The GMG SF/Fantasy/Horror Club

[DavidW]

I've read that novel!  It is good, isn't it?

[DarkAngel]

Yeah it's very soft, but even worse than that it is the highly incorrect color timing.  It was filmed in summer and then they filtered it to make it look like fall, very orange look in the day, and then very blue at night.  The blu-ray doesn't preserve that color timing, nor does the dvd mentioned on this thread.  Only the Cundey masters do it right.  They also didn't crop it right for the bd, too many shocks are not shocking because you see Michael enter the scene before you were supposed to.

Cundey color can be found in the 1999 2 disc set that has the extended TV minutes version, 12 extra minutes of footage added to make movie better fit a 2 HR timeslot on TV (first image)

H25 version is 2 disc 2003 release with new remaster having slightly brighter colors and less blue tint, does not have extended TV minutes but does have more complete list of extras including full 87 minute documentary about making the move (2nd image) Used copies are so cheap might as well get both and see what color you prefer......(I have both but no Blu ray)

Movie was shot in Pasadena California not Haddonfield IL, veteran viewers will notice during the daytime walking and driving scences several palm trees can be spotted......not something you would usually find in Illinois 

[lisa needs braces]

I've read that novel!  It is good, isn't it?

A friend recommended it to me back in high school when I said I couldn't find any more decent sci-fi to read (which was funny since at the time because I had only read Asimov/Clarke/Card/Hebert.) It's a somewhat overlooked gem. It's due for a re-read.

[MN Dave]

Never heard of it. Thanks for the tip.

[Scarpia]

Cundey color can be found in the 1999 2 disc set that has the extended TV minutes version, 12 extra minutes of footage added to make movie better fit a 2 HR timeslot on TV (first image)

12 extra minutes?  The pacing of the movie is slow as it is.

[DarkAngel]

Just watched a TNG (season 1) on our Blu-Ray player.....about the worst looking disc we have viewed as far a picture quality goes.  Mainly when the showed the ship or a planet.  Really fuzzy.

Pretty weak picture quality for Star Trek TNG even with very best upscaling players........
DS9 which started while TNG was also still running for last couple seasons has better picture that upscales better. Fortunately I didn't pay too much for complete TNG set at eBay, am waiting to see improved quality version in the future become available and I will be a buyer and get rid of current set

I am now watching Enterprise and the picture is very good, just recently purchased entire 4 season DVD set at eBay

[DavidW]

I agree that Enterprise has the best PQ, I never liked it that much though.

My favorites are TOS, TNG and DS9.  I think that Enterprise is actually better than Voyager, but by that time I didn't really care that much anymore, and I haven't actually seen every episode of Enterprise, just some episodes.

btw I started rewatching Stargate SG1, and boy I can't believe how super grainy and crummy the pq is on season 1!

[DarkAngel]

I agree that Enterprise has the best PQ, I never liked it that much though.

My favorites are TOS, TNG and DS9.  I think that Enterprise is actually better than Voyager, but by that time I didn't really care that much anymore, and I haven't actually seen every episode of Enterprise, just some episodes.

btw I started rewatching Stargate SG1, and boy I can't believe how super grainy and crummy the pq is on season 1!

I agree.......last year I did the complete Stargate cycle watched Stargate SG1 1-10 and Atlantis 1-5, picture gets much better for SG1 around seasons 4-5 then looks good 6-10, early seasons do have some grain and artifacts. I have new respect for the Stargate series, didn't realize it was that good just catching random episodes and being broken up by commercial breaks, big fan now

[Bogey]

So, we were not seeing things when it came to the planets looking like fuzz balls?

[lisa needs braces]

The poster Martin Lind who created the languages thread inspired this post!

Back in 2002, I bought these two books at a sale at my library:





They were these editions too and in excellent condition (I somewhat judge books by their covers/condition -- sowee!). These books were great. What I like about Philip K. Dick's stories is that, at least in these books, he follows through on his strange premises.  The plots progress logically from the trippy foundations. His characters tend to be smart and aware of the paradoxes they find themselves engulfed in. The reader doesn't get ahead of them. Anyway, out of Dick's many books, these two were selected for this collection:

http://www.amazon.com/Philip-K-Dick-Stigmata-Androids/dp/1598530097

I recently reread "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch" and it was every bit as good as I remembered.  Not mentioning the plots on purpose...

[lisa needs braces]

Philip K. Dick influenced screenwriter Charlie Kauffman (I think I remember Kauffman saying so in an interview). The films Being John Malkovich, Adaptation and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in particular are reminiscent of Dick's Escher-esque storytelling.

Also, I currently have this at home from Netflix:



(some people think this is an awful cover.)

When I found out the film was coming out in 2002 I visited the local Barnes & Nobles and read the short story by Philip K. Dick on which the film is based. I enjoyed the story and thought it would make a great premise for a film. Well, I was disappointed with the film because it strayed so much from Dick's story. In the story, Anderton, an old man, protects Precrime and undertakes a drastic action to uphold its legitimacy. Anderton was an anti-hero. In Spielberg's film, the foundations of Precrime are morally suspect. Its Anderton isn't as much of a bad-ass, and I really didn't like the "tragic" story they gave him (his son being kidnapped/possibly murdered.) I thought it was so horrible that it took me out of the film. Nonetheless, over the years I've come to love Spielberg's film and came to consider my original reaction as mostly juvenile (I was 15...but I'm right about the abducted son angle.) I love these things about this movie: the direction, the cinematography, the predictions of future technology (Spielberg really took this seriously and consulted with technology experts) and the various thrilling sequences -- like the tiny robot spiders in the apartment and the scene in the mall where Agatha is guiding Anderton. Good movie, this one is.

[MN Dave]

Polishing off this fun book. I'm on the final novel: THE PNUME.

[jowcol]

The poster Martin Lind who created the languages thread inspired this post!

Back in 2002, I bought these two books at a sale at my library:





They were these editions too and in excellent condition (I somewhat judge books by their covers/condition -- sowee!). These books were great. What I like about Philip K. Dick's stories is that, at least in these books, he follows through on his strange premises.  The plots progress logically from the trippy foundations. His characters tend to be smart and aware of the paradoxes they find themselves engulfed in. The reader doesn't get ahead of them. Anyway, out of Dick's many books, these two were selected for this collection:

http://www.amazon.com/Philip-K-Dick-Stigmata-Androids/dp/1598530097

I recently reread "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch" and it was every bit as good as I remembered.  Not mentioning the plots on purpose...

Is the "Unteleported Man" by Dick still out of print?  It is one of his very best "alternate reality" novels, but I understand that has been confusion about which is the authoritative draft.   

Ubik may be Dick's masterpiece-- although there are so many great ones-- Valis would also get my vote.

[MN Dave]

Vampires + Classical!?

Mozart's Blood

No, I have not read it. 

[DarkAngel]

Cundey color can be found in the 1999 2 disc set that has the extended TV minutes version, 12 extra minutes of footage added to make movie better fit a 2 HR timeslot on TV (first image)

H25 version is 2 disc 2003 release with new remaster having slightly brighter colors and less blue tint, does not have extended TV minutes but does have more complete list of extras including full 87 minute documentary about making the move (2nd image) Used copies are so cheap might as well get both and see what color you prefer......(I have both but no Blu ray)

Compared both of these versions last night. The 1999 Cundey remaster is darker with more pronouned dark shadows, the famous blue tint is easily seen at night with outside views of white homes which have a very noticeable blue tint, gives an artifcial ghastly surreal feel to things which is kinda neat. The downside is picture is less sharp and has noticeable grain on large screen compared to newer H25 release.

H25 is cleaned up with sharper detail and less grain, shadows are lighter with more detail visible. The blue tint of white houses at night is gone and now just appear normal color correct white. If I could keep only one I take the H25 version, but they are so cheap no reason not to have both.

The extended minutes TV version does not add any important insights, just a few more minutes early showing Dr Loomis at mental institute before Michael escapes and some more interaction between Jamie lee Curtis and her friends during daytime when they suspect they are being watched/followed.....this TV version is bonus disc with 1999 2CD set

[DarkAngel]

Purchased these two DVD boxsets very cheap used at Amazon:

Nightmare on Elmstreet (8 DVDs 1999) - $17
Friday the 13th (5 DVDs with 8 movies 2004) - $22

At these bargain prices don't have to worry about each movie being great, just interesting to see the evolution of each series over long period of time

Also just received this:

[DavidW]

Thanks DA for the Stargate pq info and the careful comparison of Halloween transfers.

My thoughts on the dvds you ordered-- the Nightmare ones look consistently good (but not great even by dvd standards), and most of the Fridays look absolutely terrible!   But... the first friday on bd looks very good.

I'm still rewatching the nightmare movies, almost done but though I strongly like the first one the best, the third is pretty darned good, and I think that people malign the second one too much. 

As for Friday the 13th movies: well I'm biased, I like 'em more than I should, classic 80s cheese.

[Hollywood]

I love the good old Universal Studios famous monsters films which include Dracula, Frankenstein, the Bride of Frankenstein and The Mummy. I remember going to a special "Universal Studios Famous Monsters Movie Night" that was being shown in the studios amphitheater way back in the 1970s. It was great watching these very movies that were actually filmed on the Universal Studios back lots back in the 1930s.


 

 

[DarkAngel]

Thanks DA for the Stargate pq info and the careful comparison of Halloween transfers.

My thoughts on the dvds you ordered-- the Nightmare ones look consistently good (but not great even by dvd standards), and most of the Fridays look absolutely terrible!   But... the first friday on bd looks very good.

I'm still rewatching the nightmare movies, almost done but though I strongly like the first one the best, the third is pretty darned good, and I think that people malign the second one too much. 

As for Friday the 13th movies: well I'm biased, I like 'em more than I should, classic 80s cheese.

Dave
My system for watching large quantities of horror flix and not taking 90+ minutes each.......
I watch at 2x speed until something worth seeing happens then watch normal speed or even slow motion, you can still see in detail all that happens but not waste time during ponderous set-up background footage.

Black Christmas
Just watched this "classic" slasher flick because everyone rates it so high, very overrated for me. No way this should be rated R, no graphic violence, no nudity, never felt scared or uncomfortable, a silly PG mystery murder.....no real violent evil lives here and not tense enough to rise to Hitchcock murder. There is no way this can be mentioned in the same breath as Halloween as many people do claiming it to be milestone in horror genre.....top 10 list of all time horror movies etc

Early minutes picture quality is poor as was mentioned here, I can verify that 

[Scarpia]

Dave
My system for watching large quantities of horror flix and not taking 90+ minutes each.......
I watch at 2x speed until something worth seeing happens then watch normal speed or even slow motion, you can still see in detail all that happens but not waste time during ponderous set-up background footage.

But isn't the suspenseful buildup the entire point of those movies?