DVD & Blu-Ray Purchases Thread - (DVD's! Do you buy them New or Used?...)

[EvilNed]

I just don't see the point in including the Night of Anubis workprint tho. It's just the exact same film but with another titlecard and a few zombie stocks switched around.

[MinionZombie]

I just don't see the point in including the Night of Anubis workprint tho. It's just the exact same film but with another titlecard and a few zombie stocks switched around. Yeah, it's a damn shame that rumoured missing footage didn't come to pass. The "Night of Anubis" workprint ... yeah ... not much difference, I'd have preferred a little comparison featurette instead (there's an excellent comparison doc between two versions of Mario Bava's "Black Sabbath" on the Arrow Video blu-ray of that, btw). But if you want to watch a scruffy old print of Night, then I suppose there's that.

[bassman]

Have you picked up Arrow's release of The Crazies? I have not, though I've been tempted on several occasions. Torn between the single release or the "Between Night and Dawn" release. I just don't see the point in including the Night of Anubis workprint tho. It's just the exact same film but with another titlecard and a few zombie stocks switched around. Agreed, as MZ says, with such minor changes, they could've created a small doc with better results. It's not like Alien 3, where the workprint/assembly is drastically different. Arrow's release of "Bride of Re-Animator" is excellent. Crammed full with features and has the theatrical and uncut versions of the film. Highly recommended. Ah yes, that Creepshow making of was on the 2-disc UK DVD from several years ago. A rare occasion of the UK getting a superior release to America. I'll keep an eye out for "Bride". Much appreciated! Yeah, the creator of Just Desserts goes into detail on why it is that there was never a R1 release. The short of it is that Warner Brothers were the distributors of Creepshow in the US, while some off shoot of Universal distributed across the pond. He'd worked on the great Anchor Bay releases of Dawn/Day, as well as Arrow, and was on-set of both Land and Diary, so he'd formed a good reputation with Romero and crew. He formed his own production company and set out to make Just Desserts. He sent a nice proposal to WB how he could produce the features and special edition, but they came back with a blunt "not interested". He'd heard that perhaps they were working on a R2 release, so he sent the same proposal to that division of Universal and got an immediate positive response. They were actually far along on the R2 release, even started printing some of the discs, but they cancelled it all to wait for his doc. Years and years later, WB still doesn't wish to license his COMPLETED doc, so he released it on his own. It all comes down to WB's lack of faith in Creepshow, which they also showed during the film's release.

[MinionZombie]

Yeah, the creator of Just Desserts goes into detail on why it is that there was never a R1 release. The short of it is that Warner Brothers were the distributors of Creepshow in the US, while some off shoot of Universal distributed across the pond. He'd worked on the great Anchor Bay releases of Dawn/Day, as well as Arrow, and was on-set of both Land and Diary, so he'd formed a good reputation with Romero and crew. He formed his own production company and set out to make Just Desserts. He sent a nice proposal to WB how he could produce the features and special edition, but they came back with a blunt "not interested". He'd heard that perhaps they were working on a R2 release, so he sent the same proposal to that division of Universal and got an immediate positive response. They were actually far along on the R2 release, even started printing some of the discs, but they cancelled it all to wait for his doc. Years and years later, WB still doesn't wish to license his COMPLETED doc, so he released it on his own. It all comes down to WB's lack of faith in Creepshow, which they also showed during the film's release. Interesting! Weird, too, because I thought "Creepshow" was a bit of a hit in theatres, wasn't it? Good on the R2 distributor to snap up a good opportunity. I must re-watch that doc as I've only seen it once, and that was back when I got the R2 DVD - when it released - so it's been quite a long time now, but I do recall it being absolutely excellent. Oh yeah, you mentioned the ROTLD documentary - I've got the standalone DVD release of it and, naturally, the Blu-Ray of the first film (with the doc + the doc's extras on the package!!! ), but that doc is proper good. IIRC it's from the same people who did those definitive docs for the Friday the 13th and Nightmare On Elm Street franchises.

[bassman]

From what they say in the special features, Warner Brothers could have done a better job promoting the film. It was number one at the box office on its first weekend(the ONLY film of Romero’s to ever make that achievement), but kinda trailed off after that initial weekend. The film turned a profit, but not one considered large enough for Warner Brothers’ standards. That’s why Creepshow 2 was produced by New World Pictures, because WB sold off their rights. So basically they dropped any interest in the Creepshow franchise after only one weekend in theaters. I believe you’re right about the producers of the Return documentary. I have the Friday the 13th box collection, but sadly Crystal Lake Memories isn’t included. Been very tempted to purchase it on it’s own release, because both Docs for Return and Nightmare are top notch.

[EvilNed]

Package arriving from Diabolik soon, with Enigma Rosso, Violent Professionals, A Quiet Place in the Country and Threads. Great to see a proper bluray release of Threads, although I hear the picture quality is so, so.

[shootemindehead]

It's as good as you can really expect Neddy. Still worth picking up. One of the all time greatest TV dramas I have ever seen. Still fucks me up when I watch it. Partly because it's set in Sheffield, which is hardly the go to place for TV and Movie drama locations. But, it makes it all the more real because of it. Kid me was allowed to stay up and watch this in 1984. Couldn't sleep for a week, and that was after a steady diet of horror movies.

[MinionZombie]

I believe you’re right about the producers of the Return documentary. I have the Friday the 13th box collection, but sadly Crystal Lake Memories isn’t included. Been very tempted to purchase it on it’s own release, because both Docs for Return and Nightmare are top notch. Crystal Lake Memories is well worth a purchase. I've got the Blu-Ray (the doc is spread across two discs) and it's well worth checking out. If you've read the book of the same name it's less revealing as it covers much of the same ground, but if you've not read the book then you're in for a treat.

[EvilNed]

Arrow announced What have they done to your daughters? on Blu Ray yesterday. Looking forward to that one. It's a neat giallo with a hectic carchase as the centerpiece. The ending is somewhat of a letdown and like all Cop / Giallo hybrids the antagonist is an anonymous ring of corrupt people in power rather than some form of psychosexual serial killer.

[MinionZombie]

Arrow announced What have they done to your daughters? on Blu Ray yesterday. Looking forward to that one. It's a neat giallo with a hectic carchase as the centerpiece. The ending is somewhat of a letdown and like all Cop / Giallo hybrids the antagonist is an anonymous ring of corrupt people in power rather than some form of psychosexual serial killer. Aye, I saw the announcement, although it's a US release only (Shameless have the rights to it in the UK). It's a good flick and one of the earlier films in the Italian 70s exploitation era that I watched when getting into this whole thing several years ago (although I had seen several Argento movies long before that). Great music, too (one piece is briefly heard in "Death Proof" when the the ladies' Challenger emerges above Stuntman Mike's Charger). One of my favourites and from the same director as "What Have You Done To Solange?", which was a superb giallo (also available via Arrow Video).

[bassman]

Scream Factory, the horror division of Shout Factory, will be having a “Summer of Fear” sale on their catalogue of genre Blu Rays, June 4th to June 18th. The current page will change on June 11th, and will then feature a whole new set of titles for sale. Dawn04 and Land Collector’s Edtions are among the current titles. https://www.shoutfactory.com/sale/summer-of-fear

[EvilNed]

Scream Factory, the horror division of Shout Factory, will be having a “Summer of Fear” sale on their catalogue of genre Blu Rays, starting today until June 18th. https://www.shoutfactory.com/sale/summer-of-fear Might pick up the Paul Naschy collection. In other news I got two BluRays late last week; Django and Strip Nude for your Killer. Both from Blue Underground. They had a sale at WowHD and I picked them up.

[bassman]

Shout has announced they’ll be releasing a Collectors Edition of the fourth Texas Chainsaw, The Next Generation later this year. No features listed as of yet, but they did announce that they’re currently working on obtaining the best negatives of the extended cut, which I hear is an improvement and quite rare. https://www.shoutfactory.com/product...roduct_id=6834 I seem to remember a few people discussing this entry in the Chainsaw threads, maybe MZ(?), so just passing it along. - - - Updated - - - They’ve also announced a Collectors Edition of City Slickers. It may be a bit “mainstream” for some members, but I’ve always really liked this comedy and will be happy to add it to my collection!

[MinionZombie]

haha, yeah, TCM: The Next Generation ... in many ways it's so utterly awful that it's an insult to the TCM franchise ("the real sequel" my arse! ), but in other ways it's so preposterously over-the-top and absurd and bad that it's actually quite fun (the kitchen scene, for instance). Now, would I bother importing it? Nah, but if it came to UK shores with that alternate version of the movie and the extras included? Yeah, I'd hop on that.

[bassman]

Speaking of imports.....I’m curious if you guys have to actually pay extra importing fees with every purchase, or if your version of Amazon has R1 movies already in your country? For example, all of the foreign releases I’ve picked up, I’ve been able to order them through the American Amazon site with no extra fees and had them delivered in two days. They’d already had the titles brought into the country. - - - Updated - - - Shout is just pumping out the titles this month! They’ve just announced: **NEW TITLE ANNOUNCEMENT** EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC - one of the most infamous horror sequels in history (and that’s an understatement) – will be given the chance to be properly reevaluated in the form of a serious upgrade on Blu-ray this Fall! Here are the early details we have at present time: • This will be branded as a 2-Disc “Collector’s Edition” that will come with a slipcover (guaranteed for three months after its original release date). U.S. and Canada territories (Region A). • Extras and specs are still in progress and will be announced later in August. However, we can confirm today that we will have a new high-definition transfer of two cuts of the film! (This 117 min version that has been on Blu-ray and DVD before and a shorter, alternate version that was created after the film’s initial release in 1977.) You’ll also be happy to know that we have a brand-new interview with ‘Regan’ herself, actress Linda Blair!