The One and Only Blue Underground Thread
 

Since there seems to be quite a bit of interest in this company's DVD releases, I thought I'd start a BU thread to discuss current and upcoming releases.

Here are a few previous threads:

Dead and Buried: http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=290013

Snuff: http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=307952

September & October releases: http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=308733

I'm really looking forward to the three Larry Cohen releases coming out later in August - Bone; God Told Me To; and Q - The Winged Serpent. I always thought God Told Me To and Q were above average horror fare for the times. Haven't seen Bone, but I'll be getting it.

Great stuff! a 'dedicated' Blue Underground thread.

Of the releases due out the end of August i've only seen Q The Winged Serpent before and am intrigued to check out the other Cohen releases.
Also as i never got round to getting the original Anchor Bay version of Q i'm certainly looking forward to snapping up the BU version.

In the long run i'm really looking forward to seeing which if any Dario Argento releases they'll get their hands on..i'd love a 'good quality' anamorphic transfer of 'Tenebrae' (unlike the R2 version) also i'd like to see if they released another Spaghetti Western boxset as the current one is fantastic....for those who haven't picked it up yet am i right in thinking it's due to be a 're-priced' release next year?

Not sure if it gets a re-pricing next year, but I do remember reading somewhere about a Spaghetti Western Box vol 2. Anyone else hear anything about this?

I just bought and watched "Dead and Buried" and I have to say I'm impressed with Blue Underground so far. I look forward to any company who has the guts to do little known and/or controversial horror.

That and that's what they're able to secure the rights to. It's not easy being a start-up. I wish him all the best.

Him being Bill Lustig, who gained experience at Anchor Bay and now is doing his own thing.

I just wish he would lose his aversion to sub-titles.

I keep picking these titles up a little at a time. Just last night I was out at Borders (there's a thread in Bargains about a few of their stores breaking street date on Vacation SE) and I came home with, among others, The Toolbox Murders

Along with others, I'm looking forward to Q. It's weird but the one scene I remember is when Michael Moriarity GETS DOWN to Blue Cheer's "Summertime Blues" :)

I ordered Dead & Buried, but just the fact that Blue Underground released Dead & Buried, they get thumbs up from me.

Why did Bill Ludwig leave Anchor Bay? Was it just to start Blue Underground?

I've only been dissapointed in 1 dvd/film....and I have them all so far. Venom, as a film...was a bummer. Oliver Reed, Klaus Kinski....great cast. but the real star I wanted to see was the real Black Mamba. I think he got maybe 5 minutes total of film time. still...the dvd featured a nice transfer....and I'll still buy everything BU puts out. already have the next 3 dvds pre-ordered and hope to have them before the 26th.:D

thanks Exister....for starting this thread. I have been working way over my physical limit and just couldnt muster the energy. dont worry...I'll help you keep it alive.-wink- :thumbsup:

i have yet own any of their titles yet...

i'm really wondering about Dead & Buried...
is it really gory? i like gory stuff :D

one of these days i will own one of their movies...
is Two Evil Eyes from AB or BU?

thanx

gut--just curious, if you could pick one and only one ...what would be your absolute favorite BU title so far? :D

It has a couple of moments, but I wouldn't consider it a gory film - it only got an R rating in the US, after all. It is, however, very funny and very creepy, and I recommend it highly.

DJ

tough call. I have to give the nod to The Spaghetti Western Collection....great box and one of my fav films...Django.

I also enjoy The Prowler, Contraband and Eugenie: The Story Of Her Journey Into Perversion.

and as a fan of Dead and Buried for many years, I can also say to those who still have not seen this film....it lives up to the current hype that it's being given. totally fun and spooky stuff and a solid dvd...done with respect.

this is just the start of a healthy relationship between me and BU. http://216.40.249.192/s/otn/love/1luvu.gif

I agree with your sentiments..and welcome this 'dedicated' Blue Underground thread....however i have to say that Blue Underground aren't the only company out there producing quality 'little known/controversial horror' and i think it's only fair to mention Synapse who also take a great pride in the product they release as anyone with the 'Brain Dead' LE will testify.
Anyway at the end of the day i think both companies are going to keep lots of horror/cult film fans very happy and it's refreshing that there are companies out there who have a love of the 'art' and not only the $.

I recently got both Dead & Buried and Brain Damage: LE, and Synapse does deserve as much praise as Blue Underground. I can only hope they do as great a job on the Wild Zero disc that comes out next month!

Think i must have been 'brain dead' when i first typed that post...i hadn't realised i typed 'dead' instead of what i had meant initially - 'Damage' :blush:

Anyone know If Blue Underground has a Customer Service phone
number? I know they have an email address on thier website.

My favorite is either The Prowler or Dead & Buried. http://www.tuningsv.com/forum/icon_s..._goodnight.gif

No problem!

My favorite BU release so far is also the Spaghetti Western Collection. Django is great, and Mannaja is pretty amazing, too.

After that, I like The Crazies (the Romero commentary is great) and the recent Dead & Buried release.

I am still surprised that BU unearthed an uncut print of "The Prowler", great EFX work by Savini, that I thought I'd never see. (and on that note, it's high time MGM released an unrated print of "The Burning on DVD)

What I have so far:

bone
the crazies
dead & buried
god told me to
q the winged serpent SE
snuff
two evil eyes
venom

on the way:

the prowler
revolver
shock waves
the toolbox murders

sold/traded/gave away:

baba yaga
daughters of darkness
emanuelle in america
salon kitty
vampyres
(because I am not into the sexploiters as much)

still need to get:

contraband
eugenie
marquis de sade's justine
quiet days in clichy
the shape of things to come
spaghetti western collection

will not get:

contamination (because it sucks royally)

one of the best BU releases, I think. it's super Italian SF/Horror cheese at it's best. but aside from the film....it's one hell of a dvd. great transfer and some very cool features. one of my personal favs from BU. :thumbsup:

Why does it seem like more and more people are fans of certain labels first and foremost, and fans of the movies second? I guess this goes along with the whole Criterion spine number collector phenomenon, but it just seems like people are focusing on the wrong thing. When you get people asking, "What Blue Underground disc should I get?" it just seems strange. I mean I get excited or interested by a movie, not by a label.

It's good to know whether or not a label is known for quality releases, but to dedicate yourself to buying every title from a company just to give them support seems a little over-the-top. This isn't directed at anybody in particular, because I see it everywhere nowadays, but it's like the whole comic book fanboy thing where a kid feels compelled to buy every single Marvel comic, or whatever.

I mean, I like a lot of the stuff that Blue Underground is putting out, but that doesn't mean I'm going to buy junk like The Prowler or Snuff just to support them. How long can someone be a Blue Underground completist anyway, when you have something like Shape of Things to Come on the shelf next to Quiet Days in Clichy? Is there an individual who actually loves each of those films? And now with BU heading into new territory with their upcoming Alan Clarke films, I wonder how long somebody can remain a dedicated Blue Underground fanboy.

You just get into weird territory when you get a movie like Made in Britain, which would probably be ignored by a lot of people if it weren't being released by Blue Underground. On the one hand, good on Alan Clarke, but it makes you wonder about this sort of label worship. Are you prioritizing the label over the movie?

I think I might be the only one here so far who collects them all...so you must be talkin' to me-wink-. well...allow me to retort.

does all this really weigh on your mind? I find it funny...thats all. why you would focus your energy on this is mind-numbing. anyway....it's all just a subjective opinion.

I love The Prowler. people differ in taste....what a shock.-rolleyes-

...so your saying anyone who likes these films..for whatever reason....must be an idiot.

the bottom line is I watch and collect what i want. I'm a collector. I grew up with some of these films and have a passion for them that does not need to be explained. I never force anyone to understand, and could care less if they ever do. I will continue to collect BU titles for a number of reasons. just so happens I've enjoyed the titles BU has put out. I also have enjoyed or are very interested in the titles that are coming out through the rest of the year. I also respect BU. I share the passion they feel for more obscure films and to get those films to the public. I just love BU...plain and simple, and wont be driving down the guilt highway for buying everything they put out.

if you dont like the films...dont buy them. no need to be concerned about the people that do buy them either. these films are just like all the others....some will love them and some wont. I wont be losing sleep over who loves/hates what.

...just watch and see.

I tip my hat for those that collect for the pure love of the item and not only for monetary gain. They have made a connection and have the ways and means to complete a collection.

Some people collect Criterion... or MGMs Midnite Movies... or Disney Treasures... or even Blue Underground. I, myself, have 9 BU titles. I'm not going to be a completist.

Gut's reason for being a "BU completist" is very noble, IMO. I sense a real feeling of excitement in his posts and it can become infectious... hence the interest in BU from other members (like myself!). You go, Gut! :up:

I write one post about it and I'm "focusing my energy"? OK, I can tell you're going to take this personally.

Uh, no. That's not what I'm saying at all. I'm saying that those are two unrelated, polar opposite films, and buying them simply because they are Blue Underground clearly places the label before the movies themselves. I'm not saying that there aren't people who are perfectly capable of loving both those films equally, but since you're evangelizing for Blue Underground I have to assume that those wouldn't necessarily be at the top of your shopping list if they were on another label.

Since you said that you own every Blue Underground release, I can either assume that you're a fan of every one of those films or else you're a fan of the label and want to support them no matter what they put out. I'm sure it's more accurate to say that you're a fan of most of Blue Underground's titles and that you will buy the ones you aren't necessarily a fan of just to support them, but hopefully you get my point.

So look at it this way. I'll use examples of similar movies put out by different labels. You bought QUIET DAYS IN CLICHY. Did you buy THE VALLEY OBSCURED BY THE CLOUDS, a superior (IMHO) arthouse erotic hippie movie? If not, would you have bought it if it were released by Blue Underground instead of Home Vision?

You bought CONTRABAND. Did you buy NADA, a much better Fabio Testi crime film? If not, would you have bought NADA if it were on Blue Underground instead of Pathfinder?

You bought SALON KITTY. What about Criterion's THE NIGHT PORTER? That's the film that inspired it.

I'll stop there. Maybe you do own those other movies, but the point still stands. I'm not trying to make you feel guilty. I'm just trying to point out that it seems to be more about the label than the movies. Just like the many discussions about why people are compelled to buy every Criterion release, I'm just trying to understand this collector mentality. Maybe that will never happen.

I have TVOBTC on tape. Contraband I bought to keep my Fulci collection going. The Night Porter has been on my list for a little while. jesus christ...I can only buy 5 to 10 dvds a week....give me time. I have 428 titles on my list I either need to get or am waiting for.

...if you are not a dvd/film collector now...no...you wont understand. and explaining my passion for either BU or the titles wont help either. good luck in your search for info. :thumbsup:

SpinnerX,

Your point about purchasing quality products first and foremost regardless of source - completely reasonable.

I don't think that this thread is suggesting anything more than a place to discuss the products of Blue Underground.

I do think we need as many producers of quality DVDs (of quality films) that we can get. If Blue Underground chooses to go that route - I don't mind some advocacy.

For me, it might lead to learning about some interesting films I've never heard of.

I'm working on getting all the MM titles!! RobCa is the king there!! anyway, thanks for the support. it's the same way for the Something Weird titles. I know a few people who have everything from them. hmmmm...theres another idea...:lol:

I like that gut is collecting all the BU titles. I myself thought about it for awhile, but I realized that I probably wouldn't watch all the sexploiters often enough, so I traded them.
I have a gut instinct, if you will, that gut will watch all of them and cherish them. :up:

As for contamination. The extras are great, but I couldn't make it through the film. Looks like I will be getting in by october, so I will give it another try.
Perhaps I will be a BU non-sexploiter film completist.

I'm also considering to collect all the mondo macabro titles, that guy does a great job with the dvds.

Hopefully he will continue it and release more stuff soon.

But my point was that if The Valley, The Night Porter or Nada were on Blue Underground, then you would already own them all. This illustrates my point about prioritizing the label above the movie.

But of course I am a dvd/film collector. I'm just not a label collector. I appreciate good work from any company and I don't see the need to collect every single title on a certain label just to support them or just to complete the collection. This only serves the company, and I prefer to serve my own tastes. You, on the other hand, have said that you didn't like Venom, but bought it anyway and will continue to buy every BU release. I just don't get it, that's all.

Again, I really wasn't trying to single you out, gutwrencher, and I'm sorry that you took this so personally. I didn't want the discussion to get bogged down in this sort of "If I have to explain it to you, you'll never get it" type of argument.

ctyankee, thanks for recognizing the point I was trying to make. As for this thread being a place to discuss the products of Blue Underground, I'm all for it.

Except for Death Walks at Midnight, which was transfered at the wrong aspect ratio. It's 1.85 and should be 2.35. Even the opening credits are cropped off. Just goes to show that with this sort of subscription buying/collecting, you'll end up with more clunkers than if you just pick and choose among a label's best releases.

:lol: hey...nothin' wrong with that. the important thing is, you are getting titles that appeal to you. your needs from BU are all that matters....not what everyone else thinks you need or dont need. I'm not asking anyone else to go out and buy every title...thats insane. I'm just an over-passionate freak I guess-wink-.

getting back to Contamination....I agree that it's a pretty lame film. depends on how you look at it. taking films too seriously can be damaging-wink-. I look at it with Ed Wood eyes. you know....so bad it's good kinda thing. I love cheesy and gory Italian films and I thought this was hilarious and appealing. but then I'm a huge fan of Bruno Mattei and Hell Of The Living Dead!!

No. I bought the dvd THEN saw the film for the first time. I didnt buy it knowing I would be dissapointed with 1 thing. that was the bummer for me. I like obscure films with Kinski and Reed...and I like heist/crime films. just so theres no confusion...I would have bought the film even if it was on another label. it was all in the timing. BU put it out and brought it to my attention at just the right time.

Ok...
It's official.

Anyone who collects BU's is the cool kid in school.
Everyone else...Blah!!!

SpinnerX raises a good question: why look for a label rather than a movie title? After all, we collect movies, not production companies don't we?

Being a collector of a couple of series (Midnight Movies, Roan titles and Criterion to a large extent, Disney animation, and Kino silent films, though not BU. (Although I did get Sunday Morning's copy for Salon Kitty....so who knows, I might start soon.)) I'd like to give my take to the question.

There are a couple of reasons I pay close attention to what certain companies release. First, let me put this question out there: Do you own any Madacy DVDs? What about Front Row or Telefilms? Good Times? All of these companies have very good movies that they have released for really low prices. (You can often find them for $5/DVD or LESS.) So why don't you own any? That's right, because they suck. Horribel transfers, rotten audio, and no extras. Now, if you were looking for a movie, say Fritz Lang's Metropolis, and you saw the Madacy release at Best Buy for $7 would you buy it? No, most of us wouldn't. We avoid companies that put out inferior product, even if the price is right and it's a move we want.

So why shouldn't the opposite apply? If we avoid substandard DVD publishers, shouldn't we seek out those that do a superior job? I do. I'll gladly pay for quality. That's why I don't mind paying for Criterions of Kinos.

The second part of my answer has to do with the fact that I'm a film buff, not an expert. I am not familar with every movie made, even in smaller genres that I'm intersted in (50's SF/Horror films, film noir) much less the larger genres (forgien films.) So, when Criterion puts out a new DVD that I haven't heard of, I immediately consider buying it. I give it much more thought than I do releases by most other companies since Criterion has a track record of putting out many films that I like, and only a couple that I dislike. I can't say that about many publishers. It's similar to a friend with similar taste reccomending a DVD. I'm not going to run out and buy it, but I will look into it.

As for why someone would ask which movie by Company X should be purchased, I think that's a reasonable question. I don't think the question is asked to try and fit in or be cool, it's more from a monetary perspective. Most people have a very limited amount of money to spend on DVDs. A lot of film buffs are curious about movies they haven't seen. That means they can't buy everything they'd like, so they have to pick and choose. They are just asking for opinions to try to spend thier money as wisely as possible.

"But!" I hear someone say, "Why don't you rent the movie first and see if you like it?" Well, most rental places don't carry niche titles like we are discussing, and I don't like renting. I refuse to do it. I'd rather spend $15 to buy movie blindly than $4 to rent the same one. If I own it, I can watch it at my leisure, and if I like it, it's mine for ever and ever. If I don't like it, I can always trade it or sell it on ebay (and I always get close to what I paid, making it cheaper to buy and then sell than rent.)

Lastly, I don't think there are many people who buy a movie that they KNOW they don't like just because a certain publisher puts it out. (I'm not saying that SpinnerX is saying this.) I have seen people accused of doing it, but I've never seen someone say "Yep, I think this movie sucks, but I'm gonna buy it as soon as it's released." I bought Godfather III because I had no choice. If I wanted part 2 I had to get 3. Aside from box sets like that, I really have seen little evidance that this behavior exists. Now in other collectibles it certainly does. I met a lady once who bought Beenie Baby bears as an investment ("Because bears are so popular") even though she didn't care for them. I've known people who have bought multiple copies of comic books as an investment. And I've heard of people buying up soon to be OOP DVD to sell on e-bay, but I haven't heard of anyone buying a DVD solely to put on a shelf and never watch.

-Videophile, whose very tired and hopes what he wrote makes sense. He's too tired to proofread.

I love the Blue Underground label, but i've never been a completist with anything(except maybe Palahniuk novels).I've been a big fan of bill lustig ever since i read that he was a big help in getting Elite Entertainment of the ground(a company that i think doesn't get the praise they deserve in being the first company to do special editions of films that most people wouldn't touch). I picked up Dead and Buried and the Prowler(both on recomendations from this board). And i'm very happy with both of them. I also love Synapse(espicially since Don May is a really nice guy). Not to get off the subject of BU, but did anyone else pick up Synapse's "Stacy", great little asian film.

got it. like it.

I do agree, i remember couple of years ago, when everyone was Anchor bay crazy, and refuse to buy a B movie if it came out on Synapse, Elite, Something Weird, and actually soley concentrated on Anchor Bay (some horror exclusive boards was reviewing non horror DVD from Anchor Bay like DEATH ON NILE, FRANCES, RUCKUS, FOUR SIDE OF TRIANGLE on their "horror" board, while ignoring DVD from Shriek Show and Elite, and only recently started to review MGM DVD) I do agree with your comment. They kept wishing for JUNGLE HOLOCAUST, yto come out on Anchor bay, it came out on Shriek Show, and those fans of the film didnt say one thing.

Look at the recetn Shriek Show release of the improved ZOMBIE release. I am sure there is still people who refuse to upgrade their Anchor bay DVD of it. I remember when a guy kept begging Anchor bay to release THE GATE and LAT HOUSE ON LEFT on DVD, and when it finally came out on another label, guess what, he certianly didnt post his excitment!

Me, I dont care what label releases what, if I blindly buy everything I never heard of from that particular label, I would be stucked with alot of crap (found anyone happy with the recent release of SNUFF, or any recent Anchor Bay dVD?)

100% agreement. Yep, in the long run it hurts there newer lesser known companies to get rare good stuff that might be better, just becuause Anchor Bay or BU turned them down, doesnt mean it is a movie to avoid. Remember, they turned down THE WRATH! A movie everyone here grew up loving! Look at SURVIVE! a cult classic from 1976. had BU or AB released this, the buzz on the net will be huge, but since home vision is releasing it, not a peep.

Ditto for BLUE SUNSHINE, DAY OF THE DOLPHINS, JUNGLE HOLOCAUST ( the film that STARTED the cannibal jungle craze, yet its been ignored now) , LIZARD IN WOMENS SKIN, STARNGE BEHAVIOR, shame more people bought the awful SHAPE OF THING TO COME, STAR CRYSTAL, MOUNTAIN TOP MASSACRE just because BU or AB released it.

Oh yeah, those incredible positive reviews of TOOLBOX MURDERS, FEAR NO EVIL, SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME, movies that was on every horror fans worst film list is suddenly now on everyone of their favorite list. Funny how a DVD label can make everyone change their tune!

Like SUPERGIRL, had Columbia DVD released it, no one would care, but since AB released everyone gobbled up the limited 2 disc dvd of it!

I do think that each of these independent cult labels have their faithful core group of devotees, so it's not specifically just a Blue Underground or an Anchor Bay thing. Shriek Show had people unabashedly praising them as their "favorite label" before they'd even released their first title. I think they've lost a lot of their following with the pile-up of defects and recalls (a tradition that started with their problematic Jungle Holocaust transfer), but I'm sure there are still rabid label fanatics who buy every Shriek Show release regardless of quality or merit.

A lot of the label enthusiasm we see on web boards like this seems focused on horror/sleaze/cult catalogs. I think that a lot of the reason that so many people have cooled on Anchor Bay is because that company's catalog has shifted toward independent and foreign arthouse films. The horror message board regulars bowed down at the altar of Anchor Bay when they were releasing Argento, Fulci, Mattei, etc., but notice that those same people don't get too worked up about Wenders, Herzog (except when Klaus Kinski is involved), and Dirk Bogarde.

I think the cult of Blue Underground seems to focus a lot on Bill Lustig as a personality and figurehead. I think that a certain amount of consumer devotion to labels like BU and Synapse is fueled by the fan's identification with, and accessibility to the owner. Somebody up above even cited Don May's "really nice guy" status as a reason to love Synapse. I'm sure that Mr. May's frequent posts to various message boards helps his company out a lot in that respect. Lustig of course already had a core group of fans because of his Maniac and Maniac Cop movies. His move into DVD production makes him seem like a fan's fan...one of us. That's some powerful fanboy fuel right there.

So anyway, I'm not trying to rile anybody up with all this. I just thought it was interesting, and I guess I like questioning stuff like this. I'm far from being anti-Blue Underground or anti-Synapse; I buy some of their stuff and I love it, but I think that my anti-corporate streak comes out when I sense any unblinking, unconditional devotion to any one company. Again, it's one thing to recognize and patronize quality (of course I'd buy a Blue Underground disc before I'd ever buy a Madacy disc), but it's another thing to serve a company with the fanboy "gotta collect 'em all" mindset.

And an afterthought: Weren't there a lot of Anchor Bay criticisms about their attempts to cater to the collector crowd with special packaging tins and multiple editions? I wonder if they pushed their fanboy following too far with all that.