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Quint has seen the Criterion DVD set of THE EARLY FILMS OF SAMUEL FULLER as well as a high definition disc of THE HOST!!!
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here.
I have a few stories I need to pop out tonight as I begin the packing process for Comic-Con. Tomorrow’s going to be nuts as I’m sure that 90% of my still hanging interview requests will work themselves out then. So tonight’s the night if I’m going to get this shit done.
I wanted to talk a little bit about some DVDs I’ve seen recently. I don’t get nearly as many as Moriarty or Harry do as I don’t have a regular column. I’ll just review whatever happens to come to me as long as it gets here before release.
So, let’s talk a little about high definition before I jump into my reviews. I’m hesitant to jump into the giant next generation DVD battle at all. It’s so heated and seems to create instant and bitter enemies.
People are so invested in it one way or the other, there’s not going to be any mind-changing.
I’m not claiming I’ve picked the clear winner, but I will tell you why I decided to purchase a high-def player at the time I did and what my experiences with it have been.
Harry’s been pretty out of his mind happy with his Toshiba HD-A2 player. He had me come over and watch some stuff. The first title he put in was ROAD WARRIOR and my main fears with HD as a format kind of dissolved.
In a lot of the advertising and demonstrations I’d seen for both Blu-Ray and HD the older films looked either unusually bright or the grain had been so pronounced as to be distracting. But on ROAD WARRIOR it didn’t look too fake or bright or sharp. It was sharp, of course, but it looked more like film.
I ended up again at Harry’s place when a couple guys named Kevin Collins and Dane Estes dropped in to demonstrate the potential of Harry’s player, help optimally configure his entertainment system and show off any HD-DVD we wanted to see. Kevin had everything that had ever been pressed in HD both domestically and internationally and we ended up spending about 6 hours watching segments from about 60 different titles.
He was honest to us about the weaknesses and strengths of both systems.
I was ready to jump into the high-def pool then, so I did some research when I got back home.
Having not really ever been a huge Playstation fan, I’m not going to buy a PS3 until it drops under $400, so the cheapest Blu-Ray player available to me was around $500 off of pricegrabber.com. On the other hand, there was a big push on those Toshibas and I found I could get a brand new player off of price grabber, from a high rated dealer, for $279.00 including shipping and taxes.
With that I got 5 free movies in the form of a mail in rebate. I was already in the market for an up-converting player, so when you factor in 5 movies at $25 a piece that means I’m getting the player for around $150.
So, I just kind of broke it down.
The possible outcomes of this format war: Blu-Ray Wins, HD-DVD wins, both win or neither win.
Based on what I’ve read, I’d say the most likely outcome will be they both win. Warner Bros has announced a dual format disc that will be able to play both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. I don’t know if that’ll be the future, but you also have to consider that the majority of studios are neutral. There are some exclusive to HD and some exclusive to Blu-Ray, but at the end of the day it’s foolish for any studio to be exclusive one way or the other. They’re just losing revenue.
Basically, for me, it came down to money, to my investment. If I’m wrong about HD either not winning the war or at least surviving it until everything is neutral anyway, then I’m out much less if I had picked Blu-Ray. Considering I was always going for a stand-alone player (I hate watching movies through my video game system… always have, since PS2) there really wasn’t much choice. Get roughly the same visual quality for $500 or $279.
I understand if you’re getting a PS3 anyway, then you don’t have this choice, so I’m not knocking it. Just saying where I’m coming from this made it a safer investment.
So, say the dust settles next month and Blu-Ray dominates the market and HD-DVD disappears. I would be left with about 30 titles that look fantastic on my HD player and I have a great up-converting player to last me until Blu-Ray gets cheap enough to afford.
But that all goes back to why I was hesitant in the first place. I am so heavily invested in standard def DVDs. I have well over 1000 movies plus probably near 50 seasons from different TV shows that range from THE SHIELD to CARNIVALE to 24 to LOST to ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS.
And I have to tell you… there is a noticeable difference with HD, but it’s not that huge. Sure, now that I have HD I’ll go for the high-def versions… why not go for the best possible versions of the movies I want to own? But I still buy standard def. titles that aren’t available in high-def or are exclusive to Blu-ray. The jump from 480p to 1080i (my TV set is an older HD TV that only goes up to 1080i) isn’t the same as the leap of quality from VHS and laserdisc to DVD.
I honestly think that studio exclusives might sway the early adaptors, but it really is a race to who can get a $150 player out there first. Blu-Ray has a lot going for it with the PS3 and exclusive contracts… they’re also really great at publicity. Like how they made it seem like that Blockbuster going Blu-Ray really meant anything. Since when has Blockbuster been relevant? They’re going out of business… and their online service, the one trying to compete with Netflix (remember, the company that’s driving them out of business?) still provides both formats… both do.
That’s all important now, but if HD is just staying in the fight (and that certainly seems to be their game plan) until they get the price of their players down then that won’t matter much in the end. The studios will all go neutral if the mainstream Joe Blows start buying HD-DVD players en masse. The stand-alones already outsell Blu-Ray stand-alones, if these numbers I’ve read are true.
But there’s room for both. I think the future really is going to be neutral, either a different version available for each side or these discs that carry both in one pressing. And all this is just a place holder until direct download becomes the norm anyway.
Blu-Ray is certainly a valid format. I haven’t seen too much of it outside of store displays and conversations with acquaintances that have PS3s, but what I have seen isn’t much different from my player. It’s just more expensive.
I have been sent one high-def title to review and I’ll do so now.
In terms of special features, this release is exactly the same on standard definition and Blu-ray.
I’m not the world’s biggest tech nerd, so forgive me if I don’t go into codecs and artifacting talk. My system is an older Toshiba 65” 1080i rear projection TV. My audio system is a pretty decent Panasonic with Dolby Pro-Logic II and DTS capabilities.
I have to say the biggest difference for me on these high-def titles have been the audio. So much clearer. Louder, but with less noise.
THE HOST is a pretty good test for the system. It’s a beautifully shot movie, so I can test the cinematography as well as compare the CG work on the creature. The sound design is also pretty nice. I told you I’m not a tech-head, so I won’t dwell on this stuff. I just know that it looked and sounded good to me.
If you haven’t seen this flick yet and are at all a fan of monster movies then it doesn’t matter if you have to find it on VHS, you need to watch this movie.
Coming out of Korea, director Joon-ho Bong (MEMORIES OF MURDER) creates this flick that’s equal parts family drama, political satire and monster movie. The creature in this film is born out of the deeds of a US Army man stationed in Korea who decides some chemicals are no longer needed and orders them dumped down the drain.
The sewage system feeds into Seoul’s Han River, where it forces a mutation.
This creature is one of the best designed and executed movie monsters in recent memory. And Bong knows it, too. He doesn’t hide it for long. Within the first 20 minutes the monster has the most amazing entrance… full sunlight, complete havoc and destruction. It’s not huge, but it’s big. The size of a large truck.
The film is kicked off when it grabs a young girl and stashes her away for later feeding. Her family, including a goofy single father, a hard-ass grandpa, an educated uncle and an aunt who is a competitive archer, goes after the monster.
The special features include a commentary by Joon-ho Bong, at least 100 minutes of documentary footage, cast interviews, a gag real, the original Korean trailer, deleted scenes and a “coming soon to HD-DVD” trailer section.
The commentary is actually a pretty fun listen. Bong’s English is very good and he’s kept on track by a longtime British friend who joins him on the commentary. They talk about the origins of the story, the creature design process and the Korean film community as a whole. I also found it interesting when it pointed out connecting threads between this and his first two films, MEMORIES OF MURDER and BARKING DOGS NEVER BITE. Lots of returning actors and themes.
The documentaries are fine, too, but they’re broken up into two groups. MAKING OF THE HOST and THE CREATURE. Each of these tabs have 4 segments covering 10-20 minutes each. There is no play all feature, which is a pain in the ass and they didn’t make it one big doc, so there’s no flow.
However, the behind the scenes info and footage is really good. A little talking heads heavy, but the creature evolution is fascinating. They have some amazing artists in Korea who came up with the most amazing creature designs… and those were the rejects!
I also love the section that goes step by step showing how The Orphanage digitally created the monster. It’s not new to see a comparison between storyboards to animatics to rough animation to the final composite, but they do take a good amount of time to illustrate how the process works, making it clear and simple to follow.
The Gag reel is really from The Orphanage, not the shooting of The Host. It’s a lot of funny rough animation of the creature back-stroking or digital double dancing in the streets or a little cape added to the creature as he takes a long, soaring dive from land to water.
The actor interviews are a bit of a wash. It’s pretty much each actor just saying who they play in the movie and that’s it. That is followed by a fun section were they’re being trained in weapons they use… like a bow and arrow for actress Du-Na Bae and shotgun training for the male leads.
For upcoming HD-DVD titles, we got trailers for Andy Garcia’s LOST CITY, DISTRICT B13 and WORLD’S FASTEST INDIAN. I haven’t seen Garcia’s flick, but it looked the nicest in HD.
Sam Fuller’s films mean a lot to me. I came to them at a really important time in my development as a film lover.
I met Harry for the first time when I bought a FRIDAY THE 13TH one-sheet off of him, his father and his sister at a collector’s expo here in town. Shortly thereafter, I ran into them again my first Austin Film Society event. I’d been to a few AFS screenings before, but this was the first time I bought and paid for my membership. It was the first QT Film Fest.
We started hanging out then… this was 1996. In ’97 the AFS did a Sam Fuller film series. I was 16 and I had never heard of Sam Fuller before. If I remember correctly, Harry and his dad did not have reliable transportation, so I ended up driving them around a lot. Every week I’d go to pick them up and head to the Texas Union theater on the UT campus and watch a new Sam Fuller film. I must have seen a half-dozen films there. CHINA GATE, THE BIG RED ONE, VERBOTEN, STEEL HELMET, SHARK! and WHITE DOG come to memory. I think SHOCK CORRIDOR was in there, too.
Sam Fuller’s voice was unique. He reminds me a lot of a mainstream, non-genre George Romero. His films are very entertaining and he always made a point to push a strong political message.
His first three films are being put out by Criterion in their Eclipse Series next month (August 14th to be exact). They are I SHOT JESSE JAMES, THE BARON OF ARIZONA and STEEL HELMET.
None of these films have special features. This is all about celebrating the difficult to find early works of an under-known master.
I SHOT JESSE JAMES (1949)
This is the story of Robert Ford, the traitor in Jesse James’ gang who shot him in the back in order to collect a reward and immunity. He wanted to start a life with his girl free of persecution.
While it is a little blocky and theatrical, it’s a surprisingly complex look at Robert Ford. He’s not painted as an evil man and you even believe you might have made the same choice in his position. His act was cowardly. He knows it and it tears him apart.
John Ireland plays Bob Ford with a tortured intensity. There’s a moment in the film where he buys a drink for a busker and is rewarded with a song all about the Coward Robert Ford. Without a doubt, this is the biggest moment in the whole movie, the most intense.
The singer stops early in his tune, noticing something is wrong. Ireland growls that he is Bob Ford and forces this lanky musician to finish the song for the whole bar. Fuller cuts between close ups of Ford taking this public humiliation as a sort of penance for his act and the sweating, terrified face of the singer.
Fantastic moment.
On the whole, it’s an interesting film and a definite recommend, but it is also my least favorite of the three films in this collection.
THE BARON OF ARIZONA (1950)
I had no idea what to expect from this movie. Because I got check discs (three test discs in their own little slips, not the final product with full packaging) I didn’t even know this movie starred Vincent Price until the menu came up.
I always find it fascinating to see these horror icons who I know so well in that genre appear in a completely different film.
This film is a lot of things, but first and foremost it is a con man movie. No shit. A real deal creepy con man flick. I figured it was some drama or straight up fun western, but I was completely mistaken.
Vincent Price plays a man who tries to con the United States out of Arizona. It seems he figures out that the US government is honoring land grants made by Spanish royalty while they owned the territory. So, he figures why not invent a baroness and forge a long line of historical documents that says the entire territory of Arizona is hers?
His plan is intricate, brilliant and also really fuckin’ creepy. He finds there’s a young girl who was abandoned on a doorstep, mentors her, teachers her to become a woman, the whole time deliberately nurturing a desire for him in her.
While she “blooms” he runs out to Europe and pretends to be everything from a gypsy to a monk in order to alter the documents he needs to. He spends 6 years calmly setting up this Con.
Of course, he comes back and marries the girl, making himself the Baron. They put in their claim and the second half of the movie is a cat and mouse game between Price and the government worker assigned to prove that he’s a fraud.
Price is outstanding in this film. He’s kind of a creepy looking guy doing creepy things, but his charm is such that you’re always on his side. He’s doing despicable things, kicking people off their land, his whole marriage is disgusting, but dammit… you want him to win. That’s how good Price is in this movie. He’s human.
The biggest conflict isn’t the setting up of the con or the cat and mouse game with the government agent, it’s his own internal struggle with greed and love. He groomed his wife for a very specific, monetary purpose, but he finds that his love is real and he becomes ashamed of what he’s done and terrified she’d ever find out, so when he’s fighting the fraud allegations, he’s doing it for more than just staying out of prison.
Fantastic flick and one that deserves to be seen.
THE STEEL HELMET (1951)
Now it might be common knowledge, but I’d be willing to bet that Spielberg saw this film at a young age and it had a big impact on him. There are direct connections, like a young Asian sidekick called Short Round and there are also pacing and character parallels.
The film, set during the Korean war, opens with a soldier slumped on the ground surrounded by the bodies of his platoon. His helmet has a bullet-hole in it. It turns out this is Sgt. Zack, a true hardass who was lucky enough to survive a headshot. The bullet punched through the helmet, zipped around the inside and shot back out, grazing his cheek.
Now it’s his lucky helmet, but his group is dead and he’s alone in enemy territory. A young Korean boy ends up tagging along and you have that great dynamic of a gruff old bastard and the young boy who idolizes him as they try to get out of enemy territory.
Here’s where Fuller really starts to form his style and his trademark political edge. This film was made only 6 years after WW2 and there’s a frank discussion of Japanese internment camps. The character work is top notch as well. Even the gruff old bastard has more than one dimension to him.
But there are cowards who find strength, the strong who become weak. There’s lots of grey area in this film and lots of suspense.
I don’t know if I’d called it Fuller’s best movie, but it’s definitely his first truly great movie and one of his best films overall.
In fact, I’m surprised someone hasn’t remade this yet. I probably just started that revolution. If you’re an assistant to some exec, don’t go running to the boss with this title now. I don’t want to see Russell Crowe as Sgt. Zack next year… well, maybe that’d be okay, but I want a goddamn cut!
So, I started with a Korean monster movie and I end it talking about a Korean War movie. I think that’s pretty circular, don’t you?
Alright, I’m already getting tired and I have a couple more reviews to crank out before I can sleep.
I’ll end it by saying that no matter which side of this format war you’re on, or if you even care in the first place, we’re starting to get some really great special features and interactivity. These films are looking great, with 1080p being almost as good of a resolution as 35mm film it’s a really amazing time for home theater geeks. I hope whatever happens works out well for either side. If I had my way there would only be one clear option out there right now, as obvious a leap as DVD was to video. I know that my THE THING, THE STING, UNTOUCHABLES and BLACK SNAKE MOAN discs look and sound fantastic and that’s what it’s all about at the end of the day. Watching a film you love in the best way you can.
-Quint
quint@aintitcool.com
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Please - American Filmakers- not shitty remake!
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Like fuck it is.
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My choices... Blazing Saddles, Whatever, Whatever, Whatever, and finally I went with... whatever.
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I was disappointed. Memories of Murder was a fantastic film and The Host got so many good reviews that I was expecting a lot but unfortunately it did not deliver. I think if Hollywood does remake this there are certain areas where it can be improved, especially the ending which did not fit into the general tone of what had gone before.
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I actually haven't gotten them yet... so I hope they don't fuck me over now that they have my money. But I chose Blazing Saddles, Apollo 13, Casablanca, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and We Were Soldiers (I haven't seen it, but I figured why not check it out this way first?). I've enjoyed most of my HD titles so far, but the best looking ones are the ones I mention at the end of the article. I would also put the HD King Kong disc as being and exceptionally beautiful transfer. Okay, really time for sleep now...
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It looks absolutely awful. I'm more disappointed by people that say they like it than by people thta believe it is real.
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I got WAY different options than that!! Damn I haven't sent mine in yet, is there some way to get those options instead of the shitty ones on my list?
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I really wish you AICN guys would stop publishing false information in regard to this format war. Your statement "I don’t know if that’ll be the future, but you also have to consider that the majority of studios are neutral." is demonstrably incorrect. Only FOUR studios are format neutral: Paramount, DreamWorks, Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema. By contrast, FIVE studios are Blu-ray exclusive: Columbia, MGM, Sony, Disney, 20th century Fox and Lionsgate. So clearly, a "majority" of studios are not format neutral. Less than half of studios are format neutral. Only Universal supports HD-DVD exclusively. Now look at those studios. Which format do you think has the better catalog of films? As it stands, there will be one 2007 "hit" movie exclusively available on HD-DVD this year: "Knocked Up." Every other film will be available on Blu-ray. And Pirates, Spider-Man, Ratatouille, Fantastic Four and Die Hard will ONLY be on Blu-ray. So which format are you going to go with?
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It's what the world needs tbh.
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Blockbuster is going out of business (last time I checked, they aren't doing the same business they were in the '90's, but they aren't belly up either)??? HD-DVD is a superior format (only according to people who write articles for this website that mysteriously advertises for HD-DVD players)??? Netflix more successful than Blockbuster Online (so why did they just lower the prices on their two most successful plans)???
And asking for a Steel Helmet remake?? Do you really like Sam Fuller? If you do, I think you would wish that his films would never get remade. They're only of note because he made them. Haven't you learned from the crop of Crap John Carpentar remakes that have come out in the past few years. I think Sam Fuller is one of those directors whose work do not lend themselves to remakes.
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Columbia and Sony are the same company, putz. Fox releases MGM content on DVD and they have yet to announce any more Blu-Ray titles....STILL...even after the supposed java update. So I'm thinking about going with the cheapest HD player where I can get exclusive GOOD films like Carpenter's 'The Thing', 'The Big Lebowski', 'Army of Darkness', 'Shaun of the Dead'...and so on. I can wait on Fantastic Four 2...heh.
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Without Fuller's visual style, absurd characters/situations, and politics, what are you left with? The same cookie cutter Hollywood crap, that's what.
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HD-DVD is a superior format for the price is stated here in all of the reviews. If you want to spend $600 on a player knock yourself out. I'm on a budget so I went with HD DVD and use the player every night. Regular DVDs look great so I only own 4 HD titles but rent HD online so I see about 3 a week that way. When the PS3 drops under $299 I'll have a BluRay : ) or wait till the dual combo players hit $49.
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because it's cheaper, than more than likely have to spend more money in the future for a Blu-Ray player when HD-DVD goes belly up. Doesn't sound like a good idea to me. This seems like the same mentality as someone buying a Sega Saturn in 1997. And I don't think a PS3 will be going to $299 in the next four years, but we can always dream.
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"FUCKING SUCKS!"
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Dude -
Why do people give so much allowance to foreign films for getting away with the STUPIDEST plot twists imaginable? In this case, everything was laughable, from the girl hesitating with her bow and arrow (are you KIDDING me?!) to the WAAAAAAAY too serious finale, the ridiculous ending, and the really bad CGI. You're completely nuts, buddy. -
Playstations 3 is $499.99 with free shipping and no tax at Amazon. This ends at the end of July or when the 80GB PS3 hits. Then it goes back up to $599.99. Get it now because it isn't going down anytime soon. @Samuel Fulmer: To saw HDDVD is a superior format is just asisine. BD holds twice as much information, features more studios backing it, and looks better when the transfer used is a BD only transfer. When the same transfer is used for both discs (in the case of a dual release), they should be the same quality unless you're using a first generation BD player with non-correct codecs.
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...by several magazines and other sources in the know. It's only common sense. Better technology and more selection (now and in the long run when the BD only and neutral studios really get going) make it crystal clear.
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I dont agree but I can see how you can complain about the ending, bow hesitation, etc.....but the cgi was fucking bad ass. Everyone go buy or rent it tomorrow I guarantee you all monster movie lovers will love it.
http://tinyurl.com/pv8do -
Hopefully my copy will show up in the post today. While I can understand/see the many complaints I have read, I still love the flick. I am a big fan of Song Kang-ho and Bae Du-na. I especially like Bae. I find her strangely attractive. And since I am already setting myself up for attack I might as well admit my love for Linda, Linda, Linda. That film had me smiling from start to finish. Bae was hilarious in that one.
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$600 was way too much...$500 is still too much...but you guys talk yourselves into thinking you got a deal while you're playing...umm...hmm..gee...
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when viewed in a cinema.
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I love Asian horror but this one was an endurance test. All of the "monster attack" is basically in the preview. There are long stretches where absolutely nothing happens! You'd think that with a film from the monster genre that there would be more monster action. Basically the monster is at the beginning and ending of this 2+ hour long film. It's perfect for DVD because you'll be able to scan through the boredom, and scan you will boys.
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The Host was a great film, a perfect amalgam of slapstick comedy, good old-fashioned monster movie scares, some biting political allegory and not a little heart to gel it all together. The Host was one of my favorite films so far this year....don't listen to the pundits.
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Right on! I agree with you wholeheartedly. My copy did indeed show up in the post this morning. Looking forward to it tonight after I finish what I am watching. Enjoying the Samurai trilogy right now. Damn, Mifune really was a pimp, eh?
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Agreed. I don't recall any real good games released for the 360 when it came out. PS3 has at least Resistance and Ninja Gaiden out now, and some great titles coming out. You can add on an HD player to an existing 360 for $200 more, so $499 for a high def dvd player and a 60gb game machine seems to be a not bad deal.
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Having Harry blabber endlessly about HD this and his HD that was bad enough... And now you too Quint... How much are they paying you? What are you getting for free? Cause we're not getting anything except a fucking headache for reading this bullshit...
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it's called comedy, man, and establishing intriguing & memorable characters. I enjoyed the hell out of the characters in the film, their ineptitude added to the charm. What, you wanted stoic heroes?, faceless, nameless government soldiers? I think the comic approach to the characters was a refreshing change. I guess you think the character's in a Stephen Chow film are morons too?
"Pretty much all the HDDVD exclusive titles are going BluRay too"....what does this even mean, Optimus?, and where are you getting your info...thedigitalclits.com? -
This is a great film. Watched it nearly 30 years ago in an Arizona History class. It has one of my all-time favorite pickup lines, which I have used successfully on several occasions. Vincent Price, in this wonderfully cheesy accent, tells a girl that he has "known many women before, but you are the first to make me...afraid."
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Quint I love ya and I had Netflix for 4 years but Blockbuster's Total Access online service dickslaps Netflix. I get movies through the mail and at the store plus one game rental a month. Let me see I get twice as many movies for the same price. So which service is better?
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about the situation and his reasons. That does count for something.
I'm really getting sick of this stupid "No games on PS3" shit. Remember there's what? Over a year's discrepancy between the release of the 360 and the PS3. If PS3 is going to have its Gears of War-level blockbuster seller it'll probably be the best part of a year away (and will probably be GT5). The PS3s early titles are no better or worse than the 360s early stuff. Or the Wii for that matter. A few reasonably cool titles and HOW long to wait for Galaxy and Samus? Fair enough everyone has their preference but compare bloody apples to apples for Christ's sake! These consoles are a year behind the 360!
As for HD-DVD they were almost literally giving them away at the recent tradeshow in Vegas it seems. $99 apparently. Whether that is an unholy cool bargain or smacks of desperation (well MS just lost about 2 billion dollars on the 360 so what's a few HD players in comparison?) depends on which way you lean I guess. Interesting though.
As far as exclusives, Gears of War is coming out on the MAC! That's just ca-razy!! -
Maybe that's a really badly cropped image on the cover but I don't know how great the design is as I can't make out what the fuck is going on with the monster except for the bit that looks like an arm on the wall. Is the head even in the picture?!
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The only thing Netflix has over Blockbuster Online is that they carry NC-17 movies. That's really not a loss since most studios are smart enough to skip the NC-17 rating and go unrated (plus that means you don't get....Shortbus...and....uhhh...can't think of anything else NC-17 that's been released in the past two years). BBOL is a better value in my eyes. If I want a new movie, I can actually pick it up that night. If I've got Netflix and I want a movie I have to wait for it to come in the mail. And as far as I can tell the selection is comparable. I've gotten plenty of Criterion DVDs and many obscure genre titles through Blockbuster Online. Sure the selection in the stores still isn't that great, but that's why you use the store to get the mainstream stuff, and the online to get the harder to find things. My experiences with Blockbuster when all I did was rent from the store wasn't very good, but having the online service has really worked out well. I know a lot of people who have switched from Netflix to BBOL. I don't anybody switching from BBOL to Netflix.
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more power to you. I just don't see how you could, unless you fall into the category of person that thinks that anything having to do with Blockbuster is "evil."
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What a powerful and stunning film it is. What a DVD release it might make. And it would be world's first, too. No region has it and the only way to see it is to download the VHS transfer off DC++ or another "usual source" online. It waits for a shiny disc. Hear that, you spineless studio morons who made it fade into obscurity with your idiocy?
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Until they invented HD-DVDs and Blu-Rays I didn't know there was supposed to be something wrong with DVDs. After all I still got some fuckin VHS tapes I gotta get rid of and they sure as shit look better than that. Admittedly, all our dreams of the potential for multi-angle porn didn't really pan out, but that's not a good enough reason to write off a format that has served us all courageously. I think DVDs are still good.
I'm sure some day when they are the standard and they are as cheap as DVDs are now I will get excited about Blu-Rays or whatever, but until I can afford a nice TV why the fuck am I supposed to be suckered into re-buying all the DVDs that I don't even have enough time to watch in the first place? I guess this is an argument for people in a higher financial bracket than me, like which is the better rims to put on your car or whatever. It would be cool to have a real nice home theater set up with the highest possible resolution, but it would also be cool to have better health insurance. You can't have everything you want.
So if there is anyone from the DVD lobby willing to pay me off to promote this agenda please contact me via email. I would especially be interested in playing the Digital Video Disc people against the Digital Versatile Disc people for maximum profits. thanks in advance fellas.
And by the way, good to see some respect for Sam Fuller. I hope they put out WHITE DOG at some point, that's a great movie and it's never really been released in the US. -
Good point Stalin vs. Predator. That movie is such a great combination of entertaining pulp and powerful statement about racism. How in the hell did they decide that the movie was racist? It's hard to imagine even the biggest idiot sitting through that movie and then coming out feeling it was a pro-racist statement. Maybe Paul Winfield's badass animal trainer from the movie should've had a word with the people responsible for blocking its release.
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Thank you. DVD is my choice too. Blu-Ray is nice, but I refuse to re-buy that which I already own in a decent/acceptable format already. We're having health insurance issues right now; funny you should mention such. I just bought i.e. ordered your book (evidently it shipped already). Looking forward to it. I visit your site more than this one now. Keep up the good work. Your Terminator write-ups were fantatic. Enjoyed your Miami Vice and Way of the Gun pieces too. That recent one on Bay (7/23) was great. Thanks.
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For the ten-thousandth time, nobody is forced to re-buy anything! DVDs play on Blu-ray players. They even get upconverted to 1080p. That's the fantastic thing about this format change compared to the VHS->DVD switch... your entire current library is still viable! You simply buy all your new titles on Blu-ray, and enjoy the superior picture and sound. If there's a few specific titles you particularly love, re-buy those couple to enjoy in High-Def. Of course you gotta have the A/V equipment to enjoy it first, but if you do it's a no-brainer. But heck... if you're forward thinking, it makes sense to buy your favorite titles on Blu-ray now no matter what your set-up. They'll look great on standard TV, and they'll look incredible on an HD-TV when you get one. You'll save money by not having to re-buy them to enjoy them in High-Def down the line.
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Too true, but money is tight for some folks.
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You're right... people who can't afford this stuff shouldn't buy it. But the newest technology is never aimed at people who have troubles paying the bills. What I'm most concerned about is clearing up misconceptions, like the idea that if you buy a Blu-ray player you'll need to re-buy your entire DVD collection. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
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This is why I said I was reluctant to put forth my opinion. It's so heated out there. I'm bought off, apparently. I paid for my player. I bought most of my discs. Harry gave me some of his duplicates that he's been sent since announcing his stance and my I've been sent 4 HD-DVDs to review. Unfortunately THE HOST was the only one I got in time to review before street date.I'm not trying to change anybody's mind. But I will be reviewing high definition content from time to time and I wanted to explain why. I've never seen a Toshiba ad on this site (Firefox adblocker) and I didn't know they were there until Harry's coming out article. I just saw Blu-Ray at Costco today at $450 with a free HDMI cable. Still too expensive, but I don't know what I would have picked if they were both $279 when I bought my system.Buy it or don't, hate HD or Blu-Ray. I really don't care or have any desire to try to talk you out of or in to anything. I like the special features available on HD-DVD, I like how it looks. I don't have a 1080p TV and probably won't get one for a year or two, so what's the big deal? Even if HD-DVD flops and they stop production completely and only release those that are currently announced, I'll have some good movies and a good upconverting DVD player for my many standard def discs. I'm fine with my purchase. It's already been worth it for me.I'll be reviewing standard def and HD as I get them. I'm not shilling for anyone, just reviewing what I get. I just wanted to make it clear as to why I bought my system to cut out this "bought and sold" crap. Might not have worked, but at least I made my reasons known.
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I'm against S*** for one reason there feudal attempts to take ove any format that has come down the pike. I have 50" hd tv ,and a Bose Lifestyles set up for surround ,oh and Toshiba hddvd player and an Xbox 360 my home theatre set up cost around 10gs and Ill be damned if S*** will ever enter my domicile.
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The funniest horror/comedy since Shawn of the Dead. And, ultimtely, it was the humour that engaged me so much.
It took a touch of genius to take that scene where the family are crying ovr the lost girl and making it so much fun. It subverts tropes and pokes fun at the taboos of death and grief. There is no way an American remake would have the balls to subvert taboos like this film does. -
It's a lot closer to 16mm, which would be at about 1200, not 1080. Although the film grain on 16mm is pretty shitty, so there's a give and a take there. But it's not close to 35mm. That's more like 2k.
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If you've seen Steel Helmet, you know what I mean. I want the Sam Fuller catalogue! Crimson Kimono NOW! Thank you.
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Hahahahahahahaha. Best laugh I've had all day (and thank you, considering the news I got from my Doctor today). You expect us to take you seriously?! If that's your mental level I don't think anyone's going to listen to what you have to say about technology. And YOU talk about shilling! We don't need to know how much it cost you little twat.
Stop using the big words junior, they're hurting your brain! -
I've explained this in previous HD slagfests. Go look up the difference in resolution between 1080p and 2k, you moron. Also, next time you're in an average cinema watching 35mm, have a look at the pathetic focus, in different ares of the screen (credits are good for this). If you can make out the middle of an A, you're a lucky one. Now go back and look at 1080p. As good as a 35mm answer print with silver retention? Maybe not, but sure as shit comparable to your run-of-the-mill average theatregoing experience. But first, check out that 2k thing, stupe.
I give up. If even someone as witty as Vern has joined the moronic herds and their wrongheaded "hafta buy my collection again" bullshit, there's just no hope for humanity. Fucking hell, Vern! -
Areas. Got a bit heated there, obviously.
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Fuller, a WW2 veteran, was asked if Big Red One was an accurate depiction of what it was like to be in WW2. He said something along the lines of "Yes, if you bring 5 guys with machine guns into the theater and start shooting the audience"
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but ON PAR WITH JAWS???? or even ONE OF THE GREATEST MOVIES EVER MADE????? No fucking way.
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What color is the sun in your S*** fueled world? Junior?? HA, I would bet I'm wice your age ,but thats not the point ,most of your ilk only grasp something by dollar value so i'm just letting you know money is not an object when it comes to branding at least not for me . Twat my goodness I guess it gets cold in the basement, child.
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Is it not fun to badger people because they lean one way in the great hd-dvd vs. blu-ray ,good times? I agree that dvd itself was the last true innovation and this of course is another attempt by hollywood to get us to spend more for what we have ,that being said any hi-def disc does look great. I love being a tech whore.
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Back in Sydney, long before the Pre-release hype started up. I just knew it was from the director of Memories Of Murder. I have to say though, that I too was dissapointed. It's a good film, with some great moments. But it's far from a great film, and as a follow up to Memories Of Murder from Bong Boy, it's a pittance. Sucks when artists set the bar too high first (I know, not technically his first flick) film out.
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Wow. If you had the slightest bit of self awareness you sure wouldn't have boasted about being twice (or 'wice' as you say) my age, considering you can't put a fucking sentence together. You still don't know why "there feudal attempts" was so funny, do you? If you were HALF my age I'd have some sympathy maybe, as that would excuse your infantile behaviour. Did you not see your own hypocrisy in shilling for MS and Tosh? If you were trying to say money was no object then you did it in the most crass and inarticulate way possible!
As for a Sony fueled (WTF?) world, where did I ever say I was one of the Sony sheep? Or that they were spotless and hadn't made a million mistakes with the PS3? Never. Sorry you felt I was just another of the subjective flock. Try again junior. -
I'm sorry sweety I guess you need some help. You just enjoy your P*3 and the 5 game they have out. (for those who are paying attention he sure is fun to bait) Money makes the world go around half-mader and again it seems to be the only thing you as a young child respond too.I can tell by your small attempts with a bigger vocabulary your age maybe born in the 70s or am I giving you to much sweety?
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The vast majority of people don't give a shit about Hi Def. No one wants to buy a new fucking television to accommodate their new fucking Hi Def player of choice. That's completely retarded. We're at war, people, we're at war.
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... in terms of being the biggest troll on the thread. Another clue as to your infantile behaviour. As far as PS3 and your childish baiting you just don't get it (and obviously aren't reading my posts or don't understand english, one of the two), so I couldn't be bothered with you. As for age, wrong AGAIN! Imagine that! Hilarious that someone who writes "feudal attempts" is joking about other peoples vocabulary! You're just too much, do you have a speech impediment? Must be good to live such a clueless life. Ignorance is bliss after all. Bye junior.
Valiens that might be true if the rate of 1080p and HD adoption wasn't increasing exponentially. So obviously some don't care, but after a slow start an awful lot do. And it's not being driven by the players, the TVs are coming first. -
A case of deniability I suppose and as for the rest call it a curious experiment to see how for one of you would go to defend ,well anything in topic. I just wanted to see how far a button could be pushed. I'm 48 so I do thank you for calling me a child and wish you luck with whatever you do.
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Why can't all of you understand that HD DVD and Blu-Ray are just 'juiced up' DVDs? I mean, it's just making 4 GB memory sticks instead of 256 MB, it's just an upgrade...my questions is, why couldn't they just update the actual DVD? We all know it could've been possible...
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Too true just another ploy to get all our cash
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It's all a ploy to steal our moneyhats! *goes back to watching stretched cable SDTV on my 50" widescreen 1080p HDTV*
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I bought an HD-DVD player for my 360. It is fuckin' great. I agree with Vern. Plus, the 360 add-on was only 179.99 when I bought it, so very little to invest, considering I have had teh 360 for over a year and a half. The titles are few until interest is peaked. The holiday seasin will boost both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray sales. I will correct a previous poster about studio exlusives. The studios other than Sony owns or has a hand in, like Disney, have not stated they are Blu-Ray exlusive. If the market is there, these studios will jump to make both in a heartbeat. Disney is the process of creating HD-DVD content as we speak...or write...poorly. I have seen both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray compared side by side. Under the same exact tv settings, HD-DVD pulls ahead (not by a lot). Many stores also but Blu-Ray on the better, higher resolution televisions and really push Blu-Ray. HD-DVD takes the backseat because Sony is no better then shitty Microsoft when pushing their product.
To all the PS3 fanboys who believe the killer apps for PS3 are coming out around Christmas, you'll be waiting a whole lot longer. MSG 4 (a trailer has been around for over two years) is not scheduled for release until mid-2008 and might not be a PS3 exlusive. PS3 lost nearly all of their third-party exlusives, including Devil May Cry 4 and GTAIV and will continue to distract developers if they continue to make PS2 versions. This means that they have to code somewhere in the middle to meet both systems needs. Sony would be in better shape if they decided to kill the PS2 and move to the next generation altogether.
Everyone looks at Gears of War as the only killer app that came out a year after the system was released. Condemned was a solid launch title, you had DOA 4 (not great, but solid), Ghost Recon, Project Gotham Racing, Gun, etc...not the best, but real solid offerings for a new system. Couple that with some decent XBLA offerings both in the form of new games and throwbacks, you have a fun system. PS3 had motor storm and Resistence, which are merely okay games. People scream about resistence because it is all you got. Every review for titles released on PS3 and Xbox 360 always give the edge to Xbox 360. PS3 is, without question, a more powerful gaming system. The problem is that is it nearly impossible to program for it. Too much for too little. -
all of our actors who could pull it off or are either dead or too old. Who wants to see someone like Shia LaBeef in a western???? Really, who was the last American tough guy actor to come along? Vin Diesel is the only one I can think of at the moment.
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over 300 movies on my queue. The trade in at the stores as was said earlier is used for the mainstream or whatever the store has the rest you can basically find them online. Oh yeah and about a third on my list are criterion, so there you go...life is good :)
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grammar check
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grammar check for real this time.....i'm an idiot
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