The Return of the Living Dead (1985) (Collector's Edition)

[buck135]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I see, thanks. Probably nothing I would notice I suppose, though I'll no doubt make sure to listen to the original next time I see it. It's the best sounding option on the UK disc anyway, so I'm sure I must have used it when I first watched it (not sure if it defaults to it automatically, will have to see).

The biggest change in my opinion is to Tarman's voice.

[KrugStillo]

Originally Posted by bokes

New transfer? Fix framing? Soundtrack? Maybe they will, but
the Scream negativity is based on the quality of the product they release.
If they want to be the Criterion of Horror they will do all those things and secure the rights to include More Brains.
That would be quite a package to cheer about.
Perhaps they turn it around but IMO- don't hold your breath.

Honestly, I don't have as many issues with their discs as other's do. I am just happy to get these discs. The quality is far from bad on most of their releases. If you want bad just check out the previous releases for some of the titles they have put out (VHS, LD, DVD, etc.). If they fix the framing, give me the correct soundtrack and add some cool bonus features I'll be happy. I'm even willing to live with a compression artifact or two as long as it's not out of hand. People keep bringing up Dog Soldiers when Neil Marshall himself has explained more than once why that film looks the way it does. Mad Max doesn't look that different than the previous release. It's virtually identical in motion and I think Escape From New York looks better than it previously did. John Carpenter himself said he preferred the new release and let's be honest for a film from the 80's he probably doesn't see much in the way of royalties. To each his own but I enjoy my Scream Factory collection and watch them quite often.

[Christian Muth]

Originally Posted by kngtmat

I think it needs a corrected picture because the scene of the Moon with the Halo around it is cut off since the second MGM DVD release. The Caps from Second Sight's show it cut half off as well.

The existing transfer has many shots that are misframed. There are some extended master shots in the morgue, for example, with peoples' heads awkwardly cut off at the top of the frame. They either zoomed it in too much, or set the framing too low. I really hope this gets a new scan with better framing. A NIGHTBREED type reconstruction of the workprint/director's cut would be nice, too (maybe that's what they have planned and that's why this one is coming last)

Chris

[shamus]

Ill buy if original audio (and other errors) are fixed... even though I never noticed a difference.

[Blu Myers]

Favorite zombie film of all time...hell yeah I'm in!

[Vixen of the Night]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Can someone explain the soundtrack issue. Is there a huge difference between the original and altered one? I've only seen the movie once a few years ago via the Second Sight release, and I loved it, but I don't know if I even used the original soundtrack version (audio option 3)

I just skipped around to a few scenes, and the soundtrack sounds the pretty much the same between altered and original, though the original audio option is much louder and clearer. I didn't do a thorough search though.

Check out the warehouse scene

[Show spoiler]where the gang has boarded up the basement door with Tarman in it and are wondering what to do. Then they run out, and into the cemetery. Also watch from the end of the preceding scene with the medics talking and Thom Mathews character screams "What are you guys saying?". The difference is huge in my opinion. The original version has the rousing "Take A Walk" by the Tall Boys playing over the sequence. The remix, omits the song completely, except for a very brief loop of the opening chords(or ending) when they run out of the building and it sounds so amateurishly mixed together. It completely destroys the sequence, since the lyrics went so well with the action("you took a walk with suicide..." is one lyric that plays right when it cuts to them running from the building.) And the song just rocks as well! Sure we can't hear the dialogue in the scene in the original mix, but that dialogue wasn't important(I never complained about not hearing what they were saying), and the song itself conveyed the frantic mood of the characters just perfectly and spoke for them. The original mix is totally punk rock attitude and the remix destroys that.

[JackForrester]

Originally Posted by Vixen of the Night

Check out the warehouse scene

[Show spoiler]where the gang has boarded up the basement door with Tarman in it and are wondering what to do. Then they run out, and into the cemetery. Also watch from the end of the preceding scene with the medics talking and Thom Mathews character screams "What are you guys saying?". The difference is huge in my opinion. The original version has the rousing "Take A Walk" by the Tall Boys playing over the sequence. The remix, omits the song completely, except for a very brief loop of the opening chords(or ending) when they run out of the building and it sounds so amateurishly mixed together. It completely destroys the sequence, since the lyrics went so well with the action("you took a walk with suicide..." is one lyric that plays right when it cuts to them running from the building.) And the song just rocks as well! Sure we can't hear the dialogue in the scene in the original mix, but that dialogue wasn't important(I never complained about not hearing what they were saying), and the song itself conveyed the frantic mood of the characters just perfectly and spoke for them. The original mix is totally punk rock attitude and the remix destroys that.

HIGHLY agree.

[xcgj]

Original soundtrack included? I'll probably stick with my UK release.

[StingingVelvet]

I do agree if Scream go back to the drawing board there is a lot of improvement that could be made to the video. Though we keep calling the UK edition definitive thanks to extras and sound it actually looks slightly worse than the MGM US release. Scream could really knock it out of the park with a new master, the same features and the original sound.

I wonder how people would react to a video remaster but the same edited sound from the previous edition.

[Member-222782]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

I wonder how people would react to a video remaster but the same edited sound from the previous edition.

I would pass on it since it wouldn't be the same film I saw back in 1985. Since a remaster looks unlikely, my advice to people who don't have this on BD yet is, "why wait?". Import the Second Sight release as it is as definitive as it's likely to get and it's available right now.

Christian Muth above pointed out that Shout may undertake a "Nightbreed"-type reconstruction and that's why they won't release their BD for another year - which would be fantastic - but in the back of my mind I'm telling myself "who am I kidding?". ROTLD is a big enough "event" title so I suppose it's possible the studio will consider such a project (and I believe it to be totally worth the expense and effort) but everything depends on MGM and what materials they're willing/able to provide Shout. Kino has been able to do new masters for select titles so that's a start but they're new masters for theatrical versions. We'll have to wait until the middle of 2016 to find out

[MisterFantastic]

Please include the original theatrical audio that hasn't seen a US release
Please include the original theatrical audio that hasn't seen a US release
Please include the original theatrical audio that hasn't seen a US release
Please include the original theatrical audio that hasn't seen a US release
Please include the original theatrical audio that hasn't seen a US release
Please include the original theatrical audio that hasn't seen a US release
Please include the original theatrical audio that hasn't seen a US release

[Ray_Rogers]

Originally Posted by cine74

I would pass on it since it wouldn't be the same film I saw back in 1985. Since a remaster looks unlikely, my advice to people who don't have this on BD yet is, "why wait?". Import the Second Sight release as it is as definitive as it's likely to get and it's available right now.

Christian Muth above pointed out that Shout may undertake a "Nightbreed"-type reconstruction and that's why they won't release their BD for another year - which would be fantastic - but in the back of my mind I'm telling myself "who am I kidding?". ROTLD is a big enough "event" title so I suppose it's possible the studio will consider such a project (and I believe it to be totally worth the expense and effort) but everything depends on MGM and what materials they're willing/able to provide Shout. Kino has been able to do new masters for select titles so that's a start but they're new masters for theatrical versions. We'll have to wait until the middle of 2016 to find out

I still ought to buy the Second Sight UK Blu and the MGM Blu anyway for the most features. Hopefully Scream treats RotLD (Why not Parts II & III to make a boxset?) the same as Second Sight has. Agreed on the Nightbreed Limited Set whichever it was treatment.
This is one of my all-time favorite zombie comedy movies of all-time with an outstanding soundtrack. I wouldn't even mind if Arrow UK also releases this too just for the hell of it. Also with both the MGM audio and the Second Sight original cinematic audio both as 2.0 and 5.1 remix.
So Linnea Quigley on the cover with current artist? (One for Escape from New York, MAD MAX, Army of Darkness.) I don't like the other artist and the new person is more similar to Richard Amsel and Drew Struzan, as a hybrid.

[MifuneFan]

Part II and III = Warner and Lionsgate respectively

[StingingVelvet]

I have no connection to the theatrical audio as I didn't see the film for the first time until DVD, so honestly I would take a better master over that audio. That's one reason I haven't imported the UK release yet, though it is on my wishlist. My US BD actually looks better visually, and the audio would be a curiosity for me rather than a holy grail.

[Ray_Rogers]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Part II and III = Lionsgate and Warner respectively

Well, dammit. Though I could make my own custom Blu-ray of just the movies if I could find decent HDTV 1080i broadcasts of the two in the interim. Wasn't III originally Trimark then Artisan then Lionsgate? (Just looked on DVDCompare and yep.)
Info for Part II regarding the R1/etc. DVD release through Warner Brothers. Some of the original soundtrack has been replaced by far less effective music - without the consent of the director (probably due to rights issues). However, the original music has not been altered on the French dub
Maybe this'll be changed for a possible Blu-ray?

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

I have no connection to the theatrical audio as I didn't see the film for the first time until DVD, so honestly I would take a better master over that audio. That's one reason I haven't imported the UK release yet, though it is on my wishlist. My US BD actually looks better visually, and the audio would be a curiosity for me rather than a holy grail.

Only reason I've been putting off buying the Second Sight release, regular Amaray Blu packaging and not Steelbook, is I keep missing the window to buy it when it's more affordable.

[buck135]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Part II and III = Lionsgate and Warner respectively

I think it's the other way around. Regardless, Scream isn't getting their hands on them.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by buck135

I think it's the other way around. Regardless, Scream isn't getting their hands on them.

You're right, fixed

[lunamaria87]

Originally Posted by MisterFantastic

Please include the original theatrical audio that hasn't seen a US release
Please include the original theatrical audio that hasn't seen a US release
Please include the original theatrical audio that hasn't seen a US release
Please include the original theatrical audio that hasn't seen a US release
Please include the original theatrical audio that hasn't seen a US release
Please include the original theatrical audio that hasn't seen a US release
Please include the original theatrical audio that hasn't seen a US release

Would be nice if they included something that hasn't been released yet. I know the WORKPRINT has 20 mInutes of deleted scenes and an alternate ending.

[evilive]

Originally Posted by JohnCarpenterFan

So many artwork possibilities

That was my first thought too. I'm thinking Tar-man is going to be front and center most likely.

Originally Posted by bgart13

and/or a doc on the soundtrack with an interview with Poison Ivy Rorschach.

I would pay a great amount of money for this.

I've watching the old 2002 dvd so I'll definitely buy the hell out this release.

[Joshinator1989]

Originally Posted by lunamaria87

Would be nice if they included something that hasn't been released yet. I know the WORKPRINT has 20 mInutes of deleted scenes and an alternate ending.

Jesus. That would be awesome if it's included. Not sure if it's still on YouTube.

Already have the U.S. and U.K. steelbook. Hope they really deliver with this release and not just another.. MAD MAX Collector's Fail edition.