1950's Science Fiction on Blu-Ray

[Ozman79]

I've been a huge fan of old sci-fi films since I was a youngster, having grown up watching them. I have owned a fair amount of them on DVD, but now I am eager to get as many of them as possible on Blu-Ray.

Currently I have the following...

The Day the Earth Stood Still
The Day the Earth Caught Fire
Earth Vs The Flying Saucers
Forbidden Planet
It! The Terror from Beyond Space

...and I'm constantly on the lookout for new releases.

I've been having a browse on Amazon, and I am actually shocked at how little there is available. Titles like The Thing from Another World, This Island Earth and George Pal's War of the Worlds currently have no Blu release and I can find no word if there will ever be one. I've always thought of these as stonewall classics of the 50's sci-fi genre, and I guess I just assumed that films like these would get a release, especially with some of the title's I mentioned above already having received the Blu-Ray treatment.

Does anyone know if there is likely to be a release for any of these films, or where would be a good place to ask/petition?

Also, anyone have any favourites/recommendations to share?

[JMDiaz718]

Originally Posted by Ozman79

I've been a huge fan of old sci-fi films since I was a youngster, having grown up watching them. I have owned a fair amount of them on DVD, but now I am eager to get as many of them as possible on Blu-Ray.

Currently I have the following...

The Day the Earth Stood Still
The Day the Earth Caught Fire
Earth Vs The Flying Saucers
Forbidden Planet
It! The Terror from Beyond Space

...and I'm constantly on the lookout for new releases.

I've been having a browse on Amazon, and I am actually shocked at how little there is available. Titles like The Thing from Another World, This Island Earth and George Pal's War of the Worlds currently have no Blu release and I can find no word if there will ever be one. I've always thought of these as stonewall classics of the 50's sci-fi genre, and I guess I just assumed that films like these would get a release, especially with some of the title's I mentioned above already having received the Blu-Ray treatment.

Does anyone know if there is likely to be a release for any of these films, or where would be a good place to ask/petition?

Also, anyone have any favourites/recommendations to share?

Favourites/recommendations;

Monster That Challenged The World
Them!
Beast From 20,000 Fathoms
It Came From Beneath the Sea
The Blob
Creature From The Black Lagoon
The Satan Bug
7th Voyage of Sinbad
Mysterious Island
Jason & The Argonauts
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Gojira (aka Godzilla)
Journey To The Center Of The Earth

[Ozman79]

^ All excellent recommendations. Unfortunately, out of all those, I think only The Blob has had a UK/European Blu-Ray release. Without splashing out on a US player, I'm limited to what is available in this region. I wish more releases were region free, but that doesn't seem to be a consideration for most distributors.

[Erasmus Craven]

Originally Posted by Ozman79

^ All excellent recommendations. Unfortunately, out of all those, I think only The Blob has had a UK/European Blu-Ray release. Without splashing out on a US player, I'm limited to what is available in this region. I wish more releases were region free, but that doesn't seem to be a consideration for most distributors.

With the exception of Monster That Challenged The World and The Satan Bug, these recommendations are readily available, either in region-free editions from the US or in some cases even in UK editions, some from Australia, Spain etc. Most have been out for years.

Them! - Warner US, Warner Spain
Beast From 20,000 Fathoms - Warner US, Warner Spain
It Came From Beneath the Sea - Sony US, Sony UK
Creature From The Black Lagoon - Universal (practically worldwide)
7th Voyage of Sinbad - Sony US, Australia, Germany...
Mysterious Island - Twilight Time US, also a Bootleg from Spain
Jason & The Argonauts - Sony US, Sony Australia
Invasion of the Body Snatchers - Olive US, also suspected Boots in Italy and Spain
Gojira (aka Godzilla) - Classic Media US
Journey To The Center Of The Earth - Twilight Time US, Shock Australia
This Island Earth - Ostalgica Germany - first edition was a hackjob, a hopefully improved Blu is due in June, French edition in July

Ten minutes of homework could have given you these results. Most of them are even available on Amazon UK!

[JMDiaz718]

Originally Posted by Ozman79

^ All excellent recommendations. Unfortunately, out of all those, I think only The Blob has had a UK/European Blu-Ray release. Without splashing out on a US player, I'm limited to what is available in this region. I wish more releases were region free, but that doesn't seem to be a consideration for most distributors.

You guys in Europe have more of these American classics than we do! You have Tarantula, Deadly Mantis, Monolith Monsters, Incredible Shrinking Man, It Came From Outer Space in 3D, Revenge of the Creature in 3D, to name a few of the many.

[Erasmus Craven]

Originally Posted by JMDiaz718

You guys in Europe have more of these American classics than we do! You have Tarantula, Deadly Mantis, Monolith Monsters, Incredible Shrinking Man, It Came From Outer Space in 3D, Revenge of the Creature in 3D, to name a few of the many.

Revenge Of The Creature: German 3D is anaglyph, French is 2D

Deadly Mantis: where did you get that info? AFAIK it's not available anywhere

It Came From Outer Space: British 3D is not out yet. Was announced for July but seems to have been delayed, might come in December. French disc is due in July but doesn't seem to be 3D.

[JMDiaz718]

Originally Posted by Erasmus Craven

Revenge Of The Creature: German 3D is anaglyph, French is 2D

Deadly Mantis: where did you get that info? AFAIK it's not available anywhere

It Came From Outer Space: British 3D is not out yet. Was announced for July but seems to have been delayed, might come in December. French disc is due in July but doesn't seem to be 3D.

"Revenge Of The Creature: German 3D is anaglyph, French is 2D"

But you still have it on bluray.

"It Came From Outer Space: British 3D is not out yet."

But you will have it. We haven't heard ANYTHING.

"Deadly Mantis: where did you get that info? AFAIK it's not available anywhere"

This one was my mistake. It's DVD only at this time. At the rate you guys get stuff, you'll have it before we do!

VERY sorry to try and help!

[Erasmus Craven]

Originally Posted by JMDiaz718

"Revenge Of The Creature: German 3D is anaglyph, French is 2D"

But you still have it on bluray.

"It Came From Outer Space: British 3D is not out yet."

But you will have it. We haven't heard ANYTHING.

"Deadly Mantis: where did you get that info? AFAIK it's not available anywhere"

This one was my mistake. It's DVD only at this time. At the rate you guys get stuff, you'll have it before we do!

VERY sorry to try and help!

Just wanted to let you know what's up with these titles, not step on anybody's toes.

It Came From Outer Space will be issued by Panamint, a small Scottish Outfit who had a surprise hit with their 3D edition of Roy Ward Baker's noirish thriller Inferno. At this time, no release date is confirmed, so we can only hope.

As for Revenge Of The Creature, the Standard Definition anaglyphic presentation in 3D with these flimsy cardboard glasses (red/blue) is barely endurable. I went back to the HD 2D presentation after five minutes. Anybody buying it for the 3D will be bitterly disappointed. Still, the disc contains a few welcome extras: audio commentary with Lori Nelson, Tom Weaver and Bob Burns, Jack Arnold interview, a sizeable picture gallery, trailer and German and English Super-8 versions. Alas, this one is actually B-locked.

After all, there are lots of titles available in Region B that aren't available in A, but that goes the other way, too. I'm happy to have invested in a Region free Oppo player a few years ago, best of both worlds...

[Erasmus Craven]

Update:

I just received this mail from Panamint, regarding the planned 3D release of It Came From Outer Space.

I've been receiving many enquiries about our planned release of "It Came From Outer Space" on 3D Blu-ray.

Earlier this year Universal Studios telephoned me to say that they had decided to do a US release of the film and suggested we might collaborate on production with our UK release.

I have now decided that there is little point in having two competing releases and have with great reluctance cancelled Panamint Cinema's release.

I apologise for the disappointment this will cause to the many of you who have supported Panamint's very successful release of "Inferno".

Yours sincerely

Russell Cowe