Snake Plissken

http://www.dvdfile.com/software/revi...ofthedead.html

Unlike Ronald Epstein, the boys at DVDFILE know what they're talking about. They're Dead Heads and they've already seen and reviewed the Elite disc for comparison.

Peep

Interesting! Thanks for the pointer.

I just picked up a used copy of the Elite version a couple of night ago for next to nothing in order to hedge my bets. Now I'm glad I did.

Still, I'll probably want to check out the new version before I make the final decision on keeping my used copy.

jdpatri

...I know... I know....

I'm a sucker.

I still want that Book of the Dead version.... better picture or not.

It's also got some extras you can't get on the elite. It's a trade off...

Cool latex cover, Bruce Campbell extras or better picture...

evenswr

Well, for what it's worth, I've seen Fanalysis, and it's not that great. Bruce appeared at the Oak St Cinema in Minneapolis last Thursday and showed Fanalysis, answered questions, showed Evil Dead, and answered more questions. I only mention it because the entire evening was just the most fun you can imagine. Campbell is a riot, and watching Evil Dead in a theater full of people who have seen it thirty times each and know just when to laugh and when to cheer is just too much fun. But Fanalysis is like Trekkies, but not as good. I mean, the fans being interviewed are dressed up like Klingons most of the time. The movie cuts from Bruce interviewing people dressed as Klingons to Ted Raimi to Bruce interviewing people dressed as Xena to Ted Raimi to Bruce lounging at home reading fan mail back to Ted Raimi again. Evil Dead is barely mentioned. The only time I can remember Evil Dead coming up was during the end credits, while a young woman explains to Bruce why the Evil Dead movies are so terrible and why only dumb guys like them.

Maybe I shouldn't be so down on it, but honestly, I'd rather watch a movie of Bruce doing an appearance, answering questions from the crowd, like he did before and after "Fanalysis." The guy's really funny. He pulls no punches with his fans. He came out and asked if anyone had any questions. The guy behind me said:

"What was it like working with Hal Delrich, the star of so many afterschool specials?"

Bruce:

"What the **** are you talking about?"

The guy was there 45 seconds, and he was already ridiculing someone. I know this post is rambling, but I guess I would rather see a movie about Bruce, not about people who dress as Klingons. Trekkies did that already, but better.

So buy it for the cool box, because I was disappointed by "Fanalysis." Or buy it for the thirteen minute "making of" featurette...

darqleo

There is also a review at HTF :
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...threadid=44968


I'd have to go with the DVDFile.com review. They compared it with the Elite DVD plus they've noticed that "The cropping on the top and bottom is also intrusive at times, with some shots looking a bit whacked."

The HTF review he's comparing it from memory of a "crappy VHS copy."

God what a mess this movie is on DVD...

evenswr

What a mess this entire series is on DVD. Say, now that I think of it, isn't it time for another "Which version of Army of Darkness should I get" thread?

darqleo

LOL, ain't that the truth but at least with Evil Dead 2 and Army Of Darkness I don't have to play the 'let's figure out what the true OAR is' game. I'm happy with my ED2 (I have the latest version) and AoD (I have the 2-disc version), but I'm still waiting to add an Evil Dead DVD to my collection. I've waited it out for the Book Of The Dead, but it looks like the only reason to buy it would be for either the packaging or the "Fanalysis" doc, and I don't buy DVDs just for the packaging.

Right now I'm leaning towards picking up the Elite, especially since the price dropped on it. Then when AB eventually releases a "normal cover" version of their Book Of The Dead DVD with a lower MSRP -OR- I can pick up the Book Of The Dead for $19.99 because no one is buying it, then I can get my FANALYSIS and make my own 2 DVD set.

Snake Plissken

Uh, what extras are you talking about? All the extras are exactly the same except for a second disc that has the lame 20 minute Bruce Campbell movie where he makes fun of Evil Dead fans.

Jnuke

Hey, so did I! Found it for $12.50. I have no desire to upgrade now.

Sartana

Before everybody goes scrambling for the Elite disc, remember that the first no-frills Anchor Bay disc actually looked a hell of a lot better than even the Elite disc. Check the review at Mondo Digital for another opinion. If the DVDfile review is right (and I think I'll wait until some more reviews are out there before making up my mind about the Book of the Dead), then how in the hell did Anchor Bay not notice the difference in quality between their first disc and the new transfer? It seems fishy that the no-frills AB disc could look so great and that the new one could look even worse than the Elite disc. At any rate, unless you just want it for the extras, there doesn't seem to be any reason to go for the Elite disc at this point. The original AB release is the one to get if the Book of the Dead really does have a bad transfer.

evenswr

Oh, great.
What, do I gotta buy all three now?
Can't anything ever be simple?
I suppose now you're gonna tell me there's some reason is better than .

DarthMarino

Heres another review to check out that also compares this to the Elite disc. Personally, I can't wait.

http://www.horrordvds.com/reviews/a-m/ed-botd/

bboisvert

Hmmm... this review seems to claim that the new DVD has more detail, which brings out some of the flaws in the source material more. That's a different story that just being a worse transfer.

Grrrr...

OK, looks like I'm going to have to get the Book of the Dead edition and make the comparison to the Elite DVD myself. The image and the aspect ratio issues don't seem as black-and-white as they did a few days ago... I'll have to let my own eyes decide rather than trust others.

RoboDad

It really looks like any true Evil Dead completist will need to own three versions - The original Anchor Bay version, to get the 4:3 presentation in its best form (and the cool clear case with the picture disc); the Elite version, to get the extras that only appear on that disc, and the new Anchor Bay Book of the Dead version, to get the new widescreen transfer (and the cool "skin" cover).

Adam Tyner

The Digital Bits has posted a positive review at http://www.thedigitalbits.com/reviews2/evildeadbod.html

Matt Stevens

OK, guys. I had a chance to see ALL the versions earlier this week on my 47 inch Panasonic HDTV using my Malata N996 DVD player. Here we go, in order of quality...

ELITE, Book of the Dead, Old Anchor Bay.

Elite's does have more detail than either AB edition. Very little DVNR was used to get rid of grain, so the image has no smearing or haze, which the BOTD version does suffer from. It's just not as nice.

The old AB edition has lousy compression, so the bigger your monitor, the worse it looks.

I had no opinion one way or the other before this review, so I had no reason favor one over the other in an unfair manner. The ELITE version is just better. The soundtrack on it is also quite good. Very good, in fact.

People, the BOTD version seems like PR to me. After seeing it, I am glad my friend was the fool who bought it!

evenswr

There are no extras on the Elite version that are not ported to the BOTD version.

xage

Elite got a limited version release of it having a tin lunchbox casing done by NECA.