Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things (1973) coming from VCI

[Monroville]

Originally Posted by chrismac87

So in about 7 minutes I whipped up a cover I feel is better than the "official" version. Agree? Disagree?

Frightener22: being that you are working with VCI, is there any chance you can show them this cover artwork and see if they can use it instead? They ARE trying to sell this thing, right?

[cakefactory]

Uh...even at 1080p it looks like the only difference between the halves of the frame is the color and noise reduction. :/ There's such an incredible amount of compression artifacts happening on the left that I can't tell how much is youtube issues or VCI issues. I guess if they're just trying to compare the initial scan to what it looks like now then at least we know they fixed some color, but it looks horrendous on both halves!

[Frightener22]

Originally Posted by Monroville

[Show spoiler]Frightener22

: being that you are working with VCI, is there any chance you can show them this cover artwork and see if they can use it instead? They ARE trying to sell this thing, right?

The artist kindly reached out to me and I advised him to get in touch with VCI via their social media. While I have no control over cover arts, it's important to remember that VCI is including the original 1-sheet poster artwork on the reverse wrap

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by cakefactory

Uh...even at 1080p it looks like the only difference between the halves of the frame is the color and noise reduction. :/ There's such an incredible amount of compression artifacts happening on the left that I can't tell how much is youtube issues or VCI issues. I guess if they're just trying to compare the initial scan to what it looks like now then at least we know they fixed some color, but it looks horrendous on both halves!

I'm not holding out much hope for Horror Hotel either. I wish they'd update their ancient encoding and/or lay off the overzealous processing/DNR, but they seem set in their ways.

[Akijama]

[Frightener22]

Originally Posted by Akijama

[Show spoiler]

Really have to hand it to VCI for trying to make all fans happy. Hats off to them!

[jdw89]

This looks like a good movie, might have to blind buy it

[rillog]

Nice to have the different cover options but it's pathetic that they did not adjust the spines to the different covers. Every spine shows the same lame picture and title font of the official ugly front.

[Member-222782]

Originally Posted by rillog

Nice to have the different cover options but it's pathetic that they did not adjust the spines to the different covers. Every spine shows the same lame picture and title font of the official ugly front.

An ugly font is the least of our worries - let's hope VCI had access to the OCN and that they had the budget (and know-how) to make a new transfer. Even if they didn't have the OCN I hope they at least give us a fresh transfer. If not I'll just stick with the DVD

[jstxanothrxstory]

Originally Posted by jdw89

This looks like a good movie, might have to blind buy it

I don't know if it's a movie I'd blindbuy, personally. It's VERY slow and there's not much that happens until the last 15 minutes or so.

[JoeBuck]

So earlier yesterday I made a comment about them needing to not use the MPEG-2 codec and they responded saying that this would be encoded as VC-1. May not be AVC but at least its a step in the right direction!
If its good enough to make The Searchers look incredible it should be good enough for this one.

[rillog]

Originally Posted by JoeBuck

So earlier yesterday I made a comment about them needing to not use the MPEG-2 codec and they responded saying that this would be encoded as VC-1. May not be AVC but at least its a step in the right direction!
If its good enough to make The Searchers look incredible it should be good enough for this one.

If you can contact them, please ask them to adjust the spines. That would be great!

[JoeBuck]

Originally Posted by rillog

If you can contact them, please ask them to adjust the spines. That would be great!

I just posted a comment on their facebook page, was surprised they replied back to me actually.

[Katatonia]

Originally Posted by JoeBuck

So earlier yesterday I made a comment about them needing to not use the MPEG-2 codec and they responded saying that this would be encoded as VC-1. May not be AVC but at least its a step in the right direction!
If its good enough to make The Searchers look incredible it should be good enough for this one.

Yeah, that's positive news at least. Blade Runner was VC-1 and still looks great, so as long as the encode is professionally done it should look fine hopefully. Anything is probably better than the MPEG-2 encodes they've been using.

[ThePhantom]

Originally Posted by jdw89

This looks like a good movie, might have to blind buy it

It's a pretty risky blind buy, I'd say. I was bored to death by it when I rented it on VHS as a teenager back in the '90s -- bunch of pretentious *******s talking and talking and talking for over an hour before anything really happens. Or at least that's my memory of it. But I've always loved the title and I dig Bob Clark's other horror movies from that era (Deathdream, Black Christmas), so I may have to revisit it on Blu.

[Val Lewton]

Originally Posted by ThePhantom

It's a pretty risky blind buy, I'd say. I was bored to death by it when I rented it on VHS as a teenager back in the '90s -- bunch of pretentious *******s talking and talking and talking for over an hour before anything really happens. Or at least that's my memory of it. But I've always loved the title and I dig Bob Clark's other horror movies from that era (Deathdream, Black Christmas), so I may have to revisit it on Blu.

I've always loved this movie. The legitimately creepy atmosphere combined with Bob Clark's black humor that runs throughout, really makes the movie stand out from some of the other regional horror films of the time. I think it's definitely worth a second look, especially if you're into Black Christmas and Deathdream.

It's also worth noting that this may be the first zombie movie made in color.

[Katatonia]

Originally Posted by Val Lewton

It's also worth noting that this may be the first zombie movie made in color.

That honor would probably go to The Dead One and Dr. Blood's Coffin, both from 1961. They both beat it by a solid decade +

[rillog]

Originally Posted by JoeBuck

I just posted a comment on their facebook page, was surprised they replied back to me actually.

Thanks a lot!!!

[Val Lewton]

Originally Posted by Katatonia

That honor would probably go to The Dead One and Dr. Blood's Coffin, both from 1961. They both beat it by a solid decade +

Nice! Thanks for the info, Katatonia. I'm not familiar with either of those. I take it, these are zombies of the voodoo variety?

I was trying to rack my brain about post Night of the Living Dead "Romero" style zombie movies in color, and was drawing a blank. Can you think of another "Romero" style zombie flick shot in color before Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things?

[Katatonia]

Originally Posted by Val Lewton

Nice! Thanks for the info, Katatonia. I'm not familiar with either of those. I take it, these are zombies of the voodoo variety?

I was trying to rack my brain about post Night of the Living Dead "Romero" style zombie movies in color, and was drawing a blank. Can you think of another "Romero" style zombie flick shot in color before Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things?

Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things probably is the first color one in the Romero mold featuring that distinct style of Zombies, you're right.

The Dead One is in the voodoo mold and features the typical slow walking zombies. Doctor Blood's Coffin is more in the Hammer mold of movies of that era. 60's Scream Queen Hazel Court stars in that one and it's pretty decent.