Re: Arrow Wish List
Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 11:48 am
To be honest my dream Arrow wish list is very nearly just 'lots more of the same', as they're already perhaps my favourite video label ever, and a few more years (at least) of similar great releases will be a very exciting prospect.
Some dumb requests regardless, and my wants are all largely in the field of Eurocult. I'd love it if they could revisit PHENOMENA ala the TENEBRE steelbook remaster, with whatever improvements could be offered in both extras and transfer. This may be a forlorn hope but I am hopeful. Just as I'm hopeful for a BAY OF BLOOD steelbook with a transfer eclipsing Kino's recent tit-for-tat improvement over the already nifty pre-exisiting Arrow version.
Any of the crazy/sleazy 60's and 70's Spanish horror titles missing in action on BluRay (and in many cases DVD) would be welcome. MALENKA THE VAMPIRE (the uncut Euro version), LA RESIDENCIA, LA ORGIA DE LOS MUERTOS, CEREMONIA SANGRIENTA, any of the better Paul Naschy titles, a TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD remaster or take your pick from the various Spanish cult 70's wants heralded at the Latarnia forums. That said I have no idea which films would offer the most potential sales vs least expensive costs to acquire and restore. Anything from this genre would be great though, as would any other Eurohorror to accompany the gradual roll-out of the Bava catalog. I'd also love to see further spaghetti westerns, particularly including anything else by DJANGO, PREPARE A COFFIN director Baldi, BLINDMAN or the SARTANA series. The two or three peplums that cross over into the horror genre (beyond Bava's entry) would also be worth a look - I think MACISTE IN HELL is one of those. Freda's TERROR OF DR HICHCOCK would be a great release.
The first TORRENTE film with English-language extras and participation from star Santiago Segura would also be lovely fun, but now I'm truly fantasising. Anyway Arrow, please bring out Bava's FIVE DOLLS, HATCHET, KILL BABY KILL and BLOOD AND BLACK LACE with the same care and attention as shown your other Bavas and I will be a very happy customer.
On the topic of Verhoeven and SHOWGIRLS, I heard a funny story from a pal who worked for a while at a rival (now defunct) cult US DVD label, after he chatted with some Anchor Bay (US) people. Anchor Bay recorded commentary tracks with Verhoeven for their Verhoeven DVD box from several years ago, and Verhoeven initially peppered each track with variations of "Ah yes, she was a lovely actress. We still see each other and sleep together very often. And this lady was a very nice woman, very good and intelligent actress... We still have sex together very often. It was a pleasure working with this woman in this film, I thought she came across very well on screen. I had sex with her last week and we still sleep together quite frequently." The Anchor Bay guys had to stop and inform Verhoeven that those comments weren't really useable for the commentary tracks, and the final tracks you hear on the discs are actually the third attempt to record them, as Verhoeven couldn't help but spill the beans in the above manner. Anyway, the kicker is that Verhoeven's wife apparently told him he could never, ever record a commentary for SHOWGIRLS, which is why he hasn't appeared on a commentary track to date for that movie.
Some dumb requests regardless, and my wants are all largely in the field of Eurocult. I'd love it if they could revisit PHENOMENA ala the TENEBRE steelbook remaster, with whatever improvements could be offered in both extras and transfer. This may be a forlorn hope but I am hopeful. Just as I'm hopeful for a BAY OF BLOOD steelbook with a transfer eclipsing Kino's recent tit-for-tat improvement over the already nifty pre-exisiting Arrow version.
Any of the crazy/sleazy 60's and 70's Spanish horror titles missing in action on BluRay (and in many cases DVD) would be welcome. MALENKA THE VAMPIRE (the uncut Euro version), LA RESIDENCIA, LA ORGIA DE LOS MUERTOS, CEREMONIA SANGRIENTA, any of the better Paul Naschy titles, a TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD remaster or take your pick from the various Spanish cult 70's wants heralded at the Latarnia forums. That said I have no idea which films would offer the most potential sales vs least expensive costs to acquire and restore. Anything from this genre would be great though, as would any other Eurohorror to accompany the gradual roll-out of the Bava catalog. I'd also love to see further spaghetti westerns, particularly including anything else by DJANGO, PREPARE A COFFIN director Baldi, BLINDMAN or the SARTANA series. The two or three peplums that cross over into the horror genre (beyond Bava's entry) would also be worth a look - I think MACISTE IN HELL is one of those. Freda's TERROR OF DR HICHCOCK would be a great release.
The first TORRENTE film with English-language extras and participation from star Santiago Segura would also be lovely fun, but now I'm truly fantasising. Anyway Arrow, please bring out Bava's FIVE DOLLS, HATCHET, KILL BABY KILL and BLOOD AND BLACK LACE with the same care and attention as shown your other Bavas and I will be a very happy customer.
On the topic of Verhoeven and SHOWGIRLS, I heard a funny story from a pal who worked for a while at a rival (now defunct) cult US DVD label, after he chatted with some Anchor Bay (US) people. Anchor Bay recorded commentary tracks with Verhoeven for their Verhoeven DVD box from several years ago, and Verhoeven initially peppered each track with variations of "Ah yes, she was a lovely actress. We still see each other and sleep together very often. And this lady was a very nice woman, very good and intelligent actress... We still have sex together very often. It was a pleasure working with this woman in this film, I thought she came across very well on screen. I had sex with her last week and we still sleep together quite frequently." The Anchor Bay guys had to stop and inform Verhoeven that those comments weren't really useable for the commentary tracks, and the final tracks you hear on the discs are actually the third attempt to record them, as Verhoeven couldn't help but spill the beans in the above manner. Anyway, the kicker is that Verhoeven's wife apparently told him he could never, ever record a commentary for SHOWGIRLS, which is why he hasn't appeared on a commentary track to date for that movie.
