Latest DVDs & BDs in My Collection

[horrorhunter]

In the mail, today. I finally replaced that DVD18 set of the Universal released HAMMER films with the Blu-ray set. 

Did you check the BD set for correct aspect ratios?

[Mike Scott]

Did you check the BD set for correct aspect ratios?

Sorry! Still haven't done that. 

[ChristineBCW]

Mike, in careful inspection of the Amazon reviewer's supplied two video-snippets from BRIDES OF DRACULA, the location of the blackbars - on the sides for the 1.66 ratio, and top & bottom for the 2.00 ratio - has that 2.00 ratio losing a small amount from the top and bottom of the pix.

This looks more like a pan & puke issue where they may have synthecizied a new 'dimension' only by losing some vertical spacing. 

The most obvious effect is that, in the 2016's 2.00 ratio scene, Baroness Meinster's goblet stem is lopped off whereas you can see it in the older 2006 1.66 ratio shot.  I'm uncertain how important goblet stems are for movie-watchers.

[Mike Scott]

The most obvious effect is that, in the 2016's 2.00 ratio scene, Baroness Meinster's goblet stem is lopped off whereas you can see it in the older 2006 1.66 ratio shot.

Thanks for the info!

[Mike Scott]

Here's what DVD Beaver says about the AR for the Universal Hammer Blu-ray set. (Original AR info is from IMDb.)

The Brides Of Dracula 2.0:1 (originally 1.85:1)
The Curse Of The Werewolf 2.0:1 (originally 1.85:1)
Night Creatures 2.0:1 (originally 1.85:1)
The Phantom Of The Opera 2.0:1 (originally 1.85:1)
Paranoiac 2.35:1 (2.35:1)
The Kiss Of The Vampire 1.85:1 (1.66:1)
Nightmare unknown (2.55:1)
The Evil Of Frankenstein 1.85:1 (1.85:1)

1.85:1 trimmed to 2.0:1 (dark grey)

[ChristineBCW]

Thanks, Mike.  Uh... what's magical about the 2.0:1 ratio?  Hmmm... do I get more greenstamps?  On every viewing, maybe?  (That would really be cool - I can still get more tupperware with greenstamps, yes?)

[Mike Scott]

Uh... what's magical about the 2.0:1 ratio? 

You got me! Back in the '50s it was called SuperScope.

[marsattacks666]

Picked up these fine DVDs.

[Mike Scott]

Picked up these fine DVDs.

The Hammer Blu-rays?

[ChristineBCW]

I can achieve all new aspect-ratios by adding blackbars only - I don't need to snip off bottoms of goblets or anything else.  I wish they'd leave the scissors alone and just add black-bars. 

Oh - did the Title Card on EVIL OF F say have "DOCTOR" included?

[Mike Scott]

Oh - did the Title Card on EVIL OF F say have "DOCTOR" included?

I didn't see any DOCTOR.

[Mike Scott]

Got another old Hammer box set.

The Icons of Suspense Collection
Stop Me Before I Kill! / Cash on Demand / The Snorkel / Maniac / Never Take Candy from a Stranger / These Are the Damned

[ChristineBCW]

I liked these few Hammer-Suspense-Mystery series they put out.  Some were pretty decent crime dramas and mysteries, some not so.  These were part of the "quickie era" where Brit studios were told to produce exportable-to-USA-audience films for cash in the post-WWII high-debt years.  Some of these had Lois Maxwell in her earliest roles, not as Moneypenny at all.  Some had the older, flabbier Pat O'Brien running across tarmacs and down alleys after bad guys.  And so many had a token American actor to exploit his 'marquee' value. 

Alas, once Hammer learned that their Horrors would earn more money, they started jettisoning backlots, writing and production crews and eventually ended up as a one-trick-pony studio, with only Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and the cleavage du jour to offer.  And when the drive-in market dried up, Hammer had nothing to offer.

[Memphremagog]

Arrived this morning:

[Mike Scott]

Nice b/w box art on NotLD!