Scanners (1981)

[demonknight]

Originally Posted by PipesDonatello

Not sure how I feel about the cover, but I will say it is about time this is coming to blu-ray. Unfortunately Criterion has wasted a potential blu ray release of quality past DVD titles (Time Bandits, Short Cuts, The Long Good Friday, Do The Right Thing) on a Big Chill release.

Time Bandits has been long OOP.

Oh well. Now, someone needs to get around to a Scanner Cop double feature. I'm looking at you guys, Mill Creek. I would say Scream Factory, but the other set sold like garbage.

[Mateo Sanboval]

Originally Posted by mar3o

Not by a long shot. It's bizarre, but I've seen a thousand covers worse than this. I think it's rather interesting, though very odd.

Agreed.

[Roy Batty]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

Is it this the same remaster that was recently used for the DE release? If it is there's no reason for me to double dip.

Originally Posted by nagysaudio

Same. Same. Same! With a different encode of course.

If by DE you mean german release, let's not forget there are actually TWO different german releases:

- one from Black Hill Pictures, that looks VERY CRAPPY
- another one from Subkultur, that looks gorgeous

I own Second Sight's UK release, which is pretty decent, although I like Subkultur's better myself.

In any case, as it's been already pointed out, it clearly states "New, restored 2K digital film transfer, supervised by director David Cronenberg" on Criterion's press releases, so we will have to wait and see.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Roy Batty

If by DE you mean german release, let's not forget there are actually TWO different german releases:

- one from Black Hill Pictures, that looks VERY CRAPPY
- another one from Subkultur, that looks gorgeous

I own Second Sight's UK release, which is pretty decent, although I like Subkultur's better myself.

In any case, as it's been already pointed out, it clearly states "New, restored 2K digital film transfer, supervised by director David Cronenberg" on Criterion's press releases, so we will have to wait and see.

Yeah, I have the re-release from Subkultur and it is gorgeous.

[Hubunkey]

Criterion should have used this poster

[Hubunkey]

Originally Posted by demonknight

Now, someone needs to get around to a Scanner Cop double feature. I'm looking at you guys, Mill Creek. I would say Scream Factory, but the other set sold like garbage.

Released by Republic Pictures so it's probally with Lionsgate or Olive

[Badas]

It should be a great transfer.

I have the Aussie Umbrella release and it is amazing. Criterion won't have to fix much.

[demonknight]

Originally Posted by Hubunkey

Released by Republic Pictures so it's probally with Lionsgate or Olive

I would have expected Pierre David to have them, as he had 1-3 and The Brood.

[jvorhees]

I have the UK Second Sight steelbook release and was happy with the transfer, so Im in no rush to pick this up. B&N sale is when I will probably bite.

For those who havent seen it, the main actor is horrible and it has a very Canadian sci fi feel to it, which is where it was filmed (Ive seen a lot of it with the 90s Outer Limits series)....but it is also an interesting premise and some of the gore effects are interesting.

[Talyn]

Oooo! Good to see this! I remember this movie as a kid! I have a pretty awesome dad, as a kid he'd watch horror movies with me. Phantasm, Halloween, Scanners, etc... I think my dad would love this on blu!

[Akijama]

Already available for pre-order on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Scanners-Blu-r...614371&sr=1-41

[Hubunkey]

Originally Posted by demonknight

I would have expected Pierre David to have them, as he had 1-3 and The Brood.

Rebublic was one of the producers (according to imdb) on the Scanner Cop movies so that's why I assumed they had the rights

[cakefactory]

Originally Posted by jthefrank

I'd put it head and shoulders over Fast Company, M Butterfly, Rabid, Cosmopolis, and A Dangerous Method. And a bit over Crash. Never seen Shivers.

I'm fairly alone in this, but I REALLY like Rabid. I think Marilyn Chambers is incredibly good in that role and it's got some really memorable horror scenes (ex the surgeon going nuts, santa getting blown away). It also does a great job of making a convincing large-scale society meltdown with a tiny budget.

M. Butterfly is something I watched a couple of times in an Opera (!!!!) class and wrote a paper on it comparing it to Madame Butterfly and Miss Saigon. I thought it was pretty good for what it was, but I was looking at it from the standpoint of "how easy is this movie to write about and get me a good grade." If I'd been watching it for the pleasure of watching it like I did with all his other movies, I might not have liked it. I never picked up the DVD and now it's quite expensive so I'm not sure if I'll ever see it again. I thought it was a well-made movie, at least.

A Dangerous Method was pretty good, I thought. I didn't get particularly involved in the plot but all three leads were great and I did become quite interested in Keira Knightley's character by the end. That one probably benefited from me reading so much negative criticism before seeing it that I was expecting it to be awful and was pleasantly surprised instead.

Crash is something I've only watched once but I've seen a lot of convincing arguments that it's his best movie. I recently got the DVD (gave up on ever seeing a blu-ray here) and will be rewatching it soon. Based on my memories of it, it seemed to be a MUCH higher quality movie than Scanners, though. I watched all his movies in a big flurry back in college and haven't rewatched a few of them since then (Dead Ringers, Crash, Spider) so I only have memories to go on.

You should check out Shivers, though you might not like it much if you didn't like Rabid. It's generally a bit better regarded than Rabid, I think, partly because it's so fun and partly cause it's such an impressive debut (it seems like it was an influence on "Alien"). It is about a parasite that turns the hosts into sex mad zombies that barf the worms down each others' throats. It's very gory and depraved, but it's more fun than anything he did after. It oddly turns into a party movie by the end. Barbara Steele is in it, if you're a vintage horror fan (or a Fellini fan!). It's pretty insane.

[Wernski]

Shivers was great, and I'm with you on Rabid (though not as good as Shivers IMO). Also agree with those who think of Scanners as one of his weaker films and definitely over-rated (I guess it's his most iconic film?)... certainly weaker of this period. I haven't seen Dangerous Method yet, but most of his recent films have been pretty disappointing for me (Cosmopolis was interesting, though, at least).
I thought M Butterfly was pretty good... certainly not one of his best, but better than some of his more popular later films.

[davidthenikonuser]

Originally Posted by Akijama

Already available for pre-order on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Scanners-Blu-r...614371&sr=1-41

Link doesn't work. Did a search and can't find it either.

[zbinks]

Originally Posted by davidthenikonuser

Link doesn't work. Did a search and can't find it either.

Link works fine for me. Type ASIN: B00JPUUQVE into Amazon's search menu.

[davidthenikonuser]

Originally Posted by zbinks

Link works fine for me. Type ASIN: B00JPUUQVE into Amazon's search menu.

I'm on my phone, maybe that's why it's not working. When I click it, it just goes to the Amazon front page.

[The Phantom Goat]

Works fine for me too.

[cakefactory]

Originally Posted by davidthenikonuser

I'm on my phone, maybe that's why it's not working. When I click it, it just goes to the Amazon front page.

The way the site shortens the displayed url to a certain number of characters with a ... covering up much of it might be confusing your phone. It works fine on my computer too.

[davidthenikonuser]

The link works fine on my PC, but it has some redirect in the link and that could be why it was not working on my phone.

Anyway, pre-oreded for $16.41 w/ some cash back bonus points.