VCI

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manicsounds
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 10:58 pm
Location: Tokyo, Japan

Re: VCI

#126 Post by manicsounds » Thu Jun 06, 2013 10:52 pm

VCI wrote: We are about to announce the release of a Blu-ray of WHITE ZOMBIE, which we are doing in partnership with movie archivist, Cary Roan, who just completed a spectacular restoration, and should hopefully prove to be the ‘definitive version’ of this genre classic.

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Moe Dickstein
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 11:19 pm

Re: VCI

#127 Post by Moe Dickstein » Tue Aug 27, 2013 1:20 pm

Anyone else order "And Then There Were None"? I was going to wait for reviews, but the restoration clips they posted on FB sold me on one of my favorites of the 40s. I preordered at Amazon but it's "released" today and showing 2-5 weeks. Wondering if anyone else got this from another source?

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chatterjees
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 6:08 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
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Re: VCI

#128 Post by chatterjees » Wed Sep 04, 2013 7:59 pm

Moe Dickstein wrote:Anyone else order "And Then There Were None"? I was going to wait for reviews, but the restoration clips they posted on FB sold me on one of my favorites of the 40s. I preordered at Amazon but it's "released" today and showing 2-5 weeks. Wondering if anyone else got this from another source?
My amazon order was also delayed. I received it today, and it was shipped on Friday! I guess it should be on its way for you too...

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Ashirg
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 9:10 am
Location: Atlanta

Re: VCI

#129 Post by Ashirg » Wed Sep 04, 2013 8:53 pm

Meanwhile, WHITE ZOMBIE blu was delayed until May 2014...

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Moe Dickstein
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2012 11:19 pm

Re: VCI

#130 Post by Moe Dickstein » Thu Sep 05, 2013 1:17 pm

Yes it arrived at last, it's an improvement of my VHS copy but that's about it...

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HerrSchreck
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:46 am

Re: VCI

#131 Post by HerrSchreck » Thu Sep 05, 2013 4:09 pm

Ashirg wrote:Meanwhile, WHITE ZOMBIE blu was delayed until May 2014...
That's a total bummer. One of the most visually fascinating early talkie horror films for me, and certainly Bela in the ferocious peak of his youthful raw power . . . pre opiate destruction . . . his charisma is bleeding out his ears furchrissakes. That Roan group restoration of yesteryear (what . . . was that like 1999?) brought Martinelli's gorgeous chiaroscuro and framing in this film to previously unseen (by me) heights via the elements lurking within. And I love the primitive sound . . . adds to the unreality of the most excellently awful proceedings.

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Feego
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:30 pm
Location: Texas

Re: VCI

#132 Post by Feego » Mon Sep 09, 2013 10:34 pm


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Gregory
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 4:07 pm

Re: VCI

#133 Post by Gregory » Tue Sep 10, 2013 2:01 am

"A rather swarthy amount of grain is still in evidence"? Thanks as always, Kauffman.

Orlac
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 4:29 am

Re: VCI

#134 Post by Orlac » Tue Sep 10, 2013 4:44 am

And it's a crappy MPEG-2 encoding.

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manicsounds
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 10:58 pm
Location: Tokyo, Japan

Re: VCI

#135 Post by manicsounds » Fri Sep 27, 2013 3:20 am

DVDBeaver on Rene Clair's "And Then There Were None"

MPEG2 encoding, and for extras? What a surprise: None!

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Cash Flagg
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:15 pm

Re: VCI

#136 Post by Cash Flagg » Thu Nov 14, 2013 6:31 pm

Does anyone know if there are any differences between VCI's 2001 and 2005 editions of Horror Hotel, other than the cover?

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HerrSchreck
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:46 am

Re: VCI

#137 Post by HerrSchreck » Fri Nov 15, 2013 12:59 pm

I'm looking at what's on the site right now and the contents look the same as what's on mine, which is probably the 2005 edition. I'm sure that release restored the film for the first time in the USA to what was called in the UK "The City of the Dead," which was edited and shown in the US as Horror Hotel in cinemas then on TV during that famous early 70's broadcast (scared the poo outa my little ass).

The 2001 edition was likely the shorter Horror Hotel version, and the transfer not anywhere near as glorious as the 05 edition, which is CC quality. Seriously. Desmond Dickenson's camerawork is amazing and really comes to life in widescreen.

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Minkin
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 11:13 pm

Re: VCI

#138 Post by Minkin » Fri Apr 11, 2014 6:45 pm


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captveg
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 7:28 pm

Re: VCI

#139 Post by captveg » Mon May 05, 2014 1:59 pm

6/3/14

King & Country (1964)

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domino harvey
Dot Com Dom
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:42 pm

Re: VCI

#140 Post by domino harvey » Mon May 05, 2014 3:13 pm

A heads-up to those who partook in the VCI sale: Apparently some of their titles have been repressed as DVD-Rs without any outward notice in packaging or on the website. Luckily only three of my 23 titles were DVD-Rs (Actors and Sin, the Moon and Sixpence, and Summer Storm), but it's worth opening your titles when they arrive if this matters to you. I'm pretty sure I'll make my money back selling them on Amazon, but I still hate being tricked into buying a DVD-R

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Feego
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:30 pm
Location: Texas

Re: VCI

#141 Post by Feego » Fri May 09, 2014 9:25 pm

Blu-ray.com on White Zombie. Just going by the caps, I prefer the look of Kino's "raw" version.

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Minkin
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 11:13 pm

Re: VCI

#142 Post by Minkin » Fri May 09, 2014 11:05 pm

Feego wrote:Blu-ray.com on White Zombie. Just going by the caps, I prefer the look of Kino's "raw" version.
I guess I stand corrected with my earlier comment. I suppose most releases of this film won't be much better than these two releases, unless some global search for a superior print is undertaken (like what Criterion did with The Man who Knew Too much). VCI was rather too ambitious with their statement that Manicsounds quoted above - about this being a "spectacular restoration" and "the definitive edition" ... yeah, with an MPEG-2 Codec. Also, coming from Jeffrey Kauffman, this isn't a good sign:
the image here does have a slightly processed look that I suspect will be more noticeable on larger screens.

The Kino has the Lugosi interview, but costs an extra $5. The commentaries seem comparable on either. I'd say skip both releases and either just watch it online for free (or as part of those 250 PD movie sets) or just wait to see what might turn up in the UK (as it won't take very much effort to better both of these releases and it seems like neither of these present blus are worth their pricetag).

Edit: Swapping between the screengrabs, the Raw version on the Kino looks vastly superior. VCI must have used a really awful print (or slathered on DNR - which VCI has been known to do). Certainly avoid the VCI then (apologies to the people in the video I posted above, you seem nice, but your final product is rather bad).

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Feego
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:30 pm
Location: Texas

Re: VCI

#143 Post by Feego » Sat May 10, 2014 2:37 pm

Beaver weighs in on White Zombie and also recommends the Kino "raw" version. Oddly, Gary seems to have missed the commentary on the Kino edition as he does not mention it in his review nor does he have it listed in the specs, even though it is clearly visible on his menu caps. He claims that fans may want the VCI disc for the commentary, but that seems unnecessary when Kino has one as well.

Frankly, I wouldn't hold out for a better edition of this film any time soon (I have one of those PD movie sets and the blown-out version included is unwatchable). Just wait until you can find the Kino edition cheap, either in a good sale or from a third-party seller.

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manicsounds
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 10:58 pm
Location: Tokyo, Japan

Re: VCI

#144 Post by manicsounds » Sat May 10, 2014 6:58 pm

The VCI's blu-ray is 9 gigabytes. What's the difference between a 9 GB blu-ray and a DVD-9?
MPEG2 video, PCM 2.0 audio, everything that could be put on a standard DVD.

Why did they even bother?

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EddieLarkin
Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2012 10:25 am

Re: VCI

#145 Post by EddieLarkin » Sat May 10, 2014 8:55 pm

They've watermarked their new "restoration" in at least two spots during the film. Bunch of jokers.

Orlac
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 4:29 am

Re: VCI

#146 Post by Orlac » Sun May 11, 2014 5:20 am

Not bothering with this one. I have the Roan DVD and the Kino Blu-Ray.

Why does VCI still only use MPEG-2?

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manicsounds
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 10:58 pm
Location: Tokyo, Japan

Re: VCI

#147 Post by manicsounds » Sun May 11, 2014 8:49 am

They did use VC-1 (yes, similar to their name) for a few titles. But an MPEG2 high bitrate movie can still look pretty good. Why the movie is encoded at such a low level (possibly the lowest disc space I've ever seen on any title)?

Orlac
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2009 4:29 am

Re: VCI

#148 Post by Orlac » Sun May 11, 2014 12:34 pm

Is MPEG-2 superior to VC-1?

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captveg
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 7:28 pm

Re: VCI

#149 Post by captveg » Mon May 12, 2014 5:00 pm

Orlac wrote:Is MPEG-2 superior to VC-1?
No. Quality basically goes AVC > VC1 > MPEG2

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Cash Flagg
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:15 pm

Re: VCI

#150 Post by Cash Flagg » Tue May 13, 2014 3:12 pm

EddieLarkin wrote:They've watermarked their new "restoration" in at least two spots during the film. Bunch of jokers.
On their Facebook page, they've been reduced to quoting Amazon user reviews for positive feedback.

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