Dawn of the Dead (1978) - OUT OF PRINT

[MifuneFan]

Just thought I'd give people the heads up on an issue I found with the Australian disc. I just got it today, and I loaded it up on my PS3. The Warning screen came on, and I hit the top menu button to get to the main menu. It went there but there was no text options to select. Same thing happened on my region free outer. I reloaded the disc on my PS3 and let it play through the Warning and Umbrella Entertainment screens, and it brought me to a working menu. I was able to replicate the blank menu screen by skipping the Warning screens again. Not sure if others have run into this, but figured I'd post this here in case people think they got a screwed up disc.

[PuppetMasterBlu]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Just thought I'd give people the heads up on an issue I found with the Australian disc. I just got it today, and I loaded it up on my PS3. The Warning screen came on, and I hit the top menu button to get to the main menu. It went there but there was no text options to select. Same thing happened on my region free outer. I reloaded the disc on my PS3 and let it play through the Warning and Umbrella Entertainment screens, and it brought me to a working menu. I was able to replicate the blank menu screen by skipping the Warning screens again. Not sure if others have run into this, but figured I'd post this here in case people think they got a screwed up disc.

Is this disc any better than the US disc?

[travisbickle]

I never had any issues playing mine on my PS3.

Originally Posted by PuppetMasterBlu

Is this disc any better than the US disc?

PQ wise? Same transfer as the Arrow Blu, which IMO looks a bit better than Anchor Bay's.

[MisterFantastic]

Originally Posted by PuppetMasterBlu

Is this disc any better than the US disc?

Don't actually own the AB disc, but people say the DNR and scratch removal overdrive is very distracting on the AB disc. Some will swear by the Japanese discs, but my money is on the Arrow transfer, which the Australian disc has.

[travisbickle]

Originally Posted by MisterFantastic

Don't actually own the AB disc, but people say the DNR and scratch removal overdrive is very distracting on the AB disc.

Here's an example of that....

http://www.caps-a-holic.com/c.php?go...=24970&i=7&l=0

^Check out Flyboy's belt buckle.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by travisbickle

I never had any issues playing mine on my PS3.

I don't know if it's just my disc, but basically when you see the Copyright Warning screen hit the square button. For me, that brings me to a menu screen with no selectable options.

Edit: it's only on that warning screen that it brings me to that blank menu. If I hit the square button during the Umbrella screen it goes to working menu. It also works if I just move to the next screens using the chapter skip buttons (R1)

[kidglov3s]

Originally Posted by MisterFantastic

Don't actually own the AB disc, but people say the DNR and scratch removal overdrive is very distracting on the AB disc. Some will swear by the Japanese discs, but my money is on the Arrow transfer, which the Australian disc has.

Arrow and AB have the same ghosting problem, are equally worthless whatever minor differences exist between the two.

http://www.caps-a-holic.com/c.php?a=...9&l=0&i=6&go=1

The JP theatrical disc is worth the $40 if you care about this movie.

[balthazar_bee]

Originally Posted by kidglov3s

The JP theatrical disc is worth the $40 if you care about this movie.

I'd hate to screw up and order the wrong one...can you provide a link with more information?

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by balthazar_bee

I'd hate to screw up and order the wrong one...can you provide a link with more information?

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/BBXF-2063

I'd hardly say the Arrow, and by extension the Australian, releases are "worthless" as kidglov3s states. They have issues, but they still look very good and very watchable. I don't think the difference between the JP and Aus. discs is worth an extra $30+ but that's just me.

[Geoff D]

Dawn is one of my all-time favourites but I'm not gonna plonk down 40 beans for the JPN edition. The Aussie disc cost me something like 9 quid, I've also got the wonderful AB 4-disc DVD set and those two are perfect until something much, much better comes along.

The movie WILL get a proper restoration at some stage, it's too important not to, but that might have to wait until Rubinstein dies or something. Note: I'm not wishing death on the man, before some sensitive type jumps down my throat, but by all accounts he's asking for way too much money to allow access to pre-print elements, so unless something changes Dawn will stay in limbo for a while longer.

Maybe Arrow should do a kickstarter or something? I know I just baulked at paying $40 for a Blu-ray, but I'd happily put down a grand if it meant there was a chance of getting a proper restoration.

[StingingVelvet]

Arrow should test the laserdisc pricing waters and do a 4k remaster on this and charge $50 for it to pay the license fee. I bet it would make a profit.

[Geoff D]

Aye, they seem to have little trouble selling out their limited edition sets of late. Pricing up an Ultimate Dawn set with a new 4K resto of the three main cuts, I'd pay $100 for that, never mind $50. They can then put out a regular edition with just the theatrical cut at a later date.

[AlexIlDottore]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Aye, they seem to have little trouble selling out their limited edition sets of late. Pricing up an Ultimate Dawn set with a new 4K resto of the three main cuts, I'd pay $100 for that, never mind $50. They can then put out a regular edition with just the theatrical cut at a later date.

Sign me up for the $100 package, please

The Anchor Bay ultimate box is fantastic, but I've been longing for the day when I can upgrade it for such a long time.

[Geoff D]

Heh. 3000 units at $100 a pop would be $300K, even with all the accordant costs and expenses of doing the whole thing that'd surely be enough to cover la Rubinstein's avaricious asking price? Even $50 a go would bring in a gross of $150K.

Someone's gotta make it happen. I think Shout may well have the best chance, they could add another $10 to the asking price for a $40-ish total and they'd sell a boatload of units.

[takeasneededforpain]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Aye, they seem to have little trouble selling out their limited edition sets of late. Pricing up an Ultimate Dawn set with a new 4K resto of the three main cuts, I'd pay $100 for that, never mind $50. They can then put out a regular edition with just the theatrical cut at a later date.

I'll happily throw down $100 for this

[Goremeister100]

Come on folks. Don't give them any ideas. What about people who can't afford that

[oddbox83]

Arrow simply can't. They tried to renew their licence but couldn't. It's pretty much in limbo now due to the rights owner.

[L.J.]

Originally Posted by Goremeister100

Come on folks. Don't give them any ideas. What about people who can't afford that

I picked up the Australian Dawn of the Dead for less than $20. Has a good cover and some good features. Region free to.

[Goremeister100]

Originally Posted by L.J.

I picked up the Australian Dawn of the Dead for less than $20. Has a good cover and some good features. Region free to.

Do you know if the picture quality is better than the US or UK blus?

[Geoff D]

It uses the exact same video encode as the Arrow UK disc. Well worth picking up cheap while we wait for something better.