ZAAT (1971) - Feb 21 2012

[SlaughterHighMe]

Just ordered the signed photo edition from the site - very cool! Anyone know if it will have a slipcover? Looks like it does from the picture but those mockups always do, anyone know for sure? I kinda doubt it but i'm still hoping. Thanks guys!

PS: I wonder how many of the signed ones they have left? They've been available for over 2 weeks on the zaat site, and at only 100 made there can't be THAT many left...

[The Space Jockey]

ZAAT Blu-ray Review

[Inspector Toschi]

That is some bad looking DNR...

[The Space Jockey]

Originally Posted by Inspector Toschi

That is some bad looking DNR...

Not according to the review...

[Inspector Toschi]

Thankfully I have my own eyes to see with... Both Kansas City Confidential & The Stranger were riddled with DNR. Zaat appears no different. Not a single screenshot in the review shows any grain whatsoever, and every actor looks as smooth and plastic as they can. I'll give the reviewer the benefit of the doubt, and just maybe, the 20 screenshots he chose happen to be the worst examples of it in the film. But I highly doubt that.

[Jason One]

Those screenshots are hideous. It's a true DNR nightmare.

That's too bad. I'm a huge MST3K fan, and might have picked this up for fun. There's no chance of that now.

[frogjunk65]

Originally Posted by SlaughterHighMe

Just ordered the signed photo edition from the site - very cool! Anyone know if it will have a slipcover? Looks like it does from the picture but those mockups always do, anyone know for sure? I kinda doubt it but i'm still hoping. Thanks guys!

PS: I wonder how many of the signed ones they have left? They've been available for over 2 weeks on the zaat site, and at only 100 made there can't be THAT many left...

Hi. My autographed pic came with movie. It comes unprotected, not a big deal tho, threw it in a frame. Zaat rules!!!

I'll post some pics tomorrow.

[ssjmichael]

I have no idea what this is but that cover is amazing

edit: totally tempted to buy the poster off the site

[sonicyogurt]

Originally Posted by Jason One

Those screenshots are hideous. It's a true DNR nightmare.

Yeah, that's hardly just some light, subtle filtering. Those screenshots show such extreme DNR that I can't consider buying Zaat anymore.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Jason One

Those screenshots are hideous. It's a true DNR nightmare.

That's too bad. I'm a huge MST3K fan, and might have picked this up for fun. There's no chance of that now.

It doesn't help that it has lossy audio either.

[SlaughterHighMe]

Beat ya to it FrogJunk! Also no slipcover, but I figured as much. Here's some pics of what showed up (close ups in spoilers below):

Came with:
-Movie
-Signed autograph photo from the commentary recording (producer / director Don Barton, actor Paul Galloway, writer / special effects coordinator Ron Kivett, and author / film historian ED Tucker)
-Postcard insert
-Packing slip & thank you note (not pictured)

More pics:

[Show spoiler]

[Al_The_Strange]

Amazon had my copy delayed for the past couple of weeks, but it shipped earlier today. Don't know what the hold up was.

[Dex Robinson]

My copy of ZAAT arrived earlier today and I just finished watching it.

I agree that the DNR is pretty brutal. I've read a few online reviews and I'm surprised at the number of reviews that really downplayed it. One review said it had LESS DNR than other Film Chest titles. I've got three other Film Chest Blu-rays and ZAAT is the worst offender in my opinion. In the before and after restoration demo, we see that the source material actually looks pretty good and would have been ok if just transferred unmolested.

There is also a brief mastering error (about 2 frames) around 1:15:50 or 1:16:50 (I forget) when the INPIT agent is about to jump into the Sheriff's vehicle. It appears as a momentary bright flash on the screen but, if you slow it down and freeze frame it, it's actually an image of a white building which mysteriously appears on the bottom half of one frame and then the top half of the next. I have no idea where the heck that came from.

All that being said, I actually thought this was quite entertaining. The colors are very strong. The flesh tones are excellent and print damage is minimal.

If you collect such oddities (as I do) you are very often forced to compromise your principles. It's not like GLADIATOR where you can hope that Ridley Scott and/or public outcry can pressure Paramount into a new transfer. I'm not happy with the DNR on ZAAT but I have to ask myself if there is any reasonable expectation of a superior transfer anytime soon...and we know the answer to that question.

I've recently had to make similar compromises with my purchases of PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE and LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. I've evolved to a point in my Blu-ray collecting where 90% of my titles are "small" movies with small sales potential. Standing on principle wont't get PLAN 9 re-released in it's proper aspect ratio and it won't get an unmolested ZAAT transfer.

My negative comments aside, I really did enjoy this movie. It's a great value for the $15.99 I paid and I'm glad I bought it.

[ghostwhowalks]

Originally Posted by Dex Robinson

If you collect such oddities (as I do) you are very often forced to compromise your principles. It's not like GLADIATOR where you can hope that Ridley Scott and/or public outcry can pressure Paramount into a new transfer. I'm not happy with the DNR on ZAAT but I have to ask myself if there is any reasonable expectation of a superior transfer anytime soon...and we know the answer to that question.

+1.

I initially backed away after the first review/screenshots went up, but I ultimately came to the same conclusion.
A recall is 99.9% unlikely, plus I got the edition with the signed photo. Just a shame they weren't numbered.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Dex Robinson

If you collect such oddities (as I do) you are very often forced to compromise your principles. It's not like GLADIATOR where you can hope that Ridley Scott and/or public outcry can pressure Paramount into a new transfer. I'm not happy with the DNR on ZAAT but I have to ask myself if there is any reasonable expectation of a superior transfer anytime soon...and we know the answer to that question.

Yeah, from the publicity material and copy, Don Barton seems to be firmly in the low-rent "Yay, I got a Blu-ray, I got a real Blu-ray, I'm a real director, wohoo!... " category that so many struggling micro-cult labels fall into, there's not much hope of appealing the film-collector argument to him.

[Arkadin]

what is it with Film Chest and thier ridiculous overzealous dnr?
are they just completely incompetent and clueless?
I can see the first release or so maybe being not so great because they are new to the format, but this is ridiculous.
I seriously just don't understand how they cannot see that they are using TOO MUCH FU%&*ing dnr on their blu-rays.
just pathetic.

[Dex Robinson]

Originally Posted by Arkadin

are they just completely incompetent and clueless?

Yes.

It's an odd thing because you would assume that anybody operating the equipment would have at least a very minimal understanding of the processes involved.

I process my own digital photos and I have a basic amateur understanding of how to apply noise reduction and sharpening.

You would think a professional would easily grasp the concepts of making a transfer.

I can't imagine how they get it so wrong.

If you look at the before an after "restoration" demo of ZAAT, their "technique" is obvious: set contrast to high, set color saturation to high, set DNR to maximum, take long coffee break.

[Al_The_Strange]

Oh yeah, I got this and watched it a week ago. The film itself met my expectations...which were very low to start with. I agree that the DNR is attrocious, but I wasn't really expecting a grade-A transfer from this type of film either. I'm just happy we got what we got.

Anyway, I reviewed it in the movie review thread (I should add that I said the colors were "hazed out," but only in the sense that everything seemed a bit on the light blue/green side; most colors are pretty good-looking otherwise):

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

"Zaat.”

I don’t know why, but when I saw this on pre-order, I had to wonder about “Zaat?” “Zaat” movie looks interesting. What is “Zaat?” “Zaat” monster looks kinda cool.

As expected, it’s pretty cheesy, stupid, and laughable at times. The film does tend to drag in a few spots, as some of the characters seem to wonder around looking a bit lost. But when stuff happens…it’s pretty lame. It fails as an actual horror film, but succeeds more as something to pick apart and make fun of.

The story for this is utterly silly. It actually doesn’t make sense, considering that this mad scientist’s plan involves poisoning all of the world’s oceans, but he loves fish so much. It makes even less sense when he goes around hoping to pollute the entire world’s oceans with a single spray bottle. Then he attacks people. Then people hunt him. Then there’s a bunch of hippies singing. Then there’s more lame monster attacks. Yeah, it’s the stuff crap is made of.

The film is cheap as hell. Photography and editing are pretty messy. Acting is kinda bad. Writing sucks. Despite the genuine locales, the production looks cheap with horrid sets, props, and costumes (especially regarding the monster, which looks like what you get if the Grinch and Greedo had a crack baby together). Music is weird and bad (except for the singing hippie, which might be the single source of reputable talent in this production).

2.5/5 (entertainment: 3.5/5, story: 2/5, film: 1.5/5)

Recommendation: Probably not.

This Blu-Ray looks nice and clean…thanks to generous amounts of DNR that makes every real-life actor look as fake as the fish monster himself. Many scenes look sharp, but many don’t. Colors and contrast tend to be hazed-out a bit. Sound quality is pretty weak on the dialogue, but okay with the music.

PQ: 3/5, AQ: 3/5

Extras include a trailer, photo gallery, a radio interview, some outtakes that are totally not funny, and a commentary.

Extras: 2/5

[bygberbrown]

Screenshots look absolutely dreadful. Why do they think anyone who has heard of or discovers Zaat wouldn't recognise the image has been turned to wax as a bad thing. Recently received Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers from the UK and its presented completely pure, with a few faults in the beginning but a beautiful high resolution image because of it. Incredible film too for the right kind of fan. I'll be passing on this Zaat though.

[I KEEL YOU]

It would've been really nice if they included a 4:3/1.33:1 version where you could see the tennis shoes of the guy wearing the Zaat suit: