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

[Esox50]

Originally Posted by mar3o

Sorry, but people are going to compare the UHDs to previous releases. That's how it works.

Except thats it's a blu-ray vs blu-ray comparison/discussion, and nothing to do with the 4Ks that came out or are supposedly coming out. But whatever.

[Driver78]

Originally Posted by Streamingsux

Just speaking for myself but I'm not getting rid of anything yet..

The current value of that tin set is pretty high, though. When Lionsgate announces the new set, the old one will plummet in value. Then I'll be stuck with it. Decision decisions. I'm tired of buying Rambo on physical media tbh. I'm counting on this latest release to be definitive so I can put the double dipping to rest.

[Streamingsux]

Originally Posted by Driver78

The current value of that tin set is pretty high, though. When Lionsgate announces the new set, the old one will plummet in value. Then I'll be stuck with it. Decision decisions. I'm tired of buying Rambo on physical media tbh. I'm counting on this latest release to be definitive so I can put the double dipping to rest.

That is a bit of a conundrum..

[Esox50]

Originally Posted by Streamingsux

Just speaking for myself but I'm not getting rid of anything yet..

I agree. I'm sure the new Rambo 4Ks will come, but I wouldnt be surprised if Lionsgate switched it up a bit and put Cliff's new discs in some sort of LE Steelbooks on the new Lionsgate direct-to-consumer website theyve launched in the meantime.

BTW, the challenge with them doing this definitive set and probably why it's taking so long is likely tons of legal stuff. I think we need only look at what happened to Daylight and Dante's Peak recently as examples of what could wrong when all the i's arent dotted and t's aren't crossed.

[Streamingsux]

I alllllmost got rid of my Daylight and Dante's Peak blu-rays too. For once, I didn't screw myself lol. Holding on to them now for the foreseeable future.

To be clear, I really don't mind double and even triple dipping. This is my main hobby/interest and the only thing I splurge on so, I'll buy whatever most of the time. But I've grown tired of getting rid of an earlier release in favor of a new one and then some reason coming to light later that makes me regret having gotten rid of it..

[Esox50]

Originally Posted by Streamingsux

I alllllmost got rid of my Daylight and Dante's Peak blu-rays too. For once, I didn't screw myself lol. Holding on to them now for the foreseeable future.

To be clear, I really don't mind double and even triple dipping. This is my main hobby/interest and the only thing I splurge on so, I'll buy whatever most of the time. But I've grown tired of getting rid of an earlier release in favor of a new one and then some reason coming to light later that makes me regret having gotten rid of it..

I'm still rocking Daylight DVD. The ones I got rid of that hurt in retrospect were the Criterion DVDs of Armageddon and The Rock. Here's hoping the forthcoming 4K of those come from Criterion...but I'm probably not that lucky.

I also agree and don't mind double dipping. I have the current Rambo 4Ks, but based on Cliff's post will have no problem picking up those improved "definitive" versions when they are finally released. Then we can start a Rambo 8K thread...

[jordanjabroni]

Originally Posted by Esox50

Except thats it's a blu-ray vs blu-ray comparison/discussion, and nothing to do with the 4Ks that came out or are supposedly coming out. But whatever.

The 2018 Blu-rays use the same transfers as the 4Ks - and share the same problems.

[Esox50]

Originally Posted by jordanjabroni

The 2018 Blu-rays use the same transfers as the 4Ks - and share the same problems.

Your first explanation was better and all we needed. That was..."This is the most active thread."...AKA "I agree this isnt the thread, but I just wanted an answer so I know which blu-ray to buy."

Your new explanation & logic quoted above actually digs a hole. Most blu-rays these days share the same transfer/master as the 4K. So by your logic...let's just ask the mods to close all threads for any blu-ray struck from the same master as the 4K UltraHD...after all, "just use the 4K PRODUCT/RELEASES thread." LOL. Aristotle is rolling in his grave.

You're looking forward to buying the new 4K blu-ray set when it's released, right? Or you gonna stick with the blu-rays?

[jordanjabroni]

Originally Posted by Esox50

You're looking forward to buying the new 4K blu-ray set when it's released, right? Or you gonna stick with the blu-rays?

I'm going to ignore the rest of your post and just focus on this.

I mean, from everything Cliff has said about it, the set sounds insanely good - so of course I want it. However, after watching Rambo: Last Blood for the first time last night and being thoroughly disgusted by it, I'm hoping that the movies get individual releases without the bells and whistles.

Failing that, Cliff did mention wanting to include some type of standard packaging setup/sleeves for people who want to transfer their discs into more traditional cases. If that comes to fruition, then I'll be moving the first four across and selling off Last Blood (or using it as a a frisbee).

Originally Posted by Markgway

V was the lame DTV-like franchise fodder we once feared IV would be. I hope when Lionsgate finally put this set out they do individual cases so V can be dropped like a hot potato.

Seconded.

[mikey horror]

Originally Posted by jordanjabroni

However, after watching Rambo: Last Blood for the first time last night and being thoroughly disgusted by it, I'm hoping that the movies get individual releases without the bells and whistles.

What about it thoroughly disgusted you?

[Geoff D]

oh boy

[Fat Phil]

Originally Posted by Driver78

Was there a timeline hinted at for the new discs?

Cliff pushes the release date back by one year every time someone asks.

[HeavyHitter]

Originally Posted by Driver78

Was there a timeline hinted at for the new discs?

What Phil said. So timeline closer to 2040.

[jordanjabroni]

Originally Posted by mikey horror

What about it thoroughly disgusted you?

Rambo was gross, offensive and difficult to watch - but it felt like that was the point. It walked the line between the macho action of the sequels and harrowing, Saving Private Ryan-esque depictions of war crimes and frontline conflict. I'm sure a majority of Rambo enjoyers were punching the air during John's bloody rampage during the final act, but I never felt forced into that mindset. If I approached it as an interesting genre-smash of action movie through the lens of a visceral, brutal horrors-of-war study, I got something powerful out of it. Despite having some reservations on how real-world Burma footage was included and how violence against children specifically is thrown at the viewer, I didn't walk away feeling like there was an exploitation angle. There is something fascinating about taking the type of Rambo movie that would side-step into an animated series and toys for children and dragging it straight into the depths of very real horror and war. For that reason, I respect Rambo - especially the extended cut which I still need to own a copy of.

Last Blood is nothing but exploitation, and not even the fun kind. Stallone is John Rambo in name only, lacking any connective tissue to the previous movies and just coming off as any other late-game Stallone role. The whole Mexico element, the depiction of human trafficking and the border-crossing mentality of it just feel really, really icky to me. Racially coded bad guys worked in the hyper-macho, Eighties cartoon land of Hollywood action, but when you're approaching something more in the realm of Sicario, it just comes off as completely poor taste and incredibly meat-headed. The whole setup of Rambo having a family and reducing his daughter figure to

[Show spoiler]a plot device - through her kidnapping, drugging, rape and murder -

was a disgusting attempt to introduce stakes to the game.

On top of the ghastly content of the movie, it's also just really poorly made. The green screen car sequences, the horrible cinematography and pacing, the insanely stupid tunnels element that exists solely for the final act massacre... it's absolute dreck. I could dismiss a lot of stuff had this not had the Rambo name attached to it, but man... people call Live Free or Die Hard/Die Hard 4.0 'Die Hard in name only' but that movie feels like an honest-to-God modern (for the time) take on John McClane's world. Bruce Willis is John McClane in that movie. Now, A Good Day to Die Hard is more in line with Last Blood here, in that both movies feel like completely smooth-brained, bone-headed riffs on the character with none of what made those characters great to begin with.

For me, Last Blood is Rambo in name only.

[mikey horror]

Fair enough. I didn’t think that hard about it. I simply loved it for the bad ass, comically violent throwback action film that it was.

[Todd Parker]

Originally Posted by Fat Phil

Cliff pushes the release date back by one year every time someone asks.

Originally Posted by HeavyHitter

What Phil said. So timeline closer to 2040.

Was there a timeline hinted at for the new discs?

[HeavyHitter]

Originally Posted by Todd Parker

Was there a timeline hinted at for the new discs?

No.

[CreasyBear]

First Blood is the only film of the series worth a damn. The rest are mildly tolerable or hot garbage.

[Fat Phil]

Rambo (2008) is pure fire.

[White Dang]

They're all amazing, and that's a fact

(Since we're all just throwing our opinions to the wind)