Shout! Factory / Scream Factory

[tenia]

The 1.78 version looks like it's culled from a decade old EEd master. I dont know how Shout is making their new 2k scans but between Rabid which fails to be sharper than a less-than-optimal one and Dead Ringers where people prefer the older sharpened master, there seems to be something very wrong going on.

[Cronenfly]

Can't speak too well to Rabid, but I have never seen a version of Dead Ringers that looks particularly good (have not seen it projected on 35mm or digitally, admittedly, but other home video releases make me think the elements are not conducive to a solid HD presentation). I'll reserve further judgment until I see them in motion, but if Arrow could not do any better with Rabid, at least, I am thinking these are unlikely to be improved upon, even if one considers them a relative fumble on Shout/Scream's part.

[AfterTheRain]

As if it needed another release, the original Red Dawn is the latest Shout Select title in the line.

[dwk]

Scream is releasing RoboCop 2 and RoboCop 3 special edition Blu-rays on March 21st

[domino harvey]

Hahahaha

[Big Ben]

Why would I want a Collector's Edition of that?

[domino harvey]

As my dad once told me when as a kid I tried to get him to buy me a "collector's edition" of Mad magazine at the grocery store, "Son, they can put 'collector's edition' on anything, it doesn't mean shit."

[tenia]

As much as I like RoboCop 2, I found RoboCop 3 dumb and bad even when I watched it for the first time when I was a child (I'm unsure but I think I saw it when I was 10 or something).

[colinr0380]

The issue with RoboCop 3 (aside from the loss of Peter Weller and Nancy Allen getting unceremoniously disposed of) is that it is transitioning away from the ultraviolence towards a more toned down approach that was all leading towards that short lived 1994 TV series, hence the appealing to children's toy manufacturers jet pack sequence. I have to admit though that I'd be curious about seeing what the extra features are for these (maybe even that single season TV series itself). If there could be interviews with Robert Burke, who took over from Weller (and was quite an interesting actor around this time as the lead in Dust Devil and of a number of Hal Hartley's films), or Rip Torn that would be interesting. Or something about the supporting cast such as Mako who was a familiar supporting actor around this period of the late 80s/early 90s in films like Pacific Heights, Tucker and Rising Sun.

But of course the real coup would be an interview with CCH Pounder! Maybe use the time to talk about her other significant roles in that period such as in Sliver, Lifepod (the TV movie sci-fi version of Hitchcock's Lifeboat! Though I slightly prefer the other claustrophobic sci-fi TV movie from around the same period, Trapped In Space, which is based on an Arthur C. Clarke story), Tales From The Crypt: Demon Knight or the radio DJ in Psycho IV: The Beginning!

[flyonthewall2983]

Bradley Whitford is also in 3, which is quite jarring considering he was in probably the best scene of Scent of a Woman with Pacino a year earlier. Stephen Root, Jill Hennessy and Shane Black are also in it. Quite honestly both of these are terrible (I remember 2 being much worse than 3, unlike a lot of people apparently), but they look like Godfather 2 and Toy Story 3 compared to the TV shows, especially the made-for-Canadian-TV movie Prime Directives.

I'm curious how extensive these editions will be, they never appear to short-change any of their releases from what I've seen.

[bearcuborg]

To those who dismiss Robocop 2, you might wanna see it once more - if you guys ever saw it in the first place. Kersh didn't direct just one amazing sequel...

Robocop 2 is a great, underrated action movie. Multiple villains, all of them great fun - top notch stop motion photography - and a truly wonderful "bad guys win" ending. Perhaps some of Frank Miller's best writing too. An extended cut could make it as good as the first, because it's damn close now.

[Costa]

I'm glad I haven't bought yet the Robocop trilogy.
Robocop 2 is one of the movies I watched in my childhood at the cinema (i saw it before the first movie), and i loved it, so I'll buy this.

Haven't seen the 3rd, but from the comments I read, I think I shouldn't.

Are we sure that this will be an updated quality video/audio wise?
(I'm not an extras guy)

[JamesF]

(I remember 2 being much worse than 3, unlike a lot of people apparently)

Nope, me too. Having rewatched it recently, 3's clearly far from a great film, but it is about as fun as you'd expect from the director of Night Of The Creeps and The Monster Squad, and has a great cast of character actors as outlined above. (Don't forget the opening cameo by James Lorinz!) 2, by contrast, is just kind of glibly unpleasant and mean-spirited, and not having Basil Poledouris' score is a big minus. Perhaps I am due a rewatch of it to see if my opinion's changed.

All that said, I think I'd rather watch the infamous edited-for-TV version of the first one again...

[colinr0380]

Out of the two, I slightly prefer the second film for keeping some of the ultraviolent and blackly comic tone of the original, though its all a bit cruder and slightly (though not entirely) less tongue-in-cheek satirical here. The big problem I have with the second film is turning Dan O'Herlihy's "Old Man" chairman of the company character into an all out villain, compared to amusingly just despairing at the murderous, back-stabbing antics of his employees (whilst keeping plausible deniability about his enabling of all the murder!) in the first film. The entire ending sequence of the first film revolves around O'Herlihy firing Ronny Cox's character and allowing the lawful dispensation of justice(!), so it is a little disappointing to see some of that subtlety of the head of the organisation always being able to get away with it being lost in the second film.

Though the third film isn't terrible, just tonally rather different from what has gone before. Really the main benefit of these special editions will be what they can add in terms of special features. Hopefully they'll give the cast and crew the first opportunities to discuss their work, as really all the attention has previously (albeit understandably) always focused on Verhoeven's film.

[AfterTheRain]

What's the Matter with Helen? slated for Blu-ray release in March. "Goody, Goody"

[flyonthewall2983]

"The sequel manages to get an impressive and unexpected number of things right. It's violent. It's satirical. It's action packed. It tries to do new things with the character. And yet, almost none of it works. This isn't a soulless film, but it somehow looks and acts like one."

[colinr0380]

The other film from around this period that feels as if it has almost the exact same set of problems in following an almost unique original is The Fly II. I think RoboCop 2 hangs together better as a whole film, but The Fly II hits higher 'peaks' (particularly the finale that seems to be homaging the end of Tod Browning's Freaks), if that makes any sense!

[Adam X]

Really the main benefit of these special editions will be what they can add in terms of special features. Hopefully they'll give the cast and crew the first opportunities to discuss their work, as really all the attention has previously (albeit understandably) always focused on Verhoeven's film.

Although there is RoboDoc, currently in post, that's covering all 3 films & the TV series.

[flyonthewall2983]

Regardless of me liking them, I think it's cool that two under-appreciated sequels are getting this kind of treatment. Highly doubtful that MGM/Fox would loan them out for it, but I always kind of wished that the Rocky sequels had special editions (or at least a commentary track from Sly) to even out with the first one.

[domino harvey]

Complete Billy Jack collection in January

Now delayed indefinitely. Glad I sold my pristine Image set...

[Adam X]

In the face of the usual online apoplexy, Shout! Factory have set up a replacement program for their Black Christmas release, due to sibilance issues on the included mono soundtrack.

We will be offering a replacement (Disc 1 only) of our Blu-ray release of BLACK CHRISTMAS which will include the original mono audio track as it was presented on prior releases of the film on DVD and Blu-ray.

Instructions to receive this replacement disc are as follows:

Send an email to our customer service department @ [email protected]
Please include “BLACK CHRISTMAS REPLACEMENT PROGRAM” in the subject line.
Please provide your first and last name and the mailing address in which you would like the disc sent to. No other copy is needed.
Must provide proof of purchase (photo of receipt or online order will do) in the body of the email.
You will not receive a shipment confirmation. Also, please note that due to the high volume of inquires we will not be able to respond to each email personally.
Replacement discs are expected to ship in January 2017 and as soon as we receive them. No tracking numbers will be assigned.

We’d like to also take this time to address the fans that brought this to our attention and explain more in detail as to why our mono audio track for Black Christmas sounded so rough. Unfortunately, we were not able to find a mag track, only an optical track, which is not an ideal source for this kind of work. However, based on earlier customer feedback who hoped for lossless mono audio, we decided to include the mono audio track with minimal processing and compression. The was a decision made with the best of intentions and the hope of providing the most authentic film presentation, but the hissy sibilance of the optical track proved to be too extreme and took away from the viewing experience. We’re sorry for the frustration it may have caused. We have explored all options to correct the problem that fit within our resources and have concluded that the best solution was to use the mono audio track originally released on the Critical Mass DVD.

Much thanks for your patience and continued support. And we look forward to bringing you more great retro films in 2017.
Customer Service
Shout! Factory
2034 Armacost Ave., 1st Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90025
[email protected]

[tenia]

In the face of the usual online apoplexy

I'd tend to say that the launch of a replacement program (with all the associated costs) tend to point that such online feedback shouldn't be met with such disdain. If Shout ! were beyond reproach on that one, they simply wouldn't bother and would only rely on explaining people why this is the best and there won't be additional work.

I'd also tend to say that the inclusion of older masters in some of their releases (like Black Christmas) is a practice that doesn't send a very good message in terms of confidence. It's like "we're getting a brand new OCN-sourced 2K restoration, but we're not confident in it at all, so here is a BD with the old obsolete filter HD master alongside". I suppose they think this will allow them to address straight away any controversy, but it's actually the opposite.

[Adam X]

It's not the subject of the feedback that's the issue here, but the increasingly frequent entitled anger that's thrown in a label's direction for even the most minor of issues; most commonly with regard to genre titles. A problem with a release isn't necessarily something to just accept without comment, but many seem to act as if these discs are being released in such a fashion intentionally.

[tenia]

I believe it's all a question of rate of defect and in the present case, it seems that Shout's QC could indeed gain in being tighter. So it's not so much "intentionally" releasing stuff with issues than releasing month after month releases with issues than shouldnt have past QC controls.
Crap happens, even with a tight QC, but I can understand people thinking at some point "there's regularly issues on Shout releases that could have been avoided".
And past this, it's all a negative aura biasing people reactions. Let's face it : when it comes to that kind of things, Shout doesnt really have a positive aura : regular issues, compression issues, not really definitive new restorations, etc etc.

[Adam X]

I think you're misunderstanding what I'm saying, tenia. I was never referring to the reaction to Scream (Shout!) Factory releases specifically, but instead to the reaction any perceived issue from any label is met with.