Dark Force Entertainment Discussion Thread

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by BigBoxBlu

I'm pretty sure Bill owned that outright.

Probably owned final exam outright too, considering every release of it has been licensed by code red.

Originally Posted by hallowdrew

Are these new 4K Dark Force titles with the slipcovers site exclusives, then non-slip versions will be available through other outlets? I noticed that GHV has the Scream (81) UHD as a 6/23 pre-order. Thanks.

Usually they get a wide MVD release eventually (often without slipcover) but not guaranteed

[BigBoxBlu]

Originally Posted by hallowdrew

Are these new 4K Dark Force titles with the slipcovers site exclusives, then non-slip versions will be available through other outlets? I noticed that GHV has the Scream (81) UHD as a 6/23 pre-order. Thanks.

Scream never got a slipcover incase you didn't know, which is weird because Dead Pit did and the next two also have one.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by BigBoxBlu

Scream never got a slipcover incase you didn't know, which is weird because Dead Pit did and the next two also have one.

I have a theory about that, and I'm pretty sure I'm right

If you notice , the back cover of Scream 4K has extras that are not on the disc.

If you also notice ,the extras on the back cover of Dead Pit 4k are on an included Blu-ray, not the 4K disc. Dead Pit 4K and Scream 4K are authored exactly the same in terms of menu, etc, clearly same authoring team.

Also notice, Dead Pit has a Blu-ray logo on the slip spine but not on the cover spine. Like Dead Pit, Scream has no blu-ray logo on the cover spine.

HOWEVER, Scream 4K did not come with its corresponding Blu-ray. My theory is, Scream 4K originally did have a slipcover and did have a Blu-ray with the extras listed on the back cover (repressing of same Blu-ray thats been out there before). However, since KINO has an active sublicensed release for Scream on Blu-ray (unlike Dead Pit) they likely protested the release. As a result, at the last minute Dark Force had to dump the slipcover with the Blu-ray logo and dump the Blu-ray with the extras on it, too - maybe even have the plant go through and repackage everything which would explain the release delay. And thats why, after a long delay, we only got a Scream 4K disc, without the extras on the back cover, and without a slip.

[jcs913]

OK...So I assume like Dead Pit 4K that the Final Exam listing is for a PRE-ORDER? Or is it ready to go now or soon? As I see that it says late March, which is now or April which is soon. Asking, because of the revised slip situation. Sounds like the discs are ready??? Don't those slips usually take a month or 2 to print? I really don't want to wait another 3+ months for a 4K again from the Demon. Am I missing something, or is it going to be a month wait for this or longer again?

By the way, Scream is still an awful movie...

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by jcs913

OK...So I assume like Dead Pit 4K that the Final Exam listing is for a PRE-ORDER? Or is it ready to go now or soon? As I see that it says late March, which is now or April which is soon. Asking, because of the revised slip situation. Sounds like the discs are ready??? Don't those slips usually take a month or 2 to print? I really don't want to wait another 3+ months for a 4K again from the Demon. Am I missing something, or is it going to be a month wait for this or longer again?

By the way, Scream is still an awful movie...

Apparently the discs are already in replication and the new slip cover went into printing on Monday. I have no idea what that means in terms of a delivery time table though

[jcs913]

Originally Posted by Ruined

Apparently the discs are already in replication and the new slip cover went into printing on Monday. I have no idea what that means in terms of a delivery time table though

Hmmmm. I think I will wait for people to have them in hand this time.

[Savage_Blu]

Was hoping to grab Dead Pit 4k, but since it wasn't available I grabbed a couple of the 'Lightning Deals' plus Kill Crazy:



Glad to get Primal Scream for $10, been wanting that for awhile now and I'm always down for some low-fi sci-fi.
Gates of Hell for $20 with that primo slip was a no brainer. While I have Walt's release of GOH, I've been wanting to checkout the "GRINDHOUSE RELEASE HD MASTER FROM ACTUAL 35MM DRIVE-IN PRINT!!", and the b-side Psycho From Texas looks like some classic 70's 'exploitation'.

Thanks Dave!

[HighScore Valerie]

I'm skipping on the Final Exam UHD sadly. I don't think it'd be that much of an upgrade. Dead Pit UHD a film I really love didn't get SDH subtitles but Final Exam does but also with no HDR. I just want definitive UHD releases.

A little disappointed again...

[Savage_Blu]

Some discounted 'Lightning Deals' are available at the Superstore for:

THE LOST WORLD The Complete First Season-DVD BOX SET
BLANK GENERATION
STEEL ARENA
RIDE THE HOT WIND
PRIMAL SCREAM
DRIVE-IN #6 featuring THE GATES OF HELL / Psycho From Texas
FORCED ENTRY

found here:
https://darkforcesuperstore.com/sear...ection=product

[jcs913]

Originally Posted by HighScore Valerie

I'm skipping on the Final Exam UHD sadly. I don't think it'd be that much of an upgrade. Dead Pit UHD a film I really love didn't get SDH subtitles but Final Exam does but also with no HDR. I just want definitive UHD releases.

A little disappointed again...

Sounds like Dark Force is gonna get a low score.....

[DaylightsEnd]

Originally Posted by Savage_Blu

Gates of Hell for $20 with that primo slip was a no brainer. I've been wanting to check out the "GRINDHOUSE RELEASE HD MASTER FROM ACTUAL 35MM DRIVE-IN PRINT!!", and the b-side Psycho From Texas looks like some classic 70's 'exploitation'.

Same here. After just watching my new COTLD 4k uhd from Cauldron, I had the irresistible urge to give this GoH print copy a spin. I just had to add it to the collection pronto. DF Lightning Deal #666 - ordered!

[Demon Dave]

Originally Posted by jcs913

OK...So I assume like Dead Pit 4K that the Final Exam listing is for a PRE-ORDER? Or is it ready to go now or soon? As I see that it says late March, which is now or April which is soon. Asking, because of the revised slip situation. Sounds like the discs are ready??? Don't those slips usually take a month or 2 to print? I really don't want to wait another 3+ months for a 4K again from the Demon. Am I missing something, or is it going to be a month wait for this or longer again?

By the way, Scream is still an awful movie...

FINAL EXAM will be shipping within the next 2 weeks. The delays we had with SCREAM and DEAD PIT were very unusual and will not happen ever again. So go ahead and wait but if you really want it you may not end up getting it. Lot of people held off on DEAD PIT and they have been going very fast now that the word is out on how great it came out. We did not do large runs on these 4K's so when we have them on hand they are go fast.

[Demon Dave]

Originally Posted by HighScore Valerie

I'm skipping on the Final Exam UHD sadly. I don't think it'd be that much of an upgrade. Dead Pit UHD a film I really love didn't get SDH subtitles but Final Exam does but also with no HDR. I just want definitive UHD releases.

A little disappointed again...

FINAL EXAM is a HUGE upgrade from the past release. Just as DEAD PIT absolutely was and SCREAM. HDR doesn't necessarily make everything look better and in some cases it makes it look worse. FINAL EXAM was not the best shot movie. The whole thing takes place in a school and it almost has a TV movie feel to it. The use of HDR on that one was causing problems with the image otherwise obviously we would have used it. A lot of people don't understand that all these technologies don't yield the same result on every film. The bottom line is we got it looking way better than its ever looked on any previous release period. And you'll find that out when people start getting it in hand just like DEAD PIT and by then it may be too late to get it. These 4K releases are selling out very fast.

[DukeTogo84]

Got Kill Crazy in, and man it actually looks really good. About to watch this one for the first time right now, but man impressed it looks as good as it does.

[Bradsdadg]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

Got Kill Crazy in, and man it actually looks really good. About to watch this one for the first time right now, but man impressed it looks as good as it does.

Hope you like this one, man. I really enjoyed it!

[Energy Crisis]

Originally Posted by Demon Dave

FINAL EXAM is a HUGE upgrade from the past release. Just as DEAD PIT absolutely was and SCREAM. HDR doesn't necessarily make everything look better and in some cases it makes it look worse. FINAL EXAM was not the best shot movie. The whole thing takes place in a school and it almost has a TV movie feel to it. The use of HDR on that one was causing problems with the image otherwise obviously we would have used it. A lot of people don't understand that all these technologies don't yield the same result on every film. The bottom line is we got it looking way better than its ever looked on any previous release period. And you'll find that out when people start getting it in hand just like DEAD PIT and by then it may be too late to get it. These 4K releases are selling out very fast.

I have not seen a single competently graded film on UHD where HDR didn't improve the PQ. The dynamic range has always been there on the negative and if handled correctly this will never make a movie look worse. If whatever lab you use can't pull this stuff off, you need to take your projects to somewhere that can. "Not the best shot movie" is no excuse. If The Hills Have Eyes can look gorgeous sourced from a 35mm CRI blowup element, and it does, there's no reason Final Exam from the OCN can't either.

[Demon Dave]

Originally Posted by Energy Crisis

I have not seen a single competently graded film on UHD where HDR didn't improve the PQ. The dynamic range has always been there on the negative and if handled correctly this will never make a movie look worse. If whatever lab you use can't pull this stuff off, you need to take your projects to somewhere that can. "Not the best shot movie" is no excuse. If The Hills Have Eyes can look gorgeous sourced from a 35mm CRI blowup element, and it does, there's no reason Final Exam from the OCN can't either.

How many movies have you released on bluray Energy Crisis? Cause when you have done as many as we have you will be a better authority on the technical aspects of these. The amount of improvement or non-improvement HDR brings to a movie can vary greatly and also can be a matter of loose opinion. But to compare the cinematography of THE HILLS HAVE EYES to FINAL EXAM is insane. The HILLS HAVE EYES was shot on a gorgeous desert background. FINAL EXAM was shot at a school. Even our upcoming drive-in release ALIEN THUNDER was shot incredibly with gorgeous real western locations. FINAL EXAM was shot at the school entirely. In our opinion the best enhancements that movie could get were the new 4K scan and the new color correction by one of the best guys around. And consider this Energy Crisis a little known fact, the original 35mm camera negative for FINAL EXAM had been lost for years until Dark Force found it and now have possession of it. WITHOUT that there would be no upgrade of FINAL EXAM period! And we for sure got it WAAAAAY better than it's ever looked on home video. But instead of a THANK YOU Dark Force poor little FINAL EXAM is being criticized before any one has even seen it yet because NO HDR. We say save the judgement until you see THE 4K! We have already shown the blu is definitely much superior and I can personally guarantee the 4K is significantly better than that. I would even be willing to bet if we did do a 4K with HDR it would not be an improvement. This opinion is also shared by the Almighty Film Guru himself...Mr. Joseph Rubin of VINEGAR SYNDROME. And I think he knows something about film restoration.

[Energy Crisis]

Originally Posted by Demon Dave

How many movies have you released on bluray Energy Crisis? Cause when you have done as many as we have you will be a better authority on the technical aspects of these. The amount of improvement or non-improvement HDR brings to a movie can vary greatly and also can be a matter of loose opinion. But to compare the cinematography of THE HILLS HAVE EYES to FINAL EXAM is insane. The HILLS HAVE EYES was shot on a gorgeous desert background. FINAL EXAM was shot at a school. Even our upcoming drive-in release ALIEN THUNDER was shot incredibly with gorgeous real western locations. FINAL EXAM was shot at the school entirely. In our opinion the best enhancements that movie could get were the new 4K scan and the new color correction by one of the best guys around. And consider this Energy Crisis a little known fact, the original 35mm camera negative for FINAL EXAM had been lost for years until Dark Force found it and now have possession of it. WITHOUT that there would be no upgrade of FINAL EXAM period! And we for sure got it WAAAAAY better than it's ever looked on home video. But instead of a THANK YOU Dark Force poor little FINAL EXAM is being criticized before any one has even seen it yet because NO HDR. We say save the judgement until you see THE 4K! We have already shown the blu is definitely much superior and I can personally guarantee the 4K is significantly better than that. I would even be willing to bet if we did do a 4K with HDR it would not be an improvement. This opinion is also shared by the Almighty Film Guru himself...Mr. Joseph Rubin of VINEGAR SYNDROME. And I think he knows something about film restoration.

Yeah, constantly trashing the photography of the film you're releasing on 4K UHD is probably not the best way to sell the movie, but do as you wish. I don't think it's fair personally. I'd never argue that Final Exam is the most stylish horror film out there. It's never going to look like Deep Red or Halloween, but not a single person would be expecting that either. I really don't see what is so poorly shot here. It was filmed on a nice looking campus, it's in focus, the lighting is adequate and the exposure seems fine. It's pretty much on par with all the other 80's slashers and I fail to see how the production value is so much worse on Final Exam than The Slumber Party Massacre, which got a noticeable boost from HDR.

I agree, Joe knows plenty about film restoration. I haven't seen VS release a SDR UHD yet, have you? Too bad they didn't do this one.

Congrats on finding the negative though. I don't doubt that this will be the best looking version available, but it's disappointing that you aren't using the format to its full potential.

[Walter Kafka]

Loved Kill Crazy btw . . .


Comment with spoiler:

[Show spoiler]This is the first time I ever saw a bomb clock that counts Up.
But, you know, it also doubles as a rape clock. Our bad guy is a 15 minute man. He can pull out before it blows up.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by Energy Crisis

I agree, Joe knows plenty about film restoration. I haven't seen VS release a SDR UHD yet, have you? Too bad they didn't do this one.

As far as I am aware, labels like VS and Arrow don't permanently own a library of content to monetize. Therefore they can pick and choose what content to license that they can give the deluxe 4K HDR treatment with excellent results and not release 4K of the rest. This gives the illusion that everything they touch is gold, when in reality a large part of it is licensing of content with top notch source materials; an example of this in the SDR world is when Arrow released Fernando DiLeo's Milano Calibro from the underwhelming quality DiLeo collection Raro released and some people were bagging on Raro and waiting for the Arrow releases of the rest of the collection - 8 years later, those people are still waiting & Arrow ain't gonna touch them unless they can do a pristine release.

Studios that do permanently own content do make the decision whether to do SDR 4k (e.g. MGM's master of The Great Escape 4K) or not release a 4K at all if the film will look worse with 4K HDR (Warner Bros has publically spoken about this in interviews). You can have your own opinion, but it is not shared by some of the best professionals n the industry - HDR can be problematic for some content. DNR can also help solve this in some cases (as seen in numerous 4K releases), but I assume you like that even less

Bottom line, instead of being armchair film techs who have no access to the source materials being discussed and criticizing based on specs alone, why don't we wait and see the results of the professionals' decisions and form an opinion after that? The 4K SDR release of The Great Escape got excellent reviews. DF's 4K SDR release of Scream also had substantially better PQ than the 1080p Blu.