The Fly Classic Collection
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Lino
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 10:18 am
- Location: Sitting End
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Lino
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 10:18 am
- Location: Sitting End
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Person
- Joined: Sat May 19, 2007 7:00 pm
The previous transfer of the The Fly (1958) was made from problematic elements: grainy, faded, waxy, scratchy and soft. I hope that Fox has created a new transfer with clean-up and color-correction, as the film remains a visual triumph - it may actually be the first color-CinemaScope horror film, in fact. Karl Struss (Murnau's Sunrise, Island of Lost Souls Mamoulian's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Journey Into Fear) was the cinematographer.
I am huge admirer of Cronenberg, but I find the original film of The Fly far more disturbing than his 1986 remake. It is just so unexpectedly transgressive and surreal with its 'typically 50s' drama aesthetic that slowly gets turned on its head and it really gets under the skin. I terrified me as a kid back in the late 80s on late-night TV and it haunted my mind for about a week and I didn't see it again until 2003! And it has one of Cinema's truly immortal lines:
"Helllllp me! Helllllp me!"
That scene also surely contributed to my arachnophia.
I am huge admirer of Cronenberg, but I find the original film of The Fly far more disturbing than his 1986 remake. It is just so unexpectedly transgressive and surreal with its 'typically 50s' drama aesthetic that slowly gets turned on its head and it really gets under the skin. I terrified me as a kid back in the late 80s on late-night TV and it haunted my mind for about a week and I didn't see it again until 2003! And it has one of Cinema's truly immortal lines:
"Helllllp me! Helllllp me!"
That scene also surely contributed to my arachnophia.
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Lino
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 10:18 am
- Location: Sitting End
- Contact:
Lasersedge confirms a 4th bonus disc on the set.
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Jameson281
- Joined: Sat May 19, 2007 5:53 am
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Lino
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 10:18 am
- Location: Sitting End
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Person
- Joined: Sat May 19, 2007 7:00 pm
DVD Beaver review of the 4-disc set
The detail and color timing is far superior on The Fly (1958), though the left edge has a fair bit of cropping, sadly. Nevertheless, I'll be ordering this set.
The detail and color timing is far superior on The Fly (1958), though the left edge has a fair bit of cropping, sadly. Nevertheless, I'll be ordering this set.
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Lino
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 10:18 am
- Location: Sitting End
- Contact:
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Lino
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 10:18 am
- Location: Sitting End
- Contact:
Well, finally got myself this set and besides being one of the most lovingly produced artwork-wise ever (this stuff looks gorgeous!), I was very curious to check out Curse of the Fly, the only one out of the three that I still haven't watched yet.
First impressions: yes, it's a B-movie with some bad-acting and phony sets but that only adds to its charms. However, right from the start, I was hooked - the opening credits sequence is mesmerizing, with some beautiful evocative music, matching the visuals on display to a "T". And like any self-respecting little chiller, it has moments clearly designed to repugnate to a certain level the viewer. In fact, Cronenberg's adaptation is more of an heir to this third entry than to the original one. Oh, and I was creeped out of my wits by a scene showing a half-naked man in a dark room! He really didn't seem human at all! Very effective.
All in all, a great set and if you're thinking that you're only buying one good film and an average one (and a very rich assortment of extras to boot), make no mistake: Curse of the Fly, although very different from the other two, really works as a stand-alone movie in its own right.
First impressions: yes, it's a B-movie with some bad-acting and phony sets but that only adds to its charms. However, right from the start, I was hooked - the opening credits sequence is mesmerizing, with some beautiful evocative music, matching the visuals on display to a "T". And like any self-respecting little chiller, it has moments clearly designed to repugnate to a certain level the viewer. In fact, Cronenberg's adaptation is more of an heir to this third entry than to the original one. Oh, and I was creeped out of my wits by a scene showing a half-naked man in a dark room! He really didn't seem human at all! Very effective.
All in all, a great set and if you're thinking that you're only buying one good film and an average one (and a very rich assortment of extras to boot), make no mistake: Curse of the Fly, although very different from the other two, really works as a stand-alone movie in its own right.