Scream Factory Blu-ray Discussion Thread

[Jlouisbarrett]

Originally Posted by painiac

i see the shift, but i don't see de-graining. but it's possible i don't have the slightest clue.

I had to zoom in to the image as much as my technology would allow to see the difference and it's a teensy shift in grain structure. It would be completely imperceptible by the human eye in motion.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

This just got mentioned on the Dead Ringers thread but has anyone who has received replacement discs for it due to the 2.0 reversed audio defect experience now that the 5.1 audio is reversed as well on either the original copies or the replacements?

[2-perf]

Got it guys, I promise I'll never come back here, never. Go celebrate now.

[Mystic]

Originally Posted by 2-perf

Got it guys, I promise I'll never come back here, never. Go celebrate now.

Don't let the punters chase you away from the forum. Your comments and insight are most welcome here.

[splintersan]

Originally Posted by 2-perf

Got it guys, I promise I'll never come back here, never. Go celebrate now.

I always like reading your posts whether I agree or not, they are insightful and from some one who has much more knowledge on the subject than myself. Keep posting, it's much better discussion that slip cases.

[oubukibun]

Originally Posted by 2-perf

Got it guys, I promise I'll never come back here, never. Go celebrate now.

No one wants you to go anywhere, and in fact, as already proven, your reputation is plenty exemplary for others to even acknowledge this fact. Your post seems to be uncharacteristically childish in contrast to the maturity and welcomed erudition you've shown in previous posts of yours.

It shows (to me, to others it may show something else) you weren't really eager for a discussion about what you discovered but rather lookin for commiseration from like-minded individuals concerning the discovery of, well, whatever it is you've brought to our attention concerning AoD.

All several of us did was disagree and balk at the appearance of your initial statement, and even began a quick, one-sided discussion about the merit of what you brought to the table, so to speak. One-minded, of course, because you did not say anything after save for a dismissal about conversations about slipcovers and shipping, subconsciously boxing those who were not in agreement with you (or showing confusion as to the 'big deal', which you yourself showed with the facepalming) with those 'other people' you may or may not have an issue with that drone endlessly about the things that do not matter to you.

Haha, whether or not you read this, it's okay, but don't give an air of petty defeat when no one's attacking you or calling you out on some fort of trolling. People respectably disagreed with you, and despite insinuating that these threads are for conversations about things such as what you were bringing to it, you dropped it in favor of the above post I've quoted instead of an alternate discussion, where you could have used the obvious knowledge you have about the process, to show why, if at all, that problem you saw (and see) is actually a big deal.

Can you do that for us? I may be a plebeian, but one eager to learn more.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by oubukibun

It is one of the very rare times where I am perfectly content being a plebeian with my de-grained 4K restoration from that useless and shoddy production house, Scream Factory.

I've always been content and pleased with Scream Factory releases. Had I not read the forum discussions here, I wouldn't have even noticed any problems with oft-maligned Scream titles like Cat People, Nosferatu the Vampyre, or Motel Hell.
I mean, I noticed that these releases weren't exactly demo quality, but I also noticed that they were way better than how they looked on DVD or VHS.

I don't want to annoy folks by getting on a high horse, because I'm the last person here who should, but I believe that frequent participation in the Blu-ray.com forums fosters an unhealthy interest in the particulars of these releases.

I just posted this elsewhere a few minutes ago, but I was born in 1972, so I remember a time when, if you missed seeing a movie at the theater, then that movie was gone forever. There was no Blu-ray, no DVD, no VHS, and not even HBO or pay cable, so there was no way to catch a movie again after it left the theater. If you were extremely lucky, then you might catch a pan-and-scan edited-for-television version of a favorite movie on Sunday night on ABC, CBS, or NBC two or three years after its theatrical run, but that was all that you could hope for.

Back in 1982, when I was in fifth grade and when my imagination was captivated by movie trailers and newspaper advertisements for movies like Cat People and The Thing, I would have sold my soul to have the existing Scream transfers of these movies available in my own home for me to watch whenever I wanted. I even would have thrown in a free set of steak knives.

Don't get me wrong. I myself just double-dipped on the Scream Factory Firestarter release to have a DNR-free transfer of that film, and I double-dipped on a German Blu-ray of Under the Skin to have a transfer of that film with less banding, so I guess that I'm the same way.

Most of the time, though, I try my best to take a couple of steps back from the fray and remember my 1982 childhood self who would have given anything to have remotely-presentable high definition home video versions of these movies in the first place.

[oubukibun]

I mean, I was definitely being facetious when I called Scream Factory shoddy (lol), which I shouldn't have done since it colors my post with emotional language, and therefore, less rationality...

I just always remind myself the bubble of Blu-ray.com is indeed that and that in fact, there are tons of consumers out there very happily digging in through their Scream Factory/Shout Factory discs, thankful long-beloved and sometimes lost classics/"classics" have come back to the surface thanks to them.

If for nothing else, I am eternally thankful for that, and for being able to look forward to even more this coming year.

The rest is absolutely a case-by-case basis, with pros and cons that oscillate as quickly and as restlessly as the weather in Ohio.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by oubukibun

I mean, I was definitely being facetious when I called Scream Factory shoddy (lol), which I shouldn't have done since it colors my post with emotional language, and therefore, less rationality...

I totally got the gist of your post, and I had a good chuckle at it.

I know that there are marginally better-looking region B versions of some of these Scream Factory titles, but there's just something awesomely warm and cozy about this label for those of us who grew up watching these old horror films. The presentations (movie content, transfers, extras, cover art, etc.) have a charm of their own that keeps me coming back.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

I love Scream Factory and Shout! Factory. For the most part they put out quality product. Just as long as it's a pleasing viewing experience I'm all for them. It's just the defects that have been happening lately I think since the missing frames on Army of Darkness that it's just been so hit and miss with them. You've got awful sibilance issue here and there, reversed audio here and there, misframed aspect ratio like with the latest Red Dawn and Road House which is way too bright even though the transfer is technically better than the MGM release. Then you have stellar releases like To Live and Die in L.A. and Carrie that are spot on with the first try. I just want to go back to the times when I didn't have to worry about those things and be completely excited and look forward to one of their upcoming releases without having to worry like I do now.

Honestly, worrying about a blu ray being messed up by any other company never even crosses my mind because it hardly ever seems to happen with the releases I get anyways. Yes, sometimes it does but it is quickly noticed and corrected by the company before it goes into the market. Shout! did that with The Thing but it's up to everyone on the forums to get them to correct the other mistakes and not all of them get corrected.

[oubukibun]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I know that there are marginally better-looking region B versions of some of these Scream Factory titles, but there's just something awesomely warm and cozy about this label for those of us who grew up watching these old horror films. The presentations (movie content, transfers, extras, cover art, etc.) have a charm of their own that keeps me coming back.

The Great Owl, you have so beautifully and succinctly stated my own position concerning Shout/Scream. Truly. That's my last word on why I almost always choose them over other labels releasing the same film.

And MassiveMovieBuff, absofrigginlutely there are issues. It just so happens, in my case, they very rarely affect the movies I like.

Also, something like reversed audio on my TV speaker setup (lol), is hardly cause for concern. I even accepted the Black Christmas sibilance if only because for me, on my first viewing experience, created this tremendous sensation of being in a dingy, old, cold-as-heck movie theater in Canada, watching it for the first time.

As a Language Arts teacher, the ability to project my imagination onto a lesson plan extends just as readily to my home viewing experience, haha, so I can justify almost all the 'issues' and create some sort of story behind them that will add to the experience.

Usually my issues are when there are missing scenes (not frames, scenes), incorrect audio, or a transfer that's just not gonna cut it for me (Waxwork for example, was just released overseas and even I have to admit that it looks darker and better detailed, but there is no crossover in the extras department, and as Great Owl stated, that's part of the appeal, that and I don't mind the brightened picture on the Vestron release).

OK, why am I still typing. Sorry. Long post.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by oubukibun

The Great Owl, you have so beautifully and succinctly stated my own position concerning Shout/Scream. Truly. That's my last word on why I almost always choose them over other labels releasing the same film.

And MassiveMovieBuff, absofrigginlutely there are issues. It just so happens, in my case, they very rarely affect the movies I like.

Also, something like reversed audio on my TV speaker setup (lol), is hardly cause for concern. I even accepted the Black Christmas sibilance if only because for me, on my first viewing experience, created this tremendous sensation of being in a dingy, old, cold-as-heck movie theater in Canada, watching it for the first time.

As a Language Arts teacher, the ability to project my imagination onto a lesson plan extends just as readily to my home viewing experience, haha, so I can justify almost all the 'issues' and create some sort of story behind them that will add to the experience.

Usually my issues are when there are missing scenes (not frames, scenes), incorrect audio, or a transfer that's just not gonna cut it for me (Waxwork for example, was just released overseas and even I have to admit that it looks darker and better detailed, but there is no crossover in the extras department, and as Great Owl stated, that's part of the appeal, that and I don't mind the brightened picture on the Vestron release).

OK, why am I still typing. Sorry. Long post.

That is great for you that you don't mind defects and that they don't affect movies that you own (luckily or just not yet) but there are plenty of other fans out there that have movies that are affected by those defects and expect Shout! to put out a quality product.

Frankly this is all common sense so trying to justify this stuff is just really undeniably silly.

[oubukibun]

And yet here we are... Lol

In all seriousness, I don't think it has to be seen as justification if we acknowledge that there are faults and then discuss how we go about dealing or not dealing with them.

To justify something either way implies that one side is wrong and the other is right, whereas I think my truth lies in perspective and the degree of said perspective.

Reversed audio isn't the same as a DNR'd transfer to any given person, and vice versa.

Damn. I'm justifying, aren't I? Haha! I'm being paid by Shout as I type this...

Perfect example where Shout fudged it: Red Dawn. Wtf happened there?!

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by oubukibun

And yet here we are... Lol

In all seriousness, I don't think it has to be seen as justification if we acknowledge that there are faults and then discuss how we go about dealing or not dealing with them.

To justify something either way implies that one side is wrong and the other is right, whereas I think my truth lies in perspective and the degree of said perspective.

Reversed audio isn't the same as a DNR'd transfer to any given person, and vice versa.

Damn. I'm justifying, aren't I? Haha! I'm being paid by Shout as I type this...

Perfect example where Shout fudged it: Red Dawn. Wtf happened there?!

Yeah you bring up a good point about how we deal with the faults. That's why these forums are a great place. Without them we may never get the faults corrected. I'm also speaking for how I am as a person and if I worked for a blu ray manufacturing company and how serious of a film collector I am. I would want to make sure that I put out the best release possible for the fans out there that are eagerly awaiting for those titles and willing to pay hard earned money for them.

With Red Dawn I have no idea what happened there and they still let it go into the market which baffles me. I'm sure that they knew the problem existed already but let it go anyways.

[painiac]

i think the big problem here is that y'all are actually watching movies, which is insane behavior

[oubukibun]

Originally Posted by MassiveMovieBuff

Yeah you bring up a good point about how we deal with the faults. That's why these forums are a great place. Without them we may never get the faults corrected. I'm also speaking for how I am as a person and if I worked for a blu ray manufacturing company and how serious of a film collector I am. I would want to make sure that I put out the best release possible for the fans out there that are eagerly awaiting for those titles and willing to pay hard earned money for them.

With Red Dawn I have no idea what happened there and they still let it go into the market which baffles me. I'm sure that they knew the problem existed already but let it go anyways.

Once again, in complete accordance. That Red Dawn release will have me scratching my head for a while yet; hopefully it's just an anomaly... And a small one at that.

[MassiveMovieBuff]

Originally Posted by painiac

i think the big problem here is that y'all are actually watching movies, which is insane behavior

Well put me in a straight jacket and commit me then because I'm flat out insane.

[dissention]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I wouldn't have even noticed any problems with oft-maligned Scream titles like Cat People

[jshaide]

Originally Posted by painiac

i think the big problem here is that y'all are actually watching movies, which is insane behavior

Wait, there are movies in these boxes I have lining my walls?

I wanna be. . . Pete. . . Jones.

[StingingVelvet]

Scream has some crappy discs out there that look worse than other region A friendly versions, but Army of Darkness ain't one of them. Very subtle compression difference likely invisible in motion. Let's not be toooooo nit-picky, even the picture quality lovers among us.