These are arriving to reviewers today and it looks very, very bad.
The original trilogy are presented on 3 BD50's while the remake is on a BD25. The case itself is a flimsy cardboard with the discs being held in by foam. Mine arrived smashed as its incredibly flimsy and cheap.
A picture I took:
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/9663/1000607ix4.th.jpg (http://img241.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1000607ix4.jpg)http://img241.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)
The case is bigger then a normal BD case (I used Indiana for comparison)
Just a word of warning to those that may want to cancel and order the Individual BD release of the first film instead.
Omen II and II only have a Commentary and Trailer.
Drexl
10-06-08, 01:32 PM
Well, I wasn't getting it anyway because I don't want the remake.
How are the transfers?
GizmoDVD
10-06-08, 01:34 PM
Mine have yet to arrive to me (maybe today).
Looks to be two films on each BD50 squished in with DTS MA tracks and some extras (The first Omen is loaded as is the remake).
Brent L
10-06-08, 02:38 PM
Forget The Omen, tell me about Shawshank and Young Frankenstein. :p
GizmoDVD
10-06-08, 02:47 PM
Ok, got The Omen Collection today.
All 4 movies on 4 separate discs. Phew.
Case still sucks. Mine is all smooshed and the discs are held in my freaking foam. Ugh. What a craptacular set.
DthRdrX
10-06-08, 03:20 PM
Any reason they didn't include the fourth film, the one with the girl taking Damien's place? It was shitty as hell but they could have thrown it in to complete the collection.
droidguy1119
10-06-08, 03:32 PM
I'll just buy the first, thanks. But I'm glad Fox, as always, has made wise choices.
bunkaroo
10-06-08, 03:38 PM
If that's the same Omen 666 disc released separately a year or two ago, wasn't that one a BD-25?
GizmoDVD
10-06-08, 03:47 PM
If that's the same Omen 666 disc released separately a year or two ago, wasn't that one a BD-25?
Yep! Just checked, its actually a BD25.
Drexl
10-06-08, 03:55 PM
Well, I'm glad to hear they're separated, as that would make it much easier and cheaper for Fox to release the sequels separately down the line.
Josh-da-man
10-06-08, 05:31 PM
It sucks that we're already getting crap packaging.
And what's with releasing all of the Blu-ray sets in DVD-sized packages? I was under the impression that the Blu-ray (and HD-DVD cases) were sized differently from DVD cases in order for them be differentiated. Someone could easily mistake this for a DVD set and either pass it over or pick it up in error.
The taller packages also mean it might not fit on a short shelf with other Blu-ray discs.
Drexl
10-06-08, 05:43 PM
It sucks that we're already getting crap packaging.
And what's with releasing all of the Blu-ray sets in DVD-sized packages? I was under the impression that the Blu-ray (and HD-DVD cases) were sized differently from DVD cases in order for them be differentiated. Someone could easily mistake this for a DVD set and either pass it over or pick it up in error.
The taller packages also mean it might not fit on a short shelf with other Blu-ray discs.
It could be that they don't yet have the equipment in place to produce BD-sized cases cheaply enough. They can save money by using the existing equipment that is set up for DVDs.
I agree about not liking the taller cases, but I've already had to readjust my storage towers back to DVD height, thanks to the Warner digibooks not quite fitting (I don't want them in a separate section).
The Cow
10-06-08, 05:53 PM
Thanks for the fair warning so far.
I don't care about the packaging as long as it get's to me intact (sounds like a risk here).
What's the scoop on the actual content?
Eric D.
10-06-08, 05:56 PM
It sounds like it's close to the same awful packaging that the HD DVD set of Battlestar Galactica: Season One had.
TheMovieman
10-06-08, 06:02 PM
It could be that they don't yet have the equipment in place to produce BD-sized cases cheaply enough. They can save money by using the existing equipment that is set up for DVDs.
I agree about not liking the taller cases, but I've already had to readjust my storage towers back to DVD height, thanks to the Warner digibooks not quite fitting (I don't want them in a separate section).
Thing is, what they're releasing these on is basically one long piece of cardboard with 4 hubs to hold the discs and then fold them up to fit into a slip case. There are multi-disc Blu-ray cases out there (like what Paramount used for The Godfather) and with the amount they're charging for this set ($89.95 on Amazon), there's no excuse not to use them.
jackson walker
10-06-08, 06:17 PM
Maybe they were going for a "horror-ble" packaging theme since The Omen is a horror film.
Daytripper
10-06-08, 06:25 PM
I only plan on buying the first, but not until the price comes down. The cheapest I could find it was around $27.99. No way.
GizmoDVD
10-06-08, 06:25 PM
Thanks for the fair warning so far.
I don't care about the packaging as long as it get's to me intact (sounds like a risk here).
What's the scoop on the actual content?
Mine came damaged and two discs were loose inside. My shrinkwrap was actually falling off as well (but typical since some PR forms just throw the discs inside of a huge envelope). They all looked MINT though.
But yeah...very similar to Battlestar on HD DVD now that I compare.
DVD Polizei
10-06-08, 07:16 PM
Fox Studios
Our Packaging Reflects Our Enthusiasm
demonio
10-06-08, 08:14 PM
We got our review copies of that in today as well... Mine was sorta smashed and one of the discs were loose. Seriously the way the discs are attached the cardboard...the foam rings will break off eventually. Cheap bastards!
GizmoDVD
10-06-08, 09:19 PM
Just finished with the original Omen...tons of halo effects and smeared colors. At one point the staircase banister looked like it had ghosted into a duplicate. Bright colors (yellow taxi, white) look really soft. Pretty poor transfer all around. Sadly, my LG 200 can not tell me what encode it is, but I would not be shocked to find out its MPEG2.
DVD Polizei
10-06-08, 09:43 PM
I think you guys pretty much satisfied my interest in pre-orders.
musick
10-06-08, 10:58 PM
the beaver seems to be giving it higher marks and lists it as a MPEG4-AVC encode
Good to know its a MPEG-4. Still not happy with the transfer. Way too many times I noticed halo effects on anything that was yellow or white. Sadly, I do not have the previous DVD editions anymore to compare.
droidguy1119
10-06-08, 11:06 PM
The caps on Beaver look good.
Drexl
10-06-08, 11:45 PM
The caps on Beaver look good.
Yeah, I agree. It's grainy and a bit soft, but that's to be expected and I'm glad they didn't seem to use DNR.
I do see a little edge enhancement that I wish wasn't there (particularly around Gregory Peck's suit in his office), but it's certainly in the acceptable range - for me anyway.
Maybe seeing it in action will be different; I don't know.
WMAangel
10-07-08, 11:51 PM
Fox Studios
Our Packaging Reflects Our Enthusiasm
If that was true for all studios, than Warner would be packing their discs in a wet paper bag covered in feces....
Daytripper
10-08-08, 12:26 AM
the beaver seems to be giving it higher marks and lists it as a MPEG4-AVC encode
The 70's brought a few more intelligent scare efforts than had ever been seen before with The Omen, The Exorcist, The Shining and some others my feeble brain can't recall at this time.
....just a slight correction. "The Shining" may have been filmed in the 70's (1979 to be exact), but it was released in 1980.
rr2008
10-08-08, 05:02 AM
Thanks for all the reviews here! I am also glad I never bought the omen collection. I can't believe it is selling for around 100.00 where I live and those cheap bastards gave it the worst treatment possible! They could have at least (for the price) included a small collectors booklet with cover art photos,info about all 4 movies, and chapter selections etc.This is one thing I hate about blu ray packaging is they are too cheap to include an insert like dvd's do.I picked up the original omen on blu ray instead and hope when I watch it i'm happy with the quality.Hopefully part 2 & 3 get released also seperately.
Count_Zero
10-09-08, 04:17 PM
Well, the packaging is certainly a disappointment, especially considering how much Fox is (over)charging for this set.
Anyone know where I can buy some empty 4-disc Blu-ray cases like the Godfather or Blade Runner sets came in?
GizmoDVD
10-09-08, 04:32 PM
Well, the packaging is certainly a disappointment, especially considering how much Fox is (over)charging for this set.
Anyone know where I can buy some empty 4-disc Blu-ray cases like the Godfather or Blade Runner sets came in?
Fry's has 10 empty BD cases for $9.99.
Count_Zero
10-09-08, 04:56 PM
Fry's has 10 empty BD cases for $9.99.
Thanks, but the regular 1 and 2-disc cases are easy to find. I'm searching for the 3+ disc cases that are being used for stuff like the Godfather Collection, Lost: Season 3, The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Blade Runner. Nobody but the studios seem to have access to these things. :(
GizmoDVD
10-09-08, 05:07 PM
Oh....yeah, no idea where to get those.
Count_Zero
10-09-08, 05:27 PM
Yeah...seems really strange that they aren't available ANYWHERE. Usually there's someone on the internet (eBay usually) who can get just about anything for you. Not these cases, though. Weird.
whotony
10-10-08, 06:01 PM
any better pics of the foam packaging?
beebs
10-10-08, 08:47 PM
I have a 4-Disc BD case from Spider-man Trilogy that I'm not using. If someone is interested, $6 including shipping.
-beebs
Count_Zero
10-12-08, 11:08 AM
Beebs --
I just sent you a private message.
BSTNFAN
10-13-08, 04:25 PM
Now that we've determined that the packaging sucks, are there any extras missing from the SD collection?
Buy: