Hellraiser BD Reviews

[Gardenofstone10]

Originally Posted by Fanboyz

Hellraiser II is soft and uneven, but it's the best it had ever looked.
*Bitrates tend to hang in the 22mbs range.

Not to mention it's one of the best sequels ever so grainy or clear, it's still amazing!!!!

[McCrutchy]

Image have totally botched these releases by not porting the copious extras. I'm going to hang on to my Anchor Bay US 1-2 BD+DVD cube and my Anchor Bay UK 1-3 DVD cube and wait for a decent BD upgrade for Hellbound and Hell on Earth.

[DarknessBDJM]

So part 2 offers no extras, despite what Image advertised? Is the sound good? I still have my dvd and the hd broadcast version off of Encore, so I'd like the purchase to be worth it.

[Blu-Dog]

Originally Posted by DarknessBDJM

So part 2 offers no extras, despite what Image advertised? Is the sound good? I still have my dvd and the hd broadcast version off of Encore, so I'd like the purchase to be worth it.

The first two movies are some of the best horror moviemaking I've ever seen - worth it with or without extras, I think.

[Russhole]

Next year Hellraiser turnes 25. Makes me wonder if there holding on to the extras for another release next year. Wouldnt surprise me.

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by DarknessBDJM

So part 2 offers no extras, despite what Image advertised? Is the sound good? I still have my dvd and the hd broadcast version off of Encore, so I'd like the purchase to be worth it.

Image never made mention of their release having any extras. Our site merely pointed out that the cover art was used for the Anchor Bay 20th Anniversary DVD, and listed some of what that disc included. Image's web site never listed any extras, and the Amazon listings always said "None".

[RockyBalboa]

Okay -- lucky people who have Hellbound already today and saw it -- what are some of the positives about the picture in this Blu-ray release, if any?

I ordered it - it'll be here soon - but not soon enough for my very curious mind. I almost cancelled my order because I was hearing bad stuff. Some people were complaining that the picture on DVD looks better. I don't think my DVD of Hellbound looks all that great.

Is the video on the Hellbound Blu-ray in any way beautiful and stunning? This is one of my favorite films and I was really hoping for a gorgeous transfer. I thought the Hellraiser Blu-ray (by Anchor Bay) was amazing. Do the gory scenes and the blood look any shinier? Is this Blu-ray a worthy companion to my Anchor Bay Blu of the first film? Post some screencaps if you can -- preferably of some of the film's more graphic special effects scenes. I already saw one pic of the puzzlebox and of Tiffany with her head turned to the side, so, yawn. I cannot wait to see this and I hope I won't be let down.

[Beast]

No Extras? No Thanks. I'll hang onto my DVD copy for now. That's really a massive disappointment.

[Forever Knight]

Originally Posted by Fanboyz

Hellraiser II is soft and uneven, but it's the best it had ever looked.
*Bitrates tend to hang in the 22mbs range.

So nothing like Hills have eyes?.

[Mr. Movie Fan]

Originally Posted by RockyBalboa

Okay -- lucky people who have Hellbound already today and saw it -- what are some of the positives about the picture in this Blu-ray release, if any?

I ordered it - it'll be here soon - but not soon enough for my very curious mind. I almost cancelled my order because I was hearing bad stuff. Some people were complaining that the picture on DVD looks better. I don't think my DVD of Hellbound looks all that great.

Is the video on the Hellbound Blu-ray in any way beautiful and stunning? This is one of my favorite films and I was really hoping for a gorgeous transfer. I thought the Hellraiser Blu-ray (by Anchor Bay) was amazing. Do the gory scenes and the blood look any shinier? Is this Blu-ray a worthy companion to my Anchor Bay Blu of the first film? Post some screencaps if you can -- preferably of some of the film's more graphic special effects scenes. I already saw one pic of the puzzlebox and of Tiffany with her head turned to the side, so, yawn. I cannot wait to see this and I hope I won't be let down.

The gory and special effects scenes all look nice because they're all well lit. The overall image is mostly soft, grainy and dark. Looks like a film stock and not a master flaw, as the scenes from the first film edited into Hellbound look MUCH BETTER than Hellbound itself.
So, the movie's violence spectacles all look great as either the lighting or film stock was probably better for effects heavy sequences. Talking sequences are smokey and dark mostly unimpressive. Close ups on actors have that William Shatner filter look, and thusly are excessively soft. Bitrate hovers around 22 mbps AVC.
Overall I am satisfied.

[Forever Knight]

Anyone in Canada or Toronto area find Hellbound?.

[FilmBuff]

Got both of these today...

Disappointed.

No extras like the Starz/Anchor Bay cubebox HR Blu Ray release.

Hellraiser looks kind of blurry and has a few sets of weird blue spots appear at the very opening after Frank walks away with the box and right before it cuts to him sitting down when he first opens it.

My Starz/Ancor Bay version does not have that defect and is much clearer as a Blu Ray should be.

Hellraiser 2 is a noisy (even the New World logo at the beginning has a few HUGE black lines on the right side, which should have been cleaned up), no extras, and frankly looks like a regular DVD.

A waste.

[RockyBalboa]

Originally Posted by Fanboyz

The gory and special effects scenes all look nice because they're all well lit. The overall image is mostly soft, grainy and dark. Looks like a film stock and not a master flaw, as the scenes from the first film edited into Hellbound look MUCH BETTER than Hellbound itself.
So, the movie's violence spectacles all look great as either the lighting or film stock was probably better for effects heavy sequences. Talking sequences are smokey and dark mostly unimpressive. Close ups on actors have that William Shatner filter look, and thusly are excessively soft. Bitrate hovers around 22 mbps AVC.
Overall I am satisfied.

Okay. Glad someone likes it. I feel a bit better about buying it. I would have preferred that they transferred the special features from the last DVD over to this Blu-ray, but as long as it's a good looking - for what they can do with it - Blu-ray, I'll be happy.

[FilmBuff]

Originally Posted by RockyBalboa

Okay. Glad someone likes it. I feel a bit better about buying it. I would have preferred that they transferred the special features from the last DVD over to this Blu-ray, but as long as it's a good looking - for what they can do with it - Blu-ray, I'll be happy.

I could live without the extras, but the quality is very lacking for a blu ray.

[RockyBalboa]

Originally Posted by FilmBuff

I could live without the extras, but the quality is very lacking for a blu ray.

That makes me mad. I actually just recently picked up the Anchor Bay DVD (good thing I bought it, then, since it has the special features.) I paid $5 more for two day shipping on Amazon so it would get here faster.

Thing is, though, they say the picture on Image's Hellraiser Blu-ray looks just as bad, but there's a review of it on DVD Beaver that comes with screenshots and I thought it looked like they did a good job. Looked similar to the Anchor Bay Blu-ray I have. Maybe there's spots here and there, like you mentioned, but they looked similar. So I'm wondering if maybe this "Hellbound is awful" thing is a personal preference with people.

[FilmBuff]

Originally Posted by RockyBalboa

That makes me mad. I actually just recently picked up the Anchor Bay DVD (good thing I bought it, then, since it has the special effects.) I paid $5 more for two day shipping on Amazon so it would get here faster.

Thing is, though, they say the picture on Image's Hellraiser Blu-ray looks just as bad, but there's a review of it on DVD Beaver that comes with screenshots and I thought it looked like they did a good job. Looked similar to the Anchor Bay Blu-ray I have. Maybe there's spots here and there, like you mentioned, but they looked similar. So I'm wondering if maybe this "Hellbound is awful" thing is a personal preference with people.

Not sure, you could be right.

I do know that my Starz/Anchor Bay version of Hellraiser does not have the defect in the opening scene like this supposed new and improved version does.

Inexcusable.

To my eyes, this new version of Hellraiser (at least) is not as good as the Starz/Anchor Bay cube-set. I also like the plastic (not cheap cardboard of past releases) of the cube the discs came in. Though they should have placed them in the cube better as to not scratch.

Since Hellraiser 2 Hellbound has not been on Blu Ray before, I have nothing to compare it to. To me, it looks like a regular DVD quality wise.

[FilmBuff]

Just looked at Beavers Hellraiser Ray screen caps and the reg DVD caps.

Not much difference.

In a few instances the regular DVD caps look better than the Blu Ray .

[Forever Knight]

Originally Posted by FilmBuff

Just looked at Beavers Hellraiser 2 Hellbound Blu Ray screen caps and the reg DVD caps.

Not much difference.

In a few instances the regular DVD caps look better than the Blu Ray .

Originally Posted by FilmBuff

Got both of these today...

Disappointed.

No extras like the Starz/Anchor Bay cubebox HR Blu Ray release.

Hellraiser looks kind of blurry and has a few sets of weird blue spots appear at the very opening after Frank walks away with the box and right before it cuts to him sitting down when he first opens it.

My Starz/Ancor Bay version does not have that defect and is much clearer as a Blu Ray should be.

Hellraiser 2 is a noisy (even the New World logo at the beginning has a few HUGE black lines on the right side, which should have been cleaned up), no extras, and frankly looks like a regular DVD.

A waste.

****. So it's total shit?.

Maybe I should import the Hellraiser 1-3 Boxed Set from japan.

[DarknessBDJM]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

Image never made mention of their release having any extras. Our site merely pointed out that the cover art was used for the Anchor Bay 20th Anniversary DVD, and listed some of what that disc included. Image's web site never listed any extras, and the Amazon listings always said "None".

Got it, that happens sometimes on the site listings.

I'll try and post captures from the Encore HD version to see how they compare to the blu-ray, because I remember the Encore version looking quite surprisingly nice.

[FilmBuff]

Originally Posted by Forever Knight

****. So it's total shit?.

Maybe I should import the Hellraiser 1-3 Boxed Set from japan.

Not "total shit" as you say, but not what a Blu Ray should be.

As for ordering a box set from Japan. I would wait to hear others opinions since picture quality is sometimes subjective.

For me it was not worth my buying either of them. I was and still am happy with the Stars/AnchorBay Cube box set, even though only HR 1 is on Blu Ray in that set. At least I get the extras. Interviews, etc, & cool puzzlebox case to go with it.