Arrow Video / Arrow Academy USA Discussion Thread

[EddieLarkin]

See post #75

[Clark Kent]

There are a couple of great choices in this first batch. Arrow's UK BD for Blind Woman's Curse was very good, and Mark of The Devil has been a requested BD here for many years.

[returnofthemack]

I'm going to go in for the $175 donation at some point just not right this minute.

[2 Up 2 Down]

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by Slasherob

Man i am extremely tempted by the $1500 for 3 years or $2500 for 10 years of releases... Simple math if i sell the % of the titles i didnt want i could make most of the money if not all in the $1500 scenario and make a big profit on the $2500, the gamble being on them actually releasing 3 a month and Blu rays still be released 10 years from now on the latter. I will be doing the $175 at the very least.

I wouldn't touch that 10 year option....

[BobbyMcGee]

I am interested in the $175.00 option but I am not sure if I am allowed to pick the 10 films that I want or am I obligated to buy the first 10 titles that they release?

Also, do I get to pick the style of packaging I want? I am not that big a fan of steelbooks, I would rather have standard packaging.

Finally, if Arrow really wants to compete here in the U.S. they could always license whatever films TT does here in the States for the U.K.

[zombiepunk]

Originally Posted by BobbyMcGee

I am interested in the $175.00 option but I am not sure if I am allowed to pick the 10 films that I want or am I obligated to buy the first 10 titles that they release?

I asked them and you don't get to pick the 10. You get the three they have announced and the next 7 as released.

[takeasneededforpain]

So since I'm still going to buy a region free player, will I still be better off buying the Arrow UK versions of films or will these new Arrow US/Canada releases of upcoming stuff include the stuff that makes (some) already released Arrow UK Blu-Rays so great like those collectible booklets, reversible cover-art choices, multiple cover-art choices etc.

I ask this because I just got the Arrow Blu-Ray copies of Lucio Fulci's "Zombie" (a.k.a. "Zombie Flesh Eaters") and Mario Bava's "Black Sabbath" and "Black Sunday" and I can't get over how sweet the collectible booklets and reversible cover-art options are.

Sure, Blue Underground may have better than (or on-par) audio and video quality than some Arrow UK releases depending on the film. But for some films I'll give Arrow just that edge extra nudge of awesomeness as they go that extra mile by including great things with their releases like reversible cover-art or those awesomely informative collector's booklets that have info on the film.

[jthefrank]

Wow, it jumped from $1,300 to $11,000 real fast. Looks like 4 people bought the gold package

[Kriztoffer Swank]

Originally Posted by takeasneededforpain

So since I'm still going to buy a region free player, will I still be better off buying the Arrow UK versions of films or will these new Arrow US/Canada releases of upcoming stuff include the stuff that makes (some) already released Arrow UK Blu-Rays so great like those collectible booklets, reversible cover-art choices, multiple cover-art choices etc.

I ask this because I just got the Arrow Blu-Ray copies of Lucio Fulci's "Zombie" (a.k.a. "Zombie Flesh Eaters") and Mario Bava's "Black Sabbath" and "Black Sunday" and I can't get over how sweet the collectible booklets and reversible cover-art options are.

Sure, Blue Underground may have better than (or on-par) audio and video quality than some Arrow UK releases depending on the film. But for some films I'll give Arrow just that edge extra nudge of awesomeness as they go that extra mile by including great things with their releases like reversible cover-art or those awesomely informative collector's booklets that have info on the film.

It's sounding like the US releases will be near-identical, just Region A-friendly, so the packaging and booklets and stuff should all be there. And yeah, reversible covers with original poster art is one of the best things Arrow (and Scream) are doing.

Since Arrow are bringing Blind Woman's Curse to the US, it sounds like Discotek didn't want to renew the license for it. Makes me wonder if other OOP Discotek titles will be put on Blu-ray by Arrow. I'd love to see Zero Woman: Red Handcuffs and Electric Dragon 80000V in HD. Maybe they can release the whole Female Prisoner Scorpion series, which would be great since the Media Blasters DVDs for three of them are such crap.

[cakefactory]

Originally Posted by takeasneededforpain

So since I'm still going to buy a region free player, will I still be better off buying the Arrow UK versions of films or will these new Arrow US/Canada releases of upcoming stuff include the stuff that makes (some) already released Arrow UK Blu-Rays so great like those collectible booklets, reversible cover-art choices, multiple cover-art choices etc.

I ask this because I just got the Arrow Blu-Ray copies of Lucio Fulci's "Zombie" (a.k.a. "Zombie Flesh Eaters") and Mario Bava's "Black Sabbath" and "Black Sunday" and I can't get over how sweet the collectible booklets and reversible cover-art options are.

Sure, Blue Underground may have better than (or on-par) audio and video quality than some Arrow UK releases depending on the film. But for some films I'll give Arrow just that edge extra nudge of awesomeness as they go that extra mile by including great things with their releases like reversible cover-art or those awesomely informative collector's booklets that have info on the film.

Yeah, I went for Arrow's version of House by the Cemetery just for the booklet and crap even though it seems the consensus is BU's transfer is better. I'm also tempted to get the City of the Living Dead version they have even though I already have the BU version. I would definitely go with BU over Arrow for Bird with the Crystal Plumage (well...if you can find it for a halfway reasonable cost) and Deep Red and Inferno, though. Those all came out before they upped their game on the transfers. Zombie Flesh Eaters is stunning, though, and their extras are SO much better that I would never bother with the BU one there.

Arrow's versions of Lifeforce, Black Sabbath and Black Sunday are some of my favorite discs in my collection, the booklets are really nice and the extras are so comprehensive and I like the movies a lot. I also went with their version of Bay of Blood even though everyone seems to agree the Kino one's got better colors on the transfer, again for the extras and booklet! :P

I would certainly expect their US releases to have the booklet and cover art stuff like the UK ones, but who knows. I wouldn't think it would make sense for them to print different booklets in different countries or use different cases, but who knows. If they were the same minus the BBFC thing on the front they'd be better right there :P

[cakefactory]

Originally Posted by zombiepunk

I asked them and you don't get to pick the 10. You get the three they have announced and the next 7 as released.

Huh, that makes it riskier in the event the next 7 are re-releases of UK ones, as I already have a bunch of their UK discs. I probably will still do it just to support them, though.

[NoirFan]

$2500 for 10 years is a hell of a deal, but a decade more of physical media as we know it is a risky proposition. Still, even if the current model (for Arrow) only lasts five, you've already equaled the savings of the $1500 level over two additional years.

[Brian81]

Originally Posted by cakefactory

Yeah, I went for Arrow's version of House by the Cemetery just for the booklet and crap even though it seems the consensus is BU's transfer is better. I'm also tempted to get the City of the Living Dead version they have even though I already have the BU version. I would definitely go with BU over Arrow for Bird with the Crystal Plumage (well...if you can find it for a halfway reasonable cost) and Deep Red and Inferno, though. Those all came out before they upped their game on the transfers. Zombie Flesh Eaters is stunning, though, and their extras are SO much better that I would never bother with the BU one there.

Arrow's versions of Lifeforce, Black Sabbath and Black Sunday are some of my favorite discs in my collection, the booklets are really nice and the extras are so comprehensive and I like the movies a lot. I also went with their version of Bay of Blood even though everyone seems to agree the Kino one's got better colors on the transfer, again for the extras and booklet! :P

I would certainly expect their US releases to have the booklet and cover art stuff like the UK ones, but who knows. I wouldn't think it would make sense for them to print different booklets in different countries or use different cases, but who knows. If they were the same minus the BBFC thing on the front they'd be better right there :P

Arrow's "House by the Cemetery" indeed has worse compression than the Blue Underground release, but it's not a huge deal as the master is FUBAR anyways (LVR noise riddled transfer). If I had to stick with one, it might just be the Arrow as it has the Italian soundtrack in lossless and also has subtitles for it that are not dubtitles.

[josuv22]

Originally Posted by BrianS

Hopefully more European cult films and Japanese films will be released that haven't seen the light of day yet in Region A--I'm far more interested in that than titles already available on Blu-ray and/or DVD in the US that folks are requesting.

Having said that, I wonder if we'll now get stuff like Borowczyk's films on Blu-ray that they previously only released in Region B

Borowczyk's on the Arrow Academy label. this move is only Arrow Video.

altho there nothing to say if the Video move proves to be successful they wont do the same with Academy

[Decepticon07]

Seriously debating 3 year or 10 year option. I think I will sleep on it.

[Liquid_Swords]

I dance to this news!

[Partyslammer]

Excellent news going forward, more competition, more options. It will be interesting to see how Arrow USA is positioned here in 12 months.

[BobbyMcGee]

Originally Posted by zombiepunk

I asked them and you don't get to pick the 10. You get the three they have announced and the next 7 as released.

Thanks for the info.

Will still probably end up going that route because it is a decent deal and I want to support Arrow for their decision to enter the U.S. market but I do see myself probably trading or selling some of the 10 titles. As of right now, I am interested in two of the three titles they have already mentioned.

[redrunner97]

I'm very seriously considering doing this! Its not only a great deal but its going towards a great cause for consumers, the label, and the films they work on alike.