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Boutique Blu-Ray Releases

Started by Chedney Honks, January 18, 2021, 09:23:05 PM

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Shit Good Nose

That Battle Royale set is jaw dropping, but I don't like the film enough to drop that much cash on it, and the second one is toilet of course - I've never known a film with so much action and so many explosions to be so utterly boring.


greenman

Quote from: Shit Good Nose on February 01, 2021, 01:49:39 PM
That Battle Royale set is jaw dropping, but I don't like the film enough to drop that much cash on it, and the second one is toilet of course - I've never known a film with so much action and so many explosions to be so utterly boring.

Unlike Dawn of the Dead I'm not sure I have the interest for the different cut or the soundtrack either, incidentally the "standard" version of that Second Sight release is going out in March, "just" the 4 UHD/BR disks.

I'm more inclined to pickup Arrow upcoming UHD release of Demons 1/2, never seen the second film but it seems reasonably well thought of.

Shit Good Nose

Quote from: greenman on February 01, 2021, 04:16:43 PM
I'm more inclined to pickup Arrow upcoming UHD release of Demons 1/2, never seen the second film but it seems reasonably well thought of.

It's basically the same again, but set in a block of flats rather than a cinema.  If you liked the first one, you'll probs like the second.  EDIT - a warning though, the drop in budget is occasionally VERY noticeable, even by Lamberto Bava standards.

Magnum Valentino

It's best not to watch it after watching the first - leave it a good bit of time or you'll notice the inferiority of the copy/paste filmmaking too strongly, I think.

Shit Good Nose


Famous Mortimer

Severin are releasing a super-comprehensive box set of the films of Andy Milligan, but the price is a bit eye-watering. $140 for the standard edition, $270 for a special, which has already sold out (indicating a decent number of people don't agree with my price judgement).

Chedney Honks

Quote from: phantom_power on January 20, 2021, 09:18:33 AM
Arrow have some great sets. I have picked up Robocop, Big Trouble in Little China, The Thing and American Werewolf in London recently. I am trying to get my favourite films on Blu-Ray so they will be available to me despite the foibles of streaming services and companies like Arrow and co. help a lot with that

I've seen a few of these now, plus some other 'mainstream cult' released on Arrow and I can vouch for them all. Absolutely brilliant.

I watched American Werewolf last week and I thought it was gorgeous. I'd never before appreciated it as a cinematographic work, rather than simply as a great comedy-horror, but it demonstrably has never looked better. Also saw Weird Science and Big Trouble and they're equally vibrant and detailed and filmic. Last House On The Left is also very decent, albeit the source is quite a bit rougher around the edges. I doubt it could look better, though.

Currently watching The Thing, which prompted this reply, and I think it's the best Arrow yet of this 70s/80s ilk. I'd very much recommend it. Perfectly natural and, again, filmic. Wonderful detail and tones. The snow in particular looks so tangible. Just a great atmosphere to sink into after a long day.

Chedney Honks



Another day, another cracking release on Eureka, this time the HK action-comedy-horror, Mr Vampire. Produced by Sammo Hung, with an incredibly charismatic and likeable deadpan performance from Ching-Ying Lam, this is genuinely once-seen never-forgotten. They don't make them like this any more and, while some of the comedy is pretty broad and the horror is rather camp, there's an endearing charm to the whole production. For a 1985 HK film, it looks superb. Colours and textures are rich and detailed and the screen feels full of life. I know I'll be watching this again soon. Excellent stuff!

Magnum Valentino

Ched can you recommend a decent multiregion blu-ray player please? 4K or otherwise.

Thinking of getting one for the living room and retiring the PS3.

Chedney Honks

Quote from: Magnum Valentino on February 15, 2021, 04:52:20 PM
Ched can you recommend a decent multiregion blu-ray player please? 4K or otherwise.

Thinking of getting one for the living room and retiring the PS3.

I went for the Panasonic UB820 and then paid someone for custom firmware but in hindsight it would have been much easier to get one already unlocked. The process of applying for the custom firmware was somewhat stressful and plenty of people just get IP banned for not following instructions to the letter so I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, although it did eventually work for me. The player cost me £299 and the firmware was £60.

For £449 (and I appreciate that's a fair whack) you can get the same player fully unlocked and hardmodded here:

https://blu-raymultiregion.com/product.php?product_id=5617&product_name=Panasonic_DP-UB820_MULTIREGION_4K_Ultra_HD_Blu-ray_Player_-_DP-UB820EBK

That's will play anything from any region. All the reviews say the picture and sound are superb, and it's very good value for what you get. I've been really happy with it and it's a step up from a good Sony job I tried out for a couple of weeks (X700, I think). DVD upscaling is also good (I've got some stuff only available on DVD at the moment) and noticeably better than our other BD player downstairs.

Not cheap but if it lasts me, I don't think I'd ever need another.

Dusty Substance


Miracle Mile and Night Of The Comet on Arrow Blu-Ray. Two of my favourites from the 80s, both films mix romcom with end of the world drama. Pretty sure neither were released on Region 2 DVD, so for a long time the only way to watch them was on VHS or a VHS upload.  They both look gorgeous on Blu-Ray and both have a bunch of extras, including commentaries.

greenman

Miracle Mile is I think a good example of a film being rediscovered due to a boutique release, had it just come out as a standard BR I'm not sure I'd have picked up on it.

Dusty Substance

Quote from: greenman on February 16, 2021, 10:35:27 AM
Miracle Mile is I think a good example of a film being rediscovered due to a boutique release, had it just come out as a standard BR I'm not sure I'd have picked up on it.

It's a gem, isn't it? I spent seven years trying to track it down on VHS, having been made aware of it via the much missed Neon Magazine, where they ranked it above The Elephant Man, Raining Stones and Shoah as the most depressing film ever made.

greenman

Plus it has the Alien bountryhunter from the X-files as a gay bodybuilding copter pilot.

It is actually that kind of film were I find the extras more interesting, better known stuff you can typically fill your boots on the net.

Dusty Substance

Quote from: greenman on February 16, 2021, 03:47:49 PM
Plus it has the Alien bountryhunter from the X-files as a gay bodybuilding copter pilot.

It is actually that kind of film were I find the extras more interesting, better known stuff you can typically fill your boots on the net.

Absolutely. The diner scene in particular has diverse mix of characters.

Goldentony

another shout for Miracle Mile, never heard of it but picked it up based on yer man ER being in it and the Night Of The Comet similarity, love it. Quiet Earth and Vigil are also worth checking out for sci fi on Arrow, Quiet Earth especially

Chedney Honks



A pretty obvious one for most people but I've not seen this for about twenty-five years on late night telly and I think I fell asleep. I've seen Dawn a couple of times and enjoyed that a lot but I'm not exactly a genre aficionado. Bloody loved this, though, and it looks beautiful. As I say, I'm very far from familiar but the picture quality on this Criterion release is absolutely fantastic. For a 50+ year old film, it's incredibly detailed and textured. Rich greys and lovely thick shadows, nothing seems crushed or boosted anywhere. This might be the best looking B&W film I've seen on regular BD.

Magnum Valentino

The reason it's so important to me is because it being in the public domain meant it was never really taken seriously by proper labels, and it seemed unlikely it would ever get treatment like Criterion gave it. It was forever in pound shops and inside newspapers in card sleeves.

This disc is missing the excellent documentary One For The Fire, though, but you can get that on Optimum's blus of Night and Diary. Worth a watch, excellent feature length making of .

Chedney Honks

Cheers, I'm really interested in that. Seems an incredibly economical film in so many ways. Very little happens but it's so tight and well paced. Ives now got Dawn and Land on pre-order. Think the Dawn is a standard release of that mega 7-disc limited box but not released til March or something. Land is also a couple of months off but I'm keen to revisit them now with fresh eyes.

Magnum Valentino

Land came out a few days ago, I'm watching it now. There's a commentary from Romero I've not heard before plus a few new interviews from the most recent US release, so it's a worthy upgrade over my old DVD. That version you mentioned of Dawn is the 7-discer without the CDs or books, so you still get all the different cuts of the films and the top-tier bonus disc. Good year for Romero fans.

Turns out One For The Fire is on Youtube, albeit subtitled: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rU4JYvc2CQ

Chedney Honks

Oh, great news all round! I don't know where my Land is then, I thought it was a way off. I ordered it from Zoom or Zavvi, I think, and their delivery is a bit shit compared to Bezos. Hopefully here soon then. Cheers for the doco, I'll get on that.

thenoise

I recently broke down and bought the Al Adamson Collection (Severin). Pray for me.

I still await eagerly any new BFI 'archive' type releases (compilations of films from their amazing archive of COI/BTF (etc) ), although they have slowed somewhat of late. I'm quite behind collecting the Flipside collection, but have yet to be disappointed. Obscure and fascinating.

Another great label is AFGA, who have rereleased a few of Something Weird Video's more infamous titles, as well as shot on video horror and barely-released regional obscurities.

greenman

I picked up that Arrow Demons UHD release in the end, does work well with HDR.

Honestly I was pleasantly surprised by the second film, maybe a bit less "artful" but I didnt think it looked cheaper, basically an excuse for pretty much any set piece they could think of. Nice to see horror films with such gleeful female monsters in them as well.

Chedney Honks

I've never seen Demons but accidentally ordered the standard BD version from Zavvi. It had already dispatched by the time I realised. Fucked it. I might have to order the UHD and return this one. Is it necessary, do you reckon? Price difference is negligible.

Edit: OOS everywhere now. Going for ninety quid on eBay. Bollocks. Might have to stream it on Prime and see whether it's worth the splurge. Maybe a standard 4K release will follow.

El Unicornio, mang

Quote from: Magnum Valentino on February 17, 2021, 04:55:29 PM
The reason it's so important to me is because it being in the public domain meant it was never really taken seriously by proper labels, and it seemed unlikely it would ever get treatment like Criterion gave it. It was forever in pound shops and inside newspapers in card sleeves.


Interestingly though, the Criterion version is copyrighted, as it's their own 4k restoration.

greenman

Quote from: Chedney Honks on March 01, 2021, 11:32:19 AM
I've never seen Demons but accidentally ordered the standard BD version from Zavvi. It had already dispatched by the time I realised. Fucked it. I might have to order the UHD and return this one. Is it necessary, do you reckon? Price difference is negligible.

Edit: OOS everywhere now. Going for ninety quid on eBay. Bollocks. Might have to stream it on Prime and see whether it's worth the splurge. Maybe a standard 4K release will follow.

Not seen the bluray version of this master, I'd image detail wise probably not a massive amount of difference, the main advantage of the UHD would be HDR/colour which it does use quite well, maybe the grain on the second film looks a bit nicer.

What you could do is keep hold of the Bluray boxset and wait for a standard UHD release which I'd imagine is coming some time in the next few months then swap over the disks and sell the bluray version or give it away I'd.

It is a bit supprising just how fast it sold out although I spose cult horror does always seem to do well on UHD.

Chedney Honks

That's a good idea, hadn't thought about that. I can keep the box and bunf and swap out the discs like I did with the Akira replacement. If I'm not mad keen on the film, I can always stick with what I've got, anyway.

greenman

Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if some people buy up loads of BR copies and do just that to resell them at a premium.

Latest UHD from Arrow is the original Django in late May.

thenoise

Quote from: El Unicornio, mang on March 01, 2021, 12:49:58 PM
Interestingly though, the Criterion version is copyrighted, as it's their own 4k restoration.

All the semi-legit companies found ways of copyrighting it. Going back to my first time watching it, the absolutely god-awful colourised VHS version, with zombies an alarming shade of green.
See also: tinkering with the music - i have a shit version on dvd with horribly cheap keyboard music instead of the (dated,admittedly, but fun) library score. Not the 30th anniversary one either, another one.

Magnum Valentino

I remember getting a really impressively colourised version in a card sleeve in a newspaper round about 2006 or so. It looked amazing, a really impressively subtle job compared to the old 90s video version with the shot of the first zombie looking up at the camera on the cover. Never seen that version since though.