Keep Watching the Skies! 1950s Sci-Fi and Horror on Blu-ray

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by David Lee Parks

I'm very much looking forward to this release. The cover could use a little more of the typical fifties sci-fi touch though (where's the MONSTER?).

From the 3-D forum:

Originally Posted by Robert Furmanek

I'll certainly suggest (a reverse cover with orginal art).

I'll also recommend a poster gallery as a supplement. There is a LOT of great artwork on this one.

Perhaps if they receive enough feedback they'll consider it - here's their contact form.

[NoirFan]

Joe Dante on INVISIBLE INVADERS - YouTube

"It Came From Outer Space" Trailer - YouTube

[NoirFan]

From the Thing 'master thread':

Originally Posted by 50sscifi

I don't see a thread for the original Howard Hawks movie:
"The Thing from Another World" on Blu-Ray

I order semi-regularly from Amazon Japan and they send me emails all the time suggesting items related to my previous purchases.

Today I received an email that was in Japanese but showed a picture of Kenneth Tobey and Margaret Sheridan. I LOVE this original movie, I'm 55 and grew up watching it, so I recognized it immediately.

The movie is listed as part of the RKO Collection. 2 other movies are also coming out at the same time: the 1942 "The Cat People," and Alfred Hitchcock's "Suspicion," another personal fave.

This has been on my short list of much needed 50's sci-fi movies on blu-ray so I already per-ordered it.

Per Amazon.co.jp this title will be released on February 26, 2016 so I expect early March as a delivery date and March can't come soon enough for me now!

Craig

Site listing/Amazon link

Depending on the reviews, I may spring for both this and Cat People instead of waiting for the eventual US release(s). There is also a CDJapan listing, but their price is ￥4800 as opposed to Amazon's ￥3752 (though those with CDJapan points to use might ultimately get a lower price).

[NoirFan]

Great to see that Panamint listened to requests to use the original poster art!

Special Features:

3D Musical Featurette Nat ‘King’ Cole with Russ Morgan’s Orchestra
Reversible inlay with alternative designs
Illustrated booklet
Theatical Trailer

Panamint site link

[NoirFan]

The cover has been changed yet again (I prefer the previous one, but obviously still far better than the original design, which will still be the reverse):

[NoirFan]

From the Gog thread in the 3-D forum:

Originally Posted by Robert Furmanek

The GOG 3-D Blu-ray will also include a commentary track by Tom Weaver, David Schecter and yours truly; archival interview footage with director Herbert L. Strock and director of photography and Natural Vision co-creator Lothrop B. Worth; a 3-D featurette on the painstaking restoration and trailers!

[NoirFan]

Last month's site review of Phantom from 10,000 Leagues (for those who missed it)

[NoirFan]

From the Kino/Lorber thread:

Originally Posted by MisterLime

GOG - 3-D Restoration Examples!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS4u...ature=youtu.be

[cakefactory]

Everyone says that movie sucks, but the 3D gimmick makes me want to get it. It was also one of those movies that I saw in movie guides all the time as a kid (partly because it was always right after the Godzilla movies in alpha order), always wanted to see, and never did. :P I'm glad they're putting so much work into it.

[Jbug]

Originally Posted by NoirFan

Did any masochists spring for Killer Shrews? A cursory online search didn't lead me to any reviews/comments.

One of my favorites that has good atmosphere and a believable threat from the shrews.

[NoirFan]

From the Panamint site, regarding It Came from Outer Space:

We are NOT accepting PRE-ORDERS. To be released in July 2016.

This will be perfect summing viewing. Hopefully I'll be able to play it with the top/pop-up menu trick, a la their Region B Inferno.

[NoirFan]

DVD Beaver have their Curse of the Faceless Man review up. It's always a welcome addition when Kino include bonus trailers, although in this case there were room for many more, considering the 66-minute run-time!

[NoirFan]

DVDTalk's Curse review has me a bit wary of Chris Alexander's commentary:

It's not bad, but he's needlessly condescending and almost apologetic. Better commentators such as Tom Weaver - the Rolls Royce of such specialized work - find humor in these pictures (his book Poverty Row Horrors is both exhaustively research yet also both fair and, at times, extremely witty) but recognize that even a picture the likes of Curse of the Faceless Man deserves no less effort and industry as, say, Citizen Kane.

I found Alexander's casual, 'dude' style and repetitive mockery a bit grating on the Contamination track, so it's somewhat disappointing to hear that this is apparently more of the same. As Galbraith points out, more informed/disciplined commentators like Weaver, Mank, Del Valle, Haberman, Kalat, et al, manage to be both respectful of and amused by the material they are covering.

[lilboyblu]

Curse of the Demon/Night of the Demon (1957)

€15 (50% off) on Amazon.FR

[NoirFan]

^
There is also a German release planned from Anolis, but as far as I am aware there hasn't been an update since this post last October:

Originally Posted by Ivo Scheloske

Currently the releases of a couple of our much anticipated titles (among it our Blu-ray release of NIGHT OF THE DEMON) were postponed for various reasons.

[NoirFan]

From DVD Savant's Curse review:

Chris does a good job of reiterating basic facts about the movie that can be gleaned from Bill Warren, Tom Weaver and entries at the Classic Horror Film Board. He takes a slightly jokey, condescending attitude that doesn’t see much of value in the picture, and doesn’t communicate any reason why he’d want to record a commentary.

So, yeah...regurgitating IMDB trivia and mocking the movie. I think I can skip his contribution entirely!

[Akijama]

Oddly and disappointingly enough, Universal is releasing The Classic Sc-Fi Collection (Volume 1) on DVD only, on April 5.

The collection inlcudes: Tarantula / The Mole People / The Incredible Shrinking Man / The Monolith Monsters and Monster on the Campus.

Really puzzling, since there are existing HD masters for all these flicks.

[NoirFan]

Yeah, they really have no interest in releasing any of these stateside. I'm sure it'll be the same for It Came from Outer Space. I didn't know there was an HD master for Monster on the Campus though - was that broadcast on HDTV somewhere?

[EManT2200]

Originally Posted by Akijama

Oddly and disappointingly enough, Universal is releasing The Classic Sc-Fi Collection (Volume 1) on DVD only, on April 5.

The collection inlcudes: Tarantula / The Mole People / The Incredible Shrinking Man / The Monolith Monsters and Monster on the Campus.

Really puzzling, since there are existing HD masters for all these flicks.

Another Universal dvd re-release ? ? ? I have seen references on the net about Universal not releasing their classic horror and classic sci-fi on blu-ray because " the dvd movies did not sell well, these releases don't make any money". Yet, how many times now have they released them on dvd, seems like they certainly do make money. Come on Universal, get to it, PLEASE ! ! !

[Akijama]

Originally Posted by NoirFan

didn't know there was an HD master for Monster on the Campus though - was that broadcast on HDTV somewhere?

I wouldn't know. I assumed there's one since the other four titles have been released on Blu in Germany.