I can't believe no one is mentioning the Cloak & Dagger release! It never hit Blu-ray and for it to just show up at VS and in 4K totally shocked me!

I have the Drafthouse release of Miami Connection and have been meaning to revisit it lately. This will make me watch it and decide if I want to upgrade to 4K. Honestly though, if they had included a CD of the awesome soundtrack for MC, I wouldn't even hesitate.

Ditto! If VS were just putting out a standard Blu-ray release, I don't know that I'd be interested in double-dipping, but including 2 different cuts is pretty irresistible, and that they'd be in UHD is just icing on the cake.

Unfortunately, I don't think we're going to be able to sell the old Drafthouse release on eBay for $100-$150 anymore.

Glad I did awhile back then but I’m definitely not looking forward to this new release, movie was a bit of a coherent mess. Not a fan.

This limited edition of Thriller is already halfway sold out. VS also confirmed that the 'They Call Her One Eye' cut will only be available in UHD in this specific edition.

I went ahead and preordered that and Miami Connection. I thought about just grabbing the whole kit and kaboodle, but I've gotten burned more often than not doing that partially-blind entire-month-of-titles-at-a-time thing, and that's especially unappealing at these price points.

I have to admit I'm getting a little exhausted the endless creation by these boutiques of seemingly "covet-worthy" collector's editions in 4K combos with all sorts of cuts and books and cards and new artwork (which runs the gamut, creatively) at increasingly insane prices – even on sale! – for films that really don't warrant the treatment, and the serious FOMO that seems to accompany each new arrival (not to mention all the YouTube unboxings and invariably glowing "reviews"). I'm mostly a standard-edition kind of guy – easier on the bank account – but I must admit to buying more of these fancy boxes than I should, although it's getting easier to resist. It's also starting to feel like, when it comes of largely forgotten and/or forgettable exploitation movies, 4K is just another sparkly enticement in the box for suckers who just gotta have it and will pay whatever for it! MIAMI CONNECTION is a shining example. I likewise have the Drafthouse blu and it's beyond good enough, even though I understand that it's out of print and the VS edition(s) will at least keep it in circulation . . . at a premium, of course. Gotta admit I felt a little hoodwinked after I bought VS's NEW YORK NINJA box a while back. The film as it stands is a fascinating artifact and worthy of some kind of release, but come on, even if John Liu had finished it in the 1980's, it would've been ridiculous and largely forgettable, which it kind of is even in its current form. Kudos for the team for trying to salvage something out of it, but the results just kind of sit there, looking more a bit silly and feeling like a make-work project for the v/o actors and some increasingly ubiquitous packaging artistes. A standard-edition would've sufficed.

I'm also driven to wonder just how many people who are springing for the uber-deluxe edition of THRILLER have actually seen it before as opposed to just scooping it up because it's a limited edition of a film with a reputation largely created in the internet era. It's an ok little exploitation picture but in fairness, it's kind of a bore when weighed against other such fare from the same era. "But hey, look, both (largely similar) versions on shiny 4K discs – you neeeed these!" I'll admit a curiosity to see the pre-release cut of MIAMI CONNECTION, but surely even at that low-budget production level there are reasons why it never actually got released. ​​​​​​​

Hard Target 4K + 2 Kino on sale title of your choice >>> Miami Connection 4K

I have!



Which isn't to take away from your greater point. Nearly all of the audience for physical home media has vanished, and those of us that are still sticking around are a small but fiercely loyal audience, generally with money to burn. So, they'll soak those few of us that are left for all we're worth. Prey on the FOMO, especially with physical bells and whistles that will largely go unseen or unappreciated (I've never done anything with a folded poster in nearly a quarter-century of special editions, and I can't really see anything beyond the spines of any limited edition slipcovers or vaguely normal-sized boxes). Lead with an expensive limited edition, and however many months later follow through with a less lavish, less expensive standard release for the more patient and/or price-sensitive among us.

I don't mind splurging every once in a while on a movie that means something to me (and I would say that Thriller and Miami Connection both fit that bill for me, even if these aren't movies I've returned to time and again), but especially in recent months, I've been starting to feel exploited rather than served. I mean, $38 -- and that's a Flash preorder discount! -- for Miami Connection? I walked away from comic books for much the same reason, and it might get to a point where I shy away from Vinegar Syndrome, Severin, etc. outside of their semi-annual sales or maybe even altogether. F the FOMO!

To echo Adam Tyner's comment, I have seen the film as well.

I've had Synapse Films' Limited Edition DVD on my shelves for about 18-years now and didn't pre-order this release for the reason you mentioned. I hope in the 18-years since, I made enough money to afford a $50 upgrade from my DVD

I've skipped a LOT of Vinegar Syndrome releases because I hadn't seen the film or (as you mentioned) saw it once and didn't care to own it.

There are other forums filled with the folks holding onto buying habits that you pointed out. Having so many buyers like that definitely influences the prices these boutique labels set for their products, outside whatever deals they set to acquire the films in the first place.

The only reason I haven't mentioned that film is that I actually haven't seen it

I haven't seen it, but my wife said she enjoyed it as a kid.
I have a feeling it doesn't really hold up, but I'm willing to take the risk on it. Just not sure which other 4K title to grab in order to get free shipping. The last one I got was Dead Heat, so other than C&D, I have five to pick from. Any recommendations?

Ugh! I just pre-ordered 3 titles and grabbed one that is already released at a miniscule amount of 165 bucks. My time with VS and these other boutique labels might be winding down.

Couldn't check this thread over the weekend, but good to know I'm not alone in these thoughts!

I likewise purchased the Synapse LE of THRILLER back in the day – oh shit, FOMO! – and held on to it for a few years before realizing I probably wasn't going to revisit it and selling it off (undoubtedly for a profit by then). Obviously, that's not to diss the film itself, because it's definitely worth seeing, but I just can't see how $53 US is in any way justifiable for the privilege. Fifty. Three. Dollars! On sale!! People, really.

A good comparison illustrating how these boutiques operate on wildly different planes of reality crossed my mind over the weekend, and that's Shout's ALLIGATOR 4K set. No fancy magnetic-clasp box, no perfect-bound book that's mostly pictures, no folded poster, art cards, stickers, enamel pins or other baubles you don't need. Just a slipcover (albeit with new artwork that erases the quiet menace of the original, superior poster design) and three discs with strong AV and excellent bonus features including still galleries on the disc where they belong, for about $30 (and a $40 SRP). Tight little package. And according the "We're Number 2" thread here, it's actually performing quite well. Granted, it's always been a higher-profile production than, say, THRILLER or MIAMI CONNECTION, with an obviously strong nostalgic attraction for many buyers, and yet those two are more expensive by far. And then you have to ask yourself what makes Vinegar Syndrome's equally nostalgia-driven CLOAK & DAGGER – a film from the same era and one which its own studio has had available as two basic, bargain-bin-residing DVDs for well over a decade – worth $43 US (with a $65 SRP) . I'm sure Shout having deeper pockets than Vinegar Syndrome is a factor, but all of that extra packaging ("patented by VS" dontcha know) on C&D still smells like an excuse to play that "fiercely loyal audience" Adam mentioned above for suckers.

And yet I grumble about this stuff as someone who's bought probably a few too many of the 88 Films deluxe-box editions of classic Hong Kong movies (YOUNG MASTER, ROBOTRIX, STORY OF RICKY) Hard boxes! Perfect-bound books! Art cards! Limited-run discs in the box! But then again, even with those I've always been able to purchase them in the $30 - $35 US range, often from US Amazon Marketplace sellers who beat 88's prices. And even 88's pricing on these supplement-stuffed sets doesn't reach the heights of recent VS pricing. Again, fifty . . . three . . . dollars for THRILLER and forty-three for CLOAK & DAGGER. The mind boggles.

Heaven forbid that you pre-order some of these movies while complaining about the high prices. I've never seen so much condescending posts over at that other website in regards to me mentioning having pre-ordered a few movies while not being happy with the prices they are now asking for them. It's as if every single person that piled on me has never bought something they wanted and at the same time felt a bit ripped off for what they paid for it. At least here you can make an argument either way and not feel like you are getting railed on by people who seemingly sit around all day and wait to bash someone online.

do these releases get to Amazon at all?

By and large, yeah, although it takes a few months.

I think VSA’s are exclusive to the site though.

I missed all the me to responses but me to!

I think you are overlooking the fact that there is not a ton of new buyers in the physical media scene. People buying from VS are people who for the most part have been in the scene for years if not decades and I think there is a very good chance they have seen these movies at least when compared to American audiences as a whole.

Wasn't overlooking this, and I do agree that the majority of VS and other boutique buyers are probably veterans, but I do think there are still plenty of other, perhaps newer (or younger) fans out there who, for one reason or another (too young to know about them back in the day, not enough money then, lack of excessive reviews by everyone and their mother afforded by the current internet and social media, etc) missed out on a lot of these titles during the DVD and earlier blu-ray eras. I can't admit I watch a ton of YouTube "reviews" or unboxing vids, but I do on occasion, and I frequently see guys – and it's pretty much always guys – desperate for views, opening and/or reviewing whatever new over-packaged, overpriced collector's box that triggered their FOMO while admitting that they haven't actually seen the film(s) inside, only heard or read about it. The comments are often full of similar sentiment: "Wow I haven't seen this/these - this just became my must-see purchase of the year!!" Same for a lot of written review sites. But hey, ya gotta start somewhere, and in 2022 a lot of people seem more than happy to buy into the hype and pay whatever premium is necessary for the privilege, even forgoing better price reductions in future sales. And yes, I've done it myself and kind of regretted it – see my note earlier about Vinegar Syndrome's NEW YORK NINJA box – so it's not like I'm looking down from some lofty perch, but I've generally been pretty firm about holding off, or even just grabbing a cheapo used DVD version online because I suspect – with increasing regularity – that many of the film(s) these boutiques are acquiring don't automatically deserve all of the obfuscating bells and whistles, other than to justify the escalating price tags.

Vinegar Syndrome is proud to bring this Cannon Films classic to 4K UHD and Blu-ray, newly restored from its uncensored original negative, and loaded with all new extra features, including its alternate TV version, presented for the first time in HD!
https://vinegarsyndrome.com/collecti.../death-wish-ii

3 out of their 4 new releases are on UHD -- Death Wish II, Flesheater: Revenge of the Living Dead, and Stiff Competition. Alien Private Eye is the sole new BD-only release (well, along with 12 partner label BDs).

It's another month I'll be sitting out, but I'm glad to see their UHD support continuing. Fingers crossed for Deaf Crocodile's release of Sampo coming sometime soon. They finished the restoration a couple weeks ago.

Seems like aside from 4K and the commentary (the latter presumably ported from Shout's OOP edition), VS hasn't topped Umbrella's packed Blu-ray double feature of DEATH WISH 2 and 3, from which the interviews on the VS disc – or portions of them? – appear to have been poached. Umbrella's release also included a vintage hour-long Cannon promo doc, way more trailers, and four versions of DEATH WISH 2 (unrated director's cut on the Blu, plus theatrical, TV and Greek VHS versions on a DVD). I'm assuming VS will be releasing DW3 at some point, so the supplements may balance out there, but the Umbrella set can still be had for a reasonable price: www.amazon.com/Death-Wish-Blu-ray/dp/B07434HPGY

Beyond that, I can likewise sit this batch out. Finding that happening more and more with some of the boutiques. Often feels like the cherries have been picked already, sometimes more than once, and 4K isn't my thing.

^ Thanks for the link to that DW2/3 Blu-ray, went ahead and ordered a copy.

Unfortunately a small Wisconsin record store chain is going out of business. I swung by today and picked up Trauma and Creature for only $15 each brand new. No slips obviously. I only wish they had a few more I was interested in.

Ah crap, The Exclusive Company is going out of business? I have fond memories of purchasing music there in my high school years.

Apparently, the owner died so they're closing down:
https://www.exclusivecompany.com/the...ose-all-stores

I guess Mr. G left the business to his nephew and he wants nothing to do with it. It’s really unfortunate. The Milwaukee location is staying open under new ownership. I hear the employees pooled together and bought it.

Looking into it, two managers of the store have started a GoFundMe to keep the store open under a new name, Lilliput Records, but the campaign hasn't reached its goal yet.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/68qdn-hel...lliput-records