The Arrow Thread

[Stephen@Cult Labs]

Contacted Arrow for a replacement cover for Coffy. This is what arrived. Our postal service sucks balls.

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[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Stephen@Cult Labs

Contacted Arrow for a replacement cover for Coffy. This is what arrived. Our postal service sucks balls.

Attachment 165844Attachment 165845Attachment 165846

That's appalling. Was it sent in a cardboard-backed envelope?

[Stephen@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

That's appalling. Was it sent in a cardboard-backed envelope?

The envelope is cardboard, but I've seen sturdier. They're going to send out another on monday, so hopefully there are more sensible people handling it this time.

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by Stephen@Cult Labs

The envelope is cardboard, but I've seen sturdier. They're going to send out another on monday, so hopefully there are more sensible people handling it this time.

I suppose it could have been crushed in the van due to something heavy landing on it and would have had to have been packaged in metal for it not to have been damaged!

[Michael Brooke]

Originally Posted by Steel76

The Arrow version has more natural grainstructure and a proper film look. Also, the contrast isn't blown out any longer.

I don't know what magic Arrow is using, but at the moment, they are the only label (together with Synapse) that does a proper job with these Italian films.

The magic formula: returning to original 35mm elements (original camera negative or interpos, whichever's in better condition) and either scanning them under first-hand supervision at Deluxe in London or, if they're not allowed to leave Italy, they're scanned by an approved facility (most likely L'Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna, with whom Arrow has an excellent relationship) to James White's exacting technical specs.

And there's always a test scan of part of the element made beforehand so that James can determine that they're doing it right before the full scan is carried out - and it's always carried out on state-of-the-art gear like an ArriScan, which is completely transparent in that it doesn't introduce any digital noise or other nasties as a by-product of the process (unlike older CRT-based telecine machines).

The upside is that this produces the best possible results. The downside is that it's the most expensive way of doing it - but thus far the market is big enough to sustain it (although Arrow had to expand into the US in order to justify a significant increase in original restorations).

[Antropophagus]

Originally Posted by Steel76

Another superb job of an Italian classic by Arrow:
http://www.dvdcompare.net/review.php?rid=3707

Larger screenshots at the bottom, comparing the Arrow and Raro discs.
The Raro disc has that typical LVR problem, scanner noise filled transfer, that has gotten a heavy amount of DNR, to "hide" the problem, though it is still visible in parts of the image.
The Arrow version has more natural grainstructure and a proper film look. Also, the contrast isn't blown out any longer.

I don't know what magic Arrow is using, but at the moment, they are the only label (together with Synapse) that does a proper job with these Italian films.

Raro is probably the worst, as they always use so much DNR, they end up looking more like upscales. With zero finedetails.

Raro's recent releases aren't as bad as they used to be. Killer Cop / La polizia ha le mani legate looks quite ok for Raro - Killer Cop (BluRay) – 10,000 Bullets

I would add Camera Obscura to the list of the labels doing proper jobs with Italian films. Arrow, Synapse and Camera Obscura. I hope FilmArt and Subkultur can try and not dissapoint with their Italian releases. And people report Scream Factory ****ed those Ghosthouse films up which doesn't really surprise me. They can't handle their US tites, what's the point in releasing Italian movies on blu-ray?

P.S. Ordered Milano Calibro 9 and Society, will order Contamination too of course.

[Steel76]

Originally Posted by Antropophagus

And people report Scream Factory ****ed those Ghosthouse films up which doesn't really surprise me. They can't handle their US tites, what's the point in releasing Italian movies on blu-ray?

Is there any screenshots of Ghosthouse?
I pre-ordered the disc, but I'm not really surprised if it's another transfer filled with scanner noise

Same with the Bronx Warriors trilogy released by Blue Underground on Blu-Ray...
Better than the DVD:s, sure, but when you see what a proper scan can do to the Italian movies, like Arrow has done, then it really is heartbreaking, that Bill Lustig does a lazy job.

I really hope Arrow would give Ghosthouse and the Bronx movies a release in the future.

[Antropophagus]

Originally Posted by Steel76

Is there any screenshots of Ghosthouse?
I pre-ordered the disc, but I'm not really surprised if it's another transfer filled with scanner noise

Same with the Bronx Warriors trilogy released by Blue Underground on Blu-Ray...
Better than the DVD:s, sure, but when you see what a proper scan can do to the Italian movies, like Arrow has done, then it really is heartbreaking, that Bill Lustig does a lazy job.

I really hope Arrow would give Ghosthouse and the Bronx movies a release in the future.

No screenshots I'm afraid. Took this from facebook:

[Steel76]

Thanks for posting that FB post.

Well, time to set my expectations VERY low, then the disappointment may not be as severe

[Antropophagus]

Originally Posted by Steel76

Thanks for posting that FB post.

Well, time to set my expectations VERY low, then the disappointment may not be as severe

When I read Scream Factory my eexpectaions are as low as possible.