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- Review count69
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- First reviewApril 19, 2008
- Last reviewJuly 11, 2014
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- Average rating4.5
- Review comment count4
- Helpfulness votes3
- First review commentSeptember 14, 2012
- Last review commentMay 28, 2014
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![The Return of the Living Dead [Blu-ray] [1985]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/6775/6775692_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
Buy This, If You Love " Brains! "
on September 30, 2012
Posted by: reconredneck
from Atlanta
A zombie flick from the 80's... How can we go wrong? Dan O'Bannon the co-writer of " Alien " directs this amazingly humorous take on the Zombie genre way before we chuckled at films like " Shaun of the Dead."
I must say firstly, I am an avid fan of this genre.. Maybe I can chock this up to being a teenager when this film hit the scene making this more near & dear to my heart but I truly feel that this film has something for all ages, except the very young.
Usually I like my " End of the World" zombie flicks to stay on track with a serious tone, but this is one of those films that mesh Horror, Zombies & Humor together brilliantly with great performances from old-school stalwart performers, Clu Gulager, James Karen & Don Calfa! Even the teen actors performed admirably as the punk rockers, preps & new wavers who as a crew end up in an old forgotten cemetery, where all the fun begins.
I see " The Return of the Living Dead " as nothing short of a classic horror film from the 80's, back before CGI took over with Zombies that have more character, individualism & believability with movements that appear more human, since that's exactly whats under the makeup! Just a fun movie to watch, so grab this Blu-Ray, get the popcorn popping & hold on for a fun scary time!
I must say firstly, I am an avid fan of this genre.. Maybe I can chock this up to being a teenager when this film hit the scene making this more near & dear to my heart but I truly feel that this film has something for all ages, except the very young.
Usually I like my " End of the World" zombie flicks to stay on track with a serious tone, but this is one of those films that mesh Horror, Zombies & Humor together brilliantly with great performances from old-school stalwart performers, Clu Gulager, James Karen & Don Calfa! Even the teen actors performed admirably as the punk rockers, preps & new wavers who as a crew end up in an old forgotten cemetery, where all the fun begins.
I see " The Return of the Living Dead " as nothing short of a classic horror film from the 80's, back before CGI took over with Zombies that have more character, individualism & believability with movements that appear more human, since that's exactly whats under the makeup! Just a fun movie to watch, so grab this Blu-Ray, get the popcorn popping & hold on for a fun scary time!
Video (AVC@24MBPS 1.85:1 enhanced. 25GB Single Layer)
In all honesty the video picture presented is only average as far as high definition is concerned. The image is soft but varies from scene to scene. Colors are good but not excellent. Indoor darker shots grain is prevalent, blacks could be better with crushing visible. Flesh tones are really good showing alot of detail that will not be scene in standard DVD versions. Is this a step up from standard? Yes but only barely, if someone has an excellent up-conversion DVD player they might want to sit this one out & wait for the 3rd HD reissue. If you do not own this on DVD, then step up!
In all honesty the video picture presented is only average as far as high definition is concerned. The image is soft but varies from scene to scene. Colors are good but not excellent. Indoor darker shots grain is prevalent, blacks could be better with crushing visible. Flesh tones are really good showing alot of detail that will not be scene in standard DVD versions. Is this a step up from standard? Yes but only barely, if someone has an excellent up-conversion DVD player they might want to sit this one out & wait for the 3rd HD reissue. If you do not own this on DVD, then step up!
Audio (5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio - 2.0 Mono)
Originally in Mono the DTS-HD Master 5.1 Audio is nice, but front heavy with few attempts at ambient rear field sounds. Mainly the Musical tracks command the rear field, but hiss or distortion were not present, very clean sounding.. Also a 2.0 English & French soundtrack is included on this disc.
Originally in Mono the DTS-HD Master 5.1 Audio is nice, but front heavy with few attempts at ambient rear field sounds. Mainly the Musical tracks command the rear field, but hiss or distortion were not present, very clean sounding.. Also a 2.0 English & French soundtrack is included on this disc.
Extra's (480i unless noted)
“Return of the Living Dead: The Dead Have Risen” is a 20 ½-minute reminiscence by the stars of the film looking back on its fame and success.
“The Decade of Darkness” is a 23 ½-minute discussion of the horror movie explosion of the 1980s with film historians, directors like John Landis and Joe Dante, and Elvira (cracking wise) offering opinions on their favorite films, directors, and stars.
“Designing the Dead” finds director Dan O'Bannon and production designer William Stout discussing their careers and in particular their work on this film. The featurette runs 13 ½ minutes.
Two theatrical trailers are available for viewing, both in 1080p. The “bloody” one runs 1 ¼ minutes while the “bloodier” one runs 2 ¾ minutes.
For a bit of fun, the viewer can turn on the zombie subtitle stream which offers translations of the zombies’ moans and groans and growls when they appear on the screen.
“Return of the Living Dead: The Dead Have Risen” is a 20 ½-minute reminiscence by the stars of the film looking back on its fame and success.
“The Decade of Darkness” is a 23 ½-minute discussion of the horror movie explosion of the 1980s with film historians, directors like John Landis and Joe Dante, and Elvira (cracking wise) offering opinions on their favorite films, directors, and stars.
“Designing the Dead” finds director Dan O'Bannon and production designer William Stout discussing their careers and in particular their work on this film. The featurette runs 13 ½ minutes.
Two theatrical trailers are available for viewing, both in 1080p. The “bloody” one runs 1 ¼ minutes while the “bloodier” one runs 2 ¾ minutes.
For a bit of fun, the viewer can turn on the zombie subtitle stream which offers translations of the zombies’ moans and groans and growls when they appear on the screen.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Bottom Line is if you have this on DVD & are pleased with the Standard image up-converted onto your wide screen then give it some time & I think we will see a re-issue of this film with a newly remastered print, revealing much more detail then what is presented on this Collector's edition, because the soft focus might disappoint most videophiles but to the average Blu-Ray viewer i highly recommend this release you will love this Zombie Classic!
Bottom Line is if you have this on DVD & are pleased with the Standard image up-converted onto your wide screen then give it some time & I think we will see a re-issue of this film with a newly remastered print, revealing much more detail then what is presented on this Collector's edition, because the soft focus might disappoint most videophiles but to the average Blu-Ray viewer i highly recommend this release you will love this Zombie Classic!
What's great about it: A perfect mesh of Zombies, Horror and Comedy!
What's not so great: Front Heavy 5.1 - Soft Image - No DVD Copy
I would recommend this to a friend!
Other Best Buy Products I Recommend
Dawn of the Dead [Blu-ray] [1978]
(6)
Evil Dead 2 [25th Anniversary Edition] [Blu-ray] [1987]
(87)
The Evil Dead [Blu-ray] [1981]
(245)
(click to see the video)
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![Friday the 13th Uncut [Blu-ray] [1980]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/9173/9173057_sa.jpg)
Posted by: reconredneck
from Atlanta
Movie ****4 Star
No!.. " Friday The 13th " is not where the slasher Genre started, if you want to get technical " Psycho " could be considered the seed that got the slasher genre growing, some older folks can probably come up with an even older slasher film. " Halloween " which preceded FT13th most likely carries the most influence & most fans will tell you this was the one that really shaped the future of slasher films.
No!.. " Friday The 13th " is not where the slasher Genre started, if you want to get technical " Psycho " could be considered the seed that got the slasher genre growing, some older folks can probably come up with an even older slasher film. " Halloween " which preceded FT13th most likely carries the most influence & most fans will tell you this was the one that really shaped the future of slasher films.
Even on Disc 2 Side 2 of this 2 disc set the FT13th crew plainly states that the film was created to capitalize on the momentum that " Halloween " created, in other words, to cash in on the horror slasher film with a clone styled in the manner of "Halloween!" Is that to say " Friday The 13th " is just a cheap rip off...Heck No! It does things very well & in some cases actually set the ground rules for films such as " Scream. "
" Friday The 13th " was a very well made film with a capable crew with a very respected special effects department that had most of their work censored before this film was ever distributed by over-zealous ratings board. But I am here to tell you this film is fun to watch just to see the slasher genre before the genre was realized.
" Friday The 13th " was a very well made film with a capable crew with a very respected special effects department that had most of their work censored before this film was ever distributed by over-zealous ratings board. But I am here to tell you this film is fun to watch just to see the slasher genre before the genre was realized.
UNCUT? *1 Star
They put back in 1 throat slashing scene & decide to deceptively call this edition uncut? haha.. nice one! hence a ****star rating. Maybe some day they will decide to go and find footage that was censored & never seen by the general public, then and only then will it truly be uncut!
They put back in 1 throat slashing scene & decide to deceptively call this edition uncut? haha.. nice one! hence a ****star rating. Maybe some day they will decide to go and find footage that was censored & never seen by the general public, then and only then will it truly be uncut!
VIDEO *****5 Star
Excellent rendering! I mean this will blow die-hard fans out of the water, excellent! Beautiful colors that pop.. Depth in the backgrounds that up until this release were fuzzy backdrops, this new master squeezed every drop of detail now showing viewers depth of field never seen in past offerings. Darker scenes are now viewable. I can remember Vhs & Dvd versions being so dark & over-contrasted it was just about futile trying to watch night time segments.
Excellent rendering! I mean this will blow die-hard fans out of the water, excellent! Beautiful colors that pop.. Depth in the backgrounds that up until this release were fuzzy backdrops, this new master squeezed every drop of detail now showing viewers depth of field never seen in past offerings. Darker scenes are now viewable. I can remember Vhs & Dvd versions being so dark & over-contrasted it was just about futile trying to watch night time segments.
AUDIO ***** 5 Star
This remastered soundtrack is very capable & sounds great.. Now don't think this is going to become a demo disc since the mono origins of the soundtrack are not expansive or deep, but what has been done here is a great example of how much clarity can be obtained from these older mono sound tracks then mixing them together with higher quality music tracks into surround gives it new life without the pops & hiss of older releases. Trust me a lot of care was taken on this Blu-Ray!
This remastered soundtrack is very capable & sounds great.. Now don't think this is going to become a demo disc since the mono origins of the soundtrack are not expansive or deep, but what has been done here is a great example of how much clarity can be obtained from these older mono sound tracks then mixing them together with higher quality music tracks into surround gives it new life without the pops & hiss of older releases. Trust me a lot of care was taken on this Blu-Ray!
EXTRA'S ****4 Star
Audio Commentary - Recorded for a 2004 International DVD release of the film (via Warner Home Video), this spliced-together track features director Sean Cunningham, editor Bill Freida, composer Harry Manfredini and stars Adrienne King and Betsy Palmer, and is hosted by "Crystal Lake Memories" author Peter M. Bracke. Since said author is me, I can't be objective about this commentary other than to say it is the best commentary ever. Though the editing is sometimes choppy (hey, I didn't do it), the track is quite packed with stories and background on the late '70s film scene that spawned 'Friday the 13th,' while the wealth of participants also staves off boredom. Plus, the host has a really sexy, deep voice. Again, greatest commentary ever!
Featurette: "Fresh Cuts: New Tales from Friday the 13th" (HD, 14 minutes) - The first of four new featurettes, this retrospective piece features interviews with screenwriter Victor Miller, composer Harry Manfredini, make-up artist Tom Savini, and cast members Robbi Morgan, and Ari Lehman. This is designed to compliment the "Crystal Lake Chronicles" featurette found on the 2005 DVD (which is also included here as an extra, see below), so there is surprisingly little repetition. Odd-and-end production stories are shared, Manfredini talks at length about the music, and the cast reflects on the surprise success of the film.
Featurette: "The Man Behind the Legacy: Sean S. Cunningham" (HD, 9 minutes) - Though absent from the making-of featurette, the man responsible for the entire 'Friday the 13th' legacy participates in this "day in the life of" visit to his production offices. Cunningham continues to play an active role in the franchise (having served as producer on the last four 'Friday' flicks, including the upcoming remake), and with surprising candor, shares his thoughts on the film that shocked everyone with its success. He also gives us a tour of some 'Friday' memorabilia, as well as visits with his son, Noel, who appeared in the original 'Friday' and co-produced the recent 'Jason X.'
Featurette: "Cast Reunion" (HD, 24 minutes) - Filmed at a Friday the 13th reunion convention held last year, this filmed panel features King, Manfredini, Lehman, Miller, and Palmer. This covers a good deal of similar ground as the commentary and featurettes, so though fresh to this Blu-ray, fans may find a bit of deja vu here.
Featurette: "Secrets Galore Behind the Gore" (HD, 10 minutes) - The last of the main featurettes, this is a largely a one-on-one with Savini as he shares with us all the tricks that went into creating the film's now-famous make-up illusions. There's no real behind-the-scenes footage here (as it was not a common practice to film such things back in 1980), but some rare stills and Savini's thorough explanations flesh things out nicely.
Featurette: "Crystal Lake Chronicles" (SD, 20 minutes) - The longest of the pieces is actually carried over from the previous DVD release, and features then-new interviews with Cunningham, King, Palmer, Lehman, and Savini. Again, there is some repetition here with the other featurettes, though it compliments "Fresh Cuts" nicely as it fills in the basics of 'Friday the 13th's creation and details further stories from the production.
"Lost Tales from Camp Blood - Part 1" (HD, 8 minutes) - Not deleted scenes or excised gore, this is a pretty odd, newly-shot "murder scene." Featuring nubile actors playing camp counselors and mouthing silly dialogue, all ending in a creative death, this is an odd one. ("Part 2" of these scenes can be found on the DVD re-issue of 'Friday the 13th Part 2,' though that title is not being released on Blu-ray).
Theatrical Trailer (HD) - Finally, we have the film's original theatrical trailer.
Audio Commentary - Recorded for a 2004 International DVD release of the film (via Warner Home Video), this spliced-together track features director Sean Cunningham, editor Bill Freida, composer Harry Manfredini and stars Adrienne King and Betsy Palmer, and is hosted by "Crystal Lake Memories" author Peter M. Bracke. Since said author is me, I can't be objective about this commentary other than to say it is the best commentary ever. Though the editing is sometimes choppy (hey, I didn't do it), the track is quite packed with stories and background on the late '70s film scene that spawned 'Friday the 13th,' while the wealth of participants also staves off boredom. Plus, the host has a really sexy, deep voice. Again, greatest commentary ever!
Featurette: "Fresh Cuts: New Tales from Friday the 13th" (HD, 14 minutes) - The first of four new featurettes, this retrospective piece features interviews with screenwriter Victor Miller, composer Harry Manfredini, make-up artist Tom Savini, and cast members Robbi Morgan, and Ari Lehman. This is designed to compliment the "Crystal Lake Chronicles" featurette found on the 2005 DVD (which is also included here as an extra, see below), so there is surprisingly little repetition. Odd-and-end production stories are shared, Manfredini talks at length about the music, and the cast reflects on the surprise success of the film.
Featurette: "The Man Behind the Legacy: Sean S. Cunningham" (HD, 9 minutes) - Though absent from the making-of featurette, the man responsible for the entire 'Friday the 13th' legacy participates in this "day in the life of" visit to his production offices. Cunningham continues to play an active role in the franchise (having served as producer on the last four 'Friday' flicks, including the upcoming remake), and with surprising candor, shares his thoughts on the film that shocked everyone with its success. He also gives us a tour of some 'Friday' memorabilia, as well as visits with his son, Noel, who appeared in the original 'Friday' and co-produced the recent 'Jason X.'
Featurette: "Cast Reunion" (HD, 24 minutes) - Filmed at a Friday the 13th reunion convention held last year, this filmed panel features King, Manfredini, Lehman, Miller, and Palmer. This covers a good deal of similar ground as the commentary and featurettes, so though fresh to this Blu-ray, fans may find a bit of deja vu here.
Featurette: "Secrets Galore Behind the Gore" (HD, 10 minutes) - The last of the main featurettes, this is a largely a one-on-one with Savini as he shares with us all the tricks that went into creating the film's now-famous make-up illusions. There's no real behind-the-scenes footage here (as it was not a common practice to film such things back in 1980), but some rare stills and Savini's thorough explanations flesh things out nicely.
Featurette: "Crystal Lake Chronicles" (SD, 20 minutes) - The longest of the pieces is actually carried over from the previous DVD release, and features then-new interviews with Cunningham, King, Palmer, Lehman, and Savini. Again, there is some repetition here with the other featurettes, though it compliments "Fresh Cuts" nicely as it fills in the basics of 'Friday the 13th's creation and details further stories from the production.
"Lost Tales from Camp Blood - Part 1" (HD, 8 minutes) - Not deleted scenes or excised gore, this is a pretty odd, newly-shot "murder scene." Featuring nubile actors playing camp counselors and mouthing silly dialogue, all ending in a creative death, this is an odd one. ("Part 2" of these scenes can be found on the DVD re-issue of 'Friday the 13th Part 2,' though that title is not being released on Blu-ray).
Theatrical Trailer (HD) - Finally, we have the film's original theatrical trailer.
Lastly let me tell you all something, there is a lot of prejudiced against "Friday The 13th" from professional movie critics claiming this is not worthy but I know these critics are wrong & millions of film goers proved them wrong just by the amount of ticket sales this & its sequels produced. "Friday The 13th" took what "Halloween" presented & made it into slasher film law ...thus shaping the slasher genre for years to come! I recommend this Blu-ray for fans of the genre but cannot recommend it to be viewed by small children.
What's great about it: Outstanding Video & Audio
What's not so great: Ratings Board Censored Friday The 13th To Death!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Other Best Buy Products I Recommend
Friday the 13th, Part 3 3D [With Two Pairs of 3D Glasses] [Blu-ray] [1982]
(3)
Friday the 13th, Part 2 [Blu-ray] [1981]
(1)
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![Mad Max [Blu-ray/DVD] [1979]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/1648/1648116_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
Mad Max With Original Soundtrack in DTS HD!
on September 13, 2012
Posted by: reconredneck
from Atlanta
Ok, Ok... I know calm down about the original soundtrack.. right? I was very excited to hear it for the first time, actually hearing Mel Gibson & Crew speak in their native language and I must admit you might wish to turn subtitles on since I still don't understand some of the things said, but was elated never the less!
Video Quality
A solid 4 stars here with the MPEG-4 AVC encoding of "Mad Max" that varies due to weather conditions..Let me explain! When the sun is bright the image is startling real with colors that burst & pop! The Interceptor's Yellows really stand out & the Australian Blue Sky is deep. Skin tones on the other hand appear a bit baked but not overly so. Filming on cloudy days really bring out the grain & you will notice the drop in color brightness from scene to scene. Clarity is fine & I could not find any enhancing of this video with film grain intact.
A solid 4 stars here with the MPEG-4 AVC encoding of "Mad Max" that varies due to weather conditions..Let me explain! When the sun is bright the image is startling real with colors that burst & pop! The Interceptor's Yellows really stand out & the Australian Blue Sky is deep. Skin tones on the other hand appear a bit baked but not overly so. Filming on cloudy days really bring out the grain & you will notice the drop in color brightness from scene to scene. Clarity is fine & I could not find any enhancing of this video with film grain intact.
Audio Quality
As stated the original Australian soundtrack 5.1 DTS-HD sounds fantastic even tho the musical track is a bit louder than the rest of the audio. The Dubbed American version is in DD mono. I was very pleased with the audio offerings on this Blu-ray!
As stated the original Australian soundtrack 5.1 DTS-HD sounds fantastic even tho the musical track is a bit louder than the rest of the audio. The Dubbed American version is in DD mono. I was very pleased with the audio offerings on this Blu-ray!
Extra's
How about a DVD copy? We are seeing less & less of this with releases of Digital copies becoming the norm, me personally, I would like the DVD and manipulate it into my own video format. I find the time limits placed on digital copies to be a nuisance.
Commentary Track – Art director Jon Dowding, cinematographer David Eggby, special effects supervisor Chris Murray, and superfan Tim Ridge gather to talk about the film and its creation. While it obviously would have been great to have Gibson and Miller take part, fans of the film will be happy with this foursome.
Mad Max: Film Phenomenon (SD, 26 min) – The foursome from the commentary track, as well as a few critics, talk about the making of the film. There is some overlap and the narration is slightly over the top with its praise.
Mel Gibson: The High Octane Birth of a Superstar (SD, 17 min) –
On the DVD, actress Piper Laurie is the most well-known participant of the people interviewed who speak about knowing Gibson around the time 'Mad Max' was created.
Mad Facts Trivia Track –
On the DVD, trivia pops up on the bottom of the screen
International Poster Gallery (SD) –
Exactly as the title describes.
Trailers (SD) –
On the Blu-ray, there are two for for 'Mad Max' as well as trailers for 'The Terminator', 'Species', 'Windtalkers', and 'Rollerball' (2002). On the DVD, there is the original Australian theatrical trailer, TV spots, and 'The Terminator: Special Edition' DVD Trailer
How about a DVD copy? We are seeing less & less of this with releases of Digital copies becoming the norm, me personally, I would like the DVD and manipulate it into my own video format. I find the time limits placed on digital copies to be a nuisance.
Commentary Track – Art director Jon Dowding, cinematographer David Eggby, special effects supervisor Chris Murray, and superfan Tim Ridge gather to talk about the film and its creation. While it obviously would have been great to have Gibson and Miller take part, fans of the film will be happy with this foursome.
Mad Max: Film Phenomenon (SD, 26 min) – The foursome from the commentary track, as well as a few critics, talk about the making of the film. There is some overlap and the narration is slightly over the top with its praise.
Mel Gibson: The High Octane Birth of a Superstar (SD, 17 min) –
On the DVD, actress Piper Laurie is the most well-known participant of the people interviewed who speak about knowing Gibson around the time 'Mad Max' was created.
Mad Facts Trivia Track –
On the DVD, trivia pops up on the bottom of the screen
International Poster Gallery (SD) –
Exactly as the title describes.
Trailers (SD) –
On the Blu-ray, there are two for for 'Mad Max' as well as trailers for 'The Terminator', 'Species', 'Windtalkers', and 'Rollerball' (2002). On the DVD, there is the original Australian theatrical trailer, TV spots, and 'The Terminator: Special Edition' DVD Trailer
In closing it's time to ditch the DVD & step up to this fine rendering of a great Australian classic.. I highly recommend this 2 Disc Set!
What's great about it: Original Australian Soundtrack in DTS-HD! 2 Disc Set
What's not so great: Dubbed Version only in Mono
I would recommend this to a friend!
Other Best Buy Products I Recommend
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior [Blu-ray] [1981]
(click to see the video)
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![Terminator Salvation [WS] [Director's Cut] [2 Discs] [Blu-ray] [2009]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/9609/9609607_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
4
Directors Cut + Theatrical Version for $7.99?
on April 12, 2012
Posted by: reconredneck
from Atlanta
Just purchased this Blu-Ray from Best Buy today for the low price of $7.99 as of 04/12/2012, not sure if BB made a mistake on this purchase but it is worth checking into. This ad shows you get a digital copy, but mine came with both the Directors Cut & the Original Theatrical version which is a BB steal!
Anyways this movie is worth the purchase if you are into the series of films it has some really great action moments. They signed on some big names this time around with Christian Bale, Sam Worthington & Michael Ironside. The FX is tops, even if the script is only average.
This time around you are catapulted into the future world of the terminator where man is holding on by his nails, with the resistance finding a solution to the rogue machinery, sending their best into the field to fight the menace, John Conner, Humanities only hope. Throw in some side plots, a young Kyle Reese who has been captured by the terminators, now John must not only save humanity but must save himself by saving Reese, or John Conner will cease to exist in the future. Good solid Sci-Fi & definitely worthy of a BB purchase.
Anyways this movie is worth the purchase if you are into the series of films it has some really great action moments. They signed on some big names this time around with Christian Bale, Sam Worthington & Michael Ironside. The FX is tops, even if the script is only average.
This time around you are catapulted into the future world of the terminator where man is holding on by his nails, with the resistance finding a solution to the rogue machinery, sending their best into the field to fight the menace, John Conner, Humanities only hope. Throw in some side plots, a young Kyle Reese who has been captured by the terminators, now John must not only save humanity but must save himself by saving Reese, or John Conner will cease to exist in the future. Good solid Sci-Fi & definitely worthy of a BB purchase.
Video Looks clean & sharp a very good encoding. Audio is lively & makes good use of surrounds & LFE Bass is deep, this soundtrack will give your audio equipment a good workout!
If you can find this package with the dual Directors Cut, plus Original Theatrical version buy it quick!
P.S. I know their are two BB listings for this blu-ray but the other is not due out till June 2012, so I know I am on the right page :)
What's great about it: Future Look Into The World Of The Terminator!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Other Best Buy Products I Recommend
Terminator 2: Judgment Day [Skynet Edition] [Blu-ray] [1991]
(66)
The Terminator [Blu-ray] [1984]
(21)
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![The Ten Commandments [Blu-ray] [1956]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/1974/1974751_sa.jpg)
Posted by: reconredneck
from Atlanta
This is a beautiful render of a great Biblical film into HD, with exceptional detail, color & sound. Of course it is no where near the perfection of Ben Hur 50th Anniversary edition since that film was scanned with an 8k resolution process & 10 Commandments with a 6k restoration almost gives this new release equal standing, but one will notice quickly that the rear projection effects of this 1956 film do not hold up well with obvious overlapping and line separation between subject matter & backgrounds but this was all new territory back in the 50's & is completely excusable. Colors are gorgeous, deep & rich with focus the epitome of perfection, this film was more concerned with the art, than it was about profits, this film could never be made today, since the cost would outweigh the profit margin!
Sound Quality is the best it will ever get, since the source material is limited to its Mono source, but the cleanup, separation & tonal quality of this revision are top notch, never sounding better since inception.
Absolutely a film with some of it's era's greatest actors, dialog is engaging & scripting intelligently conveyed attempting to keep some type of honest interpretation of Biblical events, while not boring the viewer.
I wholeheartedly recommend this Blu-Ray release it is just a beautiful film to behold in HD & is wholesome entertainment for the family.
What's great about it: Actors, Script, Video/Audio Quality, 2 Disc for higher bitrate!
What's not so great: Rear projection FX dated
I would recommend this to a friend!
(click to see the video)
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![Jason and the Argonauts [Blu-ray] [1963]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/1029/1029758_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
Amazing Jason & The Argonauts Blu-Ray Transfer !
on March 1, 2012
Posted by: reconredneck
from Atlanta
I am not going to review the film other than give my over-all rating for this Harryhausen extravaganza but I will tell you this, that this film is the high point of Ray Harryhausen's talent & career with his stop-motion FX being off the charts. One other thing if you have children they will love this story of good over evil, just pure fantasy at its best!
Film: 5 Stars
Jason & The Argonauts comes to Blu-Ray in 1.66:1 ratio, it filled my 16x9 flat screen with no black bars. This film is absolutely beautiful in HD the colors are perfect, flesh tones are spot on & blacks are inky with no crushing. Textures are deep & focus is constant with just a hint of grain, but not revealing halos or signs of DNR, in other words this release is the purists dream copy of this film. I am impressed with the video presented on this disc, never did I expect it to look this fine.
Video: 5 Stars
Included on this disc is the original mono soundtrack that is adequate & is a clean presentation but what really brings this film to life is the new DTS-HD 5.1 mix that really boots the background music into surround with an increase in bass response, tho this is mainly a front channel heavy experience, ambient sound & discreet effects are present but really don't present themselves in force till the final scenes of the film. Vocals sound clear in 5.1 but due to it's source are a bit hollow at times. Even so, this soundtrack has really improved from it's mono origins.
Audio: 4 Stars
Extra's have been ported over from the Sony "The Legendary Monster Series" from 2004 but also includes a few new things.
Ray Harryhausen interviewed by director John Landis (SD, 11:53) – The only real recycled supplement is a featurette in which director John Landis ('An American Werewolf in London') joins Harryhausen to talk about the film's monsters and explain the stop-motion process with a peek at one of the actual skeleton models used in the movie.
The Harryhausen Legacy (SD, 25:32) – In this tribute of sorts, directors John Landis and Joe Dante ('Gremlins') as well as visual effects gurus John Dykstra, Dennis Muren, Phil Tippett, and a host of others reflect on how Harryhausen's movie magic influenced their own careers.
Ray Harryhausen Chronicles (SD, 57:57) – Next we have a solid hour-long documentary on the illustrious stop-motion career of Ray Harryhausen--which initially began as his hobby after being awestruck by the original 'King Kong.' The documentary includes several interviews, a look at some of his surviving models, rare animation segments, and much more. The great Leonard Nimoy narrates this feature.
Original Skeleton Fight Storyboards – Included here is a gallery of the original storyboard drawings for the skeleton army fight sequence. The storyboards were only rediscovered five years ago and reveal plans for a scene where one of the skeletons was going to lose their head, but the idea never made it into the final animated battle.
Extra's: 4 Star
Sony really went all out on this release of " Jason & The Argonauts" it really shines in all area's & is good clean fun for kids, as well as adults I highly recommend this film to collectors of Ray Harryhausen films who was at his pinnacle of stop-motion genius!
What's great about it: Pristine Image 5.1 DTS-HD sound Abundant Extra's
What's not so great: I stole it from Best Buy for $9.99!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Other Best Buy Products I Recommend
Seventh Voyage of Sinbad [Blu-ray] [1958]
(3)
20 Million Miles to Earth [50th Anniversary Edition] [DVD] [1957]
Earth vs. The Flying Saucers [Blu-ray] [1956]
(2)
(click to see the video)
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![Logan's Run [Blu-ray] [1976]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/9588/9588813_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
3
Classic 70's Scifi Blockbuster
on July 4, 2011
Posted by: reconredneck
from Atlanta
Firstly Bestbuy has made an error in their description.. It is widescreen 16x9 enhanced at a ratio of 2.40:1 .. I have this disc and have watched it a number of times, BB description of full-screen is erroneous.
Logan's Run looks better than I have ever seen it, this Blu-ray while making LR look superior also exposes alot of the special effects, showing how dated they are, but does not or cannot take away from its greatest strength, that is, the quality of its actors.
The storyline is just so darn interesting that it just captures your attention and holds it through the entirety of the 119 minute run. Admittedly Logan's run shows its age when viewing the hair styles of its actors and supporting cast, from its 70's feathered hair styles to decor that only lacked lava lamps to complete its retro look .
The Video quality is a mixed bag, at times in well lit scenes is magnificent to darker scenes that are plagued with blotches of over compensated over-contrasted swarms of grain, at 15:38 the image is dreadfully bad, showing not much care was used in the cleanup of the source materials. It's just an average attempt by WB and that is exactly what the video yields.
The Audio is TrueHD and is a front heavy affair, with only the music soundtrack given much play in 5.1, with only a few attempts at discrete sounds in the rear field. Volume is strong but at times the characters get drowned out by the music track.
Extra's consist of a trailer, a commentary track & a 10 minute featurette called " A look into the 23rd century " that is in very rough shape.
Bottom line is, if you have the 5.1 DVD hold onto it, give it a year or two until the double-dip Blu-ray version hits the shelves before you decide to dole out the moolah!
What's great about it: Acting - Interesting Science Fiction premise.
What's not so great: lackluster release, no effort on WB's part.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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![Pandorum [Blu-ray] [2009]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/9589/9589867_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
A Modern SciFi Horror Masterpiece
on May 10, 2011
Posted by: reconredneck
from Atlanta
Let's face it, we are becoming jaded in the digital age, and without knowing it, we draw conclusions, from what we know and when it comes to SciFi we compare the new with the old. So, If I had to give you a comparison based on past films, I would say " Pandorum " is the film " Descent " only that instead of stone cave walls we have steel plated bays and instead of caverns we have piping systems, crawl spaces covered in high tech. Even the nemesis aliens in this film look similar to the carnivorous cave dwellers from that mentioned film. Now, this is not to say that " Pandorum " is a lesser film, it's not! It is a very well constructed, exciting foray into Space travel & the survival of the human race, who have departed earth due to circumstances caused by mans ignorance/arrogance, Problem is, while in a deep hyper sleep they have been joined by an alien race, who are bent on total consumption of humanoid flesh, luckily they aren't as intelligent as the humans or this film would have been over in 30 minutes. without giving too much away, I will state that this film is superior than most of what has been produced since " Aliens, " with sets that are probably the best I have ever seen, maybe not as expansive as the " Alien " film but I feel more authentic to what a deep space ship would look like. The acting was very good, by all the characters, with a script that kept you guessing as to what would happen next. If you have never seen this film before and know nothing of it, it is safe to say you will never guess the ending.
This is definitely a SciFi movie full of action and gore, so if you are not the type to watch blood & guts steer clear of this. At the same time this is a very intelligent film, with sub-plots that keep the storyline from bogging down. Great Acting, Flowing script, Superb sets & makeup and FX are all top drawer, with set construction in my opinion surpassing " 2001 A Space Odyssey," "Alien," or "Aliens," they are just that good.
This is definitely a SciFi movie full of action and gore, so if you are not the type to watch blood & guts steer clear of this. At the same time this is a very intelligent film, with sub-plots that keep the storyline from bogging down. Great Acting, Flowing script, Superb sets & makeup and FX are all top drawer, with set construction in my opinion surpassing " 2001 A Space Odyssey," "Alien," or "Aliens," they are just that good.
(Video Quality) Shockingly Beautiful, Colors rich & Deep, Clarity that verges on lifelike. No DNR. No evident filtering of any kind. (v-9.5)
(Audio Quality) - DOLBY TRUEHD - In the past I have complained about limited use of the rear sound field, this film went off on a tangent, using so many discrete noises in the rear field, I think this has to be the busiest HD soundtrack ever! Could this be considered Demo Material? Definitely!
(a-10.0)
(a-10.0)
Overall the extras are average (extra-5.0) but I highly recommend this disc if you are a SciFi fanatic, but not for the squeamish.
What's great about it: Script, Acting, Superb Settings, Top FX, Gore, Aliens are excellent!
What's not so great: we have become jaded by media overload!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Other Best Buy Products I Recommend
Alien Anthology [6 Discs] [Blu-ray]
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![Predators [2 Discs] [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray] [2010]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/1253/1253537_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
Predators Delivers!
on May 9, 2011
Posted by: reconredneck
from Atlanta
I was pleasantly surprised by this Rodriguez production.. Clearly the mindset from the get go was to create something new, but give it that original (1987) Predator feel... And they did it!
I really appreciate the fact that director Nimród Antal & producer Robert Rodriguez brought back that thrilling sense of dread & high Adrenalin rush that we felt watching the original, (1987) Predator film. .. They really put a new face on an old storyline and added all kinds of twists and turns to a point, you really don't know how it's going to end, other than the fact that we know there will be a final showdown, between man & alien.
Adrien Brody gave a fine performance, much better than what he attempted in " King Kong," with his more muscular appearance and cool demeanor, he really fit the part as the protagonist and definitely surprised me with his tough guy character, he basically carried the film, with the other characters having limited screen time. One thing that had me confounded was Danny Trejo's quick demise, I just don't know what they were thinking when they eliminated his character early on, when everybody would have loved to see a showdown between him and a Predator.. Oh, well.. can't have it all. But they did kind of make up for it, when they pitted the Japanese Yakuza, solo, against the hunter Predator.
This Blu-Ray image is tight, clean and basically what you expect out of a Blu-Ray disc. Blacks are inky, jungle colors are lush and I saw no hints of DNR anywhere on this disc. It was also nice they included a digital copy. (score 9.0)
Audio is the high point of this disc, with a 5.1 DTS-HD soundtrack that uses the entire sound field, with discrete sounds coming from the rear and dialog coming thru strong in the front.. It's and exception soundtrack that will have your sub & surrounds pounding from all angles. (audio 9.5)
Extra's consist of a documentary or " The making of Predators " called:
"Evolution of the Species: 'Predators' Reborn" , this (40:00) minute document is presented in HD and I found it answered alot of questions I had concerning production.
"Evolution of the Species: 'Predators' Reborn" , this (40:00) minute document is presented in HD and I found it answered alot of questions I had concerning production.
" The Chosen " in HD is a (4:52) minute document that you definitely do not want to watch if you haven't seen the film.. spoilers!
" Deleted and Extended Scenes " in HD (11:21) this was very good & worth watching.
" Predators Trailer " HD (1:56) basic item that should come with every Blu-Ray.
Extra's are a bit light, but not bad. again you also get a digital copy of the movie. (Extra's 5.5)
I will rate this Blu-Ray high overall and would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves SciFi, it delivers!
What's great about it: Great Action - Great VQ - Great AQ - Twists in the Story
What's not so great: Danny Trejo's early demise!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Other Best Buy Products I Recommend
Alien Anthology [6 Discs] [Blu-ray]
(753)Share this review:
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![Gone with the Wind [70th Anniversary Edition] [Blu-ray] [1939]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/9755/9755895_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
Greatest Restoration Ever! Mission Accomplished!
on May 5, 2011
Posted by: reconredneck
from Atlanta
I am drooling on my keyboard right at this moment, as I watch the splendor & beauty of this 70th Anniversary edition of "Gone With The Wind" on Blu-Ray! ...Absolutely mesmerizing!
I doubt that I can properly put to eloquent words concerning the PQ of this Blu-ray with all it's Technicolor perfection, but I will make an honest attempt to communicate that this might be the single most amazing restoration of a film that is over 70 years old in age. Now this is not my first purchase of a classic film on Blu-Ray, I also have the " Wizard Of Oz " box set so I will use this as a comparison, when discussing PQ & AQ.
Firstly, It is completely obvious to the human eye and owners of previous editions of this film will see that Warner Brothers have struck a completely new video master of this Historical film. I can find no blemishes, pixelation or any other type of artifact from bad encoding or poor filming technique.
The Technicolor is a sight to behold, with this Blu-Ray edging out the glorious remaster of the " Wizard Of Oz ".. Flesh tones are accurate, colors are rich and focus & depth of field are deep, which will give the viewer new information on activities going on in the background.
The Technicolor on this disc surpasses what you have seen on the " Wizard Of Oz " discs with colors much more deep & rich, not to mention accurate. Whites are bright and blacks are inky. The color pallete is well represented on this 70th Anniversary Edition, trust me you will be impressed, seeing Technicolor the way it was meant to be seen!
This is an exciting time for collectors of vintage films, with this film showing its capabilities concerning older films being transferred to high definition. What we are seeing is the rebirth of film classics, bringing the old into the new with results that are superior to what was displayed on the silver screen.
If " Gone With The Wind " is near and dear to your heart you will just love this remaster of this old film classic and I doubt it will ever look much better that what we are seeing on this Blu-Ray!
This is an exciting time for collectors of vintage films, with this film showing its capabilities concerning older films being transferred to high definition. What we are seeing is the rebirth of film classics, bringing the old into the new with results that are superior to what was displayed on the silver screen.
If " Gone With The Wind " is near and dear to your heart you will just love this remaster of this old film classic and I doubt it will ever look much better that what we are seeing on this Blu-Ray!
The Sound quality is superb, but mainly front speaker heavy with the occasional music track playing in the rear fields. Now this TrueHD soundtrack is robust and really enhances the old mono frequencies and gives an accurate, uncompressed, realistic sound presence that will take the viewer deeper, with not only an immersive soundtrack but and impressive noise free remaster which surpasses the old mono two channel sound field. What I have just said could be an understatement!
Granted this disc is light on extra's found on the Blu-Ray boxset, but lets be honest, most of us are after the fine picture and a slim DVD Blu-ray box that conforms to our collection.
One thing I did not like about the " Wizard Of Oz " box collector's set is, it takes up way too much space on my shelves and most likely I will never purchase another. So the bottom line here is if you want all the trimmings and extra's you will most likely purchase the "Ultimate 70th anniversary edition," since this Anniversary Edition does not offer any of those things.
One thing I did not like about the " Wizard Of Oz " box collector's set is, it takes up way too much space on my shelves and most likely I will never purchase another. So the bottom line here is if you want all the trimmings and extra's you will most likely purchase the "Ultimate 70th anniversary edition," since this Anniversary Edition does not offer any of those things.
If you are on the fence about purchasing this Anniversary edition, because you own it on DVD, I must reiterate that this new remastered version far surpasses any past increment of this wonderful film, in video & sound quality to a point that makes this 70+ year old film look & sound brand new!
What's great about it: Superior Video/Audio Quality!
What's not so great: I have yet to find a thing.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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reconredneck's Review Comments
Overall4 out of 5
4 out of 5Friday The 13th Uncut "?"
By reconredneck
from Atlanta
Movie ****4 Star
No!.. " Friday The 13th " is not where the slasher Genre started, if you want to get technical " Psycho " could be considered the seed that got the slasher genre growing, some older folks can probably come up with an even older slasher film. " Halloween " which preceded FT13th most likely carries the most influence & most fans will tell you this was the one that really shaped the future of slasher films.
No!.. " Friday The 13th " is not where the slasher Genre started, if you want to get technical " Psycho " could be considered the seed that got the slasher genre growing, some older folks can probably come up with an even older slasher film. " Halloween " which preceded FT13th most likely carries the most influence & most fans will tell you this was the one that really shaped the future of slasher films.
Even on Disc 2 Side 2 of this 2 disc set the FT13th crew plainly states that the film was created to capitalize on the momentum that " Halloween " created, in other words, to cash in on the horror slasher film with a clone styled in the manner of "Halloween!" Is that to say " Friday The 13th " is just a cheap rip off...Heck No! It does things very well & in some cases actually set the ground rules for films such as " Scream. "
" Friday The 13th " was a very well made film with a capable crew with a very respected special effects department that had most of their work censored before this film was ever distributed by over-zealous ratings board. But I am here to tell you this film is fun to watch just to see the slasher genre before the genre was realized.
" Friday The 13th " was a very well made film with a capable crew with a very respected special effects department that had most of their work censored before this film was ever distributed by over-zealous ratings board. But I am here to tell you this film is fun to watch just to see the slasher genre before the genre was realized.
UNCUT? *1 Star
They put back in 1 throat slashing scene & decide to deceptively call this edition uncut? haha.. nice one! hence a ****star rating. Maybe some day they will decide to go and find footage that was censored & never seen by the general public, then and only then will it truly be uncut!
They put back in 1 throat slashing scene & decide to deceptively call this edition uncut? haha.. nice one! hence a ****star rating. Maybe some day they will decide to go and find footage that was censored & never seen by the general public, then and only then will it truly be uncut!
VIDEO *****5 Star
Excellent rendering! I mean this will blow die-hard fans out of the water, excellent! Beautiful colors that pop.. Depth in the backgrounds that up until this release were fuzzy backdrops, this new master squeezed every drop of detail now showing viewers depth of field never seen in past offerings. Darker scenes are now viewable. I can remember Vhs & Dvd versions being so dark & over-contrasted it was just about futile trying to watch night time segments.
Excellent rendering! I mean this will blow die-hard fans out of the water, excellent! Beautiful colors that pop.. Depth in the backgrounds that up until this release were fuzzy backdrops, this new master squeezed every drop of detail now showing viewers depth of field never seen in past offerings. Darker scenes are now viewable. I can remember Vhs & Dvd versions being so dark & over-contrasted it was just about futile trying to watch night time segments.
AUDIO ***** 5 Star
This remastered soundtrack is very capable & sounds great.. Now don't think this is going to become a demo disc since the mono origins of the soundtrack are not expansive or deep, but what has been done here is a great example of how much clarity can be obtained from these older mono sound tracks then mixing them together with higher quality music tracks into surround gives it new life without the pops & hiss of older releases. Trust me a lot of care was taken on this Blu-Ray!
This remastered soundtrack is very capable & sounds great.. Now don't think this is going to become a demo disc since the mono origins of the soundtrack are not expansive or deep, but what has been done here is a great example of how much clarity can be obtained from these older mono sound tracks then mixing them together with higher quality music tracks into surround gives it new life without the pops & hiss of older releases. Trust me a lot of care was taken on this Blu-Ray!
EXTRA'S ****4 Star
Audio Commentary - Recorded for a 2004 International DVD release of the film (via Warner Home Video), this spliced-together track features director Sean Cunningham, editor Bill Freida, composer Harry Manfredini and stars Adrienne King and Betsy Palmer, and is hosted by "Crystal Lake Memories" author Peter M. Bracke. Since said author is me, I can't be objective about this commentary other than to say it is the best commentary ever. Though the editing is sometimes choppy (hey, I didn't do it), the track is quite packed with stories and background on the late '70s film scene that spawned 'Friday the 13th,' while the wealth of participants also staves off boredom. Plus, the host has a really sexy, deep voice. Again, greatest commentary ever!
Featurette: "Fresh Cuts: New Tales from Friday the 13th" (HD, 14 minutes) - The first of four new featurettes, this retrospective piece features interviews with screenwriter Victor Miller, composer Harry Manfredini, make-up artist Tom Savini, and cast members Robbi Morgan, and Ari Lehman. This is designed to compliment the "Crystal Lake Chronicles" featurette found on the 2005 DVD (which is also included here as an extra, see below), so there is surprisingly little repetition. Odd-and-end production stories are shared, Manfredini talks at length about the music, and the cast reflects on the surprise success of the film.
Featurette: "The Man Behind the Legacy: Sean S. Cunningham" (HD, 9 minutes) - Though absent from the making-of featurette, the man responsible for the entire 'Friday the 13th' legacy participates in this "day in the life of" visit to his production offices. Cunningham continues to play an active role in the franchise (having served as producer on the last four 'Friday' flicks, including the upcoming remake), and with surprising candor, shares his thoughts on the film that shocked everyone with its success. He also gives us a tour of some 'Friday' memorabilia, as well as visits with his son, Noel, who appeared in the original 'Friday' and co-produced the recent 'Jason X.'
Featurette: "Cast Reunion" (HD, 24 minutes) - Filmed at a Friday the 13th reunion convention held last year, this filmed panel features King, Manfredini, Lehman, Miller, and Palmer. This covers a good deal of similar ground as the commentary and featurettes, so though fresh to this Blu-ray, fans may find a bit of deja vu here.
Featurette: "Secrets Galore Behind the Gore" (HD, 10 minutes) - The last of the main featurettes, this is a largely a one-on-one with Savini as he shares with us all the tricks that went into creating the film's now-famous make-up illusions. There's no real behind-the-scenes footage here (as it was not a common practice to film such things back in 1980), but some rare stills and Savini's thorough explanations flesh things out nicely.
Featurette: "Crystal Lake Chronicles" (SD, 20 minutes) - The longest of the pieces is actually carried over from the previous DVD release, and features then-new interviews with Cunningham, King, Palmer, Lehman, and Savini. Again, there is some repetition here with the other featurettes, though it compliments "Fresh Cuts" nicely as it fills in the basics of 'Friday the 13th's creation and details further stories from the production.
"Lost Tales from Camp Blood - Part 1" (HD, 8 minutes) - Not deleted scenes or excised gore, this is a pretty odd, newly-shot "murder scene." Featuring nubile actors playing camp counselors and mouthing silly dialogue, all ending in a creative death, this is an odd one. ("Part 2" of these scenes can be found on the DVD re-issue of 'Friday the 13th Part 2,' though that title is not being released on Blu-ray).
Theatrical Trailer (HD) - Finally, we have the film's original theatrical trailer.
Audio Commentary - Recorded for a 2004 International DVD release of the film (via Warner Home Video), this spliced-together track features director Sean Cunningham, editor Bill Freida, composer Harry Manfredini and stars Adrienne King and Betsy Palmer, and is hosted by "Crystal Lake Memories" author Peter M. Bracke. Since said author is me, I can't be objective about this commentary other than to say it is the best commentary ever. Though the editing is sometimes choppy (hey, I didn't do it), the track is quite packed with stories and background on the late '70s film scene that spawned 'Friday the 13th,' while the wealth of participants also staves off boredom. Plus, the host has a really sexy, deep voice. Again, greatest commentary ever!
Featurette: "Fresh Cuts: New Tales from Friday the 13th" (HD, 14 minutes) - The first of four new featurettes, this retrospective piece features interviews with screenwriter Victor Miller, composer Harry Manfredini, make-up artist Tom Savini, and cast members Robbi Morgan, and Ari Lehman. This is designed to compliment the "Crystal Lake Chronicles" featurette found on the 2005 DVD (which is also included here as an extra, see below), so there is surprisingly little repetition. Odd-and-end production stories are shared, Manfredini talks at length about the music, and the cast reflects on the surprise success of the film.
Featurette: "The Man Behind the Legacy: Sean S. Cunningham" (HD, 9 minutes) - Though absent from the making-of featurette, the man responsible for the entire 'Friday the 13th' legacy participates in this "day in the life of" visit to his production offices. Cunningham continues to play an active role in the franchise (having served as producer on the last four 'Friday' flicks, including the upcoming remake), and with surprising candor, shares his thoughts on the film that shocked everyone with its success. He also gives us a tour of some 'Friday' memorabilia, as well as visits with his son, Noel, who appeared in the original 'Friday' and co-produced the recent 'Jason X.'
Featurette: "Cast Reunion" (HD, 24 minutes) - Filmed at a Friday the 13th reunion convention held last year, this filmed panel features King, Manfredini, Lehman, Miller, and Palmer. This covers a good deal of similar ground as the commentary and featurettes, so though fresh to this Blu-ray, fans may find a bit of deja vu here.
Featurette: "Secrets Galore Behind the Gore" (HD, 10 minutes) - The last of the main featurettes, this is a largely a one-on-one with Savini as he shares with us all the tricks that went into creating the film's now-famous make-up illusions. There's no real behind-the-scenes footage here (as it was not a common practice to film such things back in 1980), but some rare stills and Savini's thorough explanations flesh things out nicely.
Featurette: "Crystal Lake Chronicles" (SD, 20 minutes) - The longest of the pieces is actually carried over from the previous DVD release, and features then-new interviews with Cunningham, King, Palmer, Lehman, and Savini. Again, there is some repetition here with the other featurettes, though it compliments "Fresh Cuts" nicely as it fills in the basics of 'Friday the 13th's creation and details further stories from the production.
"Lost Tales from Camp Blood - Part 1" (HD, 8 minutes) - Not deleted scenes or excised gore, this is a pretty odd, newly-shot "murder scene." Featuring nubile actors playing camp counselors and mouthing silly dialogue, all ending in a creative death, this is an odd one. ("Part 2" of these scenes can be found on the DVD re-issue of 'Friday the 13th Part 2,' though that title is not being released on Blu-ray).
Theatrical Trailer (HD) - Finally, we have the film's original theatrical trailer.
Lastly let me tell you all something, there is a lot of prejudiced against "Friday The 13th" from professional movie critics claiming this is not worthy but I know these critics are wrong & millions of film goers proved them wrong just by the amount of ticket sales this & its sequels produced. "Friday The 13th" took what "Halloween" presented & made it into slasher film law ...thus shaping the slasher genre for years to come! I recommend this Blu-ray for fans of the genre but cannot recommend it to be viewed by small children.
reconredneck
Atlanta
Correction!
September 14, 2012
I misstated this package contains 2 discs, I was in error all extras are on the main disc of this 1 disc package... esssh getting old sux!
0points
1of 2voted this comment as helpful.
![Total Recall [Mind-Bending Edition] [Blu-ray] [1990]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/5690/5690973_sa.jpg)
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5A movie that should never have been remade.
By VOSuperhero
from Dallas, TX
Let's face it. Total Recall should have never been remade. All together now. "Total Recall should have never been remade."
There. Now that's out of our system. Paul Verhoeven made a movie that was much closer to the original Philip K. Dick story, "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale," except Verhoeven brought the Mars revolution to the forefront.
This, the original version (and only version if it were left up to me), has been cleaned up and looks pretty good, although not great, when compared to other movies from the early 90s that look much better.
The sound is more lively than previous versions of the movie, and the dialogue is perfectly mixed.
Some cool new extras are added in this "Mind-Bending Edition." Previously omitted featurettes are included, along with a couple new extras, including a conversation with director Paul Verhoeven, an awesome visual effect featurette, and an obligatory comparison featurette that is only 5 mins long.
Bottom line, it's the original. It's Arnie. Sharon Stone. The deliciously evil Ronny Cox (who was the OCP baddie Dick Jones in Verhoeven's classic, RoboCop), and the always entertaining Michael Ironside (see also Top Gun, Starshop Troopers, and video game fans will recognize his voice from the Splinter Cell video games).
Total Recall is considered by most to be a 'thinking man's sci-fi" title, as is Gattica, Dark City, Minority Report, Solaris (the original, non-Clooney version), and the pièce de résistance, Blade Runner. I love it because under the action, there's a soul. Just like in the others of it's kind, no matter the science in the fiction, it is usually the humanity that's the most fascinating part of these stories.
reconredneck
Atlanta
Nice review!
September 16, 2012
Glad to see a considerate review instead of the usual vague 1-liner postings that this board usually entertains... great job!
+1point
1of 1voted this comment as helpful.
![Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah/Godzilla vs. Mothra [Blu-ray]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/5953/5953028_sa.jpg)
This two pack for fans of kaiju monster Godzilla offers a double feature of Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah and Godzilla vs. Mothra.
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5Follow-up to Biollante
By Dval
from Clarksville, TN
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Giant Monster
Length: 101 minutes/ 102 minutes
Length: 101 minutes/ 102 minutes
"When a mysterious U.F.O. is seen flying over Tokyo, tension mounts until the craft's occupants reveal themselves to be friendly aliens form the 23rd century who have come to warn mankind that Godzilla will soon awaken and wreak havoc upon the Earth unless he is destroyed. Meanwhile, a double threat arrives in the form of King Ghidorah, Godzilla's flying three-headed arch rival. The suspense builds to terrifying levels as the alien's sinister mission on Earth is gradually revealed and Godzilla must wage a solo battle against these evil forces who want to destroy mankind."
"After a series of earthquakes unearths a gigantic orb, a trio of Japanese explorers is dipatched to the mysterious Infant Island to investigate. There they discover the island's sole inhabitants, miniature twin women whose duty is to protect the mammoth ball, the egg of Mothra! When the explorers attempt to bring the egg back to the mainland, a furious Godzilla awakens from the depths and attacks the party, causing the egg to hatch and forcing its newborn larvae to fend off the gigantic monster. With such a powerful foe to reckon with, has Godzilla finally met his match?"
More Godzilla films on Blu-ray!!! I can finally start throwing away the old VHS tapes which are probably already degrading! This twin movie pack features Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah and Godzilla vs. Mothra which should really be called Godzilla vs. Battra.
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah is the direct follow-up to Godzilla vs. Biollante where Godzilla has been in a slumber deep in the Pacific Ocean after his last fight with the monster as well as the bacteria that was eating away at him. While the aliens succeed in getting rid of one Godzilla, they're responsible for the creation for another which is even bigger and stronger than the previous as well as much more violent. King Ghidorah is beheaded which gives rise to the creation of Mecha King Ghidorah!
Godzilla vs. Mothra is the next continuation wherein mankind continues to pollute and destroy the planet which is causing earthquakes, typhoons, and landslides. In the midst of this, Mothra's egg is revealed which also signals the rebirth of the dreaded Battra who destroyed the advanced civilation on Earth over 10,000 years ago! In the midst of their battle, an even more fearsome foe in Godzilla surfaces to continue his rampage and destruction.
Both movies look great on Blu-ray! Love the remastering of both even though they're over 20 years old now. Nice, crisp coloring and detail. Not really a noticeable loss of anything in being fitted to the 16:9 format instead of the old 4:3 aspect ratio. Soundtracks are just as good as ever thanks to Akira Ifukube. The English dubs have always been questionable at best, but I didn't mind listening to them at all.
I ordered all of the double packs and I'll be ordering all of the single releases once I finish up with them! Fantastic movies to watch especially with the release of the new Godzilla movie about to hit theaters this week! Enjoy!
reconredneck
Atlanta
Proper Aspect.
May 16, 2014
These films in the past being presented in 4:3 box were actually cutting the ends off a 2.35:1 Toho widescreen production. I am hoping that these releases do not try to enhance the original toho resolution of 2.35:1 by removing the black borders which in the end snip off the outer edges of the box and remove visual information.
16:9 with the 2.35:1 ratio will give you a more complete video presentation than will 4:3 which was devised because television viewing area's were not wide screen and by doing so cut out the widest viewing area's of the film.
Glad to see these being released with both Japanese & English soundtracks without attempting or forcing mono soundtracks into surround which rarely goes well.
I liked your review, very good.
16:9 with the 2.35:1 ratio will give you a more complete video presentation than will 4:3 which was devised because television viewing area's were not wide screen and by doing so cut out the widest viewing area's of the film.
Glad to see these being released with both Japanese & English soundtracks without attempting or forcing mono soundtracks into surround which rarely goes well.
I liked your review, very good.
+1point
1of 1voted this comment as helpful.
Learn more about the New WindowsWith built-in wireless networking, this Asus M70ADUS003S desktop lets you easily access Web content. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 graphics with 1GB of dedicated video memory enable you to enjoy lush visuals when connected to a display (not included).
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5Powerful Processing At A Reasonable Price
By reconredneck
from Atlanta
Asus is a major player in the manufacturing of Motherboards, video cards and peripherals for computers for about 25 years now so it's a no-brainer that a direct intel partner would come up with a winning combination of computer technology to create a very fast desktop with some ingenuity and sure enough Asus came up with a very unique desktop that sets itself apart.
Looking at the specs we see the M70AD looks respectable in the hardware department intel i7 4th generation processor, 16GB of DDR3 1600Mhz Memory (8Gx2 Installed) and it appears this unit uses a micro atx board so 2 slots are all that's available, this might be unacceptable to those of you that work in the video/graphics world and most likely upgrading to it's max memory of 32GB would be quite a costly affair considering what a single 16GB module would cost. Still for most people 16GB is overkill and adequate for their needs.
An Nvidia GTX 760 1GB video card is a very nice mid-range selection for this computer obviously not designed for pro-gamers or power users who edit video on a professional scale but for the average user this video card is more than enough to play today's video games with decent frame rates and detail turned up to take advantage of today's game graphics.
I talked my folks into buying this model since their 10+ year old desktop was slowing them down I stressed to them the importance of buying a computer from the very company that engineers the internal parts and they agreed and now they enjoy the speed of this computer that never slows down for anything it is a juggernaut a brute that can calculate zero's & one's as good as some higher priced big named computers.
Hard Drive space is ample at 1 TB with the added mSATA ssd used for caching it surely speeds things up being that the Sata 1 TB hard drive is about the only bottleneck this computer has so with all caching going to the lightning fast ssd msata we have a quick response time on startups coming out of sleep mode and loading programs it just rips right through everything you use on a daily basis.
Optical drives are becoming like Swiss army knives and this computer offers you a CD/DVD burner that is also Blu-ray compliant which means it will play your Blu-rays no problem just not burn Blu-ray discs.
On the front upper panel you will find a 16 in 1 card reader with two USB 2.0 and two 3.0 slots so everything is covered here and it is easily accessible. In the rear four USB 2.0 slots are provided. Whats really nifty is the front panel door slides down and out of the way which is much nicer than a swinging door to cover your drives and open slots.
One thing you will notice about this computer is how quiet it is sometimes you won't be sure if its even running and almost no heat is sensed these things my folks were very happy about their last unit was loud and put out warmth.
I have always used ASUS motherboards and Video graphics cards for the past 10 years on my custom builds this is what I stressed to my folks and I do the same for you... Trust ASUS they are the producers of the finest computer parts in the world and now they make a fine desktop as well its super fast..super quiet and reasonably priced considering you are getting alot of power for the cost of a laptop.
Thrown in it's own power backup system in case of a power outage..yes it will give you the time to save your work before it shuts down & the fact that this computer has a tray on-top that will charge your smart phone with no power cables attached and with your smart phone you can login and access files which are important to business users that need syncing of important data all the way round this Asus is a top choice in my book and a great value.
Looking at the specs we see the M70AD looks respectable in the hardware department intel i7 4th generation processor, 16GB of DDR3 1600Mhz Memory (8Gx2 Installed) and it appears this unit uses a micro atx board so 2 slots are all that's available, this might be unacceptable to those of you that work in the video/graphics world and most likely upgrading to it's max memory of 32GB would be quite a costly affair considering what a single 16GB module would cost. Still for most people 16GB is overkill and adequate for their needs.
An Nvidia GTX 760 1GB video card is a very nice mid-range selection for this computer obviously not designed for pro-gamers or power users who edit video on a professional scale but for the average user this video card is more than enough to play today's video games with decent frame rates and detail turned up to take advantage of today's game graphics.
I talked my folks into buying this model since their 10+ year old desktop was slowing them down I stressed to them the importance of buying a computer from the very company that engineers the internal parts and they agreed and now they enjoy the speed of this computer that never slows down for anything it is a juggernaut a brute that can calculate zero's & one's as good as some higher priced big named computers.
Hard Drive space is ample at 1 TB with the added mSATA ssd used for caching it surely speeds things up being that the Sata 1 TB hard drive is about the only bottleneck this computer has so with all caching going to the lightning fast ssd msata we have a quick response time on startups coming out of sleep mode and loading programs it just rips right through everything you use on a daily basis.
Optical drives are becoming like Swiss army knives and this computer offers you a CD/DVD burner that is also Blu-ray compliant which means it will play your Blu-rays no problem just not burn Blu-ray discs.
On the front upper panel you will find a 16 in 1 card reader with two USB 2.0 and two 3.0 slots so everything is covered here and it is easily accessible. In the rear four USB 2.0 slots are provided. Whats really nifty is the front panel door slides down and out of the way which is much nicer than a swinging door to cover your drives and open slots.
One thing you will notice about this computer is how quiet it is sometimes you won't be sure if its even running and almost no heat is sensed these things my folks were very happy about their last unit was loud and put out warmth.
I have always used ASUS motherboards and Video graphics cards for the past 10 years on my custom builds this is what I stressed to my folks and I do the same for you... Trust ASUS they are the producers of the finest computer parts in the world and now they make a fine desktop as well its super fast..super quiet and reasonably priced considering you are getting alot of power for the cost of a laptop.
Thrown in it's own power backup system in case of a power outage..yes it will give you the time to save your work before it shuts down & the fact that this computer has a tray on-top that will charge your smart phone with no power cables attached and with your smart phone you can login and access files which are important to business users that need syncing of important data all the way round this Asus is a top choice in my book and a great value.
reconredneck
Atlanta
Correction
May 28, 2014
I found an error in my post I should have said Nvidia GTX 650 video graphics card. A big difference in performance and memory.
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
reconredneck's Questions
reconredneck has not submitted any questions.
reconredneck's Answers
I WANT TO REPLACE A DELL DEMISION 5150 MODEL WITH NEW TOWER. CAN IT BE DONE USING MY EXISTING MONITOR AND KEYBOARD. IF SO, WHAT 8GB MEMORY MODEL ?
I HAVE BEEN TOLD THE NEW TOUCH SCREEN IS THE WAY TO GO, BUT I AM COMFORTABLE WITH MY EXISTING SET UP.
If you can afford it, go with an Asus desktop computer they blow Dell out of the water. More powerful, more quiet with more options. My suggestion is the Asus Desktop - Intel Core i7 - 16GB Memory - 1TB Hard Drive
Model: M70ADUS003S
SKU: 4485357
Currently $1,109.99
Yes your monitor will plug right into this fine Asus computer and you will never go back to Dell again after experiencing this powerhouse that is whisper quiet & produces little heat from its enclosure.
My parents were hardcore Dell fans and paid $4000 for their last computer over 10 years ago, finally they listened to me since I build my own computers from custom parts & they bought this Asus desktop and love it with this system costing them less than half of what they paid for their Dell 10+ years ago.
Oh yes it comes with an Asus mouse & keyboard.
Model: M70ADUS003S
SKU: 4485357
Currently $1,109.99
Yes your monitor will plug right into this fine Asus computer and you will never go back to Dell again after experiencing this powerhouse that is whisper quiet & produces little heat from its enclosure.
My parents were hardcore Dell fans and paid $4000 for their last computer over 10 years ago, finally they listened to me since I build my own computers from custom parts & they bought this Asus desktop and love it with this system costing them less than half of what they paid for their Dell 10+ years ago.
Oh yes it comes with an Asus mouse & keyboard.
9 years, 9 months ago
by
reconredneck
Atlanta
Learn more about the New WindowsWith built-in wireless networking, this Asus M70ADUS003S desktop lets you easily access Web content. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 graphics with 1GB of dedicated video memory enable you to enjoy lush visuals when connected to a display (not included).
Does this have an 8GB SSD in it?
Yes it does.. This model uses what is called a hybrid system. During Windows 8 installation the hard drive + msata SSD are formated as a raid (dual hard drive) setup. All computer caching is then sent to the msata SSD 8 GB card so that during startup, coming out of sleep mode or starting commonly used software will spring up faster than if they solely used the sata 1 terabyte hard drive alone. This system is not as fast as a standalone SSD hard drive that has Windows 8 installed on it exclusively but is much quicker than a stand-alone sata hard drive.
Be careful to read your warranty info, it states if you open the case and disturb the ASUS sticker you will void your warranty just a heads-up!
Be careful to read your warranty info, it states if you open the case and disturb the ASUS sticker you will void your warranty just a heads-up!
9 years, 10 months ago
by
reconredneck
Atlanta
Xbox 360
Xbox 360
how come my ip address fails everytime when i try to hook up to live even though i have high speed internet
i have everything needed to hook up to live like ethernet cord but when i go to hook up it up my ip adress always fails
Check your firewall and if you have one put your xbox 360 outside the firewall (
DMZ). Most routers have firewalls as part of its hardware. Some modems also have firewalls, this includes dsl & cable modems.
DMZ). Most routers have firewalls as part of its hardware. Some modems also have firewalls, this includes dsl & cable modems.
15 years, 4 months ago
by
reconredneck
Atlanta