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The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
I checked out your video and am now happily humming along. I love the movie, and even like the tune.
You will have to let me know what you think of From Beyond once you've had a chance to watch it in its entirety. Sometimes we have to take what we get when it comes to the extras, but I am generally quite pleased when those are also restored.
You will have to let me know what you think of From Beyond once you've had a chance to watch it in its entirety. Sometimes we have to take what we get when it comes to the extras, but I am generally quite pleased when those are also restored.
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
I finished it this weekend, and it is well worth the investment. The picture quality is quite good -- about as good as you could expect with a transfer for a 1980s Empire Pictures production. The detail was pretty consistent -- much more so than with the Phantasm II disc. The restored footage is still integrated pretty seamlessly; unless you know what you are looking for, you may not even notice the differences. Among the ported-over special features from the old DVD, it has the one with Stuart Gordon explaining their censorship problems; that featurette gives a good overview of many (but not all) of the extended scenes so that you can know what to look for when you watch the film itself. The sound quality is nothing to write home about as it is simply a translation of the original Ultra Stereo soundtrack into 5.1, but I am fine with that. The new features are interesting as well, and in HD. In the interview with Barbara Crampton, she says that From Beyond is not just her favorite of the Stuart Gordon movies that she starred in, but her favorite movie and role, period. Jeffrey Combs is perhaps a bit less enthusiastic, but only because his role is a bit more passive compared to Herbert West in Reanimator. The best of the new features is a roughly twenty-minute look at the makeup effects with the original artists like John Carl Buechler and Mark Shostrom.
You want the disc. Buy it.
I am through the fourth episode of Boardwalk now and it is clearly superior to season one; unless things fall off toward the end, it makes me more enthusiastic about the third season.
You want the disc. Buy it.
I am through the fourth episode of Boardwalk now and it is clearly superior to season one; unless things fall off toward the end, it makes me more enthusiastic about the third season.
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
I do want the disc now. Dammit.
Regarding the sound: On older feature, I actually prefer a restored mono or stereo track, but I'm probably in the minority on that one. With the Universal set, for example, I was quite pleased that they did not try to go the surround route.
Yes, I thought Boardwalk, Season 2 was stronger, and I don't recall it faltering in the last episodes, but you might feel differently.
Regarding the sound: On older feature, I actually prefer a restored mono or stereo track, but I'm probably in the minority on that one. With the Universal set, for example, I was quite pleased that they did not try to go the surround route.
Yes, I thought Boardwalk, Season 2 was stronger, and I don't recall it faltering in the last episodes, but you might feel differently.
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
My preference is for the soundtracks to retain their original format, even with mono remaining mono, with one exception. If they can track down the original elements and have stereo seperations for the the music, I would rather have that upgraded -- still mono dialogue and effects, but stereo music. However, even if a soundtrack is redone in 5.1 and even if that means that they recorded new effects, it is not a deal-breaker for me like other alterations to the content. There are a few irritating ones, though: the DVD and Blu-Ray releases for the original Gone in 60 Seconds contain the original dialogue only; all of the effects AND the music have been replaced, and the new music is not particularly period-authentic. There were a lot of complaints on the interwebs about that one, but no one is entirely clear on why that happened. I did still pick up the disc, but the changes are really distracting.
Shout/Scream Factor(ies) continue to impress: Knightriders is set for a July release.
Shout/Scream Factor(ies) continue to impress: Knightriders is set for a July release.
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
So many new releases, and only so much money . . .
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
Well, at least you can plan early now: Game of Thrones Season Three is already up for preorder, after only a couple of episodes have aired!
Halfway through Boardwalk. My criticisms of Shannon's character still stand, but that is one of my only major complaints. Speaking of Shannon, check this out:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/new-man-of-steel-pictures-from-entertainment-weeklys-summer-movie-preview/
I was skeptical of bringing General Zod back -- after five movies, can we have ONE villain that we have not seen yet? -- but I do have to say, holy COW does Shannon look intense in that picture! Only one picture, I know, but it gives me hope.
Halfway through Boardwalk. My criticisms of Shannon's character still stand, but that is one of my only major complaints. Speaking of Shannon, check this out:
http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/new-man-of-steel-pictures-from-entertainment-weeklys-summer-movie-preview/
I was skeptical of bringing General Zod back -- after five movies, can we have ONE villain that we have not seen yet? -- but I do have to say, holy COW does Shannon look intense in that picture! Only one picture, I know, but it gives me hope.
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
Glenn Erickson, aka DVD Savant, just took on the Region B version of The Horror of Dracula. Despite some questionable colour timing, we need a Region A version of that disc!!!!!
http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s4144drac.html?___rd=1
http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s4144drac.html?___rd=1
Iago- Posts : 4544
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
Well, that was fast: guess who?
http://www.movie-censorship.com/news_en.php?ID=4932
End of this month!
http://www.movie-censorship.com/news_en.php?ID=4932
End of this month!
Iago- Posts : 4544
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
I'm curious to hear what you think of Shannon's character at the season progresses.
I'm not sure what to think of Man of Steel. As I've said before, Superman doesn't do it for me, so I'm ho-hum about another Superman movie. But I agree that Shannon looks really intense.
Very cool about The Horror of Dracula.
Afraid I can't view your link from my work connection. It's flagged as adult content . . . .
I'm not sure what to think of Man of Steel. As I've said before, Superman doesn't do it for me, so I'm ho-hum about another Superman movie. But I agree that Shannon looks really intense.
Very cool about The Horror of Dracula.
Afraid I can't view your link from my work connection. It's flagged as adult content . . . .
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
Well, that was a story on MovieCensorship.com, which does have photo comparisons of various versions of hundreds of films, and some of them do feature nudity, so that would be why. It was just a story about the Hammer Dracula being released in the U.S., by none other than our good old friends Scream Factory. And supposedly the date is April 30, though I cannot find it on Amazon.
Did you ever watch any of the Superman animated series that was produced by Bruce Timm, et. al.? It was not the equal of Batman, but then again not much is. But it is extremely well done, and it gave me a new appreciation for the character. Plus, it helped lead into Justice League, which remains one of the finest superhero adaptions ever made in any format.
Did you ever watch any of the Superman animated series that was produced by Bruce Timm, et. al.? It was not the equal of Batman, but then again not much is. But it is extremely well done, and it gave me a new appreciation for the character. Plus, it helped lead into Justice League, which remains one of the finest superhero adaptions ever made in any format.
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
Oh, I knew you weren't linking to anything bad (at least, not in my mind). I was poking at the Nazi-like security settings through my work connection.
I have not watched Superman: The Animated Series.
I have not watched Superman: The Animated Series.
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
I understand what you meant; I was just explaining WHY your gestapo would block that site. It is an indespensible resource for tracking the different versions of movies, though.
In addition to containing the definitive version of Lex Luthor, voiced impeccably by Clancy Brown, Superman has probably the single best bit of voice casting in the entire Timmiverse: Gilbert Gottfried as Mr. Mxyzptlk. The first episode in which he appears is a pretty faithful rendition of Mxyzptlk's first appearance in the comics decades ago.
The series also made some notable alterations to the canon which have since been incorporated into the comics (just like happened with Batman.) They made Brainiac into a supercomputer on Krypton which was aware of the impending disaster, but decided that he was more important than all of Krypton and let everyone perish while saving himself. That gave a nice personal note to the conflicts between Brainiac and Superman. Also, to help solve the fact that Superman is too powerful for most of his villains, they introduced Darkseid from Jack Kirby's New Gods into the series as its prime villian, and Darkseid is probably the single most powerful character in the DC universe. The arc in the final season of the series was very impressive. (Plus, they had Ed Asner frickin' voicing Granny Goodness, and how better can you get than that?)
You may find yourself more sympathetic to the new Man of Steel movie, since Chris Nolan is producing it and David S. Goyer was involved in the story. One of their main objectives was to throttle back Superman's overall power to keep him more believable, and allow for more dramatic conflict.
In addition to containing the definitive version of Lex Luthor, voiced impeccably by Clancy Brown, Superman has probably the single best bit of voice casting in the entire Timmiverse: Gilbert Gottfried as Mr. Mxyzptlk. The first episode in which he appears is a pretty faithful rendition of Mxyzptlk's first appearance in the comics decades ago.
The series also made some notable alterations to the canon which have since been incorporated into the comics (just like happened with Batman.) They made Brainiac into a supercomputer on Krypton which was aware of the impending disaster, but decided that he was more important than all of Krypton and let everyone perish while saving himself. That gave a nice personal note to the conflicts between Brainiac and Superman. Also, to help solve the fact that Superman is too powerful for most of his villains, they introduced Darkseid from Jack Kirby's New Gods into the series as its prime villian, and Darkseid is probably the single most powerful character in the DC universe. The arc in the final season of the series was very impressive. (Plus, they had Ed Asner frickin' voicing Granny Goodness, and how better can you get than that?)
You may find yourself more sympathetic to the new Man of Steel movie, since Chris Nolan is producing it and David S. Goyer was involved in the story. One of their main objectives was to throttle back Superman's overall power to keep him more believable, and allow for more dramatic conflict.
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
Anything is possible, and I will give the remake a shot, but I doubt I'll run out on Day 1 to see it. I'll probably hold back and see what initial reviews think of the movie.
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
Well, reboot not remake, but I think that you may be pleasantly surprised. I read another interview with David Goyer where while he said that he was a huge fan of the Donner movie, one thing that always bothered him was the casual way that Lois asks, "So you're from Krypton, huh?" and then goes on like it is no big deal. Goyer said that he started to conceive of it as a "first contact" story, and that was the "eureka" moment that helped him develop the story in a different way. He is really focusing on what it means for not just for a man with superhuman strength to integrate into human society, but for a man from another frickin' PLANET to integrate into human society.
By the way, back to an earlier discussion, you must see this:
http://io9.com/the-game-of-thrones-theme-as-played-on-a-bell-tower-476970935
By the way, back to an earlier discussion, you must see this:
http://io9.com/the-game-of-thrones-theme-as-played-on-a-bell-tower-476970935
Iago- Posts : 4544
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
Yes, reboot it is!
I actually watched the older Superman movies with Christopher Reeve. The late 70s and 80s cheese aside, I actually thought the films were okay and Reeve did a decent job of playing Superman and Clark Kent. If anything, he is a little too nice--I think of the rougher Superman we see in Miller's The Dark Knight Rises as a stark contrast.
Very cool bell sequence!
I actually watched the older Superman movies with Christopher Reeve. The late 70s and 80s cheese aside, I actually thought the films were okay and Reeve did a decent job of playing Superman and Clark Kent. If anything, he is a little too nice--I think of the rougher Superman we see in Miller's The Dark Knight Rises as a stark contrast.
Very cool bell sequence!
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
I agree about him being to nice, but my biggest issue with him is lack of believability. Sort of like Roger Moore as Bond -- I can never believe Moore doing the physical stuff, and I never bought Reeve either. The biggest issue is visual; I expect my Super(men) to be built. I know that the argument is that with Superman, it is not about the muscles, but rather about the effects of Earth's yellow sun, but there is a simple visual disconnect when you see superhuman feats being performed by someone with a not-so impressive physique. Reeve was certainly a step up from George Reeves, but he was still not muscular enough. Combine that with Reeve's inherent niceness, and he was never a believable superhero. Henry Cavill is the first actor to play the role who is genuinely built, and looks closer to the comic version (not as exaggerated, of course, but a good translation of the comic physique into believable human terms.) Plus, he looks the part more than Reeve did. Time will tell how good he is at the role, but seeing him in The Immortals gave me hope.
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
“It’s the most realistic movie I’ve made,” Snyder said. “There’s no tongue in anyone’s cheek. I’m not apologizing for Superman in any way. I’m saying, ‘Superman is a thing that must be taken seriously and embraced and understood.’”
The filmmakers approached “Man of Steel” as though no other Superman film had been made, referring solely to the comics as source material, said producer Charles Roven.
“We had the canon that we needed to pay homage to,” Roven said. “We need to make sure that Superman comes from Krypton. We weren’t going to change that — those kinds of touchstones. But everything else between those touchstones was fair game.”
http://herocomplex.latimes.com/movies/man-of-steel-zack-snyder-says-superman-must-be-taken-seriously/#/4
The filmmakers approached “Man of Steel” as though no other Superman film had been made, referring solely to the comics as source material, said producer Charles Roven.
“We had the canon that we needed to pay homage to,” Roven said. “We need to make sure that Superman comes from Krypton. We weren’t going to change that — those kinds of touchstones. But everything else between those touchstones was fair game.”
http://herocomplex.latimes.com/movies/man-of-steel-zack-snyder-says-superman-must-be-taken-seriously/#/4
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
Sigh. I wanted Immortals to be a much better film than it was.
I actually think Cavill was a little too lean in Immortals to fit the Superman persona. I'm glad to see he bulked up. In the screenshots I've seen, he looks like a brute.
I agree with you regarding Christopher Reeve's physique, but the 80s were a funny era. Being built and in movies almost wasn't cool unless your name was Sly, Arnie, Van Damme, or any one of the other action heroes. Even in real life, with obesity at a high around the world, I think there are more people pushing the envelope and going for fit or built looks.
I actually think Cavill was a little too lean in Immortals to fit the Superman persona. I'm glad to see he bulked up. In the screenshots I've seen, he looks like a brute.
I agree with you regarding Christopher Reeve's physique, but the 80s were a funny era. Being built and in movies almost wasn't cool unless your name was Sly, Arnie, Van Damme, or any one of the other action heroes. Even in real life, with obesity at a high around the world, I think there are more people pushing the envelope and going for fit or built looks.
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
I really wanted to love The Immortals. Tarsem Singh's previous film, The Fall, is an absolutely astonishing film. Even The Cell, while a fairly stupid movie overall, had some truly spectacular dream sequences. If Marvel ever does make a Dr. Strange movie, Tarsem would be my first and only choice for director.
I was not talking about Cavill's overall build in The Immortals as much as I was about his general look and demeanor. But clearly he has the genetics as well, though having Snyder bring in the trainer from 300 certainly did not hurt!
I was not talking about Cavill's overall build in The Immortals as much as I was about his general look and demeanor. But clearly he has the genetics as well, though having Snyder bring in the trainer from 300 certainly did not hurt!
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
I don't think I've ever read a Dr. Strange book. In fact, I couldn't tell you much about the character. I assume he's a sorcerer or wizard?
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
Indeed, and one who spends much time in alternate dimensions. Picture this kind of thing brought to life by Tarsem:
We are going to have a light day today and catch Oblivion in a theatre at The Palms that has a screen with a Dolby Atmos sound system. I have not too much interest in the movie, but there are only a handful of Atmos screens out there right now, and none of them in the upper Midwest, so I need to take my opportunities.
We are going to have a light day today and catch Oblivion in a theatre at The Palms that has a screen with a Dolby Atmos sound system. I have not too much interest in the movie, but there are only a handful of Atmos screens out there right now, and none of them in the upper Midwest, so I need to take my opportunities.
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
" . . . learn if you be worthy!" aside, I can see what you mean.
Atmos hasn't hit Calgary either. Although it's in Winnipeg, so go figure . . . .
Atmos hasn't hit Calgary either. Although it's in Winnipeg, so go figure . . . .
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
Well Oblivion was thoroughly mediocre, but I am still glad that I went to experience the Atmos system. It certainly has potential. The overall mix for Oblivion tended to be generally loud, but I would really like to hear what can be done with quieter moments. The ability to direct specific effects into any of up to 128 individual speakers really makes you wonder what would happen with, say, a jungle scene or other quieter but lively environment, or a horror film. The latter genre would really have possibilities for creeping out the audience.
Oblivion was not actually a bad film, by the way, just one that fails to excel.
Oblivion was not actually a bad film, by the way, just one that fails to excel.
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
Glad you got to try it out. It will be some time before I have the opportunity, I think.
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Re: The miscellaneous Blu-Ray/DVD thread
A good rant by Bill Hunt at the Digital Bits from a few days ago:
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/columns/my-two-cents/050113_1515
Not the Oz rant at the top (though he make a very good point there) but the physical media/download rant at the bottom.
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/columns/my-two-cents/050113_1515
Not the Oz rant at the top (though he make a very good point there) but the physical media/download rant at the bottom.
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