Arrow Video Thread

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Sgt Pepper, Sep 9, 2017.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Sgt Pepper

    Sgt Pepper Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    United Kingdom
    Just thought I might start this off, as they have been knocking the ball out of the park for some years now.

    Bird With The Crystal Plumage is a favorite of mine along with Deep Red.

    For PQ, Cinema Paradiso is superb along with Zombie Flesh Eaters.

    So what you got or looking forward too etc.
     
    jwoverho likes this.
  2. Jimi Bat

    Jimi Bat Forum Resident

    Location:
    tx usa
    Their Spirits Of The Dead release of a few years back is excellent.
    Uncut and someone finally got the audio language tracks right for a change.
    Their Blood And Black Lace release is beautiful looking but the aspect ratio is a little off.
    Still recommended but I don't think Mario Bava framed some of those camera shots like that.
     
  3. Sgt Pepper

    Sgt Pepper Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    United Kingdom
    Hi, Jimi, the aspect ratio on B&BL was confirmed by James White to be correct.:)
     
  4. Claus LH

    Claus LH Forum Resident

    Arrow is great; the Brits are rolling through a real "golden age" with re-issue companies now.
    My Arrows:
    Kobayashi's "The Human Condition". Superb transfers, lovely packaging of one of the masterworks.
    "Rollerball": Transfer is clean yet honest; well-done balance between the film's period look and its restoration.
    "La Grande Bouffe" (The Big Feast). Marco Ferreri's decadent satire of consumption restored, looking faithful to its origin.

    What I love about Arrow (and the other top-end firms) is that they don't get crazy with cleaning the way the studios sometimes have done.
    Some masters, presumably, are gotten from the US, in which case, they seem to get the best.
    The films look organic, like film, while anomalies are gone. It makes for very satisfying viewing IMO.
     
    EddieVanHalen and Sgt Pepper like this.
  5. Sgt Pepper

    Sgt Pepper Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    United Kingdom
    They have done some quite jaw droppings releases.
     
  6. Simon A

    Simon A Arrr!

    Their Russ Meyer box set is a classic. They have a great catalog of high quality releases.
     
  7. stepeanut

    stepeanut The gloves are off

    I currently have 54 Arrow BD releases, including 16 box sets.

    I'm not a fan of the '80s horror-gore stuff that they specialise in. However, I love their Academy range, as well as the Japanese stuff, including the Meiko Kaji and yakuza films.

    Favourites include:

    Battles Without Honour and Humanity
    The Complete Dr. Phibes
    Dekalog
    The Human Condition
    The Rainer Werner Fassbinder Collection
    The three Woody Allen box sets
    Kiju Yoshida Love + Anarchism
    Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia
    One-Eyed Jacks
     
  8. Barnabas Collins

    Barnabas Collins Senior Member

    Location:
    NH
    Arrow has been knocking it out of the park recently. Some of my faves off the top of my head are the Donnie Darko box set, the HG Lewis Box set, the UK Phantasm Box (I like box sets obviously). Also the new Re-Animator. Just pre-ordered Don't Torture the Duckling-can't wait to see a proper Italian track for this great Lucio Fulci film.
     
    jwoverho likes this.
  9. Sgt Pepper

    Sgt Pepper Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    United Kingdom
    Forgot to mention, the Deep Red limited edition box contains the Goblin soundtrack CD.:)
     
  10. Jimi Bat

    Jimi Bat Forum Resident

    Location:
    tx usa
    I'm afraid I don't know who James White is but Tim Lucas would agree with him.
    I'm willing to be convinced that its right if more information comes to light to prove it but I think Bava was better at composing a picture than the Arrow release would suggest.
     
  11. Sgt Pepper

    Sgt Pepper Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    United Kingdom
    James was the guy who had the original negs or what ever to work with and overseen the restoration. I will try and find his comments on it.:)
     
  12. EddieVanHalen

    EddieVanHalen Forum Resident

    I have only 8 Arrow releases and the 8 of them are excellent. I agree that the restoration of Rollerball is very honest and this release is much better than the Twilight Time one which I also have. Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, Zardoz or Ronin are other outstanding releases.
     
  13. GullGutt

    GullGutt Hei hopp

    Location:
    Norway
    I have pre ordered their release of Miracle Mile, can't wait :unhunh:
     
    finslaw likes this.
  14. David Egan

    David Egan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oakland CA
    I think I'll grab one of those too. I have 20 Arrows so far. Definitive versions of classics like Re-Animator & The Hills Have Eyes. I'm in Giallo heaven with the Killer Dames & Death Walks Twice sets. Jack Hill fans get their due with Pit Stop, Blood Bath & Spider Baby. In addition to stuff I've waiting for for a while there are daring obscurities like We Are The Flesh. Bava, Argento, Borowczyk, obscure slashers...rock on Arrow!
     
    driverdrummer likes this.
  15. Barnabas Collins

    Barnabas Collins Senior Member

    Location:
    NH
    I agree. If you look at screen captures and if you're familiar with the film, there is something "wrong" looking about the framing of the disc. I haven't followed the framing controversy much, but there is quite a bit of contention on internet forums about it.
     
  16. Sgt Pepper

    Sgt Pepper Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    United Kingdom
    James and the guys @ Arrow know what they are are doing, they know how to frame a Bava film correctly. I have watched the release a few times now and it looks right.:)

    Stunning release from Arrow.

    From James White on the subject:

    I can state with 100% confidence that the scans we received from Bologna were open-gate with all surrounding framelines and sprocket areas visible, which is how we scan for all the films we do. As with any full restoration project where we use an outside lab for any part of the process, we have specific guidelines as to how we have elements scanned, and only instruct the full feature scan to proceed once we've approved the initial tests we ask for in advance.

    When we scan the entire film frame this isn't only to retain as much image area as possible. Having the surrounding framelines is also key for any stabilisation work we may need to do.

    If I had applied a 1.66:1 mask to a scan already cropped for academy, the composition would look significantly imbalanced and cropping would be severe
     
    Last edited: Sep 10, 2017
  17. Graham

    Graham Senior Member

    Location:
    Perth, Australia
    I have 91 Arrow blurays (including boxsets with multiple films), 2 more on order, and have sold off a further two dozen blind buys that didn't do it for me.
     
  18. Barnabas Collins

    Barnabas Collins Senior Member

    Location:
    NH
    I have no doubt in my mind that Arrow know how to frame a film correctly. I'm happy with almost everything they've done. But the Blood and Black Lace release is a hotly contested topic and for good reason. I don't want to get into it because it's kind of political and you're either in the James White and Tim Lucas camp or you're not. IMO-and in the opinion of many other film historians with far more knowledge on the subject than I have- believe that the film does not look right. There are many places to look at screen grabs and see how much is lopped off the Arrow disc compared to earlier DVD releases.
     
    Jimi Bat likes this.
  19. FACE OF BOE

    FACE OF BOE Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    Arrow did a great job on the restored Withnail and I Blu Ray.
     
    BrettyD and stepeanut like this.
  20. Sammy Waslow

    Sammy Waslow Just watching the show

    Location:
    Ireland
    I bought the newly released Ronin and The Day of the Jackal over the last few weeks. It's like my own Michael Lonsdale Season!
     
  21. DoBlu carries extensive, detailed reviews of most Arrow Video Blu-rays. Screenshots are almost always included if you want a better idea of the transfer before purchase.

    http://doblu.com/tag/arrow-video/
     
  22. Jerry Horne

    Jerry Horne WYWH (1975-2025)

    Location:
    NW
    Loving Arrow. 'The Burbs', 'Matinee' & 'Crimes of Passion' are fantastic.
     
  23. jwoverho

    jwoverho Licensed Drug Dealer

    Location:
    Mobile, AL USA
    My recent Arrow purchases:

    Fulci's ZOMBIE ( sold the Blue Underground disc)
    ALFREDO GARCIA ( sold the Twilight Time)
    REANIMATOR
    BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE
    DEEP RED (found the OOP box used online)
    Really looking forward to Fulci's DUCKLING

    They've really knocked so many releases out of the park. Their SOLANGE is essential for Giallo fans.
     
  24. Rocker

    Rocker Senior Member

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    I've only got 2 so far (Psychomania and Immoral Tales), but there are several others on my wishlist. Unfortunately, a lot of their releases seem to be just reissues of movies I already own, so I don't buy as many of their titles as some of the other big "cult movie" publishers.
     
  25. Barnabas Collins

    Barnabas Collins Senior Member

    Location:
    NH
    A couple of people have mentioned the Deep Red box now. Is the transfer better than the Blue Underground disc?
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine