First Blood / Rambo: First Blood Part II / Rambo III 4K UHDs (1982-1988)

[mikey horror]

Originally Posted by Driver78

Still debating whether or not I should sell my Best Buy exclusive steels before this gets announced and they go down in value.

I wouldn’t. Always a chance it could get cancelled. I’ve seen it happen before.

[Bzilla1982]

Originally Posted by mikey horror

I wouldn’t. Always a chance it could get cancelled. I’ve seen it happen before.

Im sorry im confused, what could or not be announced?

[DR Herbert West]

Originally Posted by I Have Questions

Im sorry im confused, what could or not be announced?

They're working on a new boxset.

[Worship.my.wreck]

Originally Posted by Bzilla1982

Im sorry im confused, what could or not be announced?

Originally Posted by DR Herbert West

They're working on a new boxset.

I have the original 4K’s all with slips. Was there something wrong with those releases? I don’t remember seeing any issues with them when I watched them back when I first bought them. Or are they OOP?

[DR Herbert West]

Originally Posted by Worship.my.wreck

I have the original 4K’s all with slips. Was there something wrong with those releases? I don’t remember seeing any issues with them when I watched them back when I first bought them. Or are they OOP?

Originally Posted by Cliff

Ugh... Fine. This will be the only post I make and there will be no follow up because I no longer post/participate at Blu-ray.com. I was banned twice by some anonymous mod after refusing to play nice with people who clearly like to cause trouble. I don't need the aggravation and have spent the better part of two years deleting my posting history.

BUT... I'm the one working on the upcoming LG Rambo set and I'm the source of both Geoff's and PeterTHX's info. Here's everything I can tell you at this point in time and, again, there will be no follow up.

All five films with both the theatrical and extended cuts of Rambo and Last Blood (Last Blood will be the final cut that appeared on Amazon).

New Dolby Vision grading on 1-3 (Rambo III is particularly in need of correction as it's colors are not only off, but it's highlights are terribly clipped. We're fixing that.)

Rambo III's subtitles are also being corrected and, while they'll be player generated, they're designed to match the font and timing of the optical theatrical subs. One thing to note about Rambo III's subs is that a lot of what people THOUGHT was subtitled originally, WASN'T. This has led to a lot of confusion about various releases missing them and one of the Blu-ray releases actually ADDING them when they weren't there theatrically. We're fixing all that and if it was subtitled theatrically... it'll be subtitled on the UHD.

1-3 have all been given brand new Dolby Atmos mixes. Part II, in particular, has sounded terrible for 20 years. We found the original 70mm 6-track mag for Part II and that was the basis for the new Atmos mix. But each of the first three movies will include: Theatrical Stereo PCM, TrueHD 5.1 (the 2002 mixes for First Blood and Rambo III and the unaltered 70mm 6-track for Rambo II) and the new Atmos mixes. Rambo: First Blood Part II sounds INCREDIBLE now... both it's original 6 track mix and the new Atmos. It's night and day and probably the thing I'm most excited about with this set.

We're looking to include EVERYTHING that was ever created for any of the various Rambo releases (globally) in the special features department. We're also creating a few new bits and one of those is dedicated to the original Drew Struzan art.

This release has been my baby for over a year and I've been dedicated to making sure this gets produced from the perspective of a fan and the Ghostbusters set that Sony put out earlier this year has been the model for this all along. Packaging is likely to be more of a gatefold style, but we've also secured the original lobby cards for the first three films and I'm hoping to talk to the studio into also including preprinted case inserts that use all the "style A" artwork so you could migrate the set to traditional cases if desired.

Everyone is completely committed to making this the very best Rambo set ever released which is why we missed the First Blood 40th (which was the plan) to give ourselves enough time to get all the details right.


So... that's it and that's everything that'll be said for now.

.

[deet]

Cliff left Shout Factory for Arrow over a year ago and may not have anything to do with the Rambo 4K omega set anymore (it was originally teased back in November 2022).

[Show spoiler]I am officially too online.

Correction: According to Herbert West, whose license to practice medicine is currently revoked in 176 countries, multiple people are allowed to hold the title of "Cliff" simultaneously. We regret the error.

[DR Herbert West]

Originally Posted by deet

Cliff left Shout Factory for Arrow over a year ago and may not have anything to do with the Rambo 4K omega set anymore (it was originally teased back in November 2022).

[Show spoiler]I am officially too online.

Different Cliff.

[emmet otter]

Still anxiously awaiting the release of the first one

[batman2000]

Why is this new release taking so long?

[DR Herbert West]

Originally Posted by batman2000

Why is this new release taking so long?

It's a long road...

[Esox50]

I suspect the launch of the Lionsgate Ltd website may have put a wrinkle in the release timing/packaging plans. Not saying it's bad news but rather that it only makes sense this would wind up being something they would want to promote as an exclusive or something special only from them at a key point in time. Perhaps it may have changed the packaging plans as well (to something like a Steelbook?) from what Cliff relayed a while ago here.

As long as they get the A/V right, it's going to be well worth the wait. One of my favorites from my youth. My older brother's friends used to pick on me from time to time, it all stopped when I goaded them into the forest preserve across the street from our house, where I ambushed them Rambo style with all sorts of booby traps. Covered holes on the pathways (as they ran after me, one guy sprained his ankle real badly), bushes strung back so it would whiplash them in the face (some facial welts), hit and run style beatings, throwing rocks from camouflage (some cuts), etc...ahh the memories. I think I was around 13-14 years old or so (cause my brother & friends were in high school and thought they were all big stuff). My brother told my parents and I got in trouble though...grounded for the rest of the summer. My response: "They drew first blood, not me!" My Dad is a Vietnam Vet...and even back then I could see the little twinkle in his eye when my brother told my parents what I did to his friends. They never messed with me again after that.

[Bzilla1982]

Originally Posted by DR Herbert West

They're working on a new boxset.

Ty

[Dr. T]

Intrada remastered the Jerry Goldsmith score to "First Blood."

https://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/...&category=-113

[jordanjabroni]

Originally Posted by Esox50

I suspect the launch of the Lionsgate Ltd website may have put a wrinkle in the release timing/packaging plans. Not saying it's bad news but rather that it only makes sense this would wind up being something they would want to promote as an exclusive or something special only from them at a key point in time. Perhaps it may have changed the packaging plans as well (to something like a Steelbook?) from what Cliff relayed a while ago here.

I can't wait to see how hideous the commissioned art on those releases are if they're coming via the Lionsgate Limited route.

[Driver78]

The Rambo films have had many physical media releases over the years. It's one of the most reissued franchises of all time, and for good reason. I always thought each release, on each successive format, looked good. Not great, but very good generally. Tell me why I should buy these films yet again without selling me on packaging.

[dallywhitty]

Originally Posted by Driver78

Tell me why I should buy these films yet again without selling me on packaging.

No.

[jordanjabroni]

Originally Posted by Driver78

The Rambo films have had many physical media releases over the years. It's one of the most reissued franchises of all time, and for good reason. I always thought each release, on each successive format, looked good. Not great, but very good generally. Tell me why I should buy these films yet again without selling me on packaging.

'Let it go...'

[JoelGoodsen]

Originally Posted by Driver78

The Rambo films have had many physical media releases over the years. It's one of the most reissued franchises of all time, and for good reason. I always thought each release, on each successive format, looked good. Not great, but very good generally. Tell me why I should buy these films yet again without selling me on packaging.

So some of the profit can go towards a Kickboxer 2 4K.

[batman2000]

Originally Posted by Cliff

Ugh... Fine. This will be the only post I make and there will be no follow up because I no longer post/participate at Blu-ray.com. I was banned twice by some anonymous mod after refusing to play nice with people who clearly like to cause trouble. I don't need the aggravation and have spent the better part of two years deleting my posting history.

BUT... I'm the one working on the upcoming LG Rambo set and I'm the source of both Geoff's and PeterTHX's info. Here's everything I can tell you at this point in time and, again, there will be no follow up.

All five films with both the theatrical and extended cuts of Rambo and Last Blood (Last Blood will be the final cut that appeared on Amazon).

New Dolby Vision grading on 1-3 (Rambo III is particularly in need of correction as it's colors are not only off, but it's highlights are terribly clipped. We're fixing that.)

Rambo III's subtitles are also being corrected and, while they'll be player generated, they're designed to match the font and timing of the optical theatrical subs. One thing to note about Rambo III's subs is that a lot of what people THOUGHT was subtitled originally, WASN'T. This has led to a lot of confusion about various releases missing them and one of the Blu-ray releases actually ADDING them when they weren't there theatrically. We're fixing all that and if it was subtitled theatrically... it'll be subtitled on the UHD.

1-3 have all been given brand new Dolby Atmos mixes. Part II, in particular, has sounded terrible for 20 years. We found the original 70mm 6-track mag for Part II and that was the basis for the new Atmos mix. But each of the first three movies will include: Theatrical Stereo PCM, TrueHD 5.1 (the 2002 mixes for First Blood and Rambo III and the unaltered 70mm 6-track for Rambo II) and the new Atmos mixes. Rambo: First Blood Part II sounds INCREDIBLE now... both it's original 6 track mix and the new Atmos. It's night and day and probably the thing I'm most excited about with this set.

We're looking to include EVERYTHING that was ever created for any of the various Rambo releases (globally) in the special features department. We're also creating a few new bits and one of those is dedicated to the original Drew Struzan art.

This release has been my baby for over a year and I've been dedicated to making sure this gets produced from the perspective of a fan and the Ghostbusters set that Sony put out earlier this year has been the model for this all along. Packaging is likely to be more of a gatefold style, but we've also secured the original lobby cards for the first three films and I'm hoping to talk to the studio into also including preprinted case inserts that use all the "style A" artwork so you could migrate the set to traditional cases if desired.

Everyone is completely committed to making this the very best Rambo set ever released which is why we missed the First Blood 40th (which was the plan) to give ourselves enough time to get all the details right.


So... that's it and that's everything that'll be said for now.

So what’s the latest on this?

[DaylightsEnd]

Originally Posted by Driver78

Tell me why I should buy these films yet again without selling me on packaging.

Because it's time for the studio to finally stop cutting corners on this franchise, and finalize actual definitive editions of each of the several releases, on the best available format, inclusive of: 1) quality encoding/compression across the whole franchise that will hold up for several future generations of larger and larger, increasingly-sophisticated display upgrades; 2) original audio that's properly remastered, without phasing, altered sound effects, neutered bass, weak/filtered audio, etc.; 3) correct or at least reasonable gamma and contrast that give proper black levels, good dark detail and consistent visual depth to the picture.

That alone would be a fantastic start. Basic bare-minimum expectations at this point. It's a needs-list of features, not a wish-list. The existing 4k releases are decent to a degree but the first three were early to the platform and could definitely use a solid upgrade at this stage, especially the first film, which is easily an all-time top-ten film favorite for me, and got the worst treatment of the lot.

I'm not at all concerned with the packaging, nor would it sway my purchasing decision one way or another.