Scream Factory Blu-ray Discussion Thread

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by RiFiFi1955

So true, I love collecting Spaghetti Westerns, even the ones that aren't so hot. On second thought though I pretty much enjoy them all, even the second and third tiers.

Right on. And for me the Man with No Name Trilogy would be all I need. However I would like to own every third-tier crappy sci-fi movie ever made. I look at Scream stuff like Saturn 3 and Leviathan and get excited. Everyone's different.

I don't begrudge people asking "why" though. Hell, my wife asks why on a fairly consistent basis!

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Goldensuitcase

I am just curious what most SCREAM buyers really buy their films for.

For the most part, I buy Scream Factory titles to fill in the void with my childhood nostalgia for movies of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Not that I saw most of these movies when I was a child, but I have fond memories of being mesmerized by the movie trailers on television (Cat People, Deadly Blessing, The Howling, etc.), and I later sought out the movies on VHS. These movies put a smile on my face without fail, because they remind me of a fun and simple time. Even so-called clunkers, like Saturn 3 or Deadly Eyes, are still awesome in the way that 1980s kids like me can understand.

I suspect that a lot of Scream Factory customers are like me, and the studio caters well to people like us who have childhood memories of these movies, but now have the disposable income of working adults.

For this reason, I'll likely never own all of the Scream Factory titles or "collect" from the studio, because there are a few that simply came out after that magic time (Ginger Snaps, Lake Placid, Dead Souls, etc.). I liked Lake Placid alright, and I'm sure that the other two are pretty decent, but I simply have no strong pull to buy them.

Now, if you want to talk about "collecting", then take a look at the classic-era film noir titles from the 1940s and 1950s that I have in my Blu-ray and DVD collections. I pretty much buy all of the film noir titles that I can get my hands on.

[jthefrank]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

That's definitely a much deeper rabbit hole to find yourself in.

My fantasy goal would be to own every sci-fi film and show ever made, though obviously that will never happen. I love the genre so much I want to own as many significant ones as I can though. If there were a "Sci-fi Factory" I would probably try and own them all. Scream Factory has some sci-fi stuff but not THAT much.

I buy every classic Doctor Who release, even though many of those stories are utter shite.

A lot of us have something we want to collect.

Exactly. My fantasy goal is having (most) every horror movie from 1970-1990. Early on in my DVD collecting I realized that those were the titles that I coveted and treasured the most. Scream, along with the other indie labels, help fulfill a large portion of that dream. And if that means I pick up a few straggler Chiller films, or The Neanderthal Man, or Snuff, so be it. I want to help keep the output coming.

Unlike something like Criterion or Disney, where even if I had the resources a great deal of their library holds no interest for me

[KenHurd]

Originally Posted by Goldensuitcase

It's not meant to be taken as disrespect. He or any of you can do whatever you like. I am just curious what most SCREAM buyers really buy their films for.

I own most of Scream Factory's releases with the exception of the Beast of Hollow Mountain/Neanderthal Man double feature and The Monkey's Paw, and I avoided those mainly because they just didn't interest me. I can only speak for myself, but being someone who was a kid through the 90s, I remember going to video stores and renting a lot of these movies. I also remember these movies playing on TV constantly back then, too. Even though some of these aren't great movies (X-ray, for example), I still enjoy them. Nostalgia obviously plays a big factor in why I purchase these.

Of course, there are some titles that were blind buys (Ninja 3, Saturn 3, etc.) that I probably shouldn't have picked up, but those releases are few and far between. So I'll often take a chance on those titles based on SF's other releases. Also, I find horror films to be very rewatchable.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

For the most part, I buy Scream Factory titles to fill in the void with my childhood nostalgia for movies of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Not that I saw most of these movies when I was a child, but I have fond memories of being mesmerized by the movie trailers on television (Cat People, Deadly Blessing, The Howling, etc.), and I later sought out the movies on VHS. These movies put a smile on my face without fail, because they remind me of a fun and simple time. Even so-called clunkers, like Saturn 3 or Deadly Eyes, are still awesome in the way that 1980s kids like me can understand.

I suspect that a lot of Scream Factory customers are like me, and the studio caters well to people like us who have childhood memories of these movies, but now have the disposable income of working adults.

For this reason, I'll likely never own all of the Scream Factory titles or "collect" from the studio, because there are a few that simply came out after that magic time (Ginger Snaps, Lake Placid, Dead Souls, etc.). I liked Lake Placid alright, and I'm sure that the other two are pretty decent, but I simply have no strong pull to buy them.

Now, if you want to talk about "collecting", then take a look at the classic-era film noir titles from the 1940s and 1950s that I have in my Blu-ray and DVD collections. I pretty much buy all of the film noir titles that I can get my hands on.

Great post, man! The most romantic sounding summary of collecting I have read in a long time.

A lot of us 80's kids were in the rental store getting countless 70's and 80's classics, slashers, b-movies and others on a consistent basis. Watching a movie from then that I haven't even seen still brings me back to that time. I try keeping my purchases to just sci-fi movies, but truly any genre movie form that time is a fun experience in feeling young again.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

A lot of us 80's kids were in the rental store getting countless 70's and 80's classics, slashers, b-movies and others on a consistent basis. Watching a movie from then that I haven't even seen still brings me back to that time. I try keeping my purchases to just sci-fi movies, but truly any genre movie form that time is a fun experience in feeling young again.

I was born in 1972, and I have so many great memories of seeing the trailers to movies like Cat People, Deadly Blessing, The Fog, and so many others. I also remember staring wide-eyed at the newspaper advertisements for the movies at the drive-in theater in the small rural city where I grew up. Like you said, even the films that I never saw back then still bring me back to that time when I watch them now, because I remember that sense of wonder I had when looking at the movie poster art on the drive-in ads and such. There were also a few bad horror movies that I caught on HBO when I had the chance (Saturn 3, etc.).

Like many others, I was usually not allowed to watch R-rated horror movies when I was 10 years old in 1982. I was also told not to eat junk food or to stay out late at night.
So...
It's 2:00 in the morning, I have a Scream Factory Blu-ray of John Carpenter's The Fog, and I'm watching it while I eat a candy bar that I bought at the convenience store next door. I'm finally living the dream! Haha.

[RiFiFi1955]

OWL always has the best posts. The man is a wizard of posting, should be a professional blogger if he isn't already. What impresses me the most is that these are off the top of his head most the time and are well thought/well written posts...you sir I salute you

[deathcab6366]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

For the most part, I buy Scream Factory titles to fill in the void with my childhood nostalgia for movies of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Not that I saw most of these movies when I was a child, but I have fond memories of being mesmerized by the movie trailers on television (Cat People, Deadly Blessing, The Howling, etc.), and I later sought out the movies on VHS. These movies put a smile on my face without fail, because they remind me of a fun and simple time. Even so-called clunkers, like Saturn 3 or Deadly Eyes, are still awesome in the way that 1980s kids like me can understand.

I suspect that a lot of Scream Factory customers are like me, and the studio caters well to people like us who have childhood memories of these movies, but now have the disposable income of working adults.

For this reason, I'll likely never own all of the Scream Factory titles or "collect" from the studio, because there are a few that simply came out after that magic time (Ginger Snaps, Lake Placid, Dead Souls, etc.). I liked Lake Placid alright, and I'm sure that the other two are pretty decent, but I simply have no strong pull to buy them.

Now, if you want to talk about "collecting", then take a look at the classic-era film noir titles from the 1940s and 1950s that I have in my Blu-ray and DVD collections. I pretty much buy all of the film noir titles that I can get my hands on.

Well put, very well put!!! I couldn't agree more!!!

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I was born in 1972, and I have so many great memories of seeing the trailers to movies like Cat People, Deadly Blessing, The Fog, and so many others. I also remember staring wide-eyed at the newspaper advertisements for the movies at the drive-in theater in the small rural city where I grew up. Like you said, even the films that I never saw back then still bring me back to that time when I watch them now, because I remember that sense of wonder I had when looking at the movie poster art on the drive-in ads and such. There were also a few bad horror movies that I caught on HBO when I had the chance (Saturn 3, etc.).

Like many others, I was usually not allowed to watch R-rated horror movies when I was 10 years old in 1982. I was also told not to eat junk food or to stay out late at night.
So...
It's 2:00 in the morning, I have a Scream Factory Blu-ray of John Carpenter's The Fog, and I'm watching it while I eat a candy bar that I bought at the convenience store next door. I'm finally living the dream! Haha.

Exactly!

I was born in 1980 but I spent so much time watching "old" movies as a teenager I feel like I have seen as many 70's movies as most 70's kids did. I practically lived in the VHS rental shop from '88 through 2000.

[Goldensuitcase]

That's why I love SCREAM. I buy films that are nostalgic such as SWAMP THING, DOLLS, THEY LIVE, PRINCE OF DARKNESS and a few others.

[davidthenikonuser]

Originally Posted by Goldensuitcase

It's not meant to be taken as disrespect. He or any of you can do whatever you like. I am just curious what most SCREAM buyers really buy their films for.

I buy the films I like and sometimes blind buy some that I never saw back in the day but always wanted to.

[Metallix87]

Originally Posted by Goldensuitcase

It's not meant to be taken as disrespect. He or any of you can do whatever you like. I am just curious what most SCREAM buyers really buy their films for.

Years ago, there was a channel called Monsters HD. My favorite memories of my adolescence come from sitting around, either with my father or with my friends, and watching all kinds of horror films from the 30s to the 80s. Scream Factory is a company putting out several of the films I first watched on that channel, so I'm willing to give them my money in exchange for reliving my past and also experiencing some new horror titles I may not have heard of otherwise.

[RandyK]

The only time I wish I was older is when I hear of these defunct TV stations airing these horror films. I would've watched the hell out of them. Closest thing now is Chiller, which I think doesn't air enough older stuff.

[Camp_Crystal_Lake]

I love the posts about collecting Scream titles. Here is my own story.

I buy horror movies for nostalgia and collecting purposes. I was a child of the 80's, meaning most of my childhood memories come from the late-70's to mid-eighties, and one of my fondest memories of childhood was when we bought our first VHS player in 1982. My family was lower middle class, and we didn't get to go to the movies a lot, and when we did get to go to the theater it was a special event.

However, when VHS started gaining public notice,my dad saved money over time, and in 1982 used a part of those savings to buy a VHS player. When he brought the player home, my sisters and I were beyond excited, we couldn't believe that we could finally see the movies that we saw at the theater again, and in the comfort of our home. It was unbelievable to us; and I was hooked.

Friday nights became a family outing to a video store,where my siblings and I could pick out one movie each, and afterwards we would eat at a restaurant like Pizza Hut, Captain D's, or a burger joint. I remember walking the aisles of the video stores in nearby towns, searching for the one title to take home for the night. As I would peruse the racks, I was drawn to the box art in the horror section. Some of the most fascinating art was the Friday the 13th and other movies like it. I remember taking a horror film off the shelf, going to my dad, and pleading with him to rent it for me. After much insistence, he let me pick a horror film as my pick for the night. I was ecstatic. The whole way home I could barely contain my excitement.

I don't remember the title or my reaction to the film, but I remember the excitement of getting to pick a horror film every week as we rented movies.

This nostalgia is the main reason I collect Scream titles. The innoncence of this era of my life is something I remember fondly. And whenever I get a horror blu ray in the mail, be it a Scream title or another boutique genre label, a little of that excitement and nostalgia comes back. So no matter how bad or good of a day I've had, when I come home and see that package on my table, memories of my younger self searching the racks of the mom and pop VHS stores come back, even if only for a moment.

[ultlife2013]

Originally Posted by RiFiFi1955

OWL always has the best posts. The man is a wizard of posting, should be a professional blogger if he isn't already. What impresses me the most is that these are off the top of his head most the time and are well thought/well written posts...you sir I salute you

My posts are pretty good too. I can be very good at writing stuff down.

[Mystic]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

For the most part, I buy Scream Factory titles to fill in the void with my childhood nostalgia for movies of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Not that I saw most of these movies when I was a child, but I have fond memories of being mesmerized by the movie trailers on television (Cat People, Deadly Blessing, The Howling, etc.), and I later sought out the movies on VHS. These movies put a smile on my face without fail, because they remind me of a fun and simple time. Even so-called clunkers, like Saturn 3 or Deadly Eyes, are still awesome in the way that 1980s kids like me can understand.

I suspect that a lot of Scream Factory customers are like me, and the studio caters well to people like us who have childhood memories of these movies, but now have the disposable income of working adults.

For this reason, I'll likely never own all of the Scream Factory titles or "collect" from the studio, because there are a few that simply came out after that magic time (Ginger Snaps, Lake Placid, Dead Souls, etc.). I liked Lake Placid alright, and I'm sure that the other two are pretty decent, but I simply have no strong pull to buy them.

Now, if you want to talk about "collecting", then take a look at the classic-era film noir titles from the 1940s and 1950s that I have in my Blu-ray and DVD collections. I pretty much buy all of the film noir titles that I can get my hands on.

I agree. In addition to the nostalgic allure that many of these films have, I think the other appeal is that, most of these films are impossible to see on television. Those of us old enough to remember, can recall a time, when some of these films aired on cable tv, whether it was HBO (back in the late 70s or early 80s) or on one of the many UHF channels that were part of a cable tv package. For me, I'm grateful that via the efforts of Scream Factory (and some of the other distributors), I'll have a chance to not only see some of these films again, but also have a chance to own them on the Blu-Ray format.

[Bad Sandwich]

Originally Posted by RiFiFi1955

OWL always has the best posts. The man is a wizard of posting, should be a professional blogger if he isn't already. What impresses me the most is that these are off the top of his head most the time and are well thought/well written posts...you sir I salute you

Don't the overwhelming majority of forum posts tend to be off the top of one's head, as opposed to meticulously researched dissertations? With the exception of this one. I spent weeks refining this.

[Spooked]

Originally Posted by Camp_Crystal_Lake

However, when VHS started gaining public notice,my dad saved money over time, and in 1982 used a part of those savings to buy a VHS player. When he brought the player home, my sisters and I were beyond excited, we couldn't believe that we could finally see the movies that we saw at the theater again, and in the comfort of our home. It was unbelievable to us; and I was hooked.

Oh God, my family's income was low and sporadic enough that we had to rent a VCR once every month or so for $10.00. (It definitely made renting movies quite an event.)

Originally Posted by Camp_Crystal_Lake

This nostalgia is the main reason I collect Scream titles. The innoncence of this era of my life is something I remember fondly. And whenever I get a horror blu ray in the mail, be it a Scream title or another boutique genre label, a little of that excitement and nostalgia comes back. So no matter how bad or good of a day I've had, when I come home and see that package on my table, memories of my younger self searching the racks of the mom and pop VHS stores come back, even if only for a moment.

Can I get an Amen!

So... has anyone else here ever dreamed of a 'retro' Blu-ray Player that is designed to look like a VCR? It's a small kernel of a dream I have - I'm almost inclined to do some measuring and see if I can't rig something up using an old VCR case from a pawn store... I would so love that.


Thanks Camp_Crystal_Lake and Owl - you guys are awesome.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Camp_Crystal_Lake

I love the posts about collecting Scream titles. Here is my own story.

[Show spoiler]
I buy horror movies for nostalgia and collecting purposes. I was a child of the 80's, meaning most of my childhood memories come from the late-70's to mid-eighties, and one of my fondest memories of childhood was when we bought our first VHS player in 1982. My family was lower middle class, and we didn't get to go to the movies a lot, and when we did get to go to the theater it was a special event.

However, when VHS started gaining public notice,my dad saved money over time, and in 1982 used a part of those savings to buy a VHS player. When he brought the player home, my sisters and I were beyond excited, we couldn't believe that we could finally see the movies that we saw at the theater again, and in the comfort of our home. It was unbelievable to us; and I was hooked.

Friday nights became a family outing to a video store,where my siblings and I could pick out one movie each, and afterwards we would eat at a restaurant like Pizza Hut, Captain D's, or a burger joint. I remember walking the aisles of the video stores in nearby towns, searching for the one title to take home for the night. As I would peruse the racks, I was drawn to the box art in the horror section. Some of the most fascinating art was the Friday the 13th and other movies like it. I remember taking a horror film off the shelf, going to my dad, and pleading with him to rent it for me. After much insistence, he let me pick a horror film as my pick for the night. I was ecstatic. The whole way home I could barely contain my excitement.

I don't remember the title or my reaction to the film, but I remember the excitement of getting to pick a horror film every week as we rented movies.

This nostalgia is the main reason I collect Scream titles. The innoncence of this era of my life is something I remember fondly. And whenever I get a horror blu ray in the mail, be it a Scream title or another boutique genre label, a little of that excitement and nostalgia comes back. So no matter how bad or good of a day I've had, when I come home and see that package on my table, memories of my younger self searching the racks of the mom and pop VHS stores come back, even if only for a moment.

Great post!

As much as I love the convenience of this here site, Amazon, and such, a part of me really misses the mystique of the video rental places back in the 1980s.

I always loved walking through the aisles of the Movie Gallery near my neighborhood during the mid-1980s and eyeing the cover art and the summaries of the films on the back covers. Even in the small rural city where I lived, there was quite an amazing variety of titles, down to obscure horror flicks like Alien Prey or The Prey.

I'm not a huge fan of Wes Craven's The Last House on the Left, but I do remember how the cover art of the VHS tape captured my imagination in so many ways before I even saw the movie. I used to pick up that VHS tape cover in the video rental places and wonder what sort of crazy things could be seen in the movie.

I'll never forget the day that a neighborhood friend and I rented The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (the original 1974 one, of course) from the Movie Gallery. My friend and I were freshmen in high school, but the college kid working the counter just sort of laughed and said that he would not bother checking our ages, before telling us that we were in for a scary time with that movie. We walked the two miles to my house that afternoon while my parents were out of town, I put the tape into the VCR, and my friend and I just sort of looked at each other for a second, thinking, "Are we really ready to see this?"

I probably rented well over a hundred horror flicks from Movie Gallery from my eighth grade year to my senior year of high school. They ranged from perfection (Videodrome, Near Dark, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Brood, Friday the 13th Part 2) to over-the-top-but-fun (From Beyond, Phantasm, The Hidden, Monkey Shines, The Nest) to total cinematic missteps (The Unholy, A Return to Salem's Lot), but I loved every twisted minute of it.

[Member-222782]

That video store allure is what has made most of us build our film libraries to look like our favorite video shops from back in the day. They are monuments to those early experiences perusing the shelves at the local video shop in a way. I've got all of my horror and exploitation titles displayed together and nothing brings me more joy after coming home from a long day at work than being confronted by 10 shelves filled to the max with horror Blu-rays and DVDs

This is why I believe great original artwork is so important - it adds to the fun. My collection, as it stands now, is the closest it will ever be to approximating the experience of what it must have felt like owning a video store when I was a kid. In fact, it helps me to stay a kid, at least in my mind