPIRBxa6sBqQeKz7I8JX2tHXsLGDccWj7Ud31H-4JaJWTE_TVY57jcF2M8DuIwp_g_9ksvebmhU8xh_pGcJVCmSzTZ5apTo0_65JgL1fBoQYOU0LcOKCfURnbMTFSF4Jh9KkAo13xxcT8DkymTwcjqeACjuKIWMOank4EcdSnxX_ad8Do3Kb1CE/s0/ericrtalesofss.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>Boy, I can remember Janus <a href="https://twitter.com/janusfilms/status/1365376311557050369">announcing</a> their new 2k restorations (yes, newer than the French blu-rays') of these films like three years ago. Last year, I started to worry that they didn't actually plan to put them out on disc. But now, finally, they're here: all four of <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/EricRohmer">Eric Rohmer</a></b>'s Tales Of the Four Seasons, scanned from their original negatives, in an attractive, if a little troubled, blu-ray boxed set from Criterion.<br /><br />"Troubled?" Yes. The subtitles stop working about two-thirds of the way through the documentary <i>The Making Of a Tale Of Summer</i>, and they don't come back: a serious problem if you're not fluent in French. Watch this space for news of a replacement program, but so far: mum from Criterion.<br /><br /><u><span style="color: #800180;">Update 2/26/24:</span></u> Just got an email from Criterion confirming they've investigated the issue and will be issuing a replacement program for the Summer disc. Details are still pending; I'll update again!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMK0YCGlX0nIZsdi9Y2tFUYNXasTPtgJtS3RRFMiZ4a7qCjteJ9PvSkXQjA7QIpgr9Y6MZEYRQ8nKS6D0ex32aau-FZdfRn2DnL7H5jpnhRt6uRwIqdCEthVnU7MBEFaDUZrQZmjn_CY7XripwAO15IA5kkS6GqsKaMjue8LP7KaxaTp2TgqJ5AbURmT4/s1799/ericrtalesofsspri1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1799" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMK0YCGlX0nIZsdi9Y2tFUYNXasTPtgJtS3RRFMiZ4a7qCjteJ9PvSkXQjA7QIpgr9Y6MZEYRQ8nKS6D0ex32aau-FZdfRn2DnL7H5jpnhRt6uRwIqdCEthVnU7MBEFaDUZrQZmjn_CY7XripwAO15IA5kkS6GqsKaMjue8LP7KaxaTp2TgqJ5AbURmT4/s800/ericrtalesofsspri1.png" width="400" /></a></div>The Tales Of the Four Seasons are four films Rohmer made from
1990-1998 (with a couple other films mixed in between). One for each
season, naturally, starting with <i>A Tale Of Springtime</i>. As you'd expect, and as with the three subsequent films, <i>Springtime </i>is
set during its titular season. A philosophy professor who has two
apartments but finds herself unable to stay in either one meets a
student at a party who invites her to stay at her place. She soon
discovers this student has designs to set her up with her father,
because she doesn't approve of his current, younger girlfriend. You
could take it as a pretty straight-forward romantic comedy or a Kantian
exploration of how our imagination drives us. But the intellectualizing
never gets in the way of its endearing, polite and gently composed
aesthetic. And there's a mystery! Can you solve the case of the
missing necklace?<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMb08Zb5dqJy_8m7iX-oGph2y9uEUJHpuL-h9g4s_GS607N6Hd25yBBz3hY1ME8QaBcg6Vtw0A6qNjaaz-qrDIFXkvpKcsYHXeRoNUmgWurr_U69LpiWYbQ-tceDls0yGDZ00t9OtWo1Jhk7bDuSBa9CY6qMg4wYDz2INlT-27BQLyvlljb7lnyoPGNHQ/s1437/ericrtalesofsspric1a10456.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="1437" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMb08Zb5dqJy_8m7iX-oGph2y9uEUJHpuL-h9g4s_GS607N6Hd25yBBz3hY1ME8QaBcg6Vtw0A6qNjaaz-qrDIFXkvpKcsYHXeRoNUmgWurr_U69LpiWYbQ-tceDls0yGDZ00t9OtWo1Jhk7bDuSBa9CY6qMg4wYDz2INlT-27BQLyvlljb7lnyoPGNHQ/s800/ericrtalesofsspric1a10456.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2006 UK Artificial Eye DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2024 US Criterion BD.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAeew0sPinZr6CHVMy4l3cclPB6GhY3OInf2aHI3mTYs7KDhjClo6vKVNx5FgsVMhEizw4utI7sR_zsNALHhSVwfh9ncbukwk2UI1KO5Ui4cqQ43i97U0ILxGtFCJiWQR5s9rAgawzUwORFZXPlQP4yyO8yrppyb33whaRlffsmVsvS12vwDfLKa005E/s1799/ericrtalesofsspric1b10759.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1799" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAeew0sPinZr6CHVMy4l3cclPB6GhY3OInf2aHI3mTYs7KDhjClo6vKVNx5FgsVMhEizw4utI7sR_zsNALHhSVwfh9ncbukwk2UI1KO5Ui4cqQ43i97U0ILxGtFCJiWQR5s9rAgawzUwORFZXPlQP4yyO8yrppyb33whaRlffsmVsvS12vwDfLKa005E/s800/ericrtalesofsspric1b10759.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOgvNYlLuoDq8ZPa2XYwfDL8J9-hL_PhpJWGPTs47ypARZnhyqWHyVU54YmozSlsw1JswuxYOPAEpe2w2_EJmrR9Dvl-Q6DiTESP7pp_I-WAEXvA3Wf36A8qkEA4arjI1nCUbdKCNXLMsA-lJw9NFU2h3_Rw242BFpuWycLPH-Qe95PEAPKUaoRD8dXZc/s1438/ericrtalesofsspric2a2122.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="1438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOgvNYlLuoDq8ZPa2XYwfDL8J9-hL_PhpJWGPTs47ypARZnhyqWHyVU54YmozSlsw1JswuxYOPAEpe2w2_EJmrR9Dvl-Q6DiTESP7pp_I-WAEXvA3Wf36A8qkEA4arjI1nCUbdKCNXLMsA-lJw9NFU2h3_Rw242BFpuWycLPH-Qe95PEAPKUaoRD8dXZc/s800/ericrtalesofsspric2a2122.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1aE-XKAlVIH6GLk5tH7dHrHwFhe3cbZnfQiC0B_3LIA-KWECT-v2mq-oJikkYyr8TewzBNAtfr7VQhmottmQNjsiJszU-yc2_xl4YfmkW5U_67rnBb3kbOCi1HyjZRi3kC-M-16O6dvYfxuRA3lZ28YhAoZJonAsAsYgYcj2ge2CrNqZ5mUcTs_7gGQ/s1799/ericrtalesofsspric2b2232.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1799" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1aE-XKAlVIH6GLk5tH7dHrHwFhe3cbZnfQiC0B_3LIA-KWECT-v2mq-oJikkYyr8TewzBNAtfr7VQhmottmQNjsiJszU-yc2_xl4YfmkW5U_67rnBb3kbOCi1HyjZRi3kC-M-16O6dvYfxuRA3lZ28YhAoZJonAsAsYgYcj2ge2CrNqZ5mUcTs_7gGQ/s800/ericrtalesofsspric2b2232.png" width="400" /></a></div>Well, the jump from what Artificial Eye released on DVD in 2006 to today is vast. The aspect ratio shift to 1.67:1 is presumably a welcome correction, as 1.52:1 was surely never correct. It slightly crops the image vertically, but reveals more on the sides. It's also quite yellow, which is a more controversial change you're going to see across this set. According to the booklet, these new transfers were supervised by the DP and Rohmer's son, so we're presumably being asked to accept this as correct. The DVD's whites are overblown, but it's certainly more naturally white-balanced. But it's not a given that the most natural color-timing is always the director's preferred colored timing. And admittedly, just watching the BD outside of a direct comparison, the film doesn't scream yellow as much as it does here. I mean, I'm not suggesting it differs from the screenshots, but it hue is more subtle when it's not buttressed right up against a cooler, whiter variant.<br /><br />And that aside, the jump to HD is a huge boost in clarity. The DVD has a dupey, edge enhanced look, which is replaced with a far more nuanced and lifelike image. Hell, the DVD is non-anamorphic, so this is a major upgrade if you're coming from that release. Criterion's grain is a little spotty at points - this is a 2k scan on BD, not a 4k scan on UHD, but the DVD doesn't even suggest that film grain was ever part of the original image. English subtitles are removable are all four discs in both sets, but of course only Criterion's original mono audio is lossless.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhP4GCuEVnEO7HJCuA9Lveocn_OBq8us1K_3Sjn4IPKNRFHgqSNQbkfAxbQztyCJvlyBrvRxHR3Df27q83ZqqtzGYq3rYBx2utHi46-7lSwBaN0pcyf44IK6qxHk5fTAog2y-1f1G1NMz30byTcQWG1mnd1Ix8iyVEp0Xq_pduO3fSx7cR9r4yvib8uE/s1799/ericrtalesofswint1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1799" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIhP4GCuEVnEO7HJCuA9Lveocn_OBq8us1K_3Sjn4IPKNRFHgqSNQbkfAxbQztyCJvlyBrvRxHR3Df27q83ZqqtzGYq3rYBx2utHi46-7lSwBaN0pcyf44IK6qxHk5fTAog2y-1f1G1NMz30byTcQWG1mnd1Ix8iyVEp0Xq_pduO3fSx7cR9r4yvib8uE/s800/ericrtalesofswint1.png" width="400" /></a></div><i>A Tale Of Winter</i> is next. A young woman and her lover are separated by a silly mistake, and years later she drifts between relationships, driving everyone around her crazy by refusing to fully commit to anyone new. Will her faith carry her through her malaise or ruin her life? This one takes some inspiration from <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/Shakespeare">Shakespeare</a></b>'s <i>Winter's Tale</i>, and as you can see, even produces a scene from it at one point. But this isn't one of those loose remakes set in modern times, deal. It's a distinctly different, and distinctly Rohmer, experience.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1Lm34cH9W8SZmzmzwhkKtl8zA_8HT_ucgr06gx3SKCggu9a_IMK5AqMIMAnhPJt_EJW9JDQhVF04eYmjrjYQBJpE6HTJMj1tu0DLN-mK97Ns9FaYN1HouctM8EtoCJNhEFOLTR1hu57kQDmTz1kRAY0I4-xTPtecWZlqL-lE5SZ-U0grMi_4Tu57S6U/s1402/ericrtalesofswintc1a2444.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="1402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1Lm34cH9W8SZmzmzwhkKtl8zA_8HT_ucgr06gx3SKCggu9a_IMK5AqMIMAnhPJt_EJW9JDQhVF04eYmjrjYQBJpE6HTJMj1tu0DLN-mK97Ns9FaYN1HouctM8EtoCJNhEFOLTR1hu57kQDmTz1kRAY0I4-xTPtecWZlqL-lE5SZ-U0grMi_4Tu57S6U/s800/ericrtalesofswintc1a2444.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2006 UK Artificial Eye DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2024 US Criterion BD.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOyxxLwtB-gn4wZSK8dJ37lkehQdLwmti5ISOSrW2xMdLBSgDBppG0R2OsC_zwkN_mMHOFPnGaA315_Sx0q2t495UuF3tGWpmTmPNCzY2GXoqVl6XgVy1urpMrF2eFy6ciHlQFy2D8kbNZ8dpyuCZMws8rDfLuofRktXs1yp8EdudPy7nNUhhpzcaYvSc/s1799/ericrtalesofswintc1b2605.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1799" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOyxxLwtB-gn4wZSK8dJ37lkehQdLwmti5ISOSrW2xMdLBSgDBppG0R2OsC_zwkN_mMHOFPnGaA315_Sx0q2t495UuF3tGWpmTmPNCzY2GXoqVl6XgVy1urpMrF2eFy6ciHlQFy2D8kbNZ8dpyuCZMws8rDfLuofRktXs1yp8EdudPy7nNUhhpzcaYvSc/s800/ericrtalesofswintc1b2605.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm-sOwtiPnJxnFVoQlvFrTf09HgQPwASLBDvXzInF0lKEjQpazKcHgBgm9DpEFaV8A-q6JGSDHz7dtd7WaIRLQP8gA73oQYnQkWoPAcCP_vEw57_weWMp6FUd-p2OO7HsGUge0C4FafzK9I69ZpruvP2jUGSVtxV-Ct5B8_xMiSO99UPOFHZakOmTVcrQ/s1403/ericrtalesofswintc2a5033.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="868" data-original-width="1403" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm-sOwtiPnJxnFVoQlvFrTf09HgQPwASLBDvXzInF0lKEjQpazKcHgBgm9DpEFaV8A-q6JGSDHz7dtd7WaIRLQP8gA73oQYnQkWoPAcCP_vEw57_weWMp6FUd-p2OO7HsGUge0C4FafzK9I69ZpruvP2jUGSVtxV-Ct5B8_xMiSO99UPOFHZakOmTVcrQ/s800/ericrtalesofswintc2a5033.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDYIhmqeg5y8T8_069ZCQ0trFSpDQvLcLgAXIwc6w2gRoOeAePda-AcCjjJlhhPelRXWZohtGy5DENbg8MeqhEmBCpNfmb6Q1gimW5WRCtpD9JQ4v3r7qhbhYHbXdY64BiH798XyuDyYshOFkfcLx0sa35jA_gyU7DYZknIJ-L3wO2W3cDEKd7csQhgo/s1799/ericrtalesofswintc2b5301.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1799" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDYIhmqeg5y8T8_069ZCQ0trFSpDQvLcLgAXIwc6w2gRoOeAePda-AcCjjJlhhPelRXWZohtGy5DENbg8MeqhEmBCpNfmb6Q1gimW5WRCtpD9JQ4v3r7qhbhYHbXdY64BiH798XyuDyYshOFkfcLx0sa35jA_gyU7DYZknIJ-L3wO2W3cDEKd7csQhgo/s800/ericrtalesofswintc2b5301.png" width="400" /></a></div>The aspect ratios are closer this time: 1.61:1 vs 1.67:1, though Criterion's new scan pulls back to reveal a little more along all four sides. The DVD is also non-anamorphic again, so you had to upgrade from it. And yes, we have a yellow push again, though it's not as overt on this one. All of the other season films were shot on 35mm, but this one's on 16mm, so it has a softer, less detail look to it. But that's nothing compared to how the old DVD had it looking. Except for the flecks and popping print damage (no longer present on the BD); you'd almost think it was shot on tape. Criterion's grain is patchy in points, but their blu makes it feel like film again. And of course, their audio is lossless PCM again.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_QzJ3umD_fU4sEKFgYtYOtHPiAmMA0DV4r44Oyywzzs_TXM7cD6TWOjjRjeFpCB2-7N96i9gpbVN5g9sInZ3hvRB5yJBPABNJrzN9fpJ2RYlOP-xFxCzy-w1uNsz8Y-9bh021QoI6j-P2LTs30DozM17m00Sm5gk28DQkEi7r7jtij2S0YpXtBioNqM/s1478/ericrtalesofssum1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_QzJ3umD_fU4sEKFgYtYOtHPiAmMA0DV4r44Oyywzzs_TXM7cD6TWOjjRjeFpCB2-7N96i9gpbVN5g9sInZ3hvRB5yJBPABNJrzN9fpJ2RYlOP-xFxCzy-w1uNsz8Y-9bh021QoI6j-P2LTs30DozM17m00Sm5gk28DQkEi7r7jtij2S0YpXtBioNqM/s800/ericrtalesofssum1.png" width="400" /></a></div>For <i>A Summer's Tale</i>, <b>Melvil Poupaud</b> (currently appearing in <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/WoodyAllen">Woody Allen</a></b>'s <i>Coup de Chance</i>), we have a song writer who gets stood up by his girlfriend on his shore vacation. He befriends <b>Amanda Langlet</b> (Pauline of <i><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2018/01/the-eric-rohmer-collections-from-arrow_14.html">Pauline At the Beach</a></i>),
a waitress/ ethnographer who decides to set him up with one of her
friends, leaving Melvil wracked with indecision, torn between the
fleeting possibilities of a relationship with any of these three women.
Who will he choose... and will it matter anyway? Transcendentalism, sea shanties and disco dancing all play crucial parts in our friend's fate. <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQzXumaIjUzeZe_9UpWWoFluBgNvVBSFXR8KhApUVKTJNLyPKuoCUWjKpn3xeNW7Bhyphenhyphena-cp-h66gtkyUQgJtimYcOJl_h8Jt8K60nEPnaWDFxJkDlGZ6Sin0iJXysuk9JVhgf5X_w3ikn2jwW6Ue1dYEIwpzKzA7TmuT7l2ODOlXzu5Zt4OdAg80aJ6E/s1436/ericrtalesofssumc1a904.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1076" data-original-width="1436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQzXumaIjUzeZe_9UpWWoFluBgNvVBSFXR8KhApUVKTJNLyPKuoCUWjKpn3xeNW7Bhyphenhyphena-cp-h66gtkyUQgJtimYcOJl_h8Jt8K60nEPnaWDFxJkDlGZ6Sin0iJXysuk9JVhgf5X_w3ikn2jwW6Ue1dYEIwpzKzA7TmuT7l2ODOlXzu5Zt4OdAg80aJ6E/s800/ericrtalesofssumc1a904.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2006 UK Artificial Eye DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2024 US Criterion BD.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Xd59tesbpOTWhkCksMj-OArumPtjrhgV4VrHhs1_57EbQ60DsRdj5FRIL4hF0pkuhCirYOFL479iOG-inJMh5fpYqi88DHIcylFsEAYGTyX7JrhiSBB3cMFmr-ybKhYmThTdXMJH34UHzBG6SR5iiUu79VObFoeqfCrHq5dcA9y8i7YrXiyKaAthWKk/s1478/ericrtalesofssumc1b1004.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Xd59tesbpOTWhkCksMj-OArumPtjrhgV4VrHhs1_57EbQ60DsRdj5FRIL4hF0pkuhCirYOFL479iOG-inJMh5fpYqi88DHIcylFsEAYGTyX7JrhiSBB3cMFmr-ybKhYmThTdXMJH34UHzBG6SR5iiUu79VObFoeqfCrHq5dcA9y8i7YrXiyKaAthWKk/s800/ericrtalesofssumc1b1004.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7yb86wO88EHOc-4U2Rw-zPCWHN7dDuYFjOWioBt9ttLL9zds3naunKwMfZhdvxUcMkKi0xvP5gkFwm5mBA91XceH0815LiH7KNNXWT55OWTjrkEVrnXVkQzvE7FfTyemV0C9zrXCD-VOxcxkw8CMDg6_SHOd1K29oQmSe6-pyUkKGyh1h-3DPcfW2jNc/s1438/ericrtalesofssumc2a11809.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7yb86wO88EHOc-4U2Rw-zPCWHN7dDuYFjOWioBt9ttLL9zds3naunKwMfZhdvxUcMkKi0xvP5gkFwm5mBA91XceH0815LiH7KNNXWT55OWTjrkEVrnXVkQzvE7FfTyemV0C9zrXCD-VOxcxkw8CMDg6_SHOd1K29oQmSe6-pyUkKGyh1h-3DPcfW2jNc/s800/ericrtalesofssumc2a11809.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8smZRKJWTpTazjV6fLAsQcNer3LXVGZROmqgjTksfvPuIw8A4mU5p4IYePtNs7wyBecGNkA63pkqMaof9A9D7VxeTcRzQlmvgB5daW2pwTfM12TXoUAOQnvn6ro6q4R3d6Wr-qv9k2HajXA4yiRUHXmjRRSeFj_cvTreytBv5cPE15RCxNBqXV9wutfw/s1478/ericrtalesofssumc2b12208.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8smZRKJWTpTazjV6fLAsQcNer3LXVGZROmqgjTksfvPuIw8A4mU5p4IYePtNs7wyBecGNkA63pkqMaof9A9D7VxeTcRzQlmvgB5daW2pwTfM12TXoUAOQnvn6ro6q4R3d6Wr-qv9k2HajXA4yiRUHXmjRRSeFj_cvTreytBv5cPE15RCxNBqXV9wutfw/s800/ericrtalesofssumc2b12208.png" width="400" /></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgc6gTjdDrlMi6H2C912U6tG6gzUui2aqXb56wGtiMAxGHJ_FGt2rjn6k_bwM9ovspow2ww5451udqe6HC5AsuWyahPqqR6m6QdCQJhTF-4HCB_MfkgEcvDX-WG7rzHIVm0CegjH_N1mRO_pxmlh-0hbNYb41AL98cMXTeujatyHA8-OD22YQGYRdQsQ/s1520/ericrtalesofssumc1extra5540.png" style="clear: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisgc6gTjdDrlMi6H2C912U6tG6gzUui2aqXb56wGtiMAxGHJ_FGt2rjn6k_bwM9ovspow2ww5451udqe6HC5AsuWyahPqqR6m6QdCQJhTF-4HCB_MfkgEcvDX-WG7rzHIVm0CegjH_N1mRO_pxmlh-0hbNYb41AL98cMXTeujatyHA8-OD22YQGYRdQsQ/s800/ericrtalesofssumc1extra5540.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2024 US Criterion BD.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Well, at least Artificial Eye's DVD doesn't have a non-anamorphic issue this time, because this one's full-screen. Criterion tweaks the AR from 1.33:1 to 1.37:1, though they actually reveal slivers along all four sides. AE's video is noisy and low-fi, which the new blu greatly improves upon. But, while you don't notice it in some dark scenes (though it's still there if you look carefully), we're leaning heavily into the yellow once again. Is the sky blue or yellow? Depends what disc you look at. Just for fun, I took a shot from the <i>Making Of a Tale Of Summer</i> documentary<span style="color: #800180;">[left]</span>, and the skies are blue there, too. I've heard some studios are pushing transfers a little towards yellow because that replicates how film looks projected. Or maybe these films were always supposed to have a warmer, gentler look and older transfers got it wrong in assuming a more traditional white balance? I don't know. But it is what it is. I'm honestly not that mad at it, but it's hard not to talk about it when you're directly comparing these to how they used to look on home video.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgJ9eTBWLpimUrWpyruBPY1FFcMkWytzqB5xWYcohAHUQIPcFL5BXb3A1V8pHXuwOq-HoW6LXsMRaBaG1SKS2LzbKpN0xt3Pj_wZn0nDy8RpVAWzLDuVF9NIIaKNL02HnmRXE7p3abIhyphenhyphen1xqU-HOJLtgxldWilZLosL4vs8_EYOv3y21bJ3apo6QOolg/s1479/ericrtalesofsaut1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1479" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgJ9eTBWLpimUrWpyruBPY1FFcMkWytzqB5xWYcohAHUQIPcFL5BXb3A1V8pHXuwOq-HoW6LXsMRaBaG1SKS2LzbKpN0xt3Pj_wZn0nDy8RpVAWzLDuVF9NIIaKNL02HnmRXE7p3abIhyphenhyphen1xqU-HOJLtgxldWilZLosL4vs8_EYOv3y21bJ3apo6QOolg/s800/ericrtalesofsaut1.png" width="400" /></a></div>Finally, in <i>Autumn Tale</i>, Rohmer regular <b>Marie Riviere</b> stars as a book seller who decides to meddle in her best friend (another Rohmer regular, <b>Beatrice Romand</b>)'s love life by finding her a man through personal ads. But she doesn't know Beatrice's daughter is also trying to set her up with someone, her philosophy professor. With dueling schemes coming to a head at a big wedding party, Autumn comes off as more of a straight-up comedy than the others. And it doesn't hurt that these more mature characters wind up being more likeable, if no more relatable, than the capricious youth we've been getting accustomed to. It's a nice way to send off this series.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEZdI1T4cCTnaXgV9AG2ED132EdX-I_v3xElCrsDl5hiZnnmBrnC8Sq5HwoJxCrv-9nT0pjbdH2vp7mGnmRcaax62ZirosCfJkPDFMNYGVXcbOyXYre8Q-WRDniHDuJYFk8y90B7fJDIs9aXWnI_I9o1ufVSpDDxbQsbhQJhk0pcHO3dnPTrQFMJLB2M/s1419/ericrtalesofsautc1a2420.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1076" data-original-width="1419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEZdI1T4cCTnaXgV9AG2ED132EdX-I_v3xElCrsDl5hiZnnmBrnC8Sq5HwoJxCrv-9nT0pjbdH2vp7mGnmRcaax62ZirosCfJkPDFMNYGVXcbOyXYre8Q-WRDniHDuJYFk8y90B7fJDIs9aXWnI_I9o1ufVSpDDxbQsbhQJhk0pcHO3dnPTrQFMJLB2M/s800/ericrtalesofsautc1a2420.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2006 UK Artificial Eye DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2024 US Criterion BD.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPH4s-qfX2TLuoZrpYAJoO6anrdu_FFDej8uIsGh0caPGB-4S0zvKeGDbfQoWFdxyLHKhzNP4r1PROQizMOQ5T8ju6qgN-VBxeYw8iLeylqqFVst0I2A_z-rAYNtXI5Q4LT1MViSVt64rjilpSlwV83bCXjGi4KXmj9xxHUvgU_oJpXa8dCTJP8HxGKw/s1479/ericrtalesofsautc1b2551.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1479" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPH4s-qfX2TLuoZrpYAJoO6anrdu_FFDej8uIsGh0caPGB-4S0zvKeGDbfQoWFdxyLHKhzNP4r1PROQizMOQ5T8ju6qgN-VBxeYw8iLeylqqFVst0I2A_z-rAYNtXI5Q4LT1MViSVt64rjilpSlwV83bCXjGi4KXmj9xxHUvgU_oJpXa8dCTJP8HxGKw/s800/ericrtalesofsautc1b2551.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BhTU7Ye4LHNz6_cZBY4fV7iWvMdO7ewMHFc-Sp3xr86QwROTRC4J80TQJIxvoDUT962RaQ_9MgSWH6E82DgakZ4V9R7eyEliclc45RsOVOk3CNuY9OY8iJsW3Z_zLbMBtRP8wGaKsAlVznlaJXoi0deoyoqqbdap9FPRqE7XHTs01gXAfKuZCaQp-ds/s1419/ericrtalesofsautc2a10531.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BhTU7Ye4LHNz6_cZBY4fV7iWvMdO7ewMHFc-Sp3xr86QwROTRC4J80TQJIxvoDUT962RaQ_9MgSWH6E82DgakZ4V9R7eyEliclc45RsOVOk3CNuY9OY8iJsW3Z_zLbMBtRP8wGaKsAlVznlaJXoi0deoyoqqbdap9FPRqE7XHTs01gXAfKuZCaQp-ds/s800/ericrtalesofsautc2a10531.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjafWOwqm_9bWI8w6LaQV9JCk6-3aKUuFJZ8dbHQ2_pknIRV0rqZcq6tlVqnLd1JcW1Q5BJj83uqyL5okpMwv7NuW0C1ic0lq6HdLhRmXZtBS165OVNl-FDx7GRnpEp_r2Fi5Elzw11o4o_PdZ0OmZxQLMKfa_j3kVq4DcTNXrdYKB6x-EA5oxpdzE549g/s1479/ericrtalesofsautc2b10847.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1479" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjafWOwqm_9bWI8w6LaQV9JCk6-3aKUuFJZ8dbHQ2_pknIRV0rqZcq6tlVqnLd1JcW1Q5BJj83uqyL5okpMwv7NuW0C1ic0lq6HdLhRmXZtBS165OVNl-FDx7GRnpEp_r2Fi5Elzw11o4o_PdZ0OmZxQLMKfa_j3kVq4DcTNXrdYKB6x-EA5oxpdzE549g/s800/ericrtalesofsautc2b10847.png" width="400" /></a></div>Both of these are fullscreen again, just shifting from 1.32:1 to 1.37:1, though interestingly, this time Criterion zooms in cropping information from all four sides compared to the DVD. It's another rewarding boost from SD to HD; we can even read the names of all those authors on the poster in the first set of shots. Yes, we also have the yellow push again and yes, the grain would definitely be captured better on a 4k disc... or even an Arrow BD. But it's hard to complain about these discs in motion. They're gorgeous films well preserved.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mGJVsADMj_LjpQfXO_aaIzhj9-wMvbwjBkKY2-RWGZ-RUi4y8_8-SIk48lFqguv8OMZb3ZjahKMmJC2dq1gL3aPuNqbabw43XoJiPaT9FYLESiiGLtyEnVqU0_vdgEoEM6ePsrK6Q7Y6mgyFSByJ-JNb87mXZg1HBAgGTSVuuDs7RgwfEu0zUs8Nd6k/s1480/ericrtaleskreutzer.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mGJVsADMj_LjpQfXO_aaIzhj9-wMvbwjBkKY2-RWGZ-RUi4y8_8-SIk48lFqguv8OMZb3ZjahKMmJC2dq1gL3aPuNqbabw43XoJiPaT9FYLESiiGLtyEnVqU0_vdgEoEM6ePsrK6Q7Y6mgyFSByJ-JNb87mXZg1HBAgGTSVuuDs7RgwfEu0zUs8Nd6k/s800/ericrtaleskreutzer.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Kreutzer Sonata</i></td></tr></tbody></table>So let's talk extras! Artificial Eye's boxed set, which consists of
four amary cases inside a slipbox, included trailers for each film and
radio interviews with Rohmer edited into four featurettes including
narration and clips from the films. Curiously, Criterion's set - a digipack in a slipbox of its own - doesn't
have that stuff, not even the trailers. They just have one (new?)
trailer that advertises all four films. And while they don't have AE's
featurettes, they do include the Rohmer interviews isolated from the
rest, just playing over a still image of tape reels.<br /><br />Their biggest extra is the <i>Making of a Tale of Summer</i>,
a featurette length documentary compiling behind-the-scenes footage of
the filming, often then comparing it to lengthy clips of the movie. It
gives some pretty great, candid insight into Rohmer's process from that
time, though the film clips aren't too helpful if you've just watched
the movie beforehand. A big problem on this disc, though, as I've
mentioned at the top, is that the subtitles give out about two thirds of
the way through. So unless you're fluent in French, you only get to
watch the first hour of the doc. Hopefully, Criterion does something
about this!<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSFr4OEgQ_mxUpNdpANvsClVyFctXYU1almQV0EYCiik3gAIfUlHNO68wYHt_qtzfl5YXewDSmoAfZ-iIHj3DYQn5-ZMAQlPtKTzVIKoPv-86LjAEhD9hrQZFHPo9O41tXSYMHGNRzFe01UWPTxfW4G7kh3q85AdDMdeWA4CFJDSs08Jiiz0FkbUamfI/s1436/ericrtalesfarmer.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSFr4OEgQ_mxUpNdpANvsClVyFctXYU1almQV0EYCiik3gAIfUlHNO68wYHt_qtzfl5YXewDSmoAfZ-iIHj3DYQn5-ZMAQlPtKTzVIKoPv-86LjAEhD9hrQZFHPo9O41tXSYMHGNRzFe01UWPTxfW4G7kh3q85AdDMdeWA4CFJDSs08Jiiz0FkbUamfI/s800/ericrtalesfarmer.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A Farmer In Montfaucon</i></td></tr></tbody></table>Criterion has cooked up a pretty excellent, roughly
45-minute featurette that intercuts between all new interviews with some
of Rohmer's key collaborators, including his DP, editor, sound engineer
and producer. They each have a lot to share, and we also explore
Rohmer's house, which they're filming in. Finally, there are two of
Rohmer's early short films. First is 1956's <i>The Kreutzer Sonata</i>,
a Tolstoy adaptation from back when Rohmer wasn't yet shooting with
synced sound. It's made up for by using <b>Tolstoy</b>'s grim text as on-going
narration. Second is 1968's <i>A Farmer In Montfaucon</i>, which is a fairly matter-of-factual documentary the life of a farming woman, who gets a little more introspective at the end.<br /><br />Also included is a colorful, 30-page booklet with notes by critic <b>Imogen Sara Smith</b>, which might help you find a deeper appreciation for these works.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5LIZl40zyP_7tqekDhiveYG4ahLTOhhTxhR0avQvagRPBNSK2ccppAH8qi8scO564-MGhv8ZHPKiHIVye2ibIyiV93Ip7KxPMNx_2fsWrxA2iYLilIi_jwCAC1-7juquW2Zao9y1opACdoyf6TLaC-KOAbN6Ck-YhNY14-i_mNqaqOgn3yz2Qfpejtk/s1799/ericrtalesofsspri2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1799" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5LIZl40zyP_7tqekDhiveYG4ahLTOhhTxhR0avQvagRPBNSK2ccppAH8qi8scO564-MGhv8ZHPKiHIVye2ibIyiV93Ip7KxPMNx_2fsWrxA2iYLilIi_jwCAC1-7juquW2Zao9y1opACdoyf6TLaC-KOAbN6Ck-YhNY14-i_mNqaqOgn3yz2Qfpejtk/s800/ericrtalesofsspri2.png" width="400" /></a></div>Bottom line, these aren't cutting edge transfers, but they're pretty
attractive and huge upgrades from the AE DVDs I've got. The extras are quite good, but perhaps not as plentiful as one would expect. If you've already got earlier BD versions, it may be a tougher
decision whether to double-dip, especially since this is an expensive
($99) set... and unless Criterion does something about it, a defective
one. But they usually do, and often for <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2016/02/code-unknown-and-mytery-of-missing.html">less consequential issues</a>, so I have hope!<br />John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-66006538640704584742024-02-12T13:30:00.008-05:002024-02-12T13:53:20.333-05:00The Strange Oeuvre of Coffin Joe, Part 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxyVURC8S-oWvsFLAqBQZpSNcU67N01sKmmsj9s89PlR-QCb58hO322oBpMavdzTGwsvKR_7NeUk_kehiv_B4vuQfqhOFYrDdQMfS6YxkMn8HVZgu8W6XECe-OOXbATlhPVBizCOOpPgZp0GDrF9ohf_XIwH98ctHX3fzPw3-Nu5nQMFTTYTbIKJpmxDg/s3185/coffinjoehd.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2784" data-original-width="3185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxyVURC8S-oWvsFLAqBQZpSNcU67N01sKmmsj9s89PlR-QCb58hO322oBpMavdzTGwsvKR_7NeUk_kehiv_B4vuQfqhOFYrDdQMfS6YxkMn8HVZgu8W6XECe-OOXbATlhPVBizCOOpPgZp0GDrF9ohf_XIwH98ctHX3fzPw3-Nu5nQMFTTYTbIKJpmxDg/s0/coffinjoehd.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>The day I thought nobody ever thought would arrive is here: the day <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/JoseMojicaMarins">Jose Mojica Marins</a></b> classic films have been released in HD. Well, most of 'em, anyway. Arrow's new 6-disc boxed set 'Inside the Mind of Coffin Joe' features all-new restorations of nine of his most famous films from the 60s and 70s, as well as <i>Embodiment of Evil</i> from 2008, and packs in a whole ton of documentaries, shorts, special features and swag. For Coffin Joe fans, this is a big deal.<br /><br />It also has to be noted that <a href="https://www.arrowfilms.com/blog/news/inside-the-mind-of-coffin-joe-replacement-programme/">a replacement program</a> is currently in effect because the subtitles for <i>Awakening Of the Beast</i> are broken. And unless you're fluent in Portuguese, you need 'em to watch the movie; it's no small detail.<br /><br />So I've updated the pages where I already covered most of these films with the new blu-ray versions. Everything else we'll be looking at right here. So click the links below for the following films:<br /> <br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="50%"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/01/the-strange-oeuvre-of-coffin-joe-part-1.html">At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul</a><br /><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/01/the-strange-oeuvre-of-coffin-joe-part-2.html">The Strange World Of Coffin Joe</a><br /><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/01/the-strange-oeuvre-of-coffin-joe-part-2.html">The End Of Man</a><br /><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/01/the-strange-oeuvre-of-coffin-joe-part-2.html">Hellish Flesh</a><br /><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/01/the-strange-oeuvre-of-coffin-joe-part-2.html">Embodiment Of Evil</a></i></div>
<ul></ul>
</td>
<td align="center" valign="top" width="50%"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/01/the-strange-oeuvre-of-coffin-joe-part-1.html">This Night I'll Possess Your Corpse</a><br /><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/01/the-strange-oeuvre-of-coffin-joe-part-1.html">The Awakening Of the Beast</a><br /><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/01/the-strange-oeuvre-of-coffin-joe-part-2.html">The Strange Hostel Of Naked Pleasures<br />Hallucinations Of a Deranged Mind<br /></a><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/01/the-strange-oeuvre-of-coffin-joe-part-2.html">The Strange World Of </a></i><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/01/the-strange-oeuvre-of-coffin-joe-part-2.html"><i>Jose Mojica Marins</i></a><i><br /></i></div></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>...But if you just want a lightning quick verdict, I'll spare you the trouble. They're all solid upgrades. Some are a little more subtle in their jumps in PQ than others, in large part because some were scanned from their original negatives, while others had to use other sources. Comparing some of the later films in particular to their old DVDs will really make you say wow. Yes, they've really made genuine HD upgrades for all of them, despite some suggestion in the past that it would be impossible. Go see for yourselves.<br /><br />Now, the biggest thing that leaves to cover here is easily 1972's never-before-released <i>When the Gods Fall Asleep</i>, a sequel to <i>The End of Man</i>. Our man Fin escapes from the asylum once again, only to this time find himself in the middle of a gang war in the local slums. After a while he gives a speech about man's ability to reason and breaks it all up. This catches the attention of a Satanic cult, who decide that Finis must be some kind of representative of Lucifer. But after a while, he shows up and gives another speech, convincing them to stop their sacrifice. Then he breaks up a fight at a wedding and another at a brothel. At this point, the movie's already almost over, and I won't spoil the "twist," but it ain't much of one.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3jgmX1x6yn-mbibINU2GczqSsOP71uC1gb-36IVmoTUZndNtoUC60mlOm2DLyBQ9TKu1Gz8vufm02onfqSarZ1m1uhPGnG1e8PxpFMQRiQv-qlDVE-Ami2JJCgO-xZD9ThQka0hts8QaLunTQrhVsn8qVE4vl6yAoOx0-MrxIAtn2rljuDCEz26oaWsI/s1480/coffinjoehd2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3jgmX1x6yn-mbibINU2GczqSsOP71uC1gb-36IVmoTUZndNtoUC60mlOm2DLyBQ9TKu1Gz8vufm02onfqSarZ1m1uhPGnG1e8PxpFMQRiQv-qlDVE-Ami2JJCgO-xZD9ThQka0hts8QaLunTQrhVsn8qVE4vl6yAoOx0-MrxIAtn2rljuDCEz26oaWsI/s800/coffinjoehd2.png" width="400" /></a></div>Along the way, though, Marins recruits an impressive amount of
extras and does show us some sights: a couple having sex in a barrel, a
prostitute pooping in a broken toilet. Look, I didn't say they were
good or appealing sights. The look is bright and colorful, though,
except for a few scenes which inexplicably dip into black and white.
There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for the switching; it just
happens. Jaunty, needle drop music helps perk up the proceedings, but I
don't think I'd recommend this movie to anyone but diehard completists.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrNRgV9jD96cRlug9bgTAbSn213x80yP49LmHLe4Y_lr78CBXVvieleVE6N43CbGTleq9Yt9uphcBrGVNJJO34RMHE3PX0Stubn1sMG4MLxUYpbVGW0Qe05mlL5m5lX4Gupa5cKPfxCWN_a5at9l9RjH_wMLXuo75OMUSly-1xZ6sRAope1s4-1Z-sEtk/s1480/coffinjoehdc1a1447.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrNRgV9jD96cRlug9bgTAbSn213x80yP49LmHLe4Y_lr78CBXVvieleVE6N43CbGTleq9Yt9uphcBrGVNJJO34RMHE3PX0Stubn1sMG4MLxUYpbVGW0Qe05mlL5m5lX4Gupa5cKPfxCWN_a5at9l9RjH_wMLXuo75OMUSly-1xZ6sRAope1s4-1Z-sEtk/s800/coffinjoehdc1a1447.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2024 Arrow BD.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ZZ6RQNkk5NyElZyGN9YJOCmDXQb8dHZgL7F2ujHwvYzYSU7h6-ssE6ZIrir3r1yCp9i6NzgRCXhVVxploqrlvpj7uU-ujMocFqibTLkr_auHOIokWNAMjv2hIk9QFi6Py3VBft_dl-BcP0fK4jv8QfCsoCimI7e1ymk30-4TOPgE0FEminU1IHRlJus/s1480/coffinjoehdc2a10531.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ZZ6RQNkk5NyElZyGN9YJOCmDXQb8dHZgL7F2ujHwvYzYSU7h6-ssE6ZIrir3r1yCp9i6NzgRCXhVVxploqrlvpj7uU-ujMocFqibTLkr_auHOIokWNAMjv2hIk9QFi6Py3VBft_dl-BcP0fK4jv8QfCsoCimI7e1ymk30-4TOPgE0FEminU1IHRlJus/s800/coffinjoehdc2a10531.png" width="400" /></a></div><i>When the Gods Fall Asleep </i>comes from a fresh 4k scan of the only existing 35mm print, and looks pretty good from such a limited source. It's bright and clear, though I'm sure it could've been a bit sharper if the original negatives had been available. But if I didn't know, I would have guessed this was from a closer source, like an interpositive, than just a print. The colors are strong without being over-saturated, looking faded in only a few shots. A few of the black and white shots look a little more worse for the wear, too, suggesting perhaps that Marins used lower quality film for a few shots. The original 1.37:1 is perfectly preserved and damage appears occasionally, mostly in the form of vertical scratches, but it's fairly minor. And the film grain is thorough and natural, suggesting about as good an encode as you could hope for without an actual UHD disc.<br /><br />The original LPCM Portuguese audio is a little rough and echo-y, but I'm sure it's as good as the film has ever sounded. And the English subtitles are removable, with just one or two little errors I spotted throughout (like "liveforms" in the opening monologue).<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6EbJD2EB_o50L73zTRoMDKkfTfN7jXdJCuEJLKVDJDSuZEXHaVQGIjPy1aRCBp7_jKknnivwHc_sVoZGQAVkmLQFog4sa1-LfPRODtPn0MUpnflm81iR9vIw7Caz4WTjrDhali-HtGWz6fYwciw6LGZL3HsNkRlBQjXbvKr61VvDjoaviXFqa2sebP1s/s1480/coffinjoehd1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6EbJD2EB_o50L73zTRoMDKkfTfN7jXdJCuEJLKVDJDSuZEXHaVQGIjPy1aRCBp7_jKknnivwHc_sVoZGQAVkmLQFog4sa1-LfPRODtPn0MUpnflm81iR9vIw7Caz4WTjrDhali-HtGWz6fYwciw6LGZL3HsNkRlBQjXbvKr61VvDjoaviXFqa2sebP1s/s800/coffinjoehd1.png" width="400" /></a></div>So let's get into the special features, not just for this film, but
the whole set. It's a long list. I'm color-coding it to distinguish
between those new to this set (<span style="color: red;">red</span>), and those carried over from previous Coffin Joe releases (black):<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="color: red;">Audio commentaries by Marins, filmmaker <b>Paulo Duarte</b> & expert <b>Carlos Primati</b> on <i>At
Midnight I'll Take Your Soul, This Night I'll Possess Your Corpse, The
Strange World of Coffin Joe, Awakening Of the Beast, End of Man</i> and <i>Hallucinations of a Deranged Mind, and a commentary b</i><i>y </i>producer <b>Paulo Sacramento</b> & co-screenwriter <b>Dennison Ramalho</b></span><i><span style="color: red;"> on Embodiment of Evil</span></i></li><li><span style="color: red;">Video essay by expert <b>Lindsay Hallam</b></span></li><li><i>Bloody Kingdom</i>, his 1950 short film with Marin's commentary</li><li><span style="color: red;">Clips from his other early works <i>The Adventurer's Fate</i> and <i>My Destiny In Your Hands</i></span> </li><li><span style="color: red;"><i>Strange World</i> alternate ending (with optional commentary by Marins) </span></li><li><span style="color: red;">A 90 minute retrospective by expert <b>Stephen Thrower</b></span></li><li><span style="color: red;">Video essay by expert <b>Miranda Corcoran</b></span></li><li><span style="color: red;">Alternate <i>Awakening Of the Beast</i> opening credits </span></li><li><span style="color: red;">Video essay by expert <b>Guy Adams</b></span></li><li><span style="color: red;">Video essay by expert <b>Alexandra Heller-Nicholas</b></span></li><li><span style="color: red;"> Video essay by expert <b>Virginie Sélavy</b></span></li><li><span style="color: red;">Video essay by expert <b>Jack Sargeant</b></span></li><li><span style="color: red;">Interview with Dennison Ramalho </span></li><li><span style="color: red;">Archival 2001 Sundance footage</span></li><li><span style="color: red;"><i>A Blind Date for Coffin Joe</i> (short film)</span></li><li><span style="color: red;">Video essay by expert <b>Andrew Leavold</b></span></li><li><span style="color: red;">Video essay by expert <b>Kat Ellinger</b></span></li><li><span style="color: red;">A second part of that interview with Dennison Ramalho<br /></span></li><li>Footage of Marins at the 2009 Fantasia Film Festival Premiere</li><li><span style="color: red;">A massive 90-minute Zoom chat with Dennison Ramalho</span></li><li>Official <i>Embodiment </i>Making Of</li><li><span style="color: red;">"Experimental" <i>Embodiment </i>Making Of</span></li><li><span style="color: red;"><i>Embodiment </i>deleted scenes with commentary by Marins</span></li><li><span style="color: red;">Brief visual effects featurette with commentary by Marins</span></li><li><span style="color: red;">Brief storyboards featurette with commentary by Marins </span></li><li>Ten original trailers for the films in this set</li></ul>TL;DR,
they carried over a few things, created a whole bunch of new extras
with their own usual cadre of experts, and still left many of the
interviews and other vintage materials from the Portuguese set behind,
still frustratingly never translated into English. The real coup are
the commentaries, which technically aren't new, but have been subtitled
from the Portuguese discs into English for the very first time, and that
definitely counts! It's too bad they didn't carry over and translate
all that other great stuff, but finally getting to listen to most of Marins'
commentaries is awesome.<br /><br />Even stuff that Synapse saved from the Portuguese set, like interviews
with Marins and his museum tour, or the crazy new scene he created for <i>At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul</i>,
have been left behind. So we took our two forward, but also the step backwards there. The Fantoma
interviews and Mondo Macabro's Coffin Joe documentary have also been
left out. <i><a href="https://www.dvdexotica.com/2023/01/the-strange-oeuvre-of-coffin-joe-part-3.html">Demons and Wonders</a></i>
isn't here either, let alone all of the wild, untranslated extras on
that disc. So yeah, you'll have to hang on to pretty much all of your
old DVDs. I so much would have preferred just getting the cool,
existing extras carried over and translated when needed than most of the
new stuff by experts, but oh well. There's no arguing that this is a
pretty packed set, with at least some absolutely essential bonus
features.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOlMNGjPow6cvJ4qWE3Rfi6Z2A511Z2i8eMRwPY3zbIZ3qnuPpDINkoBVpkrNzjlpP6oaKdxNquo2zhNG7aUhotJgrfGHXK1S_kuFK1b7W5RMbCeXZ6E1DuQgyiJwsP7uoJf0Xg7_KV_8ZI8ElaNZmzT-SqI5zgWYn5Ry_bheKzR3jefKve07xkHlPvI/s1920/coffinjoehdextras.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOlMNGjPow6cvJ4qWE3Rfi6Z2A511Z2i8eMRwPY3zbIZ3qnuPpDINkoBVpkrNzjlpP6oaKdxNquo2zhNG7aUhotJgrfGHXK1S_kuFK1b7W5RMbCeXZ6E1DuQgyiJwsP7uoJf0Xg7_KV_8ZI8ElaNZmzT-SqI5zgWYn5Ry_bheKzR3jefKve07xkHlPvI/s800/coffinjoehdextras.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">not the real Coffin Joe.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Of the expert stuff, it's interesting just to hear all the varying ways they pronounce "Jose." Stephen Thrower's is less a visual essay and more a lecture towards camera with occasional cut-ins, but it's also the most informational and worth your time. Some of the other ones are too breezy and feel like they're just giving a brief overview of what anyone who's buying a set like this would already know, or just pointing out what you'd clearly see on screen yourself once you've watched the films. They tend to all use the same film clips, too. So you're going to see the same signature shots over and over, which makes the temptation to skip some of these increasingly tempting. Well, I've watched 'em all and yeah, just watch Thrower's.<br /><br />The <i>Blind Date for Coffin Joe</i> is a genuinely funny short film that's been on Youtube, but I'm glad it made its way here, and it's cool that we got more <i>Embodiment of Evil </i>stuff than Synapse and Anchor Bay were able to provide, especially the deleted scenes. The packaging and physical bonuses are impressive, too. The whole thing comes in a solid box with a lift-off lid housing six amary cases with reversible artwork (though it's a little annoying that each film only gets printed on one side, including the spine, making it an unnecessarily irritating challenge to figure out which films are on which discs). There's also a double-sided fold-out poster, a substantial, 90-page full-color book, an art card for every film, a bonus art card, an especially fun replication of Coffin Joe's business card as seen in the original film, and a card for another Arrow release (mine was the Spaghetti western <i>Matalo</i>).<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaL6ZMlBhv329lwIPIVXvsseWoQIwkwJC2x593H4KRp0CJ6lNi1LXviyvoSFLwB8YwWdGu2f_Y5c_PN3SvYBRfRIakD5Zn9lBbkVgdceJ4BxGDDSwDR70pN9DgwChmGQ5HtWsLExPkaK_t_ql9uzbVYzOT77lYeqZSPKI03fBqTlFOjPyLaZCZpBVPFIo/s1480/coffinjoehd3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaL6ZMlBhv329lwIPIVXvsseWoQIwkwJC2x593H4KRp0CJ6lNi1LXviyvoSFLwB8YwWdGu2f_Y5c_PN3SvYBRfRIakD5Zn9lBbkVgdceJ4BxGDDSwDR70pN9DgwChmGQ5HtWsLExPkaK_t_ql9uzbVYzOT77lYeqZSPKI03fBqTlFOjPyLaZCZpBVPFIo/s800/coffinjoehd3.png" width="400" /></a></div>And, of course, this still isn't a complete collection of Marin's
films. Between his more recent work and television stuff, there's at
least enough material for a Volume 2, if Arrow feels up for it (and if
the rights are feasible). I certainly don't miss his porno stuff, but a
few films, especially <i>The Strange Exorcism of Coffin Joe</i>, are conspicuous in their absence. Stuff like <i>The Hour of Fear</i>, <i>Trilogy of Terror</i>, <i>The Curse</i> and <i>The Plague</i> would be great. I fear, like with <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2020/10/the-rest-of-bergman-box-part-1-previous.html">Criterion's massive Bergman box</a>,
fans will get it and think they have everything, leaving the remaining
work to fade into obscurity. But also like the Criterion box, I never
thought we'd get a release half this fantastic. I mean, I can remember
Synapse explaining how we'd never get the original Coffin Joes in
anything better than their DVDs because the film elements had dissolved
into dust, and yet here we are - huzzah!John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-76269220730329188942024-02-03T00:03:00.002-05:002024-02-12T13:38:05.359-05:00A New Day At the Races<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTvLdPMS_ck8ZfRwXsCeNhD_j_WNsyMl0QE3n7jESJdA8M4PwsyCIg3cfZXNlOPqhgUmKCT1wPTtQyghBTvEbnHQmeZmn5SQTsogiaS31CMgtMHLBH-xuAidp8jcAiPA7fLWWxtPS2IRTI-yGzu-ehADXBCBghHY3Jvm5cEP0NDWa0YuZxUWJ6DDY3prQ/s3332/dayatr.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2108" data-original-width="3332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTvLdPMS_ck8ZfRwXsCeNhD_j_WNsyMl0QE3n7jESJdA8M4PwsyCIg3cfZXNlOPqhgUmKCT1wPTtQyghBTvEbnHQmeZmn5SQTsogiaS31CMgtMHLBH-xuAidp8jcAiPA7fLWWxtPS2IRTI-yGzu-ehADXBCBghHY3Jvm5cEP0NDWa0YuZxUWJ6DDY3prQ/s0/dayatr.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>It's been a while since we've had a <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/MarxBros">Marx Bros</a></b> HD upgrade, but Warner Archives has come through. I was beginning to worry. They'd only upgraded one - <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2021/10/warner-archives-treats-us-to-night-at.html">the most famous</a> - film from their impressive 2004 boxed set. <i>A Day At the Races</i> is the Marx Bros' second movie after they made the move to MGM, so they're still riding high, and the budgets are clearly still rising. And yes, that means instead of <b>Zeppo </b>we get a pair of "straight" romantic leads that the Marx Bros have to aid. All us true fans of course miss Zeppo, but you can't deny <b>Allan Jones</b> has got a better singing voice. But what's also lost is some of the sharp wit.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJo2xbMyzdH7kBh_WIGU-5O7FcZvEIjnY9dkwvAHi93ZnPaUEav3Pyy89tOuKmkeFV8ixVv-BscVJVn_vTZwIWNL4trDStzBwoRrViFodcobuAg_hfOFUA821rfk8DcCKBr6eM1ZbMM2IqHLAJdVCxeXIc7UP91TVqseEqLBKpIBSR3RYmszUKDNJHTTM/s1480/dayatr1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJo2xbMyzdH7kBh_WIGU-5O7FcZvEIjnY9dkwvAHi93ZnPaUEav3Pyy89tOuKmkeFV8ixVv-BscVJVn_vTZwIWNL4trDStzBwoRrViFodcobuAg_hfOFUA821rfk8DcCKBr6eM1ZbMM2IqHLAJdVCxeXIc7UP91TVqseEqLBKpIBSR3RYmszUKDNJHTTM/s800/dayatr1.png" width="400" /></a></div>Of course classic moments (the Tootsie Frootsie ice scream sketch)
and famous one-liners ("either he's dead or my watch has stopped")
originated here. Groucho still has some first class moments, and the
brothers explode a medical examination into pure chaos not once but
twice. But it also drags, and not just during the love scenes. It
starts to feel like we're trading the big production values on the race
track, with big crowds, live horses and cars flying down the tracks for
the intricately rehearsed comic touches of their previous work. It's
just the start of an infamous dip, but you start to feel it here. That
said, though, <i>A Day At the Races</i> is still a totally zany, wild ride. But if I were introducing somebody to the Marx Bros, I wouldn't start with this one.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GJNx6QhBWOCAW5CES4f5oFeddeKx9_bIwOasDU3x24UBqr1-paqXSXn45Jb9J2tgyfzOQmFR75c4R4d_WY6k0lloj6WePHWAkd1RhW0UgLtwwyHvN5563tUziTC4VoaehgNmZtgTcgcswkA5iZEEi5Z-r961Mxm9_MPaFiZCKOaFKXixTlfI8Jc5h1c/s1480/dayatr3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GJNx6QhBWOCAW5CES4f5oFeddeKx9_bIwOasDU3x24UBqr1-paqXSXn45Jb9J2tgyfzOQmFR75c4R4d_WY6k0lloj6WePHWAkd1RhW0UgLtwwyHvN5563tUziTC4VoaehgNmZtgTcgcswkA5iZEEi5Z-r961Mxm9_MPaFiZCKOaFKXixTlfI8Jc5h1c/s800/dayatr3.png" width="400" /></a></div>Oh,
and I guess that's for two reasons. Interestingly, you see, the
blu-ray has added a new content warning at the start of the film, not
present on the DVD, which reads, <span style="font-family: times;">"[t]he program you are about to see is a
product of its time. It portrays ethnic, racial, gender and other
stereotypes and biases that existed in our society at the time this
program was made. While such portrayals do not represent Warner Bros.
Discovery and its affiliates, this program is being presented in its
original form in order to reflect the existence and history of these
stereotypes and biases."</span> Well, this movie's from the 30's, so it's
surely not on the cutting edge of gender theory, but there's only one
reason this is here. Yes, this is the Marx Bros film where they get
into black face. It's just one scene, but it's part of what is probably
the most ambitious musical sequence in any Marx Bros film (it was
nominated for an Oscar). It was probably actually intended to be
progressive - the brothers platforming and performing with a whole
cavalcade of black performers - but yeah, giving modern audience a
head's up is probably the right idea.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9BWrebhwwS7ER2OjwfnT3oiudHhkmTA0BOhedTMAAlEewWfdNEdqzdyOUZXx1RpEXL_5-yM_FIik4igb7sMn-JoV-NdkXdu2YDX7aT3__aj037c9NfeBWLkMZSnH6asoJYrZon6YKESCxDd5UBR8oAmcWI7XyJZ7-n6K7p4S4CEhlWklk6LYUu2dAfQ/s1440/dayatrc1a4456.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9BWrebhwwS7ER2OjwfnT3oiudHhkmTA0BOhedTMAAlEewWfdNEdqzdyOUZXx1RpEXL_5-yM_FIik4igb7sMn-JoV-NdkXdu2YDX7aT3__aj037c9NfeBWLkMZSnH6asoJYrZon6YKESCxDd5UBR8oAmcWI7XyJZ7-n6K7p4S4CEhlWklk6LYUu2dAfQ/s800/dayatrc1a4456.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2004 Warner Bros DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2024 Warner Bros BD.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACvASiLVEsi3tHMPWXi_YPeWL4_PSs3UU8cE0eZKj2MrqRBaKiBHzh3R1NEQA6_dFb8wPLK4eKMHklMhjGNPzMRJVi21VJEOtKesiex9pA6p8rNklPYUSUfKbzSqnyL3CzColOPpD2MIzw2nipIyqbxZX42JiwJnR5Bu5NyMFoU8WkK8mBnIs2lXDT8w/s1480/dayatrc1b.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACvASiLVEsi3tHMPWXi_YPeWL4_PSs3UU8cE0eZKj2MrqRBaKiBHzh3R1NEQA6_dFb8wPLK4eKMHklMhjGNPzMRJVi21VJEOtKesiex9pA6p8rNklPYUSUfKbzSqnyL3CzColOPpD2MIzw2nipIyqbxZX42JiwJnR5Bu5NyMFoU8WkK8mBnIs2lXDT8w/s800/dayatrc1b.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmD_PqLRsR193F9pDjGNUGlWDWpYhkg-bIwg6y1d2yVYo3vO4Q6OmcUl7o-2Y8ngHaTUrrcFbo1lqMqm0a-9RrHdRgFgYYxMtszKTH4_bn33HHzexMccsX-ankKF7kkFhlumh3DVRAFNpalzNO3mqLoO2AHmm5ej0Ijtr5oHCfyZuFLHgSHcNOtzB6J0/s1440/dayatrc2a1617.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglmD_PqLRsR193F9pDjGNUGlWDWpYhkg-bIwg6y1d2yVYo3vO4Q6OmcUl7o-2Y8ngHaTUrrcFbo1lqMqm0a-9RrHdRgFgYYxMtszKTH4_bn33HHzexMccsX-ankKF7kkFhlumh3DVRAFNpalzNO3mqLoO2AHmm5ej0Ijtr5oHCfyZuFLHgSHcNOtzB6J0/s800/dayatrc2a1617.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2LdRpFXnKS28yPhWsszjBni7aEx_bscBze2ZXHLr4JIB8LulwelAwo_AVynPj-pPCxpKSzwGbiSL2rKNHpQ1Kgqg0UJBy6n68Qh0BOGXJK039JkM4piwA8b_UBVwGcNcnW9b2ee7NufrhwUVAbBmXOMbz8UIu9b3RuLyVfpDU3n74GRYIMj8GCAIwJ4s/s1480/dayatrc2b1619.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2LdRpFXnKS28yPhWsszjBni7aEx_bscBze2ZXHLr4JIB8LulwelAwo_AVynPj-pPCxpKSzwGbiSL2rKNHpQ1Kgqg0UJBy6n68Qh0BOGXJK039JkM4piwA8b_UBVwGcNcnW9b2ee7NufrhwUVAbBmXOMbz8UIu9b3RuLyVfpDU3n74GRYIMj8GCAIwJ4s/s800/dayatrc2b1619.png" width="400" /></a></div>Warner's
DVD starts out at 1.33:1, which their new scan subtly corrects to
1.37:1, gaining tiny slivers of extra information along the edges.
Warner's new transfer, which doesn't say so on the case but is
apparently based on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/warnerarchive/posts/pfbid02C3AHwuEDqNAX5ymT3cN8CUAkwGCWGj8wKYLYx3qRim5Bim2T2jSYTLRctw2fxwbyl">a new 4k scan of "preservation elements,"</a>
is a shade or two brighter and distinctly clearer. What were ones
smudgy, compressed hints at film grain are now clear, edges are sharper
and fine detail that was previously too soft can now be made out.
Highlights maybe peak a little too much for my tastes, but this is a
real leap forward from the DVD, as opposed to some previous Marx blus,
where the upgrade was more subtle, if not outright difficult to
discern. A Day At the Races is now a proper HD movie and all the more
absorbing a watch for it. <br /><br />Both discs have the original English
mono, bumped up to DTS-HD on the blu, with optional English subtitles.
The DVD also had French and Spanish subtitle options, which the blu has
dropped.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5oFW2PVhJ6GEnKmdLofwAvob6qTGtHz4Y8AcRXmH5BeZHRvdjMddqvsjeJrf92AlTxw9ZlNfrC_rB8NAWWSRdBXZidGshFMGC6eqkAvbFO2zbEzqpOQJolbEQ2DRkMHY8FBePemBjPo6E4u80tPCMIs8itWko-7HVjJ-c0KRsf4OhuUXx6xi7Mlci4VE/s1480/dayatr2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5oFW2PVhJ6GEnKmdLofwAvob6qTGtHz4Y8AcRXmH5BeZHRvdjMddqvsjeJrf92AlTxw9ZlNfrC_rB8NAWWSRdBXZidGshFMGC6eqkAvbFO2zbEzqpOQJolbEQ2DRkMHY8FBePemBjPo6E4u80tPCMIs8itWko-7HVjJ-c0KRsf4OhuUXx6xi7Mlci4VE/s800/dayatr2.png" width="400" /></a></div>Warner's DVD was surprisingly loaded, too. Marx Bros expert <b>Glenn Mitchell</b> provides a generally interesting, educated audio commentary, but
it's prone to constant gaps of dead air. They're short at first but last
for full, extensive scenes in the back half. I was starting to wonder if there isn't actually more silence than talking in
the track. But when he's participating, he's good. Then there's the roughly half-hour doc, <i>On Your Marx, Get Set, Go!</i>, which I've already covered on my <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2016/11/marx-madness-part-2-documentaries.html">Marx Bros documentary page</a>.
It's good. There's also a fun radio promo for the film and a short
audio clip of an Allan Jones song cut from the film. It's actually
catchier than the ones in the film, and they probably should have used
it in the nightclub scene instead of the one they did. And there's the
trailer and a couple extras not related to the film: a short <b>Robert Benchley</b> film called <i>A Night At the Movies </i>and three short, vintage cartoons.<br /><br />And
everything from the DVD has been carried over to the blu, even the
cartoons and stuff. And there's one more, new extra: another song cut
from the film. It's a Groucho song called "Hackenbush." This is not
the version from his <i>Hooray for Captain Spaulding</i> album or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcEKUmFeQss">the one he sung on TV with the nurses</a>
later in life. This one's better than both of them and sounds like
it's taken from a live performance, as an audience can be heard laughing
and applauding the song. So it's the only new extra, but it's a treat, even if you thought you'd heard it on Youtube already.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9eBToE1i89hNysmTLwRsxOFMOV22juf7_Gjb7GebEEvAIwxKXgSjJYMgq0Dpat28cDFnpMs-vuyW46O0w8-vzVztZ-IJCrwDkTlawr7EE69ovxsKy9ZgIa5coO1_qofEm_lJ50Wv6bkuCKpc3VlVZh2cmjbo6XigzOetu_LoMr3QcpRPD9Z8PCoCi-4/s1480/dayatr5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9eBToE1i89hNysmTLwRsxOFMOV22juf7_Gjb7GebEEvAIwxKXgSjJYMgq0Dpat28cDFnpMs-vuyW46O0w8-vzVztZ-IJCrwDkTlawr7EE69ovxsKy9ZgIa5coO1_qofEm_lJ50Wv6bkuCKpc3VlVZh2cmjbo6XigzOetu_LoMr3QcpRPD9Z8PCoCi-4/s800/dayatr5.png" width="400" /></a></div>That still leaves four films from The Marx Brothers Collection
trapped in SD. And those were all exclusive to the boxed set, so we'll
have to hold onto them for a while longer. But hopefully not forever.
The DVDs combined the last four films into double-feature discs, so
maybe they'll do that on BD, too; and we'll get to complete our
collections in this lifetime.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-70275099036521525842024-01-22T18:36:00.007-05:002024-01-22T18:59:20.615-05:00Soavi's Masterpiece, Dellamorte Dellamore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5nduQ7zcb9DcMJ-5zqLlhSzQ9ap_zAiu5ZP-QLatUS96XavcTVa9HcNBy0LIXdibxyQ-1Ok3zh40gxem7piELORxfW9HNuLqm3E1yJzVj_l3PYzWCIJzGNvpIGWITbQ7Ctb7cpFYnCl3_uGxiqp-SsIm33skvFohPDf4Ix9ZdnPVBHa0TyIwsxl6C2eU/s5773/dellamorteds.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2583" data-original-width="5773" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5nduQ7zcb9DcMJ-5zqLlhSzQ9ap_zAiu5ZP-QLatUS96XavcTVa9HcNBy0LIXdibxyQ-1Ok3zh40gxem7piELORxfW9HNuLqm3E1yJzVj_l3PYzWCIJzGNvpIGWITbQ7Ctb7cpFYnCl3_uGxiqp-SsIm33skvFohPDf4Ix9ZdnPVBHa0TyIwsxl6C2eU/s0/dellamorteds.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>Ah man, it's been a long wait for a proper HD release of <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/MicheleSoavi">Michele Soavi</a></b>'s <i>Dellamorte Dellamore</i>, the demented comic book adaptation that's often called the last great Italian horror film. It had some fine releases on DVD, and I've owned a few of them over the years, but on BD, they were both rare and uninspiring. You'd be happy to pay to import a German, barebones disc with the old DVD master just because it wasn't compressed to 720p. We were all excited when Shameless finally announced a BD special edition for 2018 until somebody asked them for the specs and it turned out the frame-rate was botched. Still, a lot of desperate fans bought it anyway. But happily, you can put all that behind you now. Severin has a brand new 4k restoration from the negative with a whole ton of special features on BD and 4k Ultra HD with Dolby Vision HDR, fancy packaging and everything you could want.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixXGa6QB43fbJPGCfRq7JUIPMFwyDBSeqHLmqoxGSDewJlDrWePwOIROGyy2pAUZO9M08Pb0D8yisdRRJbeqxM5zE_VxG6Gsuyj85fzD0gVPuDpulCd8vApQVN_8tkOIJWlGAOqxLx9ZdsWnXcglb_fyFhgz0bzydMyWGAhd7j3LjwvjD32podYKVG4A/s1800/dellamorted1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixXGa6QB43fbJPGCfRq7JUIPMFwyDBSeqHLmqoxGSDewJlDrWePwOIROGyy2pAUZO9M08Pb0D8yisdRRJbeqxM5zE_VxG6Gsuyj85fzD0gVPuDpulCd8vApQVN_8tkOIJWlGAOqxLx9ZdsWnXcglb_fyFhgz0bzydMyWGAhd7j3LjwvjD32podYKVG4A/s800/dellamorted1.png" width="400" /></a></div><i>Dellamorte Dellamore</i> is based on Italian horror comic <i>Dylan Dog</i>, or more precisely <b>Tiziano Sclavi</b>'s prototypical novel about a similar character in the <i>DD </i>universe, Francesco Dellamorte. Both characters were drawn to resemble <b>Rupert Everett</b>,
so it was quite a coup for Soavi to cast him here, not just for the
coincidence, but the pitch-perfect performance Everett was able to
deliver in a film where, after all, a lot of the cast is dubbed. And it's not just Everett who's pitch-perfect here; the stylish direction, score, practical effects, supporting cast and the writer's clever blend of humor and genuine ennui are all operating on a level I'm not sure the original source material even fully deserved. The elements have aligned to lift up an above average graphic novel to a bit of a cinematic masterpiece.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZf3hXkXjevXy-7wj5Bk3ivx_ZbVKOZ-HDjvK3mNEZ9TJ9fEwLYm7NTN5Hh2qZPyk6tdwIdAiSqiEizQ6WUs0bebGP_Zl4PfnFKKBmM6WV7NdxrORrwObt7kB0OVbDakuvLpGjxzNYUWj5ejcmPSyY9s5zTtNOZUAIxtT2dA0_V9jdzLm15UQ2DXwulU/s1752/dellamortedc1a2841.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1752" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZf3hXkXjevXy-7wj5Bk3ivx_ZbVKOZ-HDjvK3mNEZ9TJ9fEwLYm7NTN5Hh2qZPyk6tdwIdAiSqiEizQ6WUs0bebGP_Zl4PfnFKKBmM6WV7NdxrORrwObt7kB0OVbDakuvLpGjxzNYUWj5ejcmPSyY9s5zTtNOZUAIxtT2dA0_V9jdzLm15UQ2DXwulU/s800/dellamortedc1a2841.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2006 Anchor Bay DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2012 Shameless DVD;<br /><span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 2023 Severin BD; <span style="color: #800180;">4)</span> 2023 Severin UHD.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJQO1CLOtokxZJHiWqpKymLjiqz9UPN4_7fsT4bs75MkaLjASI8qpqEqkEZuenT-ohoNGcLqLOPEQzBd3o42SpkK3jNdI13-ASaXCzOorBWaCbjzrqMDIHWgzDHYcHKsgo7TfJfGdJi7wHgvHtCtRsqKwdfJMe6OaLOzsgUVhkEzFd3JT30JZw6ukwIRA/s1806/dellamortedc1b2821.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1806" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJQO1CLOtokxZJHiWqpKymLjiqz9UPN4_7fsT4bs75MkaLjASI8qpqEqkEZuenT-ohoNGcLqLOPEQzBd3o42SpkK3jNdI13-ASaXCzOorBWaCbjzrqMDIHWgzDHYcHKsgo7TfJfGdJi7wHgvHtCtRsqKwdfJMe6OaLOzsgUVhkEzFd3JT30JZw6ukwIRA/s800/dellamortedc1b2821.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9hrMtBIudeSwQlPByN9ERDL9wKWSim5UQ-MLrF9QIOHx7Ks7AhCg1qJ2PoX_I_0TzT8O_epMbCYZ9HLTWOqTq_NEpPxDnwAJ21OLdCTrM__A697_CLm_Zl5L3lwhkt3oFMnY8IkLPU9YevZ0iha0VUYTqRzgb_TkWmbZUB9VK6q3tvQi2wyCxvjBm_J4/s1800/dellamortedc1c2823.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9hrMtBIudeSwQlPByN9ERDL9wKWSim5UQ-MLrF9QIOHx7Ks7AhCg1qJ2PoX_I_0TzT8O_epMbCYZ9HLTWOqTq_NEpPxDnwAJ21OLdCTrM__A697_CLm_Zl5L3lwhkt3oFMnY8IkLPU9YevZ0iha0VUYTqRzgb_TkWmbZUB9VK6q3tvQi2wyCxvjBm_J4/s800/dellamortedc1c2823.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGLOqoqV9-zqvmL5N5pC5MIhiG3pSO6pP6OS2Oo-jujrguQaHqja-1OJ4TlAnY-dmxwjAXOzU0Efo2_11ZZ9XPvWeUaRy60dSMfaNoUpmmFmave2x5rSe_NsSBjQdecgYaC0b0HfcDRKp5r1I1e97cddZ5vsboGvTF_EchdBPepGrZ6czW3GJ3dkaDXM/s3598/dellamortedc1d2823.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGLOqoqV9-zqvmL5N5pC5MIhiG3pSO6pP6OS2Oo-jujrguQaHqja-1OJ4TlAnY-dmxwjAXOzU0Efo2_11ZZ9XPvWeUaRy60dSMfaNoUpmmFmave2x5rSe_NsSBjQdecgYaC0b0HfcDRKp5r1I1e97cddZ5vsboGvTF_EchdBPepGrZ6czW3GJ3dkaDXM/s800/dellamortedc1d2823.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2VcLS9NuRbtEVAMUxPoSOTODtbpcnjdZVyP1o95pkNAxpMisaMEOPe5wZGNRoXHohLKMQh0wsXPuccUzbUsoAsxV-mtCIAKPcEUoOv-JrPJHoNeKKGiv8nBdC97Eo3exh7BECcMs_pS7bx9NL-vJS5Nfka6KCtejM5xZkoMBvRLax-J_qnK_KJ4_EXc/s1753/dellamortedc2a10610.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1753" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB2VcLS9NuRbtEVAMUxPoSOTODtbpcnjdZVyP1o95pkNAxpMisaMEOPe5wZGNRoXHohLKMQh0wsXPuccUzbUsoAsxV-mtCIAKPcEUoOv-JrPJHoNeKKGiv8nBdC97Eo3exh7BECcMs_pS7bx9NL-vJS5Nfka6KCtejM5xZkoMBvRLax-J_qnK_KJ4_EXc/s800/dellamortedc2a10610.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh82HRUpgkULq2IK3vPz9cXcvnDaEG7JeGo-WR1PbBLnF5w8wxzSprTs1mSIYRK2GoJoPHA1Dw0nx57JnwbyDOhaOzuHaYWZ92mRy8hTK9zB78mr5_-sX55bHWJkUKvA_9GlwIVGM1VZwb3Aqt0S8cCq1BUyckncpM_eUJydZzQ88k3yovXr4-5MuwQdT4/s1806/dellamortedc2b10550.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1806" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh82HRUpgkULq2IK3vPz9cXcvnDaEG7JeGo-WR1PbBLnF5w8wxzSprTs1mSIYRK2GoJoPHA1Dw0nx57JnwbyDOhaOzuHaYWZ92mRy8hTK9zB78mr5_-sX55bHWJkUKvA_9GlwIVGM1VZwb3Aqt0S8cCq1BUyckncpM_eUJydZzQ88k3yovXr4-5MuwQdT4/s800/dellamortedc2b10550.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJrqP6Grg-OAbO2vhUJshx6nKWhAdFF-YcPqv2KVAsiTeRj0BzuC44QkWR6ZiStxlCfmbdMMH5WRoC89TldBjvxG_if4SOELHi87lQ3MAqW1uyREGSahEfNhcaLfOeOimKq73RnnWvLrNW1ZPSeN98YK5Adg5LF2cmXd92X2oAXJS8MdYOWug9g-1rMQ/s1800/dellamortedc2c10552.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJrqP6Grg-OAbO2vhUJshx6nKWhAdFF-YcPqv2KVAsiTeRj0BzuC44QkWR6ZiStxlCfmbdMMH5WRoC89TldBjvxG_if4SOELHi87lQ3MAqW1uyREGSahEfNhcaLfOeOimKq73RnnWvLrNW1ZPSeN98YK5Adg5LF2cmXd92X2oAXJS8MdYOWug9g-1rMQ/s800/dellamortedc2c10552.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4LgkoMIBwJWGotxIIgUh49tn-yfGcN4qSRGTg-zPrt3Qa9Cq6nn1-Bs02-bFrevyId1ZM_vXhvuyJYs4Raygt1a1AG4EI-tHu8n9SYfTLDksMwMB8fIm_rClfJcwijNxzJcaDWSMlOUoqUKiCVWRooMoA5S450j7nS-Qy5TVSuhXxc2J4Ta6Ks30rhw/s3598/dellamortedc2d10551.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ4LgkoMIBwJWGotxIIgUh49tn-yfGcN4qSRGTg-zPrt3Qa9Cq6nn1-Bs02-bFrevyId1ZM_vXhvuyJYs4Raygt1a1AG4EI-tHu8n9SYfTLDksMwMB8fIm_rClfJcwijNxzJcaDWSMlOUoqUKiCVWRooMoA5S450j7nS-Qy5TVSuhXxc2J4Ta6Ks30rhw/s800/dellamortedc2d10551.png" width="400" /></a></div>Each of these discs pretty much preserve the slightly pillar-boxed aspect ratio of 1.66:1, though if you look closely, you'll see Anchor Bay's disc is cropped a little tighter and really framed at 1.62:1. I only replaced the AB DVD with the Shameless because it subtitled the Italian commentary for the first time, but I never realized until I started doing this comparison how they improved the picture. It's not just the framing, which the 4k restoration has mirrored, but they've got more natural colors and toned down the edge enhancement/ contrast. Of course, that's all academic now. The colors are even more natural now and fine detail, like the mayor's hair, has been restored. Of course, we're comparing UHD to DVD, so they have a huge advantage; but happily they didn't blow it. Grain is still tough to discern, which seems to be a thing with Severin - are they lightly DNRing their UHDs (or is the Italian company that owns the film materials)? Because the feature's only about 100 minutes and they've given it nearly 80GB, so it shouldn't be a compression issue. Not that this looks like <i><a href="https://www.dvdexotica.com/2018/10/controversial-blus-predator-with-and.html">Predator</a></i> anything. And everything else, like the black levels (especially considering how much of this film is set at night) and the naturalism of the 4k are quite strong.<br /><br />We're given a surprising amount of options for the audio: a Dolby Atmos track, a 5.1 and a 2.0, both in DTS-HD, all of which sound bold, clear and frankly rather similar. We also get the Italian 2.0 in DTS-HD, and optional English subtitles for both the English and Italian audio tracks. I'd recommend the English audio, since Rupert is speaking English in his own voice, but a number of supporting characters are dubbed, so both are valid options.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGO94zCBWnptGBUX111ftl2qgMxOIWeAJewTvMcPJWbjJUKK_jxREdkkhBlNlRgr4o2cObunzLWvmmQyJbuxGh4aZoci1fFKN4kOtlkIG5VmWyRaTliF_fvYbATIO5N1nm3-u__ZewrUxt69xCA0Yo6ojbfOabf6GgXtk2-1qJSsCKvFK0JFka0GbaXI/s1800/dellamorted3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGO94zCBWnptGBUX111ftl2qgMxOIWeAJewTvMcPJWbjJUKK_jxREdkkhBlNlRgr4o2cObunzLWvmmQyJbuxGh4aZoci1fFKN4kOtlkIG5VmWyRaTliF_fvYbATIO5N1nm3-u__ZewrUxt69xCA0Yo6ojbfOabf6GgXtk2-1qJSsCKvFK0JFka0GbaXI/s800/dellamorted3.png" width="400" /></a></div>As far as extras? Oh boy, Severin has us covered. But they're not
the only special features in town. Anchor Bay had a nice half-hour
featurette, which talked to a number of the key players, including
Soavi, screenwriter <b>Gianni Romoli</b>, <b>Sergio Stivaletti </b>and <b>Anna Falchi</b>.
Shameless dropped that, but they preserved that aforementioned
commentary from the 2008 Medusa DVD, and they added English subtitles
for the first time. It's Soavi and Romoli together, and it's pretty
great. They go at a good pace and cover a lot, including a few details
that don't pop up in other extras. Both discs also included inserts
with notes, the trailer and a bunch of bonus trailers (especially
Shameless, they have like fifteen!).<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGStIqr4cVfLGoZlbj-rQfMX_LtWbKgaMtzDVsOjN25-yTh1SZmqa7SUJm_fc57tk65x9t5W08yaRWHusKB0082omGv9WuldcPrX0GDgZbnzJ_vohR16MeZdjns1GTQRBReEWOsuVgreWuJ6SHJl3MdtzItt-Cpt5NkScepjJSQkThHQgqTxFHxlRJmDU/s1920/dellamortede2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGStIqr4cVfLGoZlbj-rQfMX_LtWbKgaMtzDVsOjN25-yTh1SZmqa7SUJm_fc57tk65x9t5W08yaRWHusKB0082omGv9WuldcPrX0GDgZbnzJ_vohR16MeZdjns1GTQRBReEWOsuVgreWuJ6SHJl3MdtzItt-Cpt5NkScepjJSQkThHQgqTxFHxlRJmDU/s800/dellamortede2.png" width="400" /></a></div>Thankfully, Severin keeps the commentary, too; though they almost
don't need it, since the new interviews they conducted are pretty
comprehensive and cover just about every topic mentioned and ignored by
that commentary. Romoli's interview goes for a good hour. And they
manage to get a great sit-down with Rupert Everett, which is
impressive. They also got a new interview with Falchi, plus
cinematographer <b>Mauro Marchetti</b>, <b>Stefano Masciarelli</b> who played the mayor,<b> Fabiana Formica</b> who played the mayor's daughter, composer <b>Riccardo Biseo</b>, set designer <b>Antonello Geleng</b> and of course Sergio Stivaletti. There's also a brief interview with <b>Alan Jones</b>
to fill in the last few informational details, though he clearly
doesn't know what he's talking about regarding the comics. He goes into
a whole explanation of "why hasn't there ever been a <i>Dylan Dog</i> film," when of course <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dylan_Dog:_Dead_of_Night">there was</a>. It's no <i>Dellamorte Dellamore</i>, but it has its qualities. Jones also points out that "in <i>Dylan Dog</i>, the sidekick is based on <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/MarxBros">Groucho Marx</a></b>. Here, I don't quite understand what he was doing." I've never read an issue, and even <i>I</i>
know Dylan Dog's sidekick was Groucho, not Dellamorte's, so of course
he's not doing the Groucho schtick. But hey, he's a film guy, not a
comic book guy; what do you want?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6F_Y3qcxgZ67bUco0H0QH4Zbb_YejjicsYwJ719XkVISuj15cvDVMeGz3052MwzyHRaE4l5r1w5Nv0LPTT845UGXxBDvMM5p9H4lSWLfD83XlBt9ScFazRv1PNNpqXlEJTIFsIcIJPWbPsmr6wNlO8n1AzlvRBoItKQhIVwehpSyL_Zl3YOJmYrEJN08/s1350/dellamortede.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6F_Y3qcxgZ67bUco0H0QH4Zbb_YejjicsYwJ719XkVISuj15cvDVMeGz3052MwzyHRaE4l5r1w5Nv0LPTT845UGXxBDvMM5p9H4lSWLfD83XlBt9ScFazRv1PNNpqXlEJTIFsIcIJPWbPsmr6wNlO8n1AzlvRBoItKQhIVwehpSyL_Zl3YOJmYrEJN08/s800/dellamortede.png" width="400" /></a></div>Also on here is the old
featurette that also used to be on that Medusa disc, though this one had
subtitles even at the time. It's good because it was made during
production, so it has on-set footage and interviews with a couple
people, including the editor and <b>François Hadji-Lazaro</b>, who
couldn't contribute to the new features. The Anchor Bay featurette
wasn't so fortunate to make the transition, but that's fine, since
nobody says anything in that that they don't also say in these other
extras. There are also two theatrical trailers, the complete soundtrack
CD, a glossy full-color 50 page book, and a stylish slipbox.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWRW4RgcStCJ2MeOGn-IYrS45GDrjWdz749Khntr3LQwpYji4DJacMVfvNdmJ-WfABPv02SxyXWSNrtuAJ4_WlgisDj_Vr_NxMV0tutpoUVn6if6ti3r72_Xc8Lt6v4auBv90c2Z_J7gsqYxk0ZKZ-YEH_zQJgMW2-l94rFXcG0xAxBruLroM0SvM94w/s1800/dellamorted4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdWRW4RgcStCJ2MeOGn-IYrS45GDrjWdz749Khntr3LQwpYji4DJacMVfvNdmJ-WfABPv02SxyXWSNrtuAJ4_WlgisDj_Vr_NxMV0tutpoUVn6if6ti3r72_Xc8Lt6v4auBv90c2Z_J7gsqYxk0ZKZ-YEH_zQJgMW2-l94rFXcG0xAxBruLroM0SvM94w/s800/dellamorted4.png" width="400" /></a></div>So this is unquestionably recommended. A fantastic film that's been
in dire need of a fully loaded special edition since the concept
existed, finally gets one. This and<i> <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2016/04/the-greatest-italian-horror-yet-to-be.html">Spider Labyrinth</a></i> in the same month has Severin taking some serious cracks at Italian Horror fans' want lists. What could be next... <i>Demons 5</i>?John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-88347658353081669342024-01-12T07:39:00.002-05:002024-01-15T04:10:00.337-05:00Barbara Crampton Takes Us Back To Miskatonic In Suitable Flesh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiscMObqOPCOFPFRN1U5Q7oY4AD74eyPiA__8XOCZ2pBj4uj8ix9z8EjUVoawHsnXACU5obhKfmlO3x6ttMX9nFoeh1KYXJuyCM0d9YiP3mXAaRAxfk_gdN0PCXI7o722UOxWjbgoiXpNaeADUoR5srJK2u6feOU2N9QSryIvgGeNE-x_0l6qIKuWcBPSo/s2091/suitablef.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2091" data-original-width="1811" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiscMObqOPCOFPFRN1U5Q7oY4AD74eyPiA__8XOCZ2pBj4uj8ix9z8EjUVoawHsnXACU5obhKfmlO3x6ttMX9nFoeh1KYXJuyCM0d9YiP3mXAaRAxfk_gdN0PCXI7o722UOxWjbgoiXpNaeADUoR5srJK2u6feOU2N9QSryIvgGeNE-x_0l6qIKuWcBPSo/s0/suitablef.jpg" width="160" /></a></div>If you're not familiar with <i>Suitable Flesh</i>, allow me to bring you into the fold. In brief, it's an <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/HPLovecraft">HP Lovecraft</a></b> adaptation (specifically of "That Thing On the Doorstep") <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/StuartGordon">Stuart Gordon</a></b> and <b>Dennis Paoli</b> had been trying to get funded since the 90s. Think of his <i>Shadow Over Innsmouth</i> project if <i><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2018/07/controversial-blus-dagon-but-not.html">Dagon</a></i> never finally got made. Well, apparently, <b>Barbara Crampton</b>, who's been having a very gratifying scream queen comeback thee days, has enough pull with Shudder now to get a project funded. So she reached out to Paoli, who gave her the screenplay, which she is now producing and starring in, along with <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/BrianYuzna">Brian Yuzna</a></b>, who's executive producing. It played in a bunch of horror festivals last year, went to Shudder and just now came out on a special edition blu from RLJ (formerly Image) Entertainment.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLilCaz986GnbYjo01YafXU7-FydsRwrh4GWSyifxzopj9VTBOP8RSthbVxa8kK5_y6QVElY1SsJs1YcfhyPso7dpHGlPRaoO7LAiNk_qnI78F_i-KtFXlzO8zZuuJcqNHJdC6M7ExwxEouuHj9en7CgkOBrv4fLh-fBIbpy_d8ZDCd0XHDEwtic-K1HM/s1920/suitablef1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLilCaz986GnbYjo01YafXU7-FydsRwrh4GWSyifxzopj9VTBOP8RSthbVxa8kK5_y6QVElY1SsJs1YcfhyPso7dpHGlPRaoO7LAiNk_qnI78F_i-KtFXlzO8zZuuJcqNHJdC6M7ExwxEouuHj9en7CgkOBrv4fLh-fBIbpy_d8ZDCd0XHDEwtic-K1HM/s800/suitablef1.png" width="400" /></a></div>But, of course, Gordon didn't get to actually direct this. Instead they enlisted <b>Joe Lynch</b>, who frankly, I was worried about when I saw his name attached. I mean, <i>Mayhem </i>is
perfectly watchable if you don't go in expecting too much, but this is the guy who turned<i> Wrong Turn </i>into a cornball reality TV parody, did that ridiculous hitman flick with<b> Salma Hayek</b> where she breaks the fourth wall to make lame quips and the title <i>Knights of Badassdom</i> speaks for itself. I was worried. But Joe Lynch has proven an excellent steward for Stuart's vision.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmq23X6EQBbPKq7Uo9oL8pMPwG94RcFI88kkJxNki_wnbR5qoL-u_uB71AiGo0Bc6ThEYrNZj_CKtQ60XE79hdFRTRsUTl9vKBkZBbL_JpncoO9gzTvRcOuPeRaSOp-uM0fTV4wJouFz2CLimf2s1aPKok4WcM_PLMobKf3LcWRiskh1l8sf4IL0mem9o/s1920/suitablef4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmq23X6EQBbPKq7Uo9oL8pMPwG94RcFI88kkJxNki_wnbR5qoL-u_uB71AiGo0Bc6ThEYrNZj_CKtQ60XE79hdFRTRsUTl9vKBkZBbL_JpncoO9gzTvRcOuPeRaSOp-uM0fTV4wJouFz2CLimf2s1aPKok4WcM_PLMobKf3LcWRiskh1l8sf4IL0mem9o/s800/suitablef4.png" width="400" /></a></div>That's not to say this is 100% the masterpiece that <i><a href="http://dvdexotica.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-integral-re-animator-from-capelight.html">Re-Animator</a></i> or <a href="http://dvdexotica.blogspot.com/2015/09/hp-lovecrafts-from-beyond-dragon-to.html"><i>From Beyond</i></a> were, but it's better than <i><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2020/05/a-pair-of-88s-2-castle-freak.html">Castle Freak</a></i> and absolutely worthy of their company. <b>Heather Graham</b>,
of all people, stars and proves willing to go as far as out as this
movie needs her to. If you know the Lovecraft story, you can anticipate
some of the body-swapping hi-jinks everybody gets up to, but of course
Paoli and Co. have to crank things up a notch or two before the show's
over. A lot of this plays like a fun <i>Tales From the Crypt</i>
episode, with whole cast having fun with its murderous premise. But
then it pushes the envelope with the sex and violence... maybe not quite
as gonzo as Gordon would've taken it, but definitely in that same,
demented direction. And they manage not to lose the thread and get silly, helped by composer <b>Steve Moore</b>, who does a nice job capturing the spirit of what <b>Richard Band</b> would've done, if perhaps just a little more subtle.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQLKh0xypthUFpPyai6Ng9YlVcx-2k6Usc4qrbUVFs2RHCIOq7KQu7WRjPVpCvmU62NpuA9uzTusR_qVOncPOCYFILHeyet1TOJzIGsBmfg40AZxfPcJAryipWF0y_CPAmR0utJ8fS7Lpnzx5YSKMYKVDmCjtvZqvO8R7-MmduJqrG5qgocblXmCrnaU/s1920/suitablefc1b10143.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQLKh0xypthUFpPyai6Ng9YlVcx-2k6Usc4qrbUVFs2RHCIOq7KQu7WRjPVpCvmU62NpuA9uzTusR_qVOncPOCYFILHeyet1TOJzIGsBmfg40AZxfPcJAryipWF0y_CPAmR0utJ8fS7Lpnzx5YSKMYKVDmCjtvZqvO8R7-MmduJqrG5qgocblXmCrnaU/s800/suitablefc1b10143.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2024 RLJ BD.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirakXMJvpE9q3lPVWoCujmx_1M9jFDZHCLZLQxsLM_cSFsUcg7utuX8PsDBbc7xHQHT5SJGeOBrLnNUZa2zFfAHwFswoFaKy4s_qy38uMBOjj_ETD2YmUjscbHEiQSCYnvScqmwX5F3U0YX3HgadhSPJ-VGpgrTTbFoz-QEyh960pVfjBlZgfzAHIAqmI/s1920/suitablefc2b3722.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirakXMJvpE9q3lPVWoCujmx_1M9jFDZHCLZLQxsLM_cSFsUcg7utuX8PsDBbc7xHQHT5SJGeOBrLnNUZa2zFfAHwFswoFaKy4s_qy38uMBOjj_ETD2YmUjscbHEiQSCYnvScqmwX5F3U0YX3HgadhSPJ-VGpgrTTbFoz-QEyh960pVfjBlZgfzAHIAqmI/s800/suitablefc2b3722.png" width="400" /></a></div>RLJ's
blu preserves Suitable Flesh's very wide 2.35:1 aspect ratio. This is a
new release, presumably taken right from a DCP; so there's not a lot
for this blu to have gotten wrong and happily they don't. Things actually look kinda soft, but that may just be down to the look of the
film itself (i.e. to look less digital and hue to its 80s
predecessors). Because this is a lot clearer than when I watched it
streaming in 1080p, and we've been given a dual-layer disc for a
relatively short flick, so I don't think compression would be at issue.
It's always a little tougher to gauge without film grain, how much
detail is missing from a modern digital transfer. Heck, I'd love to see
a UHD of this, even without HDR, but generally I think we're lucky to
even be getting BDs of these Shudder titles, so I have no complaints.<br /><br />And
we get a nice, bold DTS-HD transfer of the 5.1 track with optional
English subtitles. There's even an audio descriptive track, as well as
Spanish and French subtitles, so RLJ has us covered.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfiBb72O23iRDfJE65mOdrcGfJBMaopV5QxHiLXpM-sIlJFpfvuC2Q5bs5DaHbWUdlyFs74ju-mxpihTSQU75TJvZVHeVtJz6ILI3rLg3zP2uWmVIhhY_iY5ZkHqWxDKLEXVmeZxzfEx9nvjyaMRtU1RZMltvWomQX8fbL2smu35P8AYuVajHQqL8uN3Q/s1920/suitablefe.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfiBb72O23iRDfJE65mOdrcGfJBMaopV5QxHiLXpM-sIlJFpfvuC2Q5bs5DaHbWUdlyFs74ju-mxpihTSQU75TJvZVHeVtJz6ILI3rLg3zP2uWmVIhhY_iY5ZkHqWxDKLEXVmeZxzfEx9nvjyaMRtU1RZMltvWomQX8fbL2smu35P8AYuVajHQqL8uN3Q/s800/suitablefe.png" width="400" /></a></div>And
definitely that includes the special features department. For
starters, there's an audio commentary by Lynch, Crampton and co-producer
<b>Bob Portal</b>. Lynch, of course, is co-host of the <i>Movie Crypt</i>
podcast, so he's great at doing commentaries, especially with Crampton
and Portal to bounce off of. Then there's a making of, which is fairly
substantial. I was expecting one of those ultra-brief promo
featurettes, but this is a good little retrospective with Lynch and most
of the cast, reminiscent of the featurettes Scream Factory creates.
Good stuff. There's also a Zoom-style interview between Lynch and Steve Moore, a look at the
storyboards (with a video intro by Lynch), a blooper reel and a couple
of bonus trailers (though not the trailer for <i>Suitable Flesh</i> itself).<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VE3utY6eq_7w3rl4BZ1T5ZMw7lOsJe6ZFPiD4VOuBPFaMsMM2F45jRdeYM13QhTfSwT831X6b2E4at0yWSKkSQpy9TpAVyGQWbHSxyn-LhMXzYrbOCg6HNgBmM6aEIHPwuwNodjCLtaZr8tYHs1mJp8mHbPHhBoSmyeznA5ebbnSFyB2yfYVBXlkWEA/s1920/suitablef2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="818" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0VE3utY6eq_7w3rl4BZ1T5ZMw7lOsJe6ZFPiD4VOuBPFaMsMM2F45jRdeYM13QhTfSwT831X6b2E4at0yWSKkSQpy9TpAVyGQWbHSxyn-LhMXzYrbOCg6HNgBmM6aEIHPwuwNodjCLtaZr8tYHs1mJp8mHbPHhBoSmyeznA5ebbnSFyB2yfYVBXlkWEA/s800/suitablef2.png" width="400" /></a></div>So this is a really satisfying release of a really satisfying little horror flick: the kind of thing they don't make much of anymore. Admittedly, if you come in holding this to the extreme expectations of Gordon's all-time greatest moments in cinema, I suppose this could be a little disappointing. But if you're not at least having fun with this title, you've brought the wrong attitude. Everybody involved got it right and managed to deliver us one more exciting chapter from what we thought was a long finished necronomicon.<br />John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-71633985613214223722024-01-10T08:07:00.000-05:002024-01-10T08:07:30.714-05:00Get Lost In the Spider Labyrinth!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7LzB9EtG4WjSyCvT93OVf7zoGg2aTedHeNlqDUF81NiQoucQ00IM8n_9wNmgWfrgkaSXQj1veVeeS8y6EnVmZ_JfuqL6I16schdeZTSBeXeolOn7Zq41k94xszjEdwv9VARXqpiLlMc9L6hlJNSLmeldixc1pqB_30gtG-FY3jdfR4E-AmafXSgi1t3w/s3600/spiderabsl.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2393" data-original-width="3600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7LzB9EtG4WjSyCvT93OVf7zoGg2aTedHeNlqDUF81NiQoucQ00IM8n_9wNmgWfrgkaSXQj1veVeeS8y6EnVmZ_JfuqL6I16schdeZTSBeXeolOn7Zq41k94xszjEdwv9VARXqpiLlMc9L6hlJNSLmeldixc1pqB_30gtG-FY3jdfR4E-AmafXSgi1t3w/s0/spiderabsl.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>
If only one more Italian horror film could ever get a DVD or blu-ray release from now on, 1988's <i>Spider Labyrinth</i> would be it. This is the best "I can't believe it's never been released" Italian horror film of them all. There's never even been a laserdisc of it, or an untranslated foreign DVD. Although, interestingly, the soundtrack was just remastered and <a href="http://www.amazon.it/dp/B00PJIOIDI/?tag=_p-21">released digitally in 2014</a>. Could that be a good sign? <i>Spider Labyrinth</i> was directed by <b>Gianfranco Giagni</b>, co-writer and director of <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2017/05/valentina-vs-baba-yaga-directors-cuts.html"><i>Valentina</i></a>, the 80's adaptation of <b>Guido Crepax</b>'s comic books starring<b> Demetra Hampton</b> - another great movie desperately in need of a DVD or blu-ray release. But let's stay focused on this one for now.<br /><u><br /><span style="color: #800180;">Update 4/24/16 - 1/10/24:</span></u> Okay, well, if physical media dies now, at least we can say we made it across the finish line. <i>Spider Labyrinth</i> finally has an official release, and it's a full-blown BD/ UHD special edition. Huzzah!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYdV43TfrdonImFS812jedHHkz9RblDAyesISL-qz9Qlym5hJOkfYmSnHNvBGxrAl0MPRw-hjSPqZTtZIQeeH0jMhawaWs20qq4uBA4G6juUhBdDU0YTGpKP1ZWm3OT2LIRJDx_oBpTM/s0/spiderl1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYdV43TfrdonImFS812jedHHkz9RblDAyesISL-qz9Qlym5hJOkfYmSnHNvBGxrAl0MPRw-hjSPqZTtZIQeeH0jMhawaWs20qq4uBA4G6juUhBdDU0YTGpKP1ZWm3OT2LIRJDx_oBpTM/s800/spiderl1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
We start out with a great, Hammer-like set up. A university professor is told his classes are canceled and he's to come to a meeting with the school's council. They tell him that they've lost touch with one of their researchers in Budapest, who's been out there studying a religious cults. And now they'd like him to travel out there and try to find this guy, or at least what's left of his research. Naturally, what he winds up stumbling into is much bigger and more sinister than he could've ever suspected. Shady characters, dark alleyways, secret tunnels, black gloved murderers and yes, spiders.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDN28bSh8EW3sIAJ-5OO_knKPacSIyJIQxsxs6_pO688FcFjBdVXoH6F8WudPCdwaOwdzuYateaCzBD7fqo5EiJIRvvFbW29n2f09HOVa4ZIXfAH-Smgb_52oa0iizDd30E35A4o8Fok/s0/spiderl2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDN28bSh8EW3sIAJ-5OO_knKPacSIyJIQxsxs6_pO688FcFjBdVXoH6F8WudPCdwaOwdzuYateaCzBD7fqo5EiJIRvvFbW29n2f09HOVa4ZIXfAH-Smgb_52oa0iizDd30E35A4o8Fok/s800/spiderl2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Our hero gets lost driving around the distinctly labyrinthine city. He asks a man on the street for directions and as soon as he pulls away, someone steps out of the shadows to conspire against him. And there's a great scene where he's talking to his assistant at a fancy restaurant. They're covering a lot of exposition, but you slowly start to notice in the background that, one by one, the diners are getting up and slowly walking upstairs, until our leads find themselves in an eerily empty restaurant. I've often seen this film as <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/MarioBava"><b>Bava</b></a>-esque, and it is, but the style and mystery actually reminds me more of <b>Pupi Avati</b>'s best films, like <i>House With Laughing Windows</i>, or the writer trying to follow the clues found in his typewriter ribbon in <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2017/04/zeders-revenge-dvd-blu-ray-comparison.html"><i>Zeder</i></a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdrx1n-iEJ_EneQwg9F9OUME-JwurveTY1yMUbmRPvurXIRGQbtS41gqdRddw-6MD2DAaKQZXy87UcVVeSCUgAFKDutcmddtacD52iQxIB9_No4jQI0jwfcsGS_4D1x0BNPIDvd7zdug/s0/spiderl4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdrx1n-iEJ_EneQwg9F9OUME-JwurveTY1yMUbmRPvurXIRGQbtS41gqdRddw-6MD2DAaKQZXy87UcVVeSCUgAFKDutcmddtacD52iQxIB9_No4jQI0jwfcsGS_4D1x0BNPIDvd7zdug/s800/spiderl4.png" width="400" /></a></div>
But it's not all mystery, suspense and old timey film noir-isms. If one of this movie's parents is a restrained Mario Bava, its other is a wild <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/LucioFulci"><b>Lucio Fulci</b></a>. Big deaths, colorful lighting and the supernatural running screaming right up in your face. Do you want to see a creepy stop motion spider? How about a woman who hangs from a high ceiling and drools silk that turns into a noose and hangs a man? Yeah,<i> </i>this film even delves into the crazed imagery style of some of the more innovative Asian horrors, all set to a wonderfully <b>Hitchcock</b>ian score. <i>Spider Labyrinth</i> has it all.<br />
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Usually, these things end in a room full of tired old shriners in hooded robes standing around an alter with a single dagger between them. I'm not going to spoil where this film ends up, or all the twists and turns it takes to get there, but I'll say the effects of <b>Sergio Stivaletti</b> (as well as <b>Barbara Morosetti</b>, who worked on <i>Demons</i>, <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/01/dario-argentos-phenomena-blu-from-arrow.html"><i>Phenomena</i></a>, <i><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2017/03/controversial-blus-argento-and-fulcis.html">Wax Mask</a> </i>and <i>Dellamorte Dellamore</i>) are used to deliver something much more satisfying.<br /><br />...Although I'm not saying there's not an alter. Or a bunch of cultists with just one dagger. The thing is, this movie gives you everything, including what you expect. Trust me, there's more you won't be expecting.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJwhMgY3pL2etY_7szM8pgWHpiwnGmer_lge8BLYNcrqG8VafV3hNPXaRRxcaDCeDSjaVAG396qu2PQWQM84RIzEQxQT2cvNaZ6fbYjarHEE6m3DtorE9fIC8i_FEmq44PohdHoC00Y4/s0/spiderl8.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnJwhMgY3pL2etY_7szM8pgWHpiwnGmer_lge8BLYNcrqG8VafV3hNPXaRRxcaDCeDSjaVAG396qu2PQWQM84RIzEQxQT2cvNaZ6fbYjarHEE6m3DtorE9fIC8i_FEmq44PohdHoC00Y4/s800/spiderl8.png" width="400" /></a></div>
For a long time, the best I could find (and believe me, I looked) was a 2011 bootleg DVD from Underground Empire. You've no doubt noticed the Italian television watermark on all my screenshots. It's at least anamorphic widescreen, but looks sourced from videotape, being very soft and light on detail. There's also a slightly older bootleg that used to be sold on Amazon as one of those made-to-order DVDRs. It's from PR Studios, 2009, and according to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R16HSBBAF6TTW8/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00306ST5E">one customer's review</a>, "First of all, the dvd cover is obviously a crummy scan of a vhs cover.... The source for this [disc] is a vhs tape. It is full-frame. It looks second or third generation. It is crummy." <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2EJ1C6LV0M3P/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00306ST5E">Another viewer describes</a> its "<span class="a-size-base review-text">smudged and grainy picture and muffled sound quality is of an old VHS tape." So yeah, I think the 2011 bootleg was the best of them. <br /><br /></span> But thank the spider god who must never be named, that's all entirely obsolete and can be left in the past now. After years and years of people requesting the film from every label that's ever existed, Severin has finally answered the call. In spades. They've restored the film in 4k from the original negatives on 4k Ultra HD (and 1080p BD if you need it) with HDR, and a whole slew of extras.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganMej1gbjD8GsDzn1UetSVt7jLQ9WWoUns4icPIae0w9fgm603bWbylCeeSfaaKoq7TsHbXg0_xrOQwUNqKT3hn-l6uEXtROBQ845taEcy3ph97kLeghVcYAVNx5VCMfEXQAGfyi8zd749jsdQnu2AcGJJJkz_YjDAvyOiX57zcGz5pHJyzQJ00jg6Vo/s1765/spiderlabc1a951.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1765" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganMej1gbjD8GsDzn1UetSVt7jLQ9WWoUns4icPIae0w9fgm603bWbylCeeSfaaKoq7TsHbXg0_xrOQwUNqKT3hn-l6uEXtROBQ845taEcy3ph97kLeghVcYAVNx5VCMfEXQAGfyi8zd749jsdQnu2AcGJJJkz_YjDAvyOiX57zcGz5pHJyzQJ00jg6Vo/s800/spiderlabc1a951.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2011 UE DVDR; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2023 Severin BD; <span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 3023 Severin UHD.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwu2lA-LznSkCn-ptTu8haz8IkdYaAy-YBJqr6l-5Nl_LPhtyLHtzQ1Wj6MEQ6dnzmCbyngB2C9hvU580qopyuofaFFWYOhrV5D5dGo9ZXl5_51kUyd2UMo9pRrSxrlz-rBj1-4CEt5bpYCihCwgSf_cz5Ef3D47X1xz3In8DOhiXyN5hVC7TBPWenE8/s1920/spiderlabc1b1018.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1037" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwu2lA-LznSkCn-ptTu8haz8IkdYaAy-YBJqr6l-5Nl_LPhtyLHtzQ1Wj6MEQ6dnzmCbyngB2C9hvU580qopyuofaFFWYOhrV5D5dGo9ZXl5_51kUyd2UMo9pRrSxrlz-rBj1-4CEt5bpYCihCwgSf_cz5Ef3D47X1xz3In8DOhiXyN5hVC7TBPWenE8/s800/spiderlabc1b1018.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cF-XfSSCSDWZaXv12sFlvITMCj7IDSG8jSPTaFJ-p0lEc0zjNhWZwWZYkAUOTexkPaTILOdhyphenhyphen2TT0onI1mpqG3lbcuBg7OSwzHXorbwSLEcoDYQTNT-ZFnYZ0OzXutHt3mJkIxJDgU4TMF8W6LV2oCjFX5gKgJoW52iEIvQEfjpy5_6s1PONoVAh10M/s3840/spiderlabc1c1017.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2072" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cF-XfSSCSDWZaXv12sFlvITMCj7IDSG8jSPTaFJ-p0lEc0zjNhWZwWZYkAUOTexkPaTILOdhyphenhyphen2TT0onI1mpqG3lbcuBg7OSwzHXorbwSLEcoDYQTNT-ZFnYZ0OzXutHt3mJkIxJDgU4TMF8W6LV2oCjFX5gKgJoW52iEIvQEfjpy5_6s1PONoVAh10M/s800/spiderlabc1c1017.png" width="400" /><br /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWX80OsMi5xZlrW-KtQRS0FwSDbICjUfNAFV_G4EQDJ8dC2t7TIJmMXhIoPWK7vFTwpn8yUxVnne-AcWVua-3Oretx7pW4n1ywTZl_YKpw-BN_1N7NqOoK9IIQXVXpExfv7geoWOkei09Y_KdOhcvSTS7sYljnOAT1Ym3g74SAXa2ZVJ9LhtgSLgdfgVM/s1920/spiderlabc2b2511.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1037" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWX80OsMi5xZlrW-KtQRS0FwSDbICjUfNAFV_G4EQDJ8dC2t7TIJmMXhIoPWK7vFTwpn8yUxVnne-AcWVua-3Oretx7pW4n1ywTZl_YKpw-BN_1N7NqOoK9IIQXVXpExfv7geoWOkei09Y_KdOhcvSTS7sYljnOAT1Ym3g74SAXa2ZVJ9LhtgSLgdfgVM/s800/spiderlabc2b2511.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcFCvKfqjGlifK_fKD5Eti-JlAjs5GH5CCMxf__nNNiVv21NWBuk1XVkkkng9jxA9OLLXj1qHYRkfoPQtebSDXG0g46bdI1OGTPl1MjHGTebskl8fpjSeXF7IcJtlPEafW6VMDkY7teKuyF-Eb7jCvXXL_k2-TQK6izQLP5e2A5oi5A6-XjOdELlfEp4/s3840/spiderlabc2c2511.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2072" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcFCvKfqjGlifK_fKD5Eti-JlAjs5GH5CCMxf__nNNiVv21NWBuk1XVkkkng9jxA9OLLXj1qHYRkfoPQtebSDXG0g46bdI1OGTPl1MjHGTebskl8fpjSeXF7IcJtlPEafW6VMDkY7teKuyF-Eb7jCvXXL_k2-TQK6izQLP5e2A5oi5A6-XjOdELlfEp4/s800/spiderlabc2c2511.png" width="400" /></a></div>So yeah, I was happy to find that widescreen bootleg when I did. At 1.63:1, it suggests the proper composition, though seeing it now at 1.85:1, we learn that even with tighter matting, there was more lurking on the sides of the screens. I'm not going too get too stuck into comparing Severin to the bootleg, since it is just a bootleg, with all kinds of flaws, from the blown out contrast that's still saddled with milky blacks and faded colors to some awful edge enhancement. That was the best some well-meaning amateur could do. It never had a fair shot with an official release until now. And this is a film that places a lot of emphasis on its stylish locations and slick photography, so it's a bigger than usual deal that the picture has come to life like we're seeing it for the first time. The colors are gorgeous, the detail is rich and appropriately dewy, and detail - especially on the UHD - is perfectly captured down to the individual speck of grain.<br /><br />And audio, too. Unsurprisingly, the bootleg's wasn't the best, sounding boxy and fuzzy. It's clear now in lossless DTS-HD. We actually get the original stereo English and Italian tracks. You should probably go with the English, since that seems to be the language spoken on camera, but it's great to finally have the option. It should be noted, though, we only have "dubtitles," i.e. subtitles that match the English track, not the Italian. Not a big deal, but even if you're not fluent in Italian, you'll definitely notice them say "Whitmore" in the subtitles while you hear "Alan" in the Italian audio.z<br /><span class="a-size-base review-text"></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0a5Vu51J3hVI1yzjn-xZogA1oUnMR1QNH9qxK6mXBQvlx3pw1Wz4H6lhylwnAG6Awipq2iHn2XwMQ7yVzU4bpZ58srVNkfJuDibJoNtdJA9QuZBx4bch8Jf3kbRu5a2Ei_n29VySknztfxEmUKByN4m6g9zTkKC6Jj2NKL3KhnCg7v-rTksppUqxmDY/s1920/spiderlabe.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0a5Vu51J3hVI1yzjn-xZogA1oUnMR1QNH9qxK6mXBQvlx3pw1Wz4H6lhylwnAG6Awipq2iHn2XwMQ7yVzU4bpZ58srVNkfJuDibJoNtdJA9QuZBx4bch8Jf3kbRu5a2Ei_n29VySknztfxEmUKByN4m6g9zTkKC6Jj2NKL3KhnCg7v-rTksppUqxmDY/s800/spiderlabe.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">So <i>that's</i> what he looks like!</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>And extras! The bootleg was at least thoughtful enough to throw in a
non-anamorphic Japanese trailer. Well, now we have the original
trailer, restored in full 2160p. But that's nothing. Severin has come
up with a first class expert commentary by experts <b>Will Dodson</b> and <b>Ryan Verrill</b>,
who have a ton if insight and insightful commentary, that easily
outshines a lot of the casual "expert" commentaries many cult films have
been getting these days. And then there are lengthy, substantial
on-camera interviews with director Gianfranco Giagni, screenwriter <b>Gianfranco Manfredi</b>, cinematographer <b>Nino Celeste</b>, <b>Paola Rinaldi</b>
who played Genevieve and of course the great Sergio Stivaletti. I
could only slightly gripe that one or two of them could've stood to be
more tightly edited... Sergio goes on a pretty indulgent lecture about
his whole childhood and Rinaldi keeps saying the same thing about
parallel lines meeting in the future like a dozen times. You could trim
those a little. Oh, and there's also a visual essay/ featurette, but
it's pretty redundant with the commentary, where the same guys make many
of the same points, though there are some fresh bits, too, if you have
the extra time.<br /><br />Also included is the complete soundtrack CD, an
insert with Japanese artwork and the track-listing, and a
creepy slipcover.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoWd3UFFDilIn60Zc4AhC70EK8n-j3dc4W1O6omE80DDCWGQaI6FCwhuoMCkoA2SYQtx7auscBxRUgOKsdoGa4RhwrHUXqGeh3YaJZjm9f2j1rdoVxlCt53EpReM55bYLWHZbLs5UEWds/s0/spiderl7.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoWd3UFFDilIn60Zc4AhC70EK8n-j3dc4W1O6omE80DDCWGQaI6FCwhuoMCkoA2SYQtx7auscBxRUgOKsdoGa4RhwrHUXqGeh3YaJZjm9f2j1rdoVxlCt53EpReM55bYLWHZbLs5UEWds/s800/spiderl7.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="a-size-base review-text">Ah, it feels so good to remove the <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/M.I.A.">M.I.A.</a> tag from this post. Just read how I originally ended this piece:<br /><br />"But
really, we should be able to chuck all these bootlegs. It's time for
the high quality presentation this film deserves. Look at all these
beautifully shot, creepy atmospheric locations. Imagine how they'd look
on blu-ray with a fresh scan of the OCN. And how about some extras? It
seems like we hear more and more about the same handful of Italian
horror films over and over, often the same interviewees telling the same
anecdotes. Yaknow, <b>Catriona MacColl</b> is great, but I think we've
learned all there is to know from her a dozen times over. Now let's hear
from some of these other people about these other great films. We know
next to nothing about the story behind <i>Spider Labyrinth</i>, and I'd love to learn! I don't think I've ever even seen an image of </span><span class="a-size-base review-text">Giagni yet. Heck, even just giving Italian horror fans around the world a chance to see <i>Spider Labyrinth</i> alone would be an education, because most of you have no idea what you're missing."<br /><br />...Mission utterly accomplished!<br /></span>John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-48024197938060094062023-12-31T00:30:00.001-05:002024-01-01T00:31:18.523-05:00Clive Barker's Rawhead Rex Underworld Transmutations
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_vez6h1w4cOCrBVgIe_T74_xeERgdgN81hyphenhyphenjoU5Whn7Q3F_jaAeNqFvD6kQpqDFuExq4ALif2C2215JWVRlgSnZYn8zNDWYMmNy578aYrCjq4015CX-rfs3OKioHDGeny7FSii_O460-MDxhPpZUAd4ERqj-DOngFS91hbAh7RbmReiJZ9D3aupV7j4/s7566/rawheads.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2419" data-original-width="7566" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_vez6h1w4cOCrBVgIe_T74_xeERgdgN81hyphenhyphenjoU5Whn7Q3F_jaAeNqFvD6kQpqDFuExq4ALif2C2215JWVRlgSnZYn8zNDWYMmNy578aYrCjq4015CX-rfs3OKioHDGeny7FSii_O460-MDxhPpZUAd4ERqj-DOngFS91hbAh7RbmReiJZ9D3aupV7j4/s0/rawheads.jpg" width="498" /></a></div><b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/CliveBarker">Clive Barker</a></b> has essentially disowned the first two film adaptations of his writings, <i>Rawhead Rex</i> and <i>Transmutations</i>,
even though he also wrote the screenplays for both. You don't have to
search long or hard to find interviews where he talks about their low
budgets and general "not getting it" that inspired him to become a
director for <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/11/hellraiser-trilogy-scarlet-box-us-uk.html"><i>Hellraiser</i></a>, so he could make sure his work was represented properly. In fact, let's not mince words. He's gone so far as to say, <a href="http://www.clivebarker.info/rawheadrex.html">"Oh, I hated them with a passion! I haven't seen them for many a long year and hope never to see them again."</a> But, while they're certainly not up to the level of <i>Hellraiser</i>,
they're still enjoyable little films for cult and horror fans -
certainly better than many - and it's a shame they're so poorly
represented in most of the world by low-quality, full-frame discs.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, in France, there's a horror magazine called <i>Mad Movies</i>. I've never read it (it being in French and all), but I gather it's their <i>Fangoria </i>equivalent.
And they've written that they have quite a good relationship with
Barker based on articles in the past, and so in 2009, they released his
first two films on their own line of DVDs. Now, I don't believe it went
as far as Barker actually being involved with these releases personally -
I don't imagine they actually got him to watch those movies again, and
he hasn't provided any interviews or anything for special features. And
neither has anybody else, there are no special editions, but they are
the first and only releases of the film in their OAR widescreen ratios.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><u>Update 2/5/15 - 10/7/17:</u></span> Well, Kino has done it. Later this month will see a brand new, 4k special edition blu-ray of <i>Rawhead Rex</i>. And it's pretty fantastic. Read on.<br /><br /><span style="color: #800180;"><u>Update 3/26/21:</u></span> And they've done it again. Kino has re-released<i> Rawhead Rex</i>
as a 2020 steelbook, which ordinarily wouldn't be so noteworthy except
to dedicated steelbook collectors. But in this case, it has all new
extras and even an updated transfer? Read on...er. Read further on!<br /><br /><u><span style="color: #800180;">Update 4/2/23:</span></u> Kino just won't stop doin' it. Now they've re-re-released good ol' <i>Rawhead </i>as
a 4k Ultra HD/ BD combo-pack, taking this unstoppable beast into the
latest generation of home video. Read on-est! Read all the way!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX2xg58waKQmzeJsB3ix6Gxl3NXi_eNhiMqd877zHpuTlkTiLY6wMCquLM7XomUKnEJ0ukFVupBX7Iz6tGMzQOiEefDkPkBr9fltvJrcf0JpRANQY95uo46J2ul25j0aBh_GbjoUsIhyphenhyphendtCM25IYSeid8BbD3L9zK9tqQCwr0lgTC1_OvzgQywpukA4y0/s3648/underworlds.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2419" data-original-width="3648" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX2xg58waKQmzeJsB3ix6Gxl3NXi_eNhiMqd877zHpuTlkTiLY6wMCquLM7XomUKnEJ0ukFVupBX7Iz6tGMzQOiEefDkPkBr9fltvJrcf0JpRANQY95uo46J2ul25j0aBh_GbjoUsIhyphenhyphendtCM25IYSeid8BbD3L9zK9tqQCwr0lgTC1_OvzgQywpukA4y0/s0/underworlds.jpg" width="498" /></a></div><u><span style="color: #800180;">Update 12/31/31:</span></u>
Kino can't stop updating this post, and I am here for it! This time
they've tackled <i>Underworld</i>, and we get to skip the whole BD, steelbook,
UHD procession and start right off with their BD/ UHD combopack. It's the first special edition of this film ever. Read
all-er the way-er!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Fxajw8BeuyX0adnMuzS-zbF1P6WK5idZqqUoRHdq6_gcTCIpZlGiVyi8iNQVfhALdViQGkNFiyWWT2MplH7XwG-lbl388-xJGFezlfBE9DzxNK-7eFok1hhV_NddFSIOIWgZp62spfs/s0/rawhead5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Fxajw8BeuyX0adnMuzS-zbF1P6WK5idZqqUoRHdq6_gcTCIpZlGiVyi8iNQVfhALdViQGkNFiyWWT2MplH7XwG-lbl388-xJGFezlfBE9DzxNK-7eFok1hhV_NddFSIOIWgZp62spfs/s800/rawhead5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
If you've read Barker's story, it's easy to be disappointed in <i>Rawhead Rex</i>.
It's a wild, over-the-top story of a mad demigod running amuck in
modern times, told from his perspective and full of crazy inner
monologue. In the movie, he's a completely non-verbal monster. And the
special effects, while a great design, were clearly not meant to be seen
by the camera so directly or for so long; and so it looks like a big,
phony mask (in some shots they just about get away with it; in others
they clearly don't). A few other clever bits of writing in the plot
points are lost, too, as well as some social commentary. If ever a movie
called for a remake, it's this one.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikiRdPWibCTrqmfKiBBUk0qsQRPfD89LVpAqMXbMQMG7brKxVuC2t_TGQZKUHwJwm3rfsZ7xIWpNe5MpYbOWvHsBC_t3rI2utO7QirrPsA1NVULQZDC2Op3l3OLwlnQplYex7nZMenx10/s0/rawhead4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikiRdPWibCTrqmfKiBBUk0qsQRPfD89LVpAqMXbMQMG7brKxVuC2t_TGQZKUHwJwm3rfsZ7xIWpNe5MpYbOWvHsBC_t3rI2utO7QirrPsA1NVULQZDC2Op3l3OLwlnQplYex7nZMenx10/s800/rawhead4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr84V3xpZBHCcxxyW9ETeikkI7zoF19x2nCPRe5wVYhW4aatpe-3ztcgzLw8Jq0OIN3MKBIJvGFkkiUV6BP6rK8QqcNquX_57uoV16YYSjr8iVyL5KubG-A6M4TMdADcfefAHec0-GW0k/s0/rawhead3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr84V3xpZBHCcxxyW9ETeikkI7zoF19x2nCPRe5wVYhW4aatpe-3ztcgzLw8Jq0OIN3MKBIJvGFkkiUV6BP6rK8QqcNquX_57uoV16YYSjr8iVyL5KubG-A6M4TMdADcfefAHec0-GW0k/s800/rawhead3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
But if you can get past the coulda woulda shouldas of it, the movie
we're left with is still pretty cool. It's a fun, violent monster movie
that still retains enough remnants of Barker's script to set it above
and beyond the generic monster movie. Not the least of which is the
villainous priest character who rejects Christ to worship and serve Rex.
Scenic locales, a flush orchestral score, a cool monster even if it is
on the cheap, and a collection of respectable performances are all
enjoyable. This is the kind of monster movie that's not afraid to take
out children, and while this Rex doesn't speak, they do use the
opportunity to have his crazy priest speak for him (<i>"he sees what I see!"</i>).
It may not be Barker's wild story fully realized, but it's still more
cool stuff going on than your average monster movie of the period, a la
the recently popular <i>The Boogens</i>.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1EoIRWEzUQjg3VlYAMyCq4pJBQ3s1_sr7taMKbh9nlMXttbLr49rLBiZRfS3oL2VoQ0eYOy-Fi9-em2J04MUz7M7kw444feg_FCLEMnn1432EOzOuvIKA2yn1u2bHPM0EfY4YizkINIc/s0/rawhead2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1EoIRWEzUQjg3VlYAMyCq4pJBQ3s1_sr7taMKbh9nlMXttbLr49rLBiZRfS3oL2VoQ0eYOy-Fi9-em2J04MUz7M7kw444feg_FCLEMnn1432EOzOuvIKA2yn1u2bHPM0EfY4YizkINIc/s800/rawhead2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULr01cWAdrVWxIMDX9RqQ_iyf6rIFQoJqCy_J41OFobZ9PWaclz6uIGJvTunq718dwbuJ30mkVjcaJw5ei_xoazx3BI0Tsq2U8nvIUrF2M1D8-4ZlkQ2FEKiXVOOgFDUyVjoxieoF920/s0/rawhead1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULr01cWAdrVWxIMDX9RqQ_iyf6rIFQoJqCy_J41OFobZ9PWaclz6uIGJvTunq718dwbuJ30mkVjcaJw5ei_xoazx3BI0Tsq2U8nvIUrF2M1D8-4ZlkQ2FEKiXVOOgFDUyVjoxieoF920/s800/rawhead1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
So the French DVD was pretty neat - I wish I still had one of the old,
cruddy fullscreen DVDs, just to show how much farther most people who
never tracked down this obscure French DVD are coming - but finally,
finally! In 2017, Kino rendered it obsolete by giving <i>Rawhead Rex</i>
the proper special edition it deserves. And I'm not just talking
special features (although, we certainly are talking special features as
well), but a brand new 4k restoration from the original camera negative
in HD on blu-ray! Forget anything in the past, the slate was wiped
clean. And then they came back with even their newer edition, the 2020
limited (to 4000 copies) steelbook edition. But even that wasn't
enough, as now they're back with their newst 2023 edition, a UHD/ BD
combo-pack.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mpKkhbsEon1IWfXBw59SwuePFt59GV1UvShxZfIPAJyJ-FPn_OVDYYaFVa_tJrL686RICTxqs3Ww80qfX_2sDi8aB3GEpLZr1L5gq-Q2GfVNRKj6Ql0-1TBq06bhjbWE4W5NGlYfn3M/s0/rawheadc1a.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mpKkhbsEon1IWfXBw59SwuePFt59GV1UvShxZfIPAJyJ-FPn_OVDYYaFVa_tJrL686RICTxqs3Ww80qfX_2sDi8aB3GEpLZr1L5gq-Q2GfVNRKj6Ql0-1TBq06bhjbWE4W5NGlYfn3M/s800/rawheadc1a.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2009 Mad Movies DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2017 Kino BD;<br /><span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 2020 Kino BD; <span style="color: #800180;">4)</span> 2023 Kino UHD.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEianbatczDufhe98T6EepdODq6V1bhbatqGvCayHLrKQFjKmRLksg9GwIVCjXyGpk4DFFXYCIAV2kSWfjVZChpH5rti9Ps_U_EsIsOHbbQK4HxLgBI85dkBWb4qeq-RLv4Qf9kZsFMPhCI/s0/rawheadc1b.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEianbatczDufhe98T6EepdODq6V1bhbatqGvCayHLrKQFjKmRLksg9GwIVCjXyGpk4DFFXYCIAV2kSWfjVZChpH5rti9Ps_U_EsIsOHbbQK4HxLgBI85dkBWb4qeq-RLv4Qf9kZsFMPhCI/s400/rawheadc1b.png" width="400" /> <br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixHbLI5Bs5ZU0FD0wWQZ2sKUlF9AsPPileOqamWhcq8pHniP7e1aoq4XLurflE64fqi-wK-1AvtSYN4TZ6NSH0bwoRJfcHMK20tbbvDru72PsiloPVFWxcithsmlpvtIfbs9grHQ8-W7U/s1920/rawheadc1c2058.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixHbLI5Bs5ZU0FD0wWQZ2sKUlF9AsPPileOqamWhcq8pHniP7e1aoq4XLurflE64fqi-wK-1AvtSYN4TZ6NSH0bwoRJfcHMK20tbbvDru72PsiloPVFWxcithsmlpvtIfbs9grHQ8-W7U/s800/rawheadc1c2058.png" width="400" /><br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCvBfJfjuKdn0ttAK-i75f3toTRVDwxlFJE1y3r68xuUGf3IfSg1VFSUQHwWJfwnyJGyLFNReg5M4hNb7hwEB6LN1kgs73_y-cRRph5yleqi3hRdwM63ClOk3-Kv629Sc5WZkM63YdwGN0YPUllAf8z1n0mkB6q03Ovp8Y7KHlmd-HRwDJFS8zuu9v/s3840/rawheadc1d2058.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCvBfJfjuKdn0ttAK-i75f3toTRVDwxlFJE1y3r68xuUGf3IfSg1VFSUQHwWJfwnyJGyLFNReg5M4hNb7hwEB6LN1kgs73_y-cRRph5yleqi3hRdwM63ClOk3-Kv629Sc5WZkM63YdwGN0YPUllAf8z1n0mkB6q03Ovp8Y7KHlmd-HRwDJFS8zuu9v/s800/rawheadc1d2058.png" width="400" /></a></div></div></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJR9LwyEk9oPW1kvmHhQ-jnUAKn5PUVe6AOTGJsDHvhetvVhMVRWgWr3n__YoU1KE1_YCikGFXaiqxAmdMlLkMa6hdm-ZtEPfwS_F0_YSL8oFZU0SWlC5IyJMeMiXaU2AACkJRnxvjwU/s0/rawheadc2a.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJR9LwyEk9oPW1kvmHhQ-jnUAKn5PUVe6AOTGJsDHvhetvVhMVRWgWr3n__YoU1KE1_YCikGFXaiqxAmdMlLkMa6hdm-ZtEPfwS_F0_YSL8oFZU0SWlC5IyJMeMiXaU2AACkJRnxvjwU/s800/rawheadc2a.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2lVaCqzYW1UmEDht6w2sqE2hl-Fl5rCi-wo2XPNt075iXBxr7JvC59-57MPuYZuvjAndjKoh8w3WZ3f5CckW2f6UurB43-oYXEXkJ57PJrM5Y5hlZN4bTVuLb9hyhHB4QfDpoffbQzE/s0/rawheadc2b.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW2lVaCqzYW1UmEDht6w2sqE2hl-Fl5rCi-wo2XPNt075iXBxr7JvC59-57MPuYZuvjAndjKoh8w3WZ3f5CckW2f6UurB43-oYXEXkJ57PJrM5Y5hlZN4bTVuLb9hyhHB4QfDpoffbQzE/s400/rawheadc2b.png" width="400" /> <br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd04KIt8c_I0a2vANzRiSxut8v4Qi6D7KtBtv0lJXglFG8UCNNa3LsaOh9hGK9JjXxXChHjQk6LguLpaiCCB6l9KPPb7Sm7f_WxwAp1-bMEXgfN4WgA95z_QxlvAZruACvCQIFw2FvZdA/s1920/rawheadc2c3140.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd04KIt8c_I0a2vANzRiSxut8v4Qi6D7KtBtv0lJXglFG8UCNNa3LsaOh9hGK9JjXxXChHjQk6LguLpaiCCB6l9KPPb7Sm7f_WxwAp1-bMEXgfN4WgA95z_QxlvAZruACvCQIFw2FvZdA/s800/rawheadc2c3140.png" width="400" /><br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16mCNSTQAfGtWbJEcAsNIsR64vX9B_Emb1j7rtF8lp1AxW6tqkPENQrm8ldJ10sYP7drgw7ucTrW2y_2OSNJLgBlhu20m9fWPVzVx6Hnfza-O5QklxGpum_xueAM_c6niLpi5nMT6TdqXqnY-dA3xmFOJELP2UYwckIf3VI19KoFy58cZqoIkcZyd/s3840/rawheadc2d3141.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2076" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16mCNSTQAfGtWbJEcAsNIsR64vX9B_Emb1j7rtF8lp1AxW6tqkPENQrm8ldJ10sYP7drgw7ucTrW2y_2OSNJLgBlhu20m9fWPVzVx6Hnfza-O5QklxGpum_xueAM_c6niLpi5nMT6TdqXqnY-dA3xmFOJELP2UYwckIf3VI19KoFy58cZqoIkcZyd/s800/rawheadc2d3141.png" width="400" /></a></div></div></div>
Mad Movies presented <i>Rawhead Rex</i> in an anamorphic widescreen
edition that was certainly a nice improvement over the prior discs. It's
slightly pillar-boxed to about 1.73:1, whereas Kino's new blu is
slightly letterboxed to 1.85:1. What this ultimately leaves us with is
less image along the top, but more along the bottom and left-hand side.
I'd say Kino's framing is better, and probably more accurate, but
they're not that different from each other. Mad Movies had gotten it
pretty close. But where Kino really excels is in straight up picture
quality. It's so much sharper and clearer. It made what I thought was a
pretty decent DVD at the time look like a murky mess. Kino has a
cooler, more robust color palette, and I don't see how anybody could be
unhappy when comparing this to anything we've ever had before.<br /><br />And
the 2020 blu? Well, naturally it isn't such a drastic bound ahead, but
it is different. And not just different; it's an improvement. It's
absolutely a better encode. Where grain was patchy, it's now more
consistent. But that's the sort of thing you'll only notice in a
comparison of close-ups like we do here. Just watching it on your TV,
the only difference you're likely to spot is that the newer version is
darker. And I'm not sure if that's any better or worse honestly; it's
just a slightly different look.<br /><br />If you're here for the real
upgrade, you've got to take the extra step to the 2023 UHD (the BD in
the combo-pack is just a copy of the 2020 disc). This is a new 4k
restoration from the OCN, not just the previous one slapped onto a 3840
disc. The framing is still matted to 1.85:1, but pulls back to reveal
more around all four sides, and grain is now really strongly captured,
definitely a big boost even over the 2020 BD. The color palette's a
little warmer, splitting a bit of the difference between the DVD and
previous blus. Bold colors like Rawhead's eyes pop like never before
without the rest of the image looking over-saturated. Honestly, I felt a
bit let down by the 2020 BD, at least in terms of PQ, but this
absolutely makes up for it. This is how <i>Rawhead Rex</i> should look.<br /><br />Since MM's DVDs are French discs, they have French audio dubs and
French subtitles. But the subs are removable, and the original English
audio track is also present in stereo. But now, Kino of course conquers (on the 2017, 2020 and 2023s), offering the
original stereo track and a new 5.1 mix, both in DTS-HD. And they also
include optional English subs.
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4k6OoCwLWxqaWmb5sdRTj1f8V39Sug0wkCcZuO-9sTl5q1F-Xoi4p5xjIev8IPqHZ9nr4psDeCw7ecrEZ8ZA9tXEknV_xVbERuOi5TXQvALZS6Pck2OWVRNvsX2Z99CnRhkTqH3ytSn0/s0/transmutations1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4k6OoCwLWxqaWmb5sdRTj1f8V39Sug0wkCcZuO-9sTl5q1F-Xoi4p5xjIev8IPqHZ9nr4psDeCw7ecrEZ8ZA9tXEknV_xVbERuOi5TXQvALZS6Pck2OWVRNvsX2Z99CnRhkTqH3ytSn0/s800/transmutations1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PQDpQi_HjuizSQ4LO1ubsPsDyqqyEChDCfg1m8BhGatA868qAY76M1VtyLOIEB-FtM97ymXSpYSDUIFEcQIpS2wtjoc7Vv4cEIZLnMb4T5twki_ofdLR2UUOOpPBy2c_A3ielr1TgdM/s0/transmutations3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0PQDpQi_HjuizSQ4LO1ubsPsDyqqyEChDCfg1m8BhGatA868qAY76M1VtyLOIEB-FtM97ymXSpYSDUIFEcQIpS2wtjoc7Vv4cEIZLnMb4T5twki_ofdLR2UUOOpPBy2c_A3ielr1TgdM/s800/transmutations3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<i>Underworld</i> (released in the US as <i>Transmutations</i>)<i> </i>is more of a mess. <i>Rawhead Rex</i>
disappointed audiences by over-simplifying, but this film could've done
with a bit of that. It's full of Clive Barker themes, though, which
should please fans at least. You've got a noir-ish detective as the
lead, investigating the supernatural (a la <a href="https://www.dvdexotica.com/2019/02/a-pair-of-scream-factories-2-clive.html"><i>Lord of Illusions</i></a>).
And he stumbles upon an underground collection of unique monsters (including <b>Miranda Richardson</b>, slumming it in a bit part) who
at first appear menacing but turn out to be the good guys (a la <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2016/09/scream-factory-catch-up-part-3.html"><i>Nightbreed</i></a>). These monsters are actually mutations, the result of an evil doctor, played by the always effective <b>Denholm Elliot</b>,
giving them experimental and addictive drugs. There are also some
British mobster types and a prostitute who's so beautiful everyone falls
in love with her and who happens to have magical powers, as a result of
the same drug. It makes enough sense to follow the story, but when you
start
to ask detailed questions, its internal logic kinda falls apart. Plus
it looks cheap again. But it's energetic and entertaining enough for a
casual viewing with its colorful 80s music video look.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5EXKNH7PDwWh75GcoZzVtuDA43WBq7ZtX0tSg94R8DJJNY3aPs8_2rNvYU4x8T9xq8YFkf_rQmOHXBpg0vTfXoV908SEB2AoyFV8mdE022EkjkoFTPW8IYduQYcU4uko7DGSv3lmqa-DpqeC18Yl0UkAojob9SBMdVjku-qxtxpmPIiglwOMhF6HefiE/s1808/transmutationsc1a.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="1808" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5EXKNH7PDwWh75GcoZzVtuDA43WBq7ZtX0tSg94R8DJJNY3aPs8_2rNvYU4x8T9xq8YFkf_rQmOHXBpg0vTfXoV908SEB2AoyFV8mdE022EkjkoFTPW8IYduQYcU4uko7DGSv3lmqa-DpqeC18Yl0UkAojob9SBMdVjku-qxtxpmPIiglwOMhF6HefiE/s800/transmutationsc1a.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2009 Mad Movies DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2023 Kino BD;<br /><span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 2023 Kino 103 min. BD; <span style="color: #800180;">4)</span> 2023 Kino UHD.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8okeeN6WznSgjLvgpPN00YQ0PnDle0E7jnvy5uOp2Qnik8wXfIK8ios2NNC0hN7FJEzf_SKLQQw-rmgP_JMclkzOlbfoHLXO_UDLhWvO6ouzW1Yz1MGfc0rCX1cXOc5xLmp4oTeUVfMdY0mxQRB9xYSzbs3DWY3yKDJIhRLF90v8INyjzhxc8fLRedQ/s1920/transmutationsc1b11836.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8okeeN6WznSgjLvgpPN00YQ0PnDle0E7jnvy5uOp2Qnik8wXfIK8ios2NNC0hN7FJEzf_SKLQQw-rmgP_JMclkzOlbfoHLXO_UDLhWvO6ouzW1Yz1MGfc0rCX1cXOc5xLmp4oTeUVfMdY0mxQRB9xYSzbs3DWY3yKDJIhRLF90v8INyjzhxc8fLRedQ/s800/transmutationsc1b11836.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQRp2i-j3MexMb8A9KraQ4b_02jV4hcFG9g6fqEFv1fpyyIsm6HLJXlT2tJDlwfNgbG4zFZ8jeuARdRoZGqoClNb8MB44gc9c7qRfzj-EmmeF70O510vVEOObSpQsL4cUkWQHtHsDzyPbcnDzuKgtcjm49YBCCy8dXoVmKvVVNEeib9vlftO_scUex1I/s1920/transmutationsc1c12947.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQRp2i-j3MexMb8A9KraQ4b_02jV4hcFG9g6fqEFv1fpyyIsm6HLJXlT2tJDlwfNgbG4zFZ8jeuARdRoZGqoClNb8MB44gc9c7qRfzj-EmmeF70O510vVEOObSpQsL4cUkWQHtHsDzyPbcnDzuKgtcjm49YBCCy8dXoVmKvVVNEeib9vlftO_scUex1I/s800/transmutationsc1c12947.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_aqi_QukibKmr_688UGXGYknd6kcCmczHGRM1U8ggGaWIeU2NBvTeZrfkIVuSFQIZRo1CrZWm6gBzUcdiztSnzRIwjw2_BvxPBN9RuY6ucfvbl39BFmnzjpCjMUWZ2WOcBedu39nHh6hiWSrn89koz3Chb7IGQmxuHvTvKZ5pLnc5k9IpNJyrGIcmqE/s3840/transmutationsc1d11836.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2076" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_aqi_QukibKmr_688UGXGYknd6kcCmczHGRM1U8ggGaWIeU2NBvTeZrfkIVuSFQIZRo1CrZWm6gBzUcdiztSnzRIwjw2_BvxPBN9RuY6ucfvbl39BFmnzjpCjMUWZ2WOcBedu39nHh6hiWSrn89koz3Chb7IGQmxuHvTvKZ5pLnc5k9IpNJyrGIcmqE/s800/transmutationsc1d11836.png" width="400" /><br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyzUCGkzx8zUmFxyosvNwmaF6MHlOzuzeMLJveXkeRn-RMNcojTBNNEHTViHLKOrXxf7eKqZz7LXvP8B_v-CWo9BgPAOXWp_jFB0Jiai2ShweromT4ZFw6l3U3N8DvpNy0of_imPW0-hhcUSy1sVhHbXKY7g2Wtj4ujC4S0vN4U9Xio4FIV3vbZ0WjUBo/s1803/transmutationsc2a.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="1803" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyzUCGkzx8zUmFxyosvNwmaF6MHlOzuzeMLJveXkeRn-RMNcojTBNNEHTViHLKOrXxf7eKqZz7LXvP8B_v-CWo9BgPAOXWp_jFB0Jiai2ShweromT4ZFw6l3U3N8DvpNy0of_imPW0-hhcUSy1sVhHbXKY7g2Wtj4ujC4S0vN4U9Xio4FIV3vbZ0WjUBo/s800/transmutationsc2a.png" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthOMS9FsTbxQX5axHzSnERRdtEw1T98dZTshlBzsMRfQke1uBQIC2GFlh1SBj_X43O_F59_0KMcfDv_RXFAEhKAQOm4AaIiGoCO6iRBR-iN0rcAtkR7DLkrUSNR5uyLn9oS4WCkpXhOF7zM9oT8s0OKK-YkOFho_iAN4vGF1hXM0TNDP9vpKFATZI1ko/s1920/transmutationsc2b4207.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthOMS9FsTbxQX5axHzSnERRdtEw1T98dZTshlBzsMRfQke1uBQIC2GFlh1SBj_X43O_F59_0KMcfDv_RXFAEhKAQOm4AaIiGoCO6iRBR-iN0rcAtkR7DLkrUSNR5uyLn9oS4WCkpXhOF7zM9oT8s0OKK-YkOFho_iAN4vGF1hXM0TNDP9vpKFATZI1ko/s800/transmutationsc2b4207.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOn5isVVl3amc0XVPpSghS-zd8DzNQPlQfc09afT7-rjAb3vB6gbDgVB6I6-gssmPq5R0YenzAdqgnp7yYffPZdCfLU7gHjAhuqrEdOz71G-UTriVbTXzAVT6mkGT7k5rhWX0tq8X9TadC-aOPdDV79sIRcoXOutQS2geUaESHV0KQvyxO9JdQK2xHyGU/s1920/transmutationsc2c5141.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOn5isVVl3amc0XVPpSghS-zd8DzNQPlQfc09afT7-rjAb3vB6gbDgVB6I6-gssmPq5R0YenzAdqgnp7yYffPZdCfLU7gHjAhuqrEdOz71G-UTriVbTXzAVT6mkGT7k5rhWX0tq8X9TadC-aOPdDV79sIRcoXOutQS2geUaESHV0KQvyxO9JdQK2xHyGU/s800/transmutationsc2c5141.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFIOQ2OgW6ZRkgq4WJGs_1Uo-uIixeY_C4iwBhWeVADtuI_JKqGx-qypU4qWlFpetACuDbaHfkY03nW2A1LYMC-BXrTzkhekYDT55h6AionargEPuqmbYffrdA2dLmaA1ZatfH7KO1dSPt0F8ii0p6MGvUOSH98WQngsedQ3WYqo7zLZKX5AchZRpcshc/s3840/transmutationsc2d4207.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2076" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFIOQ2OgW6ZRkgq4WJGs_1Uo-uIixeY_C4iwBhWeVADtuI_JKqGx-qypU4qWlFpetACuDbaHfkY03nW2A1LYMC-BXrTzkhekYDT55h6AionargEPuqmbYffrdA2dLmaA1ZatfH7KO1dSPt0F8ii0p6MGvUOSH98WQngsedQ3WYqo7zLZKX5AchZRpcshc/s800/transmutationsc2d4207.png" width="400" /></a></div>Mad
Movie's DVD is once again slightly pillar-boxed to 1.73:1 and
looks pretty attractive for DVD. Kino has fine-tuned the AR to 1.85:1,
which in practice consists of matting the top and bottom a tiny bit
more, and revealing more on the left and right. They've taken a new
pass at the color timing, which you mostly just notice in some of the
more stylized scenes, like the second set of screenshots above. <i>Underworld </i>clearly
benefits from the jump to 4k, even on the 1080p blu, clearing away
compression noise and restoring fine lines and film grain. Both BD
transfers use the same restoration for the bulk of the film (more about
this in a minute), so they are essentially identical, although you can
see the grain shift on close examination. Of course, the grain looks
best on the actual UHD, which retains everything to an even more
consistent degree; and the Dolby Vision/ HDR presentation is truly
gorgeous, resisting the likely temptation to go overboard with the
colors, given this film's quite particular look. It's still quite
grounded. I mean, the film itself isn't, but the transfer for home
video is. ;)<br /><br />Again, MM's DVD has both French and English audio and
optional French subtitles. Kino just sticks to the original English stereo track, in DTS-HD on both discs. And they again
include optional English subtitles.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghxuWsoi7Fp0Fw6SWl8_PNLsbK81zcv_-yhSF8Qjj-ych5e_UNmdZ3xKZZ4q71u6dfTXfDCkMoJBKA7w3rsjwqxJwhoj13J3PuWIKTFvq6tvNzpbluLtERHztYV0bQfuZWbbbIqUlKme_VWgiHhul4c9Ho1es5HrO9_9eKOyMbjgGqFrRI3ggxeCqfcw/s1438/transmutationsext.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghxuWsoi7Fp0Fw6SWl8_PNLsbK81zcv_-yhSF8Qjj-ych5e_UNmdZ3xKZZ4q71u6dfTXfDCkMoJBKA7w3rsjwqxJwhoj13J3PuWIKTFvq6tvNzpbluLtERHztYV0bQfuZWbbbIqUlKme_VWgiHhul4c9Ho1es5HrO9_9eKOyMbjgGqFrRI3ggxeCqfcw/s800/transmutationsext.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">a composite shot from the longer cut.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>So
I mentioned a second blu-ray transfer above? A 103 minute
version? Yes, Kino has found and included the director's longer,
original version, which they've included as a composite cut on the BD
using insert footage clearly sourced from tape. The aspect ratio shifts
to a slightly windowboxed 1.39:1, except right in the beginning, which I
guess they had in widescreen because it's so near the opening credits.
Oh yeah, speaking of which, they've also given this version the <i>Transmutations </i>title
card. What's the difference between the two versions? Well, over ten
minutes. Clearly, what's happened is that someone (presumably the
distributors) cut the finished film for pacing. The stuff that's
missing often consists simply of extra shots of characters walking from
one room of a house to another, or brief transitions between scenes.
That said, though, there are a couple full, if not hugely consequential,
full scenes that were removed - most notably a scene where our hero
gets one of the gangsters who's tailing him drunk. There's also a brief
chat of him talking to the gangsters on a boat and we see a lot more of
that cheesy S&M dance scene in the nightclub.<br /><br />Which version
is better? It's a bit of a 50/50 situation. Honestly, I think most of
the trims are warranted and help the film, though I do miss a couple of
the snippets, like a bit of extra dialogue from <b>Ingrid Pitt</b>. In
general, though, none of it's worth the slower pacing and easily
recommend the shorter cut except for one problem. Whoever cut the film
clearly didn't have all the film elements, separate audio tracks, etc to
do a professional job. So the cuts in the film are abrupt, often
screwing up musical cues, or just making awkward edits, like cutting
from one shot of our hero to another in the same position and location.
So maybe you could say technically it's worse, but artistically it's
better? Anyway, the <i>Transmutations </i>cut is only on the blu, so
you have to choose the shorter edit if you want to appreciate the proper
4k HDR presentation. And, eh, I'm fine with that.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8eOaJSfVuAQzGG5qaljRZRtaYCaMYv2FH7mbFXjjkUUpR0gSN5Bz4BwUbHtGX-PyjasZ5gxFGMxYzlFpCi9jApAcJtkstlmH4-t9c90egD0Dm1Zjsl-wPD4itnwrgbTXS0lX8wEFbWo/s0/transmutations5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8eOaJSfVuAQzGG5qaljRZRtaYCaMYv2FH7mbFXjjkUUpR0gSN5Bz4BwUbHtGX-PyjasZ5gxFGMxYzlFpCi9jApAcJtkstlmH4-t9c90egD0Dm1Zjsl-wPD4itnwrgbTXS0lX8wEFbWo/s800/transmutations5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisk5KkbEBndVFAVswchktZNI2pgc4pkl5pOvPuT3_HGIRdL6Ti59PDCcx_f8saudDAg_3zfIOB9KGmKxFg4v6bqkYz-5K8hkxlTjoBWbve0SXWjDeyuZYSo0ft2NV-Ite1n80GOIjDHCs/s0/transmutations4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisk5KkbEBndVFAVswchktZNI2pgc4pkl5pOvPuT3_HGIRdL6Ti59PDCcx_f8saudDAg_3zfIOB9KGmKxFg4v6bqkYz-5K8hkxlTjoBWbve0SXWjDeyuZYSo0ft2NV-Ite1n80GOIjDHCs/s800/transmutations4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Neither DVD has any extras, not even trailers. But Kino's BDs deliver.
First, the 2017 edition of <i>Rawhead Rex</i> has an audio commentary by director <b>George Pavlou</b>,
and it's great to finally hear his side of the story, after years of
only reading Clive trash the early films. Then, there's a series of
great interviews, including <b>Heinrich von Bunau</b>, the actor in the Rawhead suit, spoken in German with English subtitles. Then there's an interview with <b>Ronan Wilmot</b>,
who played the priest who serves under Rex. Next, is a featurette
editing together separate interviews with all of the effects artists who
worked on this film: <b>Gerry Johnston</b>, <b>Peter Mackenzie Litten</b>, <b>John Schoonraad</b> and <b>Rosie Blackmore</b>. And the final interview is with artist <b>Stephen R. Bissette</b>, who adapted <i>Rawhead </i>to
comic book form in the 90s, and who also has a lot to say about how the
movie compares to Barker's original story. There's also a nice gallery
of original concept art, the original theatrical trailer, and a stylish
booklet with notes by <b>Kat Ellinger</b> of <i>Diabolique Magazine</i>. Kino's blu has features reversible cover art and comes in a cool slip box, pictured below.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5GSYX73-x99WLB6C7yanmPFj_NAqyLYH1RiIAqzDxYrqrvlafnP6F7Gnt37OlSyM95I4QEcFBXhAUriolmM1rQdm4nLuJ2FTm79R1j40UO7VVdXhjd2fnucGHdkK6u1eK6zo6wlfRpk/s0/rawheadblu.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1255" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju5GSYX73-x99WLB6C7yanmPFj_NAqyLYH1RiIAqzDxYrqrvlafnP6F7Gnt37OlSyM95I4QEcFBXhAUriolmM1rQdm4nLuJ2FTm79R1j40UO7VVdXhjd2fnucGHdkK6u1eK6zo6wlfRpk/s800/rawheadblu.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>And the 2020 steelbook? It has everything the 2017 disc has (including
the booklet, though not the outer slipbox and obviously not the
reversible artwork) and more. Crucially, it has two new featurettes,
one with the two child stars, now of course grown up, which is a lot of
fun as they have some unique memories of the shoot. The other one is
good, too, a cheerful and engaging interview with the film's composer.
Are they worth upgrading for? That may be a tough call, but they do
make the special edition even more special. And it's exactly the same for the 2023 edition, except they've
dropped the booklet. But reversible artwork is back, and this latest
release comes in a slipcover.<br /><br />And as for <i>Underworld</i>, it's
not quite as packed, but what we get is pretty great. The chief extra
is another director's commentary, where he and his moderator really get
into the weeds of how and why this film both differs from and adheres to
Clive's original vision. It's a very candid discussion that tells the
whole behind-the-scenes story. There's also a fun, five-minute
behind-the-scenes look at the movie filmed for a BBC news show, which
briefly interviews some of the cast and crew. Otherwise, there's mostly
just galleries, though they're worth checking out, because they show
some of Clive's more fantastical illustrations the mutations could've
looked like, before the production team decided to go with something
more naturalistic. There's also the trailer for <i>Rawhead Rex</i> (no, not <i>Underworld</i>); and this release comes in a slipcover and reversible artwork (using the iconic <i>Transmutations </i>poster).<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-C5y06XgXYniSnJ2MBZHIxziA_1BuX5houBtOSwgfn6YrxOKmziyJfXlMP0GM80ZqwKfXmscSbOfYavuhVaXkFdaOiPj4zlNtBpdt3fh4G8QVuLw1hibraY3bWCmFL0sSLNaNPPmmLs/s1920/rawheadt.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-C5y06XgXYniSnJ2MBZHIxziA_1BuX5houBtOSwgfn6YrxOKmziyJfXlMP0GM80ZqwKfXmscSbOfYavuhVaXkFdaOiPj4zlNtBpdt3fh4G8QVuLw1hibraY3bWCmFL0sSLNaNPPmmLs/s800/rawheadt.png" width="400" /></a></div>I've seen Mad Movies' <i>Transmutations </i>DVD
referred to as being out of print
and hard to find, but I think that's just some confusion about it being
available chiefly through Mad Movies' online store. It's
actually pretty cheap and in stock as of this writing; you can get it <a href="https://www.mad-movies.com/produits/transmutations-1">here</a>.
There's
no more reason to bother, though, as Kino has handily triumphed over both of
their discs in every regard, raising each film to a whole new level.
The films themselves are still dodgy, but if you're a Barker fan willing
to give them a shot, these UHDs are the ultimate way to go.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-45101320309948842612023-12-25T14:51:00.000-05:002023-12-25T14:51:30.252-05:00Spend Your Holidays With the Whole Blind Dead Family!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQPRvHeSYmQSzBmeeBQcrYyfMGZ9U6G2k1u4Be6R9JGCIVNYjPwtl28PCxeXz-RHfmy2p2PAb8-yaaXNOJzj7kZc3h6z-IuSHGndn1LTRlxPLocpY_FMdXQp0FJhhQMd3uWAs6w3vOMM2NoG6sA5xquj3rIfmDqbx2VfFdaOvkw7pjQmml03nphTqXj4/s3445/bds.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2965" data-original-width="3445" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQPRvHeSYmQSzBmeeBQcrYyfMGZ9U6G2k1u4Be6R9JGCIVNYjPwtl28PCxeXz-RHfmy2p2PAb8-yaaXNOJzj7kZc3h6z-IuSHGndn1LTRlxPLocpY_FMdXQp0FJhhQMd3uWAs6w3vOMM2NoG6sA5xquj3rIfmDqbx2VfFdaOvkw7pjQmml03nphTqXj4/s0/bds.jpg" width="498" /></a></div><b><span style="color: red;">H</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">a</span><span style="color: red;">p</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">p</span><span style="color: red;">y</span> <span style="color: #6aa84f;">h</span><span style="color: red;">o</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">l</span><span style="color: red;">i</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">d</span><span style="color: red;">a</span><span style="color: #6aa84f;">y</span><span style="color: red;">s</span></b>, everyone! It's that time of year again, to gather 'round the hearth and spend this magical evening with your chosen family, whether that be your relatives, closest friends, or <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/AmandodeOssorio">Amando de Ossorio</a></b>'s iconic <i>Blind Dead</i>. Yes, before <b>Dan Brown</b> turned his creative sites on the Knights Templar, before <b>John Krasinski</b> started claiming credit for inventing monsters that hunt by sound and before <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/GeorgeRomero">George Romero</a></b> realized, hey, he could franchise walking corpses, Ossorio was doing it all with his most famous series of films: <i>Tombs Of the Blind Dead</i>, <i>Return Of the Evil Dead</i>, <i>The Ghost Galleon</i> and <i>Night Of the Seagulls</i>. And you can own the whole run on blu-ray ...if you're willing to put in a little effort.<br /><br />It was a great day in 2005 when Blue Underground assembled all four horror classics on widescreen, restored somewhat special edition DVDs. There had been an earlier, non-anamorphic flipper disc of the first two films from Anchor Bay, but that was it. They came in an awesome coffin box and everything. But unfortunately, the rights to these films seem to be spread across all different owners, making it nigh-impossible for any boutique label to do the same again today for blu-ray. They have all received at least some kind of decent blu-ray, though, some fancier than others. You've just got to shop around.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jswQNc_vAoB5H0E4GYzf1XZuNireNESIM_Pl9b20jC_0Va0MCUwYqOwApTWDs94ZYOWyGE_p3eyMbQ-kQTyEiMnAuG2r1iHuG1vRncf06FfMWmhPOCLhfG1jUJJ3TUN9chiIvCIEqpmr8IkbxHURxg0YsJdg3tt4Z2O-coOmewKQ7tKGD38MbZBbvTs/s1920/bdtotbdtrailer.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jswQNc_vAoB5H0E4GYzf1XZuNireNESIM_Pl9b20jC_0Va0MCUwYqOwApTWDs94ZYOWyGE_p3eyMbQ-kQTyEiMnAuG2r1iHuG1vRncf06FfMWmhPOCLhfG1jUJJ3TUN9chiIvCIEqpmr8IkbxHURxg0YsJdg3tt4Z2O-coOmewKQ7tKGD38MbZBbvTs/s800/bdtotbdtrailer.png" width="400" /></a></div>1972's <i>Tombs </i>starts off the series. A titillating lesbian romance between Betty and Virginia goes sour when boyfriend Roger enters the picture. And then everything goes sour when Betty wanders off into the abandoned village of Berzano and draws out the risen husks of 14th century knights who live forever via a perpetual series of blood sacrifices. Soon, everybody's drawn into the mayhem, from creepy coroners to a gang of smugglers.<br /><br />Okay, the writing isn't the sharpest, and it's a bit ridiculous how much everybody is unrepentantly raping everybody in these movies. But all that's easy to ignore with so much masterful atmosphere, visual panache and the coolest movie monsters in all of movie monster history are on display. These bad boys look way creepier than Romero's, with their skeletal faces, beards and rotted robs. They're just as slow, even when they ride their horses and they have an unforgettable theme that returns in each sequel. It's ambitious, with its flashbacks to the 14th century. And even "basic" shots, like the blinking neon lights in the mannequin factory or the smoke from the train carrying into the bedroom flashback, show a director determined to create something more artful than just exploitation.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUybpcbEMY2Knwlx_x4USvK9OLdMEqJIH-Ns4tlQt5N4v5IE726IczQYRcrkZsUBffKZsfM72sGw7-EJbdLcwFpJwWE4DYBQcxQKlODv-PPQl7LxQrwuROhddvuSEvbIbFcLc0Bq6HVqE7VTK4jUE5x0gHMzepZ6fh59wH2JVBPcPLFxX4KF5j8BgK8A/s1780/bdtotbd1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1780" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUybpcbEMY2Knwlx_x4USvK9OLdMEqJIH-Ns4tlQt5N4v5IE726IczQYRcrkZsUBffKZsfM72sGw7-EJbdLcwFpJwWE4DYBQcxQKlODv-PPQl7LxQrwuROhddvuSEvbIbFcLc0Bq6HVqE7VTK4jUE5x0gHMzepZ6fh59wH2JVBPcPLFxX4KF5j8BgK8A/s800/bdtotbd1.png" width="400" /></a></div>Austria's XT Video first released this film on blu in 2018, and
Spain's Gabita Barbieri has released their own edition. There are also Austrian discs from Carol Media, but those are censored/ cut, so stay awy from those. Anyway, the smart
money's on Synapse, which released a pricey, 2-disc steelbook
edition in 2022, followed by a cheaper retail edition this October.
I've got the former, so that's what we'll be looking at here, but my
understanding is that the two blu-ray discs are the same across both
editions.<br /><br />Now, both BU and Synapse have included both the US theatrical cut and
the longer, "Integral" Spanish/ English hybrid cut with almost twenty
minutes of additional footage. So the second set of screenshots only
has two, because there I'm comparing a shot that's only in the longer
version.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSy6TcnkQkzO2rR7z2j3syrkLQKUgfMGomNp0hC2yvB6woLB4stdSjFeBtKhbiBo8so2ppsUeyrKKy15BWFjOaj0oxHYi8lvW_sRd0GyAbXlWgz9TOWjp1aZf-I2MJrwZAch4Wmd9hIb3dfKRr-s77LmWnhIOgSxgk8MxxrpcFBhzUdB3lMjqzrx9yN9Y/s1837/bdtotbdc1a1318.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1837" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSy6TcnkQkzO2rR7z2j3syrkLQKUgfMGomNp0hC2yvB6woLB4stdSjFeBtKhbiBo8so2ppsUeyrKKy15BWFjOaj0oxHYi8lvW_sRd0GyAbXlWgz9TOWjp1aZf-I2MJrwZAch4Wmd9hIb3dfKRr-s77LmWnhIOgSxgk8MxxrpcFBhzUdB3lMjqzrx9yN9Y/s800/bdtotbdc1a1318.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2005 BU DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2005 BU TC DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 2022 Synapse BD; <span style="color: #800180;">4)</span> 2022 Syanpse TC BD.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eZ0ItWPcNO9IcKCSU-WVIf9JXSm32EhtlxQzfyefyekkbHHkOMU0_8fRS6Zc8DZfA2jiFNgo4nSCRUpgCst7AMvFNwFKp2VFnwPr8CaoULhzMvtJB7qwElI3Gt9rU8BFT0KBeh4WWpmO5CAvT8FYjjpT02dsTXr7-w91MhlGdLVam4gG2sgFUqJg7lc/s1795/bdtotbdc1b1242.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1795" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3eZ0ItWPcNO9IcKCSU-WVIf9JXSm32EhtlxQzfyefyekkbHHkOMU0_8fRS6Zc8DZfA2jiFNgo4nSCRUpgCst7AMvFNwFKp2VFnwPr8CaoULhzMvtJB7qwElI3Gt9rU8BFT0KBeh4WWpmO5CAvT8FYjjpT02dsTXr7-w91MhlGdLVam4gG2sgFUqJg7lc/s800/bdtotbdc1b1242.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjklv6dGcKafTYrRB_YwpEG_Ifbj1phFfr5JJwQqt7SXpJlNlzloaAsabdRJ5FhsRqTWf9W8RoYuLEifeGpbHOxy7QpnFqCFWjxq2dJIn4ZXWQ9e6Na2lpupHUzR3vmsOfrQjhMus3TqiGE1u6HedBzHyx5SfFTuMvU42oLauTI8zXoLSwI0dPxEDMCvms/s1780/bdtotbdc1c1353.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1780" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjklv6dGcKafTYrRB_YwpEG_Ifbj1phFfr5JJwQqt7SXpJlNlzloaAsabdRJ5FhsRqTWf9W8RoYuLEifeGpbHOxy7QpnFqCFWjxq2dJIn4ZXWQ9e6Na2lpupHUzR3vmsOfrQjhMus3TqiGE1u6HedBzHyx5SfFTuMvU42oLauTI8zXoLSwI0dPxEDMCvms/s800/bdtotbdc1c1353.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1j3BpUrqqdNmLLp2X-69zvBUOJxRRfKMBeHxCUTWKGvWe0f0THD0BbvJrbE7StfZ2_m_qRcDsd7LhkkhxkSR-cVqSMVf-RFZKVWYWfzbzDGjQk0yvGojdtY_5_LDTJvIUjAeHI2fSZXAUcNXk12ka2xCvINAz3TRezqEAMh-4_fcnsFpb6gkCg51SXfs/s1780/bdtotbdc1d1304.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1780" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1j3BpUrqqdNmLLp2X-69zvBUOJxRRfKMBeHxCUTWKGvWe0f0THD0BbvJrbE7StfZ2_m_qRcDsd7LhkkhxkSR-cVqSMVf-RFZKVWYWfzbzDGjQk0yvGojdtY_5_LDTJvIUjAeHI2fSZXAUcNXk12ka2xCvINAz3TRezqEAMh-4_fcnsFpb6gkCg51SXfs/s800/bdtotbdc1d1304.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJFMncumhqwkqNR7O63C2ZTuN1ZSUHBioNs0hdawhujEv24s9JvZoRJ4knYjhAVjrybvpBLDRq4YDJyU6k_JsC2DQutACeaA-Ag5-PfI8fOr-ogRx-x4uMLdNVmK8XflqbgIb1XdFnUM6Wuk4k34r2JLBcpGBWCNtcM-Mpt4-MTMQBgG5alulXf6Yxnc/s1835/bdtotbdc2a.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1835" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJFMncumhqwkqNR7O63C2ZTuN1ZSUHBioNs0hdawhujEv24s9JvZoRJ4knYjhAVjrybvpBLDRq4YDJyU6k_JsC2DQutACeaA-Ag5-PfI8fOr-ogRx-x4uMLdNVmK8XflqbgIb1XdFnUM6Wuk4k34r2JLBcpGBWCNtcM-Mpt4-MTMQBgG5alulXf6Yxnc/s800/bdtotbdc2a.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2FOr0jyG6nXwGtCrCj3h0K6PFoEZ3gs_-mgn4dBeuXiU9-ZSRWOdvvB_NVouLA2V8PC2RMLdxx2JKvm_lNiJ3rFZ3H7JM1X-BWayHCIYtNbN_uhJJ7V_pFRnktPlrDtaJf51QZGCojn6XKGT-mzmdgupcEY7Y1fRh9jQrjRpJjhyphenhyphenQ5tsdblo29ZcYCt0/s1780/bdtotbdc2c3922.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1780" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2FOr0jyG6nXwGtCrCj3h0K6PFoEZ3gs_-mgn4dBeuXiU9-ZSRWOdvvB_NVouLA2V8PC2RMLdxx2JKvm_lNiJ3rFZ3H7JM1X-BWayHCIYtNbN_uhJJ7V_pFRnktPlrDtaJf51QZGCojn6XKGT-mzmdgupcEY7Y1fRh9jQrjRpJjhyphenhyphenQ5tsdblo29ZcYCt0/s800/bdtotbdc2c3922.png" width="400" /></a></div>Disappointingly, BU's main version is interlaced, which is surprising, because none of the other discs in their set are, and even their shorter theatrical cut isn't. Maybe it's just a screw up, but it sure was frustrating, as the longer cut is easily the one to watch. Plus, even if you're indifferent to the difference between cuts, BU's theatrical cut is taken from a lesser source, seemingly a blown out, high contrast print. So it was a good thing when BDs finally came around to correct this situation. Synapse's specifically is taken from a 2k from the original camera negative, with additional color correction and clean-up done in-house.<br /><br />BU presented the integral cut in 1.70:1 and the theatrical cut in 1.66:1. Synapse sticks with the proper 1.66 (or, technically, 1;65:1) ratio, while still revealing a sliver more picture along the edges. That's for both cuts. Unlike BU, Synapse has clearly used the same 2k restoration for both edits. And it looks great. Sure, could grain look a little finer in 4k on UHD? But for a 2k scan on 1080p, it reaches Synapse's reliable level of perfection. It also clears away the greenish cast on BU's disc.<br /><br />Audio-wise, they call the integral cut a hybrid for a reason. Both discs let you watch the US theatrical cut, naturally, in the original English mono. And the longer cut in the Spanish mono with optional English subtitles. But Synapse has also edited together an English track for the longer cut that only cuts to Spanish audio for the composite shots, and it has a second subtitle track to just show subs for those scenes. Synapse has also added optional English subtitles for the theatrical cut, which BU didn't bother with. All of Synapse's tracks are in lossless LPCM, while BU's are just in lossy Dolby Digital, and have been restored to sound less echo-y and tinny.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMVnASUlUwR1BXb6NVryG9nvM8Qy-gijEAqwDWlzZbT4M4OVBf26G2TFmMoar6V6QLbARlJsIIxRBmTOd1iPVF4_wXRR0V4Assugx8Mk5F021x4BLmm_qmumvw1pv0sKwlywDvJMD49rd7b-f8FVcmt7VJWSzjvzJGhkLXWX0aYj5O97TNIKLq7D0-p-w/s1920/bdtotbde.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMVnASUlUwR1BXb6NVryG9nvM8Qy-gijEAqwDWlzZbT4M4OVBf26G2TFmMoar6V6QLbARlJsIIxRBmTOd1iPVF4_wXRR0V4Assugx8Mk5F021x4BLmm_qmumvw1pv0sKwlywDvJMD49rd7b-f8FVcmt7VJWSzjvzJGhkLXWX0aYj5O97TNIKLq7D0-p-w/s800/bdtotbde.png" width="400" /></a></div>Extras are another strong upgrade, though honestly, I was a
little disappointed with Syanpse here, given their high price point.
Though I appreciate that a lot of key personnel have passed, limiting
their options. BU just had the alternate "Revenge From Planet Ape"
opening credits, a stills gallery and the trailer on the main disc. But
it also included a very interesting half-hour documentary on Ossorio
and another excellent interview with Ossorio on their bonus disc. Plus
also another photo gallery. It comes in an amary case, which fits with
the other discs inside that awesome coffin box if you bought the whole
collection, and includes a stylish 40-page booklet.<br /><br />Synapse, sadly, did not license that bonus disc content and we don't
really hear from Ossorio at all on their edition. Frankly, a lot of
their stuff feels more like filler than can't-miss content, though they
have their compelling highlights, for sure. First, there are three
audio commentaries, but they're all just by modern horror experts except
one, which features star <b>Lone Fleming</b>. That's obviously the
most compelling, but as just one actress who often isn't in the scenes
on screen, they're left to do a lot of stretching to fill the entire
run-time. An on-camera interview would've been more appropriate.
Still, I can't deny there's some interesting stuff to be heard in her
track if you have the patience for it.<br /><br />The best part of Synapse's
package is their feature-length doc on Spanish horror, though how
enthralled you are will depend on how interested you are in other
Spanish horror filmmakers. Lone Fleming is back, and we also hear from<b> Jack Taylor</b> of <i>Ghost Galleon</i>. But get ready for a lot of <b>Paul Naschy</b> and all kinds of other stuff that isn't directly <i>Blind Dead</i>-related.
They did restore the trailer, though, so it looks a lot better than
what was on the old DVD, and they did port over the expert interview
from XT Video's blu-ray. They've also got the <i>Planet Ape</i> intro, a music video by some modern heavy metal band inspired by the <i>Blind Dead</i>, oh, and a whole CD of heavy metal tributes to the<i> Blind Dead</i>
if you're a fan of that sort of thing. This release also includes an
8-page booklet and comes in a steelbook package housed in a slipcover.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2Jljnq6wtzHLP1mhUoPx3y4nV67zoCVpdMqBDwOZMSpbKA-18f80ayRZkVTnq5Zth8LoKuGK5ZvflHE3hjikr-WMPLOz93AGgPpdXVv-teHbRF9UL0WBeX0Bq8mQfRqX8Nt7tb3-GKSse54duOC-XpsWrJUhhYGXuLI80rlnfjhH2r9LZ_hXx4c7OjU/s1920/bdrotedtrailer.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF2Jljnq6wtzHLP1mhUoPx3y4nV67zoCVpdMqBDwOZMSpbKA-18f80ayRZkVTnq5Zth8LoKuGK5ZvflHE3hjikr-WMPLOz93AGgPpdXVv-teHbRF9UL0WBeX0Bq8mQfRqX8Nt7tb3-GKSse54duOC-XpsWrJUhhYGXuLI80rlnfjhH2r9LZ_hXx4c7OjU/s800/bdrotedtrailer.png" width="400" /></a></div><i>Return Of the Evil Dead</i>, in some ways, is more fun than the original. In typical sequel-fashion, it gets to the action sooner. But it also makes more use of the blind dead actually being blind, and people creeping silently around them to escape. It has more fun characters, with a corrupt mayor putting everybody else's lives in danger, and this is the film that conclusively reveals, yes, those horses are zombies, too. I think it's meant to be a prequel, showing how the town of Berzano came to be deserted, though the rules and continuity between these films has always been a little shakey. Lone Fleming is back, as a different character, and there's another 14th century flashback. Sure, it recycles some footage of the Templars rising from their tombs, but considering how amazing those shots looked, who could blame them?<br /><br />Sadly, there isn't a US option for this film on blu, just the aforementioned AB and BU DVDs. There's just the Austrian BDs and the more recent Spanish blu from Gabita Barbieri Films, which is actually a fairly loaded special edition. Oh, and once again there is a shorter US theatrical cut and a longer, original Spanish version; though the difference is only about four minutes this time. GB didn't bother with the shorter cut on their blu (so once again, the second set of screenshots only has two shots), but honestly that's fine by me. These shorter US edits are just as well left to history as far as I'm concerned.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ZLokNWpy7esbmqmhkLvACOjWQb_qNlWKE89_wOOy72sfzYr9KOISvHwZ1b-s21tbQb0lWRQTUfOSrAs4QJOxmlk9UuhRS8OAXhi7pukVDD_AziQoDRrDa_M8hLtJxIxpee7KJTw6b2_WOYjPSJBHEov-pXtajoc-m-qARvBxUe5y44xS2xlv1qLDaDw/s1801/bdrotedc1a520.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1801" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ZLokNWpy7esbmqmhkLvACOjWQb_qNlWKE89_wOOy72sfzYr9KOISvHwZ1b-s21tbQb0lWRQTUfOSrAs4QJOxmlk9UuhRS8OAXhi7pukVDD_AziQoDRrDa_M8hLtJxIxpee7KJTw6b2_WOYjPSJBHEov-pXtajoc-m-qARvBxUe5y44xS2xlv1qLDaDw/s800/bdrotedc1a520.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> BU 2005 theatrical DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2005 BU DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 2022 Gabita Barbieri BD.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-u-7rhpFzO6ichuZ8ZPJGB1GIGCg8kiAqMVEZcw8pFOvKGhoLxU_iqLl1bIC2ehXAnlQFoeYgL1yT1nrL4rdZJNocxwNew7gIVtfamOUconTKrffKGT6zylf5J21O7NsJeJAONXQlgYV9ItXdej3gX12bdVaoCJ-fEaOivRjtiZ-L0nhSO5NkW0MWuk4/s1795/bdrotedc1b625.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1795" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-u-7rhpFzO6ichuZ8ZPJGB1GIGCg8kiAqMVEZcw8pFOvKGhoLxU_iqLl1bIC2ehXAnlQFoeYgL1yT1nrL4rdZJNocxwNew7gIVtfamOUconTKrffKGT6zylf5J21O7NsJeJAONXQlgYV9ItXdej3gX12bdVaoCJ-fEaOivRjtiZ-L0nhSO5NkW0MWuk4/s800/bdrotedc1b625.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3SBFFSvV9dRvtGc92n4Xh81gJXx_j2txKeRX983Ag5JjldavVeDT3zPqRPX4KPvtkvUVUbKK4e8BYk_WD-kzhI4cZ97riI5_0-qPNcgd-m_V7q5wNOC_9BsbtrPZ9xxqNxMZWAZr8URbpeAtMiu1PFDLCnx3lmUM9zDdISwLALd6cvyggaOV3_LY4MfA/s1796/bdrotedc1c530.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1796" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3SBFFSvV9dRvtGc92n4Xh81gJXx_j2txKeRX983Ag5JjldavVeDT3zPqRPX4KPvtkvUVUbKK4e8BYk_WD-kzhI4cZ97riI5_0-qPNcgd-m_V7q5wNOC_9BsbtrPZ9xxqNxMZWAZr8URbpeAtMiu1PFDLCnx3lmUM9zDdISwLALd6cvyggaOV3_LY4MfA/s800/bdrotedc1c530.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfY2Bqtz548xe5I104UnFpgQrCVESkjEroF2qM-9LKQfBCJ9urQVGTao8fGfyih95vuOtQ9_KGdSqt7dvwn9NOAs5J1FFD2_lq7QzYOQEUxvitL87lf46Dx2opULvehP3v0ooT97om0aGWhu1EVlaZbKVG8z-vObA-HP-7F8m_-U_gd3JU4GfNmLxFT4k/s1797/bdrotedc2a.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1797" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfY2Bqtz548xe5I104UnFpgQrCVESkjEroF2qM-9LKQfBCJ9urQVGTao8fGfyih95vuOtQ9_KGdSqt7dvwn9NOAs5J1FFD2_lq7QzYOQEUxvitL87lf46Dx2opULvehP3v0ooT97om0aGWhu1EVlaZbKVG8z-vObA-HP-7F8m_-U_gd3JU4GfNmLxFT4k/s800/bdrotedc2a.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU9cB31JE1DvtTlGOYC4q_L84dFIEhp8zTVsMzk7e7k7RIE1G1bVKXmUaYJPHbXV-SkBLFV88z3FYJi2Y_Rq0sdKnZj0PmEuKWcXpCMliE2VkmpbM006luRshCmW3yav37ay205AjCJwx71xkHbwJ3LSUG46FROfBVpCBgH66b8bHuHVlcPxcGSP6PhP0/s1800/bdrotedc2c1420.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU9cB31JE1DvtTlGOYC4q_L84dFIEhp8zTVsMzk7e7k7RIE1G1bVKXmUaYJPHbXV-SkBLFV88z3FYJi2Y_Rq0sdKnZj0PmEuKWcXpCMliE2VkmpbM006luRshCmW3yav37ay205AjCJwx71xkHbwJ3LSUG46FROfBVpCBgH66b8bHuHVlcPxcGSP6PhP0/s800/bdrotedc2c1420.png" width="400" /></a></div>So, okay, I'm not in love with Gabita Barbieri's work here. BU again seems to have used higher quality source for the longer cut and a rougher print for the theatrical cut. And GB at least seem to have used the better source. But it looks DNR'd to death, showing less hint of grain than the old DVD. They're all in 1.66:1 (well, BU's theatrical cut is more like 1.68), but some parts, like that second set of shots, are slightly zoomed in. The colors are more natural in general, though, and before you dismiss it out of hand, check out what they were able to do with the murky night shots:<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioaIY2-bIoMpjleKsoaAXHh6-yw2pcXps5TmjyDDjPjZnjZw8is6swmGRv-4-ijQs8gqAjzDpp04sdaI_vVv2QRl3Kq-ML21MeMtcQlSH8yHJdzbCL_CttquH_rPaLjW-be5dOyMcYitfih69KkQ6B-8ZahjsRegj8ZwG1Rcg-Vey54qL8AmNsOvDkXos/s1800/bdrotedc3b11209.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioaIY2-bIoMpjleKsoaAXHh6-yw2pcXps5TmjyDDjPjZnjZw8is6swmGRv-4-ijQs8gqAjzDpp04sdaI_vVv2QRl3Kq-ML21MeMtcQlSH8yHJdzbCL_CttquH_rPaLjW-be5dOyMcYitfih69KkQ6B-8ZahjsRegj8ZwG1Rcg-Vey54qL8AmNsOvDkXos/s800/bdrotedc3b11209.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> BU 2005 DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2022 Gabita Barbieri BD.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL-uYPKvlhApR1LZALrbiExQOtZADzLeSOroraW7_yY101QIb4oix0GM_ostk9lTzQq8ShxU9oG-68cx2AqkmyLvob3URdap85mDMiD8FspZgTUWp0hFJZQpEO-2nNm6kN7Xm4hAU0WnM0mM3dmm_MBGHrprokHJ2UGv1BKvX3WDA5DaRR4g-KcDaWcLE/s1792/bdrotedc3c11218.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1792" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL-uYPKvlhApR1LZALrbiExQOtZADzLeSOroraW7_yY101QIb4oix0GM_ostk9lTzQq8ShxU9oG-68cx2AqkmyLvob3URdap85mDMiD8FspZgTUWp0hFJZQpEO-2nNm6kN7Xm4hAU0WnM0mM3dmm_MBGHrprokHJ2UGv1BKvX3WDA5DaRR4g-KcDaWcLE/s800/bdrotedc3c11218.png" width="400" /></a></div>That's so much more attractive. And a lot of the film looks like this - especially many of the best bits. So I would call this an improvement over the DVD; I just wish they hadn't scrubbed the picture ...or maybe just over-compressed it to death? Either way, it's flawed but still preferable.<br /><br />BU keeps it pretty simple this time in the language department. The longer cut is in Spanish Dolby Digital with optional English subs, and the theatrical cut is in English DD with no subs. GB has gone all out, though, giving us another hybrid English track in DD or the original Spanish in lossless DTS-HD, plus an Italian dub. And there are optional English subtitles for both language options, as well as Spanish, Italian and Portuguese subs.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYCC6NXJ_9P1ty0z9XHtAPn1Vn4gHcqa3W0ol9Y_unZIir9NJFYjFgSh32pheksqUpo2SsxecDIPNuWZdC15iV3sH61YFYU3G2yon4OqyXY0nSboFXQISyMN-abEucfG69S9vXTlkkbejFqcxCm1u7a6_WxXL1AeUNGoWcYlio0HyHt343C6IycG1m98/s1920/bdrotede.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="962" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYCC6NXJ_9P1ty0z9XHtAPn1Vn4gHcqa3W0ol9Y_unZIir9NJFYjFgSh32pheksqUpo2SsxecDIPNuWZdC15iV3sH61YFYU3G2yon4OqyXY0nSboFXQISyMN-abEucfG69S9vXTlkkbejFqcxCm1u7a6_WxXL1AeUNGoWcYlio0HyHt343C6IycG1m98/s800/bdrotede.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Lost Script</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>And it's a surprising win in the extras department. BU just had two
trailers and a photo gallery. GB has the trailer, alternate
Spanish-language credits, and way more. There's an interview with Lone
Fleming that's over an hour long. Yes, they go over her whole career,
but there's plenty about the <i>Blind Dead</i> films. They even show a
complete short film she wrote and directed called The Barefoot Virgin in
the middle of the interview. Yes, it all has optional English
subtitles. As does <i>The Lost Script</i>, a short 2016 <i>Blind Dead </i>sequel(!) starring Lone Fleming, as well as a bunch of Spanish cult actors from the 70s and 80s, including <b>Loreta Tovar</b> from <i>Return Of the Evil Dead</i>.
Essentially, Fleming plays herself, haunted by nightmares of the blind
dead after receiving a long lost script by Ossorio. Obviously, it's not
on the same level as the original films, but it's pretty fun.<br /><br />There are a couple more extras related to <i>The Last Script</i>: an interview with the director and a behind-the-scenes feature, but sadly, those are not English-friendly. But even that's way more than any past edition has given us!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oX0lz_13OlxtPlnRDT6Z9UO0Hb1ZkshtlDP6nXIH4CvY7Ger4WBCi1Me2MoRdRFtr_EjOUMLhcyyhY_nV9SXVVbT-Fc3tZUukuVNJQQiLWAX-Zkjd4JR6WzR65RQJ9MbFJTp68p-QeL5Far2Bq4yrJAdq3gcSefgijdNEdOrpWnr5Noi3eOLbaypQy8/s1917/bdggtrailer.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1917" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-oX0lz_13OlxtPlnRDT6Z9UO0Hb1ZkshtlDP6nXIH4CvY7Ger4WBCi1Me2MoRdRFtr_EjOUMLhcyyhY_nV9SXVVbT-Fc3tZUukuVNJQQiLWAX-Zkjd4JR6WzR65RQJ9MbFJTp68p-QeL5Far2Bq4yrJAdq3gcSefgijdNEdOrpWnr5Noi3eOLbaypQy8/s800/bdggtrailer.png" width="400" /></a></div>Next up is 1974's <i>Ghost Galleon</i>, a.k.a. The Blind Dead on a boat! Trapping our protagonists on claustrophobic set is an effective way to ratchet up suspense, and the Templars were merchants famous for establishing trade routes and all, so it all fits historically (or well enough for this kinda stuff). But on the downside, the model looks like a tiny toy boat, and there the professor jumps to some ludicrous exposition about slipping into alternate dimensions. They can't recycle as much footage now that the dead are in a new location, and without their horses, but watching these films close together, you'll find some tight formulas all these films are following. For example, the first girl to encounter the blind dead always runs away, up some stairs, gets her foot stuck, which the zombies reach for an almost grab, but then she pulls away, gets cornered upstairs, and leaps back down to the lower level to escape just in the nick of time. Seriously, that sequence happens in all three films so far. But hey, at least they tried something different with this ghost ship stuff, and it still delivers on the awesome blind dead.<br /><br />There was no Anchor Bay DVD of this one, so we just had the Blue Underground and some gray market stuff from Brentwood and Mill Creek. On blu, there's just the Austrian discs and the Spanish one from Babita Barbieri. The Austrian discs were limited and are no long OOP and expensive, so we're going with the Spanish one again. And this time there's only one cut (except for those extra censored Carol Media BDs).<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm5iwHeTr7kkfYnxit8FQwi24lslO7AvYSMYXrAe68T36atQST9OViUV9Odoy36aC2Mtar5luLogxIKoPwOwLKK6be4eCi8hVyw1ssq_lGFmWJZetBMNYczpCypi-x5ieui8CxCBWFVvoqBcSih1aKsS3fyXSH0gckKGocos6eooG0-tIPF3CGW0n4hu8/s1917/bdggc1a2115.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="1917" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm5iwHeTr7kkfYnxit8FQwi24lslO7AvYSMYXrAe68T36atQST9OViUV9Odoy36aC2Mtar5luLogxIKoPwOwLKK6be4eCi8hVyw1ssq_lGFmWJZetBMNYczpCypi-x5ieui8CxCBWFVvoqBcSih1aKsS3fyXSH0gckKGocos6eooG0-tIPF3CGW0n4hu8/s800/bdggc1a2115.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> BU 2005 DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2022 Gabita Barbieri BD.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjqC9edapc2rh9befshvYLq0fiTh7lG00tRWQJ9icEVj9TwHFtRb6gxf3fkN1-OVe_0Ui2FTOfXcy_14Nb9jtcMUd9ncqsLMncRAB-c9F84pBptHZZvSFoVqnIXzvL6t8xI9xh_yUtD4UDOa7gRzCLhy7nBBgAZ7xqhpymJkcDSkLBNK7abroYR1ZcHH4/s1919/bdggc1b2114.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1919" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjqC9edapc2rh9befshvYLq0fiTh7lG00tRWQJ9icEVj9TwHFtRb6gxf3fkN1-OVe_0Ui2FTOfXcy_14Nb9jtcMUd9ncqsLMncRAB-c9F84pBptHZZvSFoVqnIXzvL6t8xI9xh_yUtD4UDOa7gRzCLhy7nBBgAZ7xqhpymJkcDSkLBNK7abroYR1ZcHH4/s800/bdggc1b2114.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj94xGsamFB-lVt53iRliobnPhIgtiAgoD1gQpSqQZp7LRQO2LypNIAbOiU_VbsTSCX_4cBy6w6nfjrUxw-_EBTVO2buGyw7jbkYe2Y1JU_DVD_wnjzdgp88f2JkvKTQsk_sA0nRQ-km39e2A9E0rzIpIS2r2R0MLy700XFLAGoEwzrnvq7x_D23_UiPQA/s1920/bdggc2a.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1053" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj94xGsamFB-lVt53iRliobnPhIgtiAgoD1gQpSqQZp7LRQO2LypNIAbOiU_VbsTSCX_4cBy6w6nfjrUxw-_EBTVO2buGyw7jbkYe2Y1JU_DVD_wnjzdgp88f2JkvKTQsk_sA0nRQ-km39e2A9E0rzIpIS2r2R0MLy700XFLAGoEwzrnvq7x_D23_UiPQA/s800/bdggc2a.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4pLV0Y_4NJ_tr4Ruzfp1p0baMfebuTbs5TK1nVzFgzCVRQlwEze8JEtRKJ_z6EK8O5usRaeAdvdGV5LO6THNcWvFK0UXr-EI0B2yhNswPCqHMRdLtKr7AY1xex35GPEMxjWpIQAQBwa9slW3DEAapzDionPE5tEKQYIiyQZIEsGCAV-6syFzu5aFVnA/s1918/bdggc2b4002.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1918" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4pLV0Y_4NJ_tr4Ruzfp1p0baMfebuTbs5TK1nVzFgzCVRQlwEze8JEtRKJ_z6EK8O5usRaeAdvdGV5LO6THNcWvFK0UXr-EI0B2yhNswPCqHMRdLtKr7AY1xex35GPEMxjWpIQAQBwa9slW3DEAapzDionPE5tEKQYIiyQZIEsGCAV-6syFzu5aFVnA/s800/bdggc2b4002.png" width="400" /></a></div>Things are simpler this time; no theatrical cuts or other sources. GB seems to be using the same master as BU, though we do benefit from the HD format. Colors, brightness levels, etc are all the same. Both discs are roughly 1.85:1, with GB correcting BU's slightly squished 1.82 ratio. And flicking between the two, it's like: in focus, out of focus. It's essentially the same picture except in SD or HD. Grain is still pretty lacking, but compared to the DVD, it's a no-brainer.<br /><br />Language-wise, BU gives us the options of Spanish or English with optional English subs. GB does the same, though theirs are both in DTS-HD this time. They also throw in French, Italian and Russian dubs, and Spanish and French subs.<br /><br />Extras are light all over for this one. BU has a couple trailers, radio spots and a TV spot, plus a gallery. GB has the trailer and its own gallery, plus the entire soundtrack album as an easter egg. Just let the photo gallery play to the end and it'll cut to footage of the record being played.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgReCNXzZ82kpzxCHUXz6T3IfUVdjFNQ8fq6pFNxlAVIF5PyJ0YuUPCVvfz5-qk2SsHvGQv70-_QzQM3vATxUNlbIjMrTyyoQ_XIyohzR5-BKQ0XjVO4dr2wD7n0G-MyYlsFiZRepvbkc7jqMLru9LRwRwsLkuHL_dtgqLcgacX-J7I_DXng86je1k1XWQ/s1920/bdnotstrailer.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgReCNXzZ82kpzxCHUXz6T3IfUVdjFNQ8fq6pFNxlAVIF5PyJ0YuUPCVvfz5-qk2SsHvGQv70-_QzQM3vATxUNlbIjMrTyyoQ_XIyohzR5-BKQ0XjVO4dr2wD7n0G-MyYlsFiZRepvbkc7jqMLru9LRwRwsLkuHL_dtgqLcgacX-J7I_DXng86je1k1XWQ/s800/bdnotstrailer.png" width="400" /></a></div>Finally, we come to <i>Night Of the Seagulls</i>. This is a slower
one, where a doctor visits an old fishing village that has to sacrifice
virgins to the Templars in order not to get massacred. Obviously, the
doctor interferes and everybody comes to regret it. The dead get their
horses back, there's a neat castle and a funny pagan frog god statue.
Otherwise, it's everything you've come to expect from this series (and yes, seagulls):
another atmospheric good time, but no surprises. The fact that this is the slowest, and many find it the most boring, may be why this was the final one. Though we know from interviews Ossorio had interest in making a fifth.<br /><br />BU's DVD was pretty much the only option on DVD, and the Austrian discs were the only options on blu, until 2018 when Scream Factory surprisingly threw their hat into the ring to release just the fourth and final entry into Ossorio's series.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEdmHYkGQ5TrT9FnevmmgcIoAdidj9hd3zof8Rp6yabVgfW8yFluEor2WrIkE2lOSxXMWSl9JfHuAoohguh9FHEGM8T-9NCWFjKLhjQTbzb6l-d3xzbt4tDrZQMqQhDXBFKGp8BRYJ3G0ziq7alDJr0B0vrl8hBdD8iC35Ef8WQQVcZ5ymGV1cJO_7TqI/s1919/bdnotsc1a1519.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1039" data-original-width="1919" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEdmHYkGQ5TrT9FnevmmgcIoAdidj9hd3zof8Rp6yabVgfW8yFluEor2WrIkE2lOSxXMWSl9JfHuAoohguh9FHEGM8T-9NCWFjKLhjQTbzb6l-d3xzbt4tDrZQMqQhDXBFKGp8BRYJ3G0ziq7alDJr0B0vrl8hBdD8iC35Ef8WQQVcZ5ymGV1cJO_7TqI/s800/bdnotsc1a1519.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> BU 2005 DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2018 Scream Factory BD.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ396cZ-_kM_vInOv7xnjMDu2oRFSc4Mkm6jo6DMIkp4dQublR5fbXc20HSVK1sZnR-U1qcPirANNtu8kp01tUErtc16CYUMQMyUArFkTj7KnBYU3t5Yjg_XJ57q_TnyL8_ATThNQG_Tq12D8jJGVOe2dD5AKktBeCoQ8YJy57mNth3UkbTjJXCDugQhc/s1920/bdnotsc1b1519.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ396cZ-_kM_vInOv7xnjMDu2oRFSc4Mkm6jo6DMIkp4dQublR5fbXc20HSVK1sZnR-U1qcPirANNtu8kp01tUErtc16CYUMQMyUArFkTj7KnBYU3t5Yjg_XJ57q_TnyL8_ATThNQG_Tq12D8jJGVOe2dD5AKktBeCoQ8YJy57mNth3UkbTjJXCDugQhc/s800/bdnotsc1b1519.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8G5eYeaTCAZ6mYk3jjuH82BqEBonkPJrqNTDqBbZAINPs42nmdeaLirgE6wRPpOKu-ouwI4gwkZXSQL0GFT2dYMgLCdXbuJPdNP4Wy_fY_vehC5ggZReJXVrbGihDM-y5ggcPPGtS8pdOGrdHZXENlGuVjKHaTs1XEFRtVnSe_Joi9Oic5ugqsRls1kg/s1919/bdnotsc2a3436.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1919" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8G5eYeaTCAZ6mYk3jjuH82BqEBonkPJrqNTDqBbZAINPs42nmdeaLirgE6wRPpOKu-ouwI4gwkZXSQL0GFT2dYMgLCdXbuJPdNP4Wy_fY_vehC5ggZReJXVrbGihDM-y5ggcPPGtS8pdOGrdHZXENlGuVjKHaTs1XEFRtVnSe_Joi9Oic5ugqsRls1kg/s800/bdnotsc2a3436.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUaBqk5q5QYHboEeihxpoaQiahrvsOgFJ-c4SdyAKC2Hiz18-FaB_lntdPlUTSRzJa50_MXjl-wiZXcQ4KlJ-eeOYFTALx4KW2NdLdaJQ0vdPjU0_PNSa-PFheeGb4JJyuxypNlpcoyoNYlzhv110ZAa_Tw0Nn_TXKXvT1h-4rBtuyXx2emPIgP4Pe4M4/s1920/bdnotsc2b3436.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUaBqk5q5QYHboEeihxpoaQiahrvsOgFJ-c4SdyAKC2Hiz18-FaB_lntdPlUTSRzJa50_MXjl-wiZXcQ4KlJ-eeOYFTALx4KW2NdLdaJQ0vdPjU0_PNSa-PFheeGb4JJyuxypNlpcoyoNYlzhv110ZAa_Tw0Nn_TXKXvT1h-4rBtuyXx2emPIgP4Pe4M4/s800/bdnotsc2b3436.png" width="400" /></a></div>And I guess it's okay? Both releases are 1.85:1, but Scream zooms in to shave a little off of all four sides compared to the DVD. At least it gets rid of the red tint from BU's disc. And it is genuinely a little less smudgy and compressed (after all, I'd hope so, going from DVD to SD), but it's barely an more detailed, and there's not really any more grain than on the Spanish discs. In fact, subtle detail seems to have been scrubbed away. It's another improvement, but not what I was hoping for when I bought it.<br /><br />Audio-wise, both discs give us both English and Spanish tracks with optional subs, but at least Scream Factory's are DTS-HD.<br /><br />And extras are pretty light, too. BU just gives us the trailer and a photo gallery. And SF gives us the trailer and an audio commentary by the guys from the <i>NaschyCast</i>. It's not bad, but as the name implies, they wind up talking a lot about Paul Naschy and lots of other tangents besides this movie. They're fine, really, it's more just an inherent flaw of getting modern horror fans to do audio commentaries for films... they almost never have nearly enough to info to convey so they wind up filibustering for most of the run time. These should be on-camera interviews (or visual essays if they prefer), but labels think audio commentaries look better when they release the specs, so everybody winds up losing. But now I'm ranting; these guys actually do a better job than most. I just wish labels would re-think their strategies a little.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgwZKjsCyIFyecT8oRngo5K52y7joD8xVftApw5b54tCbkDDsBy6F5t2ZMVuLKk6Re5aP841Wb4VkFpxdrv4wdGvHNSaYten3b0ALKAv1_IHwMM75ZP-PfyxrXDsOol5XfWYA9wv8l76CucZHXpan5rqHWauzkAYfwRc23FzDUCHJoQiOGkBF7hJmaps/s1920/bdnots1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgwZKjsCyIFyecT8oRngo5K52y7joD8xVftApw5b54tCbkDDsBy6F5t2ZMVuLKk6Re5aP841Wb4VkFpxdrv4wdGvHNSaYten3b0ALKAv1_IHwMM75ZP-PfyxrXDsOol5XfWYA9wv8l76CucZHXpan5rqHWauzkAYfwRc23FzDUCHJoQiOGkBF7hJmaps/s800/bdnots1.png" width="400" /></a></div>Anyway, that's all of Amando de Ossorio's <i>Blind Dead</i> movies.
But it's not totally all of the <i>Blind Dead</i> movies. There are several
unofficial sequels and knock-offs that bear mentioning, including one
I'd even seriously recommend. Most of them not so much.<br /><br />First, there's <i>Cross Of the Devil</i>, which came out in 1975, the same year as <i>Seagulls</i>. It's written (but not directed) by Paul Naschy and clearly inspired by Ossorio's films. In it, the Templar Knights are ghosts, though they have very little screentime. Also, crucially, they're not blind or undead zombies. It's the most tenuous "unofficial sequel." It's a very talky ghost story, but the Templars do wear roughly the same outfits and ride their horses.<br /><br />Then there's <i>Mansion Of the Living Dead</i> from 1982. It's essentially a <b>Jess Franco </b>porno movie starring his wife, where four stewardesses have sex scenes in a hotel. But occasionally, hooded monks, clearly inspired by Ossorio's Templars, show up to rape them. For hardcore completists only.<br /><br />Then there are a couple shorts. There's <i>The Lost Script</i>, which I've already covered above. It's fun and worth checking out if you don't go in with serious expectations. And there's <i>Scream Of the Blind Dead</i>, which is a Full Moon short directed by <i>Fangoria</i>'s <b>Chris Alexander</b>. They describe it as an art film and a tribute, but that's just because they're stretching a couple minutes of footage into about 40 by playing with the colors, slow motion, etc. It's basically two women running around being chased by a guy dressed like one of the blind dead. The DVD comes out in February, but I'd avoid it.<br /><br />Things are getting warmer, though, with 2008's <i>Graveyard Of the Dead</i>, a.k.a. <i>Erotic Nights Of the Blind Dead</i>. It's basically a fan film, looks very amateurish, but is at least trying to be an actual <i>Blind Dead</i> film, as opposed to just cribbing from them like Naschy and Franco. They even stage a 14th century origin scene, like the originals. It's also pretty sleazy, with extended rape scenes and stuff, but that's actually fairly in keeping with the originals. So if you have a high tolerance for home-made, no budget stuff, it is on DVD.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVexQAOselx9vKPOBUTeRgepsra-KjNXwG1qfST6RCNyro4OD_lcxASKaAlxeDU1yU5AZDQM3BQfcPSbgb0n1uTvmx5RKPmgyuzIC45v3MDfcSKGgiyIOcV_jIpfdJU0IH_DysgCZDxpz3Ix1gKsgf9XMZIIFjZ7ApZQUB8ZQu7Ce10KRfaeMR9LIxZgI/s1920/bdcotbd.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVexQAOselx9vKPOBUTeRgepsra-KjNXwG1qfST6RCNyro4OD_lcxASKaAlxeDU1yU5AZDQM3BQfcPSbgb0n1uTvmx5RKPmgyuzIC45v3MDfcSKGgiyIOcV_jIpfdJU0IH_DysgCZDxpz3Ix1gKsgf9XMZIIFjZ7ApZQUB8ZQu7Ce10KRfaeMR9LIxZgI/s800/bdcotbd.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcgX1HyFcbM7Vm6Wozh82mF56D7KaUVHNs-aPXkjKqMXPGIXFKT2xyWirfN90Wry2Tc9I499BvCRTV5pO4G01W6D4_7iJou0KlpLQurUNMMgvv1tdjHN8uUBSibSqIdOcesgiHeobt_APjuGelw1-0r7zyIV35IDspHYJMIxHcbxIEDea6YijgYuQLuLI/s3058/bd2023.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3058" data-original-width="2781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcgX1HyFcbM7Vm6Wozh82mF56D7KaUVHNs-aPXkjKqMXPGIXFKT2xyWirfN90Wry2Tc9I499BvCRTV5pO4G01W6D4_7iJou0KlpLQurUNMMgvv1tdjHN8uUBSibSqIdOcesgiHeobt_APjuGelw1-0r7zyIV35IDspHYJMIxHcbxIEDea6YijgYuQLuLI/s800/bd2023.png" width="160" /></a></div>But finally, of much better quality is 2020's <i>Curse Of the Blind Dead</i>.
It's actually a professionally made feature film, and a proper sequel,
as opposed to a rip-off, putting Ossorio in the opening credits, using
the classic theme music and following the continuity as much as any of
these movies can. The 14th century prologue looks better than any of
the originals ever did, and the practical gore is through the roof.
It's Italian, by the same guy who did <i>Morituris (Legion Of the Dead)</i>
about the zombie gladiators. As such, English isn't everybody's first
language, so the acting is all over the place. And that's not the only
flaw... It's slow, taking a long time to get to the blind dead attacks,
although Ossorio often did the same thing, with a lot of set-up and
other villains besides the Templars. So I think that's deliberate.
Also, these zombies are more robust. They don't run, but they also
don't creep and lurch like the originals (although they do ride their
horses in slow-mo just like the old ones).<br /><br />It's available on DVR from Uncork'd here in the states, but Germany has a proper blu-ray release. It's uncut in 2.40:1, with both the English and German 5.1 tracks in DTS-HD with optional English subtitles. For extras, it just has the trailer, in English and German, plus a couple bonus trailers. But look how nicely it fits with the other BDs, and the original bonus disc, in the famous Blue Underground box - it's the perfect <i>Blind Dead</i> set for the giving season. Do it for Santa!<br />John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-13789752835641102972023-12-07T13:35:00.002-05:002023-12-08T15:24:34.491-05:00Dawn Of the Mummy's On Blu-ray!?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv37cTsEkApv3SUwCc7mvrR3blSNPvU4wBPUtPX9I8cBNHXl1L28DkhJo5rHxUS71oFG2GeNZn7fIxtwQRDBmb0AKawAt27AjxAAF8LXfHo0r-AwNHS7Fr8X9SWpQvjzx-1O8uNrde5BZ7KJ_6hMVj2yE5aeNGkbuMVs6fdwuWLUdFH1WWeZTxbGQv2Mo/s4157/dawnotm.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1900" data-original-width="4157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv37cTsEkApv3SUwCc7mvrR3blSNPvU4wBPUtPX9I8cBNHXl1L28DkhJo5rHxUS71oFG2GeNZn7fIxtwQRDBmb0AKawAt27AjxAAF8LXfHo0r-AwNHS7Fr8X9SWpQvjzx-1O8uNrde5BZ7KJ_6hMVj2yE5aeNGkbuMVs6fdwuWLUdFH1WWeZTxbGQv2Mo/s0/dawnotm.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>I was talking on a forum recently about <i>Dawn Of the Mummy</i>, saying how the UK disc is so much better, with the anamorphic widescreen print and the commentary. But I've been thinking about that discussion for the last couple days. Was the UK disc really so much better? I was operating from some pretty old memories. It was time to break out both versions and give 'em the full <span style="color: #800180;">DVDExotica </span>treatment.<br /><br /><u><span style="color: #800180;">Update 9/30/15 - 12/7/23:</span></u> Wow, I had no idea this was coming out on blu-ray! I just popped onto Diabolik one day and there it was, in stock. So I pounced.<br />
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If you've never seen <i>Dawn</i>, don't let its title and artwork fool you. This is not one of those mummy movies where a bunch of stuffy English professors stand around in a drawing room warning each other about the mummy they'll finally confront in the last five minutes. This has more in common with <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/LucioFulci">Fulci</a> </b>than Hammer or the Universal classics. It's not Italian, though; it's an Egyptian movie in English with some American stars. The set-up is traditional: in ancient Egypt, a king is buried with his treasures and a curse. Cut to modern times and an American is excavating the tomb with his local guides. So naturally the mummy wakes up and is out for blood.<br />
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But things start to get very 80s when a group of attractive young models stumble into the same pyramid, looking to smoke, screw and have a photo shoot. And the mummy, who's a freakishly tall, bad-ass looking mummy, also happens to command an army of the dead: pure zombie flesh eaters. Everyone winds up at an outdoor Egyptian wedding in a small village, and it's practically war between the living and the dead. Things move at a pretty good clip here; you won't be bored at long, dry scenes of exposition. It gets right down to the exploitation. And while this movie definitely looks and feels cheap, it's also got some pretty impressive production values. The film was shot in both NY and Egypt. Some interiors are shot on sound-stages, but they're often out riding on horses and camels in and around real pyramids. And the special effects for the mummy, the kills and explosions are all pretty strong. The acting and the dialogue are a little dodgier, but that almost adds to the fun.<br />
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So <i>Dawn Of the Mummy</i> was released in both the US and the UK in 2003. Only Anchor Bay's UK disc had the anamorphic widescreen transfer, though, so the word was out avoid Madacy's US DVD. But looking back at my UK disc, it's not too pretty either. Fortunately, in 2023, CMV Laservision has released it on BD (and DVD, as part of a mediabook combopack) in Germany. It includes two cuts: uncut and the German theatrical version.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1tKBgwJafTuEqtpSB3_vMGF34AKDsMiSuoSGSpdQwCnZta49SomrPSgGpVprSKZI_lNMGHGXyJTW32J6UIYMTSkn3hSjzWdNGKW9Rxvjehf6-3iv7FQUmbneyedDM0dro1kiqeHt6SU/s0/dawnotmc1mad.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1tKBgwJafTuEqtpSB3_vMGF34AKDsMiSuoSGSpdQwCnZta49SomrPSgGpVprSKZI_lNMGHGXyJTW32J6UIYMTSkn3hSjzWdNGKW9Rxvjehf6-3iv7FQUmbneyedDM0dro1kiqeHt6SU/s800/dawnotmc1mad.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> Madacy DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> AB FS DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> ABWS DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">4)</span> CMV Uncut BD;<br /><span style="color: #800180;">5)</span> CMV Theatrical BD; <span style="color: #800180;">6)</span> CMV Uncut DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">7)</span> CMV Theatrical DVD.<br /></span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_4xhNTodSjiNknIH4xu5IRTCtBIRlq85Q46FaOkMuKzch_2HDlRUteBb2xKhwL2lvNwQYZ1XbJNHQY3f8NtaACWmhKE_d3ZGb1f8EyrSXdJzoOvtJ47Cji3PAC2VEjZ7Opyv42q_aO2zCN8s01QfCbIcepy0RnHvAsWAHbAU1K-tqcwSQvI2zR5qY9k/s1376/dawnotmc2gdt2001.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0_4xhNTodSjiNknIH4xu5IRTCtBIRlq85Q46FaOkMuKzch_2HDlRUteBb2xKhwL2lvNwQYZ1XbJNHQY3f8NtaACWmhKE_d3ZGb1f8EyrSXdJzoOvtJ47Cji3PAC2VEjZ7Opyv42q_aO2zCN8s01QfCbIcepy0RnHvAsWAHbAU1K-tqcwSQvI2zR5qY9k/s800/dawnotmc2gdt2001.png" width="400" /></a></div>Let's start with the fact that Anchor Bay gave you a choice: even before the main menu, you get to pick 4:3 or 16x9. The 4:3, on both Madacy and AB is open matte, about 1.30:1, not a pan & scanned or chopped off sides deal. The widescreen is slightly pillarboxed to about 1.72:1.
All three transfers are actually ugly, murky, soft videotape-looking images. The two Anchor Bays are identical except of course for the matting. But the Anchor Bay and Madacy transfers are noticeably different. They both basically have one big, unique flaw, in addition to the aforementioned ugly, murkiness they share. Madacy has stronger colors and is a bit brighter, though it's also slightly black crushed. But mainly, it just looks softer and even more VHS-like. Anchor Bay is a little duller, more film-like with additional visible detail - and it looks like they cleaned off some flecks and dirt - but it has a serious interlacing problem.<br /><br />Now, I came into CMV's new blu with low expectations. I figured if they just
fixed the interlacing, removed a smidgen of the DVD's compression and
didn't botch anything, I'd be happy. Turns out they did more than
that. But only for their BD, which seems to utilize a new HD scan.
Their DVD features two junky old transfers reminiscent of Madacy and
AB, though at least they're not interlaced. Their fullscreen DVD is 1.32:1 and looks similar to the AB disc, maybe a teensy bit clearer, and their widescreen DVD is slightly windowboxed to 1.77:1, cropping even a little tighter than AB, but otherwise looking just like it minus the interlacing.<br /><br />The blus, however (both blu-ray transfers have the same basic transfer) are pillarboxed to 1.66:1 and are so much clearer and more detailed. This is clearly a whole new scan and looks so much better. Damage, cigarette burns, etc have also either been cleaned up, or just weren't present on the source CMV used. The color timing, however, is all over the place. Some shots look great, others have elevated black levels (the swim scene at the oasis is particularly egregious) and overall, it just feels like we're jumping between different sources, which to some extent, we actually are.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkObhOHvqCEhBWPpYgA3-avv9RlVkfCXzbyE5WOugu2Bl9I7OB0p_U7ROabVSwsFDQMtBN1uJmdG_24GXIkECyPKzm_fBqQfoApFW2-IqeT2xQHXeRj5m-KlQJVf-9axTlp363YkR5PxI2pi0M6eED1YS0KrAuhd_7cisgr08oNgrKU3pV8lADBYEFhG8/s1788/dawnotmvideoinsert.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1788" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkObhOHvqCEhBWPpYgA3-avv9RlVkfCXzbyE5WOugu2Bl9I7OB0p_U7ROabVSwsFDQMtBN1uJmdG_24GXIkECyPKzm_fBqQfoApFW2-IqeT2xQHXeRj5m-KlQJVf-9axTlp363YkR5PxI2pi0M6eED1YS0KrAuhd_7cisgr08oNgrKU3pV8lADBYEFhG8/s800/dawnotmvideoinsert.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">CMV Uncut BD.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>The theatrical version is cut by six minutes, and the uncut blu uses the same HD transfer with SD inserts composited in. Above, you can see the lower insert quality; this is the shot where it really looks the worst. It's still not interlaced, and the inserts generally don't stand out too badly from the rest of the footage in motion. Or, at least, the color timing shifts stand out far more than any fluctuations in image quality. But make no mistake, the blu is still a big step forward from the DVDs (just look at the grill on the jeep, for example, and now un-noisy it is for the first time on the BD), and some shots look really impressive, even if grain is still light even at the best of times.<br /><br />All three discs include the original English mono for the uncut version, with Anchor Bay also offering an exclusive 5.1 remix. Disappointingly, the BD audio tracks are lossy, just like the past DVDs, though the new ones are a bit cleaner. I also have to point out that the German theatrical BD is not English friendly at all, but that's no great
loss, since it's the cut version. And the cut version on CMV's DVD does include both audio tracks if you're that curious. None of these releases include English subtitles, and only CMV's uncut blu has optional/ removable German subs for the insert shots.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5PJ0h2sO3l3Sx4g0mItvHLKPx3kuXCyo0sc7XtutQvmmARAmJ-jidg1x2kkh3yRHkG4VgMvtD_4UXbebc60mSxDzOmxzR_BYOG5nC0NNo2f4uP-917yGBRNdwXcvD-sRbY33vLTxiAw/s0/dawnotm4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5PJ0h2sO3l3Sx4g0mItvHLKPx3kuXCyo0sc7XtutQvmmARAmJ-jidg1x2kkh3yRHkG4VgMvtD_4UXbebc60mSxDzOmxzR_BYOG5nC0NNo2f4uP-917yGBRNdwXcvD-sRbY33vLTxiAw/s800/dawnotm4.png" width="400" /></a></div>
The other surprise for me was that Madacy also had the commentary on it.
The primary extra on both discs is a light but very illuminating
commentary by director <b>Frank Agrama</b> and moderated by the guy from Dark Delicacies (they're the people who got my <a href="http://dvdexotica.blogspot.com/2015/06/lets-get-exhaustive-with-crystal-lake.html"><i>Crystal Lake Memories</i></a>
blu-ray autographed!). You don't find a lot of Egyptian horror flicks
on your video store shelves, so it's good to have such a detailed
account of this film's history. But that commentary is pretty much all
there is. Madacy's only other extra is a bonus trailer for some movie
called <i>Road Ends</i>. Anchor Bay at least has the actual <i>Dawn Of the Mummy</i>
trailer, which is worth a watch for some fun narration ("Egypt, home of
the pyramids. A nice place to visit... but would you want to DIE
there?"). But that and a photo gallery are the only other extras. Oh,
and Anchor Bay has a nice, fold-out insert. All told, a tiny
improvement, but nothing to go out of your way for.<br /><br />CMV keeps the commentary (for the uncut version only) and the trailer, but that's basically all there is, at least for English speaking audiences. They actually recorded a new commentary with an expert (for the uncut BD only), but it's in German with no subtitles. They also included a German dub of the trailer (in addition to the English one), an image gallery and a couple bonus trailers. Plus, as a mediabook, it includes the full-color pages, though of course that's all in German, too.<br /><br />There are two limited edition covers. The one I have, pictured at the top, is limited to 444 individually numbered copies (mine is #134). And the other, which uses the same imagery as the AB disc, is limited to 666.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9mqGE9Ais3s8FOaDlqq8IINMgAuD1QD-MoTRm8Ozg1UhHmIG8BT4uS5A3m29nGpi4AXoYXPwX0j0tLnxGCEOd7Nxg2XO1vKIKeyv5W6CImVVgeHlF82njL2vSe2D_0dYvInpNr2kYVE0/s0/dawnotm6.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9mqGE9Ais3s8FOaDlqq8IINMgAuD1QD-MoTRm8Ozg1UhHmIG8BT4uS5A3m29nGpi4AXoYXPwX0j0tLnxGCEOd7Nxg2XO1vKIKeyv5W6CImVVgeHlF82njL2vSe2D_0dYvInpNr2kYVE0/s800/dawnotm6.png" width="400" /></a></div>
So Anchor Bay's <i>Dawn</i>, though preferable to the Madacy disc, wasn't the vastly superior
presentation I remembered it being. But both are ugly as sin and were in serious need of an upgrade. And CMV's new edition, though far from perfect (really, they couldn't give us the audio in DTS-HD?), delivers that upgrade. This is not up to the quality of a label like Arrow or Vinegar Syndrome, but it's infinitely more watchable than the DVDs. And it's a very fun movie that's absolutely worth having in your collection, so you might want to wait and see a little bit, if a US or UK release turns out to be just around the corner. But if not, you should definitely pick this one up.<br />John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-7093680979992377622023-12-06T08:28:00.000-05:002023-12-06T08:28:10.439-05:00Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice & DVD & Blu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEeJCzC1zLZn-g_8lYW2xgq4gTUSsNG_i3AZfDFdV9MMq21p_gMXomhbb0m-r07egprFuDfoO4H0rAP2fORaNF06RDbW9FWpw8YivHWnCEERh76nlB3NibL_2YkWMsSrccFTDzKyvBNTGk-_WBxtBO2IgDJBwhC6aA9uYr7nU065sO4ze0vOGHCR2zFsE/s3307/bobacataas.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2096" data-original-width="3307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEeJCzC1zLZn-g_8lYW2xgq4gTUSsNG_i3AZfDFdV9MMq21p_gMXomhbb0m-r07egprFuDfoO4H0rAP2fORaNF06RDbW9FWpw8YivHWnCEERh76nlB3NibL_2YkWMsSrccFTDzKyvBNTGk-_WBxtBO2IgDJBwhC6aA9uYr7nU065sO4ze0vOGHCR2zFsE/s0/bobacataas.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>If you've never seen <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/PaulMazursky">Paul Mazursky</a></b>'s <i>Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice</i>
before, I can understand being disinclined to. It's from the 60s, has
that cutesy poster, starts out in the "new age" clinic where everybody's
hugging each other... it all looks super dated, like one of those
movies that may've had its moment in the past, but can be left right there in
the past, too. But no, actually, it's great and holds up just as well
today as ever. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2XozxEi127R4O-m3o0LZ7oZLCAW2EofO8kIy01f65umwQwCqFdUPeZMXuoAzgkoCGW7TQIHOJEiCIzqeBd0aN_xL6j5pf5tYgwFmKVyh4Xm7gzGcIsdUadAmSMoqP7yd7DNll6psK0VBr9VUh2_jYvL5SBuez3keAuUD688b3QkEsmoiScuUH6X86Bqs/s1920/bobacataa1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2XozxEi127R4O-m3o0LZ7oZLCAW2EofO8kIy01f65umwQwCqFdUPeZMXuoAzgkoCGW7TQIHOJEiCIzqeBd0aN_xL6j5pf5tYgwFmKVyh4Xm7gzGcIsdUadAmSMoqP7yd7DNll6psK0VBr9VUh2_jYvL5SBuez3keAuUD688b3QkEsmoiScuUH6X86Bqs/s800/bobacataa1.png" width="400" /></a></div>Everything it's really satirizing is just as pertinent now as it was then. Any fad psychology at play is dealing with the same inherently existential issues in relationships we face today. It's witty and incisive, like the best of <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/WoodyAllen"><b>Allen</b></a>, <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/AlbertBrooks">Brooks</a></b> or <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/NoahBaumbach"><b>Baumbach</b></a>, with more depth than much of his later, more obvious comedies. And the ensemble cast is brilliant. I mean, you should expect that from <b>Elliot Gould</b> and maybe <b>Natalie Wood</b>, but <b>Dyan Cannon</b> is really on top of the humor of her character and <b>Robert Culp</b>, primarily known for milquetoast television series like <i>I Spy</i> (keep your eyes pealed for <b>Bill Cosby</b> cameo!) and <i>The Greatest American Hero</i> is surprisingly nuanced. Unfortunately, I don't think anything else in his long filmography has ever asked as much of him, because it turns out he's really adept. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEiXfbMXMnOwqU1QZoFPFivvpR_9OLg8NcNLzvKIDtZLLY_v_X-6ypdBSMoB4tEvIN6OFg5dypzcYwGVCSq9ox_bR8vMZLjN8T7bTnsymHzuyvsB3dvmiEkw0zMIw_f_untaK-Wz_31vDzcHWNaySsyCjuD5fahzCupul_qzjHIjTrR4fOJ009UetQq_8/s1920/bobacataa3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEiXfbMXMnOwqU1QZoFPFivvpR_9OLg8NcNLzvKIDtZLLY_v_X-6ypdBSMoB4tEvIN6OFg5dypzcYwGVCSq9ox_bR8vMZLjN8T7bTnsymHzuyvsB3dvmiEkw0zMIw_f_untaK-Wz_31vDzcHWNaySsyCjuD5fahzCupul_qzjHIjTrR4fOJ009UetQq_8/s800/bobacataa3.png" width="400" /></a></div><i>Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice</i>'s life on home video is has
been pretty straight forward. Columbia Tri-Star originally released it
as a pretty decent special edition DVD in 2004. It got released a
couple of times... once as a 2008 triple feature with two unrelated
films, and once in 2010 by Image. But it was always the same disc. It
finally hit blu-ray in 2018 from Twilight Time in the US, and Arrow
Academy in the UK, with a couple more extras.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnEAjjdcX2-OdA_Pj2M_4uB1XVj6-hqQQXTKgZCcU5W0xkZ1pFaE586Z3M8odBXOoZwuaMcZ_FUXotih6EwqWgUT1qX0XZH1UcR3So7atHyJUVJPRdp0fD6O-_21PNlZKgVhZYPRvoGTJTYTj8o_5JRCZIKlx2Kc_fDpCNJ_2m14JH5SG7sUXgX-lY0A/s1920/bobacataac1a3507.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnEAjjdcX2-OdA_Pj2M_4uB1XVj6-hqQQXTKgZCcU5W0xkZ1pFaE586Z3M8odBXOoZwuaMcZ_FUXotih6EwqWgUT1qX0XZH1UcR3So7atHyJUVJPRdp0fD6O-_21PNlZKgVhZYPRvoGTJTYTj8o_5JRCZIKlx2Kc_fDpCNJ_2m14JH5SG7sUXgX-lY0A/s800/bobacataac1a3507.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2004 Columbia Tri-Star DVD top; 2018 Arrow BD bottom.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPGR1TGgQtTQnvK__OSz-cSm5qSuUg2L5MDvji0F1h7mcGSY4lvkGIPGBzC-Sr5eCiYdSfxLi6iinWy2OJm73ayqnOizZwKdQYG1wqqE8Fw5HHeTvgiaeLCemlIdE7SeJAa1rizEpGh_tslE4JNysKsv5FH7IQPan5GOO25KoUydnQZp6AlCGG1cAMh4c/s1920/bobacataac1b3507.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPGR1TGgQtTQnvK__OSz-cSm5qSuUg2L5MDvji0F1h7mcGSY4lvkGIPGBzC-Sr5eCiYdSfxLi6iinWy2OJm73ayqnOizZwKdQYG1wqqE8Fw5HHeTvgiaeLCemlIdE7SeJAa1rizEpGh_tslE4JNysKsv5FH7IQPan5GOO25KoUydnQZp6AlCGG1cAMh4c/s800/bobacataac1b3507.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqFugTaP3x5JTZAm_oW1jcWA26GlqFx2vkf1DUhgz-GM8dWYUzHyuygqLuIMeBpOt-kbgBOFbRPeYnqHU_MDXBf-YOG2c2YWNcuVRg9NS8UnnX3Ax6Qd6AvoF4pInKfNRA6hjFRAjoxTQEMlJRAgKUyQNIC0tIftXkEaee06rVY0LbVjxlfxrZH-Szm4/s1883/bobacataac2a5529.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1043" data-original-width="1883" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqFugTaP3x5JTZAm_oW1jcWA26GlqFx2vkf1DUhgz-GM8dWYUzHyuygqLuIMeBpOt-kbgBOFbRPeYnqHU_MDXBf-YOG2c2YWNcuVRg9NS8UnnX3Ax6Qd6AvoF4pInKfNRA6hjFRAjoxTQEMlJRAgKUyQNIC0tIftXkEaee06rVY0LbVjxlfxrZH-Szm4/s800/bobacataac2a5529.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33D84QRlf2yXdyV9SoNuk6LrDwaaiZ877aOdxHYUvhIN4jr84m0bkWmLvhv_nba_RWzfxkBgmEW6xUAHW0o7fPzlASIy2sWXjxbk867xQFPhnEyQSuU5VTCleRrlHCDJNYRL0LfHSE__0KxU679zOJtVUlWOfKeIHnn5OzZ6wKpdZXB7AMsrTbJ6LV0o/s1920/bobacataac2b5529.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33D84QRlf2yXdyV9SoNuk6LrDwaaiZ877aOdxHYUvhIN4jr84m0bkWmLvhv_nba_RWzfxkBgmEW6xUAHW0o7fPzlASIy2sWXjxbk867xQFPhnEyQSuU5VTCleRrlHCDJNYRL0LfHSE__0KxU679zOJtVUlWOfKeIHnn5OzZ6wKpdZXB7AMsrTbJ6LV0o/s800/bobacataac2b5529.png" width="400" /></a></div>Arrow's
case calls this a "brand new restoration from original film elements by
Sony Pictures," and you can tell. The aspect ratio is corrected from
1.80:1 to 1.85:1, effectively by lifting the slight pillarboxing the DVD
had in the overscan area (I left the negative space around the first
set of shots so you can see) and correcting a barely perceptible
vertical stretch. The whole DVD had a slight washed look to it, so now
the BD has slightly bolder colors and higher contrast with brighter
highlights and distinctly blacker blacks. They're clearly using a whole
new master for the blu, which is much clearer, free of the DVD's light
edge enhancement and with crisply captured grain, which is barely even
hinted at on the old disc. The DVD only had slight damage, but it's
been cleaned up on the blu (note the black spot on Dyan Cannon's collar
only in the first of the second set of shots).<br /><br />Both discs have
the the original mono with optional English subtitles. The DVD also had
Japanese subtitles, and the blu bumps the audio up to LPCM.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnCGbhFI07LdU5Eei1uo900_ahK7tkOzYY7JVnTgMu0n4xLkY7M2XsRKCoeHBNgwmQZ1Awu7puds6tRMV4OyIOgYkTheaudRfp_KHtpYGrKnUgC90s767tq53rRy_ljSayIv9zMBvkLSe-J-KhbYWjqvO9dVRP2faBCY3TBxaoMlC9DeyBad0dt1Hi7Q/s1920/bobacataae.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnCGbhFI07LdU5Eei1uo900_ahK7tkOzYY7JVnTgMu0n4xLkY7M2XsRKCoeHBNgwmQZ1Awu7puds6tRMV4OyIOgYkTheaudRfp_KHtpYGrKnUgC90s767tq53rRy_ljSayIv9zMBvkLSe-J-KhbYWjqvO9dVRP2faBCY3TBxaoMlC9DeyBad0dt1Hi7Q/s800/bobacataae.png" width="400" /></a></div>Columbia already had some pretty strong extras, primarily an audio
commentary by Mazursky and the three surviving stars. It's a pretty
great and informative reunion. There's also an on-camera interview with
Mazursky, where he's interviewed at a screening (enhanced by a few
additional soundbites from Mazursky filmed separately), which is a
little redundant at times, but fills in more of Mazursky's back story.
Besides that, there's just a couple bonus trailers.<br /><br />Arrow
thankfully hangs onto all of that, except the bonus trailers, and adds a
couple more experts into the mix. Australian critic <b>Adrian Martin</b> adds a second commentary, which is pretty interesting, and critic <b>David Cairns</b>
provides a nice little overview in visual essay form, although if
you've already watched all the other extras, a lot of what he's saying
will be sounding pretty familiar. The original Columbia features are
the important must-watch stuff, but at least Arrow makes you feel like
you're getting more. Their release also includes reversible artwork.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4FAwW33voZUhBT1mbYtRlUMLDYrlYtokeqWKlH9YxvfvZYLSwPuES0OZY3zDXrWwAjt3SwUa0xWAR4StHco_YVwrGK3MLUZbKEnwmriNWszlaMQtk3xMLz7dMHHGWR6RvY1g0UaCBBpDr-u7QNroOKzTVXFoHR2cNExRMBeHTXa3O1lBHqYhoOklQUg/s1920/bobacataa5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4FAwW33voZUhBT1mbYtRlUMLDYrlYtokeqWKlH9YxvfvZYLSwPuES0OZY3zDXrWwAjt3SwUa0xWAR4StHco_YVwrGK3MLUZbKEnwmriNWszlaMQtk3xMLz7dMHHGWR6RvY1g0UaCBBpDr-u7QNroOKzTVXFoHR2cNExRMBeHTXa3O1lBHqYhoOklQUg/s800/bobacataa5.png" width="400" /></a></div>Man, I miss Arrow Academy. Although, to be fair, Twilight
Time's blu is probably just as good. I don't have it, but I'm pretty
certain both blus are using the same restoration. It's missing the
visual essay, but it has one of TT's signature isolated score tracks
instead. So either way. But hey, Twilight Time's gone, too. And the
fewer labels like those we have just means the fewer films like these we
see get releases at all, let alone high quality ones like this. And
that's a shame, because this is a masterwork that's worth a spot in
anyone's collection.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-90401840250988474112023-11-30T05:37:00.001-05:002023-11-30T05:41:48.778-05:00The Definitive Tales From the Darkside<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwn_v64rhYVeAVGZyctIqIZGJWOrDFDhWJrHzV-WzpLykUpQtPkd1gPwDoCViVKTmDHvDLQ7rUkWd57IKyLzeksPbCd6b6WCPaqXVcwUOQ3CpVpJGupAuQ0cOrRrW0LzYh15Ou7txmUhyphenhyphenXfkhc4JJ_HS_FjufTVdiT51sVsoPHDscfFk0rjRO5tX-CWjE/s5637/talesftds.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2412" data-original-width="5637" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwn_v64rhYVeAVGZyctIqIZGJWOrDFDhWJrHzV-WzpLykUpQtPkd1gPwDoCViVKTmDHvDLQ7rUkWd57IKyLzeksPbCd6b6WCPaqXVcwUOQ3CpVpJGupAuQ0cOrRrW0LzYh15Ou7txmUhyphenhyphenXfkhc4JJ_HS_FjufTVdiT51sVsoPHDscfFk0rjRO5tX-CWjE/s0/talesftds.jpg" width="498" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Charm;">"Man lives in the sunlit world of what he believes to be reality. But there is, unseen by most, an underworld, a place that is just as real, but not as brightly lit... a dark side."</span></span> So spoke the syndicated narration of the notorious horror series <i>Tales From the Darkside</i> every school night after I was supposed to be in bed. Curiously, however, the words are never uttered in its subsequent, official feature film, 1990's <i>Tales From the Darkside: The Movie</i>.<br /><br /><u><span style="color: #800180;">Update 9/7/20 - 11/30/23:</span></u> Three years feels a little fast for a double-dip of the same movie from the same movie, but what the heck? Scream Factory has now updated <i>Tales </i>with to UHD with an all new scan, so let's see how it looks.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNRo6iUBkOg5towG3s_oExTzJpr1fYNZ1uhTJGl96nXakscokXyGhWhGmONOogU5G0Cws4nvVlt2XQn88lkEsyuI_iA1ktXbdLpkC1dQOTQTeZSfXoLdvJZATlMYiYUTOuCidX8_s2cFo/s1920/talesftd2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNRo6iUBkOg5towG3s_oExTzJpr1fYNZ1uhTJGl96nXakscokXyGhWhGmONOogU5G0Cws4nvVlt2XQn88lkEsyuI_iA1ktXbdLpkC1dQOTQTeZSfXoLdvJZATlMYiYUTOuCidX8_s2cFo/s800/talesftd2.png" width="400" /></a></div>Like the show, this film is a horror anthology, very much in the vein of <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2016/08/just-desserts-and-ultimate-creepshow.html"><i>Creepshow</i></a>. That's because it's <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/GeorgeRomero"><b>George Romero</b></a> and co again, still working with <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/StephenKing"><b>Stephen King</b></a>. In fact, the <i>Tales </i>series was originally conceived as a <i>Creepshow </i>show, but they dropped the IP and comic book angle due to rights conflicts. In fact, I'd say this is an even better unofficial follow-up than the proper <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2017/02/controversial-blus-is-arrows-creepshow.html"><i>Creepshow 2</i></a>. This time it's three stories, plus a wraparound (deflatingly titled "The Wraparound"). The writing, production values, style, music and cast are all on fire this time around. The highlight is definitely Romero's adaptation of a King short story where <b>Buster Pointdexter</b> is surprisingly effective as a hitman hired to kill <i>Darkside</i> alum <b>William Hickey</b>'s cat. But the opener, a clever mummy story very much in the EC vein starring <b>Christian Slater</b> (who got his start in an episode of <i>Tales</i>), <b>Steve Buscemi</b> and <b>Julianne Moore</b>, is almost as great. The weakest link is a the last story, which tries and fails to invest you in a flat and very 80s love story, playing like <b>Scorsese</b>'s <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2016/03/scorsese-coppola-allen-rescued-by-mill.html"><i>New York Stories</i></a> segment minus all the drama. But even that one's got a super cool, life-size animatronic monster and a charming supporting appearance by<b> Robert Klein</b>. This worst segment could be a lot of movies' best.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqhkSHNo0aOW5b9SJ2Kr7-0yChUPU9OCQ5dwD5BgiySQHL0k2R6kY1UcsAjVvSxT9J11VxdQ_OxFa0M5ITrspOw6msdaKrWWhtmA5j4enEjl8BtRW9ymWazWXLOYvNFNa6RS8SEwIjB2U/s1920/talesftd3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqhkSHNo0aOW5b9SJ2Kr7-0yChUPU9OCQ5dwD5BgiySQHL0k2R6kY1UcsAjVvSxT9J11VxdQ_OxFa0M5ITrspOw6msdaKrWWhtmA5j4enEjl8BtRW9ymWazWXLOYvNFNa6RS8SEwIjB2U/s800/talesftd3.png" width="400" /></a></div><i>Tales From the Darkside: The Movie </i>debuted on DVD from Paramount in 2001. It's been reissued a few times over the years (there was the burning book cover in 2006 and a 3-disc triple feature with <i>Graveyard Shift </i>and <i>April Fool's Day</i> in 2007), but it's always been the same disc. Which was actually pretty fine: anamorphic widescreen with an audio commentary by George Romero and director <b>John Harrison</b>. But it's been calling out for an HD upgrade for a long time, and preferably a more substantial special edition to boot, and Scream Factory finally answered the call in the summer of 2020 with their new collector's edition - the film's long-awaited blu-ray debut. And now, in 2023, they've already updated it to a new BD/ UHD combo pack with a fresh scan and everything, so even the two 1080p blus should be different.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAugb15tHEEfeetOxdJh7dsild77HQcId-5Ls-8MFjm2hAWxsyDlJEs-7MRaVCY0XF0O6cyb5wpBcvmU6SF7hCfdWXMWg_CdfPbGs05UnaqtttE9WZgCEdHXKyRVRjqziKnnL3RFXvynw/s1920/talesftdc1a2520.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAugb15tHEEfeetOxdJh7dsild77HQcId-5Ls-8MFjm2hAWxsyDlJEs-7MRaVCY0XF0O6cyb5wpBcvmU6SF7hCfdWXMWg_CdfPbGs05UnaqtttE9WZgCEdHXKyRVRjqziKnnL3RFXvynw/s800/talesftdc1a2520.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2001 US Paramount DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2020 US Scream Factory BD;<br /><span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 2023 US Scream Factory BD; <span style="color: #800180;">4)</span> 2023 US Scream Factory UHD.</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUIFty8PEGXPisQqt9NKz2C7U7l4VCwcojNdeiXEOnd54vbCWoD225i5Sl8DRqoJKOswAvLcTPUyynOi4EoHAhFiZ9HaU1E1FMoo_xCeVESIW12JkJxCiMxckUknah_zCWZD7EaiGq5So/s1920/talesftdc1b2521.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUIFty8PEGXPisQqt9NKz2C7U7l4VCwcojNdeiXEOnd54vbCWoD225i5Sl8DRqoJKOswAvLcTPUyynOi4EoHAhFiZ9HaU1E1FMoo_xCeVESIW12JkJxCiMxckUknah_zCWZD7EaiGq5So/s800/talesftdc1b2521.png" width="400" /><br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj139jS6Xtv1VHaECIPdd5QcxxwdxpnIbBNMnhEkG703oBtAZsg4fyQn1M41xgqpcv2aZ6aHjNfXQPR2LmpvgaDI3P10ZDAFJPGlizgXruEUpklYKc8_UKD-mKzDU7AmHHM4Jc9yPVFkB3wo0n_ke-bUK1h3GIzvXcDMWKKkIN4negcyeNAqirVgWnyz-o/s1920/talesftdc1c2523.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1037" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj139jS6Xtv1VHaECIPdd5QcxxwdxpnIbBNMnhEkG703oBtAZsg4fyQn1M41xgqpcv2aZ6aHjNfXQPR2LmpvgaDI3P10ZDAFJPGlizgXruEUpklYKc8_UKD-mKzDU7AmHHM4Jc9yPVFkB3wo0n_ke-bUK1h3GIzvXcDMWKKkIN4negcyeNAqirVgWnyz-o/s800/talesftdc1c2523.png" width="400" /><br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzRPU12XdnRdphwuhLox1fRDXnViZrqPK9Q60X-38iLkU7GnO7aJlasl7h6J9TTQvvCdk0QhD1pGxeDGqWFLx163F85AM59SGr_wdj5tLcjOpYmPHF71vmPECGiieFeGmAnVTsKKLo29QsmLM7GA5bpkemRLleMuBV3698sYrgiTxXW2GYNICI7nV-Xg/s3840/talesftdc1d2522.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2076" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpzRPU12XdnRdphwuhLox1fRDXnViZrqPK9Q60X-38iLkU7GnO7aJlasl7h6J9TTQvvCdk0QhD1pGxeDGqWFLx163F85AM59SGr_wdj5tLcjOpYmPHF71vmPECGiieFeGmAnVTsKKLo29QsmLM7GA5bpkemRLleMuBV3698sYrgiTxXW2GYNICI7nV-Xg/s800/talesftdc1d2522.png" width="400" /></a></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEqF8yLf2TMubWkXGVltVGv3-EHi-E1uFtaqQKN7C7DK-Mx6Tj39v_PwiG4K19wjtTM4Vap1AaZl4TjN9E8Y3U9KOvh3eMVQPWxDkHH687yOr_fCKe5xY0dDvOt5gPOloU1VE0ZogdN0/s1911/talesftdc2a10752.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1911" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEqF8yLf2TMubWkXGVltVGv3-EHi-E1uFtaqQKN7C7DK-Mx6Tj39v_PwiG4K19wjtTM4Vap1AaZl4TjN9E8Y3U9KOvh3eMVQPWxDkHH687yOr_fCKe5xY0dDvOt5gPOloU1VE0ZogdN0/s800/talesftdc2a10752.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPpESLY9Dmkrtn5hyOnbT31dFAaXXz7LHNKxCrF8p_rT0GV2EGiOEYenkGFjqehn6xwpxQoPiWVuOCr_tAxqo70vX3eraIV-5kiI9NSmxJkZjuHkEtjEWk3QrvuzPtmecHpqpOYP46m4s/s1920/talesftdc2b10753.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPpESLY9Dmkrtn5hyOnbT31dFAaXXz7LHNKxCrF8p_rT0GV2EGiOEYenkGFjqehn6xwpxQoPiWVuOCr_tAxqo70vX3eraIV-5kiI9NSmxJkZjuHkEtjEWk3QrvuzPtmecHpqpOYP46m4s/s800/talesftdc2b10753.png" width="400" /> <br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRb0l-IX6TmBJ99XCH0-uuNi43rg2hzfF_fmwb9HQvYMazZCOxmdW1O3xb9NGcXBeeB2GJaXKex2twb-IhB03sV-snc-Ko7DmqRAhHKDl_qhN6q9TYfreGPKsKBlNSexCfeNEjyCVwhZPVjsaOEg8sCS_qmYUc0XYDKosxCFtXB3LxyH1Itaqdg6PKtfE/s1920/talesftdc2c10754.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1037" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRb0l-IX6TmBJ99XCH0-uuNi43rg2hzfF_fmwb9HQvYMazZCOxmdW1O3xb9NGcXBeeB2GJaXKex2twb-IhB03sV-snc-Ko7DmqRAhHKDl_qhN6q9TYfreGPKsKBlNSexCfeNEjyCVwhZPVjsaOEg8sCS_qmYUc0XYDKosxCFtXB3LxyH1Itaqdg6PKtfE/s800/talesftdc2c10754.png" width="400" /> <br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLcXGIuZ2xHtcEC23nf8t3VhdlfoJ6xU30ERx4t05SJQS_a3HBOwE4zMVMiUz4LpDjB7f68hk1tZI65_IZekQ-5-lDNgfVcoYQDFRKUikjJZn9RNlMrHyb8naSjB5oIURjdi2J60R0ksbfDi5ip1wCf8txSKJy-SPZyqnnSph-NgIE9JnncEXliSosYo/s3840/talesftdc2d.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2076" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLcXGIuZ2xHtcEC23nf8t3VhdlfoJ6xU30ERx4t05SJQS_a3HBOwE4zMVMiUz4LpDjB7f68hk1tZI65_IZekQ-5-lDNgfVcoYQDFRKUikjJZn9RNlMrHyb8naSjB5oIURjdi2J60R0ksbfDi5ip1wCf8txSKJy-SPZyqnnSph-NgIE9JnncEXliSosYo/s800/talesftdc2d.png" width="400" /></a></div></div></div>Despite the many years between editions, this isn't that huge a leap in image quality. Again, for 2001 standards (and despite it's ugly cover), Paramount's DVD was pretty alright. It's anamorphic but not interlaced. And Scream's new disc seems to be using an old master, presumably the same old master, so we're not getting any fresh 2 or 4k revelations here. But that's not to say we haven't gained any ground. Scream properly mattes the film to 1.85:1, which Paramount had lazily just left at 1.78:1 (or, 1.77:1 strictly speaking, due to a little pillar-boxing on the left-hand side in the overscan area), and the brights are pulled down just a smidgen, making the contrast appear a little more natural. And we are still talking about the basic step from SD to HD, so compression noise is cleared up (you really see it around Julianne's hair!), edges are cleaner and grain is at least somewhat accounted for. <strike>It's disappointing Scream didn't spring for a new transfer, but it's still definite progress.</strike><br /><br />Oh look! Now they have sprung for a new transfer. I can kinda see why they didn't bother in 2019, since that transfer doesn't look so different from what we have now in 4k. Like we don't suddenly see a whole bunch of picture information we couldn't before, and the 1.85:1 composition is virtually identical (closely examine the bottom edge, and you'll see it's shifted very slightly). But there's no denying this is an improvement. Even when just comparing the two blu-rays, the new one really captures and renders all the grain, which was much spottier in 2019. The colors look a little more natural, if muted, on the new blu, but they come to life on the UHD. It's not exactly an explosion of saturation, but even subtle colors like the books on the shelf way behind Moore are more vivid now. More obvious, though, is detail that had previously been washed out in the brights, like the lampshade in the first set of shots, has been recovered on the new 2023 transfer.<br /><br />And here's another nice advantage with SF's new edition. The DVD features a new 5.1 remix that makes a lot of changes to the regular mix (which Harrison made himself and is quite happy with). So that's cool. But unfortunately, Paramount forced the choice on us by eliminating the original theatrical stereo track. But both of Scream's editions includes both, naturally bumping them up to lossless DTS-HD in the process. All four discs also include optional English subtitles.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7I1vmsl0I_HEqnFRsTbbnc7N9tM1ApHFJgAHsfJNMt4fYSpVFW6g80qdKShgAgbn29ccavVfehyphenhyphenZOgAQggrerk1HTaseVw05DmgSFzm2w08b6M9j_ZnYuvnKyJTjeYyS4Nioyvanbh4M/s1920/talesftd4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7I1vmsl0I_HEqnFRsTbbnc7N9tM1ApHFJgAHsfJNMt4fYSpVFW6g80qdKShgAgbn29ccavVfehyphenhyphenZOgAQggrerk1HTaseVw05DmgSFzm2w08b6M9j_ZnYuvnKyJTjeYyS4Nioyvanbh4M/s800/talesftd4.png" width="400" /></a></div>Again, Paramount's DVD wasn't completely unsatisfying in terms of special features either. Besides your basic trailer and chapter insert, they provided an audio commentary with Romero and Harrison. It starts a little slow, and at first you might be worried this is going to be one of those dry tracks with a lot of dead air. But soon enough they get into it, become much more conversational, and the insights don't stop until the final credit.<br /><br />Thankfully, Scream Factory has held onto that commentary (and the trailer). But they've also come up with a whole bunch more. The jewel in this crown is a new, feature length documentary from Red Shirt, that talks to pretty much all the major players in the crew (the director, producer, DP, set designer, all three <b>KNB </b>guys, the stunt man who played the monster and the stars of the final segment, <b>James Remar</b> & <b>Rae Dawn Chong</b>). It's arbitrarily broken up into six segments with no "Play All" option, but that's a tiny nitpick of a thorough and absorbing exploration of this film's origins and production. Also included is a new audio commentary with producer <b>David R. Kappes</b>, but perhaps should have been an on-camera interview rather than a commentary, since they rarely focus on what's happening on-screen. Finally, there's a fun collection of behind-the-scenes footage captured by KNB on VHS, a couple stills galleries, radio spots, TV spots, reversible artwork and a slipcover.<br /><br />Scream's 2023 hangs onto all of that and adds a new audio commentary by podcasters <b>Emily Higgins</b> and <b>Billy Dunham</b>, which I can't say I got much out of. They mostly just point out all of the things they like, and they liked everything. Even so, they managed to have consistent gaps of dead air in the back half of the film. So no real value added there. But this release does come in a much better slipcover using the classic artwork, so that's a plus.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCX6OU-chCBji74IbLrPEQIPdMO3EEJGmgTm4jmpzQwzl2c7InjQv0DaOlMp1Oljlb0t-0m2x3vz1eOWW6_PuZ4Ay6TK-R2N-cg-llHMN3UkwFANg1SM1gBNpdUuNFIdzXaYdHfqlA5UY/s1408/talesftds1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCX6OU-chCBji74IbLrPEQIPdMO3EEJGmgTm4jmpzQwzl2c7InjQv0DaOlMp1Oljlb0t-0m2x3vz1eOWW6_PuZ4Ay6TK-R2N-cg-llHMN3UkwFANg1SM1gBNpdUuNFIdzXaYdHfqlA5UY/s800/talesftds1.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2TXz6gpdiMaUwGTBevQWRqgxGYGjF-8RrhHhtOWTieYkEuAf1QjN58Pv5ffqTFj6waHAMbx6L8alr4SZUyc_DifRLGRvHxzaTxtjQU_8bnZt8SlYUAUFYsFYIBNYyOIMtFCQ59Ahnqho/s2048/talesftdtcs.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2TXz6gpdiMaUwGTBevQWRqgxGYGjF-8RrhHhtOWTieYkEuAf1QjN58Pv5ffqTFj6waHAMbx6L8alr4SZUyc_DifRLGRvHxzaTxtjQU_8bnZt8SlYUAUFYsFYIBNYyOIMtFCQ59Ahnqho/s800/talesftdtcs.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>But before I leave you, I'd also like to talk about the original <i>Tales From the Darkside</i>... the TV series, which ran from 1983-1988. It was originally released on DVD by Paramount season by season from 2008-2010, eventually combined into a boxed set in 2010. Paramount's since reissued the full series as a budget set in 2016, but apart from some funky casing (the disc trays don't actually connect to the outer shell, they just float inside it), it's the same 12 discs with the same extras, original disc labels and everything.<br /><br />As you'd expect from an anthology series, it's uneven. Some big name directors (Romero, <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/BobBalaban"><b>Bob Balaban</b></a>, <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/TomSavini"><b>Tom Savini</b></a>) and writers (Stephen King, <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/CliveBarker"><b>Clive Barker</b></a>, <b>Robert Bloch</b>) touch some episodes, but not many others. The show is surprisingly packed with stars... some stalwart character actors doing their normal runs though 80s television, some rising stars before they were famous, some industry friends, and some flashy "big gets." The production values are consistently low, though. Most episodes consist of two to four characters in a single, one-room set, and outside of a few showpiece episodes, even with the good ones, you can feel the crew was just pounding these episodes out at a breakneck pace. Some episodes go for a scary, horror atmosphere, others are quite silly; you never know what you'll get week to week, ranging from a delightful surprise to something pretty rough and tedious. <b>Kareem Abdul Jamar</b> could be playing a wacky genie or a young woman could be tormented by a small monster in <b>Fritz Weaver</b>'s creepy boarding house. In general this series wound up playing like a lower budget <i>Twilight Zone </i>than anything, with no particular genre but replete with the big twist endings.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxA64tSGhIjQSL7eBn-rAJG3LH7bsMWfOokdKx68GK-ZhT14h2Vw0R1AwByJBt_l7AnmThvvla3tIxPbWUXcCg2Z0zauDRpV6KDDIXJsaZPEK3qLvHCV1_FpyjC6KgIt8Z1_EmQcnLKw0/s1404/talesftdsc1a.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1404" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxA64tSGhIjQSL7eBn-rAJG3LH7bsMWfOokdKx68GK-ZhT14h2Vw0R1AwByJBt_l7AnmThvvla3tIxPbWUXcCg2Z0zauDRpV6KDDIXJsaZPEK3qLvHCV1_FpyjC6KgIt8Z1_EmQcnLKw0/s800/talesftdsc1a.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2020 US Paramount/ CBS DVD.</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjejBBUc0OBSPgcs6WpehbkuFpvxfQWj3hoQS-wRRKtwZ6Gu6CUGge6CcI4eyZWeoFWx05ZZvcvklJmXnXE71bWT9iFzWGJ0oGmClz1I39XoUeqzjiIjW8CC1u2bO_87_0ppSUQKRZTrrU/s1414/talesftdsc2a.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1414" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjejBBUc0OBSPgcs6WpehbkuFpvxfQWj3hoQS-wRRKtwZ6Gu6CUGge6CcI4eyZWeoFWx05ZZvcvklJmXnXE71bWT9iFzWGJ0oGmClz1I39XoUeqzjiIjW8CC1u2bO_87_0ppSUQKRZTrrU/s800/talesftdsc2a.png" width="400" /></a></div>Where to start? Well, the show's meant to be fullscreen of course, though at 1.30:1, it's probably a smidgen too skinny. The real problem is that these are clearly ancient masters. They're problematically interlaced, though the non-interlaced frames are so noisy they barely look any better. I've seen it suggested that you can't expect much better, since these episodes were shot on video, but there's plenty of print damage on hand to betray this series' filmic origins, so a restoration could do wonders. If I had to guess, though, the shows were likely edited on tape, which means restoring the whole series would be a major endeavor, which would explain why we haven't been given anything new or improved since the old VHS days. But as it is, the quality seems below CBS and Paramount's standards even for an old television show.<br /><br />The audio's alright, though. A fairly clean and easily listenable Dolby Digital mono track in 2.0. There are no subtitle options, of course, but there are a few extras.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7IynrVwxBA3Yj0NDbGLEAuAaej-dm5JhvH5Rdt40DVdHYE04DyhsHnK1aYSClLa8ULA8e6x5u2_ybl46ZnacUS9ivq81urI1Zxcx_82aDiSgQfSguoqASuZZtdqXuINIJC7ZD_-B9Wvw/s1403/talesftdse.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1403" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7IynrVwxBA3Yj0NDbGLEAuAaej-dm5JhvH5Rdt40DVdHYE04DyhsHnK1aYSClLa8ULA8e6x5u2_ybl46ZnacUS9ivq81urI1Zxcx_82aDiSgQfSguoqASuZZtdqXuINIJC7ZD_-B9Wvw/s800/talesftdse.png" width="400" /></a></div>For starters, we get a George Romero commentary over the pilot. It's good... during the portions of the show he speaks. Romero's audio regularly starts and stops, as if the plan was for him to just comment over clips from the episode and make that a featurette. That would make sense also because, in season two, there's a featurette just like that, where he comments over clips of another episode. It makes for a bit of a frustrating listening experience, but it's still a treat to get to hear Romero reminisce about his show, even if the presentation is borked. The season 2 one winds up only running five minutes, but at least it's a lot tighter. The only other extra consists of two episodes of another anthology (no, not <i>Monsters</i>) made by the same team... an untitled series that never aired. These episodes are pretty good, with slightly higher production values. They're not better than the best episodes of <i>TFtD</i>, but they could play in the top 20% or so, and it's a nice treat to see them preserved here (in the same quality as <i>Tales</i>).<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid4mlxfetGR47IVO0vMHWFjUtLkVVDpBIYkrewWwdtvULWHwnaTaae46TvU8B6biK_KCsx-TRvIIKdLsN4s14fyWFnKxpQVdtKiWvMiziBKhUAZOl03DDb0pMpUotXrZL6CjAB94xXJYU/s1920/talesftd1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid4mlxfetGR47IVO0vMHWFjUtLkVVDpBIYkrewWwdtvULWHwnaTaae46TvU8B6biK_KCsx-TRvIIKdLsN4s14fyWFnKxpQVdtKiWvMiziBKhUAZOl03DDb0pMpUotXrZL6CjAB94xXJYU/s800/talesftd1.png" width="400" /></a></div>So there was no question that Scream's new UHD is now the definitive edition of <i>The Movie</i>, which is a real expectation-exceeding affair. 2020 to 2023 is a short time for a double-dip, but it was sort of asking for a new scan, so I can't say this wasn't welcome, especially since we're moving up to a higher gen release anyway. And the new commentary didn't do much for me, but hey, more is still better than less. As for the series, there's no difference between the new and old DVD sets, except that the new budget edition's price makes the show, despite its flaws in content and home video presentation, hard to resist. Both are easy recommendations from me. And remember... <span style="font-family: Charm;">"The dark side is always there, waiting for us to enter, waiting to enter us. Until next time, try to enjoy the daylight."</span><br />John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-41462385769028373492023-11-29T04:30:00.002-05:002023-11-29T04:48:50.694-05:00Ultra High Deviancy: Zombie Holocaust<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfdLurdIRbHYDs3pbfzAQVteYNLdI3CrmXx-5QNKKbu3hYTPEpbUidhAyM_wEqmEmz4VbWMXn1Znw_6p_qnWlCvPf-9ltUHCTbNorCR-vCnEpCOXgjwdclP1ueU2jMGzqIGtPrzzJ7xtbw5MtEHIt7ZDZ3XoZtbWsomcBQffTcSf5XcZiAxIsX2FZot8/s6852/zombieh.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="6852" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyfdLurdIRbHYDs3pbfzAQVteYNLdI3CrmXx-5QNKKbu3hYTPEpbUidhAyM_wEqmEmz4VbWMXn1Znw_6p_qnWlCvPf-9ltUHCTbNorCR-vCnEpCOXgjwdclP1ueU2jMGzqIGtPrzzJ7xtbw5MtEHIt7ZDZ3XoZtbWsomcBQffTcSf5XcZiAxIsX2FZot8/s0/zombieh.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>
The rewards of <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/remaster-zombi-holocaust-from-the-camera-negative#/story">88 Films' indiegogo campaign</a> have come in... the<i> Zombie Holocaust </i>2k restoration is here! <span style="color: purple;">[Update: 3/6/16: <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2016/03/the-burial-ground-restoration-is-here.html"><i>Burial Ground</i></a> has just arrived, too.] </span>Everyone who supported should have their blus by now, and they're available commercially for the rest of the world. Now it's time to crack these suckers open and see what we've got!<u><span style="color: purple;"><br /><br />Update 8/2/15 - 7/19/16:</span></u> There's a new Butcher in town! Severin has just released their 2-disc blu-ray set of <i>Zombi Holocaust</i>, including both versions of the film: the Italian original and the US <i>Dr. Butcher M.D. </i>version.
They've also got a bunch of new special features. But how does this new
blu compare to 88 Films' HD restoration from last year? Is it better,
worse, or are they totally indistinguishable? Let's find out.<br /><br /><u><span style="color: #800180;">Update 11/29/23:</span></u> Well, it's the Ultra HD age now, so it's time for a new <i>Zombie Holocaust</i>. And Severin has released a new, whopping 4-disc BD/ UHD combo-pack.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj4AUzCFLf-KhPH4lL2ZyApqyUaoECrByhy0ZREHOwf47cwiQi-rWbtnWCTe7l2-QAQV4iXtg_0PUSH_aOgYW_0u27daQwkLxRb73HvM0AAQufmAt0cLVzj2ofUVUvAkr1HOodyMXXPIs/s0/zombieh3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj4AUzCFLf-KhPH4lL2ZyApqyUaoECrByhy0ZREHOwf47cwiQi-rWbtnWCTe7l2-QAQV4iXtg_0PUSH_aOgYW_0u27daQwkLxRb73HvM0AAQufmAt0cLVzj2ofUVUvAkr1HOodyMXXPIs/s800/zombieh3.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<i>Zombie Holocaust</i>, of course, is the over-the-top 1980 Italian horror flick that had the crowd-pleasing idea to combine the infamous cannibal and zombie subgenres into one nutty film. It also features <b>Donald O'Brien</b> as a mad scientist, hence the American title <i>Dr. Butcher, M.D.</i> Like<b> Umberto Lenzi</b>'s <i>Eaten Alive</i>, this one starts out with a little bloody mayhem in a New York City hospital compelling our investigative leads, including star <b>Ian McCulloch</b>, to venture off into the jungles of the East Indies. Only this time they don't just fall into the path of a lethal cannibal tribe, but zombies as well! It all comes to an exciting climax on the set of <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/LucioFulci"><b>Lucio Fulci</b></a>'s <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2016/01/the-worlds-greatest-zombie-dvd-blu-ray.html"><i>Zombie</i></a>, because this film has three tent poles: thrills, exploitation and saving money. I mean, you saw the movie's title, right? So it's pretty much exactly what you'd expect, and whether that's terrible or glorious is all up to you.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKiZPPuoslOKYp6RTu337ofbxj2Xj4v864RoZj5J1NwyLyAQunTAmW1vYyoUim3ZNqSxpuk1crCiCT4_g-FJ6QzTeKUR8aFVzokMgucgCrubKwfI363PeZdt7GMuf6SNuTKcfqULYk7Po/s0/zombiehdrb.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKiZPPuoslOKYp6RTu337ofbxj2Xj4v864RoZj5J1NwyLyAQunTAmW1vYyoUim3ZNqSxpuk1crCiCT4_g-FJ6QzTeKUR8aFVzokMgucgCrubKwfI363PeZdt7GMuf6SNuTKcfqULYk7Po/s800/zombiehdrb.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">a scene only featured in the <i>Dr. Butcher M.D.</i> version</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now, amongst other things, Severin's sets introduces the alternate, US version of the film <i>Dr. Butcher M.D.</i> to the table, which I don't think had been released on home video since the original VHS tape (which I used to own, back in the days). But are these two cuts significantly unique that it's worth getting both versions - what's the difference between them? Well, primarily, <i>Dr. Butcher </i>features some new, introductory footage shot in the US by <b>Roy Frumkes</b> (director of <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2021/01/the-dawn-of-dead.html"><i>Document of the Dead</i></a>), originally intended for an unfinished anthology horror film called <i>Tales That Will Tear Your Heart Out</i>. He intercuts that with footage from much later in the movie, to try to establish the whole "mad doctor is making zombies" story-line right from the very beginning. But even with all this extra footage, <i>Dr. Butcher</i> is almost ten minutes shorter, trimming a lot out. <i>Dr. Butcher</i> also has an entirely different all-synth score, although famously, you can still sometimes hear the original soundtrack playing underneath it. Finally, <i>Dr. Butcher</i> includes the scene where <b>Alexandra Delli Colli</b> falls into a pit, and Ian helps her out, which has long been included on discs of<i> Zombi Holocaust</i> as a deleted scene. Interestingly, Severin has also reinstated that scene into the original <i>Zombi Holocaust</i> version of the film.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiWPkNTi1kf4dOIWsfEthyphenhyphen1uqjNaUhJB35yq2lIOBt40M7StHxSr_u6Q53uSBum0V1hN2soUCsGZBov53epTnay8JfL-GqDMmFRx6NYbGAzizXVl62_wYKlT-R85jM0WIQgvn0-3pw2nD1FGcvbxmGqDyOqQRQqHu02YUya9z-6VxsBKh2oMbNTmB8frI/s1920/zombiehpit.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiWPkNTi1kf4dOIWsfEthyphenhyphen1uqjNaUhJB35yq2lIOBt40M7StHxSr_u6Q53uSBum0V1hN2soUCsGZBov53epTnay8JfL-GqDMmFRx6NYbGAzizXVl62_wYKlT-R85jM0WIQgvn0-3pw2nD1FGcvbxmGqDyOqQRQqHu02YUya9z-6VxsBKh2oMbNTmB8frI/s800/zombiehpit.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">the deleted pit scene</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>
Shriek Show first released this on DVD in 2002, and they also released the first blu in 2011. Then we got two
competing restorations on blu-ray: 88 Films' 2015 release in the UK,
followed quickly by Severin's 2016 release in the USA. I wound up
getting both. So now in 2023, the film's been restored in 4k ("from
original vault elements discovered in Manhattan and Rome," as Severin
describes it on the back of their case) and again it was released first
by 88 Films. But this time I knew to be just a little patient and wait
for the Severin release that quickly followed, which turned out to be a 2 UHD/ 2 BD combo-pack. And one thing that distinguishes Severin's releases from the rest is that they include both the <i>Dr. Butcher</i> and <i>Zombie Holocaust</i> cuts, so get ready for a lot of comparison screenshots.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinE45jMhaL_0l4yQYWnX4U3hRgyaCgF-odMVtDP-w9HRW6UsO5il-OElwg3mZ7SIa6KydNCdejpIb99L4vYN7rSA4rSMf87jyyoXFLcMIFam9E3XJyX19ZAoXixGoJjw4M-nqYS1n_Tvg/s0/zombiehc1advd.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinE45jMhaL_0l4yQYWnX4U3hRgyaCgF-odMVtDP-w9HRW6UsO5il-OElwg3mZ7SIa6KydNCdejpIb99L4vYN7rSA4rSMf87jyyoXFLcMIFam9E3XJyX19ZAoXixGoJjw4M-nqYS1n_Tvg/s800/zombiehc1advd.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2002 Shriek Show DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2015 88 Film BD; <span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 2016 Severin <i>Dr. Butcher</i> BD;<br /><span style="color: #800180;">4)</span> 2016 Severin <i>ZH </i>BD; <span style="color: #800180;">5)</span> 2023 Severin</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>ZH</i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> BD; <span style="color: #800180;">6)</span> 2023 Severin </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Dr. Butcher</i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i>BD;<br /><span style="color: #800180;">7)</span> 2023 Severin </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>ZH </i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">UHD;<span style="color: #800180;"> 8)</span> 2023 Severin </span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Dr. Butcher</i> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">UHD.<br /></span></td></tr>
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So I've included shots of the <i>Dr. Butcher</i> transfers, too, just to be thorough. But they consistently match Severin's <i>Zombie Holocaust</i> counterpart. Every transfer here is 1.85:1, except Shriek Show's DVD, which comes close at 1.84:1, and Severin's 2016 BD, which they opened up to 1.78:1 (they matted it back to 1.85 for their 2023 release). They also adjust the framing slightly lower on their latest release. The differences that stand out the most are Shriek Show's interlacing - and just generally being a softer SD presentation - and the fact that 88 Film's is a few shades brighter. There's
never exactly a wealth more detail, at least once we jump to HD. But there's a solid jump in clarity and film grain rendering going from DVD to 88's blu. And it's much more thorough, still, on the 4k scans, even when just comparing the 2016 BD to the 2023 BD. On both the earlier blus, grain is there but inconsistent, while it's all captured perfectly on the 2023 release.<br /><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The biggest difference between the 2015 and 2016 blus is the color
timing. Severin re-timed the levels completely in 2016, and I have to say,
their version does look the most attractive and natural. Skies look blue
instead of green, etc. You can
also see Severin's copy has flecks and damage in spots that 88's doesn't, but
it's all quite minor. Those have all been cleaned up in 2023, anyway. Comparing the two Severins, the colors come across a bit more faded on the BD, more authentic with slightly lower contrast. But on the UHD with Dolby Vision enabled, everything's more robust, and the increased resolution keeps finer detail more lifelike. Each stage from 88's BD to Severin's UHD is like another step forward. Maybe not major leaps, but visible improvements each time.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Now, 88 did have one nice advantage over Shriek Show's DVD and blu-ray, in that
both Shriek Show editions only feature the US dub and no subtitle
options. 88 has both the English and Italian audio tracks (in DTS-HD
2.0) and English subtitles, so you can watch it either way. Severin's 2016 blu,
meanwhile, has the English DTS-HD 2.0 and Italian in LPCM 2.0 on the <i>Zombie Holocaust</i> cut, and DTS-HD and LPCM options for the English on the <i>Dr. Butcher</i>
cut. But here's the thing: no subtitles on either version! That's
right, Severin has no English subtitles when you play the Italian
version of <i>Zombie Holocaust</i>, a baffling decision.<br /><br />But thankfully, they've fixed that in 2023. They've got the English mono in DTS-HD for <i>Dr. Butcher</i>, and both English and Italian mono tracks in DTS-HD on their <i>Zombie Holocaust</i> disc. And critically, there are now also optional English subtitles for the English tracks on both cuts, and a second set of translated subs for the Italian audio (in other words, both sub and dubtitles) of <i>Zombie Holocaust</i>, making the Italian track a perfectly viable option for non-Italian viewers.<br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Now let's talk extras! 88 Film's only has a couple, but they're pretty
major. First up is a feature length documentary on Italian cannibal
films (also included on Grindhouse's recent <i>Cannibal Ferox</i> blu).
And this isn't one of those things where they let one or two "cult film
extras" pontificate for the entire time; this interviews the biggest
cannibal directors: <b>Ruggero Deodato</b>, Umberto Lenzi and<b> Sergio Martino</b>. There are cannibal film stars like <b>Robert Kerman</b>, <b>Antonio Climati</b>, and the delightfully controversial <b>Giovanni Radice</b>. There's <i>Zombie Holocaust</i>'s distributor <b>Terry Levine</b>, and there are modern filmmakers like <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/JoeDante"><b>Joe Dante</b></a>, <b>Frank Henenlotter</b>, <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/LuigiCozzi">Luigi Cozzi</a> </b>and of course<b> Eli Roth</b>. And yeah, the experts are on hand, too; most notably including <b>Kim Newman</b>.
This is definitely not the kind of "extra" one skips; they break down
each major cannibal movie film by film (though personally I would've
included Deodato's <i>Cut & Run</i>, too, even if technically none
of the natives quite managed to take a bite out of anybody) and discuss
all the signature elements of the genre.<br /><br />
Their other main extra is a Q&A with Ian McCulloch. That's kind of light for being the only <i>Zombie Holocaust</i>-specific
feature on here, but it does run about 50 minutes, so it's pretty
substantial. The other extras are the deleted scene that's been on past <i>Zombie Holocaust</i>
editions, and the trailer. The booklet's pretty cool... even if you're
the type to usually forgo reading the books, this one has an interview
with McCulloch, so you might want to check that out - that is if there's
anything left to be said after the 50 minute Q&A. Oh, and as you
can see up top, 88 has also included some cool, reversible cover art. <br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4JDuyWBC_YURl60DIhlWAzuhxaS7v7Ukdf7WmJgIml3YiWcZwDD60tgpVCO1BX_v26BiBXJbZhHXvMgzEXueCzqbpHKmaBRoiBN4QChHgJScTVKdm7gLkeBCwaTnTqWcVnKh2QBdw6K8/s0/zombieh4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4JDuyWBC_YURl60DIhlWAzuhxaS7v7Ukdf7WmJgIml3YiWcZwDD60tgpVCO1BX_v26BiBXJbZhHXvMgzEXueCzqbpHKmaBRoiBN4QChHgJScTVKdm7gLkeBCwaTnTqWcVnKh2QBdw6K8/s800/zombieh4.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">
Unfortunately 88 didn't or couldn't get Shriek Show's extras. Shriek
Show (on both their DVD and blu) had some interesting coverage of the
whole <i>Doctor Butcher M.D. </i>thing. They included that footage as an extra, as well as interviewing its director, Roy Frumkes. Plus, they had a <i>Doctor Butcher </i>trailer and Frumkes' personal photo gallery. Still, if you didn't grow up with the old <i>Doctor Butcher</i>
VHS tapes like I did, that Frumkes stuff may be of less interest to you
anyway. And apart from that stuff, the regular trailer and that deleted
scene, Shriek Show just had the one notable extra: an interview with
special effects expert <b>Maurizio Trani</b>. That was pretty good, though. Oh, and they also had a neat fold-out insert with some fairly extensive notes.<br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2RjiJ8Uf9LJcMHT_mulhSVlVdDqk3_uQd5TNyWMEvKq6Ng9DEEw6YJiOuUJnjQhxBGD0maLQCXc0OIYQDrj8N3RJ6x2But-2Gw83rYGkcXcwOJ45gGvMM9sUTrikTGwl-BSdquScF88Q/s0/zombiehbag.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2RjiJ8Uf9LJcMHT_mulhSVlVdDqk3_uQd5TNyWMEvKq6Ng9DEEw6YJiOuUJnjQhxBGD0maLQCXc0OIYQDrj8N3RJ6x2But-2Gw83rYGkcXcwOJ45gGvMM9sUTrikTGwl-BSdquScF88Q/s200/zombiehbag.png" width="111" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">
Thankfully, Severin <i>did </i>get Shriek Show's extras, so you can
finally let go of your copies of those. All of that's been ported over,
and they've also added a whole ton more stuff. There is a lengthy, 31+
minute interview with Terry Levine, a featurette with Frumkes talking
about 42nd St, an interview with the guy who drove a "Butcher Mobile"
van around the city to promote the movie back in the day (this one's
pretty fun!), an interview with<b> Jim Markovic</b>, the editor who recut the <i>Dr. Butcher</i>
version, a gallery, plus several trailers. And that's just the first disc! Onto
disc two, there's a new interview with Ian McCulloch. I think we
might've finished mining the depths with him considering the mass amount
of interviews we've seen of him on Italian horror DVDs, but it would be
disappointing if he wasn't on here. There are also interviews with
effects artist <b>Rosario Pretopino</b>, <b>Enzo Castellari</b> (son of director <b>Mario Girolami</b>), and actress <b>Sherry Buchanan</b>.
There's also a short but fun featurette looking at the film's shooting
locations (I'm a sucker for these), more trailers, and a clip of
McCulloch singing a song for us. And in lieu of a typical insert or
booklet, Severin includes a charming <i>Dr. Butcher M.D.</i> barf bag <span style="color: purple;">[right]</span>.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ay_XXjFXjPPWda1EYYG_Wjzhoz4-U3sR0_uoZ4pqb5huxMt50Sn4G8qYtotpDVhk800EvzGfa6-Ire8lLvmKP6e8wpfz3Hn7HzEXSlFYEaFfo3EMP0CZNv8xbDO76yKO5Z7wBzKSaoDsRCgn0LD8A883NP4xXhDuNR9KqD28edK6u17uMtEsY-JWg7w/s1920/zombiehe.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ay_XXjFXjPPWda1EYYG_Wjzhoz4-U3sR0_uoZ4pqb5huxMt50Sn4G8qYtotpDVhk800EvzGfa6-Ire8lLvmKP6e8wpfz3Hn7HzEXSlFYEaFfo3EMP0CZNv8xbDO76yKO5Z7wBzKSaoDsRCgn0LD8A883NP4xXhDuNR9KqD28edK6u17uMtEsY-JWg7w/s800/zombiehe.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">In 2023, Severin has kept almost all of the extras from their 2016 release. We just technically lost the German trailer for <i>Zombie Holocaust</i> and the second video trailer for <i>Dr. Butcher</i>.
But we've gotten some substantial additions. First there's a new set
of interviews with two of the student filmmakers who were going to have
segments in <i>Tales That Will Tear Your Heart Out</i>. Finally, we learn who "Snuff Maximus" was! Then <b>Michael Gingold</b> gives us a tour of Italian horror NY locations. You might be thinking: didn't they already have a brief featurette touring <i>Zombie Holocaust</i>'s
NY locations that you described one paragraph up? Yes, but this is a
substantial, over 45 minute trip through the NY locations of a whole
bunch of Italian horror films, like <i><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2018/10/finally-fulcis-city-of-living-dead-dvd.html">The Gates of Hell</a></i> and <i><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/12/the-new-york-ripper-and-case-of-jumbled.html">New York Ripper</a></i>. It's pretty
great, though I suppose it might test your patience at points if you're not a fan
of some of the Italian horror flicks he's covering. Anyway, we also get
an additional <i>Dr. Butcher</i> TV spot. It comes in reversible artwork and an embossed slipcover and yes, the barf bag is back. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiheN3WmJh38D3do2vNZK20R-lVeOqANqmiBAtXFvHFZMRREYQFxwtNFYcWeQgD4taZRSeYQIdCFOSM65EsJHT4XM7vUj4nKrFzVLVU9PBqqWjw2XwG46HNwfLB8FSexBEsI2VeTZEBXq8/s0/zombieh2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiheN3WmJh38D3do2vNZK20R-lVeOqANqmiBAtXFvHFZMRREYQFxwtNFYcWeQgD4taZRSeYQIdCFOSM65EsJHT4XM7vUj4nKrFzVLVU9PBqqWjw2XwG46HNwfLB8FSexBEsI2VeTZEBXq8/s800/zombieh2.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">
I naively suggested that the 2015/ 2016 BD restorations would be "the
best looking editions we're going to
get." But home video releases of entered a whole new generation, and so
yes, we've stepped even further forward this year with a higher
resolution presentation and even more special features. And before,
Severin had one distinct weakness: no subtitles for their Italian audio,
which put them behind 88 Films' release in at least one substantial
department. But they've fixed that, making their new set a clear
winner. If you're a super fan, you might still want to pick up
88's release for their exclusive extras, in order to have everything. But Severin's new set covers all the bases pretty damn well.</div></div></div></div>John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-42456400695148131072023-11-15T07:13:00.002-05:002023-11-15T09:54:21.468-05:00Errol Morris's War Trilogy Finally Complete In HD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jZE77gFLSlpZs0b-L9kP-T8JOv0gBb3x0ohbc6uNiCu8KEgUChu4J1stq8hNI6UMoHfSWfV6Ku8aU-4ud9jTBwSUbEN11TyuT2gdQBJAvGfg6mwmQd6cbcuVbS1BOmeVQi5yJPvMBheROXDlyZyZlp82lBK9ey3tufVmMCyndt1yIU_fw1PER8bxmao/s3342/emwmfog.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="3342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jZE77gFLSlpZs0b-L9kP-T8JOv0gBb3x0ohbc6uNiCu8KEgUChu4J1stq8hNI6UMoHfSWfV6Ku8aU-4ud9jTBwSUbEN11TyuT2gdQBJAvGfg6mwmQd6cbcuVbS1BOmeVQi5yJPvMBheROXDlyZyZlp82lBK9ey3tufVmMCyndt1yIU_fw1PER8bxmao/s0/emwmfog.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>
This isn't necessarily an "official trilogy" demarcated by director <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/ErrolMorris"><b>Errol Morris</b></a>, but three of his more recent documentaries do make a pretty neat little, wartime-themed tried of films: 2003's <i>The Fog of War</i>, 2008's <i>Standard Operating Procedure</i>, and 2013's <i>The Unknown Known</i>. Strictly speaking, they didn't all come out in a perfect row, with his curio <i><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2017/09/the-impossible-quest-for-proper-tabloid.html">Tabloid</a> </i>breaking up the run in 2010. But never the less, these three films hang together pretty well, with <i>Unknown Known</i> playing like almost a sequel to <i>Fog Of War</i> and <b>Donald Rumsfeld</b>, the focus of <i>Unknown Known</i>, having cast such a looming shadow over the players of <i>Standard Operating Procedure</i>. In fact, you could get even more pedantic about it if you wanted to, and instead of calling these Morris's war film trilogy, you could call them his United States Secretary of Defense trilogy.<br /><br /><u><span style="color: #800180;">Update 11/21/17 - 11/15/23:</span></u> Sony has done it! They've given us <i>The Fog of War</i> on blu-ray, making this entire trilogy now available in HD. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfBi22KaVHwqKh9M_ooeKzVXindtEfum1CcN908DSKXsTxk_P3p-3CLutYvLzA9oirwZ5-gMUwdHwMQOYquTIww1uuKqm2uaZUii63SDO1mtUbdoTjNKlUTBRCRTTnmbJxljd-QjgQoQ/s0/emwmfog1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfBi22KaVHwqKh9M_ooeKzVXindtEfum1CcN908DSKXsTxk_P3p-3CLutYvLzA9oirwZ5-gMUwdHwMQOYquTIww1uuKqm2uaZUii63SDO1mtUbdoTjNKlUTBRCRTTnmbJxljd-QjgQoQ/s800/emwmfog1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
We begin with <i>The Fog Of War</i>, where we see Morris continue in the direction he'd started off with in <i>Mr. Death</i> and developed in <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2016/10/what-to-get-errol-morris-fan-who-has.html"><i>First Person</i></a>: basing an entire documentary around a single interview. We see glimpses of archival footage, vintage photos and snippets of important audio recordings, but 99% of this film is just former Secretary of Defense <b>Robert S. McNamara </b>talking to the camera - or, for those of us in the know, <b>The Interrotron</b>. The Interrotron is Morris's unique invention that allows interviewees to look directly into the camera and look the interviewer (Morris) square in the eye at the same time. It hides the camera directly behind and filming through a screen that projects Morris's face, who is being film by a second camera hidden behind a another screen of the interviewee's face. I want one, and it allows for a unique style of filming interviews where the subject can feel completely natural in a fluid conversation while consistently looking into the camera.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdORGJPZRE8d39y4augAunLfq7pXhIz9MuqQkH6irrQ4XYdyiMMZSpGePSQocD11GaMiOHkGKW6l9IJsUYTT2AXEBoAuxBidWfWAiuhwSWZCjECQjXgpZF1u8hab3j01ZvpFb1aqVKkTk/s0/emwmfog3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdORGJPZRE8d39y4augAunLfq7pXhIz9MuqQkH6irrQ4XYdyiMMZSpGePSQocD11GaMiOHkGKW6l9IJsUYTT2AXEBoAuxBidWfWAiuhwSWZCjECQjXgpZF1u8hab3j01ZvpFb1aqVKkTk/s800/emwmfog3.png" width="400" /></a></div>
But what's important here isn't the technology, but the humanity. This is a fascinating look into the man who saw us through both the Cuban Missile Crisis and The Vietnam War. McNamara is famous for having come from the world of business rather than the military, and had a bit of a reputation as being a number cruncher rather than a traditional strategist. One thing this documentary does is use recordings that had just been released to challenge the long-standing historic theory that McNamara had pushed president Johnson to throw hard into the Vietnam conflict. In fact, it seems he had been on the side of pulling out, but was unable to convince the administration.<br />
<br />
So, you know, that's interesting I guess. But I'm no history buff or politics junkie. What makes a great documentary is the ability to fascinate audiences regardless of whether the viewer has a preexisting interest in the subject matter. For instance, I've very into Hip-Hop music, and I've watched and enjoyed some pretty mediocre documentaries, just because they were giving me information I wanted to know and insight into artists I was a particular fan of. But I wouldn't recommend them to a country/ western fan; they'd be crawling up the walls twenty minutes in. But Morris is one of the great documentary makers who will rivet anyone. From the <b>Phillip Glass </b>score, to the editing and just the masterful way Morris mines his interviewees, this is just a great film. Hell, it won the Academy Award that year.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixgkdDSwh3DxvuXwf5vID8WX9FruJfJrIq_5gkzXdDONYUNCsIbFrL8vb514vnKR_UZao2QmfLCdozGU8Li_UAbdX898FiJDdsfA_2IfnyagqiE49pbe9sz095D6o5pq-o-q4WPlXYr0xhGlSswwB1QhFRoOkyPkODKmkcDpZN75H3utKljf42E6TSrK0/s1920/emwmfog2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixgkdDSwh3DxvuXwf5vID8WX9FruJfJrIq_5gkzXdDONYUNCsIbFrL8vb514vnKR_UZao2QmfLCdozGU8Li_UAbdX898FiJDdsfA_2IfnyagqiE49pbe9sz095D6o5pq-o-q4WPlXYr0xhGlSswwB1QhFRoOkyPkODKmkcDpZN75H3utKljf42E6TSrK0/s800/emwmfog2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<strike>And that's what makes it all the more disappointing that <i>The Fog of War</i> has never been released in HD.</strike> Sony Pictures Classics released it as a new release DVD in 2004, and it was issued in nearly identical editions in other regions all around the same time. <strike>But that's been it. No updated transfers, no Criterion commentaries, no blu-rays. We've still just got the original DVDs. Fortunately, at least, there's nothing wrong with those.</strike> And now in 2023, they've updated it to a sleek new, blu-ray release. Let's have a look.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjiMtgx2wEUwe0sw2Q8NIx1EkKxPBJ1Tu6gEYV8QMyKwSVGFnrEKrglmLkR1t3mXWqDzSz89AkgD0wpo2Au284zAIlgzjOLm44Dhj5sYRH44Vck8VdYEE1SO0xD40boKSZ_B5XZhoC2uKS7tawZU1x-51u1FFW6aeZfC3mjdblKh7hndBgmAHiMIJNi4/s1920/emwmfog5a252.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjiMtgx2wEUwe0sw2Q8NIx1EkKxPBJ1Tu6gEYV8QMyKwSVGFnrEKrglmLkR1t3mXWqDzSz89AkgD0wpo2Au284zAIlgzjOLm44Dhj5sYRH44Vck8VdYEE1SO0xD40boKSZ_B5XZhoC2uKS7tawZU1x-51u1FFW6aeZfC3mjdblKh7hndBgmAHiMIJNi4/s800/emwmfog5a252.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sony's 2004 DVD top; Sony's 2023 BD bottom.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe1udezgaDiqSj2krKRdimOZ7UifUeGOhiZyqV3tsSOMK0gQ9SisGop-bBZwVa2gPpIZDMvN-kvJLJW9G4Q3Y_1hBFAF6HoJUPoYKq4V8e3uTlZbNbseK_AiKdFcMYpPHAYAvDhVr8Y8GvuwAET6eWVwRDFwH_hFfeCarsbnrOJIb8_dqomvOMIlN4DmU/s1920/emwmfog5b251.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe1udezgaDiqSj2krKRdimOZ7UifUeGOhiZyqV3tsSOMK0gQ9SisGop-bBZwVa2gPpIZDMvN-kvJLJW9G4Q3Y_1hBFAF6HoJUPoYKq4V8e3uTlZbNbseK_AiKdFcMYpPHAYAvDhVr8Y8GvuwAET6eWVwRDFwH_hFfeCarsbnrOJIb8_dqomvOMIlN4DmU/s800/emwmfog5b251.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGn9lvFFZEVmaudbKTrimUrTWD6bonPBIkLGuyJAQVZpt_DtYowcvnyrxmHPdVvnCZspaC7qnx5mZ9hW-I_k1sE2lJjzwYPrwL2T6OJFCQ0pp38lIVi8tFE_IGSU3KZWusMdErerer0M9ZYB2nDlzj4tzEsPQJzBx-3xKzDXVOG3NL0b1dfSflsj5OMQM/s1920/emwmfog6.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGn9lvFFZEVmaudbKTrimUrTWD6bonPBIkLGuyJAQVZpt_DtYowcvnyrxmHPdVvnCZspaC7qnx5mZ9hW-I_k1sE2lJjzwYPrwL2T6OJFCQ0pp38lIVi8tFE_IGSU3KZWusMdErerer0M9ZYB2nDlzj4tzEsPQJzBx-3xKzDXVOG3NL0b1dfSflsj5OMQM/s800/emwmfog6.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmvatTDWhVB4N2NaGkhWlXHBGXbzgb7PEoUA3vmYCXNgiE0c7qQyFhVhy4VlmlS_aAJxP8gz5auZtBE5DF-hmmstad9-Nmr8A5YnKzCBKsoIKF1jzaWD0FCpL1aPyq1Xss1VdVFM8xSGrMTc10Kq7JDWqFdLrvm-9C9if_srEt_LObhEx6w03mU_Qp3I/s1920/emwmfog6b5152.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmvatTDWhVB4N2NaGkhWlXHBGXbzgb7PEoUA3vmYCXNgiE0c7qQyFhVhy4VlmlS_aAJxP8gz5auZtBE5DF-hmmstad9-Nmr8A5YnKzCBKsoIKF1jzaWD0FCpL1aPyq1Xss1VdVFM8xSGrMTc10Kq7JDWqFdLrvm-9C9if_srEt_LObhEx6w03mU_Qp3I/s800/emwmfog6b5152.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZQO3A3qqBt75GRcSFzpzR1LLw-nxqZFEc4Lctd9xwO5pmQlHuz-lF2B1JmwZII8MVB_3FR_j58PrPpSxuOs2Fu7StwzwB0M6gBmDrGmhgGA406nLZmy2XZxT27_piCICf8dNpfGKiQLFmfVmgf16n2S5ALqaPhCFsw-Z9e37ui2NBdYerlCn2-ivc2A/s1920/emwmfog7.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZQO3A3qqBt75GRcSFzpzR1LLw-nxqZFEc4Lctd9xwO5pmQlHuz-lF2B1JmwZII8MVB_3FR_j58PrPpSxuOs2Fu7StwzwB0M6gBmDrGmhgGA406nLZmy2XZxT27_piCICf8dNpfGKiQLFmfVmgf16n2S5ALqaPhCFsw-Z9e37ui2NBdYerlCn2-ivc2A/s800/emwmfog7.png" width="400" /><br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_VnSRRuLDF-NHNw0Yo3_DKRWDVJdkwhyphenhyphenAUGclEkD3FxmVdvPCFY0HH7dUNs7bEO-O8KjNt_JmydcXk8dpUxI4Ib799uVh914ohrDB_TJsk21fjLXbcDbVtmNF8rxzdH1VqNxXdA40vMF73Zbj0hU04WunSeJsXjYTcwXKTNmhcoIKtb9z_vuveusFzUU/s1920/emwmfog7b20b.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_VnSRRuLDF-NHNw0Yo3_DKRWDVJdkwhyphenhyphenAUGclEkD3FxmVdvPCFY0HH7dUNs7bEO-O8KjNt_JmydcXk8dpUxI4Ib799uVh914ohrDB_TJsk21fjLXbcDbVtmNF8rxzdH1VqNxXdA40vMF73Zbj0hU04WunSeJsXjYTcwXKTNmhcoIKtb9z_vuveusFzUU/s800/emwmfog7b20b.png" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Sony's DVD presents <i>The Fog Of War</i> in a nice, anamorphic 1.78:1,
although things get a tiny bit fuzzy in the overscan edges. There's no
interlacing or other issues. Sony's blu is also in 1.78:1 (despite
saying 1.85:1 on the back of the case) but clears up the overscan
edges. The framing and everything is basically the same, except it
fixes a little horizontal inch, resulting in a sliver extra picture
along the top. But the most pertinent fact, of course, is that it's in HD. Small detail that was once covered in fuzz is now focused and lifelike. Embedded in this page, the differences may seem slim; but click through to the full size caps and look at, for instance, McNamara's face in the first set of shots, and it's an impressive gain. Naturally, some of the lower quality vintage footage, like in that last set of shots, doesn't benefit as much as Morris's crisp new footage, but even the old material is a smidgen clearer, thanks to the improved compression.<br /><br />The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio is nice and clear, with additional French, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and English HoH subtitles. The blu-ray bumps it up to lossless DTS-HD, adds a Spanish dub 2.0 mix, and drops the French, Japanese and Portuguese subtitles, but critically keeps the English ones (as well as the Spanish).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKpF0uvQs_gSd0ob8AZZj7s3JRGibG8-00FxQRfT7FwbiLLyO6_UICUDhlLbhPf_xJHRYhA8Z4F6nTzQbZBAjJSEJ5cTBr2cP06QkJAr6ljhDDoFVeXEjx8jtotXF6X9LDSpWM9EgQYSQqIsifSzGfbHYLv3AexB-Fm7JiJ776fS53SgUF5K-fYFSQ5U/s1920/emwmfogea251.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKpF0uvQs_gSd0ob8AZZj7s3JRGibG8-00FxQRfT7FwbiLLyO6_UICUDhlLbhPf_xJHRYhA8Z4F6nTzQbZBAjJSEJ5cTBr2cP06QkJAr6ljhDDoFVeXEjx8jtotXF6X9LDSpWM9EgQYSQqIsifSzGfbHYLv3AexB-Fm7JiJ776fS53SgUF5K-fYFSQ5U/s800/emwmfogea251.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sony's 2004 DVD top; Sony's 2023 BD bottom.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeUxRE87sSZjqlv64J1MLiwLWqE4H6kaAzvaBr5S6QIN5olKXDpUHo0-Jq9dOANe5TnAvY4ExWRaPBktKSvOh4hvPpA_n0ayAkN0_TECni_keQbWc5jaej6xrjhiN5a_MQIlw0AhYB4t9ldpOEwtKOl5TqUDT0ecJpAgb8bIwp0a2FtBBcJE6jb0KhYA/s1920/emwmfogeb248.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeeUxRE87sSZjqlv64J1MLiwLWqE4H6kaAzvaBr5S6QIN5olKXDpUHo0-Jq9dOANe5TnAvY4ExWRaPBktKSvOh4hvPpA_n0ayAkN0_TECni_keQbWc5jaej6xrjhiN5a_MQIlw0AhYB4t9ldpOEwtKOl5TqUDT0ecJpAgb8bIwp0a2FtBBcJE6jb0KhYA/s800/emwmfogeb248.png" width="400" /></a></div>
This isn't exactly a "special edition," but there is some good bonus
stuff to be found on both discs, which have roughly the same extras. Primarily, what we get are the deleted scenes. But
there's almost 40 minutes worth of deleted scenes; it's practically a
sequel, though some of the additional
anecdotes are a little underwhelming and you can see why they were cut.
But there's still some really good stuff there. Unfortunately, the DVD's deleted scenes are non-anamorphic and
heavily interlaced, as you can see above. The BD's scenes are still non-anamorphic, but they fixed the interlacing (except in some of the archive footage), so that's a plus. Also, <i>The Fog Of War</i>
is structured in a way that break it up into 11 chapters, labeled as
lessons. Well, apparently that was all Morris's invention, and McNamara
wants us to know those aren't his. So he came up with his own ten life
lessons, which is basically just a text-only extra, but McNamara does
provide a very brief audio introduction. And there's the trailer. The DVD also threw in two
TV spots, some bonus trailers and an insert advertising a companion book
and teacher's guide for the film that the new blu doesn't bother with.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBKodP2i0-EU7xnLLIHlJGzI5fCDFeam-iAwf2fXyg1Ursbi6IM9PGknsdipP0Nw7w4tEbXVjeGOLsi93qyaEhEQW3dw81Nv4aypnPDfx_DumoUvI02vny3GGVvwIVvEbW4UI7a8Wb5E/s0/emwmsop.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBKodP2i0-EU7xnLLIHlJGzI5fCDFeam-iAwf2fXyg1Ursbi6IM9PGknsdipP0Nw7w4tEbXVjeGOLsi93qyaEhEQW3dw81Nv4aypnPDfx_DumoUvI02vny3GGVvwIVvEbW4UI7a8Wb5E/s0/emwmsop.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>
Next up is 2008's <i>Standard Operating Procedure</i>, Morris
documentary on the infamous photographs of prisoner abuse from Abu
Ghraib. There were several documentaries out about the huge Abu Ghraib
scandal around that time, including <b>Alex Gibney</b>'s <i>Taxi To the Dark Side</i> and the HBO documentary<i> Ghosts Of Abu Ghraib</i>, which even interview a couple of the same people. They're all good. Certainly <i>Taxi </i>is very engaging and informative. But none really cross the line to a higher art like <i>SOP</i>. <i>Taxi </i>is a film you should definitely see, and <i>Ghosts </i>is a film worth checking out if you're interested enough in the subject matter. But <i>SOP </i>is the only one that really belongs in the film lover's collection.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxDewQXBr-WhyRW2VWzTrwbEScQ_-RPBoXUwUTMY2pqkfNBRKoOfqClhhHzKvnIh5Y00kUJEnoHtUr4e_W-libZEaIHA2BZP8jPBOuT5YTNHW5NvcaYIPBTAXC5TsNdJ4cQJwARZLr7U/s0/emwmsop1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitxDewQXBr-WhyRW2VWzTrwbEScQ_-RPBoXUwUTMY2pqkfNBRKoOfqClhhHzKvnIh5Y00kUJEnoHtUr4e_W-libZEaIHA2BZP8jPBOuT5YTNHW5NvcaYIPBTAXC5TsNdJ4cQJwARZLr7U/s800/emwmsop1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Now, if you've been following Morris, including his articles and books,
you could probably guess that Morris is particularly interested in the
photographs and what truths they show and which they obscure. That, and
it really winds up delving into the day to day reality of being in that
environment and looking at the world outward from the lived experience
of the "bad apples." <i>SOP </i>does go there to some degree, but this
isn't political expose about who knew what all the way up the chain.
That's addressed, and it's certainly shocking at the end when you see
which photos were eventually deemed by the military as criminal and
which were "standard operating procedure." But <i>SOP </i>really seeks a
deeper understanding of those moments in the photographs and to
question what they tell us beyond our initial impressions.<br />
<br />
For the record, this one isn't a single interview documentary. It
interviews many people, from the most infamous guards, their peers,
those who were supposed to be in charge, and contractors who were also
on-site. Conflicting details are allowed to counterpoint each other.
The only conspicuously absent players are one of the key "bad apples"
who was still in military prison, the detainees themselves (although
Morris talks about how hard he tried to find them in the special
features), and Donald Rumsfeld... which might hint at why we would later
get <i>The Unknown Known</i>. And on a more technical level, <i>SOP </i>features some amazing, ultra-high speed photography and an elegant score by <b>Danny Elfman</b>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2KWhFG6CEvIgGoJQorbfR_2pHXkJ8PeWU_Y-aw58ywkguRQXzY3JZSi5XsTRgHwMr1eOimlVS3FTozMhcjkaou03ohrraQSVXWZkKYZ7JA3soWGsjaE-fzRV3aIeNnDTwz6mJNymSNNo/s0/emwmsop2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2KWhFG6CEvIgGoJQorbfR_2pHXkJ8PeWU_Y-aw58ywkguRQXzY3JZSi5XsTRgHwMr1eOimlVS3FTozMhcjkaou03ohrraQSVXWZkKYZ7JA3soWGsjaE-fzRV3aIeNnDTwz6mJNymSNNo/s800/emwmsop2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Like <i>The Fog Of War</i>, Sony Pictures Classics released <i>Standard Operating Procedure</i>
as a new release in most regions around the world, and the film has
never since been revisited on disc. Fortunately, however, by 2009,
blu-rays were a thing, so this time we got the film in HD. In fact,
this was the time when Sony was really trying to push blu-rays, so they
wound up including a bunch of additional, exclusive material to the BD
that they left off the DVD copies. So if, like me, you weren't buying
blu-rays yet in 2009, this is a serious one to consider going back for
and double-dipping.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx868DYETVLTWnKhq82GcjkXJi_6NHcTzueOw6WT6t9B16qRCdYNq1bbIGvVQmEHKEm8wk7k2vR6PpScBSWafPh6PMQbeb9Q6lZxbDfojbuuCkgMea01SFvurFH_r61sORipFeeCKLmjI/s0/emwmsopc1a.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx868DYETVLTWnKhq82GcjkXJi_6NHcTzueOw6WT6t9B16qRCdYNq1bbIGvVQmEHKEm8wk7k2vR6PpScBSWafPh6PMQbeb9Q6lZxbDfojbuuCkgMea01SFvurFH_r61sORipFeeCKLmjI/s800/emwmsopc1a.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2009 Sony US DVD top; 2009 Sony US blu-ray bottom.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCFmgYIbafVzaqP0erS4zkS0SSe-kobsjrNhjQoIfMy4t94FSbF8cIp8-b21l6Nit8RSj-W39wkAjrlutIYscrRly5vMX9NT5aihj49wvJlZEl604Krxq0s0HT4rp5n_43MH9pRDhRYjA/s0/emwmsopc1b.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCFmgYIbafVzaqP0erS4zkS0SSe-kobsjrNhjQoIfMy4t94FSbF8cIp8-b21l6Nit8RSj-W39wkAjrlutIYscrRly5vMX9NT5aihj49wvJlZEl604Krxq0s0HT4rp5n_43MH9pRDhRYjA/s800/emwmsopc1b.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Z33ptXJpzKnvyBNZvxjqBEJyeTpmU3MDQIEtoM88Co4VpywujfHzoeXaDumojEZK0uXqMzZz_Wjvw_k65n0ZHVRxD4v5Ooh17skVE49HpuRCZy3lP5uTYNrK90USyNGXho-p1F9sapg/s0/emwmsopc2a.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Z33ptXJpzKnvyBNZvxjqBEJyeTpmU3MDQIEtoM88Co4VpywujfHzoeXaDumojEZK0uXqMzZz_Wjvw_k65n0ZHVRxD4v5Ooh17skVE49HpuRCZy3lP5uTYNrK90USyNGXho-p1F9sapg/s800/emwmsopc2a.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30zIkWK49uWluZAAzLt3DUZXwMfxNBrO7WA78QTts-HxJM5KcwM9X1Mif-JDmogUZwVMQKCaLEHStGh1E31LArv0pihMlqFLEATtUBmn7Xs1dK43wkw2-77KudWH13D1euztltqTP3kE/s0/emwmsopc2b.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30zIkWK49uWluZAAzLt3DUZXwMfxNBrO7WA78QTts-HxJM5KcwM9X1Mif-JDmogUZwVMQKCaLEHStGh1E31LArv0pihMlqFLEATtUBmn7Xs1dK43wkw2-77KudWH13D1euztltqTP3kE/s800/emwmsopc2b.png" width="400" /></a></div>
As a concurrent, dual release, naturally the DVD and blu-ray feature the
same master. The very wide 2.39:1 framing is identical, the brightness
levels and colors are the same, etc. And thankfully, neither is
interlaced or otherwise troubled. The difference between them is simply
the fundamental difference between an SD and HD release. But yes, that
HD does make a difference. Look at the full-size shots and you'll see
the blu is noticeably sharper and clearer. There's an inescapable
softness when you get in close to the DVD, so you'll appreciate the blu
on an large screen set. There is so much extra footage packed onto the
disc, and it's an early blu-ray release, so it was a little bit of a
worry that the blu might be overly compressed and not much of an upgrade
on the DVD. But no, it's a very clean, genuine boost to high def.<br />
<br />
Both releases feature the same audio options: a strong 5.1 mix, with
French and Portuguese dubs also in 5.1. The only difference being that
the blu is able to deliver them in TrueHD. Both discs also include a
whole ton, but slightly different, subtitle options. I'll bold the ones
that are unique to each disc. The DVD has English, <b>English subs for the commentary</b>, French, Portuguese, Portuguese subs for the commentary, Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Thai, while the blu has English, <b>English SDH</b>, German, <b>German subs for the commentary</b>, French, Portuguese, Portuguese subs for the commentary, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Thai and <b>Turkish</b>. I'm not sure if that's going to be of huge importance to anyone, but it's an interesting little detail.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbhne202WUuQGN0ax4utFg9rLABRUaBKQC5ZN-I80HkKp64VABfkb_pCWyZdMwbN0g_v5lTzz-OFq3lWlncuoRL3TDa1uLjSSpE6uqei5fwJugn5m0_zOo0uYwhOm1VAVNGVLdcUD-KU/s0/emwmsop3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYbhne202WUuQGN0ax4utFg9rLABRUaBKQC5ZN-I80HkKp64VABfkb_pCWyZdMwbN0g_v5lTzz-OFq3lWlncuoRL3TDa1uLjSSpE6uqei5fwJugn5m0_zOo0uYwhOm1VAVNGVLdcUD-KU/s800/emwmsop3.png" width="400" /></a></div>
The much more noteworthy distinctions lie in the special features. The
DVD isn't bad, it gives you some good stuff including another insightful
commentary by Errol Morris and almost half an hour of deleted scenes.
They also throw in the trailer, a couple bonus trailers, and an annoying
commercial for blu-rays on start-up. The blu includes all of that
(even the annoying commercial on start-up, unfortunately), but also has a
whole lot more. Besides the deleted scenes from the DVD, there is also
almost two hours of "additional interviews," which basically just
amount to a metric ton more deleted scenes. A few scenes to repeat, but
only a few minutes worth. 98% of it is all new material, including
some very compelling and dramatic stuff that was surprisingly left out
of the feature film itself, and even one or two interviews with people
not used in the film at all! Then you've got two festival Q&As with
Errol Morris (one also with his producer), which add up to another 45
minutes. They're pretty distinct, and only repeat a little bit,
although they do cover some ground mentioned in the commentary as well.<br />
<br />
And finally, there's a 45 minute panel discussion... If you're keeping
track, that's like 4+ hours of bonus content, not counting the
commentary, packed onto one disc, with a whole bunch of language options
on there, too - you can see why I was concerned that it might be a
compressed nightmare. Anyway, the panel was recorded at the Berlin Film
Festival, where a small, fairly random bunch of journalists and
politicians discuss the politics addressed in the film. It's a bit
superfluous, and rarely reaches the level I'd genuinely consider an
"important" discussion, so it's pretty skippable unless you're a
die-hard fan hungry for every drop of content. But everything else?
Including all those deleted scenes and extended interviews? Those are
essential viewing. So, unfortunately, the DVD really isn't good enough.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHwTGhfHcX_m9Lk0KiX84fUmuQZNoLVJ5HWGKHEHCQiUOEInNIAwtxSrMQOWN4qUJobM1Rgvjt8j9us8LEpKGsQ6yIgwsSQlYNG-opn88nT9xlqTaEwsQ6F1uDpkfSsBOmzQHQyIkVvc/s0/emwmuk.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHwTGhfHcX_m9Lk0KiX84fUmuQZNoLVJ5HWGKHEHCQiUOEInNIAwtxSrMQOWN4qUJobM1Rgvjt8j9us8LEpKGsQ6yIgwsSQlYNG-opn88nT9xlqTaEwsQ6F1uDpkfSsBOmzQHQyIkVvc/s0/emwmuk.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>
And finally, we end with <i>The Unknown Known</i>. It took him a while,
but he finally got Rumsfeld in the hot seat. Morris described
interviewing Rumsfeld as "one of the strangest things I've ever done,
certainly one of the strangest interviews I've ever done," which is
really saying something when you remember films like <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/12/gates-of-vernon-florida-two-hd-upgrades.html"><i>Vernon, Florida</i></a>. Like <i>The Fog Of War</i>,
this is a single-interview documentary, and to a limited degree, I
might concede that this is a slightly misguided attempt to repeat the
success of <i>Fog</i>. It didn't win him his second Academy Award, even
though it does feel a little like it's trying to recapture the same
magic. But it certainly stands up as its own film, more than worth
watching on its own terms: a unique perspective of an outlandish series
of events.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9vJTY1Xm-GslHqacA-5Y7u1_S_oqsRZj4C-aD2bRyaPMP_S5tsfny9v5Ik1SppproN9QmSx9KEqwbddfoG2IGJEaP7VNvFb1Dyu6IsObw6EmaEanFlCYt2kXeMQ3IL67JAI0y0LIbes/s0/emwmuk2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9vJTY1Xm-GslHqacA-5Y7u1_S_oqsRZj4C-aD2bRyaPMP_S5tsfny9v5Ik1SppproN9QmSx9KEqwbddfoG2IGJEaP7VNvFb1Dyu6IsObw6EmaEanFlCYt2kXeMQ3IL67JAI0y0LIbes/s800/emwmuk2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
After all, even though they might've shared the same job title, Rumsfeld
is a very different man than McNamara. He's slippery, and you only
have to drop by the film's Amazon page to read plenty of annoyed
viewers' frustrated reactions to Morris failing to nail him down. But
if you're prepared to read just a little below the barest surface-level
of the exchange, it's a fascinating portrait. "Ask yourself, what he's
saying here," Morris says in the audio commentary, "is he lying?
Confused? Self
deceived? It's at the heart of this movie; that very question." If
you're just looking for a documentary to point a finger and nail
Rumsfeld to the wall, well, you should've known by now that Morris
really isn't that kind of filmmaker. He certainly challenges Rumsfeld
again and again, but he never falls for the false satisfaction of quick
and easy answers. His subjects are real people and his films are real
art, which is why <i>The Unknown Known</i> is more than just a failed replica of <i>Fog</i>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Morris was no longer making films with Sony by this point, and this one
was actually produced by The Weinstein Company (whoa, I felt my traffic
rise just typing that name), and surprisingly enough, the home video
release wound up falling to Anchor Bay. They gave it separate DVD and
blu-ray releases in 2014. And unlike <i>SOP</i>, we're back to the
traditional method of having matching extras on both versions, so you
only need the blu-ray instead of the DVD if you want the HD transfer.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4REHjZVmEeXKhIweAGg2Skxcz4crAQaFTLKarXDtcl8daRjy_fbmJdlHH_z-RGOqjly2dT0YrfziK2GvjztnYeIq_nF2n0uo-Z8AmVEY07WLyPIcaE9N81a-RCp-oAs012LltMr-i02Q/s0/emwmukc1a.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4REHjZVmEeXKhIweAGg2Skxcz4crAQaFTLKarXDtcl8daRjy_fbmJdlHH_z-RGOqjly2dT0YrfziK2GvjztnYeIq_nF2n0uo-Z8AmVEY07WLyPIcaE9N81a-RCp-oAs012LltMr-i02Q/s800/emwmukc1a.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2014 Anchor Bay US DVD top; 2014 Anchor Bay US blu-ray bottom.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgThUHdTJYAwMdYL55JlEeX6YHvjoYejJmY5CZ6ATTm7AiEPBSIWZ10oYGqUgxO0ftW2Va_VlxKIbXH7tAsqc5fYpRBM38dlfAAQtUJVsXCs2-yuSMqnwygdMSYqt4AZTmUz8f2t8L1lBw/s0/emwmukc1b.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgThUHdTJYAwMdYL55JlEeX6YHvjoYejJmY5CZ6ATTm7AiEPBSIWZ10oYGqUgxO0ftW2Va_VlxKIbXH7tAsqc5fYpRBM38dlfAAQtUJVsXCs2-yuSMqnwygdMSYqt4AZTmUz8f2t8L1lBw/s800/emwmukc1b.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuYEd98vpT-dFRHYArjhHkXvxlsfd_rS_2nmPlYGInEjIUx0hw1g0xddFt_gy_RdbDnxwvPuf-I0YHEueaimamQP57XfzOsJN3yBSMmAnkNo7F_u_pQPhN_YBdeVyuz32Q2GffwhNVccQ/s0/emwmukc2a.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuYEd98vpT-dFRHYArjhHkXvxlsfd_rS_2nmPlYGInEjIUx0hw1g0xddFt_gy_RdbDnxwvPuf-I0YHEueaimamQP57XfzOsJN3yBSMmAnkNo7F_u_pQPhN_YBdeVyuz32Q2GffwhNVccQ/s800/emwmukc2a.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRYa_ylFCyxUr-PZ-D-TN8SVvxQBIc66sEBOA4UHDa0oK_VBu2KcP4B2Pn9x0bG2YcDBxsXLdO-k5EL3mhrcoWXC9ja_LH5rrUyMschyphenhyphenAC12SgFVWRMiMvyupZWlhfbS_FPVbDbLaBxQ4/s0/emwmukc2b.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRYa_ylFCyxUr-PZ-D-TN8SVvxQBIc66sEBOA4UHDa0oK_VBu2KcP4B2Pn9x0bG2YcDBxsXLdO-k5EL3mhrcoWXC9ja_LH5rrUyMschyphenhyphenAC12SgFVWRMiMvyupZWlhfbS_FPVbDbLaBxQ4/s800/emwmukc2b.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Once again, the film is framed at 2.39:1. In 2014, it would be pretty shocking (although <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2017/08/sorta-mia-takasha-miikes-totally-off.html">not completely unheard of</a>!)
if the DVD was non-anamorphic or interlaced or anything, and thankfully
everything's fine. Get in close, and naturally the DVD is softer and
tiny detail is smudged compared to the crisper, more satisfying HD
blu-ray. Both both are perfectly up to snuff, first class transfers for
their respective formats.<br />
<br />
And both discs feature a robust 5.1 track, in DTS-HD on the blu, plus optional English HOH and Spanish subs.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggU0fjcXQNiDfh4EeKWM9XYd4cytFarcJIv1s6y9LE6rHleASI7EqhSdbh_860FaYaRdRK5du240LsFTn7NSrg0bBjhrUnFa9cgKji3dMiQS5Gs5vBja6bH_lRyCG371KymZt5cy4rxHM/s0/emwmuk3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggU0fjcXQNiDfh4EeKWM9XYd4cytFarcJIv1s6y9LE6rHleASI7EqhSdbh_860FaYaRdRK5du240LsFTn7NSrg0bBjhrUnFa9cgKji3dMiQS5Gs5vBja6bH_lRyCG371KymZt5cy4rxHM/s800/emwmuk3.png" width="400" /></a></div>
If you're still not convinced that <i>Unknown Known</i> is something
more dramatic and compelling than a quick political puff piece, just
listen to the commentary track, where Morris gets pulled right back into
the arguments, becoming snarkier and more sarcastic than I've ever
heard in an audio commentary. I'm a fan of this film, so I don't
appreciate people selling it short, but I'll concede that the film with
the commentary on might be a more rewarding experience than the film
with the commentary off. I'm not sure I've ever felt that way about a
film I've owned before.<br />
<br />
Besides the commentary, there's a brief on-camera interview with Morris,
which works as a nice introduction to the commentary, and an hour-long
television piece: <i>The Third Annual Report Of the Secretaries of Defense</i>
from 1989. It's a great historical document, and great to finally see
McNamara and Rumsfeld in the same room (as well as five others who've
held that position) after this trilogy; but it's a pretty dry viewing
experience if you're here as a film fan rather than a politico. There's
also a text-only article by Morris, which contains some interviews; but
it's asking a lot to have viewer read pages and pages of on-screen text
off the disc... this should've been a booklet, but I guess that
would've been too costly. Unfortunately, there's no trailer, except for
a couple of random bonus trailers.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmc6ivWYJnxr9ekXhBYD4mhrg4_T-aCDYt9YMz8Bc6e0HMXsLZ12gn68pVBzACPbrDAh6uPoWWvCcUvHwAiaLkGm_C0tMBiDSeBVCpj9DPOx3IU3k-57AgSt7w85HoLYFhR2CXhkTVALA/s0/emwmsop4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmc6ivWYJnxr9ekXhBYD4mhrg4_T-aCDYt9YMz8Bc6e0HMXsLZ12gn68pVBzACPbrDAh6uPoWWvCcUvHwAiaLkGm_C0tMBiDSeBVCpj9DPOx3IU3k-57AgSt7w85HoLYFhR2CXhkTVALA/s800/emwmsop4.png" width="400" /></a></div>
So the good news is <strike>two</strike> all three of these three films already have pretty ideal releases. And the <i>Standard Operating Procedure</i>
blu was released in the early days when pictures like this were
over-produced, so you can get a copy super cheap if you don't already
have it. It was a very painless double-dip for me. Not that that wraps up Errol's catalog on blu. We're still in desperate need of <i>Mr. Death</i>, <i>Fast, Cheap and Out of Control</i>,<i> <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2020/09/american-dharma.html">American Dharma</a></i>, <i><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2017/10/errol-morriss-b-side-new-release-flying.html">The B-side</a></i>, <i><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2020/07/desperate-times-call-for-your.html">Wormwood</a></i>, <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2020/07/desperate-times-call-for-your.html"><i>My Psychedelic Love Story</i></a> and his latest, <i>The Pigeon Tunnel</i>. I'd also love a collection of his short films that he's made for <i>The New Yorker</i>, etc. Some of those are seriously calling out for a Criterion re-visitation, with upgraded
transfers and some retrospective insight from Morris all these years
later. I love it that totally bonkers, under the radar craziness like <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/05/we-need-demon-wind.html"><i>Demon Wind</i></a>
is getting glorious 4k restorations; but at the same time, it's crazy
how the major studio catalog and even some of our most important films
are getting ignored, by the labels and fans alike. Come on, guys, it
can't all be cult horror and tent-poles 24/7.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-72938624150903182852023-11-08T07:12:00.000-05:002023-11-08T07:12:50.280-05:00Vinegar Syndrome Restores Sanity To the Rabid Grannies, If You Can Believe It<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZScZGJwf6lei8kJI00Em9C-cSwd9kFGVBS4F_05voGKF1SM-DvLf81BTkFywaN5WD0mZ0P0JKOoDLk4IvcmDVKKZdph9YrvzMn4CIzhdAt3jCS4TVKPopaGKb3zc0GC3uy1aS3DEqMVobzGzRArvIhEdgtwYiW8dXTAxvU8UZM3p33cJhI0UvVM1bxA/s4849/rgs.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2094" data-original-width="4849" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZScZGJwf6lei8kJI00Em9C-cSwd9kFGVBS4F_05voGKF1SM-DvLf81BTkFywaN5WD0mZ0P0JKOoDLk4IvcmDVKKZdph9YrvzMn4CIzhdAt3jCS4TVKPopaGKb3zc0GC3uy1aS3DEqMVobzGzRArvIhEdgtwYiW8dXTAxvU8UZM3p33cJhI0UvVM1bxA/s0/rgs.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>
<i>Rabid Grannies </i>is a fun little horror comedy. It lives up to its title, which is a lot more than you'd expect. A snobbish, aristocratic family gathers together for a birthday celebration. Turns out they've left one out, though, who just so happens to be a Satanist. He sends the family a gift which, when opened, turns the films two matriarchs into demons. So the rest of the family must run and fight for their lives as the grannies dispatch of them in supernatural and very gruesome ways. This film's got some really nice production values, a great location, quality special effects and a big cast. The acting gets a bad rap, because this film is dubbed... and it doesn't help that everybody is playing it broad for the satire. But it's actually a pretty strong cast and a genuinely amusing script with more great kills than you can shake a stick at. Unfortunately, it's had a tough road on DVD.<br /><br /><span style="color: #800180;"><u>Update 12/28/14 - 1/12/15:</u></span><span style="color: #351c75;"> </span>Let's do it right. I'm adding screenshots and details of Troma's original DVD to the comparison.<br /><br /><u><span style="color: #800180;">Update 11/8/23:</span></u> Ah, sanity has been restored to the madness, and this page has been completely overhauled accordingly. I've been waiting for Vinegar Syndrome to come and save the day with this title since they first started going through Troma's catalog. Well, it took a long time, but it's finally here: <i>Rabid Grannies</i> restored in 4k on blu.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvo1Xh1HH9kvsF99mjtHn7WFcykywjFGzKrDqL9_8z8_mNGNFHpczR-yFZJEJoFKsvEp5dnhE87RwuGCx0CLJMNzw2JdvnoN36G4gCNUI2IX6betOkijnrJkn0OPF9YIOZR-2TeEqBttVxdHfkVaFpoVpH6JooJ2eYoSUF4YA4Szu_1cOAJT6C4h2G44o/s1394/rg5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvo1Xh1HH9kvsF99mjtHn7WFcykywjFGzKrDqL9_8z8_mNGNFHpczR-yFZJEJoFKsvEp5dnhE87RwuGCx0CLJMNzw2JdvnoN36G4gCNUI2IX6betOkijnrJkn0OPF9YIOZR-2TeEqBttVxdHfkVaFpoVpH6JooJ2eYoSUF4YA4Szu_1cOAJT6C4h2G44o/s800/rg5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Troma released it in the US, but heavily edited and with an ugly.
full-frame. It was released by European/ Japan Shock on identical
Holland and Japan discs, widescreen and uncut, but with conspicuous,
unremovable subtitles burnt into the image, and still a murky,
unimpressive picture. So in 2012, I was really excited to hear that the
film's original producer <b>Johan Vandewoestijne</b> (a.k.a. <b>James Desert</b>)
was releasing it via his company Zeno Pictures, as a 25th Anniversary
Special Edition. A loaded, 2-disc cut with a new edit of the film. Wait,
what?<br />
<br />
Here's what they said,<i> "In the original version, the horror starts
after 36 minutes. Now we made
a re-edit and everything that what we called ballast is thrown out. So
now the horror starts after 12 minutes. All the original gory scenes
remained. We made new credits
EVERY SINGLE shot was resized to a scope version. But we made sure
that during the resizing 'no heads' were cut off."</i> Uhh, not so sure
about this "re-edit" notion... But fortunately the set also includes the
original cut on the other disc, so everybody wins, right?<br />
<br />
Holy cow.<br />
<br />
Let's start with disc 1. The discs are only labeled "Disc 1" and "Disc
2," so you have to put them in your player to find out which version of
the film you're going to watch. But, that's a piffling, nitpicky
criticism, no time to get bogged down in little issues like that. We've
got to get to Disc 1, let's see which version it is.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDVMh9DTv6kbA2XNFvXFQCSOXxs_WCoyH0E_hJVXEkwo6NVkAcAA6Z8i_MAHTD9UcrlW6PGh36fnXzPoWt0roR2wDcg5NFVEl6cYZcIhECDUjIpcq51_4aW0BXIjNDBJ8S-DHXfVjEQYQ/s0/rgshock.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDVMh9DTv6kbA2XNFvXFQCSOXxs_WCoyH0E_hJVXEkwo6NVkAcAA6Z8i_MAHTD9UcrlW6PGh36fnXzPoWt0roR2wDcg5NFVEl6cYZcIhECDUjIpcq51_4aW0BXIjNDBJ8S-DHXfVjEQYQ/s800/rgshock.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Why, it's the old European Shock disc. I sure didn't see that one
comin'. Literally, it's the same disc, with the same menus, features and
even Shock's company logo at the start.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRgE_Mblnkon7iQ7NrtYmCR6jgBehn_WssgE3IHv0vZo58Q2gUAYS05uIobWbvuE6KI-EoEhxJ6vnpPAtJmRiJQboO9rGHqEtfl0tS6kQZrojfHAtz4QqfMRMOhsr2mVuxDPFlOCaCVFE/s0/rg4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRgE_Mblnkon7iQ7NrtYmCR6jgBehn_WssgE3IHv0vZo58Q2gUAYS05uIobWbvuE6KI-EoEhxJ6vnpPAtJmRiJQboO9rGHqEtfl0tS6kQZrojfHAtz4QqfMRMOhsr2mVuxDPFlOCaCVFE/s800/rg4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">One of many shots only in the uncut version.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhon4lI4iMZx5ZGoiCwTAr2C8Tyhl1sOhq6wF0tyFk1AhU-kEmrit0tD3YYAQGG8voUQZga7ILG5-_06h-mqzuZ1Wxe-GcA4TZoQQ7Kp_SwEJPcwPW8Vu37G-IXTx8aTImZt6DElhy39LU/s0/rg1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhon4lI4iMZx5ZGoiCwTAr2C8Tyhl1sOhq6wF0tyFk1AhU-kEmrit0tD3YYAQGG8voUQZga7ILG5-_06h-mqzuZ1Wxe-GcA4TZoQQ7Kp_SwEJPcwPW8Vu37G-IXTx8aTImZt6DElhy39LU/s800/rg1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Now, previous to this edition, as I said, the Shock DVDs were the best way to go for this film. Soft and non-anamorphic with huge
Dutch subtitles burned into the picture. But at least it's widescreen
and uncut - a lot better looking than the muddy Troma VHS-sourced
presentation. And so I suppose it's not so terrible that Disc 1 is exactly what we've had before.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX70yYXNPmo5XiXAVLEBd6twv_GTVpKzeOjqJZyDegdmEVVSkUlHGH0wvFcX3mzcq8rWXsaTyE2SpkbthqJfXEMgRp9QZsDPamW8F_15T7fd22BcKGwyR2zIB6_wTa5oW28FB8sLYY4fM/s0/rgextra.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX70yYXNPmo5XiXAVLEBd6twv_GTVpKzeOjqJZyDegdmEVVSkUlHGH0wvFcX3mzcq8rWXsaTyE2SpkbthqJfXEMgRp9QZsDPamW8F_15T7fd22BcKGwyR2zIB6_wTa5oW28FB8sLYY4fM/s800/rgextra.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
And it even has a couple little extras, taken from the Troma disc.
There's a very brief, three minute interview with producer
Vandewoestijne full of Troma graphics and weirdo edits... but at least
he's talking about the movie. And there's also an interview with the
"Original R. Grannies." That sounds promising until you find out it's
actually not an interview with the original <i>Rabid Grannies</i> stars at all.
It's a silly 2 minute interview skit with a random woman Troma hired to
pretend to be a rabid granny. There's also Troma's VHS trailer and a
junky photo gallery.<br />
<br />
You might recall that Troma's disc had an audio commentary as well, by writer/ director <b>Emmanuel Kervyn</b>.
Well, that was never on the Shock discs and it's not here either. Part
or all of the issue there is surely that the commentary was recorded for
the heavily censored shorter cut (not to be confused with the new, even
shorter cut made for this 25th Anniversary), so it wouldn't sync up
here. Troma included the gore footage only as deleted scenes outside of
the main film. But for this big, special 2-disc set; it would've been
nice if they squeezed the commentary in somewhere. <br />
<br />
So anyway, that was weird. They just gave us the Japan Shock disc. Okay.
Now onto Disc 2 - time for that amazing new cut of the film that's
going to look smashing! A brand new transfer, now in "scope," boy oh boy
oh boy....<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFuJE__7sg4Koh8Ph39iPe1a2Xb2p9Pi6ymD3nqJaLQJESnQqh8oDvHOl9zihRZR0nFTMacnjzNbJsOOzN3dAYy3I3qZAe7ap-_nTX40ZUIwpzxcIHvRwrJ9sl2a_wrkyN-SESLJbnYw/s0/rg2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFuJE__7sg4Koh8Ph39iPe1a2Xb2p9Pi6ymD3nqJaLQJESnQqh8oDvHOl9zihRZR0nFTMacnjzNbJsOOzN3dAYy3I3qZAe7ap-_nTX40ZUIwpzxcIHvRwrJ9sl2a_wrkyN-SESLJbnYw/s800/rg2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2012 Shock DVD, disc 2.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Oh yeah, now we're cookin'. It's, uh... wow. Where to start? Well, to
start with, they certainly didn't go back to original film elements. No,
this transfer was made using... well, the Shock disc transfer from Disc 1, I think.
It looks like they just up-scaled it, so it's anamorphic now. But there's no additional
detail or anything, because it's just Disc 1 ripped and encoded an
additional time to make it 16x9.<br /><br />
'So, they literally didn't do anything to it? It's just disc 1 made
anamorphic?' Oh, no, no. They certainly did... things to it. They cut
about twenty-two minutes out of it, for a start. Yeah, the back of the
box and the advertising all call this new cut 75 minutes, but it
actually only runs for 66. Tighter pacing? I guess, but you'd have to
really dislike the original to think it's a better film in this cut.
Literally an entire third has been removed, often in big chunks. Sure,
there's films I dislike and think the only way to make it better would
be to make it shorter and shorter; but I generally don't buy those
movies on DVD. Who is this set being marketed to? "If you hate Rabid
Grannies, you'll hate this less. Only $25!"<br />
<br />
They also altered the colors, often heavily tinting a scene to be a
certain color. And they upped the contrast, generally tinkering around
with it in an editing program like Final Cut. You could argue that
aspect of things looks better. Maybe, in some shots (we'll come back to
this). The boosted contrast at least makes the blacks blacker. Some shots look alright. It's not faithful or respectful of the original film;
but it's not terrible work in that department.<br />
<br />
But the framing! Oh, let's talk about the framing! Yes, it's in "scope"
now, roughly 2:18.1. Of course the film wasn't shot to be screened in
that ratio, so why is it now? I guess the producer (Kervyn was not
involved with this release) just thought it looked better in scope,
right? Actually, no, I don't think so. Another possible reason bears its head once you compare at these
discs. Assuming the print was taken from the Shock disc because Vandewoestijne had
no access to any film materials that the rest of us in the general public
have, well, the Shock
disc had huge, burnt in subtitles, right? So to get rid of those big subtitles, he'd had to have cut
the bottom of the picture off!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRff1OuQIRRu3s_fL5kWnp5K51I_yWtrfm2z1kutNZhZZWSXPu6AinhDyHqT88yloCoPg07WysyxqWYS1-YU9QovYRVGDmWWWPqJ2OD8IW8ADrNR0yzz9mjHxjqAMUJXizHBEjTgwWMA/s0/rgc.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRff1OuQIRRu3s_fL5kWnp5K51I_yWtrfm2z1kutNZhZZWSXPu6AinhDyHqT88yloCoPg07WysyxqWYS1-YU9QovYRVGDmWWWPqJ2OD8IW8ADrNR0yzz9mjHxjqAMUJXizHBEjTgwWMA/s800/rgc.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Shock version on the left; new "scope" version on the right.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
They cut off practically a third of the picture, mostly from the bottom
and some from the top. I mean, I guess you'd have to give the guy a little credit just for
having the gal. The sides are also padded out with slightly colored pillarboxing just to fill the screen. Er, I mean, it's in "Scope!" You'll have to travel far and wide to
find a movie mistreated worse than this one is here. ...And does the new
color timing really look better? Sure, the Shock disc is faded; but
where did their eyes go? You can't see their faces in this new
"improved" version which crushes out a lot of detail, presumably in an attempt to hide the old disc's flaws.<br />
<br />
And the new credits they speak of are pretty immaterial... the original and new ones are both just simple white text against a
plain black background. The new credits are just made to replace the lower
quality of the original transfer (video shakiness and blurriness), and most of the credits
have simply been removed entirely from the new version.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicY4FgwXhvdhCglFPhIjJ9rTfF2usBbLWEA-FPja4TFsLzinZqX_-I8voGzSsJxIrgIq_Fmxy19Iy96mFpQccERUmgSeSGmPLI6u14yqhJfhIsmF9-XHoP_MsiG1-pYOUJpu6M_6J8f2k/s0/rgextra2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicY4FgwXhvdhCglFPhIjJ9rTfF2usBbLWEA-FPja4TFsLzinZqX_-I8voGzSsJxIrgIq_Fmxy19Iy96mFpQccERUmgSeSGmPLI6u14yqhJfhIsmF9-XHoP_MsiG1-pYOUJpu6M_6J8f2k/s800/rgextra2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
To add frustration to the fire, Disc 2 features a new, 37 minute "Behind
the Movie" documentary. But there is no English audio or subtitling.
Ahh! It looks really interesting (even though they stretch their behind
the scenes VHS footage from 4:3 to 16x9); but I guess I'll never know.
Oh well. As a fan of <i>Rabid Grannies</i>, I would actually have loved to watch that.<br />
<br />
In 2015, I thought we were saved when Troma announced <i>Rabid Grannies</i>' HD debut on a new blu-ray release... until it turned out they were just releasing that awful 66 minute "producer's cut!" That makes it one of the incredibly rare instances where the BD was actually worse than the past DVDs. But eight more years later, and Vinegar Syndrome have done it right, restoring it in 4k from the original 35mm interpositive (yes, this film was shot on 16, but they blew it up to 35 for distribution). I was beginning to worry that the
original film elements were lost (hence the crap-sourced discs everyone had been releasing), but no, all's ended well.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxZ3etxul-SMV3UHrrevWBeBvbctIFriuwLhzuQIGcsZ4YUCMILL_KMPVUEuGZ5F536dbg8hmO4R9bK9RM-ryFRUApDvyZ2C03ilvKgt0dfPZZjzImAIq3arEEcHW3t0zoCbZRbNv1R38gnDW6OxJ42cxBUtn_FX1h94rzUGE5-aM0yTFshkB8jGYxZY/s1404/rgc1a1942.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhxZ3etxul-SMV3UHrrevWBeBvbctIFriuwLhzuQIGcsZ4YUCMILL_KMPVUEuGZ5F536dbg8hmO4R9bK9RM-ryFRUApDvyZ2C03ilvKgt0dfPZZjzImAIq3arEEcHW3t0zoCbZRbNv1R38gnDW6OxJ42cxBUtn_FX1h94rzUGE5-aM0yTFshkB8jGYxZY/s800/rgc1a1942.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 1999 Troma DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2012 Shock DVD disc 1;<br /><span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 2012 Shock DVD disc 2; <span style="color: #800180;">4)</span> 2023 Vinegar Syndrome BD.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgG67KtTdEnRCo7H2w5SqCK9hDlpQ9iRWNnk6Aj5PMeinICTWS20aloiSx9JCpOcfv6aCeEzvLAgIsqdJjkOzS_fdHIf30hYOBLhJbozRztg9UGJmUfdeK2vU6oIN7OoRa194wz8FcSO7h2X7w6gz2IEL-HVqyAAdg0xlx4A0a7nUfAAYldKMwLdF_8o/s1386/rgc1b1658.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="1386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgG67KtTdEnRCo7H2w5SqCK9hDlpQ9iRWNnk6Aj5PMeinICTWS20aloiSx9JCpOcfv6aCeEzvLAgIsqdJjkOzS_fdHIf30hYOBLhJbozRztg9UGJmUfdeK2vU6oIN7OoRa194wz8FcSO7h2X7w6gz2IEL-HVqyAAdg0xlx4A0a7nUfAAYldKMwLdF_8o/s800/rgc1b1658.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #800180;">(There's no screenshot from the producer's cut here<br />because this shot isn't in the producer's cut.)</span><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhww9w8kpZsgxyxKGrwPqIqettwzHbDodlvu18NgfJ15R_-ywo12ifFDUIGxoYz2vYKs9oXZP6KI61-KoPuOLCPv95_fqrUhq1iz9ODp9EFxaRS1tAQQgee4KkewRsm5X5mZCJZrJcTVdoRLeHfodXSo0IbrZi3VDyv1tdtwDDt64BgDqUn2mlH6grqGRM/s1800/rgc1d2350.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhww9w8kpZsgxyxKGrwPqIqettwzHbDodlvu18NgfJ15R_-ywo12ifFDUIGxoYz2vYKs9oXZP6KI61-KoPuOLCPv95_fqrUhq1iz9ODp9EFxaRS1tAQQgee4KkewRsm5X5mZCJZrJcTVdoRLeHfodXSo0IbrZi3VDyv1tdtwDDt64BgDqUn2mlH6grqGRM/s800/rgc1d2350.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZtnOouGK0jNJ_nkUPewesdf3RSwI7NHKvbaq4dSTjma1oDjhH0j1gPW9jxh9RPFLzP3_Kce4dsH_ip69XNW2lqbyNIr9B0dpy95hrJg4_NIQvLvMw0rN9hcAOT5B-griSJJsECEa9ZR_kGTtbw_Iv9ajGu0etYRLsf3Aahrz2E_Uo3BwtgECqPgA3DU/s1404/rgc2a3941.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyZtnOouGK0jNJ_nkUPewesdf3RSwI7NHKvbaq4dSTjma1oDjhH0j1gPW9jxh9RPFLzP3_Kce4dsH_ip69XNW2lqbyNIr9B0dpy95hrJg4_NIQvLvMw0rN9hcAOT5B-griSJJsECEa9ZR_kGTtbw_Iv9ajGu0etYRLsf3Aahrz2E_Uo3BwtgECqPgA3DU/s800/rgc2a3941.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerXnA-z-KAN3hqe27j8RH5cDm6pyfcvIZCJukMSAd1silKKAc1xDMRfaTKHKVbrzoAyDbJkpGFUo71qbVJd2rC1m60RdufedzwZAf2fAEAKWp_UbwbSCKL_n1e1BELt8mB4YGJ7K4ov5rd6V8ez9WMVbPrbwJnx3HTmS5LeMYhIKdg8Z-yFw0X-IHK7g/s1384/rgc2b3522.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerXnA-z-KAN3hqe27j8RH5cDm6pyfcvIZCJukMSAd1silKKAc1xDMRfaTKHKVbrzoAyDbJkpGFUo71qbVJd2rC1m60RdufedzwZAf2fAEAKWp_UbwbSCKL_n1e1BELt8mB4YGJ7K4ov5rd6V8ez9WMVbPrbwJnx3HTmS5LeMYhIKdg8Z-yFw0X-IHK7g/s800/rgc2b3522.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gquul5xer79PHdVqMCAOSY1YdN462lxDyEhBWDt8kIjoONvcUVa5BVp2rnEqG3Wrz4o-Rb5w7n9F9AH0yJQLTr_oVTnYz35-B3Uk3s_Y2Z0Kki6oaR22008nDpbDr5hMB3ckAL6nwqPzHsFlO7BMXTdfCMs7F4d_8DND32r6Rxt6QTnk8OZKZ_zRxQw/s1861/rgc2c2006.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1861" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gquul5xer79PHdVqMCAOSY1YdN462lxDyEhBWDt8kIjoONvcUVa5BVp2rnEqG3Wrz4o-Rb5w7n9F9AH0yJQLTr_oVTnYz35-B3Uk3s_Y2Z0Kki6oaR22008nDpbDr5hMB3ckAL6nwqPzHsFlO7BMXTdfCMs7F4d_8DND32r6Rxt6QTnk8OZKZ_zRxQw/s800/rgc2c2006.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD54LNilnPJLJ_6t-oDl9kaOC7_ikH4Xg5nfKSO9U3SQOsnR8FhQHhHGfFb9nFZ6t8qqjfswWIF9ORUyumE2OfGgANfHhZYojwCnwfsemrkNFeEJZepXYub2nTmAJ9p51JFruGTY7lIS301fD0Y9ssMHbN8UbnuHXOXkcgIB5l_MqW2a4l9HHy8Yj6uM4/s1800/rgc2d4414.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD54LNilnPJLJ_6t-oDl9kaOC7_ikH4Xg5nfKSO9U3SQOsnR8FhQHhHGfFb9nFZ6t8qqjfswWIF9ORUyumE2OfGgANfHhZYojwCnwfsemrkNFeEJZepXYub2nTmAJ9p51JFruGTY7lIS301fD0Y9ssMHbN8UbnuHXOXkcgIB5l_MqW2a4l9HHy8Yj6uM4/s800/rgc2d4414.png" width="400" /></a></div>As you can see, and as we already knew, the Shock disc is widescreen at 1.60:1, and
the Troma disc is fullscreen at 1.30:1. Troma's disc is not open matte; it's
clearly chopped off on both sides. And we've already discussed how much more butchered the producer's cut is. VS's new blu is slightly pillar boxed to 1.67:1, with more vertical and horizontal picture than any previous release. Shock 's DVD is clearer, warmer and more distinct than Troma's, but it's not a huge gap - it's at least nice that the subtitles aren't burnt into the
Troma disc. That and the fact that Shock's DVD is non-anamorphic makes it almost a tie between the two, though at the end of the day, the purist in me has to give it to the latter. Especially since the real Achilles' heel of the Troma disc is that it's cut,
which really slices the fun out of this movie. Anyway, it's all academic now, because VS's new blu is the clear and obvious winner, with vastly improved detail and properly delineated colors. It finally looks like a real movie!<br /><br />Every disc just has the original mono track, except the producer's cut, which boasts a new 5.1 mix we're told by Desert is "now stereo and more dynamic." Vinegar Syndrome goes back to the mono, cleans it up (the old ones have hiss and pops) and bumps it up to DTS-HD. None of the DVDs have any useful subtitles, but Shock has burnt in Dutch subs on disc 1 and optional Dutch ones on the producer's cut. Vinegar Syndrome gives us optional English subtitles for the first time.<br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5eIE6lz67nbdJRI4FxNViJLx8zpfrHCRpPhCR93t22QCvwc2fpZ3cO1xzmm1dMsOtzlF1r_vtJdDJhqK5VjN5uYARR4BzlSgd8f8zKWqoRUOh9tEiVurXIXy0cOo7GIrrBYeeyfp6lk942rxV3-2Ft_RHhxQFTWteKDxhS0dLiJnDBN4BI1XdT8du6Xs/s1434/rgc1e1942.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5eIE6lz67nbdJRI4FxNViJLx8zpfrHCRpPhCR93t22QCvwc2fpZ3cO1xzmm1dMsOtzlF1r_vtJdDJhqK5VjN5uYARR4BzlSgd8f8zKWqoRUOh9tEiVurXIXy0cOo7GIrrBYeeyfp6lk942rxV3-2Ft_RHhxQFTWteKDxhS0dLiJnDBN4BI1XdT8du6Xs/s800/rgc1e1942.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2023 Vinegar Syndrome BD, commentary transfer.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnFytawsxaPxcIC2xeNFx67GAc1YmhQ9hy7N1ERtDj-DUCd_znfL83wjTZMJVhHO076cL8UKs8iSzIrMHuNDnpi_Y99He8MkANEobnmOX2rygA_BA8fGTkY9Yt7-Lj614kpcpbCfetSs/s0/rgtroma.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
I already talked about the previous discs' extras, but Vinegar Syndrome
plays to win here, too, bringing back pretty much all of the legacy
features and coming up with a bunch of great new ones. So yeah, all of
the relevant Troma stuff is here. In other words, none of the Sgt.
Kabukiman-type Troma shovelware (curiously, even the interview with <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/DarioArgento"><b>Dario Argento</b></a> from their <i>Stendhal Syndrome</i>
disc was on that DVD), but the Kaufman intro, the Desert interview, the
outtakes and the director's commentary, which plays over the old
fullscreen transfer, though VS corrected it to 1.33:1. And that
commentary is
actually pretty good... He comes off a little self conscious and
schticky at first, and he does sometimes explain what is obviously
transpiring on-screen. But once he picks up his momentum, he winds
up getting pretty informative and entertaining.<br /><br />Happily, the 25th Anniversary 'Behind the Movie' feature is here, too, now with English subtitles. And yeah, Desert repeats a few anecdotes, but there are a bunch of exclusive stories and looks at the original locations, too. He also shows and talks about his producer's cut, so if you're curious but don't want to actually buy the Troma BD to see what it's like, you can still find out here.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB1OWyYcYyLqZBcWReKqRYbrz2Om46hy-3IE3Z2-r15YzaukFr_Ie0RWuu1c2bu-srLiMncclYX-flpid2qn5lpw09OwsYXIc66kkf65GZsOXRznd7W8vw0iTagh_4_GgTQ7uDXGUC-BiVIge2ioyr9DDHH8mHXoNaPsF-I4R-iIh3MxkHrxrQBD39MKQ/s1920/rgextra3.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB1OWyYcYyLqZBcWReKqRYbrz2Om46hy-3IE3Z2-r15YzaukFr_Ie0RWuu1c2bu-srLiMncclYX-flpid2qn5lpw09OwsYXIc66kkf65GZsOXRznd7W8vw0iTagh_4_GgTQ7uDXGUC-BiVIge2ioyr9DDHH8mHXoNaPsF-I4R-iIh3MxkHrxrQBD39MKQ/s800/rgextra3.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Forgotten Scares: An In-depth Look at Flemish Horror Cinema</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table>And then there's all the new goodies! Desert comes back from a new
interview, which is good but a little repetitive by now. Better, then,
are brand new on-camera interviews with the editor and Lloyd Kaufman.
One good thing about the extras is that nobody's afraid to be perfectly
candid. There's a new audio commentary by <i>The Hysteria Continues</i> guys, which is okay. But far more exciting is a full-length documentary on Flemish horror films. I went in thinking, gee, <i>Rabid Grannies</i>
might be the only Flemish horror film I'd ever seen, but no, turns out I
was familiar with quite a few of them. Anyway, it's pretty great
because it makes the effort to be comprehensive, and rather than just a
bunch of British film critics telling us the history, this doc finds and
interviews a ton of the original directors, producers and stars
(including Desert, who not only talks about <i>Grannies </i>but some other horror outings he worked on over the years). Honestly, this doc would be worth the price of entry in itself.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEsGtQ_ruduyG15ucvo4KRloxas81ai87GBo1qqMyE6yHozbFn8OD5qvor5QFaBeYCbEesR37dipy2gfeQAjYHtLg8p9OrdYuVoEfhgSCyWWyR1EInEks_Go6YoSlp3YjcuyKI2BlURxErZXmX-P7XyzcVAdDBNGVTqguBM_ARDFgAUhubBkuc9ZmlPBY/s1383/rg6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEsGtQ_ruduyG15ucvo4KRloxas81ai87GBo1qqMyE6yHozbFn8OD5qvor5QFaBeYCbEesR37dipy2gfeQAjYHtLg8p9OrdYuVoEfhgSCyWWyR1EInEks_Go6YoSlp3YjcuyKI2BlURxErZXmX-P7XyzcVAdDBNGVTqguBM_ARDFgAUhubBkuc9ZmlPBY/s800/rg6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Seriously, don't be fooled by Troma's distribution. They've acquired a lot of movies over the years, from <i>The Stendhal Syndrome</i> to <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/LucioFulci">Lucio Fulci</a></b>'s <i>New Gladiators</i>. They're not the same thing as original Troma productions. This has much more in common with <i><a href="http://dvdexotica.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-definitive-evil-dead-1-and-2.html">The Evil Dead</a></i> than <i>The Class of Nuke 'Em High</i> or whatever. Yeah, Desert is a little bit right that the first half hour does over-explain that every family member is out for the aunt's money, which gets a little bit tedious. But otherwise, this is just a really good, fun horror comedy and it's finally gotten a home video release it's always deserved.<br />John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-53665792390705220002023-10-31T06:54:00.002-04:002023-11-06T04:27:14.788-05:00Hellraiser: The Quartet of Torment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigeSQec3m3XeCwjYU5Z4gb5Nuld6GN1EI45qTU6QmOmM72Nz7h9ecRyPPIeKCY1-Iwnl8CcGaoO1mYe9vNxHaWNKpz4uT62ncMbjjJfZS00HSGi4A-a0F9PbJVMJ7nRWpsJQN74-K-ofPR5Vt5NUoQjVE3uP8pb3ZEmO2UYw7qSpvS7WwrfpVz9cDVMWs/s3672/hellraiseruhdbox.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2742" data-original-width="3672" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigeSQec3m3XeCwjYU5Z4gb5Nuld6GN1EI45qTU6QmOmM72Nz7h9ecRyPPIeKCY1-Iwnl8CcGaoO1mYe9vNxHaWNKpz4uT62ncMbjjJfZS00HSGi4A-a0F9PbJVMJ7nRWpsJQN74-K-ofPR5Vt5NUoQjVE3uP8pb3ZEmO2UYw7qSpvS7WwrfpVz9cDVMWs/s0/hellraiseruhdbox.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>Oh boy, it's finally here. Arrow's brand new, limited Scarlet Box collection of <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/CliveBarker"><b>Clive Barker</b></a>'s <i>Hellraiser</i>.
It's a whopping 4-disc blu-ray set, including loaded special editions
of the original, the first two sequels, and Barker's early short films.
It's kind of an update to Anchor Bay's already impressive, Lament
Configuration limited edition 4-disc DVD set, but with all new scans, HD
transfers, and a heap of new extras. The 2009 US blu-ray of <i>Hellraiser </i>still
has some unique special features, so we'll look at that, too, as well
the old 2000 special edition DVD. Because I want to do a thorough review
worthy of this thorough set.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRSEH_oui9iNcwjuMi1h1SNa2XjY3j0casGnVWJZfTNHTs9sYzQ71LAWSKaYaaVEwN2v41Vw76judLW_FX2lFIgvQpXm2JvdO3Ue-s25QXqb1oqeV-XjUr7SybGDKTwTQTtVDCirNYAPs/s0/hellraisernewbox.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRSEH_oui9iNcwjuMi1h1SNa2XjY3j0casGnVWJZfTNHTs9sYzQ71LAWSKaYaaVEwN2v41Vw76judLW_FX2lFIgvQpXm2JvdO3Ue-s25QXqb1oqeV-XjUr7SybGDKTwTQTtVDCirNYAPs/s0/hellraisernewbox.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>
<span style="color: purple;"><u>Update 12/5/15:</u> </span>I added the old US Anchor Bay <i>Hellraiser 2</i> DVD into the comparison mix, and added the bit about Arrow's <i>Hellraiser 3</i> mis-framing.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: purple;"><u>Update 2/19/16:</u> </span>I've added the US Paramount DVD of <i>Hellraiser 3</i>
into the comparison mix (it's got a pretty unique doc covered in the
special features portion), and also consolidated this and the previous
update to make it all a more readable, cohesive piece.<br /><br />
<span style="color: purple;"><u>Update 9/8/17:</u></span> Adding another <i>Hellraiser 2</i> DVD to the mix. Why bother? Well, one, just because the more completist I can be the better. But the bigger reason is because the Anchor Bay 20th Anniversary Edition has some exclusive Red Shirt extras on it, that aren't included in the Scarlet Box. It's also worth noting that Arrow eventually reissued the Scarlet Box here in the USA since the last update, in December of 2016.<br /><br /><u><span style="color: #800180;">Update 10/31/23:</span></u> <b><span style="color: #bf9000;">Happy Halloween</span></b>, kiddies - <i>Hellraiser </i>is back! The Scarlet Box was awesome, but Arrow's new Quartet of Torment seeks to render it completely obsolete. They mostly do, but not entirely, as you'll see below. This set also includes the fourth <i>Hellraiser </i>film, <i>Bloodlines</i>, which I've compared to its previous releases on its own page, <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2019/09/hellraiser-4-5.html">here</a>.<br />
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If you've never seen <i>Hellraiser</i>... then you mustn't be a horror fan. But even then, I would recommend this film, because it's truly unique, intelligent and engrossing. And gross. But really, there's so much more to this story; you've got to see past that. It's Barker's masterpiece: a wild story that addresses the darker side of sexuality and invents a Hell that, in a very twisted way, can be attractive. It's the story of what a family must endure when one man decides to unlock the gateway to Hell, and then return. It's got strong performances, great visual effects, an epic score, and while the film may be a little rough around the edges thanks to a low budget and first time director, all its minor flaws are swept over by <i>Hellraiser</i>'s visionary content.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTHzYj7bJG0UKCwXu0IWlHSe7HiaK5y4TsZmeTBhtTkEj2FNkADPktJsj0YqtvwhNzDliRWb_-Hcb5ExfwI6A8iiASF58mq1Kk1o1Jc51jUBTBMSUL0ZIYegHsN7Htvc_Wm6nv0lf0VKUyet7BL4gtYqydSn3EGDaeiqLMQb4t6pN4ZJ-MAWLwt7GJCg/s1920/hellraiseru.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTHzYj7bJG0UKCwXu0IWlHSe7HiaK5y4TsZmeTBhtTkEj2FNkADPktJsj0YqtvwhNzDliRWb_-Hcb5ExfwI6A8iiASF58mq1Kk1o1Jc51jUBTBMSUL0ZIYegHsN7Htvc_Wm6nv0lf0VKUyet7BL4gtYqydSn3EGDaeiqLMQb4t6pN4ZJ-MAWLwt7GJCg/s800/hellraiseru.png" width="400" /></a></div>Is <i>Hellraiser </i>uncut? Let's talk about that. It's pretty
well known that Barker had to cut his film to get it rated; he talks
about it in some depth on his group audio commentary, amongst other
places. He largely says he prefers it now as it is, and that the scenes
are "nastier" when they don't linger on the effects quite as much as
they once did, though he does also mention wishing he had to opportunity
to maybe put a few bits back. Anyway, that's pretty much all bygone
history, with almost every release around the world featuring the same
R-rated cut, unless someone someday finds the trimmed footage... <i>except</i>, the opening of <i>Hellraiser 2</i>, which starts with a summary of the first <i>Hellraiser</i>, including exactly eight frames that were cut out of <i>Hellraiser 1</i>.
Two of those frames are from the explosion of Frank after Kirstie
closes the door, but the other six include a gruesome close-up not seen
at all in the theatrical cut of <i>Hellraiser 1</i>. German label Turbine has
cut those eight frames from <i>Hellraiser 2</i> back into their blu-ray of <i>Hellraiser 1</i>,
so it's kind of a more uncut and unrated version, though some would
argue it's revisionist, since they're technically cutting in footage
from a different movie, though it was obviously originally shot for the
first. It's up to us all to decide for ourselves, however none of the releases on this page include those eight
frames in the original <i>Hellraiser</i>.<br />
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<i>Hellraiser II: Hellbound</i> suffers from pretty much all the usual
drawbacks of sequels, the worst of which being that it's no longer
adapting a Barker novel, instead penned by screenwriter <b>Peter Atkins</b>.
Still, it's the most crowd-pleasing of the eight (as of this writing)
sequels, bringing back pretty much the entire cast and bringing them
into a much more ambitious, and higher budgeted, world. There are
stunning visuals and more of pretty much everything fans wanted to see
return from the original. It's a great time and very fun film, but it's
it's just not quite as smart, and is missing the focus of the original
film. Why are we here except to see more? That's more than enough reason
to watch and have fun; but we've slid down the scale of artistic
achievement.<br />
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So <i>Hellraiser II</i> slid, and then <i>Hellraiser III: Hell On Earth</i>, embraced that direction and ran headlong into it. <i>Hellraiser 3</i> is a B-movie and is fine with that. It's again written by Atkins; but this time it's directed by <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/AnthonyHickox"><b>Amthony Hickox</b></a> (<a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/01/lionsgates-essentialish-8-pack.html"><i>Waxwork</i></a>, <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2021/08/sundown-vampire-in-retreat-advances.html"><i>Sundown: the Vampire In Retreat</i></a>), who just takes the opportunity to play with all of <i>Hellraiser</i>'s
toys. It's villains and iconography are back, but now in almost a silly
world with lighter characters. There are still hints of <i>Hellraiser</i>'s
dark power; but this is a film where a monster kills people by shooting
compact discs out of his head. This one still looks to have a nice
budget (something later films in the series sorely lacked), and I'm sure
if this wasn't titled "Hellraiser III," horror lovers would still be
talking about what a kick this movie was. However fans looking for the
greatness of the original <i>Hellraiser </i>were further disappointed... even maybe a little insulted this time. But if you can ease off your expectations of another <i>Hellraiser 1</i>;
this is a very fun and engaging 90 minutes. But we're definitely at the
point where I wouldn't recommend it to the non-horror fans.<br />
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Now the <i>Hellraiser </i>films have been released and re-released on
home video plenty of times. We're only seeing the first three in this
set, because the later ones are all owned by Dimension Films. But the
films get less and less worthwhile as you go; so the first three are
more than fine. <i>Hellraiser </i>was first released on DVD in 1997, and then re-released in a cool, limited edition tin as a bit of a special edition with<i> Hellraiser 2</i>
in 2000. Unfortunately, I sold that off long ago, but I did manage to
snag a single disc release of the 2000 DVD for this comparison. Then
we've got the aforementioned UK DVD boxed set of the first three films
from 2004, which is kind of the standard def predecessor of the Scarlet
Box. It's worth noting that both sets include two versions apiece of <i>Hellraiser III</i>,
so we'll get into that as well. Then, to bring in the HD competition,
we've got the 2009 US blu-ray, which is also from Anchor Bay. And we're
comparing them all to the 2015 Scarlet Box BD set and 2023 Quartet of
Torment UHD set, both from Arrow.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvZJ9LXnhySp970HF2bjsiDygOqdNpbFbpwpJeP17AKQtJdJoTM6KiS3_aFa10jYXLMFHnLB4WxKGXh48pHJ2d-S4yEVy0zk826JCxx4_GNiJVoQ3rTotLv0ObKKunLA3n2WWVgQgezn0/s0/hellraiserc1a.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvZJ9LXnhySp970HF2bjsiDygOqdNpbFbpwpJeP17AKQtJdJoTM6KiS3_aFa10jYXLMFHnLB4WxKGXh48pHJ2d-S4yEVy0zk826JCxx4_GNiJVoQ3rTotLv0ObKKunLA3n2WWVgQgezn0/s800/hellraiserc1a.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2000 US AB widescreen DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2000 US AB fullscreen DVD;<br /><span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 2004 UK AB DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">4)</span> 2009 US AB BD; <span style="color: #800180;">6)</span> 2015 UK ArrowBD;<br /><span style="color: #800180;">7)</span> 2023 UK Arrow UHD.<br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj1YtjI-Ld4TY488hauwcIAzNiv4Flig6APYDG3IVS7H7HNxGPY2G0u7-88rHP93tWphtJ0BgOWpISKUm3xiDPeu_nYYa94xb5aksxdiZ5YI1VGArSlQecl-wV0aHUun3GT9YcLAJENP0/s0/hellraiserc2d.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj1YtjI-Ld4TY488hauwcIAzNiv4Flig6APYDG3IVS7H7HNxGPY2G0u7-88rHP93tWphtJ0BgOWpISKUm3xiDPeu_nYYa94xb5aksxdiZ5YI1VGArSlQecl-wV0aHUun3GT9YcLAJENP0/s800/hellraiserc2d.png" width="400" /> <br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdj0ugwAo7686_kyQFgr8Lc-O7JWTCiM7oMXMZnca725e3uoWbWXCGv_S41bggNxl5KQB5kDuv-1Ccmkl61URCrNuEc7C34k6Jw2vrZAnW4DnVgeFEagjTRXQOHhZwJq5vScynVyrvVRFIwgonULLg0Zwz45lOm22lm58N9Y0r40oh_n9nkeOijfkDYjE/s3840/hellraiserc2f1421.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2076" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdj0ugwAo7686_kyQFgr8Lc-O7JWTCiM7oMXMZnca725e3uoWbWXCGv_S41bggNxl5KQB5kDuv-1Ccmkl61URCrNuEc7C34k6Jw2vrZAnW4DnVgeFEagjTRXQOHhZwJq5vScynVyrvVRFIwgonULLg0Zwz45lOm22lm58N9Y0r40oh_n9nkeOijfkDYjE/s800/hellraiserc2f1421.png" width="400" /></a></div></div>
All six discs slightly letterbox their anamorphic 16x9 images to 1.85:1
(excluding the fullscreen transfer, obviously). The DVDs both have
slightly less info on the sides, at 1.84:1, but it's the definition of
negligible. Still, it's nice to get that extra sliver if you've sprung
for the blus. And there's another sliver around all four sides on the
UHD, because, though they're both 1.85:1, the UHD pulls back to reveal a
little more around the edges than the BD. Clarity is definitely up from
the DVDs to the blus, especially Arrow's. Even Anchor Bay's is a nice
step up from the DVDs in sharpness and resolution, though. Both blus
also have more natural colors, though their color palettes are
different, too (compare Julia's blouse... redder on the DVDs, bluer on
the US blu and yellower on the UK).<br />
<br />
The first thing that draws your eye between all of them, though, is
probably how much brighter Arrow's blu is. It really brings out some
details that were crushed in past releases. It doesn't stop the film
from being dark when it means to me, it just keeps the film from being
murky like the older DVDs look. Preferable degrees of brightness and
sharpness can be a little subjective... a number of people online had
been voicing their displeasure in how the clearer transfer makes Arrow's
blu look especially grainy. I think the new UHD will satisfy them. The
colors are deeper now, too. Comparing the leaves behind Frank, they're
downright pale on the BD compared to the richer greens of the UHD. And
both the increased resolution and the colors work together to make
small detail, like the studs on Julia's belt look considerably more
lifelike.<br /><br />Audio-wise, every disc gives us the choice between the
original 2.0 and a 5.1 remix, except the 2009 BD, which skips the 5.1.
And the blus and UHD naturally bump them up to lossless. Every disc
except the 2000 DVD also includes optional English subs, and the 2009 AB
BD also throws in Spanish ones.<br />
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<span style="color: purple;"></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC_ypOujheGNwPTitvie3zx8evkXuwyB-og5uDYTDifSFk8Ubmhj8Y-ojmB7BaH5KwK1XxQG-Q8dNPSaI_VwtMm0ZhGUmpJtg7ZeNCOTLN1AnY2D4ncVkytKxoAuhFfCqViMjwd42Grso/s0/hellraiser2dvdc.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1128" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC_ypOujheGNwPTitvie3zx8evkXuwyB-og5uDYTDifSFk8Ubmhj8Y-ojmB7BaH5KwK1XxQG-Q8dNPSaI_VwtMm0ZhGUmpJtg7ZeNCOTLN1AnY2D4ncVkytKxoAuhFfCqViMjwd42Grso/s800/hellraiser2dvdc.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>
<span style="color: purple;">
</span>I've also got a pair of <i>Hellraiser II </i>Anchor Bay DVDs on
hand: the old 2001 disc and 2008's 20th Anniversary Edition. Not that I
expect them to add anything surprising to the comparisons, but the 2001
DVD offers a fullscreen mode just like the first film did, so I thought
it might be worth looking at to see how the 4:3 version looks. And the
2008 has a few exclusive special features.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4_-ziW0rauz2OCMqvssHxzGCPhKcGWWdgKHLDjXLvESxm9ILC7aNZWhPXu2qIOdPYXUXROSbtzRq-JJaouKQARKQIBz9uJuMdUB58nNZ657-N5j5CqxIw0xFrjvCTOAW15tcLZisJIM/s0/hellraiser2c1e.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4_-ziW0rauz2OCMqvssHxzGCPhKcGWWdgKHLDjXLvESxm9ILC7aNZWhPXu2qIOdPYXUXROSbtzRq-JJaouKQARKQIBz9uJuMdUB58nNZ657-N5j5CqxIw0xFrjvCTOAW15tcLZisJIM/s800/hellraiser2c1e.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2001 US AB fullscreen DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2001 US AB DVD widescreen DVD;<br /><span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 2004 UK AB DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">4)</span> 2008 US AB DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">5)</span> 2015 UK Arrow BD;<br /><span style="color: #800180;">6)</span> 2023 UK Arrow UHD.<br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Arrow's blu looked pretty spiffy with another fresh 2k scan from the
film's original interpositive (true of all three films in the Scarlet
Box), but the new UHDs aren't just 4k, but also have the benefit of the
original camera negatives (true of all four of the films in that set,
albeit with some shots composited in from lesser elements). Framing is
letterboxed to 1.85:1, with a little extra picture along the bottom on
the BDs as opposed to the DVDs, which are again more of a 1.84:1. And
again, though they're both 1.85:1, the UHD pulls back to reveal a little
more around the edges than the BD. With the obvious exception of the
full-frame DVD, which is open matte, giving us plenty more
picture on the top and bottom while losing nothing on the sides. Of
course, it's mostly dead space and looks far less attractive than the
widescreen image.<br /><br />Detail and clarity are naturally improved in
this film's jump to HD, but you might notice another difference with the
UK DVD: a ghosting effect on the doctor's hand. Yes, all of the DVDs in
the 2004 boxed set are interlaced - yuck. Even the original 2001 DVD
didn't have this problem, and happily they got rid of it again for the
2008 edition. Naturally, Arrow's blu-rays and UHD are free of this
issue. Again, the 4k resolution smooths away the jagged edges of the
BDs and the use of the OCN gives us more subtle grain texture, though
it's excellently rendered on both of Arrow's discs.<br />
<br />Audio-wise, the situation is pretty similar to the first one. Every
disc gives us the choice between 2.0 and 5.1 except the 2008 DVD drops
the stereo track. The BD and UHD are of course lossless. Every release
includes optional English subtitles except the 2001 DVD.<br />
<br />
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Now we come to <i>Hellraiser 3</i>. Between the Arrow and Anchor Bay
sets, there was also an interesting US DVD from Paramount in 2006. It's
unfortunately just the R-rated cut, but it looks pretty good and has a
unique special feature which makes it interesting. But of course, the
real story is with the Scarlet Box and Quartet of Torment sets, which
have both cuts and heaps of special features.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibvcJA8RqaEHA6VL3jy0bRMG1OOz-rHcKJx-v4c2aaOvGif4pFnw3gq5eeOYdpNgWosTS70PE4auOka7VlzbLqS9ZdQ1Df6QDUXRLQDCo1hahbyk_cg__-Kd59Z6asTj5v0iMfBrXK1no/s0/hellraiser3c1a.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibvcJA8RqaEHA6VL3jy0bRMG1OOz-rHcKJx-v4c2aaOvGif4pFnw3gq5eeOYdpNgWosTS70PE4auOka7VlzbLqS9ZdQ1Df6QDUXRLQDCo1hahbyk_cg__-Kd59Z6asTj5v0iMfBrXK1no/s800/hellraiser3c1a.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2004 UK AB widescreen DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2004 UK AB fullscreen DVD;<br /><span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 2006 US Paramount DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">4)</span> 2015 UK Arrow BD; <span style="color: #800180;">5)</span> 2023 UK Arrow UHD.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_gMmtvkNDRzj0bkhEsly3wwLx-5pXWuOwApU9dBuVFRq1S2DYYGtdGXu1lFawowEqwecvLpcKTQbMXZpRGLkicVaxFpJji8roKpzu73LGKY_s7nwUQ5H6EO3D33I5i3PJ0Inf2promw/s0/hellraiser3c1b.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_gMmtvkNDRzj0bkhEsly3wwLx-5pXWuOwApU9dBuVFRq1S2DYYGtdGXu1lFawowEqwecvLpcKTQbMXZpRGLkicVaxFpJji8roKpzu73LGKY_s7nwUQ5H6EO3D33I5i3PJ0Inf2promw/s800/hellraiser3c1b.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13FzF_UaCt7ywHDwpV5CVCVmkA9LpTiJ9dHGZqV08eQT9vpDz9ZOFfoXGtw4aEh72OhBqJC9BIsaNI2mw1451PHETTCjSPq5k3aYA_RBT4BofMJV6HWi02LNvCs-wytuBLfchdlWsI6M/s0/hellraiser3c1e.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13FzF_UaCt7ywHDwpV5CVCVmkA9LpTiJ9dHGZqV08eQT9vpDz9ZOFfoXGtw4aEh72OhBqJC9BIsaNI2mw1451PHETTCjSPq5k3aYA_RBT4BofMJV6HWi02LNvCs-wytuBLfchdlWsI6M/s800/hellraiser3c1e.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10eOYPrten5oy0McA5IidoMtUn6t8dmVJ8fFPwLzgLw7VCeHDbruuo05ijLdGT4ufL_UddQkIbj4ZRY0sdC7seZaVd3PvaeaTCclJ3Im15BYvamzWDuwWy43hARz4A7AsyeLGnOrHNlg/s0/hellraiser3c1c.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10eOYPrten5oy0McA5IidoMtUn6t8dmVJ8fFPwLzgLw7VCeHDbruuo05ijLdGT4ufL_UddQkIbj4ZRY0sdC7seZaVd3PvaeaTCclJ3Im15BYvamzWDuwWy43hARz4A7AsyeLGnOrHNlg/s800/hellraiser3c1c.png" width="400" /></a>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCFV0dtOkbGJpl7amEEmp6oH5t1kIh2hWeb7hBHaYr7fbG9CB1YlGGRAMrVAq7lPIj5J7Iq8e-sx5XkJQrHkjIPnJJYco9qA_t5I2wPKOj9A1DDx4vee0zFED9woLtFZt0WNP4nMTgXnWJkGDMNT7AKc-FqlWfK78bhlgtI6IkHjX9j95kP6gEd_ZXBo/s3840/hellraiser3c1f3840.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2076" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCFV0dtOkbGJpl7amEEmp6oH5t1kIh2hWeb7hBHaYr7fbG9CB1YlGGRAMrVAq7lPIj5J7Iq8e-sx5XkJQrHkjIPnJJYco9qA_t5I2wPKOj9A1DDx4vee0zFED9woLtFZt0WNP4nMTgXnWJkGDMNT7AKc-FqlWfK78bhlgtI6IkHjX9j95kP6gEd_ZXBo/s800/hellraiser3c1f3840.png" width="400" /></a></div>
So, like I said, all three sets have two different versions of <i>Hellraiser 3</i>
in them. But they're different different versions. Anchor Bay gave you
the unrated version of the film in both widescreen (the film's OAR) and
fullscreen. Arrow (both sets) gives you the edited theatrical cut and
the complete unrated version, both in widescreen. Paramount, meanwhile,
just offers the widescreen R-rated cut. Thankfully, Anchor Bay's DVD
isn't interlaced for <i>Hell On Earth</i>. And they're clearly using the
same master, making the US and widescreen UK DVDs almost entirely
indistinguishable apart from AB's PAL speed up.<br />
<br />
Now, I mentioned how the Arrow blu-ray has more picture info, chiefly on
the left hand side than the previous versions (and you can see it in
those shots I posted above). But it's been pointed out on the
blu-ray.com forums that this extra info is probably a framing mistake,
as it sometimes shows <i>too</i> much, i.e. camera equipment or crewmen standing on ladders in the background. Here's a clear example of what I mean:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyR67LKYm2Lo3aE7idPuaTYmc8Fi7hQt89vcBXRk1W0_Vl6_LkvTZY3_mRV0yUSC7mAtIsSDEOrTD4BCfRfsnCfM3hjo6XA8MTHGNpuaZZ5PLRKn6E5kmQbX1U26Sj-DF1KiO3fQlp24o/s0/hellraiserc3a.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyR67LKYm2Lo3aE7idPuaTYmc8Fi7hQt89vcBXRk1W0_Vl6_LkvTZY3_mRV0yUSC7mAtIsSDEOrTD4BCfRfsnCfM3hjo6XA8MTHGNpuaZZ5PLRKn6E5kmQbX1U26Sj-DF1KiO3fQlp24o/s800/hellraiserc3a.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2004 UK AB widescreen DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2015 UK Arrow BD;<br /><span style="color: #800180;">3) </span>2023 UK Arrow UHD.<br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qtJPwk3Ta93r04pEDZq45AyCdcFOoRMhlmQSvIp2IV4wg_UFEcR3wiEZKePOzSuBLzITCCuWcUHEG9RQY_AYQU8VAJIJ0LT1ug69paOYptw_AjXXIk8W1x63J_2IluKGNsi4TUvZXP8/s0/hellraiserc3b.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qtJPwk3Ta93r04pEDZq45AyCdcFOoRMhlmQSvIp2IV4wg_UFEcR3wiEZKePOzSuBLzITCCuWcUHEG9RQY_AYQU8VAJIJ0LT1ug69paOYptw_AjXXIk8W1x63J_2IluKGNsi4TUvZXP8/s800/hellraiserc3b.png" width="400" /><br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkSRWVQ1KS0UMZWOEZHtQMUWr8HFQ48Gg88IGF5moWMyNJllOqsy6pBk8XoatJpXiXcT2poKmbv82xtfqBeSJlwNG7gMdMkBPEimUgYoyuJE3vJl8tp09ghnWLTbC4d0jrRMh9SB5PvMYpAz_rhsbakarSULFP5ofh4ZThBC6CHhV2ArGhumPR9YGfbK8/s3840/hellraiser3c3f3052.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2076" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkSRWVQ1KS0UMZWOEZHtQMUWr8HFQ48Gg88IGF5moWMyNJllOqsy6pBk8XoatJpXiXcT2poKmbv82xtfqBeSJlwNG7gMdMkBPEimUgYoyuJE3vJl8tp09ghnWLTbC4d0jrRMh9SB5PvMYpAz_rhsbakarSULFP5ofh4ZThBC6CHhV2ArGhumPR9YGfbK8/s800/hellraiser3c3f3052.png" width="400" /></a></div></div>
That's way too much on the left; you can see where the special effect of
the pillar ends and it's just big wooden boards in the Scarlet Box.
Clearly that was not meant to be seen on camera. However, that shot
passes very quickly, and most of the film, while still showing you more
picture on the left hand side than intended, doesn't contain anything
that egregious. It's mostly just a little bit extra of the set. But
every once in a while, a shot will pop up with something you shouldn't
see in it. But as you can also see above, Arrow's UHD fixes the
framing, pulling in a little tighter vertically to maintain the 1.85 AR
while cropping that excess material on the left again. It's also worth
noting that AB's widescreen DVD is framed at about
1.76:1, as opposed to Arrow's 1.85. The old fullscreen version, which
has extra vertical info thanks to its open matte, looks softer and
murkier even than the widescreen DVD version. And the new UHD's grain
structure is easily the most improved over the BD in this trio. Look at
the grain on <b>Paula Marshall</b>'s forehead... you can only really make it out now on the 2023 release.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5SnCFtIj-AbmQ_4hVEDJapFZ_HLvunCMgjewHp-DuK9d2LUZ321xQ9yEPLRhBWiX0z-IVrClIvG-GEttBCKFCH7GVQANG_jF_XeFi88b9F5i0HLHNsKZ6z0RY_N6dbiORQFK1IEqOwX4/s0/hellraiser3c3b.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5SnCFtIj-AbmQ_4hVEDJapFZ_HLvunCMgjewHp-DuK9d2LUZ321xQ9yEPLRhBWiX0z-IVrClIvG-GEttBCKFCH7GVQANG_jF_XeFi88b9F5i0HLHNsKZ6z0RY_N6dbiORQFK1IEqOwX4/s800/hellraiser3c3b.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2004 UK AB widescreen DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2004 UK AB fullscreen DVD;<br /><span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 2015 UK Arrow BD; <span style="color: #800180;">4)</span> 2023 UK Arrow UHD.<br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHHj-TX4h337MryydiTiMu4bm9zk-p_WOi6W5Sth-wIDSSvOtBqKp8YZKFSI_QDtbimf2YLdA6Kp1oDZj-m119o_tj_YpYGfRLHk5rpCgIcEX38KJyYbaCcxZZjCZ16UuWHnoNimwV504/s0/hellraiser3c3c.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHHj-TX4h337MryydiTiMu4bm9zk-p_WOi6W5Sth-wIDSSvOtBqKp8YZKFSI_QDtbimf2YLdA6Kp1oDZj-m119o_tj_YpYGfRLHk5rpCgIcEX38KJyYbaCcxZZjCZ16UuWHnoNimwV504/s800/hellraiser3c3c.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTfJpN_yry32-HvVoENlOqyLQxZLJNdG-rv_JPU5lSzlsGzekj1NWKXmC9OqUoaO9gwRI3hV0MrdyKK9fl1v0Qpc03C7Sl9K-CMK-7oWnrz7dihdVPoZBSez3Q1FFUhyphenhyphenI4T1hUaF5rYbw/s0/hellraiser3c3d.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTfJpN_yry32-HvVoENlOqyLQxZLJNdG-rv_JPU5lSzlsGzekj1NWKXmC9OqUoaO9gwRI3hV0MrdyKK9fl1v0Qpc03C7Sl9K-CMK-7oWnrz7dihdVPoZBSez3Q1FFUhyphenhyphenI4T1hUaF5rYbw/s800/hellraiser3c3d.png" width="400" /><br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyWU7mXUcXY-6S_oRijc1bAuqTvlD0xm_WL426I8yYj4ChVuWISgOe2G5d0j9EWQWlCFtdfhYUsTA6D_1pOlmSavtFzpP0j1Dt4VzjKOxFNEdaf8LQJrRG02yabyhBewCAZgnL92cCgijMGX9NdjPnobRs5JGLZcZlZKnRG0Qi0xCCtzjm1JMxD3Esak/s2926/hellraiser3c3d5800.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="2926" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyWU7mXUcXY-6S_oRijc1bAuqTvlD0xm_WL426I8yYj4ChVuWISgOe2G5d0j9EWQWlCFtdfhYUsTA6D_1pOlmSavtFzpP0j1Dt4VzjKOxFNEdaf8LQJrRG02yabyhBewCAZgnL92cCgijMGX9NdjPnobRs5JGLZcZlZKnRG0Qi0xCCtzjm1JMxD3Esak/s800/hellraiser3c3d5800.png" width="400" /></a></div></div>And
now let's look at the inserted unrated footage. You'll notice the
quality is poor in all of these versions, because neither Anchor Bay nor
Arrow could find proper film elements for the unrated footage, so they
used, apparently, an old laserdisc or tape for this footage. The other
thing you'll notice is that two of the shots are fullscreen this time
(1.30 on Anchor Bay's, and 1.33 on Arrow's). That's because, as you can
see in the top shot, Anchor Bay just cropped the unrated footage to 1.76
to match the rest of the widescreen film. The footage both labels are
using is fullscreen, missing picture on the sides. So AB's cropping is
an already cropped picture, meaning it's losing image on all four sides
now. That's probably why Anchor Bay felt it was worth including a
fullscreen cut of the film, so they could give you that film without
their cropping.<br />
<br />
Arrow, on the other hand, takes the unusual tact of shifting the aspect
ratio mid-picture on their unrated versions. Rather than cropping the
already cropped footage like Anchor Bay, the picture jumps from 1.85 to
1.33, which is a little distracting to say the least. And that's why
they also offer the cut theatrical version, so you can see their HD 2k
and 4k scans without the sudden drop in quality and shift in aspect
ratio. I guess that's fine if you want to show off how good <i>Hellraiser 3</i> looks here; but this film is genuinely better in its uncut form.<br />
<br />Here, every disc just has a stereo mix, except the 2004, which also
has a 5.1. The HD versions are lossless, and they all include optional
English subtitles.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbDiXSEx2Wjiaws0xrY4YlxwL-874280wvf1t6hnkwhgRB5uBP61IrAu3MS8hc1XC8sPPGpZTszkczM39iOKGOQgPg5Qcn61GaYkUCJaulmj8NbkUXJ5nMIrG-Wpxh-8yj_BH73WqZFk/s0/hellraiserforb.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbDiXSEx2Wjiaws0xrY4YlxwL-874280wvf1t6hnkwhgRB5uBP61IrAu3MS8hc1XC8sPPGpZTszkczM39iOKGOQgPg5Qcn61GaYkUCJaulmj8NbkUXJ5nMIrG-Wpxh-8yj_BH73WqZFk/s800/hellraiserforb.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2004 UK AB DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2015 UK Arrow BD.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxsN4H0has9di8Y_5PQzGBYlwxGIO-_326S1PESvn1K19EQgCza-0DmUDpZYgMDxZmkVg1z1VZIv6ncLkmag-BeZyKYVVmIKjNuXi2aSm6pULHApZx7C5YKU92GYD1T50zzcfjekfiS1c/s0/hellraisersalb.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxsN4H0has9di8Y_5PQzGBYlwxGIO-_326S1PESvn1K19EQgCza-0DmUDpZYgMDxZmkVg1z1VZIv6ncLkmag-BeZyKYVVmIKjNuXi2aSm6pULHApZx7C5YKU92GYD1T50zzcfjekfiS1c/s800/hellraisersalb.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7zYkBMQ3w9dNkq3ugduZiz1dPMjNHB0z9wo3-rjXwAQ2HAyYsyWQIGJhMQtqLOdQ1PpRSxtkVvo4gGqkYTdOXGRudyRLNTDIyQJG84LP3P3XOl24YrsP5RQu17IPuZsmtPVdObMnG-ZE/s0/hellraisersald.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7zYkBMQ3w9dNkq3ugduZiz1dPMjNHB0z9wo3-rjXwAQ2HAyYsyWQIGJhMQtqLOdQ1PpRSxtkVvo4gGqkYTdOXGRudyRLNTDIyQJG84LP3P3XOl24YrsP5RQu17IPuZsmtPVdObMnG-ZE/s800/hellraisersald.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Both sets also include Barker's two early short films, <i>Salom</i><i>é </i>and <i>The Forbidden</i>, and the quality of the original films is so raw, it's hard to distinguish a big difference between them (especially <i>Salomé</i>). Arrow's book doesn't even mention how they made the transfers for these like it does with their <i>Hellraiser </i>restorations,
because I doubt they did much. They're both fullscreen, which is their
OAR. One substantial improvement, however, is that Arrow's set corrects
the interlacing problem on the Anchor Bay set; so it is, once again, a
worthwhile improvement. Sadly, these were dropped entirely from the
Quartet of Torment set.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4cWYyQ8BawPbsYcXLGghZ494Eu0N6zC-L9KjFyr3eHho6plcO9Zll3bPLm1VjZK7SmwiOohA8qMSq7zegwwbKK7bptQAPzLu3ppkMAK7qYVCRzTWTEZvD60T90vb5b_5_srTzUj92_dM/s0/hellraiser4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4cWYyQ8BawPbsYcXLGghZ494Eu0N6zC-L9KjFyr3eHho6plcO9Zll3bPLm1VjZK7SmwiOohA8qMSq7zegwwbKK7bptQAPzLu3ppkMAK7qYVCRzTWTEZvD60T90vb5b_5_srTzUj92_dM/s800/hellraiser4.png" width="400" /></a></div>
The old, 2000 <i>Hellraiser </i>special edition DVD already had some solid extras: specifically an audio commentary by Clive Barker, <b>Ashley Lawrence</b> and Peter Atkins, and a nice 25 minute featurette called <i>Hellraiser: Resurrection</i>.
All of the subsequent releases kept those, while adding more extras on
top of them. Here's the mass amount of stuff the UK box-set added:<br />
<br />
<i>Hellraiser</i>:<br />
<ul><li>audio commentary with Clive Barker - this is a second, newer
commentary with Barker by himself, providing a lot of info he missed the
first time around.</li><li><i>Under the Skin</i> part 1 - <b>Doug Bradley</b> interview about <i>Hellraiser</i></li><li>on-set interview with Clive Barker - a short, vintage promo interview.</li><li>Trailers, TV spots, and galleries - the original DVD had a trailer and some stills, but this set adds more.</li></ul>
<i>Hellraiser II</i>:<br />
<ul><li>audio commentary with Peter Atkins and director <b>Tony Randel </b></li><li>audio commentary with Tony Randel, Ashley Laurence and Peter Atkins </li><li><i>Under the Skin</i> part 2 - Doug Bradley interview about <i>Hellraiser 2</i></li><li><i>Lost In the Labyrinth</i> - a 'making of' featurette produced by Clive Barker </li><li>on-set interviews with Clive Barker, Tony Randel, <b>Claire Higgins</b>, Ashley Laurence, <b>Imogen Boorman</b> and <b>Kenneth Crantham</b> - more vintage promo stuff</li><li>Trailers, TV spots, and galleries </li></ul>
<i>Hellraiser III</i>:<br />
<ul><li>audio commentary with Anthony Hickox and Doug Bradley </li><li><i>Under the Skin</i> part 3 - Doug Bradley interview about <i>Hellraiser 3</i></li><li>an on-camera interview with Hickox </li><li>on-set interviews with Clive Barker and Doug Bradley - the vintage promo stuff again</li><li>Trailer and galleries </li></ul>
The fourth disc, with Barker's short films, also included interviews with Barker and some of the cast as part of each feature.<br />
<br />
The US blu-ray of the first <i>Hellraiser </i>has the original 2000 extras, but not any of the 2004 extras except for the Doug Bradley <i>Under the Skin</i>
interview. So it's missing the second commentary and the vintage
interview. BUT, and this is a big but, it does have some new, exclusive
extras. Specifically, it has three all new interview featurettes by Red
Shirt Films, who always do a great job. They're all around 15-20 minutes
and specifically, they interview Ashley Lawrence, composer <b>Christoper Young</b> and actor <b>Andrew Robinson</b>.<br />
<br />
And Anchor Bay's 20th Anniversary DVD also has three all new interview
featurettes by Red Shirt Films, which again are all around 15-20 minutes
each. This is in edition to the commentary and all the other stuff
carried over from the 2004 UK box, even the easter egg behind-the-scenes
footage. But today, it's just these Red Shirt extras that are still of
interest, because they never made it over to the Scarlet Box. The first
one interviews cenobite actors <b>Simon Bamford</b>, <b>Nicholas Vince</b> and <b>Barbie Wilde</b>, the second one is with director Tony Randel, and the third is Dr. Channard himself, <b>Kenneth Cranham</b>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_kj8KtUgmuyCL3gdlOtI0dT30wO-3NGlOmpOc8P_TsDVk9XoCWGOkm_-9ORsvqGWMooi2h0MT4RtwM-hOjiojuOhuTIUXjw7fsTZFLMLxn8rqjJeeXKIVAC8K2wH50D4aN9L9H8OLZQ/s0/hellraiserartofhorror.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_kj8KtUgmuyCL3gdlOtI0dT30wO-3NGlOmpOc8P_TsDVk9XoCWGOkm_-9ORsvqGWMooi2h0MT4RtwM-hOjiojuOhuTIUXjw7fsTZFLMLxn8rqjJeeXKIVAC8K2wH50D4aN9L9H8OLZQ/s800/hellraiserartofhorror.png" width="400" /></a></div>
And I mentioned earlier that Paramount's US DVD of <i>Hellraiser 3</i>
had an interesting exclusive feature, right? It doesn't have any of the
extras from the other releases, except for the theatrical trailer, but
it has a half hour documentary called <i>Clive Barker: The Art of Horror</i>. This had previously been released <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006M1X94/">on VHS in 1992 by itself</a>. It's not about <i>Hellraiser 3</i>,
but Clive in general. It centers heavily around a couple direct
interviews with Barker, and focuses on some interesting aspects of his
career you don't see covered as often on his DVDs including his model
kits and comic books. He even talks about <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/02/widescreen-rawhead-rex-and.html"><i>Transmutations </i>and <i>Rawhead Rex</i></a>,
which is valuable, since there are no editions of those films with any
extras at all. If you've got this disc, hang onto it, and you might even
want to pick it up as an addendum to the Scarlet Box just for this
feature. If you do, be careful, Miramax reissued this <i>Hellraiser 3</i>
DVD in 2011, but minus the doc. So make sure you get the 2006 one. The
front covers are identical, except Miramax's has their logo on the top.<br />
<br />
So now onto the new Scarlet Box. It has the original <i>Hellraiser 1 </i>&<i> 2</i>
2000 extras and ALL, yes all, of the 2004 boxed set's extras. Some of
the features are given different names... The "on-set interview with
Clive Barker" is now just listed as "original EPK," but it's the same
thing. Everything from the lament configuration boxed set has been
carried over. And, of course, some big new extras have been created.
Specifically:<br />
<br />
<i>Hellraiser</i>:<br />
<ul><li><i>Leviathan </i>- A full length documentary on the making of
Hellraiser, that was previously only available on DVD direct from the
creators' website. It's feature length and interviews just about
everybody, but it should be noted the version they sell is even longer
than the trimmed down documentary included here. Still, the one in this
set runs 90 minutes, so it should easily satisfy most viewers </li><li>an interview with <b>Sean Chapman</b> - a pretty lengthy talk</li><li>Soundtrack Hell - a featurette interviewing <b>Stephen Thrower</b>, of a band called Coil. He talks about how he was commissioned to create a soundtrack for <i>Hellraiser </i>that ultimately wasn't used, in favor of what Chris Young created. </li></ul>
<i>Hellraiser II</i>:<br />
<ul><li><i>Leviathan </i>- Just like on disc 1, but all about <i>Hellraiser 2</i>.
This was sold with the first one on DVD, too; and I think this one is
also cut down, although the version here is over two hours.</li><li>a second interview with Sean Chapman</li><li>deleted surgeon scene - This might actually be the crown jewel of
Arrow's new extras! This is a very famous scene that was long believed
to not actually exist. You see, on the back of the old <i>Hellraiser 2</i>
VHS box, one of the screenshots showed two cenobites dressed as
surgeons - a scene that never appears in the film. In interviews,
everyone always said that they posed for publicity stills like that,
which is why the shot exists; but they never actually shot such a scene.
Well, here it is! Arrow found it. It's in low, video tape quality and
it has this ugly "Copyright: Troopstar" notice printed in large text
over the entire scene; but after all these decades, we finally get to
see that scene!</li><li>behind-the-scenes footage - less than 2 minutes, but still very cool to see some fun glimpses of the making of this film</li></ul>
<i>Hellraiser III</i>:<br />
<ul><li>a new audio commentary with Peter Atkins (on the shorter, theatrical cut)</li><li><i>Hell on Earth: The Story of Hellraiser III - </i>This was an extra on the Leviathan DVDs; a 30+ minute documentary on the making of part 3.</li><li>an interview with <b>Paula Marshall</b></li><li>FX dailies - about 25 minutes worth of alternate takes and unedited,
video-taped footage of the special effects being shot for the film</li></ul>
Bonus disc:<br />
<ul><li>an interview with <b>David Gatward</b>, a horror author, about Barker's books.</li><li><i>Hellraiser: Evolutions - </i>a documentary that runs a little
under an horror on the legacy of the Hellraiser films. It's got a lot of
stuff on the later films, and even interviews some of the people who
worked on those, like <b>Rick Bota</b> and <b>Scott Derrickson</b>.
Definitely one of the most compelling new extras, although I wish they
got a little more specific about the sequels than generally
pontificating about the legacy. I guess I was hoping for a <a href="http://dvdexotica.blogspot.com/2015/06/lets-get-exhaustive-with-crystal-lake.html"><i>Crystal Lake Memories</i></a> of <i>Hellraiser</i>, but that would be insane to ask of a bonus disc extra. This is already pretty neat.</li><li><i>The Hellraiser Chronicles: A Question of Faith</i> - This is a roughly half hour long <i>Hellraiser </i>fan film. It's fairly cheesy, but earnest.</li><li>audio commentary with the director on <i>Hellraiser Chronicles.</i></li></ul>
And of course the bonus disc also includes the interview footage that accompanied <i>Salom</i><i>é </i>and <i>The Forbidden</i> on the Anchor Bay boxed set, because like I said, all the extras from there are on here.<i> </i>And I'll reiterate just to be clear, the original commentary and <i>Hellraiser: Resurrection</i> feature from the 2000 DVD are in the Scarlet Box as well.<i> </i>The
only extras not in the Scarlet Box are those three Red Shirt interviews
from the US blu-ray. If you want to be an ultra-completist, you'll have
to get that, too. Andrew Robinson is interviewed in <i>Leviathan</i>, though, and Lawrence and Young are both interviewed in <i>Hellraiser: Resurrection</i> (Lawrence, of course, is on the <i>Hellraiser </i>commentary
as well). So you do get them in this set, just not those particular
interviews. For almost everybody, this box should be more than enough.<br />
<br />
The <i>Hellraiser </i>and <i>Hellraiser 2</i> discs also have an easter
egg apiece tucked away for those of us who remember the old VHS tapes.
The first easter egg was also on the Anchor Bay boxed set - again
showing that Arrow has imported absolutely everything. The second one is
new. Oh, and the short clip of behind the scenes footage on the new <i>Hellraiser 2</i> blu was also an easter egg on the Anchor Bay box.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvxupXFj-EXuhTP_Kzw9i0OXc05JldGVEbBeHPU4ioC281pEg7C3CIdRN07fQJAkH7V0L54dh0bQJtR5CyGrk4g5g9WmZUIrnig39pX8R1TlHoZFIhvvcN4x3dYLINzAUfoXXdeM2k7ONn1iua1UjDls8bt8Tq-RWz0KvLG4hApSVGkgMnufren6G1Zdw/s1920/hellraisere.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvxupXFj-EXuhTP_Kzw9i0OXc05JldGVEbBeHPU4ioC281pEg7C3CIdRN07fQJAkH7V0L54dh0bQJtR5CyGrk4g5g9WmZUIrnig39pX8R1TlHoZFIhvvcN4x3dYLINzAUfoXXdeM2k7ONn1iua1UjDls8bt8Tq-RWz0KvLG4hApSVGkgMnufren6G1Zdw/s800/hellraisere.png" width="400" /></a></div>The Quartet of Torment is an interesting follow-up to the Scarlet
Box. It adds a bunch of new stuff, but unfortunately loses a lot, too.
And I'm not sure it's a good trade. <br /><br />So, for starters, what did we lose? Both <i>Leviathan </i>documentaries, which were some of the best, most comprehensive features of any <i>Hellraiser </i>release, plus their <i>Story of Hellraiser III</i> doc. We also, as I mentioned earlier, lose both <i>Salome </i>and <i>The Forbidden</i>, as well as their corresponding interview featurettes. The <i>Hellraiser Chronicles</i>
film has gone, too (and taking, obviously, its commentary with it).
And finally, on a smaller note, we lose that Hellraiser 1 easter egg of
the weird merch ad from the VHS. But here's what's new:<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i>Hellraiser 1</i> commentary by <b>Kim Newman</b> and Stephen Jones.</li><li><i>Hellraiser 2 </i>commentary by Kim Newman and Stephen Jones.</li><li><i>Hellraiser 3</i> commentary by Kim Newman and Stephen Jones.</li><li>60-minute conversation on Hellraiser and Barker's novels by film scholars <b>Sorcha NÃ Fhlainn</b> and <b>Karmel Kniprath</b></li><li>visual essay celebrating by genre author <b>Alexandra Benedict</b> about the Lament Configuration</li><li>41-minute
(Arrow's press releases say 60, but the exact running time is 40:57)
discussion on the queer aspects of Barker's work by horror authors <b>Paula D. Ashe</b> and <b>Eric LaRocca</b></li><li>visual essay about Barker and body horror by <b>Guy Adams</b></li><li>Extended <i>Hellraiser 1</i> EPK material with an intro by Newman and Jones</li><li>Extended <i>Hellraiser 3</i> EPK material</li><li>80-minute discussion of <i>Hellraiser 2</i> by horror authors <b>George Daniel Lea</b> and <b>Kit Power</b></li><li>visual essay on the music of Christopher Young by Guy Adams</li><li>a half hour featurette interviewing a group of leather fetishists on <i>Hellraiser</i>'s influence on the BDSM scene<br /></li></ul>So as you can see, it's pretty much all second hand accounts,
meaning we talk to experts rather than participants, which is never as
compelling. But that's not to imply that it's all junk or anything.
The new commentaries are fun, helped by the fact that <b>Stephen Jones</b> worked as a publicist for the films, so has some extra insight. And
thanks to him, we also get a additional EPK material. So while there
was EPK stuff in the older set, there's more here, which is very welcome.<br /><br />The
long discussions are interesting, but too long and indulgent. They're
in serious need of editing, to trim it to just the insightful moments.
The <i>Hellbound </i>discussion also gets pretty hyperbolic, with one author describing a scene from<i> Hellraiser 2 </i>as
the most emotional scene in all of cinema. Sure. Two of them are well
shot and look good, but the queer culture one is a webcam-based Zoom
chat. You'll have to be pretty damn dedicated to sit through all three
hours of that stuff, especially when a lot of time is wasted on banal
observations. Then there's the BDSM one, which is just silly. As for
the visual essays, Benedict's look at the box is interesting and
focused, but Adams'... well, I've seen several extras of his now on <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2023/07/illuminating-lighthouse.html">recent</a> <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2022/05/the-jim-cummings-trilogy.html">releases,</a> and they've all been downright annoying. His music one is alright, I guess, but the other one is pure TMI.<br /><br />And there's a commentary, workprint, easter egg and trailer for <i>Hellraiser 4</i>, which I've covered on <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2019/09/hellraiser-4-5.html">its own page</a>.<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikA5-ryzNps7hb9X3nJraa_F-1tavLXNWkB-LUcu8RfNxghM7uXaBHjxh4oDox1QhE8JrsZPssJGVtBbpV19KR-VxyGpyqV8fQLzwVZsGjzxBz98FT8hWrzIV-cSYsEf2Q5p3d0vM6Ec/s0/hellraiser3c2d.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikA5-ryzNps7hb9X3nJraa_F-1tavLXNWkB-LUcu8RfNxghM7uXaBHjxh4oDox1QhE8JrsZPssJGVtBbpV19KR-VxyGpyqV8fQLzwVZsGjzxBz98FT8hWrzIV-cSYsEf2Q5p3d0vM6Ec/s800/hellraiser3c2d.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Oh god, and I still haven't talked about the packaging yet. Now, the
Lament configuration box was pretty neat (if flimsy), and it had a
booklet with notes from Barker himself as well as critics. And the old <i>Hellraiser </i>tin
was neat and had some cool postcards in there. But man, The Scarlet Box
has everything - multiple postcards, a little booklet of Barker's
conceptual art and storyboards, a double-sided, fold-out poster, a
Pinhead pin, and you want a booklet? This set has a 200 page, hardcover
book in it! It's actually written by the two critics who wrote notes for
the Anchor Bay box; but apparently they had a lot more to say. And it's
all in a very nice, and absolutely not flimsy box.<br /><br />And now we're
on to the Quartet of Torment box, which maybe isn't quite as
impressive, but it comes pretty close. It's a sturdy slipbox which
houses the updated, 200-page hardcover book, plus a foldout digipack
that houses all four discs, which slips into a red, semi-transparent
sleeve. There are two versions, the standard one with Pinhead on the
cover, and an Arrow website exclusive with Chatterer on the cover.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_2P77UL0Ug9M8i33xkzeYQ6PNwXNqcjTMSp259hLFH32NiThjIQBI15IKOLjI20_D0Oc7CyhLSRqqDj40qq9W3KSITPLfIF_eSDPg02Zui1tmLFP4nyGjWrZZ4tumaiDjqWFGMRkwpc/s0/hellraiser5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_2P77UL0Ug9M8i33xkzeYQ6PNwXNqcjTMSp259hLFH32NiThjIQBI15IKOLjI20_D0Oc7CyhLSRqqDj40qq9W3KSITPLfIF_eSDPg02Zui1tmLFP4nyGjWrZZ4tumaiDjqWFGMRkwpc/s800/hellraiser5.png" width="400" /></a></div>
These are massive collections that will take you ages to work your way
through. The Scarlet Box was the ultimate release for its time, like the
DVD box before that, but the Quartet of Torment is the new king.
Admittedly, extras-wise, it's almost a step backwards, but the new 4k
masters on next generation discs, with the corrected framing for part <i>3</i> and the inclusion of <i>Bloodline </i>for
the first time, makes it an easily essential addition to your
collection. If you've already got the Scarlet Box, though, you'll
probably want to hang onto it.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-91626590269926739532023-10-27T02:04:00.000-04:002023-10-27T02:04:30.833-04:00Hell of the Living Dead Done Righter Still<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzA-G0KxmkYd6EewFG3sRj-RDZzqO-4_jwTmNyJamaLnXJKHmdI9dQIOwU3PB95ZWy0y4bDZMsd7lxS9T2PZqXmytEdfS2B8qKV2XxssFRfFOpv-vvKrrlaaP_pnDS5dsmgxVTj7O63VCdRkBJWcny3HvLI932ToBmCo14LsUSa1U7xwxZLgSSl6dW/s4978/hellotld.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2093" data-original-width="4978" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzA-G0KxmkYd6EewFG3sRj-RDZzqO-4_jwTmNyJamaLnXJKHmdI9dQIOwU3PB95ZWy0y4bDZMsd7lxS9T2PZqXmytEdfS2B8qKV2XxssFRfFOpv-vvKrrlaaP_pnDS5dsmgxVTj7O63VCdRkBJWcny3HvLI932ToBmCo14LsUSa1U7xwxZLgSSl6dW/s0/hellotld.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>Anchor Bay originally released <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/BrunoMattei"><b>Bruno Mattei</b></a>'s <i>Hell Of the Living Dead</i> and <i>Rats </i>as two separate releases in 2002, and then reissued them as a double feature in 2003. Blue Underground than acquired them and put both titles out individually again, under their own banner, in 2007. Always with the same transfers and extras. But finally in 2014, Blue Underground has released them, again together as a double-bill, on blu-ray with all new transfers and features.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<u><span style="color: #800180;">Update 2/21/15 - 3/10/23:</span></u> 88 Films has reissued <i>Hell Of the Living Dead</i> on BD/ UHD, and it fixed the broken sound in the SWAT sequence! Let's hope they got everything else right...<br /><br /><u><span style="color: #800180;">Update 10/26/23:</span></u> They're here! 88 Films have heard customers' complaints and issued replacement discs for their latest release. It was already the best the film had ever looked, but fans thought it could be even better, and I daresay they've been proven right.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzAQJ4AFUKkdr8cxZNiENwwDu5FBWRSW8LgB38cxBvgKd5UUKsxmJFi9wW76zBXPljimTJXJj5XiqAqqBhmQHfGBW2jveJZr6-KIlQzaWFhQJD6dFdZ49voRz7RO1SvT3Mzh25lUntkyVO1xAjgp6hsCgb02hpEjcZq41kx8F-m7AbzBoeCmKXNEJojE/s3041/hellotldreplacements.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3027" data-original-width="3041" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzAQJ4AFUKkdr8cxZNiENwwDu5FBWRSW8LgB38cxBvgKd5UUKsxmJFi9wW76zBXPljimTJXJj5XiqAqqBhmQHfGBW2jveJZr6-KIlQzaWFhQJD6dFdZ49voRz7RO1SvT3Mzh25lUntkyVO1xAjgp6hsCgb02hpEjcZq41kx8F-m7AbzBoeCmKXNEJojE/s800/hellotldreplacements.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>So those are the old discs on top and the new discs on the bottom. Yes, 88 has replaced both the BD and UHD discs, and you can see the differences for telling the versions apart in the photo above. The old discs are catalog number: 88FU009A and B, and the new ones are 88FU012A and B. Heck, the BD has entirely different artwork. But perhaps the simplest way to tell the one pair from the other is that the old discs have <span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>blue </b></span>88 Films logos, and the new ones have <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>red </b></span>ones. 88 has <a href="https://www.facebook.com/88FilmsOfficial/posts/807604394705287">also said</a> that the upcoming, non-limited release (sans slipcover) will come with the updated discs, so most of you buying this in future won't wind up with an old version anyway. But just in case, the replacement program is running 'till March 2024.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ML53PpE6YOTBewxYqXKrrlgDvz7JjTr_1dfxbdaRGMO6r8kLfaFlKISj4IrjawdSTbcdd4mgUeLmwrJ1MOeFRIUpQNP9kummrF1E3nLyrjrIYpwFyeHgyPdTL9iyZ-vUBM9mFG7N_gHb72YMwZ8vAeT1yKPM41bUbsRAJDK8PQtM36Wgm5eRC_wS/s1920/hellotld1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ML53PpE6YOTBewxYqXKrrlgDvz7JjTr_1dfxbdaRGMO6r8kLfaFlKISj4IrjawdSTbcdd4mgUeLmwrJ1MOeFRIUpQNP9kummrF1E3nLyrjrIYpwFyeHgyPdTL9iyZ-vUBM9mFG7N_gHb72YMwZ8vAeT1yKPM41bUbsRAJDK8PQtM36Wgm5eRC_wS/s800/hellotld1.png" width="400" /></a></div>I've always been amused by both, but <i>Hell of the Living Dea</i>d was the film I'd been a fan of since owning the old VHS release under the title <i>Night Of the</i> <i>Zombies </i>in
the 80s. It's an Italian zombie film that fully delivers on everything
you wanted from those films, an at the same time is totally bonkers. And
unlike most knock-offs and retreads, it's quite ambitious in its scope.
This isn't four teenagers in a cabin beset by zombies; our cast travels
practically half the globe, having adventures in the jungle, high
rises, power plants, suburban homes and abandoned missionaries. It's got
a big cast, bolstered out even further by a generous helping of stock
footage, which is creatively integrated into the film, even if its
effectiveness is uneven. And it was pretty damn impressive to see <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/DarioArgento"><b>Dario Argento</b></a>'s infamous scorers <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/Goblin">Goblin</a> </b>had
done the soundtrack to this film... until I grew to realize it was just
their previous work carried over from previous films, mainly <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2021/01/the-dawn-of-dead.html"><i>Dawn Of the Dead</i></a>. And that's not all that's been carried over from <i>Dawn</i>;
this film replicates so many key scenes that, if it weren't for the
cannibal stuff, this could almost be classified as an unofficial
remake. But that's all part of <i>Hell</i>'s charm.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9DxwKrdjTanPbRdirp72xuv-X--GqjEV9hFOWf-RpoUKbmZzkDj5Rn3VUg3FtNG6yk6v6xbpQrbCNGo85FslxNMaojhlV-r1ACTf-PKLH6AnkYzbDu3BnhqnpHtKScRIl43lSYkngCuOBzMpjGHfUMy2ehVlkGCtYYRaG7-au5drAxnMeNl8Jla1/s1920/hellotldr3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl9DxwKrdjTanPbRdirp72xuv-X--GqjEV9hFOWf-RpoUKbmZzkDj5Rn3VUg3FtNG6yk6v6xbpQrbCNGo85FslxNMaojhlV-r1ACTf-PKLH6AnkYzbDu3BnhqnpHtKScRIl43lSYkngCuOBzMpjGHfUMy2ehVlkGCtYYRaG7-au5drAxnMeNl8Jla1/s800/hellotldr3.png" width="400" /></a></div>
I did see <i>Rats </i>back in the day, too; but remembered it mostly as a
pretty average horror film that was basically 90 minutes of generic
build up for an admittedly pretty great ending. But that was never
enough to compel me to pick up any of the DVD releases, especially since
<i>Hell </i>and <i>Rats </i>shared the same Bruno Mattei interview on both discs anyway. So I picked up the very first <i>Hell </i>disc
and then just sat it all out from the outside, until I found out Blue
Underground was creating an all new documentary on the making of <i>Hell Of the Living Dead</i>, compelling me to upgrade to the blu-ray. But I have to say, having gotten it now as part of the package with the <i>Hell </i>upgrade,
the film has grown in my estimation, and I've come to appreciate the
silly, colorful comic book tone Mattei applied to both films.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqAdZ0waWXSezalyidaTBElW1UeuKRwhtQAqzrWBqiKynOgQfcH6U7AcGCDytveijqu42txneVgkjG94DU1e7mPaOsj3FrEuz_NNyeKAbOI2DGcoQiOiwfmVInQFh0Ysd-qb1_7cFLIZorKo7UlkKAkPRwSewtPjvGyN2N1rpCc_NPukqogrdhXYV/s1920/hellotldc2a.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1043" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqAdZ0waWXSezalyidaTBElW1UeuKRwhtQAqzrWBqiKynOgQfcH6U7AcGCDytveijqu42txneVgkjG94DU1e7mPaOsj3FrEuz_NNyeKAbOI2DGcoQiOiwfmVInQFh0Ysd-qb1_7cFLIZorKo7UlkKAkPRwSewtPjvGyN2N1rpCc_NPukqogrdhXYV/s800/hellotldc2a.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2002 US Anchor Bay DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2014 US Blue Underground BD;<br /><span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 2023 UK 88 Films old BD; <span style="color: #800180;">4)</span> 2023 UK 88 Films old UHD;<br /><span style="color: #800180;">5)</span> 2023 UK 88 Films new BD; <span style="color: #800180;">6)</span> 2023 UK 88 Films new UHD.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2d4uKCyBXGfO9O7M1_Ls8qkCZDSW5lTOYPNqjT1-3lJN6k4kFzfrLWi3K11NlYIsdgTqe1T38rosf5QLTtTzuF96pPSE0SJJsg7Phvd2UCKfDeH-MH42oHC8tQ-i9y_bt8Yy3pqR-VjNGXeWvzjUgYbwuAnW2p34UoFuseYSvrEkvnaIc7_ETzV5Y/s1920/hellotldc2b4229.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2d4uKCyBXGfO9O7M1_Ls8qkCZDSW5lTOYPNqjT1-3lJN6k4kFzfrLWi3K11NlYIsdgTqe1T38rosf5QLTtTzuF96pPSE0SJJsg7Phvd2UCKfDeH-MH42oHC8tQ-i9y_bt8Yy3pqR-VjNGXeWvzjUgYbwuAnW2p34UoFuseYSvrEkvnaIc7_ETzV5Y/s800/hellotldc2b4229.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBTqdpduF4fecVA7DPoOMMVnvPwQnHdIlSxTK0MthQhtYD2QImt0tDyqsFR-mSXQaL8d5UQN1Laf2296_5nPMgnHQWbbNGMgGox0reG8mTQdP6Ee6jivm5072v8-_gn8_gVpkoQEq1gjvHxDlx_uGDIYhO8UI5LFvMPmXaoFaFOz3kx4L3y3_yF4F/s1920/hellotldc2c4314.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1047" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBTqdpduF4fecVA7DPoOMMVnvPwQnHdIlSxTK0MthQhtYD2QImt0tDyqsFR-mSXQaL8d5UQN1Laf2296_5nPMgnHQWbbNGMgGox0reG8mTQdP6Ee6jivm5072v8-_gn8_gVpkoQEq1gjvHxDlx_uGDIYhO8UI5LFvMPmXaoFaFOz3kx4L3y3_yF4F/s800/hellotldc2c4314.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAq_FO_wppNmhbEoQhH2TZcr58JivxrKgdkfTwNYAa5rDXEcsw585tp31w_KTi_2JnleQDzGPh-ePo0B-pfIpY-slkKGDlZ3H-z0YUV8ZNFGhGbBsZIZfQkCLx9CcZ2SgSJKsjMoSVB4zykD790rmv7R-v7ITicFWZJ6TBG_OMZoYR_MNFhl0x53L1/s3840/hellotldc2d4316.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2074" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAq_FO_wppNmhbEoQhH2TZcr58JivxrKgdkfTwNYAa5rDXEcsw585tp31w_KTi_2JnleQDzGPh-ePo0B-pfIpY-slkKGDlZ3H-z0YUV8ZNFGhGbBsZIZfQkCLx9CcZ2SgSJKsjMoSVB4zykD790rmv7R-v7ITicFWZJ6TBG_OMZoYR_MNFhl0x53L1/s800/hellotldc2d4316.png" width="400" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvR7rAVITOfR6UgWE9XxWbL61VFMcZHXPKYWcRuNb8epUMAUb4dBCzBYdQgk1spjm3Nz6cXvgqe1J-lWa7ogD634bqoZM7S4POoKJee6QD7jOIw6cJbCoSWM8z4xdGeQxStYTTr9dQd4xs-bZnHrBRA4_3ddLHXFuObVp9Ou3aXSJ_PaZ53jTkrjr3uc/s1920/hellotldc2e4314.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvR7rAVITOfR6UgWE9XxWbL61VFMcZHXPKYWcRuNb8epUMAUb4dBCzBYdQgk1spjm3Nz6cXvgqe1J-lWa7ogD634bqoZM7S4POoKJee6QD7jOIw6cJbCoSWM8z4xdGeQxStYTTr9dQd4xs-bZnHrBRA4_3ddLHXFuObVp9Ou3aXSJ_PaZ53jTkrjr3uc/s800/hellotldc2e4314.png" width="400" /><br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtzC52FUpo6JOhcxKer-ZyLQMLdSkIe-ntM7Behy9VBMnaPTZ1I5j_9INhEOP5kNq2JU45oHyUCqgbw6DDYoVzLbrM4eoJeMh2Ge-3CjCebgbSfemddAGEHRFH8qHKqz3fXxEpeWxfQoG7jFoP7v3Pz4JYXbzej_sQ4WJME2R6hHG8HR3EEDUVnlDEfI/s3840/hellotldc2f4314.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2072" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtzC52FUpo6JOhcxKer-ZyLQMLdSkIe-ntM7Behy9VBMnaPTZ1I5j_9INhEOP5kNq2JU45oHyUCqgbw6DDYoVzLbrM4eoJeMh2Ge-3CjCebgbSfemddAGEHRFH8qHKqz3fXxEpeWxfQoG7jFoP7v3Pz4JYXbzej_sQ4WJME2R6hHG8HR3EEDUVnlDEfI/s800/hellotldc2f4314.png" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehdNkiJlMNmaF2s_7HRLHDbvyLFwkZf-tkK4KsyRFNvdTYmWy4-Sz30oweMzaSTxwXFv87aHXGzLJUfCTAnBY9D8XU1xq-jCk5OnFtfAqJuOe5a2St4gsyQTEn1aCglMd-CTBWutDCz2wMAsSsp4fuMqkxhlW6CrB4Cc1cVmHxJGYGVLGqZ7Oa52u/s1920/hellotldc3a.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehdNkiJlMNmaF2s_7HRLHDbvyLFwkZf-tkK4KsyRFNvdTYmWy4-Sz30oweMzaSTxwXFv87aHXGzLJUfCTAnBY9D8XU1xq-jCk5OnFtfAqJuOe5a2St4gsyQTEn1aCglMd-CTBWutDCz2wMAsSsp4fuMqkxhlW6CrB4Cc1cVmHxJGYGVLGqZ7Oa52u/s800/hellotldc3a.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8qxVsCZG-1cqjwjTFp9fbK-9hG9zfLCK8v_Jf1vcpD_hI_FPtb9fiudo1sbZTWT3r7YC0uICYCZp6F-z1Y3MmK_ZvAr8srfEVeZSOzWWdnScFPWnuEQriiMtizdyoy_lIRJaKeZfvXCn23ApJUSJ0CXXIZqf6O-44J-Qkv0wo6QH2CFteVTm8NJD/s1920/hellotldc3b5942.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8qxVsCZG-1cqjwjTFp9fbK-9hG9zfLCK8v_Jf1vcpD_hI_FPtb9fiudo1sbZTWT3r7YC0uICYCZp6F-z1Y3MmK_ZvAr8srfEVeZSOzWWdnScFPWnuEQriiMtizdyoy_lIRJaKeZfvXCn23ApJUSJ0CXXIZqf6O-44J-Qkv0wo6QH2CFteVTm8NJD/s800/hellotldc3b5942.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKS3RmWPbCs3FmioRR1mg3UBNoIA_s3PCQCor41PxhZ70YJ5dfCBcgu-3l-QfP5GKrNAvHa4jmCdKjzKGKP5BI1rwQvKbRbf-x-Znx1iWuw_MPZPXcvQUUmHj6No69uphU6RFlgG_ieASEzC7FuRsnjry7xvP5IEjzE6MeBRVPItF43EOFGPPW774/s1920/hellotldc3c10046.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1047" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKS3RmWPbCs3FmioRR1mg3UBNoIA_s3PCQCor41PxhZ70YJ5dfCBcgu-3l-QfP5GKrNAvHa4jmCdKjzKGKP5BI1rwQvKbRbf-x-Znx1iWuw_MPZPXcvQUUmHj6No69uphU6RFlgG_ieASEzC7FuRsnjry7xvP5IEjzE6MeBRVPItF43EOFGPPW774/s800/hellotldc3c10046.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnxgcf7KmUefcW2JE3LRyNMNQU1v3ZIJo_FqPSWjjygEVZIaMwR6dTkhjUzIE-FkFEzn9jtZ1Zu9_qTEtIsu_VRkC-FMPiSi5hoGd5ccFPMAW15eN1AokGfxrybQPvJw4LvRDy3FXMyiemc9c1O-f13o83HY4cWgJDXEhfhCfTFHIuQtQIQOwJ8Nzw/s3840/hellotldc3d10048.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2074" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnxgcf7KmUefcW2JE3LRyNMNQU1v3ZIJo_FqPSWjjygEVZIaMwR6dTkhjUzIE-FkFEzn9jtZ1Zu9_qTEtIsu_VRkC-FMPiSi5hoGd5ccFPMAW15eN1AokGfxrybQPvJw4LvRDy3FXMyiemc9c1O-f13o83HY4cWgJDXEhfhCfTFHIuQtQIQOwJ8Nzw/s800/hellotldc3d10048.png" width="400" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9NzQd8TD3VMfJ0rE2qhheAiuFef-hC4qyou5ItGG5XQ1GXaJ7AU-bGb_2ULfMIi50LhRN16-xz3iYotc9xBpiK2_P2DyoKnhe9Jm4UWYeYZl9n9fm7LZtgZd-MV__XdqmH40diHWxQGtPR36H6c8RH69jj-fQjAexSW-RmEOh-sEWXqUAPJNkRNykVI/s1920/hellotldc3e10046.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9NzQd8TD3VMfJ0rE2qhheAiuFef-hC4qyou5ItGG5XQ1GXaJ7AU-bGb_2ULfMIi50LhRN16-xz3iYotc9xBpiK2_P2DyoKnhe9Jm4UWYeYZl9n9fm7LZtgZd-MV__XdqmH40diHWxQGtPR36H6c8RH69jj-fQjAexSW-RmEOh-sEWXqUAPJNkRNykVI/s800/hellotldc3e10046.png" width="400" /><br /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkv5oiN1Yx7R4y5twX20p4wAkThcc0x1Qu4tRgYq67dbvMLWYj7ZR7uhf8FO4WD3GemosajpGeTxob0TGEZ5Dv2htYHawrUZqiu3EhMhjBTc74Lwe4A4yuCG8b62yajdrTi_u0K62t84fXwXPC73Lk7cZrhrQu6RNlL6tCKLf93IU5vg8K86VnDTEzUKE/s3840/hellotldc3f10046.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2072" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkv5oiN1Yx7R4y5twX20p4wAkThcc0x1Qu4tRgYq67dbvMLWYj7ZR7uhf8FO4WD3GemosajpGeTxob0TGEZ5Dv2htYHawrUZqiu3EhMhjBTc74Lwe4A4yuCG8b62yajdrTi_u0K62t84fXwXPC73Lk7cZrhrQu6RNlL6tCKLf93IU5vg8K86VnDTEzUKE/s800/hellotldc3f10046.png" width="400" /></a></div></div></div>So
let's get into the transfers. Each disc is matted to roughly
1.85:1... AB's DVD is more like 1.84:1, and 88's initial BD was 1.83:1, though
their UHD was 1.85:1, and the replacement BD is now 1.85:1 as well. In the first run, 88's UHD revealed slivers more along the edges than the BD. But now with the replacement discs, all of 88's discs include those slivers. The shifts
in framing across all six editions are very minute anyway, and nothing you'd
ever notice outside of a direct screenshot comparison like this. But
still, it's nice to get that fixed. Anyway, you will notice the boosts in clarity. BU's blu-ray is distinctly
sharper and more detailed than the old DVD, and even 88's blus are another
substantial advancement, with grain only softly hinted at on the 2014
disc now clearly and cleanly captured. And fine detail that looks just a
little clunky on the BDs, like the clip in <b>Margit Newton</b>'s hair,
looks far smoother with natural gradation on the UHDs. Even more
eye-catching than any of that, though, is the color-timing, so let's get into
that.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx7IrIe-sMcMBirNbWlyhGwT7LaMStJ4SJvGeu3JaGqjM2DnQ3av8ue_DRDmAXe-7vhT5DPUPvAeTYd4EC7BeRO175IlcPlfRyFxdvlL95w40Be--rwYXdnKZi2cPHKHbAPfAfPoSLEO4B83I8i1tjBjjclTzZz7G23QY24yYGs4f6CpyunOnKbI6u/s1920/hellotldc4b1855.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx7IrIe-sMcMBirNbWlyhGwT7LaMStJ4SJvGeu3JaGqjM2DnQ3av8ue_DRDmAXe-7vhT5DPUPvAeTYd4EC7BeRO175IlcPlfRyFxdvlL95w40Be--rwYXdnKZi2cPHKHbAPfAfPoSLEO4B83I8i1tjBjjclTzZz7G23QY24yYGs4f6CpyunOnKbI6u/s800/hellotldc4b1855.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2014 Blue Underground BD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2023 88 Films old BD; <span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 2023 88 Films old UHD</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">;<br /><span style="color: #800180;">4)</span> 2023 UK 88 Films new BD; <span style="color: #800180;">5)</span> 2023 UK 88 Films new UHD</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_f-NR5ctEbUZYOqYpuGJs6PviWRtiipYZGb8F0ifksDSmP_nUcZ7Z6RHrNn0bKKgMLYK7_sebLrjT8nkfByzumFEPWQFwoSgCb1dK1_EJd5qbbgK-B1iIGcgW0jyRKnZdmed9L8X4XKwYH6yDsk2ulY44pfy0lipfWCfhMTxSVZCSGDgR0wGEkOC/s1920/hellotldc4c1912.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1047" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_f-NR5ctEbUZYOqYpuGJs6PviWRtiipYZGb8F0ifksDSmP_nUcZ7Z6RHrNn0bKKgMLYK7_sebLrjT8nkfByzumFEPWQFwoSgCb1dK1_EJd5qbbgK-B1iIGcgW0jyRKnZdmed9L8X4XKwYH6yDsk2ulY44pfy0lipfWCfhMTxSVZCSGDgR0wGEkOC/s800/hellotldc4c1912.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSB7k_rL28V7Z9UfM3Q3_7cp0Sibb2SRp3XJeSPmTOeldBl49WS_oIiti6T5PKksIan97hdc5QVZarCwOvVrxGpwI5m99ejwP1xFN51bfP4c4LytLhptPWKCspCwyFreS6cENyaG0jXswMjWFOn9NmKGycHB7zrB9vMjvMvzf58WuUZPA8zjcx1Pl7Gk/s1920/hellotldkidbloodb.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSB7k_rL28V7Z9UfM3Q3_7cp0Sibb2SRp3XJeSPmTOeldBl49WS_oIiti6T5PKksIan97hdc5QVZarCwOvVrxGpwI5m99ejwP1xFN51bfP4c4LytLhptPWKCspCwyFreS6cENyaG0jXswMjWFOn9NmKGycHB7zrB9vMjvMvzf58WuUZPA8zjcx1Pl7Gk/s800/hellotldkidbloodb.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWu8oetwYPzBsmxhVIgJFXdFaZmgGoNvxoHmQMaInHWbLxTe1HMFMDDDlmaUPuOR4KmKRtFcEjA4cMxFfk-oAlt8nHA_fkSdskB7Dst4KKNdS8b4m05ARGL33kuxBZCXerZhyphenhyphenjhGjNpKvF6YTeD3_L9Bnx4KSDD8eHLXEahlyKUHU6YCV37mInyNFneZg/s1920/hellotldkidbloodc3116.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1047" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWu8oetwYPzBsmxhVIgJFXdFaZmgGoNvxoHmQMaInHWbLxTe1HMFMDDDlmaUPuOR4KmKRtFcEjA4cMxFfk-oAlt8nHA_fkSdskB7Dst4KKNdS8b4m05ARGL33kuxBZCXerZhyphenhyphenjhGjNpKvF6YTeD3_L9Bnx4KSDD8eHLXEahlyKUHU6YCV37mInyNFneZg/s800/hellotldkidbloodc3116.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYgFh8IxgLiIgXZgrNjTPVujJVxcO5PVYaf7V2umT0iXdwfjOrooayOT4R0y7Ni0rHKbKf-FrKKQLfs9Nputwn-d4hXWe3mN2qx3Q9x1UfApeiLVGTMv53SpML-lny92GfKvHNHXwqX-Bf2MpxOrU34AQpOfQl07_CX8xD96yAr-BGj3TUD4XEbAkW0c/s3840/hellotldkidbloodd3116.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2076" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYgFh8IxgLiIgXZgrNjTPVujJVxcO5PVYaf7V2umT0iXdwfjOrooayOT4R0y7Ni0rHKbKf-FrKKQLfs9Nputwn-d4hXWe3mN2qx3Q9x1UfApeiLVGTMv53SpML-lny92GfKvHNHXwqX-Bf2MpxOrU34AQpOfQl07_CX8xD96yAr-BGj3TUD4XEbAkW0c/s800/hellotldkidbloodd3116.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji75dLZ37-570hZ0UgqO7jS_b3vYinnELcqs4HPExSqScdvqwJwRxBsZUnErfn3MyihS4CZZ1w96tkQrsDHWxTZ5L6bisCuCVYzJNRj7eDFPIfuldMlbcyCHz4kGMyc4e4a82ZJ__M_FOcIRA4Vm4HiNtjUe_8TZeX-623xGpW98JkZ1Py4XU2LOzSVW4/s1920/hellotldkidbloode3116.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji75dLZ37-570hZ0UgqO7jS_b3vYinnELcqs4HPExSqScdvqwJwRxBsZUnErfn3MyihS4CZZ1w96tkQrsDHWxTZ5L6bisCuCVYzJNRj7eDFPIfuldMlbcyCHz4kGMyc4e4a82ZJ__M_FOcIRA4Vm4HiNtjUe_8TZeX-623xGpW98JkZ1Py4XU2LOzSVW4/s800/hellotldkidbloode3116.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrTfqXfZl-HaLbTxxDnhb7h8nBkSQ_eD7p2zlSwCdZHDE7ROr9DIOSJHnGDYEa707pFZnLBjmG1jca4Ez0eUSKsYNZpRmscqvGW0yhtxfBX58FTy8ovnLjoNLi5kif1ee1V4TLhdwQj5G_gHVPir9zw4r5voLdHYIZHT1DBMNWhcmy3NznglFN_db1orU/s3840/hellotldkidbloodf3116.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2072" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrTfqXfZl-HaLbTxxDnhb7h8nBkSQ_eD7p2zlSwCdZHDE7ROr9DIOSJHnGDYEa707pFZnLBjmG1jca4Ez0eUSKsYNZpRmscqvGW0yhtxfBX58FTy8ovnLjoNLi5kif1ee1V4TLhdwQj5G_gHVPir9zw4r5voLdHYIZHT1DBMNWhcmy3NznglFN_db1orU/s800/hellotldkidbloodf3116.png" width="400" /></a></div>Of course the UHD's still darker (a gentle
reminder: all HDR screenshots appear darker because a proper 4k set will
display them with more nits), but what should still stand out to you is how
different BU's looks from the others. It has a very cool blueish cast;
even 88's initial transfer is back much closer to the old AB timing, albeit a little
better separated. I already prefer 88's colors. There were scenes
where I preferred BU's - occasionally, 88 felt a little over-saturated or
unnatural, like in that shot of the captain on his radio. But for the most part, 88 already won. It was the best the film
has ever looked. And then they topped it. The new color grading is more natural, without being duller (or overcast in blue). The blood is redder, the skin tones are more authentic. I stand by my initial praise of 88's first pass, but I can't deny it's even better now, so I'm grateful for these reissued discs.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0waKzcibw8bEcdFgikz5UIlQIN8x1CCudfMly5q2Fh2HTzd4A-O-NrJUY7NHWLdR27Qf_J2UdDgVY-b_-CcOTqRTyA1OHmGLIp2ruVwou8NymAtnf6AzVXFaDKOKsytqlxZlqkblhiUzZqxIec-by73mS9bZoTJOeALkNh0hqsO3e-xrOTOE-_U1qIk/s1920/hellotld3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP0waKzcibw8bEcdFgikz5UIlQIN8x1CCudfMly5q2Fh2HTzd4A-O-NrJUY7NHWLdR27Qf_J2UdDgVY-b_-CcOTqRTyA1OHmGLIp2ruVwou8NymAtnf6AzVXFaDKOKsytqlxZlqkblhiUzZqxIec-by73mS9bZoTJOeALkNh0hqsO3e-xrOTOE-_U1qIk/s800/hellotld3.png" width="400" /></a></div>
But the look and replacement program isn't even the biggest controversy
around this film on blu. What you
don't see in those screenshots is the sound, or the film's running time.
Is BU's blu-ray cut? No, not really... but technically yes. No
scenes have been removed or graphic imagery censored, but their have
been micro trims to a LOT of scenes. Basically frames have been removed
regularly, throughout the film (only <i>Hell</i>; it's not on <i>Rats</i>), between shots. Essentially, it's the exact same problem that plagued Shriek Show's infamous <i><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2016/03/the-burial-ground-restoration-is-here.html">Burial Ground</a></i> blu-ray. And as with <i>Burial Ground</i>,
the problem is not on the older DVDs, just the newer blus. To be fair,
you don't generally notice it in most cases... In fact, I don't think I
could even locate the instances without ripping both discs and syncing
them up to find the moments where the they
go out of sync. But when the cuts happen during music, you do hear it.
You don't hear pops or drop outs, because the shots have been buttressed
up against each other, but the score skips notes. And it always happens
as the video shot switches, which makes it seem like Mattei was some
kind of amateur who couldn't edit the audio and video on separate
tracks... it's the kind of error you find in student films. Except in
this case, it's not a problem with the original film, only the new
blu-ray.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0-hW158EOWFtvoSfYe_hFs8A6J9-RIZWfk0W5w46vQ1_d23c2kNfMEoBKu_-LPpHRPfflz1D3oU-tQyfKE17IiUJ2MPwB3gjFrB1K8BMar9R1A4d1GsvvjjRXBFJ0hRoCN8BFwPhLCwG4pON1QHq_ysz7k5NXrRMkJKaNhf5lFJ2EVdspzJp55f2/s1920/hellotldsound.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0-hW158EOWFtvoSfYe_hFs8A6J9-RIZWfk0W5w46vQ1_d23c2kNfMEoBKu_-LPpHRPfflz1D3oU-tQyfKE17IiUJ2MPwB3gjFrB1K8BMar9R1A4d1GsvvjjRXBFJ0hRoCN8BFwPhLCwG4pON1QHq_ysz7k5NXrRMkJKaNhf5lFJ2EVdspzJp55f2/s800/hellotldsound.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">It's most obvious during this scene.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>So I contacted BU back when <a href="http://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=9653596&postcount=903">a forum member on blu-ray.com first pointed this out</a> and <a href="http://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=9657320&postcount=924">another member followed up by uploading comparison footage</a>, and here's what they said:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #073763;">"We
became aware of the issue with HELL OF THE LIVING DEAD after the
Blu-ray was released. We brought it to the attention of the Italian
licensor who supplied the new HD master to us. They informed us that
there was damage at several of the cement splices in the original
negative, necessitating that they remove one frame on each side of the
cut so that there wouldn’t be noticeable frame damage or picture jumps
during those cuts. Please keep in mind that this is a 30+ year old,
extremely low budget film. We're confident they did the transfer as best
they could with what they had to work with. Hopefully this does not
impede in your enjoyment of the film. We believe that the positives of
this new HD transfer far outweigh any negatives. As there is no way to
fix the damage to the negative, we are not able to issue replacement
discs."</span><br />
<br />And yes,
unless you're really searching for the problem, you won't notice it when
the score isn't playing, which is most of the time. I think BU is right
about the positives of the HD outweighing the negatives for sure. I
wouldn't go back to the DVD. But happily, this issue can now be put
behind us forever. 88 has fixed the problem! They don't appear to have
done anything dodgy, like upres SD frames from the DVD to fill the gaps
(though, in a pinch, I might've preferred if BU had tried that instead
of leaving it like it was). The running time is back. Both discs state
they're scanned from the original negatives on their back covers, so
presumably they're from the same source. So I don't really know how
they did it, but they did it. It looks great, and the music no longer
skips. Huzzah!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIGekF4oUU_MpnU1dnfF0MNt-CWYLFVVC6JSj2hRjwEA4kmrqw7H_xBaQvyHSa94rtE1iZNlKy8X3SK3xos5Jsb_UDY3m4Y4QVC_vlCp9qHzvp17eZDZjHi-iFCHfwHXwKcg6cU6_UJhtMsadI05xU88TIX8sTqVHOgYJOFdnI2fR5quHqKbAwyjrYVI/s1920/hellotld2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIGekF4oUU_MpnU1dnfF0MNt-CWYLFVVC6JSj2hRjwEA4kmrqw7H_xBaQvyHSa94rtE1iZNlKy8X3SK3xos5Jsb_UDY3m4Y4QVC_vlCp9qHzvp17eZDZjHi-iFCHfwHXwKcg6cU6_UJhtMsadI05xU88TIX8sTqVHOgYJOFdnI2fR5quHqKbAwyjrYVI/s800/hellotld2.png" width="400" /></a></div>And that's not the only win in 88's audio
column. AB's DVD just gave us the English mono dub with no subtitle
options. BU bumped that track up to lossless DTS-HD and threw in
optional English, French and Spanish subs. 88 dumps the foreign subs,
keeping the English, but most importantly gives us both the English and
Italian audio tracks (to be fair, 88's 2017 BD did this, too) in LPCM,
giving us the option to watch the film with either track. The Italian
seems to at least sometimes match the actor's lips, i.e. that's what
they're actually speaking; though I will say the music sounds decidedly
more robust in the English mix.<br /><br />Oh, and that's one more fix 88
made with their revised discs: they re-synced the English audio, and it
does now match the actor's lips better. Seriously, if you have the
limited edition and weren't going to bother with the replacement
program, I advise you to take advantage.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFe007JRXwmkHBMbt7OnPDGk0lTymzY-YyCUarz_S7l9FfWNHqeulWfwsahQ_J9ZMpqjQLVMlY7Lb8lPQg3PoVt6s2W9xdUijl8xi1unZ0CtNGcGTPt5hqRXF-gBYzCDhYwqtaT9LBxGZWvl9ZWuDUg3jDpFHBM4D5VNH3m4demYr4mv0DFvPDaocj/s1919/hellotldr5.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1919" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFe007JRXwmkHBMbt7OnPDGk0lTymzY-YyCUarz_S7l9FfWNHqeulWfwsahQ_J9ZMpqjQLVMlY7Lb8lPQg3PoVt6s2W9xdUijl8xi1unZ0CtNGcGTPt5hqRXF-gBYzCDhYwqtaT9LBxGZWvl9ZWuDUg3jDpFHBM4D5VNH3m4demYr4mv0DFvPDaocj/s800/hellotldr5.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2014 US Blue Underground BD.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA7r71rRY-0qguD5xfHxN-ieIL85JoPPXGFDCQZYj-tVjGgBFX8bEYllgQAXGsGyN0Go1wGqr2Oo4EpcHFtHEQQd56T7tSyefvKlhE3Xq46V0DDpZLAxtfyq_gsSGnAja4l0KZpeGvO7BF4U2OywUtt3-yTH7yIWM_erWSLzfvZjgggNpl1an-zo2W/s1920/hellotldr1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA7r71rRY-0qguD5xfHxN-ieIL85JoPPXGFDCQZYj-tVjGgBFX8bEYllgQAXGsGyN0Go1wGqr2Oo4EpcHFtHEQQd56T7tSyefvKlhE3Xq46V0DDpZLAxtfyq_gsSGnAja4l0KZpeGvO7BF4U2OywUtt3-yTH7yIWM_erWSLzfvZjgggNpl1an-zo2W/s800/hellotldr1.png" width="400" /></a></div>Meanwhile, <i>Rats </i>looks
pretty good on BU's disc, too. I never got the DVD to compare
it to, but the image here looks great. Once again, it's been slightly
letterboxed to 1.85, and it's a very attractive watch with bold colors
that's probably
part of what helped me come appreciate the film more this time around.
It also has the English mono track in DTS-HD with optional English,
French and Spanish subtitles.<br />
<br />
But like I said, the biggest selling point for me to upgrade from my old DVD
back in the day was actually the special features. First of all, the original Bruno
Mattei interview, which has been on every release of both <i>Rats </i>and <i>Hell </i>from
Anchor Bay and Blue Underground has been carried over here, too.
And that's great, because it was an upbeat yet very forthcoming chat,
and the only time we'll hear from Mattei on any of these discs.
There's also trailers and galleries for both films, that have been with
us since the earliest release. Some of the trailers are worth checking
out, though, since you get to see the films marketed with different
titles like <i>Virus </i>and <i>Blood Kill</i>. The DVD did have a unique insert, which included an interview between <i>Fangoria</i>'s <b>Michael Gingold</b> and filmmaker <b>Scooter McCrae;</b> but I'm really not at all sorry to see their <i>"</i>Shatter Dead<i> is a much better film than </i>Hell of the Living Dead<i>"</i> trash talking fest go.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDxTyuyQT4V3_ZCy1F4Khs-DRJ0D2u7DZuVfcBo5ylDwzgl5dTEBBl7mOfHrU8ONZJgHdwHAEGTzOcoZM46_Irwpu6WaKkQjJvUVrtabagGnSBT6pbhNn2Wz820n3HoneWoO-rsk6BwAkhzqzC_wulCFGRRSqAlI3CZFmeJbsf7ZgA1Pi3XTc4Z4w/s1920/hellotlde.png"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDDxTyuyQT4V3_ZCy1F4Khs-DRJ0D2u7DZuVfcBo5ylDwzgl5dTEBBl7mOfHrU8ONZJgHdwHAEGTzOcoZM46_Irwpu6WaKkQjJvUVrtabagGnSBT6pbhNn2Wz820n3HoneWoO-rsk6BwAkhzqzC_wulCFGRRSqAlI3CZFmeJbsf7ZgA1Pi3XTc4Z4w/s800/hellotlde.png" width="400" /></a></div>But then there's a new, 50+ minute documentary film called <i>Bonded By Blood</i>, which really focuses on <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/ClaudioFragasso"><b>Claudio Fragasso</b></a> and his involvement. He's as forthcoming and engaging as Mattei was, but with an extra sense of humor, talking us through <i>Hell Of the Living Dead</i>,
his marriage (his wife is also his collaborator who cowrote most of his
films) and touching on the rest of his and Mattei's careers. Margot
Newton and <b>Franco Garofalo</b> are also interviewed to share their side of things. And at first it seems like it's going to be all about <i>Hell</i>, but then we travel to the studio where they shot <i>Rats </i>and Fragasso talks to us on the old sets, along with stars <b>Ottaviano Dell'Acqua</b> and <b>Massimo Vanni</b>.<br /><br />Unfortunately,
none of that makes it to 88's release, but they've come up with a ton
of their own, mostly excellent material. I say "mostly," because boy is
the audio commentary skippable. It's by the usually reliable <b>Troy Howarth</b>, along with second expert <b>Eugenio Ercolani</b>, and it starts out fine. But maybe 20 minutes in, they just change the subject and stop talking about <i>Hell Of the Living Dead</i>
altogether. They start drifting into other Fragasso films, but soon
they're just free-wheeling into whatever springs to mind. They go on
tangents from other tangents. Troy goes over the whole spiel of how <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/GeorgeRomero">Romero</a></b>
changed zombie films, which I'm sick to death of hearing repeated on
every zombie commentary ever. At the very end, Howarth admits he's not
interested in <i>Hell</i>; it's not a film he likes very much. Yeah, no
shit! But you should at least talk about the film you're doing the
commentary of, no? A few references to other, related films, sure. But
this was a real piss take, like that AB insert turned into 100 minutes
of audio, except at least they were trashing the film instead of
ignoring it. 88 should demand their money back.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrjwgOI7OCT25lddSAHGjHr46FPAyUZJ4beztO5OeHB2mSCnkT9d0BA4NUvPJYHXW3bgtVvZCiDT-2h6dJi4rZ412ksNIX49qVlSnENgx1M6x1Z6wDaVFF8mVh9Ox40p46jsRWMk9OpvWE2zwYBIo3_ppNz9pd6OYYIJMtiTtqOvF3q62uJ1jCRIfY/s1920/hellotlde2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrjwgOI7OCT25lddSAHGjHr46FPAyUZJ4beztO5OeHB2mSCnkT9d0BA4NUvPJYHXW3bgtVvZCiDT-2h6dJi4rZ412ksNIX49qVlSnENgx1M6x1Z6wDaVFF8mVh9Ox40p46jsRWMk9OpvWE2zwYBIo3_ppNz9pd6OYYIJMtiTtqOvF3q62uJ1jCRIfY/s800/hellotlde2.png" width="400" /></a></div>But all of 88's
other extras are quite worth while. First of all, their exclusive
interviews with Fragasso and Newton are back, and they're both top
notch. Then there's all new stuff for this release, starting with
another Fragasso interview. Don't worry, they ask him all different
questions, so he doesn't repeat across both interviews. Then there's an
excellent interview with Mrs. Fragasso: <b>Drosella Drudi</b>, which is a real
must-watch. There's also an interesting but less essential interview
with two experts on Hell's history on VHS in the UK. Personally, I'm a
little burned out on "Video Nasty" talk, but it's a good piece. 88 also has the trailer, a 12-page booklet with notes by <b>Francesco Massaccesi</b> (so not the same notes or author as 88's 2017 booklet), a fold-out poster, reversible artwork an a slipcover.<br />
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So 88's new 4k set is really satisfying. It was already the definitive
presentation before the replacement program, and it's even better now.
Fans may still want to hang
onto their BU discs for the exclusive Mattei and Garofolo interviews
(plus their <i>Rats </i>coverage, if you're a fan of that movie). But 88's release finally gets <i>Hell </i>right. ...Even more right.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-47357237662285065242023-10-20T08:28:00.000-04:002023-10-20T08:28:24.463-04:00Julie Darling a.k.a. Daughter Of Death<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKEAZza-5PVi3lemLx2p5SN5iK_Gg1EuOAAMH5F-314LWbHlGcLUJIMAYQuFqk5okx8LECUuRJ_Kza2zfbo6-wc-RggCWrsKMWw2BWn9_uNKQOIFJPXF8NYHWCo68B8yPG0VFGoPV21bGkggDGxB0Blxd-KXMurPdfze4cgvSvskPFV_sU68AABHy6aOc/s5043/julied.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2103" data-original-width="5043" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKEAZza-5PVi3lemLx2p5SN5iK_Gg1EuOAAMH5F-314LWbHlGcLUJIMAYQuFqk5okx8LECUuRJ_Kza2zfbo6-wc-RggCWrsKMWw2BWn9_uNKQOIFJPXF8NYHWCo68B8yPG0VFGoPV21bGkggDGxB0Blxd-KXMurPdfze4cgvSvskPFV_sU68AABHy6aOc/s0/julied.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>
How do I keep bringing up <i>Julie Darling</i> without actually covering <i>Julie Darling</i>? Shame on me. Well, that's about to change because here we go with another messed up <i>Bad Seed</i> story. There has been take after take of <i>The Bad Seed </i>premise, even an official made-for-TV <i>Bad Seed</i> remake in 1985. But most of those are pretty bland and generic. Me, I'm a fan of the more off-book indie interpretations with some edge to them. And that's <i>Julie Darling</i>, alright. <i>The Bad Seed</i> with edge.<br /><br /><u><span style="color: #800180;">Update 12/4/17 - 10/20/23:</span></u> <i>Julie Darling</i> is back in 4k thanks to a new BD/ UHD combo pack from Dark Force Entertainment.<br />
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The opening credits play over our precocious little angel's pet boa constrictor slithers around the house. Her mother hates it and brings in a handy-man to get rid of it. So when the handy-man breaks into the house later to rape her mom, Julie gets her gun... but then decides maybe she'd rather just let things play out, and sure enough mommy croaks. But if she had issues with her mom, Julie really can't stand her new stepmother, <i>The Howling II</i>'s <b>Sybil Danning</b>. But what are the odds that handy-man will break in and inadvertently solve all her problems a second time? Pretty slim... at least without a little encouragement and a lot of clever planning.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt0Rsoe35JMyoiDocNA_PsL8VFZIz9WmYXjFvtslPjjFZ_AtHl9aY7sdXjLBBV_YZz4UseaIAVJUFT8Rh54Ua6aZ-lx-OMZq4WIusRRH6zBuEb0uigMWtYU9Gnea_c5E7xee4p8MlHhM8/s0/julied2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt0Rsoe35JMyoiDocNA_PsL8VFZIz9WmYXjFvtslPjjFZ_AtHl9aY7sdXjLBBV_YZz4UseaIAVJUFT8Rh54Ua6aZ-lx-OMZq4WIusRRH6zBuEb0uigMWtYU9Gnea_c5E7xee4p8MlHhM8/s400/julied2.png" width="400" /></a></div>
There's a real taste of <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2016/07/ian-mckellens-revamped-richard-iii-dvd.html"><i>Richard III</i></a> in <i>Julie Darling</i>, where we're invited to delight in just how far our wicked protagonist is prepared to go to get what she wants<i>,</i> using the people around her like pieces on a chessboard. It's also another "only in the 70s," non-PC affair, where about half of the supporting characters are hookers and pimps, and the other half are kids. The fact that it's oddly foreign may have something to do with that, too, being a Canadian and German co-production. Most of the cast is speaking English, but Julie's best friend is very clearly dubbed. So to call this one a bit strange is certainly an understatement, but it's also rather good. Most of the acting - with the unfortunate exception of the woman playing Julie's mother - is on point, and the story is smart and ambitious. The girl playing Julie is unquestionably the all-star, Oscar nominee <b>Anthony Franciosa</b> plays her father and even Sybil Danning gives a nice, grounded performance. Great locations and a minimal but effective score help seal the deal.<br />
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Outside of a couple no frills, full frame overseas discs, Code Red is the only company to give this a legit DVD release. They're far from the only domestic company to give it any kind of release; there's a whole sea of weird, junky bootlegs on Amazon and other sites. But Code Red's was the first legit release here in the states. Even better, their 2010 DVD was also a nice, loaded special edition. Then, in 2017, Code Red upgraded that to blu, and now in 2023, it's been upgraded to a new BD/ UHD combo pack from Dark Force.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBBdGskJqM_r3yqGw3UHJiEdHSHTYN34X6dkkdfVLNfMQyM5DIE6GS9N0bsJM4DBw332gNpSDn0uqrvzBhEEVbh5Fzl08eguyI-pVNUBxLpj2cz1ERvO1kGINcKrFPnjXZTZcJhP3H90/s0/juliedc1a.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBBdGskJqM_r3yqGw3UHJiEdHSHTYN34X6dkkdfVLNfMQyM5DIE6GS9N0bsJM4DBw332gNpSDn0uqrvzBhEEVbh5Fzl08eguyI-pVNUBxLpj2cz1ERvO1kGINcKrFPnjXZTZcJhP3H90/s400/juliedc1a.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> Code Red 2010 DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> Code Red 2017 BD;<br /><span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> Dark Force 2023 BD; <span style="color: #800180;">4)</span> Dark Force 2023 UHD.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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As you can immediately tell, each release is taken from an all new master. Specifically, the DVD is a "HiDef transfer from the original 35mm interpositive," the 2017 blu is a "2016 2k scan from the original interpositive" and the new Dark Force discs are using a "new 2023 HD 4k master from the original 35mm internegative," "with HDR" in the case of the UHD. Damage across all four discs is mostly pretty sparse, but a yellow vertical line does like to run through a lot of the picture, as you can see on Sybil in the first set of shots above. But the new scans are genuine improvements. The 2017 blu is a lot clearer, with the DVD being even softer than your standard DVD/BD, SD/HD distinction. It's a really marked boost in sharpness. The only thing even more noticeable than that is the all new color correction, which makes a world of difference. Colors are much more robust and distinct, and they're also decidedly more natural, with white walls looking white instead of pink or orange, and just in general like a tinting haze has been lifted from the screen.<br /><br />And the colors were redone again in 2023, and the improvement isn't quite as marked, because we're starting from a better position, but things do look more authentic now, especially on the 4k, where the brights look a little more natural, yet the primary colors are somewhat stronger. Small detail and grain look pretty similar between the 2017 and 2023 editions, with just a slight improvement to rounded on the UHD and a little less noise throughout (note the film dirt on Sybil's lip on the 2017 release that's removed from the 2023).<br />
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All three cases list a 1.85:1 aspect ratio on the back, and that's wrong every time. Both Code Red discs feature nearly identical 1.78:1 framing. There are tiny shifts vertically and horizontally, but you'd never catch it outside of a direct comparison like this. But for whatever reason - and this is true of both the DVD and the first blu - the opening credits are slightly pillar-boxed for a taller 1.67:1 aspect ratio. Feel free to speculate on why that is. Is the film supposed to be in 1.66, and Code Red just likes producing 1.78:1 transfers? Working my way through the Code Red catalog, there seems to be something to that... Supported by the fact that Dark Force has kept the film at 1.67:1 throughout the entire film. This gives us more vertical information, but is a little tighter on the sides.<br />
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All four discs just give us the original mono, which is great. The last thing we'd need here is some attempt at a revisionist "upgrade" mix, and it's presented losslessly in DTS-HD on both BDs and the UHD. There's a little bit of natural hiss throughout and a few crackles that sync with damage on screen. But the music and dialogue is robust and easy to discern. And for a pleasant surprise from Dark Force, they've added optional English subtitles to the film for the first time.<br />
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Extra features are essentially the same across all three releases, but fairly substantial. Basically, <b>Isabelle Mejias</b> (who plays Julie) and Sybil Danning each give us separate intros to the film, audio commentaries and on-camera interviews. And boy oh boy, does Isabelle not like this film, and she really wants to make sure we know it. It can be a little frustrating for fans, who are after all, probably the only people who'll be watching these extras. But once you get past that, she is a good sport, forthcoming and informative, and even pretty funny. Sybil Danning is more of an affable supporter all-around; and as is the case with many Code Red special features, when they start to run out of things to say about <i>Julie Darling</i>, the moderators grill them about their entire filmographies. There's lots of great content here from both women, but over two commentaries and two interviews, it starts to get a little dry and redundant. I wish they would've edited them together or something to turn them into a single commentary and featurette, which would've been a lot tighter and more fun. But as it is, it's still a lot of great stuff, and any serious fan who grew up with<i> Julie Darling</i> will lap it all up.<br />
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Apart from that, both Code Red discs have different sets of bonus trailers, and Dark Force's comes in a stylish slipcover.<br />
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So if you own any of those cheap imports or bootlegs, or even Code Red's DVD, it's definitely worth upgrading to at least the 2017 blu. If you already have that, triple-dipping to the UHD could be a lower priority, since the difference in PQ isn't as vast now as it was in previous generations. But if you're upgrading from an older version, or just need the very best there is, there's no question that the latest DF release is the definitive way to go, especially if you have a use for subtitles.<br />John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-18570125389872885532023-10-12T05:53:00.003-04:002023-10-12T05:54:41.883-04:00Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnTDr5qqgOfJm-M37bVZBsASnLkw8mRm2r8ikp8LyxwQwjPbSuuAU_Ii74c9b57BXSVMyvjPCMoqAJzqLBFrxYELZ3FXvK33V5SeA9q_mMi1lORG6gsI0wEBLsQsWIKCfndVBPRhKPsgBQyM8ddoU_TpvHaQDrs6QY2UKvrUIbt5S5zn4vLY_BlA-Wfp0/s3328/rosencrantzags.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2097" data-original-width="3328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnTDr5qqgOfJm-M37bVZBsASnLkw8mRm2r8ikp8LyxwQwjPbSuuAU_Ii74c9b57BXSVMyvjPCMoqAJzqLBFrxYELZ3FXvK33V5SeA9q_mMi1lORG6gsI0wEBLsQsWIKCfndVBPRhKPsgBQyM8ddoU_TpvHaQDrs6QY2UKvrUIbt5S5zn4vLY_BlA-Wfp0/s0/rosencrantzags.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>Okay, I can't do <i><a href="https://www.dvdexotica.com/2023/10/branaghs-shakespeares.html">Hamlet</a> </i>without doing <i>Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead</i>. It's a minor masterpiece and a personal favorite. The more <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/TomStoppard"><b>Tom Stoppard</b></a> on disc the better, I say; and this is the ultimate Stoppard film. Image first released this on DVD in 2005, finally allowing
us to replace our laserdiscs, as a bit of a neat special edition on two discs. Later, RLJ Entertainment, which is just Image rebranded,
released it as an even fuller 25th Anniversary blu-ray edition in 2016.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXSuV5dA2BDPVm_zXSPoTnFBsbfgBtHAG_XmpmWlDfUhlK2lhcEZUyIEVfD1aH2ymdU5JpoaxkrsXv-zt3NVsznhO6cR6APqs9WbV7P4VEDyn2WJkYOpTmoXnzmvltkx0YNobc0IOg-bFLal0zqyFo5b9ah2bl_Uc-XXzjDsshMdT66qZDPaU-7BxAwGg/s1920/rosencrantzagadh.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXSuV5dA2BDPVm_zXSPoTnFBsbfgBtHAG_XmpmWlDfUhlK2lhcEZUyIEVfD1aH2ymdU5JpoaxkrsXv-zt3NVsznhO6cR6APqs9WbV7P4VEDyn2WJkYOpTmoXnzmvltkx0YNobc0IOg-bFLal0zqyFo5b9ah2bl_Uc-XXzjDsshMdT66qZDPaU-7BxAwGg/s800/rosencrantzagadh.png" width="400" /></a></div>Based on his own play, writer/ director Stoppard gives us something wonderfully inventive with 1990's <i>Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead</i>. It dances elegantly along the thin line between a silly comedy (with additional comic bits for Rosencrantz added to the film version) fleshing out the ironic fates of two of <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/Shakespeare">Shakespeare</a></b>'s unluckiest characters, and a weighty, existential art film. Rosencrantz (<b>Gary Oldman</b>) and Guildenstern (<b>Tim Roth</b>) are dealt a shrift, cruel hand in <i>Hamlet</i>, a work they're still trapped in here. But this time they're given the space to question, if not defy, their most famously scripted destinies. Of course, it's essential to know what that is exactly. Stoppard may have over-estimated our modern educational system on that front.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLIqvz4-k4hOzxkLMXC3nsnjkiKTqBMOxTGxlEFbe9aOU2rz0b-dzkk47L1b8nZ3oZ5MXL1Qp5MJxRciDEyRm2UuSOXnkmHOLFHL1RFvScQ5rMNJDbGPYVShWbq7xuGfdrchQYwRfUE2vAq2P1qf3Je_r29qSCkiA1ARm1M3NQlHqG7ytlVk2_H_Ezr0/s1920/rosencrantzag4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLIqvz4-k4hOzxkLMXC3nsnjkiKTqBMOxTGxlEFbe9aOU2rz0b-dzkk47L1b8nZ3oZ5MXL1Qp5MJxRciDEyRm2UuSOXnkmHOLFHL1RFvScQ5rMNJDbGPYVShWbq7xuGfdrchQYwRfUE2vAq2P1qf3Je_r29qSCkiA1ARm1M3NQlHqG7ytlVk2_H_Ezr0/s800/rosencrantzag4.png" width="400" /></a></div>"Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead" isn't quite <i>Hamlet</i>'s
last line, but it's on the last page, their doom announced as a
sort of twisted punchline to the extremely bloody tragedy. But why? Only the
traveling player (<b>Richard Dreyfus</b>), leader of the troupe that
would elicit a confession from the king, seems willing or able to
discuss it with them. Everyone else can only follow the grim procession
to its violent end. <i>Game of Thrones</i>' <b>Iain Glen</b> is
capable, not great, as Prince Hamlet himself. But that's fine, because
he doesn't have a major part here, and the three leads of this show are
all fantastic. The production values are high, with excellent locations
and art design, though they clearly had to cut a few corners with the
final act at sea. But it creates a more than credible world that add s
lifelike weight to the fictitious surroundings. The moody soundtrack and firelight evoke a mood suggesting that this is something far darker and more foreboding than <i>Abbott & Costello Meet the Prince of Denmark</i>, though they do also indulge in some genuinely amusing Vaudeville routines. This film truly has everything.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuZlD2Rfrv4xDnLWNbRNlXcZlo9IFF9SzM0996CAjBZM9wsZFUvRgajoVtWxrp4nEVV0-XuepTLeeuJqVKMJENxvBbQMWrtj11hixL64ZMvgFbb7qQUmJmoq6FStnts03jtV5YJ7jtAIArvR0ts6BttYtX4PJ7xzDseqdIcUpKYzAfylNXDjxoOz1pVQ/s1916/rosencrantzagadc1a333.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1052" data-original-width="1916" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuZlD2Rfrv4xDnLWNbRNlXcZlo9IFF9SzM0996CAjBZM9wsZFUvRgajoVtWxrp4nEVV0-XuepTLeeuJqVKMJENxvBbQMWrtj11hixL64ZMvgFbb7qQUmJmoq6FStnts03jtV5YJ7jtAIArvR0ts6BttYtX4PJ7xzDseqdIcUpKYzAfylNXDjxoOz1pVQ/s800/rosencrantzagadc1a333.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2005 Image DVD top; 2016 RLJ BD bottom.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVd5jqr8XFsnuDIw0tvMqAsxufKPy9RJSpZSCK1Vuq_vBzREu2d4VrpWT7sRBperurx1V02heo4SabfgMVwU16yxK5VVkupREjLCKjLOkt2-fQwRQniVFlY8m40Sjd4H60E3OB4rOSQVMLd3C5bffZXfve4eDY1gT0K9ANuEo7uiu1AA-aJtkAb07fUM/s1920/rosencrantzagadc1b339.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVd5jqr8XFsnuDIw0tvMqAsxufKPy9RJSpZSCK1Vuq_vBzREu2d4VrpWT7sRBperurx1V02heo4SabfgMVwU16yxK5VVkupREjLCKjLOkt2-fQwRQniVFlY8m40Sjd4H60E3OB4rOSQVMLd3C5bffZXfve4eDY1gT0K9ANuEo7uiu1AA-aJtkAb07fUM/s800/rosencrantzagadc1b339.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht336favRyzVHZQEXxidTxvfRdLwJ14PL_lrbqve0-KubG1gAAYCLIkP2MGJ8zkN7pOIgiY4MNQTO8JflXazveS4efrbilFAt8i2Jm09tjRsFBdnY0qLe0RQMvPa7YL6VkbktZ1-qpsn0XKOo8ZeomNogsiE3SKGnY5r8jD5uB19Ji7jG3ZSyPKojCo2I/s1916/rosencrantzagadc2a10920.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1052" data-original-width="1916" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht336favRyzVHZQEXxidTxvfRdLwJ14PL_lrbqve0-KubG1gAAYCLIkP2MGJ8zkN7pOIgiY4MNQTO8JflXazveS4efrbilFAt8i2Jm09tjRsFBdnY0qLe0RQMvPa7YL6VkbktZ1-qpsn0XKOo8ZeomNogsiE3SKGnY5r8jD5uB19Ji7jG3ZSyPKojCo2I/s800/rosencrantzagadc2a10920.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUaIH1ByUy-tCTzL0PW0BLKzS167m6k0khpn1q8MjJGW92u5a8F0yaMoi3-dcn-km0Y74nyVThyb2N-K6Rg6wQJyf0s_JN7Ln7MNmfQ97t7_MikoEaKkKhbXG1kSMCSIf2qZUbf-7doIyMqwyCkh3v4pcFQFAC87GI_GfNNDqmrGjbmwJRffh-E4zTgA/s1919/rosencrantzagadc2b10926.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1919" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUaIH1ByUy-tCTzL0PW0BLKzS167m6k0khpn1q8MjJGW92u5a8F0yaMoi3-dcn-km0Y74nyVThyb2N-K6Rg6wQJyf0s_JN7Ln7MNmfQ97t7_MikoEaKkKhbXG1kSMCSIf2qZUbf-7doIyMqwyCkh3v4pcFQFAC87GI_GfNNDqmrGjbmwJRffh-E4zTgA/s800/rosencrantzagadc2b10926.png" width="400" /></a></div>It's
a nice little upgrade. The aspect ratio is corrected from 1.82:1 to
1.85:1, revealing a little extra picture along the sides. Grain is
honestly still a little soft and smudgy, but the image is definitely
clearer than the DVD with sharper lines, restored detail and less
(though perhaps not zero) edge enhancement. This is a dual-layered disc, allotting the film a healthy 23.1 gigs. It looks like Tim Roth's
mouth has been erased on the DVD in that second set of shots, and recovered on the
blu. Contrast is higher, too, with noticeably brighter highlights,
which does make it easier to follow the action in the film's many dark
scenes.<br /><br />The DVD includes both the original stereo track plus a
5.1 remix with optional English subtitles. The blu ditches the 5.1 but
bumps the stereo to lossless DTS-HD and hangs on to the subs.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikljG5lrc-ppF2GZJheBYo56HibYa8pIX4fmoSz8oUHVQCDt0eBfiTq-DJRb6Gubomr8Qnij6hajZza9lLDfIo5hJJxnn5BvNwcscRGs6xUd7haXugz68AKl-C5z2y-OOK-EQOkCnC9TMICPl-OQZTpR4XOgBEqcNd9t1X6O03dDrP7K6m5b5aOOqnI6E/s1920/rosencrantzage2.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikljG5lrc-ppF2GZJheBYo56HibYa8pIX4fmoSz8oUHVQCDt0eBfiTq-DJRb6Gubomr8Qnij6hajZza9lLDfIo5hJJxnn5BvNwcscRGs6xUd7haXugz68AKl-C5z2y-OOK-EQOkCnC9TMICPl-OQZTpR4XOgBEqcNd9t1X6O03dDrP7K6m5b5aOOqnI6E/s800/rosencrantzage2.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Stoppard, now in HD!</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>We don't get any commentaries, but we get individual, on camera
interviews with each of the four main players: Roth, Oldman, Dreyfus and
Stoppard himself, all of which are nearly an hour long. Well, Roth's
is more like 33 minutes, but it still gets pretty seriously in depth.
It also throws in a tiny stills gallery. And the blu-ray keeps all of
that except the gallery, replacing it with something much better: a
second Stoppard interview, this time in conversation with producer <b>Michael Brandman</b>, which is also quite good. Although, yes, he does tell most of the same anecdotes and jokes in most of the same ways.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfgLDAraI0Cyp_vKaipJDwrjFo4AyESrdXMaTrrq8d75nK5Cw2TCYYBCs6V-lhLVn627UvIEnuZLNqukGf68mzfCw6NEc_x1fUPBRicmBVTKcSNav5Ed_w5Rwek61ZTCSFPmrydTHLF2y8Hvea2HdyOzdX0FFnnbtpEudWiXMNDbizwFQLV_fAtBftHo/s1920/rosencrantzag2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfgLDAraI0Cyp_vKaipJDwrjFo4AyESrdXMaTrrq8d75nK5Cw2TCYYBCs6V-lhLVn627UvIEnuZLNqukGf68mzfCw6NEc_x1fUPBRicmBVTKcSNav5Ed_w5Rwek61ZTCSFPmrydTHLF2y8Hvea2HdyOzdX0FFnnbtpEudWiXMNDbizwFQLV_fAtBftHo/s800/rosencrantzag2.png" width="400" /></a></div>So happily this essential cinematic outing is more than adequately presented on home video. Could this stand a more up-to-date release in 4k? Sure, every film could. And maybe Criterion, Kino or Arrow could hire a proper Shakespeare scholar to provide an educational commentary track, or get <b>Peter Biziou</b> to sit down and talk to us about his memories shooting in Yugoslavia. But if RLJ's blu is the best release this film receives in my lifetime, I'll be satisfied.<br />John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-72669083014926156862023-10-10T01:05:00.004-04:002023-10-14T07:58:37.647-04:00Branagh's Shakespeares<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOovbUHmdzjo7ikO1pb3P5AZUfCp5gnGkMrAzvCJ3V8Mt2lnEMMYPYF2GHzCUV26qJsAG9iouaE8R2E5sq77nIcHB91t3VO1RvdTpKFrGV8lZQIFWGludPeeW_FlR4nI3ddDfVWcwPp2q6ODwyiQ8L7UtUbn8i6q-Aggg40gM3SIboSZAwVZPhqz2wIzI/s3343/hamlets.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2099" data-original-width="3343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOovbUHmdzjo7ikO1pb3P5AZUfCp5gnGkMrAzvCJ3V8Mt2lnEMMYPYF2GHzCUV26qJsAG9iouaE8R2E5sq77nIcHB91t3VO1RvdTpKFrGV8lZQIFWGludPeeW_FlR4nI3ddDfVWcwPp2q6ODwyiQ8L7UtUbn8i6q-Aggg40gM3SIboSZAwVZPhqz2wIzI/s0/hamlets.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>We've already taken a look at <i><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2021/08/the-black-hawk-down-of-battle-of.html">Henry V</a></i>, the underrated <i><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/10/branaghs-shakespeare-far-superior-in-uk.html">Love's Labour's Lost</a></i> and <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/KennethBranagh"><b>Kenneth Branagh</b></a>'s not-actually-a-<b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/Shakespeare">Shakespeare</a></b>-adaptation, but highly adjacent <i><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/12/kenneth-branaghs-midwinters-tale-for.html">Midwinter's Tale</a></i>. It was only a matter of time until I covered the rest. But not all of them have had particularly extensive lives on home video. Hell, a couple of them are still, sadly, DVD only. So I figured why not round them up into one big post? And what better way to start one big post than with what is still, easily, the biggest Shakespeare adaptation of the silver screen: 1996's <i>Hamlet</i>?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfs4Dmc0kwsIrNK-Eq7CgilP2gJ6kwiJNODKO3p1_faK2VLpDH4qNoIwA1P87QrX0oVu6DZhxDJbjYcrL_OusQDg738_vOFRUWEfN6QecpPFNfFrNDbIxzzZYwPfztMzv00dzjoLfSRhcP_XoNI46v3rlF7mCMr8K28acm_2m0p822r4rwWHxPmyNU_wQ/s1918/hamlet4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="1918" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfs4Dmc0kwsIrNK-Eq7CgilP2gJ6kwiJNODKO3p1_faK2VLpDH4qNoIwA1P87QrX0oVu6DZhxDJbjYcrL_OusQDg738_vOFRUWEfN6QecpPFNfFrNDbIxzzZYwPfztMzv00dzjoLfSRhcP_XoNI46v3rlF7mCMr8K28acm_2m0p822r4rwWHxPmyNU_wQ/s800/hamlet4.png" width="400" /></a></div>Branagh's is hardly the first <i>Hamlet </i>to hit the silver screen - they did it first in 1921 with <b>Asta Nielsen</b> as the titular prince(ss!), and <b>Olivier</b>'s
Best Picture winner had been the reigning version for decades - but
clocking in at over four hours, his was the first to finally adapt the
entire play, rather than an abridgement. However, the BBC came pretty
close to doing it first with their 1980 television version starring <b>Derek Jacobi</b>
(at three and a half hours, it did cut out a little). And it may be a
nod to this that Jacobi co-stars here as Hamlet's nemesis uncle king.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv5Yw9IpvayaprGb6WQuCBmmHM_RO7GYeIaS6f_bAmUp5SyuwcXa004_34hQiqY1WKao9bnWaY2lK5YUJzDrMvgImWzMQTD0KNW4MaNEToh6bFWwS4um3ijayPRSikwwWzJB4c3ChCGKOhfgkTNWe5vpeBojFma33bXUD0mq6EUEzAfOp-igSFFB89XxE/s1918/hamlet1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="1918" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv5Yw9IpvayaprGb6WQuCBmmHM_RO7GYeIaS6f_bAmUp5SyuwcXa004_34hQiqY1WKao9bnWaY2lK5YUJzDrMvgImWzMQTD0KNW4MaNEToh6bFWwS4um3ijayPRSikwwWzJB4c3ChCGKOhfgkTNWe5vpeBojFma33bXUD0mq6EUEzAfOp-igSFFB89XxE/s800/hamlet1.png" width="400" /></a></div>But
of course, even if the BBC had managed to present the complete play,
there's no way they could have managed anything as grand - dare I say
ostentatious - than Branagh has. From it's massive sets to not just
great RSC actors but Branagh's first case of major stunt casting.
Besides Branagh himself in the lead and the aforementioned Jacobi, we
see no less than <b>Judi Dench</b>, <b>Kate Winslet</b>, <b>Jack Lemon</b>, <b>Robin Williams</b>, <b>Charlton Heston</b>, <b>John Gielguld</b>,<b> Billy Crystal</b>, <b>Rufus Sewell</b>, <b>Timothy Spall</b>, the great <b>Brian Blessed</b>, <b>Julie Christie</b>, <b>Richard Attenborough</b>, <b>John Mills</b> and even <b>Gérard Depardieu</b>. It's like he picked up an issue of <i>Entertainment Weekly</i>
and commanded, bring me all of them! But in the interests of bringing
Shakespeare to a wider, mainstream audience, I daresay it was as
commendable as it was impressive a feat. Is it a little showy? Oh yes,
but it's still the definitive <i>Hamlet </i>to view to this day (sorry, <b>Mel Gibson</b>).<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicyUf-bZXoNvfQXhHk2LUtw0yWSPBEO8HAf7JcWKugODJ5yg_rxQ7UWoxYyMHKTdmlNo82Z_lrUAzAUIVtx6OZXgmgeVss90jG128JxV2wWC-ki_H4uCO9A4RrCLUsd_5-_YOEiMjH1Wp1gAF8QkqCVYhDzwRYZK9wpJ-HnEj0Zwyf1wKXm8v8HsTCfMM/s1918/hamlet2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="1918" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicyUf-bZXoNvfQXhHk2LUtw0yWSPBEO8HAf7JcWKugODJ5yg_rxQ7UWoxYyMHKTdmlNo82Z_lrUAzAUIVtx6OZXgmgeVss90jG128JxV2wWC-ki_H4uCO9A4RrCLUsd_5-_YOEiMjH1Wp1gAF8QkqCVYhDzwRYZK9wpJ-HnEj0Zwyf1wKXm8v8HsTCfMM/s800/hamlet2.png" width="400" /></a></div>It took Warner Bros a while to release <i>Hamlet </i>on DVD. We had to hold onto our laserdiscs until 2007, when they finally issued it as a pretty impressive 2-disc special edition. It was just a couple years, then, until they issued it on blu in 2010, as a fancy mediabook edition. You might've noticed, though, by the ugly green ratings icon up there, that I have their German edition, which comes in just a traditional amary case. The discs are the same. The only reason I imported is because <i>Hamlet</i>'s gone out of print here in the states, and gotten a little pricey. So if you're looking for a way to save a little, Warners has released the same disc, just with different packaging, all around the world.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHd6xMwXwXLMDXSzEtqLS-mxTfA4zcxpHd3QGwEDN8FdFl-2qmKI03VIrYfposYNlgRnwoNnuyl24tLtVwwN7yu722_ydfu6tv8OFA7WtEPHckiMtcAjyjEhq6pMKzty7lGybjnBUyTRS3H_PIpTvcprVBVv-wkdXFgFy697LY5znlI7zkWuQe8Q3cjR4/s1919/hamletc1a15015.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="881" data-original-width="1919" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHd6xMwXwXLMDXSzEtqLS-mxTfA4zcxpHd3QGwEDN8FdFl-2qmKI03VIrYfposYNlgRnwoNnuyl24tLtVwwN7yu722_ydfu6tv8OFA7WtEPHckiMtcAjyjEhq6pMKzty7lGybjnBUyTRS3H_PIpTvcprVBVv-wkdXFgFy697LY5znlI7zkWuQe8Q3cjR4/s800/hamletc1a15015.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2007 WB DVD top; 2010 WB BD bottom.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wbFkkRasu4UAUbDr1rv8yJw668_hGFRS5HOl7RL3iIP4q1GM-zceCyY45QbdL8b7-sf7REnkXyRuat4HBy48Wq7SUcQre9hpXolQZHYauZc9Td3-lCUcgZrBWatWBrO6S_GP08ikDHVCumhImW5ycQ65v1iYOKTJY_TNzEId6IWU6epZpRHXcDB0nGY/s1918/hamletc1b15017.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="1918" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wbFkkRasu4UAUbDr1rv8yJw668_hGFRS5HOl7RL3iIP4q1GM-zceCyY45QbdL8b7-sf7REnkXyRuat4HBy48Wq7SUcQre9hpXolQZHYauZc9Td3-lCUcgZrBWatWBrO6S_GP08ikDHVCumhImW5ycQ65v1iYOKTJY_TNzEId6IWU6epZpRHXcDB0nGY/s800/hamletc1b15017.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSngOaGeTtz58eF_zHdg9gOQeppAveCljrl7vlGoOiegT3Ss1TgqIF1dkZvOk0QNLmVhLVXb4gIX6ouJ7fHUY7N-9osEdStAT8hCe5fVvjAKixppAVYfIQ-BifY-CSsXq9DbzftgWSIl_u25xBTmpPImsjn3cUcQ5UA3AoGAPNN3PV7QKRWFnSt-FmwXU/s1919/hamletc2a1849.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="881" data-original-width="1919" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSngOaGeTtz58eF_zHdg9gOQeppAveCljrl7vlGoOiegT3Ss1TgqIF1dkZvOk0QNLmVhLVXb4gIX6ouJ7fHUY7N-9osEdStAT8hCe5fVvjAKixppAVYfIQ-BifY-CSsXq9DbzftgWSIl_u25xBTmpPImsjn3cUcQ5UA3AoGAPNN3PV7QKRWFnSt-FmwXU/s800/hamletc2a1849.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH47OFPDA5ZpOpe5_yBoLldkf55zjgewy_-qlVGsFhbaK2FJyiA7_3WM92tzLbEEftlNKh-6As2kjftDEdBqvA8b4zNqp3MIawE5lk6I2KMD39aGzIB1PO_f7hos6mD6WHM4SK2oaAhCp-R0dspjY2OcvdZMpdc7E6ywGJQ2cl71FzQEdE49UPd-F9mK8/s1918/hamletc2b1852.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="1918" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH47OFPDA5ZpOpe5_yBoLldkf55zjgewy_-qlVGsFhbaK2FJyiA7_3WM92tzLbEEftlNKh-6As2kjftDEdBqvA8b4zNqp3MIawE5lk6I2KMD39aGzIB1PO_f7hos6mD6WHM4SK2oaAhCp-R0dspjY2OcvdZMpdc7E6ywGJQ2cl71FzQEdE49UPd-F9mK8/s800/hamletc2b1852.png" width="400" /></a></div>2010's pretty old for a blu-ray, and it does show. Especially with squeezing a four-hour film and a bunch of extras on a single disc, the encode's a little rough in a soft "where's the grain?" kind of way. And it's clearly taken from the same master as the DVD, with identical color timing, etc. Still, the AR does shift slightly from 2.18:1 to 2.21, with the blu revealing slightly more around the edges. Yes, 2.20 is apparently the correct aspect ratio, despite it being unusual. <i>Hamlet </i>is one of those rare 70mm films, which partially explains the smaller and thus harder to render grain, meaning it would be a great candidate for 4k (hint, hint, Warner Bros!). But even as old as it is, the blu-ray is a distinct improvement on the DVD, being noticeably sharper, and revealing detail like Jacobi's eyeballs, which are blurred out on the DVD in the first set of shots. So, while it could definitely look better, at least we've got it in HD, which is more than we can say for some of the following films.<br /><br />WB's DVD includes the original, and rather impressive, 5.1 track with optional English, Spanish and French subtitles. The blu-ray bumps that track up to DTS-HD and a whole slew of additional foreign dubs and subs. Nothing to complain about there.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7CqHTMzhnrleyOL8eTZWCXpHcGXz07FnjyOAZAGvVbGG70qI2tlswcG-Sz0PJ2IyKypBgXpS6haOzydY_2s0dninActp65lmzMMMm34hEyJdKIthcKqZC9O7ZqeaXaeKa2f9ihDiR0N_4scLdC3qGyhg5uNtOwmxnEaDaI7i4ikiOjbhLPCbb64nT0PU/s1589/hamlete.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1589" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7CqHTMzhnrleyOL8eTZWCXpHcGXz07FnjyOAZAGvVbGG70qI2tlswcG-Sz0PJ2IyKypBgXpS6haOzydY_2s0dninActp65lmzMMMm34hEyJdKIthcKqZC9O7ZqeaXaeKa2f9ihDiR0N_4scLdC3qGyhg5uNtOwmxnEaDaI7i4ikiOjbhLPCbb64nT0PU/s800/hamlete.png" width="400" /></a></div>And Warner Bros supplies a very satisfying collection of special
features. Both the DVD and BD include a fully engaged audio commentary
by Branagh, along with a Shakespeare scholar, who manage to stay
informative and enthusiastic for the entire four hours. There's also a
brief introduction by Branagh, a nice behind-the-scenes making of
featurette that lasts for almost half an hour, a shorter promo
featurette and the original trailer. The DVD also includes a bunch of
bonus trailers for other Shakespeare adaptations from Warners, and the
US blu (though not the German) includes a 38-page booklet with notes and
an interview with Branagh.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3e8y5D-hi3hN-kAOy0ZX6ODe4DiWJDERGHQVcjulCY5iUkxU0gbzJe7wwtRyIEEryF8MTsUqOV24ofGrVGywJM7RqbBNck34SJI0o6D1bNFkVMeXymmC-UNEaKwCua2ZtRBcNjVYn5FB37Mc55V3h3ndFAFgqT-hDiK7I790KYNC2IxLhtVJjAp_HhUU/s3685/twelfthns.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2569" data-original-width="3685" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3e8y5D-hi3hN-kAOy0ZX6ODe4DiWJDERGHQVcjulCY5iUkxU0gbzJe7wwtRyIEEryF8MTsUqOV24ofGrVGywJM7RqbBNck34SJI0o6D1bNFkVMeXymmC-UNEaKwCua2ZtRBcNjVYn5FB37Mc55V3h3ndFAFgqT-hDiK7I790KYNC2IxLhtVJjAp_HhUU/s0/twelfthns.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>Now, let's take it back to Branagh's first ever Shakespeare film
adaptation, although technically one he didn't direct. It's a British
television production of his stage production (which he did direct) of <i>Twelfth Night</i> from 1988. He went right from this in '88 to the impressive<i> Henry V</i> film production in '89, then soon to <i>Much Ado</i> and <i>Hamlet </i>- an amazing trajectory. And so yes, in terms of scale, this is
quite small. It's all filmed on one tiny set, though it is shot like a
proper film, with close-ups, editing and moving cameras. But it looks
like the play, not a fleshed out, realistic movie.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIhKz7z2Q9QrRcjFKaUxYD4UhVDNtLyByMFkikqbXSx07R-EEhbY3Z7yefkK3icAYw5MEniUmGOUNREo7AREqQGQS416ciePQtiL8zKP_ptiEGUKJpF_cGCgUxjhGPg4iIaDk7AVkSYalbMUmeWqk4A4aTun-d7R93hN49p5c9QPONnLPdsjKYRFIO73U/s1407/twelfthn1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1407" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIhKz7z2Q9QrRcjFKaUxYD4UhVDNtLyByMFkikqbXSx07R-EEhbY3Z7yefkK3icAYw5MEniUmGOUNREo7AREqQGQS416ciePQtiL8zKP_ptiEGUKJpF_cGCgUxjhGPg4iIaDk7AVkSYalbMUmeWqk4A4aTun-d7R93hN49p5c9QPONnLPdsjKYRFIO73U/s800/twelfthn1.png" width="400" /></a></div>And we don't have the big, movie star cast we've come to expect from
Branagh either. But it's no less an impressive work once you sit down
and let yourself get absorbed. It may take a little while, admittedly,
but that's more to do with Shakespeare's writing than Branagh's
direction. This is a comedy with an awful lot of set-up that doesn't
really get rollicking until the pins start to fall down. <i>Twelfth Night</i>
requires a bit of pay-off, but it's impressive that Shakespeare's
comedy still works just as well as any modern work once you're properly
invested.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCoIi-TwdlBtNKcxT-XoPFaGUSaxLdP5UBueeMM6YX6ksbQaVOp6FEuO77YrDY0_lmuNw0MIq6_6egFqu7pxqcVRl5S48LB1ejJiePsEuh-eCBvUD1eo5vFpxeJzUHieqoPI_k18mbHhL2jtY2Vzg_H1PZZTDo1S6NlEdVB9NNEQeDvhzVXo1wjaz3_g/s1412/twelfthn2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1077" data-original-width="1412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbCoIi-TwdlBtNKcxT-XoPFaGUSaxLdP5UBueeMM6YX6ksbQaVOp6FEuO77YrDY0_lmuNw0MIq6_6egFqu7pxqcVRl5S48LB1ejJiePsEuh-eCBvUD1eo5vFpxeJzUHieqoPI_k18mbHhL2jtY2Vzg_H1PZZTDo1S6NlEdVB9NNEQeDvhzVXo1wjaz3_g/s800/twelfthn2.png" width="400" /></a></div>Branagh's said that there are generally two ways to
view and present Twelfth Night, ultimately melancholy or comic. Branagh
goes for the melancholy, which is not to say the humor is lost.
Ultimately, the contrast makes some of the scenes all the funnier. But
you can see the difference if you compare this to <b>Trevor Nunn</b>'s 1996 film, which adds full cinematic production (they really do up the ship wreck in the opening!), movie stars including <b>Helena Bonham Carter</b>, <b>Richard E Grant</b> and <b>Ben Kingsley</b>
and the carefree, light-hearted tone. I absolutely recommend both;
they compliment each other and together give you a better appreciation
of the source material than either could on their own. Some
performances are better in one, some in the other. Even the final song,
sung by the fool, are fascinatingly different, despite of course, the
same lyrics. Here, Branagh definitely has an edge, both for the more
soulful take of his actor and the fact that none other than <b>Paul McCartney</b> created the melody for this version.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSpPCFJKDPCch_iY-WVH8J0XErOM91nx7lBTKGDJjdkMXpobLGYEHoeZe7Ew_GR5pb_4bb-NrDwv3Ba6MHGOwmEn20G5JG4d0nacbTu4f4G0_DAafIc7L64nOFdxssxppr4KLwNUGsFC04bdl6s94LCU5s0NdtC3TCqOSEnNBcY-46F667V_D_aFrORao/s1401/twelfthn3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1401" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSpPCFJKDPCch_iY-WVH8J0XErOM91nx7lBTKGDJjdkMXpobLGYEHoeZe7Ew_GR5pb_4bb-NrDwv3Ba6MHGOwmEn20G5JG4d0nacbTu4f4G0_DAafIc7L64nOFdxssxppr4KLwNUGsFC04bdl6s94LCU5s0NdtC3TCqOSEnNBcY-46F667V_D_aFrORao/s800/twelfthn3.png" width="400" /></a></div><i>Twelfth Night</i>
originally only came out in the UK, which is why I have the barebones
2004 Fremantle DVD. But when it A&E put it out a year later in the
US, I had to double-dip, because it includes an exclusive interview with
Kenneth Branagh. But is the presentation any better on one disc or the
other? Honestly, I'm about to learn that right now along with you
guys.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVfFF-r08qB3jh4UpELgxDzHfFhJ6ooMijWEO0PSluWs5n51Y9auKnuqbs2XTRD27eG7RE5KqsY3A6Lf79_FLnZZzvuO2vjr1hq780RyV0LXmAtLYjJkXeop-VrM5BTV6fDxJ0m77LHkS_ddsiiFQzr_qysH629nfAiHj0vQGyajSaixGhbrnIjwRte88/s1384/twelfthnc1a14858.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVfFF-r08qB3jh4UpELgxDzHfFhJ6ooMijWEO0PSluWs5n51Y9auKnuqbs2XTRD27eG7RE5KqsY3A6Lf79_FLnZZzvuO2vjr1hq780RyV0LXmAtLYjJkXeop-VrM5BTV6fDxJ0m77LHkS_ddsiiFQzr_qysH629nfAiHj0vQGyajSaixGhbrnIjwRte88/s800/twelfthnc1a14858.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2004 Fremantle DVD top; 2005 A&E DVD bottom.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsHwOkBvEkwTchMmCMqQvncv5nhjUTIYNKeofYHsLtT0zAml2KdO-bWObZ57lxD4X5kS5kbsZ5wPJr6dLWD-Ek4tXDtAJHGpvtqRc4q4GU8aU6lT_kq6PKbhfLOqylPmFqqkWQJKo_Y4pkgV_rKFk3vV989zgF2SDEeJSXFWDJMLZ9fwHU_VJr58CpTU/s1402/twelfthnc1b14942.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1077" data-original-width="1402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsHwOkBvEkwTchMmCMqQvncv5nhjUTIYNKeofYHsLtT0zAml2KdO-bWObZ57lxD4X5kS5kbsZ5wPJr6dLWD-Ek4tXDtAJHGpvtqRc4q4GU8aU6lT_kq6PKbhfLOqylPmFqqkWQJKo_Y4pkgV_rKFk3vV989zgF2SDEeJSXFWDJMLZ9fwHU_VJr58CpTU/s800/twelfthnc1b14942.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvbonDzXe0f5uLuHwwpn7CfPD1b1ktUmSUQflIM1PXhCNApBq1Gdt85NXDNw9FVGzPlnIa_0sQqcv0IfxXHsP91Xh_H0zWAjAS_-yzh5Ry382VHn0jzl60guK5yc7QQxqPOzA9fc5cucXxs71b4FcMC802cfCP5jzHzJFRt4ETisdltELtVs60X1FsL4/s1380/twelfthnc2a5219.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvbonDzXe0f5uLuHwwpn7CfPD1b1ktUmSUQflIM1PXhCNApBq1Gdt85NXDNw9FVGzPlnIa_0sQqcv0IfxXHsP91Xh_H0zWAjAS_-yzh5Ry382VHn0jzl60guK5yc7QQxqPOzA9fc5cucXxs71b4FcMC802cfCP5jzHzJFRt4ETisdltELtVs60X1FsL4/s800/twelfthnc2a5219.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2MVp8pU3KHyzETZqkY5CrTKqIGVnPMrkESZlylfLlsVsY2sTWv2mpVMQCaPupyyEt9033PM-qutF85moiYXAAEG_sl3Q0XLpx99JfY_606t_FCeFBIpkV2V0XOhQ0kIUV6jLNerrq7W9FXFSmWzWNagzBc0aVgkqWGgSTax2luuplkQv3nighp2V1BY/s1395/twelfthnc2b5249.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="1395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2MVp8pU3KHyzETZqkY5CrTKqIGVnPMrkESZlylfLlsVsY2sTWv2mpVMQCaPupyyEt9033PM-qutF85moiYXAAEG_sl3Q0XLpx99JfY_606t_FCeFBIpkV2V0XOhQ0kIUV6jLNerrq7W9FXFSmWzWNagzBc0aVgkqWGgSTax2luuplkQv3nighp2V1BY/s800/twelfthnc2b5249.png" width="400" /></a></div>Nope, for all intents and purposes, they're identical. Not that anyone would've expected a different master or anything, but even down to the interlacing, it's the same. Surprisingly, there's not even an NTSC/ PAL speed difference. Both are full-frame (naturally, for 1980s television) at 1.30:1. The only technical difference is that Fremantle very slightly windowboxed their picture, by about 3-4 pixels wide around in the overscan area.<br /><br />Both just have your basic Dolby stereo audio tracks and neither provide subtitles of any kind.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5BZFCI_PvTAH9K829JUHzfGc2I59j7ySLp9Vr429HiElTGMbw0C8UAGIsg46PqrmCkF1fCFurLfT_IdICuXpcWS4ooMbAoQGqlExyWRJwMSibDx7DcdU-rcAhQvzzxp6UhiTOjFXOJXut_GYOFWRBKn9E1S4BJAjTQGZtjliHIKTfKfPYmMPYrUXnPU/s1440/twelfthne.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5BZFCI_PvTAH9K829JUHzfGc2I59j7ySLp9Vr429HiElTGMbw0C8UAGIsg46PqrmCkF1fCFurLfT_IdICuXpcWS4ooMbAoQGqlExyWRJwMSibDx7DcdU-rcAhQvzzxp6UhiTOjFXOJXut_GYOFWRBKn9E1S4BJAjTQGZtjliHIKTfKfPYmMPYrUXnPU/s800/twelfthne.png" width="400" /></a></div>Again, the one thing that sets the two discs apart is the extra.
Fremantle has nothing and A&E has just the one: a twenty+ minute
interview with Kenneth Branagh. There's not a lot of info out there
about this one, so the interview is very helpful, and he has a lot of
keen insight into the play and his own production of it, so it's
absolutely worth getting the US disc for rather than the UK.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjGunvdYFKO94CWrO0CwNb43I2ZnBJNT20DzvKB6_z9cP0o8ALaeitkUrSAFITlO4PmNECmDfJ-5Y3j-MZZOxYUDTPbXeMK-sbiPQQZThigJtEg-bL95zRmh-WP0VLOxb_NfZcVP5WVZd-vOiQgCvM-gFvCAwtwLByunASPMmXrYpJwZXnzYEEsBKL_s/s3277/muchaans.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2081" data-original-width="3277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjGunvdYFKO94CWrO0CwNb43I2ZnBJNT20DzvKB6_z9cP0o8ALaeitkUrSAFITlO4PmNECmDfJ-5Y3j-MZZOxYUDTPbXeMK-sbiPQQZThigJtEg-bL95zRmh-WP0VLOxb_NfZcVP5WVZd-vOiQgCvM-gFvCAwtwLByunASPMmXrYpJwZXnzYEEsBKL_s/s0/muchaans.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>So now let's roll into one of Branagh's most popular productions,
especially today as modern viewers seem to keep rediscovering it, 1993's
<i>Much Ado About Nothing</i>. This reunites (then) married couple Branagh and <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/EmmaThompson">Emma Thompson</a></b>, who got to conclude <i>Henry V</i>, but now have the entire film focused on their romance. It's the film that proved <b>Denzel Washington</b> was born for Shakespeare and that <b>Keanu Reeves</b>... is popular.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdwH2sNDjR8tbZVQ12DXdgNOAAIVXnhGzmi_hVEsSGI8hcUdR0AMLasbCyjBvqD3EI42oMKZ-BCTLg8l7_kzJVWI68gPbq5YkdUwo0s2VfrSbVP0UnXKlHCNP-bNmtGyY2Q2uwjaRS9IdKHAcBIZX3QYQfu8oyHfB3BRms9eaJ1UzKHkqEshmlY0uOvw/s1918/muchaan1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1918" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdwH2sNDjR8tbZVQ12DXdgNOAAIVXnhGzmi_hVEsSGI8hcUdR0AMLasbCyjBvqD3EI42oMKZ-BCTLg8l7_kzJVWI68gPbq5YkdUwo0s2VfrSbVP0UnXKlHCNP-bNmtGyY2Q2uwjaRS9IdKHAcBIZX3QYQfu8oyHfB3BRms9eaJ1UzKHkqEshmlY0uOvw/s800/muchaan1.png" width="400" /></a></div>It's another packed cast. Besides everyone I just named, there's <b>Kate Beckinsale</b>, <b>Imelda Staunton</b>, <b>Robert Sean Leonard</b>, <b>Michael Keaton</b>
and Brian Blessed yet again stealing every scene he's in. This film
works so well because most of the cast is great, and those who aren't
are still charming enough to bleed into the flight of fancy romance of
this free-spirited endeavor. Is Leonard wooden? So what? They just
embrace it and make it part of the pretty artifice! Is Reeves
unconvincing? So what? We all knew his villainous plotting was bound
for failure from the very beginning. Everyone's running around throwing
flowers into the air and singing "hey, nonny nonny!" All our male leads pump their fists in unison as they ride their horses towards camera set to a lavish orchestra. Sure, it can get a
little eye-rollingly cringey, but come on, it's a joyous celebration of
life and love that's endured over five hundred years. You just have to go in with the right temperament. It's practically Bollywood.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vI6ATdWnvYZp_BIF6cRc31NQ4YBzf0w7bWIFClNLwDVWYwJEM-N9563IguQw-hYwNKcccyvt8ANtGCj1GgiRwndcDLCoHehRotpUpAYSY32dXzGp6-fftYCmvStlnHeezrMg7jfLG72licZ2mvbcgNtaN9yjX2i_jYTc9eKeITZNTSMflE4juZxtiiQ/s1918/muchaan2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1918" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vI6ATdWnvYZp_BIF6cRc31NQ4YBzf0w7bWIFClNLwDVWYwJEM-N9563IguQw-hYwNKcccyvt8ANtGCj1GgiRwndcDLCoHehRotpUpAYSY32dXzGp6-fftYCmvStlnHeezrMg7jfLG72licZ2mvbcgNtaN9yjX2i_jYTc9eKeITZNTSMflE4juZxtiiQ/s800/muchaan2.png" width="400" /></a></div>MGM picked
this title up from Columbia Tri-Star/ Sony. So Columbia first put out a
flipper disc in 1998, then MGM reissued it in 2003 with an additional
little making of featurette and ditching the fullscreen version. And in
2011, they released it on blu.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRqcmzcyRioKSScxS1w8XOeMD2JcBpsG_08hDjme44QcwXHt8dTlUhHQy3a70PNyGJPJriJ5Gc2smHWHnwLNrv_00Xa4Q-zBIppdSQOa7X_o7jW9EtxK37zLzWEGcUKvUYm2fIM-mcx1gA062JeOjcG3cPjtSbawrZvuruNhvRVYFVWSxUv5FkSXT43Hw/s1897/muchaanc1a3557.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="1897" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRqcmzcyRioKSScxS1w8XOeMD2JcBpsG_08hDjme44QcwXHt8dTlUhHQy3a70PNyGJPJriJ5Gc2smHWHnwLNrv_00Xa4Q-zBIppdSQOa7X_o7jW9EtxK37zLzWEGcUKvUYm2fIM-mcx1gA062JeOjcG3cPjtSbawrZvuruNhvRVYFVWSxUv5FkSXT43Hw/s800/muchaanc1a3557.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2003 MGM DVD top; 2011 MGM BD bottom.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6UXwn-K6CMxlB6qhs7DxiBAXccBry3sMQkgzBJKgsWEmqkQyw_fgeBKAbPWnRqF-aJmdXpwECWtBoXu0u50JOBa_7_vuu9SBiwc_gn_q-WJMwSX2_TaSXhtts4lDKxmkN84dxSB5IM3GOGfim2-zL3N-fXG2RTVg9UfYEGfLVWWCH7c9BspY1UsaJnSY/s1918/muchaanc1b3558.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1918" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6UXwn-K6CMxlB6qhs7DxiBAXccBry3sMQkgzBJKgsWEmqkQyw_fgeBKAbPWnRqF-aJmdXpwECWtBoXu0u50JOBa_7_vuu9SBiwc_gn_q-WJMwSX2_TaSXhtts4lDKxmkN84dxSB5IM3GOGfim2-zL3N-fXG2RTVg9UfYEGfLVWWCH7c9BspY1UsaJnSY/s800/muchaanc1b3558.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHUn7Tmo3tsUMyf_oy3j0UenmFe8yMd_0-cYM7TNXHVvOR5z5qBUcvZzMyY5bK3GRF5o_jiDshFf4sDFLDBRe4ui2RhN3E2tCXd4a1wI0vQDcSVx5JkyEx7l9mQlxu0TAbmTllhE2GCq4VTacxDeh5QAGADnHAf_gPXOhddokNldij3fvCUF9lIrl_Rk/s1897/muchaanc2a10425.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="1897" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHUn7Tmo3tsUMyf_oy3j0UenmFe8yMd_0-cYM7TNXHVvOR5z5qBUcvZzMyY5bK3GRF5o_jiDshFf4sDFLDBRe4ui2RhN3E2tCXd4a1wI0vQDcSVx5JkyEx7l9mQlxu0TAbmTllhE2GCq4VTacxDeh5QAGADnHAf_gPXOhddokNldij3fvCUF9lIrl_Rk/s800/muchaanc2a10425.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVBd_XoMGFFg_5ryArIcfrWhG0uWA7R0wa1GWm0z-E4lJiPGU4sProUVU56jFYUJpLUMbgNrII7bEQ2mt-nkO1gGJO_e1nbUHBQF79OQOFa5N1MujXPXr6vOAjP_ZIeB1104QSwt3OfSJnCPlaukybQG5dK_pk65nr1N5RzO_mdcni4xq90zknNd4cXw/s1918/muchaanc2b10426.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1918" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVBd_XoMGFFg_5ryArIcfrWhG0uWA7R0wa1GWm0z-E4lJiPGU4sProUVU56jFYUJpLUMbgNrII7bEQ2mt-nkO1gGJO_e1nbUHBQF79OQOFa5N1MujXPXr6vOAjP_ZIeB1104QSwt3OfSJnCPlaukybQG5dK_pk65nr1N5RzO_mdcni4xq90zknNd4cXw/s800/muchaanc2b10426.png" width="400" /></a></div>This is the most obviously improved of the lot. Yes, both discs are anamorphic widescreen, but the AR is corrected from 1.81:1 to 1.84:1, and the colors are greatly improved, with distinct separation and removing the light pink hue cast over the DVD. The DVD also features some unpleasant edge enhancement, which the BD thankfully gets rid of while also sharpening the image and resolving better detail. Even the film grain is pretty thoroughly rendered for an older 2011 BD. I'm not saying I wouldn't like to see a UHD of this some day, but it's not screaming upgrade like every other Branagh Shakespeare is.<br /><br />MGM's DVD offered a nice Dolby Stereo Surround track with optional English subtitles, as well as French and Spanish dubs and subs. The blu is the same, but bumps the audio up to DTS-HD and throws in several more dub and sub translations as well.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-CzR-4fcC7r5GqZR7JUEaoLfAlx-6nIMfa5nGTdREp-sBld_fG3GkVfJ8fHeK0QGfQ22lW4iwWminCvuEo-MolYrH_q55gz3ejIh1Zd0REiH-38D6o1wATVT6bMABoby5ADG8hRFUtC6yWNzyVyhpv36isuZ9_-avvlT2z_wiM8b9I8J57vMGS_7mWQ/s1444/muchaane.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-CzR-4fcC7r5GqZR7JUEaoLfAlx-6nIMfa5nGTdREp-sBld_fG3GkVfJ8fHeK0QGfQ22lW4iwWminCvuEo-MolYrH_q55gz3ejIh1Zd0REiH-38D6o1wATVT6bMABoby5ADG8hRFUtC6yWNzyVyhpv36isuZ9_-avvlT2z_wiM8b9I8J57vMGS_7mWQ/s800/muchaane.png" width="400" /></a></div>Now, did I say "little" featurette? Yes, both the DVD and BD have
the same extras, which just consist of the one promo featurette and the
trailer. And it's nice to get, but it's just six minutes long including
multiple clips from the film. So it's more like an expanded trailer
with on-set soundbites from the cast. I'd rather have it than not, but
if there's one area this film could use an upgrade in, it's the extras.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtz7bybm8hopumAk39BvHMCtXzsuteIJdU7DAWru5m6bLT4vIcv2HXR_abgBzg1rL7UK_Zo4VmbnJqGL25qvVUPHql2o5YBetO-Fz6ORvNSf6mXJl6B7IE_vmG9PxZCpdO_0dj67I9PaNIZEUzK9Ago98GFnoHOVVoEXzXv5T86yabP7Jt2MAvf5eurmw/s1920/asyli1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtz7bybm8hopumAk39BvHMCtXzsuteIJdU7DAWru5m6bLT4vIcv2HXR_abgBzg1rL7UK_Zo4VmbnJqGL25qvVUPHql2o5YBetO-Fz6ORvNSf6mXJl6B7IE_vmG9PxZCpdO_0dj67I9PaNIZEUzK9Ago98GFnoHOVVoEXzXv5T86yabP7Jt2MAvf5eurmw/s800/asyli1.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPue7FLAUTJmRhShNj64ign3NLiNhBcSI3Sq2Ci5KQflI8Vye7OjvwTldV6D7lsJsb1fITOlUWZLNnYuIF9jS6RRPdgYCsxVPmHCxpYedFjgT53O7SLXY75r074M1qwtSnFHOKOQO3Bjcu9BdMSsZTVACjpfVHBZ8wc9VoKp1zbD2VTh7Hie2aoEZoTY/s2588/asylis.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2588" data-original-width="1828" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPue7FLAUTJmRhShNj64ign3NLiNhBcSI3Sq2Ci5KQflI8Vye7OjvwTldV6D7lsJsb1fITOlUWZLNnYuIF9jS6RRPdgYCsxVPmHCxpYedFjgT53O7SLXY75r074M1qwtSnFHOKOQO3Bjcu9BdMSsZTVACjpfVHBZ8wc9VoKp1zbD2VTh7Hie2aoEZoTY/s800/asylis.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>And finally we come to a film that has sadly yet to be discovered, Branagh's final Shakespeare film to date, 2006's <i>As You Like It</i>,
which was released as a TV movie here in the US on HBO. Once again,
Branagh rather defiantly opts to tackle one of the lesser known
Shakespeare plays (I mean, I'm not saying it's super obscure, but it's
not exactly <i>King Lear</i> or <i>Macbeth</i>, with a more mainstream
draw). And this time he makes the potentially vaguely offensive choice
to set it in Japan. Of course, setting Shakespeare in alternate milieu
is a tradition almost as popular as setting it where it was originally
intended. But the possible offense coming from keeping it an English
story with an almost entirely English cast, and just the trappings of
traditional Japanese culture. He does throw one or two bones to
Japanese actors in minor supporting roles, but that almost makes it
worse, like he's not even doing this out of a genuine commitment to an
alternate history take.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJoRnJLFReGmDeEdo8sI324vpNoaqeAKV4NAMVgBDTjsX1gdQUw1cYuvv8k5UUWKCGsF6dP6zonnfKsiEy6sMzl3V3CvwFTLmJ_jxpzA0LgysvjG01fQNxUQizk_vnWGCWevuDSD9qAtSi3AfyA5x1p4c1Dj8iZuWtDt_jGXSZuH0rEldX7rN50j8B84/s1920/asyli2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="827" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJoRnJLFReGmDeEdo8sI324vpNoaqeAKV4NAMVgBDTjsX1gdQUw1cYuvv8k5UUWKCGsF6dP6zonnfKsiEy6sMzl3V3CvwFTLmJ_jxpzA0LgysvjG01fQNxUQizk_vnWGCWevuDSD9qAtSi3AfyA5x1p4c1Dj8iZuWtDt_jGXSZuH0rEldX7rN50j8B84/s800/asyli2.png" width="400" /></a></div>But if you can lay that aside, this is
another intelligent, beautifully crafted production with another
all-star cast. We've got <b>Bryce Dallas Howard</b> (who's actually not bad), <b>David Oyelowo</b>, <b>Kevin Kline</b>, <b>Alfred Molina</b>, <b>Adrian Lester</b> and Brian Blessed in <i>two </i>roles!
It's also the only one that Branagh doesn't take a role for himself,
except for a brief voice over. It's more separated twins and lovers
wooing others in cross-dressed disguise, welcome to Shakespeare comedy,
folks. But Branagh is able to pull it off in the 2000s with great
costumes, music and production design.<br /><br />There's just the one 2007
DVD from HBO, although it was reissued by Warner Archives in 2013, so at
least it's super easy to obtain.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuaFmGKxWjlZNRIrbpLGpRw-0QMwDqGVHUsnF4a3sWo3y7HgJt68kK6ppXvkipOuioRoWn8K9CUZOfY_XW55rx0r093HHoDukaqZrgVCVX6WWFN-6Z65en895dvSeVQKNg7HLA4kLv4AZqZZM1lR3LGZ4vJ5fqoJ_fq8F9eAfiJgIHwxrp7VAnLvmHNmY/s1919/asylic1a1506.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1919" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuaFmGKxWjlZNRIrbpLGpRw-0QMwDqGVHUsnF4a3sWo3y7HgJt68kK6ppXvkipOuioRoWn8K9CUZOfY_XW55rx0r093HHoDukaqZrgVCVX6WWFN-6Z65en895dvSeVQKNg7HLA4kLv4AZqZZM1lR3LGZ4vJ5fqoJ_fq8F9eAfiJgIHwxrp7VAnLvmHNmY/s800/asylic1a1506.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2007 HBO DVD.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3M0eUR8xXvQHA1oURKO7YXCGCPURwxQpoa79ddrfRJ3rOcZPvkmoOvk8_Fdh9jQ1Dailyf__S1vwfHuI4hKw3-un0n_w2FWS2reJqIT7UEmZLhVW1JYer-Stmqqxhu-g_72cQ-LjSsMJbLtx-8Lw0s20wibJaI95vxbHlm8R1zA6Axc6VMhIATfOjvRc/s1920/asylic2a14956.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3M0eUR8xXvQHA1oURKO7YXCGCPURwxQpoa79ddrfRJ3rOcZPvkmoOvk8_Fdh9jQ1Dailyf__S1vwfHuI4hKw3-un0n_w2FWS2reJqIT7UEmZLhVW1JYer-Stmqqxhu-g_72cQ-LjSsMJbLtx-8Lw0s20wibJaI95vxbHlm8R1zA6Axc6VMhIATfOjvRc/s800/asylic2a14956.png" width="400" /></a></div>For a DVD-only release, at least it's a fine one. Anamorphic widescreen 2.32:1 ("2.35:1" on the back of the case), non-interlaced and relatively problem free. The slightly dim, brownish look is surely an intentional design choice on the part of the filmmakers. It is soft and would obviously benefit from an HD disc - there appears to be some edge enhancement which could be removed in the process - but what do want from a DVD?<br /><br />It's got a clean 5.1 mix and optional English subtitles, as well as a Spanish dub and Spanish and French subtitles.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ORlKhZut5jiMndzw67fNwaYg_rZxywsSYBNCpsJoOCEenMUJNjWn5HZqu9a1EoL6NPymPWBPNs09pzn58DPL4VhCUr_B00ZW479Ik1kXTmiNoiDZ8z25zfCoXRbaoKvCEJLtfgDcfFIjGQFngG2NulAaJq3qYfmNCNPdiSdYAknDpn-fzqrW8AbOfpo/s1440/asylie.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ORlKhZut5jiMndzw67fNwaYg_rZxywsSYBNCpsJoOCEenMUJNjWn5HZqu9a1EoL6NPymPWBPNs09pzn58DPL4VhCUr_B00ZW479Ik1kXTmiNoiDZ8z25zfCoXRbaoKvCEJLtfgDcfFIjGQFngG2NulAaJq3qYfmNCNPdiSdYAknDpn-fzqrW8AbOfpo/s800/asylie.png" width="400" /></a></div>And it's even got an extra. It's actually even shorter than <i>Much Ado About Nothing</i>'s,
but it's still better than nothing. It's a making of featurette with
your standard mix of B-roll and on set interview soundbites, but it has
less film clips, so it's at least worth the very short amount of time it
takes to watch it. Obviously, more would've been appreciated.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7oS4UTj5Gz2OzUsfTjIydr6prncWbSTVCFjALt-2LkbOr8ueY8X3_2qnGuE9dc7jCuBqOdY0-H29RAnrIDB95_XbLvLBv1rPv1zwrH8ceO6rVr8Gtpitl2EUlowjA0e7HTEzqkbvc-xl8Qb2Au7aaoAloFE05SynOUCsf3XOuhtjTqsTOgZqUwAC5IE/s1918/hamletragad.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="1918" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7oS4UTj5Gz2OzUsfTjIydr6prncWbSTVCFjALt-2LkbOr8ueY8X3_2qnGuE9dc7jCuBqOdY0-H29RAnrIDB95_XbLvLBv1rPv1zwrH8ceO6rVr8Gtpitl2EUlowjA0e7HTEzqkbvc-xl8Qb2Au7aaoAloFE05SynOUCsf3XOuhtjTqsTOgZqUwAC5IE/s800/hamletragad.png" width="400" /></a></div>So there you have it: we've now covered six
Kenneth Branagh Shakespeare adaptations to date. And since it's been
sixteen years now, possibly all six ever. I guess he struggles
to find the financing for these like he used to, so he's moved on to
other things, which is a shame, since they're generally his best work.
Pretty much all of them could stand an upgrade, to varying degrees of
desperation. We'll probably never see a nice boxed set, since they're
all owned by different studios. Admittedly, he might have better luck
if he tried more of a crowd-pleaser like <i>Richard III</i>; but it's
going to take a big change in motion picture audiences before we see him
get the chance to make glorious Shakespearian epics like he was able to
in the 90s. And I can live with that; there are so many other great
films of the bard's work out there already. I'll be happy just to get
all the best ones in HD with a couple bonus features. Let's work
towards that.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-10656211148211016152023-10-01T10:23:00.003-04:002023-10-01T10:41:17.150-04:00Controversial UHDs: The Exorcist<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0StfNBl9Xt41_jRBttIMwKgXDMct3sCw7p1vbW_9dvQt9nbHPEUNezUpZK90jRu8_wAOU5LyoRxDfXejDqrmRcu3hnv9_LOWmlKXTPUqQTsXiGyHukfJ1eAvLnnIouH4wucnukzzihAqc-85QcwEcDjtzrrDiGHg9xtiIDUMCZzpqsdNxwhYoYNmaQ8c/s7556/exorcists.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2002" data-original-width="7556" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0StfNBl9Xt41_jRBttIMwKgXDMct3sCw7p1vbW_9dvQt9nbHPEUNezUpZK90jRu8_wAOU5LyoRxDfXejDqrmRcu3hnv9_LOWmlKXTPUqQTsXiGyHukfJ1eAvLnnIouH4wucnukzzihAqc-85QcwEcDjtzrrDiGHg9xtiIDUMCZzpqsdNxwhYoYNmaQ8c/s0/exorcists.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>Alright, let's get into it. When I was buying Warner Bros' new 4k Ultra HD release of <i>The Exorcist</i>, the cashier asked me, "is this the original, scary one?" It's a rare thing when a store employee takes an interest in whatever dumb crap I'm purchasing. "Yeah, it's the original." "The real, scary one?" And she's flipping it over, reading it. "From the 70s" I say.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZw2beIJ9gZBRKw4NWn3e8ferwsvPCk6XQnc68l9Au4bUmOSQVjPXOyr48nhyphenhyphen17Du8tjeBGPSBThNNJgbu6sJnEYto0VsD0lCd308cyMx6wMhUC1GVip9gL_9cGXgsjEVFvaFP-I3h5OWQhaEdwvXS7DXfSccdHEF2vkYNahKgDzrm1S-hCqJ9vZBStrE/s1920/exorcist2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZw2beIJ9gZBRKw4NWn3e8ferwsvPCk6XQnc68l9Au4bUmOSQVjPXOyr48nhyphenhyphen17Du8tjeBGPSBThNNJgbu6sJnEYto0VsD0lCd308cyMx6wMhUC1GVip9gL_9cGXgsjEVFvaFP-I3h5OWQhaEdwvXS7DXfSccdHEF2vkYNahKgDzrm1S-hCqJ9vZBStrE/s800/exorcist2.png" width="400" /></a></div>I don't know that <i>The Exorcist</i> has ever really struck me as
scary; I think it works as a drama, first and foremost, albeit with a
cool, supernatural element. What really drives the story is the pain
single mother <b>Ellen Burstyn</b> struggles with when her only daughter
grows apart from her and their incredibly close, codependent
relationship. And the lengths she goes to in an attempt to save it,
from the awful medical procedures we witness her undergo, to the
ultimately absurd step of actually soliciting an exorcism in our modern,
agnostic society. I mean, the head twist was an awesome effect, and
this film certainly went to an audience shocking extreme... I can't
imagine next week's <i>Exorcist: The Believer</i> will depict anything a fraction as transgressive as the scene of underage <b>Linda Blair</b>
flaying herself bloody while violently masturbating with a crucifix,
then forcing her mother's face into her crotch screaming, "lick me! Lick
me!" That kind of cultural taboo envelope pushing pretty much peaked fifty years
ago.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Suf5LEkdBRGhdDeUHvVIzsLpdAPLeupvDy74xcgx_KYNWn2G2-3wDmcDxq2datlYtS5nCWF0bUIIqWI65hamNvpuxpCEDKWvnrRct62A327wXmf7eIVwl8quQHOYrLh8UYA8t-MZgTdiR78I-8MTc7YQb9iXLj4EIPhf4-q-Rec52ElSkm1ei-9AZyc/s1920/exorcist1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Suf5LEkdBRGhdDeUHvVIzsLpdAPLeupvDy74xcgx_KYNWn2G2-3wDmcDxq2datlYtS5nCWF0bUIIqWI65hamNvpuxpCEDKWvnrRct62A327wXmf7eIVwl8quQHOYrLh8UYA8t-MZgTdiR78I-8MTc7YQb9iXLj4EIPhf4-q-Rec52ElSkm1ei-9AZyc/s800/exorcist1.png" width="400" /><br /></a></div>And sure, <b>William Friedkin</b> establishes some mildly
spooky atmosphere, like Burstyn slowly creeping through her dark attic
with a candle. I guess there's a jump scare or two. But honestly, you
could almost cut the whole, big exorcism sequence out; the film had
already made its mark by then. It's always nice to get some more <b>Dick Smith</b>
effects and (highly controversial!! ...But we'll get back to that)
colorful lights for the climax. It's got a great score, excellent
character work by <b>Jason Miller</b> and <b>Max von Sydow</b>, and
really... everything is on point in this film. There's a reason it's
still hailed as a classic. But apart from clearly declaring itself "The
Scariest Movie Of All Time" right there on the DVD cover, I can't
imagine this movie instilling much actual fear into the hearts of modern
movie-goers, at least not as much as any competent slasher flick. And I'm not calling that out as a failing. I just don't think that was ever really the point.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBL4UK11HkTPqtfe6hs0B8atSrclexo3Wenu73FPSOCe3RUpz36mgyrdblWHNiZBRrO3ofKbsUC7J4Pqzq-PZ_Py_kd9GKETCx8WnOhSg_-BDVJj2kx-Hzs_rlTqOjESaHLlVxW_CluPdsiHsLbq5LGtU54J1gdqcbs9Qsd8WYsY0av8y-0VqWUxccW8/s1920/exorcist4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBL4UK11HkTPqtfe6hs0B8atSrclexo3Wenu73FPSOCe3RUpz36mgyrdblWHNiZBRrO3ofKbsUC7J4Pqzq-PZ_Py_kd9GKETCx8WnOhSg_-BDVJj2kx-Hzs_rlTqOjESaHLlVxW_CluPdsiHsLbq5LGtU54J1gdqcbs9Qsd8WYsY0av8y-0VqWUxccW8/s800/exorcist4.png" width="400" /></a></div>Well, naturally, this film has had an extensive history on home
video, all from Warner Bros. The original DVD was a barebones flipper
disc from 1997, which some say is still the ideal presentation of the
film, at least in terms of color timing. The very next year gave us
their 25th Anniversary special edition, and that was followed by "The
Version You've Never Seen" in 2000, which restores just over ten minutes
of deleted scenes and makes some other interesting revisions. It's
called "The Version You've Never Seen" because at the time, Friedkin
insisted the original theatrical version was still his preferred
director's cut, but he seems to have come around to the newer version
later in life.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1rs1zxTYzrb2pwZS9zRpacYPbKWNpDde6tm8zYQ4wlRttQhMy6qhQDNAzjocvDJOxJ0zR-Utq6Auii2c37dOleD6uvJYnmj4tFuw0WIy-I2jPtMEOrg5O2mpGpeofPfVeFExwaDoKRrYq0B9XXHzy31tpFCoG24pQuoEPAJ0f9LhG5Eafr3JjTJjSLY/s3840/exorcistt3.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2076" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO1rs1zxTYzrb2pwZS9zRpacYPbKWNpDde6tm8zYQ4wlRttQhMy6qhQDNAzjocvDJOxJ0zR-Utq6Auii2c37dOleD6uvJYnmj4tFuw0WIy-I2jPtMEOrg5O2mpGpeofPfVeFExwaDoKRrYq0B9XXHzy31tpFCoG24pQuoEPAJ0f9LhG5Eafr3JjTJjSLY/s800/exorcistt3.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">a scene only in the director's cut</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>For my money, the original theatrical cut is still the way to go. A
number of the changes come off as almost silly, and the additional
ending might've played well in <b>William Peter Blatty</b>'s novel (since it leads up to the next book, <i>Legion</i>,
where they become the protagonists), but feels a bit indulgent to
suddenly focus on two characters who were fairly inconsequential in the
film. But fortunately, Warner Bros has essentially kept both cuts on the market, so we're not forced to choose. ...I say "essentially," because Friedkin kept some of his more subtle changes in the theatrical cut as well, most notably a CGI morph effect used to cover up a jump cut, which in the 70s was the only way they could pull off Miller's final transformation. That slightly altered theatrical cut has persisted from the end of the 90s through the 2010s - including the 2006 Anthology set, the 2010 remastered editions and the ultimate 40th Anniversary BD set - which is what makes this latest 2023 release so exciting. Besides debuting both cuts in 4k with HDR, they've restored the original theatrical cut without those dogged alterations, except possibly for a bit of the coloring.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60_0E3GtoSK5LmNn1d4CSe5O9_Ov82qgHHgu2MthpWUclBCUFNdfHUMZhnZDU22laVnZT1YsO9HeFZDh-T3NNhZzMW4CUABgAaaNAFSsKXP702Y3lt8ypp_u-NjWv8aIOVxnui1M9GE-5A9LY1UplQRPmESa3ynzc1MpT4Q3w2CE-UzjwPMXF86Qe9s0/s1919/exorcistc1a1758.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1919" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60_0E3GtoSK5LmNn1d4CSe5O9_Ov82qgHHgu2MthpWUclBCUFNdfHUMZhnZDU22laVnZT1YsO9HeFZDh-T3NNhZzMW4CUABgAaaNAFSsKXP702Y3lt8ypp_u-NjWv8aIOVxnui1M9GE-5A9LY1UplQRPmESa3ynzc1MpT4Q3w2CE-UzjwPMXF86Qe9s0/s0/exorcistc1a1758.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2000 DC DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2006 TC DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 2006 DC DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">4)</span> 2010 DC DVD;<br /> <span style="color: #800180;">5)</span> 2013 TC BD; <span style="color: #800180;">6)</span> 2013 DC BD; <span style="color: #800180;">7)</span> 2023 TC UHD; <span style="color: #800180;">8)</span> 2023 DC UHD.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJGJTw3_nu3YQYH94jdE2EXrcj6ZY6GauQzBKb2-Do66lwZ7pSiTHUnGL051N_hbNpbJ_1Te1rMdsmcY_HmgrTYglfo2pB6ULDZG3O9Iwir1exzROmH8bzqjHiGe07xvMhFBcZA9DIHsjz5kQf7dOZTYZnuWfnYHq5FChMElt6grsP6xK4VnO8t6B4gw/s1919/exorcistc1b1944.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1919" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBJGJTw3_nu3YQYH94jdE2EXrcj6ZY6GauQzBKb2-Do66lwZ7pSiTHUnGL051N_hbNpbJ_1Te1rMdsmcY_HmgrTYglfo2pB6ULDZG3O9Iwir1exzROmH8bzqjHiGe07xvMhFBcZA9DIHsjz5kQf7dOZTYZnuWfnYHq5FChMElt6grsP6xK4VnO8t6B4gw/s0/exorcistc1b1944.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1918" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX0qXOfHctPBg9ERZgico2J-3Yi9Ey8TM_8IUChq5gT3xSoAwJ-hYqWNL66udIk63kkperfKBdvgfi0MiWxwZbR79QlBW9lpD2suFNHK34jxFXMBck6dYPRbXmxhQAli3aP-qqS7WcNfJFKThH-ugl5njQ_sdCGdwAaYVABgw0bB9eO-skbiEd5ScbApA/s800/exorcistc1d1801.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicEFfgzROwTMqCKOPp94ixjybe7sxd_p2QOLFY8WdeVrx1Stt2cTKm76d0HPKXpFPvEQa67cB0QeZj9bZBdYgk8Oa3V4rd0vKCYGZm0R3vsw6p2npbhYdz7FVUlG4KDmq815KmTXAaYU9FkyovIIyth2_oHjUrCFdFnvAOT7cECFo0laoBHltmW4fIHJg/s1920/exorcistc1e1736.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicEFfgzROwTMqCKOPp94ixjybe7sxd_p2QOLFY8WdeVrx1Stt2cTKm76d0HPKXpFPvEQa67cB0QeZj9bZBdYgk8Oa3V4rd0vKCYGZm0R3vsw6p2npbhYdz7FVUlG4KDmq815KmTXAaYU9FkyovIIyth2_oHjUrCFdFnvAOT7cECFo0laoBHltmW4fIHJg/s800/exorcistc1e1736.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2076" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBYl2WLmxmpAOWxIonJR89D8Mwe_EmrFv4Gs5LjgUA6C_VK0t2QlQUOP7mDpl6zzqRkS4PhObdGbNdw1U8qNjJMGAER4KdjagXQT9HZLSn4lZclbGgN2Dy0-BpEjyssGWXoCkTyv38eVvf-ret35yXNU6vQuOmZmpy1SMP79YhluSUDpnYMrblYLuS_IM/s800/exorcistc1g1735.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWPOVJQRovutuOM3FOypjb315DUJhFExHQThi2JEqNae1XvY9e_3dptsq01P0fwgHIOloEbVyySnjlNLVpS6ZVriyr_gBzav6c5oU-0v7l7syDn4eqt0W69TtbRI_VZfSG3HQ4LrnJblBp98M8IIuutjSGy-H0ik1jYinb2EJsAztrPIyAXlN15DaXZw/s3840/exorcistc1h1759.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2076" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWPOVJQRovutuOM3FOypjb315DUJhFExHQThi2JEqNae1XvY9e_3dptsq01P0fwgHIOloEbVyySnjlNLVpS6ZVriyr_gBzav6c5oU-0v7l7syDn4eqt0W69TtbRI_VZfSG3HQ4LrnJblBp98M8IIuutjSGy-H0ik1jYinb2EJsAztrPIyAXlN15DaXZw/s800/exorcistc1h1759.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQIW_pF-l9H2YEgu-ofw4PPmXIa84BqC7ayxp8raVFphKo8pHPzeGogzu6AO9ld34cqhPF30mbbtSaHJysb7glGn_SjFcUN8Cyrj8xMWXWN0k5ClfQoNJug8TTeXM-Q6aV3DVM9w-8dDzdCdLjybUv4CetYvjKsc-LbYjWpBcySEP1OShj02G9kZFnoTA/s800/exorcistc2e1431.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpA_R4BI4ehNRxpFeTo0lrny_iTPkcI_4C__IhfFYbrrU_m-PlqB2mHy_tM9KgcothaUhw6_XcjdjgWANvxqqRZ1wtXdyYWAdD6Bcw4XFz7xfw7ezcL0h60GwvtxooEcGdNePY3YhNXannGpaqpk2oIc-6KUUvA5hS6dzEcS33NhP2lMqrsBXDqK3p3M/s1920/exorcistc2f1455.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpA_R4BI4ehNRxpFeTo0lrny_iTPkcI_4C__IhfFYbrrU_m-PlqB2mHy_tM9KgcothaUhw6_XcjdjgWANvxqqRZ1wtXdyYWAdD6Bcw4XFz7xfw7ezcL0h60GwvtxooEcGdNePY3YhNXannGpaqpk2oIc-6KUUvA5hS6dzEcS33NhP2lMqrsBXDqK3p3M/s800/exorcistc2f1455.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPJgPiwWIHKPVuRl95r8_gRWwgbfXbfpUr94e8U-zF1-PedgqyR5Ckfa6X77VygncEJFo3uqdquxdeMOFkgO0tJhM6P4hl42hRFZu5mYQMiaLJf1GxPa37FfU03iQEiGMg8Ud37WA3MRoVuqT7bLsaX3lCQ9EamqGCi7cme5_0MMNopND3t6MVtN27UU/s3840/exorcistc2g1430.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2076" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPJgPiwWIHKPVuRl95r8_gRWwgbfXbfpUr94e8U-zF1-PedgqyR5Ckfa6X77VygncEJFo3uqdquxdeMOFkgO0tJhM6P4hl42hRFZu5mYQMiaLJf1GxPa37FfU03iQEiGMg8Ud37WA3MRoVuqT7bLsaX3lCQ9EamqGCi7cme5_0MMNopND3t6MVtN27UU/s800/exorcistc2g1430.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzyWLDyl8c5BC4e2dclol8814tSOG_KmkzvrP4zX-_lwFU100G-S4XtYVQShDAiS7opMTY-7j2Et3W3c_KAsEUnu6MIcCOsw38F4JGy6LHCS0tzn5j3_s6H2xI7R2PBaZQ4owmn_igV9fvDqhQGtci_BzbEW4nJBpxKc2GCbVWvrlmFiE-NXj_8DPyWZQ/s3840/exorcistc2h1454.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2076" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzyWLDyl8c5BC4e2dclol8814tSOG_KmkzvrP4zX-_lwFU100G-S4XtYVQShDAiS7opMTY-7j2Et3W3c_KAsEUnu6MIcCOsw38F4JGy6LHCS0tzn5j3_s6H2xI7R2PBaZQ4owmn_igV9fvDqhQGtci_BzbEW4nJBpxKc2GCbVWvrlmFiE-NXj_8DPyWZQ/s800/exorcistc2h1454.png" width="400" /></a></div>So I don't have every <i>Exorcist </i>release for comparison here, but as you can see, I've got a bunch of 'em. And perhaps the first thing to say is that this new 2023 release is the first time it's been properly matted to 1.85:1 (both cuts), instead of 1.78. Every previous home video release going back to laserdisc and VHS has been 1.78 or fullscreen. So there's one little victory.<br /><br />So, we're looking at eight transfers here, but the director's cut and theatrical cut on the Anthology DVDs, the 40th Anniversary BDs and 50th Anniversary UHDs are, for all intents and purposes, identical sets. Those 2006 Anthology DVDs are also using the same transfer as the older 2000 disc. So there's really four different transfers up there. The 2010 remaster looks pretty similar to the older DVDs on first glance, but it is somewhat brighter, and the tweaks the geometry a very slim pinch, revealing a few extra pixels along the edge in the process. It also separates the colors a little better, removing a slight reddish hue and deepening the blacks in a satisfying way. So yeah, it was an upgrade for its time.<br /><br />And it's apparently the same master on the 2013 BDs, though of course it's sharper and cleaner in HD. It also tweaks the geometry a second time, clarifies finer detail and at least hints at grain. But the new 4k is the first one to really get filmic. Grain is still a little soft in places, but it's a big step beyond the blus. Color-wise, I'd say the blus are a little washed and the UHDs are bordering on over-saturated, like some of the reds. I prefer the UHDs color-wise (and absolutely resolution-wise, which each cutting filling nearly 80GB on triple layer discs, and of course in terms of restoring the jump cut, the proper aspect ratio etc), but Warners might've found the 100% perfect timing somewhere in the middle. Still, viewers approaching this film for the first time, with no expectations set up by transfers that came before, will just be struck by how good the picture looks. Although, one section of the film is more controversial than the rest...<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9YhIY-XtvHrXbqO-915U7NYMhHeQ4JCGqZnb3tm6wfhfbJu4atOrIm0w9HqURYzJMYdrFn7fKVh33olei79RYPd6dlgHHbpSg6BxrolC7in-4dIux-krPMIXqbsb-a4NxG_TVKPRzCE-5XIk3zRDg7mN_QfnPZolPohkxajOVV3Vun3CLxMVJqYRblTQ/s1919/exorcistc3a14825.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1919" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9YhIY-XtvHrXbqO-915U7NYMhHeQ4JCGqZnb3tm6wfhfbJu4atOrIm0w9HqURYzJMYdrFn7fKVh33olei79RYPd6dlgHHbpSg6BxrolC7in-4dIux-krPMIXqbsb-a4NxG_TVKPRzCE-5XIk3zRDg7mN_QfnPZolPohkxajOVV3Vun3CLxMVJqYRblTQ/s800/exorcistc3a14825.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2000 DC DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2006 TC DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 2006 DC DVD; <span style="color: #800180;">4)</span> 2010 DC DVD;<br /> <span style="color: #800180;">5)</span> 2013 TC BD; <span style="color: #800180;">6)</span> 2013 DC BD; <span style="color: #800180;">7)</span> 2023 TC UHD; <span style="color: #800180;">8)</span> 2023 DC UHD.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4ijN8eTndxAMiv47_1z0pdeDVWu9wLLtXSljVlUzaSKs4cNY3EO-VTReh2gLm2c6vfi3MCPL3xbuZO86EZP0f5QM_J1F-mslGrGhqw1hqF51xGrd1KsLLTDMhEmegmFafNabNwrJnumYSAx3r4Su1d66QOWI_7WQWbSWvZi-c_BjqAGh6dHGc1mR0VA/s1919/exorcistc3b14304.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1919" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4ijN8eTndxAMiv47_1z0pdeDVWu9wLLtXSljVlUzaSKs4cNY3EO-VTReh2gLm2c6vfi3MCPL3xbuZO86EZP0f5QM_J1F-mslGrGhqw1hqF51xGrd1KsLLTDMhEmegmFafNabNwrJnumYSAx3r4Su1d66QOWI_7WQWbSWvZi-c_BjqAGh6dHGc1mR0VA/s800/exorcistc3b14304.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLW1YwADY2TEVqH7YTsfW7yyHTgEulleOdH2Ntm8KdnD3vImJbcP_6GmY-UB01lW6JE_1DTRQevDC8k6ATcCMi5glpodajKA2Vopaslzwa8-ui7Y5d29cAITATbtYMaD9ELk__ZOnUu4YiAbEN3-eeTS-bIT0PuqSf4aW4bn4mY9IgptYmhWQK7kgraE/s1919/exorcistc3c14825.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1919" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLW1YwADY2TEVqH7YTsfW7yyHTgEulleOdH2Ntm8KdnD3vImJbcP_6GmY-UB01lW6JE_1DTRQevDC8k6ATcCMi5glpodajKA2Vopaslzwa8-ui7Y5d29cAITATbtYMaD9ELk__ZOnUu4YiAbEN3-eeTS-bIT0PuqSf4aW4bn4mY9IgptYmhWQK7kgraE/s800/exorcistc3c14825.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk4wEFwa7tbWB8YrOBaH_d0nJ3JZcivT2b_jAdZu5q0QxgTrasco2Nha2xnAgVtKdxqU6Nwso-2TzFlwUZFe_VnLZ3ooTenHgyBuKrvl_EzFPPUZL-4l5x3AFf0hoBDPap2gH0jcI1gr97ZD2t5eyHzCBug1RKiGTIIA9jYyCGrS8V5-75V14uWB4xNX0/s1917/exorcistc3d14828.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1917" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk4wEFwa7tbWB8YrOBaH_d0nJ3JZcivT2b_jAdZu5q0QxgTrasco2Nha2xnAgVtKdxqU6Nwso-2TzFlwUZFe_VnLZ3ooTenHgyBuKrvl_EzFPPUZL-4l5x3AFf0hoBDPap2gH0jcI1gr97ZD2t5eyHzCBug1RKiGTIIA9jYyCGrS8V5-75V14uWB4xNX0/s800/exorcistc3d14828.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_g3GXNSiD_WKGo9yRptNiZ1SoRMG11mD3X8Ulz1Aqf2APVGy44ap6ZtuKUCMYsuo93wyU0JdijEUlLlHpLUtR26ONGghoaJ_JcjkSVTgpGrjKJFyDLkshFy_GFyHla3I38WupS08nWa0o1qjvLCF6KQTTNf83ZDjhFo9Jh8ODyoKyemw6WpIGNZYUEsY/s1920/exorcistc3e14056.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_g3GXNSiD_WKGo9yRptNiZ1SoRMG11mD3X8Ulz1Aqf2APVGy44ap6ZtuKUCMYsuo93wyU0JdijEUlLlHpLUtR26ONGghoaJ_JcjkSVTgpGrjKJFyDLkshFy_GFyHla3I38WupS08nWa0o1qjvLCF6KQTTNf83ZDjhFo9Jh8ODyoKyemw6WpIGNZYUEsY/s800/exorcistc3e14056.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGIvF3Ah0CIy3_eoymD0rd4VGDbpewledRB7ABNRnd90E-CYc-Hm0JizyyXg6BRI8lC9BZT8zk3xoM2hQp-TJc-_mjOW-eFdS7QFA0F7wU7qOZPJokHnoiRqqI6Z_btIsi2Lwx47tsbftTbWFzOv67gKgJaao_7mKZVizximyUx-nXfC5XIkt3dOmY_k/s1920/exorcistc3f14828.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGIvF3Ah0CIy3_eoymD0rd4VGDbpewledRB7ABNRnd90E-CYc-Hm0JizyyXg6BRI8lC9BZT8zk3xoM2hQp-TJc-_mjOW-eFdS7QFA0F7wU7qOZPJokHnoiRqqI6Z_btIsi2Lwx47tsbftTbWFzOv67gKgJaao_7mKZVizximyUx-nXfC5XIkt3dOmY_k/s800/exorcistc3f14828.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBtiXczgUyoVkvUc7pg9wBJs73m6-ZfvrMQ8-A3pS7sjMBhB98_FQBrSETqBW9Dje9eah-9ZHuDZpESri8P2iveSUVMLcrCD1v5gzHSfUlXVjLjQj1vXJleL3yJZgPdz92vvP6y1Skb47sONxddK39JR-7zvaU7ZzIze8cX6h8lG2R-RmkMVTFBgb4tk/s3840/exorcistc3g14054.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2076" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEBtiXczgUyoVkvUc7pg9wBJs73m6-ZfvrMQ8-A3pS7sjMBhB98_FQBrSETqBW9Dje9eah-9ZHuDZpESri8P2iveSUVMLcrCD1v5gzHSfUlXVjLjQj1vXJleL3yJZgPdz92vvP6y1Skb47sONxddK39JR-7zvaU7ZzIze8cX6h8lG2R-RmkMVTFBgb4tk/s800/exorcistc3g14054.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNav0zOxPY64qAs2G_Jy0DHBYSbInUR4XQFL8URtbvxjnWF-WnkxxXpiEhfBu1yG9_KTQpy__xMSOnJTWpHkD1UgGpwGY_vJ0HhpVcns-wlwWScL7691pqRIgYm39GJxCcqrz8KGeR9t4yALoZ3aFr7oqiQYuKQDffea0Ey6S05CDlmQBxuICI9i7RlUw/s3840/exorcistc3h14826.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2076" data-original-width="3840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNav0zOxPY64qAs2G_Jy0DHBYSbInUR4XQFL8URtbvxjnWF-WnkxxXpiEhfBu1yG9_KTQpy__xMSOnJTWpHkD1UgGpwGY_vJ0HhpVcns-wlwWScL7691pqRIgYm39GJxCcqrz8KGeR9t4yALoZ3aFr7oqiQYuKQDffea0Ey6S05CDlmQBxuICI9i7RlUw/s800/exorcistc3h14826.png" width="400" /></a></div>So ever since the 1997 DVD (which, again to be clear, is not shown here), the exorcism got a little bluer, giving the scene a colder, less natural look, which Friedkin apparently preferred. That's all well and good for the DC, but for the original theatrical cut, many fans were hoping for a more naturalistic look, but that's not what we got. We've got a similar blue look to what we've had for the past twenty+ years. It comes off a bit greener on the 2010s stuff, and a bit purpler on the older discs, but it's all in a similar ballpark. It's also got a somewhat softer look to it, and there are theories that it could be down to damaged elements (in the extras, we're told the original elements had some wear), diffusion filters, Friedkin using <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI_P0EF3aQk">a saturation process he came up with for <i>The French Connection</i> blu-ray</a>, or maybe it was always bluer and it's the older transfers that were too desaturated. ...Personally, I kinda think it's just Friedkin Lucasing it a bit, but oh well. Unless you're going to track down the long OOP '97 DVD and watch the movie in over-compressed 480p, the UHD is still the definitive presentation, even if it's not an absolutely perfect one.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1l3zl28sguHcEkERmZakuMjO7DJfBhYV5hQM7aQETh396-PhyC3dJI09P-_Rb0zt_M0G8pIbTkxH51fq7z9FSnQNcTYsbh6OLR8Q2hmU7EKW0dqzv6nI_WLDi0GWYBjF9DOD9ZrB7c8XkOMzkmWEeDJxa8TrrwbIHYraQNJd37k8r4v2tmRDQJbEtCQ/s1920/exorcist3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1l3zl28sguHcEkERmZakuMjO7DJfBhYV5hQM7aQETh396-PhyC3dJI09P-_Rb0zt_M0G8pIbTkxH51fq7z9FSnQNcTYsbh6OLR8Q2hmU7EKW0dqzv6nI_WLDi0GWYBjF9DOD9ZrB7c8XkOMzkmWEeDJxa8TrrwbIHYraQNJd37k8r4v2tmRDQJbEtCQ/s800/exorcist3.png" width="400" /></a></div>Especially since the UHD also restores the original mono audio track to
the theatrical cut. All the other discs on this page have the same 5.1
track (except it's bumped up to DTS-HD for the BDs), which changes some
sound effects and things, which is fine for the director's cut. I
should also mention that the 1997 DVD had a 2.0 track, which I'm pretty
sure is the original mono, but I don't have it to say for sure. But
it's a relief to have the original mono accessible again in any case,
and lossless for the first time ever. It also has a new Atmos mix,
which sounds great, but has the altered sound effects of previous the
5.1 remix. And the director's cut just has the Atmos. Every disc also
has at least English and French subtitles, but starting with the BDs,
they've added a slew of foreign dubs and subs, too.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zwZxhqtH2OuDSltKKzHm1hrJZBaiCG8WuJXKURvM4Og1IYSHi1l49f4t5I0cut-iCAbnN5BJ35A2-1oshSLTKWpy57-84b45x5zRHjzDZQ3M07GihIoa0ng-uq2ZVHxmJuomJJ-bDXi0dXkVTCiFurr2S1y0ZEjfxzJmn2D9M51anJDuBIoRwKL5x6w/s1920/exorcist6.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5zwZxhqtH2OuDSltKKzHm1hrJZBaiCG8WuJXKURvM4Og1IYSHi1l49f4t5I0cut-iCAbnN5BJ35A2-1oshSLTKWpy57-84b45x5zRHjzDZQ3M07GihIoa0ng-uq2ZVHxmJuomJJ-bDXi0dXkVTCiFurr2S1y0ZEjfxzJmn2D9M51anJDuBIoRwKL5x6w/s800/exorcist6.png" width="400" /></a></div>So let's talk extras. Over the years, Warners has put together a whole ton of stuff. The 2000 DVD has an audio commentary by Friedkin, which is pretty good. He starts out with a lot of information, but by the end devolves into mostly just describing the action on screen. There are also a bunch of trailers, radio spots and odds and ends. By 2006, they'd added a brief introduction by Friedkin, a second audio commentary by Blatty (which is good but only runs for the first hour, including a few minutes of early recordings of the possessed demon voice) and the BBC <i>Fear Of God</i> documentary, which is a great comprehensive overview by <b>Mark Kermode</b> that visits the shooting locations and talks to practically everybody. It should be noted that it's not the "festival cut," though, which is a few minutes longer and includes two additional interviews. That's never been released on disc, at the interview subject's request.<br /><br />And there's still more. We get second Friedkin commentary for the director's cut (though it's very redundant), deleted scenes, and more interviews with Friedkin and Blatty together. The one where they discuss the director's cut is especially informative and covers ground not in the other extras. There's another half-hour making of doc, which is great because it's full of never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage. And there's a new featurette visiting the film's locations more directly than Kermode did, plus galleries of storyboards, photos, etc.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnHJYoIPw67vwqb1WuewkcPJCvelxxf5MGVOszzcpRiodEOx2g8u0RJf7-cqZcoBDh2yIdbIiYYdVQKSh4iNKkEXcWDH24q7kgsNxRmXKcjRRHrsujsGnaIOhqzR_W38zR3l0njcv1tSbxlNG0ORvNKU9shnVfKXCxkla7Hr_wiLRK_quyE6q0IfdSls/s1920/exorciste.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnHJYoIPw67vwqb1WuewkcPJCvelxxf5MGVOszzcpRiodEOx2g8u0RJf7-cqZcoBDh2yIdbIiYYdVQKSh4iNKkEXcWDH24q7kgsNxRmXKcjRRHrsujsGnaIOhqzR_W38zR3l0njcv1tSbxlNG0ORvNKU9shnVfKXCxkla7Hr_wiLRK_quyE6q0IfdSls/s800/exorciste.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">the 40th Blatty featurette</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Then the 40th Anniversary disc added a third bonus disc of new extras never before included on any of the past editions, in addition to everything that came before it on the first two discs. One is a roughly twenty minute featurette talking about the "real" case, which is a bit silly, but not as bad as, say, the ones they made for <i><a href="http://dvdexotica.blogspot.com/2015/04/still-only-poltergeist-edition-with.html">Poltergeist</a></i>. At least Blatty really did base his story on these reports. But more interesting is a roughly 30-minute feature on Blatty, which covers some new ground. He reads from his book and revisits the guest house he rented to write it in. Friedkin and Blatty were repeating themselves a lot on the older extras, and it feels like this was made with all of that content in mind, to be something a little different. The BD set also includes a note from Friedkin and an impressive, hardcover book reprinting the <i>Exorcist</i>-related parts of his memoir.<br /><br />And the UHDs? Oh, they dumped everything but the commentaries and the intro - whoopsie! The only way to get all those docs and things I described above is to import expensive limited editions from the UK. But the good news is, those imports are five disc sets. The two UHDs that we got in the US, plus the three BDs from the 40th Anniversary. So if you already have that set, the bog standard, reasonably priced US release is all you need to have absolutely everything, except the new swag. There's going to be an <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Exorcist-4K-Blu-ray/dp/B0CC35P4N4?tag=bluraycom-21&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1&m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE">AmazonUK exclusive one</a> designed to look like a leather-bound bible and comes with a big BFI book, posters, lobby cards and stuff, which I have to admit looks damn impressive. But here in the US, we just choose between a steelbook or basic amary case in a slipcover and that butt ugly artwork you see above. Oh well, it's what's on the disc that's important, right?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WuMTiD0keIdjdlqC_7kbwEsvrIDXoeBYaqmBlphTONNlnelYmAeptDV4fWhij93U3_bvXWCliELSh-0fBQsngc8YemdVar0OBz0OxQ05K7bMM128yWHVOOM5ecq8D-k512WN02naY2_shNo5hgKry8Z7Yqa0NTnPIS_jVd-aHhHloo9O77LQ_cdn1T0/s1920/exorcist5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WuMTiD0keIdjdlqC_7kbwEsvrIDXoeBYaqmBlphTONNlnelYmAeptDV4fWhij93U3_bvXWCliELSh-0fBQsngc8YemdVar0OBz0OxQ05K7bMM128yWHVOOM5ecq8D-k512WN02naY2_shNo5hgKry8Z7Yqa0NTnPIS_jVd-aHhHloo9O77LQ_cdn1T0/s800/exorcist5.png" width="400" /></a></div>It does feel a bit cheap that Warner didn't include their legacy extras in the new UHD sets here in the states. Even overseas didn't get the full, uncut <i>Fear of God</i>. And I understand people being a little let down that some of Friedkin's tampering still seems to be lingering in the theatrical cut. We may have to wait for the 100th Anniversary to see a truly controversy-free <i>Exorcist </i>release. But as it stands, this is the best <i>Exorcist </i>yet: 4k, 1.85, jump cut restored, the original audio, and the massive collection of features are available if you're willing to put in the extra work. This is good news, guys.<br />John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-70073819006944128202023-09-20T11:12:00.002-04:002023-09-20T11:21:19.598-04:00The Best Last Horror Film<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCD2QTYdczVa3oA-921JZBQbIJt8QdTzVFXt8OGCxuVUBXVAH_f1nqoplrKSgReN--Bopl5XKcchC1Mz8SrDamN_c42R4I0ShrkFAyZEbUkNdv7GIQC5m9hvsVLA7vFAe789XRm-XpnIF4bMDmrNC3aiYYVwGH5omE0EQyFCTdVL23od8GG9f68lwZr0/s3452/lasthf.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2095" data-original-width="3452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCD2QTYdczVa3oA-921JZBQbIJt8QdTzVFXt8OGCxuVUBXVAH_f1nqoplrKSgReN--Bopl5XKcchC1Mz8SrDamN_c42R4I0ShrkFAyZEbUkNdv7GIQC5m9hvsVLA7vFAe789XRm-XpnIF4bMDmrNC3aiYYVwGH5omE0EQyFCTdVL23od8GG9f68lwZr0/s0/lasthf.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>
Suckers to the side, I know you hate my 88's! But now might be the time to get yours. As we're all stuck home on lockdown looking for films to keep us occupied, what better time to look back at our favorite cult labels and see if there's anything we missed? And going back over my list, I see there are still a couple noteworthy labels I haven't made "Pair" posts for, and a couple <span style="color: purple;">Exotica</span>-worthy titles from said label just dying to be covered. In fact, 88 Films' blu-ray release of 1982's <i>The Last Horror Film</i> is a disc I've been meaning to cover since I started this site in 2014. And hey, it's not like I have anywhere else to be today, so I guess the stars have finally aligned.<br /><br /><u><span style="color: #800180;">Update 5/5/20 - 9/20/23:</span></u> Man, Severin and 88 Films have become the new Scream Factory and Arrow, when they were constantly releasing the same titles, and fans were always waiting to see which had the superior release. Well, they latest salvo in this war is Severin's new 2-disc UHD/ BD combo-pack, which interestingly enough was only available during their brief Summer Sale.<br />
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Not to be confused with 2003's <i>The Last Horror <u>Movie</u></i>, which is sort of a <i>Man Bites Dog</i>/ <i>Henry: Portrait Of a Serial Killer</i> found footage flick from <i>Fangoria </i>about a killer making a horror snuff flick... <i>The Last Horror <u>Film</u></i> is a more interesting, and distinctly original, piece of work.<i> </i>It stars <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/JoeSpinell"><b>Joe Spinell</b></a> as another loner psychotic, and forms a perfect trilogy with <i><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2016/05/bringing-grimy-16mm-to-hd-maniac-dvd.html">Maniac</a> </i>and <i><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2015/11/joe-spinell-in-his-final-role.html">The Undertaker</a></i>. In fact, it's a better picture than <i>The Undertaker</i>, and possibly even <i>Maniac</i>, depending on your attitude. <i>Maniac </i>is a more of a controlled, cohesive character study of a disturbed killer, whereas <i>Last </i>is a wilder, unrestrained exhibition of Spinell's own unloosed psyche. To put it in form of an analogy, <i>Maniac</i> is to <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/StanleyKubrick">Kubrick</a> </b>as <i>Last</i> is to <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/LucioFulci"><b>Fulci</b></a>. So, okay, it might be hard to argue this is a legitimate better film, but it could well be a lot of peoples' favorite.<br />
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<i>Last </i>reunites Spinell with his <i>Maniac </i>co-star <b>Caroline Munro</b>, who instead of being the strangely genuine love interest of a deranged killer, is the perhaps more straight-forward, unwitting object of his obsessions. But that's about the only straight-forward aspect of this affair. See, Spinell is of course a down-on-his-luck madman again, but this time he's also an aspiring movie producer. And Munro is a Hollywood star. So he follows her to the Cannes Film Festival, intent on creating a horror film with her as the star, whether she consents or not. And what really makes <i>The Last Horror Film The Last Horror Film </i>is that this completely independent film production really went to the 1981 Cannes Film Festival and stole all kinds of footage, guerilla style, right in the middle of their biggest events and regalia. In a signature moment, Munro across a red carpet of reports and film stars, wearing only a towel and being pursued by a crazed Spinell.<br />
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And if you know your <i>Maniac</i>, you're familiar with how Spinell and his best friend - also on hand here - lifted the movie camera from the production at night to film their own improved scenes, which turned out to be quite compelling. Well, that's like half of this movie. We get everything from Spinell's vivid hallucinations of grisly murder to his daydreams of cross-dressing in a local nightclub. We get movies within movies and Spinell's mother charmingly playing herself. We're shown over-the-top extravagant production values set against cheap-looking, home video-like set pieces. Vampires! Strippers! Airplanes! Bubble baths! Classic cars! Castles! Paddleboats! <b>Robin Leach</b>! Death by jacuzzi! It's all here, and it all makes sense... at least in Spinell's mind.<br />
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Troma has the rights to this film, but it's important to note that this isn't a Troma production. They didn't make this film anymore than they made <i>The Stendhal Syndrome</i> or <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2022/11/my-dvds-of-my-dinner-with-andre.html"><i>My Dinner With Andre</i></a>. They're just the distributors; so don't expect anything along the lines of <i>Nuke 'Em High</i> or Sgt. Kabukiman<i> </i>cameos. Thank goodness. But that means, since 2000, they've been issuing it around the world on open matte fullscreen DVDs, usually under the alternate title: <i>Fanatic</i>. In 2009, they made a bit of a special edition of it, and in 2015, they released it on blu. But there was also an even better BD special edition, thanks to 88 Films. But now, Severin has restored the film in 4k on UHD. So let's see how much better they could get it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-f8sZbkre9OAPk04JCibwxTh-dteJqosqeMdSfqdaQXW6I56y0DoZajqgiRiAvBCXYgTWQuhU9UH5OLYhpyEWZzAzvpQCL29NWSCqR64K0R5y9nUGroFYqJVdb6St3ZRwGs_7ic98fg/s0/lasthfc1a.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="1600" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-f8sZbkre9OAPk04JCibwxTh-dteJqosqeMdSfqdaQXW6I56y0DoZajqgiRiAvBCXYgTWQuhU9UH5OLYhpyEWZzAzvpQCL29NWSCqR64K0R5y9nUGroFYqJVdb6St3ZRwGs_7ic98fg/s800/lasthfc1a.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2014 88 Films BD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2023 Severin BD; <span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 2023 Severin UHD.</span></td></tr>
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Both 88 and Severin present this film in its proper 1.85:1 aspect ratio, scanned from the original negative, but 88's has a faded look, and leans a bit green, which Severin's corrects. It varies shot to shot, and some are reasonably close, but just look how much better separated the colors are in that second set of shots. The sky's supposed to be blue, but not the waiter's jacket. Grain is also somewhat lighter on the 88, even when just comparing the two BDs. And of course, detail that gets blocky and pixelated when you zoom in to on the blu-rays stays rounded and realistic on the UHD. It's a distinct improvement even before you get to the composite footage.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPm7NsBLgPXCjDN3KZzIjV9gdyDsTlCz8cVRh70a01d1zJhDs2pz5YPUsT9HSzecK-j0y_t0FeKPKz7rEP-F8A1hvn7xdGMS_-KGg5GTWTggv8jB5WDnwoy9aBRpHPK4AFaQwlOs6Uf8/s0/lasthfdb.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPm7NsBLgPXCjDN3KZzIjV9gdyDsTlCz8cVRh70a01d1zJhDs2pz5YPUsT9HSzecK-j0y_t0FeKPKz7rEP-F8A1hvn7xdGMS_-KGg5GTWTggv8jB5WDnwoy9aBRpHPK4AFaQwlOs6Uf8/s800/lasthfdb.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2014 88 Films BD; <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2023 Severin BD; <span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 2023 Severin UHD.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Surely, the biggest factor that set 88's blu-ray apart from its Troma counterpart was that it's uncut. Troma's edition is missing some of key footage that apparently has been removed from the source materials. To compensate, 88 has edited in workprint footage, also matted to 1.85, to make a composite cut which runs about a minute longer, where a couple of kills are considerably more graphic. You'll definitely notice the picture quality shift from full color filmstock to almost monochromatically blue VHS tape quality. But not so much on the Severin, because they were able to find the missing footage on a 35mm print. Yeah, there's a difference between the print and the OCN's quality, but if you didn't know what footage was restored, you probably wouldn't notice the difference, whereas you couldn't help but notice it before. And I agree with 88's decision to crop the footage to 1.85 rather than
have the AR shift, but it was at the cost of losing picture information
that Severin has been able to restore. So as exciting as it was when 88 was able to construct their composite, Severin's is now equally exciting.<br />
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They both provide lossless versions of the original mono track (LPCM on 88 and DTS-HD on the Severins). That was another point in 88's favor, since Troma's audio is lossy. Also, neither release included subtitles, which Severin finally does. So it's progress after progress.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_A5tq0navDZEqFP5KAmJAioWVsia1_iK0DhF5Y4Yv9jR1jRU99IVnbnmXDopDc3lAKyz9O48e2on7l7anZ6Y71a1Mx1ReDmlMmPF1W0NiR61xzoPP0WdyBlCkBuVwILryet0svbS3EmA/s0/lasthf4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_A5tq0navDZEqFP5KAmJAioWVsia1_iK0DhF5Y4Yv9jR1jRU99IVnbnmXDopDc3lAKyz9O48e2on7l7anZ6Y71a1Mx1ReDmlMmPF1W0NiR61xzoPP0WdyBlCkBuVwILryet0svbS3EmA/s800/lasthf4.png" width="400" /></a></div>
88 also beat out Troma in the special features, although it was a closer race than you might guess. Troma did actually cook up some worthwhile extras for this film. First of all,<b> Lloyd Kaufman</b> gets into the spirit of things by filming his intro at Sundance and sharing his own personal memories of Spinell. They also provide an audio commentary with Joe's friend and associate producer <b>Luke Walter</b>. It's moderated by a kid from Troma, who detracts about as often as he contributes, but Luke has a lot to share, having frequently been on set and involved closely with the filmmaking, including enabling Spinell's indulgent forays. It's a fun track with Luke pointing out who was an unwitting extra and who was an actual actor, telling risque personal anecdotes, etc. They also have the trailer and that <i>Mister Robbie</i> promo clip Spinell made hoping to get <i>Maniac 2</i> financed. It makes more sense as an extra on <i>Maniac</i>, which it also is, but it's cool here, too, since these films are son closely tied together.<br />
<br />
Anyway, all of the above are on both the Troma and 88 blus. But both discs have exclusives. Troma's exclusive, however, are all Troma-specific junk that has nothing to do with <i>The Last Horror Film</i>. There's something about TromaDance and a short film called <i>The Return Of Dolphin Man</i>... Unless you're a big Troma fan, you won't care. But you will be interested in 88's stuff. Well, most of it anyway.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoJeFG4MhW3j88ibi8oPOu1oEQ0Wiw4xfJKQZJ_VCkzB1y0xiJmJIBj90liEehDk8nn13jbzw020SP9QwA14BZqA7S6sJ5sYhdLyoTy8lXs790f57vN_rehyxFdb2ydvfn-QQuus_OYR0/s0/lasthfe.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoJeFG4MhW3j88ibi8oPOu1oEQ0Wiw4xfJKQZJ_VCkzB1y0xiJmJIBj90liEehDk8nn13jbzw020SP9QwA14BZqA7S6sJ5sYhdLyoTy8lXs790f57vN_rehyxFdb2ydvfn-QQuus_OYR0/s800/lasthfe.png" width="400" /></a></div>
First up is a short, nostalgic documentary called <i>My Best Maniac</i> (surely a play on <a href="https://www.dvdexotica.com/2019/01/herzog-kinski-part-2-dvd-blu-ray.html"><i>My Best Fiend</i></a>) where Walter takes us on a tour through Spinell's hometown. He talks a little about the film, particularly an anecdote up front, but it's mostly a tribute to Spinell as a person, ending with a stop at his grave. Then there's a short but great interview with <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/WilliamLustig"><b>William Lustig</b></a> who shares what he knew about this crazy project, including how he was asked at one point to take over the direction (he declined). After that, it boils down to odds and ends. There's a promising sounding "Caroline Munro Q&A," but it turns out to just be a short clip with no connection to this movie. She's actually being interviewed about <a href="http://dvdexotica.blogspot.com/2015/01/lionsgates-essentialish-8-pack.html"><i>Slaughter High</i></a> and doesn't even bring up this film in passing. I mean, it's still better than nothing I suppose, but what a let down. Then there's a long reel of bonus trailers, and that's about it. The sleeve has reversible artwork, which is cool.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglheoQoRkSZTDdbUAjvBB6HNMuCiirrrEQN4cD-UDNYh2Ljgr1iHxVaunU17ZZKROOeEWTHMPmXkG9qeROW6Zrwfuw29XlroRCm4GRcM-Qwrq_eFpuq0kCGfwzddBY64no0vKt1JNigVxxXBtMZplJESAo7-CLDcDEOvOmqsq35vLd7wijdoJ_UtfNLLw/s1920/lasthfe2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglheoQoRkSZTDdbUAjvBB6HNMuCiirrrEQN4cD-UDNYh2Ljgr1iHxVaunU17ZZKROOeEWTHMPmXkG9qeROW6Zrwfuw29XlroRCm4GRcM-Qwrq_eFpuq0kCGfwzddBY64no0vKt1JNigVxxXBtMZplJESAo7-CLDcDEOvOmqsq35vLd7wijdoJ_UtfNLLw/s800/lasthfe2.png" width="400" /></a></div>But Severin now, has the best extras package of all, and it's all
new. They start off with an audio commentary by Luke Walter, which I
had assumed was the same one on the previous blus. But no, this one's
different, and Severin's moderator is a lot better than Troma's. Next,
we have a second commentary by Caroline Munro and <b>Alan Jones</b>, and
it's terrific. We've been getting so many mediocre commentaries from
the boutiques lately that I was starting to forget how much value a top
level commentary can have. Munro is in good spirits and happy to
discuss everything. And Jones is a knowledgeable critic more than ready
to not just moderate, but add real insight whenever Munro didn't have
so much to say. They really compliment each other, and together manage
to stay focused and entertaining for the entire running time.<br /><br />They also interview Spinell's old friend, <b>Sal Sirchia</b>, who shares some personal history and dispels some myths about the actor. He even plays some answering machine messages he saved and visits his grave. Then there's a great locations tour, which finds all the spots in both New York and Cannes where the original film shot. And there's an audio-only interview with producer and co-star <b>Judd Hamilton</b>, who has a lot of dirt to dish... he even blames his divorce on this movie. And that leads us to his producer's cut.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyyVzGIM6IEwQtyTpj7sranatC5XCNyCbGtJWP-oyLMdbvhoiKTCLzz3gTBXnHbQ_CPCfV1-yqiIJep5X_n-GNZG-ENqf509nfwZxfo9l4clU22gGJyh4lSjbAjkw4BbjxwTtXk_dh3MLsQGPp5dqv5KSO0rJORwDmlgVJE3j6-bX8pDfs71DtiJFbXlg/s1920/lasthfc2c2706.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyyVzGIM6IEwQtyTpj7sranatC5XCNyCbGtJWP-oyLMdbvhoiKTCLzz3gTBXnHbQ_CPCfV1-yqiIJep5X_n-GNZG-ENqf509nfwZxfo9l4clU22gGJyh4lSjbAjkw4BbjxwTtXk_dh3MLsQGPp5dqv5KSO0rJORwDmlgVJE3j6-bX8pDfs71DtiJFbXlg/s800/lasthfc2c2706.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2023 Severin producer's cut BD.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Yes, the director managed to keep the final cut on this film, and
Hamilton's always been unhappy with it. So Severin allowed him to go
back and finally cut it his way. And... it's not as good. He basically
just trims a lot of the nudity and some of the fun Cannes location
footage (including that shot of the crowds in front of that giant James Bond sign at the Carlton in my first set of comparison shots). It's definitely a case of a producer not fully appreciating
the film his talent made for him, though to be fair, he only really
takes 6-7 minutes out of it, and it's all thoughtfully done. It's also brighter, but that might be less of a creative decision and more down to the compression or whatever, because it's presented here in HD, but only allotted 3GB of disc space, which is less than most DVDs. So goodbye film grain and all of that. It also has lossy audio and no subs. But considering it's basically just a cut version, it's probably only going to be of interest to fans as a quick novelty anyway.<br /><br />Anyway, Severin's release also includes an extensive, 100-page full-color book, half written by Hamilton, and also including a vintage interview with the director <b>David Winter</b> and some vintage artwork. It also comes in a delightful, embossed <i>Maniac II: Love To Kill</i> slipbox, which they describe as "extremely unofficial."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQk_rZvkvZko3H-c8OPYoXB1KrKS8QiRnMe1oqGanvbtPN65gdPjhm4urAcl1mJ-xNMceBeV_hoVLCTAdHbZwKptoIr9a74nEabjo2EX1V5GgChBWKWgbRbujGJsAd1ivnbmT5_onvc2g/s0/lasthf5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="1600" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQk_rZvkvZko3H-c8OPYoXB1KrKS8QiRnMe1oqGanvbtPN65gdPjhm4urAcl1mJ-xNMceBeV_hoVLCTAdHbZwKptoIr9a74nEabjo2EX1V5GgChBWKWgbRbujGJsAd1ivnbmT5_onvc2g/s800/lasthf5.png" width="400" /></a></div>
So yeah, <i>The Last Horror Film</i> is a must for any horror fan's collection, especially if you love <i>Maniac</i>, and extra especially if you've already sprung for<i> The Undertaker</i>.
88's blu used to be the way to go (uncut, lossless
audio, the best special features), until Severin came and raised the stakes (higher picture quality, subtitles and even better features). Die-hards might still want to hang onto their 88's for some of those exclusive extras, like the Lustig interview. But Severin's has become the definitive first choice now... at least until 88 decides to take up the gauntlet again and make their own 4k edition.<br />John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8566408705248423573.post-91170475343417877352023-09-14T20:55:00.003-04:002023-09-14T23:02:12.677-04:00Stay For the Sinner's Blood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCwBwYeWMoBeGwvirzLyj9QFOXCbYiXcOQjCiJVYlPnaGZb9GKFgoSFteYI6eXroHvvC8k63fyZd-0rAOn0O7bIZ1AfU9dSwWTL4AFB83lqYLIf1mk1ZHa-E9RHvIYZVyWCdbfspevdXUvvVot2DvfcrXfLz89NeD3v4TAyBOwRt2vexwMM61IVh1McI/s3675/sinnersb.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2422" data-original-width="3675" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCwBwYeWMoBeGwvirzLyj9QFOXCbYiXcOQjCiJVYlPnaGZb9GKFgoSFteYI6eXroHvvC8k63fyZd-0rAOn0O7bIZ1AfU9dSwWTL4AFB83lqYLIf1mk1ZHa-E9RHvIYZVyWCdbfspevdXUvvVot2DvfcrXfLz89NeD3v4TAyBOwRt2vexwMM61IVh1McI/s0/sinnersb.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>"Can any woman see the climax without feeling the knife?" is a question I often ask myself. It's also the tagline for a gonzo sixties sleazefest called <i>Sinner's Blood</i>, new on blu-ray from Dark Force Entertainment. Think <i>Last House On the Left</i> without the <b><a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/search/label/IngmarBergman">Bergman</a></b> influence. I had put off checking it out because I'm not a big fan of biker flicks in general, and 60s exploitation tends to feel pretty tame once you've seen stuff from the following decades (I can still remember as a kid renting <i>Blood Feast</i> after hearing for years what an insane gore-fest it was and what a disappointment that turned out to be). But this really isn't a biker flick, though there is a biker gang in the movie, and it sure ain't tame. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01p-JVJenJCYc7rvkyuy7qbOaZBe-qgKC8ZYmtuSdAQtRXJdfxOXkYEFxZJRyEBCENcMZG1_dsjyBu101NLOZnzPby4VFk33j6ez8exRz3WFK_PD92_F_f17SjTZtPgN0wMYOh9Xk9ISw9dR3QMYc5UJmmyIWKR_h1gDHw1pMnifaymVx511E7kAq89U/s1440/sinnersb1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01p-JVJenJCYc7rvkyuy7qbOaZBe-qgKC8ZYmtuSdAQtRXJdfxOXkYEFxZJRyEBCENcMZG1_dsjyBu101NLOZnzPby4VFk33j6ez8exRz3WFK_PD92_F_f17SjTZtPgN0wMYOh9Xk9ISw9dR3QMYc5UJmmyIWKR_h1gDHw1pMnifaymVx511E7kAq89U/s800/sinnersb1.png" width="400" /></a></div>Not that <i>Sinner's Blood</i> is some kind of a gore fest either.
It's a sleazy sex and violence fest, full of rape, incest and drawn out,
sadistic stabbings. It's also so off-beat, unpredictable and at times
curiously chipper, that it's oddly compelling even if you're not just in
the market for envelope pushing. I've read people try to describe how
it doesn't really have a plot, so much as it is a succession of things
that happen, and I think I've put my finger on it, because there is a
straight-forward story in a sense, with events all leading into each
other, and even some dare I say "subtle" foreshadowing. It's because
there really isn't a protagonist.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXZfeKfOIz2eJ8v3ElT9lUFbILTdwxPQUdxe2J1vzXCh_JP335pIxWOsZk68fEZ6D5LpPeZ-w6hGy8bqOX35X2vtVPXxEANpT0VFMWplpQAbW_S9DHY_S7HDV-ldaqfmctXaCdypJKhdCwPeXj2G4QNwewnlxkHpOU81_IIDmNLKdF5RZij0eX6-QgfY/s1440/sinnersb2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXZfeKfOIz2eJ8v3ElT9lUFbILTdwxPQUdxe2J1vzXCh_JP335pIxWOsZk68fEZ6D5LpPeZ-w6hGy8bqOX35X2vtVPXxEANpT0VFMWplpQAbW_S9DHY_S7HDV-ldaqfmctXaCdypJKhdCwPeXj2G4QNwewnlxkHpOU81_IIDmNLKdF5RZij0eX6-QgfY/s800/sinnersb2.png" width="400" /></a></div>Two girls arrive in a small
town from Chicago to stay with their aunt and uncle after their parents
die. They're both hotties, of course, but one is a heavily telegraphed good
girl and the other is obviously the bad girl. They seem like our leads
but they slowly fade into the background, acting more as catalysts for
everyone they run into. Because every man, and even some of the women,
go completely ga-ga over them. And everybody in this town is a total
nutcase, from the local biker gang with a homicidal loose cannon in
their ranks to the town preacher who screams at people that they're
animals. So dangling this additional temptation in front of them all is
just a propulsion for them to spring into murder, voyeurism, betrayal, LSD freakouts
and the least titillating orgy you'll ever witness.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzB-rbrMnPhpPATxuWbK2DNYDPSru1vXCZkbIRuB4yDMxva0g1JJsnZ-7_e9AOiF-pDHAxaUFxpPSG_FIXSy64yLpVTQmAlUj3PA3RU7yP-emkfiTdWQB7hkSX0TLuoA86uy3tP5SZsz6u6Ph-rZKoVX1qi6RLSlDvY3Dfm1zqX2kn2eZfwLuCd3uZyg/s1440/sinnersb3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzB-rbrMnPhpPATxuWbK2DNYDPSru1vXCZkbIRuB4yDMxva0g1JJsnZ-7_e9AOiF-pDHAxaUFxpPSG_FIXSy64yLpVTQmAlUj3PA3RU7yP-emkfiTdWQB7hkSX0TLuoA86uy3tP5SZsz6u6Ph-rZKoVX1qi6RLSlDvY3Dfm1zqX2kn2eZfwLuCd3uZyg/s800/sinnersb3.png" width="400" /></a></div>What a
weird piece of Americana. You could write it off as just softcore porn,
because clearly this film is just dying to linger on as many bear
breasts as possible. But it's such a weird story going on, clearly with
some kind of demented artistic vision pushing it along. And sure,
there's an amateurish level to it all where actors sometimes stumble
over their lines and the production values are cheap. But the cast is
also really going for it, and they're clearly making an effort to come
up with creative camera angles and pack the story with locations, tons
of characters, weird dialogue and all sorts of things some hack rushing
out a cheap sex flicks for a quick buck would never bother with. Mind
you, I'm not arguing that this is a <i>good </i>movie; but it's not unworthy of your time. It's a heck of a time capsule and you'll never be bored.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdr6wjUpZIgmStmUHx0h2xpsgqG5TPFC8jmpsRqBDzPUnnt64LpY-C_xrVM2ZbwzMMLLEYKQDCBVVjlaF9H4ZCvsSkL_ah9wtm1FzSxiGO7kgKOfJvyMmtbNnjlBjJcl2EcU2X3zDGvspc2QdRu3OQyECAom-OPDgQ_YGnAikWNtjmCSjXoAg45-HSSus/s1439/sinnersb5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1439" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdr6wjUpZIgmStmUHx0h2xpsgqG5TPFC8jmpsRqBDzPUnnt64LpY-C_xrVM2ZbwzMMLLEYKQDCBVVjlaF9H4ZCvsSkL_ah9wtm1FzSxiGO7kgKOfJvyMmtbNnjlBjJcl2EcU2X3zDGvspc2QdRu3OQyECAom-OPDgQ_YGnAikWNtjmCSjXoAg45-HSSus/s800/sinnersb5.png" width="400" /></a></div><i>Sinner's Blood</i>
has been a grey market staple for ages. There's an old Genesis Home
Video DVD with a copyright 1987, that only makes sense when you realize
their back cover is a copy of the old VHS tape. There's also a Cheezy
Flix DVD. All 1.33 VHS rip stuff, until Code Red picked it and decided
to do it properly in 2012, giving it both a "brand new 1.78:1 (16x9)
transfer from the only surviving 35mm print" and an additional "full
frame version with a new scene from a 3/4" tape" on the same disc. It
was the definitive go-to edition until now, as Dark Force have released
it on blu-ray as Volume 20 of their Drive-In double feature series
(paired with <a href="http://www.dvdexotica.com/2017/12/revel-in-rivals-code-red-catch-up-part-3.html"><i>Rivals</i>, already fully covered here</a>).
Now it's got a "new 2K scan from 16mm blown up to 35mm original
internegative with extensive restoration and color correction."<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-6pwycxLUU8owAyGimSxfwrBylseoRrYPc3-U3hZDkpCaqq0Kq9ObWhEB6oUHsQqttBWPyMImFUISg_0AiC3p9rDRiaoHiSO2VQOMLfmWgHxoxnpoYqHNbyBGWLgVutD1tXxGFBrONuNhwE_zVsicwZyvWSSJ3i9ZfwE3IkMmX0jyk4rr9QABG1jkRE/s1911/sinnersbc1a518.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1911" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-6pwycxLUU8owAyGimSxfwrBylseoRrYPc3-U3hZDkpCaqq0Kq9ObWhEB6oUHsQqttBWPyMImFUISg_0AiC3p9rDRiaoHiSO2VQOMLfmWgHxoxnpoYqHNbyBGWLgVutD1tXxGFBrONuNhwE_zVsicwZyvWSSJ3i9ZfwE3IkMmX0jyk4rr9QABG1jkRE/s800/sinnersbc1a518.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #800180;">1)</span> 2012 Code Red DVD (print); <span style="color: #800180;">2)</span> 2012 Code Red DVD (tape); <span style="color: #800180;">3)</span> 2023 Dark Force BD.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEToBhesTjTKsCxKmvIg_gk8ufieXPFNs16TvsuI04fuXtFfnPBQ2YMGbydWOak0WH6-4Wh4EYRlpYA2305_4VdbwBoifXaNzHrIHsdfQf43cjsTcdV3f1v-yYSsKiBJa5WAxzFkwDG3-KpKFULIQJKkhmUPVZem-ZJ4dqdOayP4xhiagrEGEIJS-bIn0/s1380/sinnersbc1b506.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEToBhesTjTKsCxKmvIg_gk8ufieXPFNs16TvsuI04fuXtFfnPBQ2YMGbydWOak0WH6-4Wh4EYRlpYA2305_4VdbwBoifXaNzHrIHsdfQf43cjsTcdV3f1v-yYSsKiBJa5WAxzFkwDG3-KpKFULIQJKkhmUPVZem-ZJ4dqdOayP4xhiagrEGEIJS-bIn0/s800/sinnersbc1b506.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj032H7-FA0CsBjdSUCsFzROLmQm4sniYbZYWMnYj3Cvdun5SXHIAXf-vipF7SwCWA1gY16-gqAsDnrp2CLy__fq6L6CvHWDMQt_jyyAgbbaEYLwF8DDwOsH_VZGVARi5OBF9NhaQcCbPYjBSXPO8Mil8l-dIUMxcN9zTB0-PZS2crpNAqhw8UDvFhHcow/s1440/sinnersbc1c521.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj032H7-FA0CsBjdSUCsFzROLmQm4sniYbZYWMnYj3Cvdun5SXHIAXf-vipF7SwCWA1gY16-gqAsDnrp2CLy__fq6L6CvHWDMQt_jyyAgbbaEYLwF8DDwOsH_VZGVARi5OBF9NhaQcCbPYjBSXPO8Mil8l-dIUMxcN9zTB0-PZS2crpNAqhw8UDvFhHcow/s800/sinnersbc1c521.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4U9_HvLIz-XqbWPx3hoqvQtN_elau4aVYN7Q0N37VrcpAhygrqjq7iN1ft2DUMTJcFa3fkj-KBJbYz0smr4rwieiJvZVJbY9ksB679G3DJa9aSi6BzvqGekjkx-vsgtwBSDB4kA9mV9YXTlNOyKwrXhb_TrlV1f9Sy8f_XivoO1RE1t3r-Yyjm6M_FGo/s1911/sinnersbc2a5059.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1911" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4U9_HvLIz-XqbWPx3hoqvQtN_elau4aVYN7Q0N37VrcpAhygrqjq7iN1ft2DUMTJcFa3fkj-KBJbYz0smr4rwieiJvZVJbY9ksB679G3DJa9aSi6BzvqGekjkx-vsgtwBSDB4kA9mV9YXTlNOyKwrXhb_TrlV1f9Sy8f_XivoO1RE1t3r-Yyjm6M_FGo/s800/sinnersbc2a5059.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjneLKtGjxd9HYft-hcmsvRdA0v7lgFuCZdy9YsqqjyiNIVdWjqc7tHWI5FPlVIDeGunudyYJGvPfKMfrPbDhqpNIGvZDbmM68l7dsFmyUY2nUzgvZyTrNe_MdtWeugSC2cttAuspPdYPG_4F1uticDqiOi0zJwpizMRbrMpmqU9_VZCCqsnPOA1IH3FuQ/s1382/sinnersbc2b4949.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjneLKtGjxd9HYft-hcmsvRdA0v7lgFuCZdy9YsqqjyiNIVdWjqc7tHWI5FPlVIDeGunudyYJGvPfKMfrPbDhqpNIGvZDbmM68l7dsFmyUY2nUzgvZyTrNe_MdtWeugSC2cttAuspPdYPG_4F1uticDqiOi0zJwpizMRbrMpmqU9_VZCCqsnPOA1IH3FuQ/s800/sinnersbc2b4949.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVVkxTK3yQ0jaKEVw3BagUpIlf3ZxCpvocYgxuSFxwpNq-cOEJRtZ5Lka5eV-q9Og0mbGFPvt_2y3DwNA6v0e004syOMW55kgpscfHURgPe1Fkcl8HhwlflX5A-CRNkWZQsmg9pNWrEL34COF-Q_KVmMzUeHas4Pw2V-zPcaewVOHVedJQNMQ-Gl29JWY/s1440/sinnersbc2c5154.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVVkxTK3yQ0jaKEVw3BagUpIlf3ZxCpvocYgxuSFxwpNq-cOEJRtZ5Lka5eV-q9Og0mbGFPvt_2y3DwNA6v0e004syOMW55kgpscfHURgPe1Fkcl8HhwlflX5A-CRNkWZQsmg9pNWrEL34COF-Q_KVmMzUeHas4Pw2V-zPcaewVOHVedJQNMQ-Gl29JWY/s800/sinnersbc2c5154.png" width="400" /></a></div>So before I say anything else, I want to say <i>Sinner's Blood</i>
has never looked half this good before. This is a huge revelation.
I'm going to point out some flaws, but if you're a fan of this movie,
this is an essential double-dip, putting everything that came before it
to shame, even Code Red's DVD, which clearly put in the effort of giving
us two transfers.<br /><br />One is fullscreen (1.29:1, counting the
rolling video bar along the bottom), and the other is widescreen (1.77:1
with very slim pillarboxing). You can see why he included a
full-screen option, since the widescreen version doesn't just matte the
film vertically, but loses picture from all four sides. Dark Force's
transfer is 1.33:1, including even more picture around all four sides,
though it feels excessively open matte, frequently with a lot of head
room. I wouldn't be surprised, though, if this is sort of a <i><a href="https://www.dvdexotica.com/2018/08/the-night-of-living-dead-never-dies-dvd.html">NotLD</a></i>
situation, where the filmmakers were still green enough to have framed
for fullscreen simply because they weren't professionally seasoned
enough to plan for theatrical matting. I don't think it's true,
though, what Dark Force said in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/100068229109101/videos/3338806826418388">their video promoting this release</a>
about going 1.33 "because that's technically the
shape of a drive-in screen." It's not, almost all drive-ins are
widescreen (and certainly, the Midway and Santee drive-ins, highlighted
on this disc's cover and menu screen respectively, had 2.39 screens).
So that's a little weird, but hey, this new blu still looks great.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgV3xGfuR7y9YasMk9XP4znkLv0LgDPqP0Ynn6bRvgLP1XVRaZKkgwqLUC9q7NsT_lvC0eZl4dlXLS4Ei2EUoyC-7Q7mnDoAsYpVJws-7dnV5LpmtHXRWOZTMa6oFk3RhLOZZ1e2BR7RWlAMtgkInsUYTl4vdkD7fcvSVAUDpVXFMokqSq9WLN4DfFR-0/s1440/sinnersbgreenc1540.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgV3xGfuR7y9YasMk9XP4znkLv0LgDPqP0Ynn6bRvgLP1XVRaZKkgwqLUC9q7NsT_lvC0eZl4dlXLS4Ei2EUoyC-7Q7mnDoAsYpVJws-7dnV5LpmtHXRWOZTMa6oFk3RhLOZZ1e2BR7RWlAMtgkInsUYTl4vdkD7fcvSVAUDpVXFMokqSq9WLN4DfFR-0/s800/sinnersbgreenc1540.png" width="400" /></a></div>Sure, it
has plenty of dirt, scratches and hair in the gate, but it's
still far less damaged than the green emulsion-riddled print Code Red
used. And critically, Dark Force didn't use a print but an
internegative with far more detail and clarity. Some of the close-ups
on this disc look amazing. And oh god, forget about Code Red's
fullscreen transfer, which is so blockly, it looks like it was ripped
from an old 240p Youtube post. It's interlaced, too (the widescreen
version isn't, and of course Dark Force's isn't), but you can barely
tell because the image quality is so bad. And yes, Dark Force's color
correction is another big improvement, looking far more accurate and
attractive than Code Red's faded, red and yellow leaning transfers. It
does have a weird flaw in a few shots, though, where the darkest parts
of the shot are actually brighter than they should be, making a
character's dark pants, for example, look like they're glowing. You can
see it a bit around the legs of the girl in the plaid shirt in the
first set of comparison shots, and more extremely in that shot of the looking through the hole in the wall. The above
close-up is a perfect example, where it gives a greenish hue in the shadows of his hair, his
collar and the eye further from the camera making them stand out in a way those areas shouldn't. That gets a little
distracting, I've gotta be honest. And the older transfers don't have
this problem. But I still wouldn't trade Dark Force's new restoration
for the old ones in a million years.<br /><br />No subtitles this time (despite them being on <i>Rivals</i>),
but Dark Force has bumped the mono audio to DTS-HD. It still has
crackles and light hiss, but it sounds better than Code Red's, which
didn't have subtitles either. Well, Code Red's widescreen transfer has
less his, but the dialogue isn't as clear. And their fullscreen version
sounds awful.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-PO4PCAjWxxxDN9-AmPl1GjbbD6eozha682eWFSbdq6Y789rgECjEm68NJe2afDqcRhseQQ0TFVaONKN6vwRPIwlmWfYzdsRhqpXH-LM7iu9_0yq0pjA-UhIgQF3BhIzKXqpGxMP_qHswlhwl7a725Is0jlSUrokyKWLMgsgynGLQzeJSh9j-GpSvjh4/s1440/sinnersb6.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-PO4PCAjWxxxDN9-AmPl1GjbbD6eozha682eWFSbdq6Y789rgECjEm68NJe2afDqcRhseQQ0TFVaONKN6vwRPIwlmWfYzdsRhqpXH-LM7iu9_0yq0pjA-UhIgQF3BhIzKXqpGxMP_qHswlhwl7a725Is0jlSUrokyKWLMgsgynGLQzeJSh9j-GpSvjh4/s800/sinnersb6.png" width="400" /></a></div>Dark Force's disc is also the longest, most uncut version going,
along with Code Red's fullscreen version. If you were wondering what
that "new scene" reference was about on the Code Red case, their
widescreen version is missing some footage. It cuts
the first line of dialogue, replacing it with an Exclusive International
Pictures title card not on either of the other editions. It's also
then missing the Cinema International Pictures logo that's cut later
into the opening credits. But the key differences are that the
widescreen version cuts a lot of the lesbian scene out, as well as the
final scene of violence/ nudity (which makes the film's ending even more
confusing than it normally is), both of which are intact in the two
fullscreen versions. So it's not really a difference of a single "new
scene," but several cuts. And judging by the running times on the backs
of their cases, the Genesis and Cheezy Flix DVDs are more heavily cut.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8q-0_KtR7JH13Y548U_6q8VFD9hpJa4Gr_BHtc2PqauBOoZyWXcUpo71sn_79qSXpIVFN3JIu9_lq9qfFKpqvlGl3CoJVTMyLKSonjZs5ejLj9dZUR5zEISlyntQjOCaOXZXM6Gvx6bQV4KrMhK7Hf2VNCf7uEFglE7YpjPrP0u7auS-NaxA25Ft4C18/s1440/sinnersbe.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8q-0_KtR7JH13Y548U_6q8VFD9hpJa4Gr_BHtc2PqauBOoZyWXcUpo71sn_79qSXpIVFN3JIu9_lq9qfFKpqvlGl3CoJVTMyLKSonjZs5ejLj9dZUR5zEISlyntQjOCaOXZXM6Gvx6bQV4KrMhK7Hf2VNCf7uEFglE7YpjPrP0u7auS-NaxA25Ft4C18/s800/sinnersbe.png" width="400" /></a></div>Code Red also hooked us up with a couple extras. Well, one really. They interview one of the lead actors, <b>John Talt</b>,
who plays the emotionally disturbed creeper (if that narrows it down at
all?). And it's a fun one. He does call the film terrible multiple
times, but he has some good memories and insight into the film, which is
good because anyone who sees this movie will definitely be coming out
with questions. Besides that, there's just a couple bonus trailers for
other Code Red titles.<br /><br />Sadly, Dark Force drops the interview. So
the new BD doesn't have any extras apart from the drive-in
interstitials, where they play trailers and theater advertisements
between the two features, which is admittedly fun. But it's a real
shame about the interview. That's some value lost right there, and it
feels like an unforced error not to slap it on. It's not like none of
the Drive-In series can have extras; <i>Who's Child Am I?/ Weekend Murders</i> had an audio commentary and on-camera interview. Oh well.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFPrt_EyPxQcsHtVyiO8_-iLHb_HwWvdEWONUc8Tq68hkeh3sagq0lxwGzFga8tM3pIEQtX40QaClKkEIVuhjxaB4BieOINwA_IuJGsx43oP6El0eehFNzUryGXRmLvfxTLTLxYZ6Tp0RUI4h5poZ8Vxfddy41SfECtoFobpZ1u29jEi4bgSgUjRa7PSs/s1440/sinnersb7.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFPrt_EyPxQcsHtVyiO8_-iLHb_HwWvdEWONUc8Tq68hkeh3sagq0lxwGzFga8tM3pIEQtX40QaClKkEIVuhjxaB4BieOINwA_IuJGsx43oP6El0eehFNzUryGXRmLvfxTLTLxYZ6Tp0RUI4h5poZ8Vxfddy41SfECtoFobpZ1u29jEi4bgSgUjRa7PSs/s800/sinnersb7.png" width="400" /></a></div>This release does come in a colorful slipcover. And it's two
totally demented films looking better than they ever have before. I
only picked this release up for <i>Rivals</i>, but <i>Sinner's Blood</i>
drew me in so much, I picked up the Code Red DVD just for the
interview. So at the end of the day, I'd say this is a high
recommendation for the very niche audience that would be interested in
these movies, but certainly not for, you know, sane people.John W McKelveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07224424721208024907noreply@blogger.com2