Feego wrote: Sun Oct 21, 2018 1:56 am
VCI has released a dull and waxy Blu-ray edition of Blood and Black Lace in what some claim to be the "correct" 1.85:1 aspect ratio. A few Blu-ray.com posters are already proclaiming this to be superior to Arrow's edition for aspect ratio alone, despite the fact that it otherwise looks like crap.
Is this finally the first VCI Blu with AVC as opposed to MPEG2, like they were still doing even a year ago......?
Also: Of course Blu-ray.com forum goes the dumbest route possible.
Minkin wrote: Sun Oct 21, 2018 2:30 am
Also: Of course Blu-ray.com forum goes the dumbest route possible.
I think that's one of the most expected video reaction, this year. There even are people saying "You can see the extra info on the sides the Arrow version matted off." when comparing non-matching frames... #-o
I picked up The Leg Fighters, which came out from a new VCI sub-label called Pearl River Collection which is specifically releasing rare martial arts films. They say in the special features that it's a way to properly present rarities that have now been relegated to bad VHS rips online. I often think about how many Ocean Shores VHS releases from the 80s have sort of just ended up on YouTube because these films are often in copyright purgatory. The release says it's a 2K scan from the best surviving elements, which in this case is a black market print with burned in subtitles from the Hollywood Theater in Portland, which they claim is the only known copy of the film in the western hemisphere. I'm certainly used to seeing my share of pink, deteriorated, sliced-up prints in real life, so this didn't bother me at all. And to any collectors of Hong Kong cinema, prints or copies with burned in subs are often the only way to watch features as often times original camera negatives, outtakes, and theatrical prints from the pre-digital age would often be neglected or intentionally destroyed. I was mostly surprised how well the color still looked and that for a relatively obscure feature, they decided to get director approval on the transfer. It's not a spectacular transfer, but I'm still impressed anyone is doing this. The film itself is very funny that seems to one to channel a bit of Drunken Master comedy in, even hiring an actor with a very similar haircut to Chan's in that film. Of course, the performers don't have the manic energy of Jackie Chan, but it's a great example of the direct influence Chinese opera moves can have on martial arts cinema, this is an excellent example. Looking forward to their next release of Dynamo, one of many Brucesploitation films they have coming up.
senseabove wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 6:42 pm
VCI has scanning LoC elements for the 1932 version of Rain, planned for release in the Fall.
Coming to Blu-ray 9/13 from VCI Horror Movies
Rain (1932): 90th Anniversary
new 4K restoration, produced from the original, uncut 94-minute version
Bonus Materials
Commentary track by Mick LaSalle Writer for the San Francisco Chronicle and noted film historian.
Commentary track by Richard Barrios Writer, Historian, and Commentator
Liner notes reprinted from Views & Reviews Magazine by Jon Tuska, author and film historian.
Original Theatrical Trailer
Poster & Photo Gallery
Period appropriate Betty Boop Cartoon and Newsreel
Alternate Opening Title and Credits Sequence from the 18-minute shorter, 1938 Atlantic Reissue
senseabove wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 6:42 pm
VCI has scanning LoC elements for the 1932 version of Rain, planned for release in the Fall.
Coming to Blu-ray 9/13 from VCI Horror Movies
Rain (1932): 90th Anniversary
new 4K restoration, produced from the original, uncut 94-minute version
Bonus Materials
Commentary track by Mick LaSalle Writer for the San Francisco Chronicle and noted film historian.
Commentary track by Richard Barrios Writer, Historian, and Commentator
Liner notes reprinted from Views & Reviews Magazine by Jon Tuska, author and film historian.
Original Theatrical Trailer
Poster & Photo Gallery
Period appropriate Betty Boop Cartoon and Newsreel
Alternate Opening Title and Credits Sequence from the 18-minute shorter, 1938 Atlantic Reissue
Though it still shows incorrectly on Amazon, I just picked this up (you're all welcome, because now surely Radiance announces this is in their Mexican Bunuel box) and they fixed the typo on the cover (and it's still pressed)
The excellent and underseen noir Impact will be coming to Blu in January. Shame a different label wasn’t able to release this and get it the attention it deserves
Has anyone seen VCI's release of Street Scene? It's being touted as a 4K restoration, but so far I
haven't seen any reviews and it's been sitting in my queue for a while.
I'm not well-versed in technicality or as eagle-eyed as some members here, but I think it looks just fine, without the excessive DNR or coarse encoding one might expect from a VCI release (I've seen my share of those). Of course, it's not a laser-sharp, UHD-worthy restoration of a big Hollywood production from the 40s or 50s handled by Warner Archive Collection, and there are still anomalies like light flickering or a few frame-skipping (most likely originated from the materials), but I won't hesitate to recommend it to those who are interested.
domino harvey wrote: Mon Sep 16, 2024 10:20 pm
The excellent and underseen noir Impact will be coming to Blu in January. Shame a different label wasn’t able to release this and get it the attention it deserves
