Ok, recently I got a new computer, and finding that it came with a Blu Ray player I decided to try and buy some Blu's to see how they look.
I discovered 2 things:
1) Having a Blu Ray player on a PC is only the beginning of a long hard walk to being able to watch a Blu Ray.
2) That there are now a *lot* of 80's Blu Ray's coming out that have been baited with an extra feature or two.
On the upside, I discovered a UK company called 'Arrow' that do amazing Blu Ray and DVD releases, which come with double sided covers (new commissioned artwork and vintage artwork) and booklets, etc, that make each purchase seem like value for money. And as a bonus, if the Blu Ray has never been released on DVD in the UK, the Blu Ray comes with a DVD with the same features! I think Criterion used to do that, but have recently stopped.
Right now, I've been baited into buying...
The Burbs (Arrow): Audio commentary, theatrical cut / workprint cut (different edit), documentary, booklet, reversible cover and more.
Last American Virgin (Arrow): Interviews with cast and Director, several mini featuirettes, reversible cover booklet, etc.
Night of the Comet (Arrow): THREE commentaries (cast, director, production designer), lots of interviews, booklet, reversible cover, etc.
Vamp (Arrow): Commentary, interviews, reversible cover, booklet, etc.
Neverending Story: Directors commentary, vintage German documentary (now subtitled for the first time).
Neverending Story (German edition): The German and the Japanese editions have the different German cut (no Mororder music, slightly different edit, etc) with English audio for the first time! [Note: the picture quality of the Blu Ray releases have been an issue for some people (not me). With the US releases and the German release being bad in different ways. The Dutch release has the best picture, followed by the Japanese, but at that level I can't really bring myself to care.]
Streets of Fire: long documentary.
Tootsie (Criterion): My favourite movie has been released on DVD and Blu Ray by Criterion, and they ported over all the special features from the Laserdisc release (commentary, vintage doc, test footage), as well as the deleted scenes and long documentary from the anniversary DVD, and added some new interviews and a critical essay booklet for good measure!
Flight of the Navigator: Director's commentary.
They have also released / are going to be releasing Trancers, River's Edge, Foxes - all with commentaries. Trancers I think is a feature packed Blu Ray.
These are baited hook Blu Rays trying to pull the people who haven't crossed over into a world of "why won't this just play on my computer?!" pain.
Has anyone else been pulled in? Any other good Blu Ray editions out there?
Posted by Johnny Roarke is reckless (Member # 9826) on :
I own about two thirds of all Arrow blu-ray and combopack releases, including all limited editions. Their Camera Obscura; The Walerian Borowczyk Collection box-set can easily be labelled as the most impressive release in the history of the blu-ray format ! The box-set went out-of-print immediately after its official release-date, since only 1000 copies were made available. (although the discs are still available as stand-alone releases) The same can be said about their Withnail And I (1987) release which was paired up with the same director's How To Get Ahead In Advertising (1989), and packaged in a beautiful, big, 200 pages thick, hard-cover book.
To narrow it down to more mainstream fare from the 1980's, i can easily recommend the Arrow releases of Remo, The Adventure Begins (1985) and Brian DePalma's Dressed To Kill (1980), both packed with lots of extra's.
I don't know if it's horror you're looking for, but Arrow's The Beast Within (1982), as well as their double blu-ray set of Tobe Hooper's Lifeforce (1985) are equally as impressive, and come with the highest recommendation !
Posted by the young warrior (Member # 9554) on :
i 've got quite a few of arrows blu ray releases logan,johnny,i tend to pick them up straight from there site when they have what's known as a flash sale.
i've got - phenomena,the first edition with the slipcase surronund as pictured above. also - deadly blessing vamp maniac cop the funhouse the exterminator all featuring the same slipcase,booklet,posters etc.
then they changed direction a bit with there releases,lost the slipcases and went the route of combo blu ray/dvd releases in clear amaray cases.
from those i've got
last american virgin remo the stuff lifeforce motel hell
the people under the stairs runaway train the beast within
and both porky's tenebrae as steelbooks.
i also have 2 dvds from them savage streets slaughter high.
all there releases i have picked up so far have been first rate and jam packed with extra features such as commentaries,documentaries,booklets etc.
i have noticed they've eased up with the free posters of late.
but there definitely one of the best distributors out there.
ps logan 5 did you notice on the documentary for the streets of fire blu ray michael pare seems to get quite emotional when talking about diane lane,i reckon they definitely had something good going there and it didn't quite work out for them.
gotta love streets of fire,such an awesome film.
[ 09. February 2015, 10:51: Message edited by: the young warrior ]
Posted by Crash (Member # 7484) on :
I have heard so many good things about Arrow's Blu-ray releases. A Walerian Borwczyk box set just boggles my mind. (But apparently there were a lot of people who were clamoring for it since it sold out quickly.) Sometimes, if we are lucky, here in the US, we'll get a port of some of the Arrow extras on a Kino or Synapse disk. If we are lucky... Posted by the young warrior (Member # 9554) on :
Crash I believe arrow films have expanded now to distribute there releases simultaneously both here and in north america.
I believe I read somewhere any film now released on these shores will also be released at an identical date stateside,the only exception to this will be if they have any copyright issues with certain releases in the us.
I've rented quite a few of arrows blu ray releases as well over the time
Blow out Dressed to kill Inferno The delta force The car The burbs Demons King of new York Invasion of the bodysnatchers The fury Who dares wins White of the eye Frankenhooker The wild geese
They all generally looked terrific apart from the wild geese which even though an older movie I think they could have done more with,still looks pretty good though!
Killer klowns and night of the comet are 2 of there blu ray releases I'd like to check out at some time.
[ 09. February 2015, 11:12: Message edited by: the young warrior ]
Posted by Logan 5 (Member # 1467) on :
When I get the Arrow stuff, I tend to just go for the Blu Ray / DVD combo or DVD by itself. I never like the idea of only having the Blu to watch, especially when they're so hard to play without the right tools. I find myself drooling at some of their releases...
quote:Sometimes, if we are lucky, here in the US, we'll get a port of some of the Arrow extras on a Kino or Synapse disk. If we are lucky...
Don't feel too bad Crash - 'Shout! / Scream! Factory' do decent releases too. I found myself having to buy their Phantom of the Paradise Blu Ray just to get the cast commentary. They also have reversible covers.
quote:logan 5 did you notice on the documentary for the streets of fire blu ray michael pare seems to get quite emotional when talking about diane lane,i reckon they definitely had something good going there and it didn't quite work out for them.
I did. I think maybe he had the crush but nothing really happened. She was a lot younger than him at the time (and I think she was seeing Matt Dillon). I noticed her and Willem's lack of participation a lot (would have been nice to hear from Jim Steinman too). Still a good doc.
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