Dark Force Entertainment Discussion Thread

[dissention]

Originally Posted by WoodyO

That's the R rated cut of Freeway 2. Not giving me a lot of hope for an uncut blu.

I don't know. It's not like Dork Farce has a history of releasing a cut version of a film.

[GilaFilms]

Originally Posted by Ruined

Unless DF specifically said otherwise I'd be surprised if the Blu wasn't using the same master/cut as Amazon Video HD. So probably R rated cut.

Dark Force said they would be releasing "the 97 minute uncut version of Freeway 2". The 97 minute cut is the R-rated cut. I'm sure if someone points this out to Dark Force, they will state they meant to say the "uncut R-rated cut". The transfer streaming on Amazon Prime carries the Multicom logo, so I'm sure it is close to what the blu will look like, unless somehow Multicom was persuaded to allow a new scan.

[GilaFilms]

Originally Posted by Ruined

What's wrong with it? Appears based on one of the theatrical posters for the film.

It looks like a meme of that poster.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by GilaFilms

Dark Force said they would be releasing "the 97 minute uncut version of Freeway 2". The 97 minute cut is the R-rated cut. I'm sure if someone points this out to Dark Force, they will state they meant to say the "uncut R-rated cut". The transfer streaming on Amazon Prime carries the Multicom logo, so I'm sure it is close to what the blu will look like, unless somehow Multicom was persuaded to allow a new scan.

Same goes for Kill or be Killed likely in terms of quality & Amazon streaming.

[Ruined]

FYI for those still looking for THTV as expected SCREEN ARCHIVES appears they will be able to sell through whatever copies they received:
http://www1.screenarchives.com/title...HOW-1973-1974/

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by painiac

i'm stoked on the House on the Edge of Park/Last House on Massacre street release, though, especially since i'm going to sell the other two releases.

So were you able to A/B compare the double feature vs. the standalone releases for differences?

[Hedji]

Is the Eerie Midnight Horror Show identical to the original Code Red version?

[Blu Titan]

Originally Posted by Hedji

Is the Eerie Midnight Horror Show identical to the original Code Red version?

I paid like $20 for The Eerie Midnight Horros Show by itself (I REALLY doubt you will find many noticeable differences of any). If you are interested in the EMHS, then purchasing the double bill is a no brainer. Don’t worry about what people post, just buy what you want .

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by Hedji

Is the Eerie Midnight Horror Show identical to the original Code Red version?

Most likely inferior:

Originally Posted by ScorpionReleasing

its probably worse due the compression

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by NoirFan

Most likely inferior:

That's just an unfounded assumption by a competing label, unless you or anyone else can provide proof.

I actually have both but I'm not sure I want to open my eerie midnight blu or not in case I want to sell.

Paniac might have done a comparison.

[GilaFilms]

Originally Posted by Ruined

That's just an unfounded assumption by a competing label, unless you or anyone else can provide proof.

I actually have both but I'm not sure I want to open my eerie midnight blu or not in case I want to sell.

Paniac might have done a comparison.

Hardly a competing label, since Scorpion and Code Red are owned by brothers who live in the same house, swap titles, etc. Since Dark Force got its transfer of EERIE MIDNIGHT from Code Red, it is going to be identical, any difference being with the bitrate of the discs.

[ScorpionReleasing]

Originally Posted by GilaFilms

Hardly a competing label, since Scorpion and Code Red are owned by brothers who live in the same house, swap titles, etc. Since Dark Force got its transfer of EERIE MIDNIGHT from Code Red, it is going to be identical, any difference being with the bitrate of the discs.

I do not live in the same house with him, i live in my own apartment , you can ask anybody who I do business with, or work for, on this matter, yes he fly out to LA to eat at Sbarro just to he can fly back out to Seattle to his flooded home every night, and like i want to sleep in his flooded home, sure.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by GilaFilms

Hardly a competing label, since Scorpion and Code Red are owned by brothers who live in the same house, swap titles, etc.

Dark Force is most definitely in direct competition with Scorpion Releasing, and even releases the same subgenre of movies. Regardless of CR's relationship with Scorpion, or perhaps because of it, I am sure one could see how CR partnering with Dark Force might not be the easiest of situations for Scorpion to be in given their past and current extensive involvement with CR.

Since Dark Force got its transfer of EERIE MIDNIGHT from Code Red, it is going to be identical, any difference being with the bitrate of the discs.

Maybe, maybe not. First of all, having a reduced bitrate does not necessarily mean the disc will look "inferior." This isn't Guardians of the Galaxy being released - Eerie Midnight standalone disc did not have a hollywood blockbuster transfer to begin with, far from it. Even if it has a reduced bitrate it may make absolutely no difference at all due to the source material. Same could be said for audio, a lossless encode of a poor/beat up audio master isn't going to sound significantly different than a lossy one.

Secondly, Code Red has in the past used different masters for Double Features vs standalone discs, such as the Devil Times Five DVDs. So until someone actually does an A/B comparsion, whether it looks better, worse, or the same, is nothing more than guesswork.

Here are some screencaps from the 2014 BD (as you can see, a lot of room for high frequency compression): http://www.mondo-digital.com/eeriemidnight.html

Let me queue up my disc and compare to these caps.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by Hedji

Is the Eerie Midnight Horror Show identical to the original Code Red version?

So here is a real answer for you since I actually own the disc unlike others that responded and I took the time to compare:

Using this reference screencap @ 38:02 from the Code Red standalone: http://www.mondo-digital.com/eeriemidnight3big.jpg

...there appears zero difference in detail, grain, or compression artifacts between the CR standalone and DF double feature. It basically looks identical in every way to the CR standalone disc. Same master also with same damage in the same places.


The one difference I *did* find is that the CR standalone disc has a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Mono track while the DF disc has a 192kbps Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono track, this is likely where they got the most bitrate savings to fit the double feature. While I haven't listened to the two A/B, as this movie has typical poor grindhouse audio it is highly unlikely there is any difference there, either.


So in summary, the standalone disc has a technical win on paper with the lossless audio, but in practice it looks the same and very most likely sounds the same due to the poor source material. Given the lower cost of the DF release and extra movie included, the DF double feature is pretty much a no-brainer if you don't have Eerie Midnight.

[Katatonia]

Originally Posted by Ruined

The one difference I *did* find is that the CR standalone disc has a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Mono track while the DF disc has a 192kbps Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono track, this is likely where they got the most bitrate savings to fit the double feature. While I haven't listened to the two A/B, as this movie has typical poor grindhouse audio it is highly unlikely there is any difference there, either.

There was plenty of room left on the BD-50 to include two lossless tracks, so it makes no sense why they chose to do it that way.

[mja345]

Originally Posted by GilaFilms

Hardly a competing label, since Scorpion and Code Red are owned by brothers who live in the same house, swap titles, etc. Since Dark Force got its transfer of EERIE MIDNIGHT from Code Red, it is going to be identical, any difference being with the bitrate of the discs.

I gotta say that's pretty damn funny that you assumed they lived in the same house.

[Member-222782]

Originally Posted by mja345

I gotta say that's pretty damn funny that you assumed they lived in the same house.

For a brief (funny) moment I imagined duct tape separating the house into two halves. Bill: You better stay in your corner tonite - Damon is cummin ova with sum of da boyz and dey bringin' Sbarro's . Walt: what if I have to use the bathroom? Bill: tuff.

[WoodyO]

Bill's house is probably an absolute cesspool. I'm envisioning black mold and empty take out containers everywhere. Probably has mildew completely covering the shower except for where two footprints are, and an unflushed turd sitting in the bowl.

[Blu Titan]

This thread really delivers in the reading entertainment category. I buy movies from and support whatever label releases the films I like. I know everyone is kinda bashing DF and I see many instances where it is well deserved. I mean...all of the nonsense that these people post in FB is irrational at best and insulting when DF mentions Necromancy as some sort of example to be followed.

However, who helped DF in getting started? Who provided the connections, materials...including what many believe to be a bootleg release? Who? This guy .

Walt already spoke for himself but I will state that it’s not fair to group him with Bill as if they were the same person. The are siblings and they are both in the business but they are individuals. Nobody is responsible for another person’s actions. I really recommend for fans to leave label politics to the labels .


.

[noirjunkie]

Originally Posted by mja345

I gotta say that's pretty damn funny that you assumed they lived in the same house.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: this situation would make for a fantastic sitcom.