JC DVD Reviews

Do you have any John Carpenter DVD reviews?

Submission Info: A DVD isn't just a movie on a disc. It's software on a disc that runs the movie, menu systems, regional protection, special features, etc. As such, DVD reviews tend to not just be about the movie, they tend to review the movie and the disc. Things like the quality of the transfer, the sound system used, the extras, etc. are all discussed. Bearing this in mind I have tried to come up with a bit of a pro-forma for people submitting DVD reviews, as shown below.

Title:
Release Date:
Suggest Supplier: e.g. amazon.com
Company: Anchor Bay, Universal, etc.
Regional Encoding: 1 (US), 2 (Europe), etc.
Aspect Ratio: Pan & Scan, 2.35:1 Letterbox, etc.
Anamorphic Enhanced: Yes/No
Sound: DTS, Dobly 5.1, Dolby Stereo, etc.
List of Extra Features: Commentary, featurette, trailers, etc.
The Review:
Marks out of 10: This mark is for the disk overall (the quality of the film isn't really relevant to this mark)

I'm not going to be really anal and insist on this complete pro-forma being submitted, but it will make page updates easier and hence quicker. You can also download a text version of this pro-forma by clicking here. So, if you still feel like submitting then please send all your stuff to:

Marc Bright (msbright@iee.org.uk)

The DVDs:
I am still playing with the format of this section. At the moment it is an alphabetical listing of reviews that link to a seperate page with the actual review. The reviews are written by a variety of contributors, so the opinions on any movie can differ greatly. Where possible the list also indicates whether a DVD is available, and what regions it is available in. All corrections and amendments welcome to the above e-mail address.

Assault on Precinct 13
Region 0, Released July 1998 - Now Deleted - JC Commentary and Trailers
Region 2 Release Expected Feb 2001 - Extra's status unknown
Regional Differences: None Known Yet;

Big Trouble In Little China
Not Yet on DVD - Special Ed. Boxset with deleted scenes, JC and Kurt Russel Commentary, isolated music, etc. expected mid to late 2001.
Regional Differences: None Known Yet; No known region 2 release

Black Moon Rising

Blood River (TV)

Body Bags
Region 1, Released July 2000
Regional Differences: None Known Yet; No known region 2 release

Christine
Region 1, Released Aug 1999
Region 2, Released Oct 1999
Regional Differences: None Known Yet

Dark Star
Region 1, Released March 1999
Region 2, Released Jan 2000
Regional Differences: None Known Yet

El Diablo (TV)

Elvis (TV)

Escape From LA
Region 1, Released Dec 1998, John Scott, 3/10 for the movie, 5/10 for the disc
Regional Differences: None Known Yet; No known region 2 release

Escape From New York
Region 1, Released Nov 2000; Don M short review
Region 2, Released June 1999
Regional Differences: Region 2 June99 Disc is reported as being in "the original 1.33:1 ratio". The original ratio is 2.35:1, the DVD is in 2.35:1, the label on the packaging is incorrect.

(The) Eyes of Laura Mars

(The) Fog
Region 1, expected released in early part of 2001. Digitally remastered but no extra's expected (none from the laserdisc).
Region 2, (German Audio Only)
Region 2, (French Audio Only)
Regional Differences: None Known Yet, apart from only released in Region 2: one version with German only dialogue track and another version with English audio but French subtitles that cannot be switched off

Halloween
Halloween, Region 0, Released Oct 1997 (out of print - can be found on ebay if lucky)
Region 2 'French' release - A mono french and 5.1 english soundtrack, the english one with non-removable french subtitles. It's in widescreen, with a few text only extra features(filmographies, the halloween day, the halloween movies). Only 4/5 pages, all in french. Good picture quality. It is available through amazon.fr, along with the halloween boxset.
Special 2-Disc Anchor Bay Release (limited edition, out of print), Region 0, Graham Hill, 9 out of 10, Released Sep 1999
Regional Differences: Described above font>

Halloween II

Halloween III
R2 'English' - no extra's, pan&scan, poor transfer
R2 'French' - no more info.

In The Mouth of Madness
Region 1, Steve Biodrowski, Released Feb 2000
Regional Differences: None Known Yet; No known region 2 release

Memoirs of an Invisible Man
Not Yet on DVD
Regional Differences: None Known Yet; No known region 2 release

Prince of Darkness
Region 1, Jean Denys Lafrance, 6 out of 10, Released April 1998
Regional Differences: None Known Yet; No known region 2 release

Silent Predators (TV)

Someone's Watching Me (TV)

Starman
Region 1, Released Aug 1998
Regional Differences: None Known Yet; No known region 2 release

They Live
Region 1, Jean Denys Lafrance, 6 out of 10, Released April 1998
Regional Differences: None Known Yet; No known region 2 release

(The) Thing
Special Collectors Edition, Region 1, Released Aug 2000
Special Collectors Edition, Region 2, Released Nov 1999
Regional Differences: Region 1 has a hidden Easter Egg that enables you to listen to the soundtrack only. It is claimed this is not on the Region 2 release.

Village of the Damned
Region 1, Released Dec 1998
Region 2, Released Oct 2000
Regional Differences: None Known Yet

Vampires
Region 1, Released Feb 1999
Region 2, Released April 2000
Regional Differences: Region 2 has a short 'behind the scenes' documentary that is basically just an advert for the movie

Zuma Beach

All news is from various sources and none of it is gospel. I take no responsibility for any inaccuracies or nonsense reported here. I try to verify all news but I am only human.

If you have any news or queries mail me.
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