Arrow Video - Island of Death - The Archive Conversation

[Sargento]

I remember sat in the cinema watching FWWM and when the scene with the woman in the red dress with the blue rose was walking on the spot on the airstrip I sat gobsmacked thinking

"WTF!?"

[Bobz]

I really hope Arrow release this on Blu ray!! I've been wanting to see this movie for years but never got around to it, so its on the top of my ever-expanding "to buy" list.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

I would hope that it sticks to the original aspect ratio (if that is 1.33:1) rather than crop bits from the top and bottom in order to make it 'fit' a 16:9 (1.78:1) television screen. That was the major crime that made me import the US BD of The Evil Dead.

[ecc]

Originally Posted by Nanyang Man

As for Island of Death -- when films moved out of the dark ages and away from the Academy ratio (1:1.37) back in the fifties, exhibition of films in that format pretty much died off completely (incidentally, 1.33 is a television ratio, not film, and it was used to describe the viewing area of an old 4:3, or 1:1.33, CRT screen). Obviously, of course, except for films made before the introduction of Cinemascope (1:2.35) and Todd-AO (1:2.20), as well as the evental spherical widescreen formats that were to follow (most prominent being the standardised 1:1.85 format), repetory cinemas still screened the Academy ratio films as intended.

Weren't some countries still shooting in the Academy ratio long after widescreen became popular?

Also, doesn't it depend on the master? All of the previous DVDs of the film have been 1.33:1. The US Image release was from a digital master supplied by Mastorakis himself and he chose the 1.33:1 ratio. The masters were done in 2002 (in PAL and NTSC according to his site) and some, like THE WIND, were 16:9.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Myriad films have been made in 1.33:1 after the introduction of CinemaScope such as The Evil Dead, The Blair Witch Project, Breathless, Bad Taste and The Ladykillers.

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Up for pre-order!

Amazon
HMV
Play

[the ultra destroyer]

out of all the films arrow could have released they decided to release this shit movie they could have released zombie flesh eaters or night of the living dead

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Ever considered that the rights may be very expensive or they may be held by someone else? If you don't like Island of Death, don't buy it.

[stefanmetal]

Plus who can deny an uncut video nasty released by Arrow. I can't wait.

[James Morton]

Well said
If there is a very good film out there like ISLAND OF DEATH, it deserves to be released and uncut!
Fulci's ZOMBIE should be given a decent transfer and dvd with extras so Arrow, here's hoping!