Why So Blu?

Mine should be here today.

OldBoy

just a regular sturdy slip. it's really a very nice, compact set. i hope i can get to this soon, but i got to be in some sort of state of mind to see this again. i mean it is fucked up, but in such a good way...





these are actually the SteelBook™s i found from some country way back. i keep the Vengeance Trilogy discs in them. might do whole series in order, even though doesn't really matter...

Brian T

Nice to see the original Korean movie poster (the main one, anyway) on the flipside of the sleeve. I don't mind the new artwork at all, but I'd flip it in a heartbeat, same as I do for all of Arrow's Japanese releases (here's hoping they broaden their Korean offerings). Korean movie poster design is an art form unto itself, frequently utilizing intricately production-designed (and boldy staged) in-camera tableaux that are as dramatic as the films themselves, and thankfully devoid of the plainly obvious Photoshopping and reliance upon floating heads that plagues so much poster design around the world. I've got many Korean DVDs with featurettes detailing the labor-intensive production of the poster imagery, something I've almost never seen anywhere else.

OldBoy

i think the opposite side is cheesy and looks more like an American photoshop cover art job. definitely prefer the more iconic look with Oh dae-su and the hammer...

Why So Blu?

My limited edition set finally fucking arrived!

OldBoy

Enjoy the series brother. It’s truly a wild fucking ride!

Brian T

This is interesting because the "new" art actually IS the Photoshop job, and a major one that evidently uses Adobe Illustrator effects as well (funny how people rarely call these new artworks "Illustrator jobs", come to think of it). It also uses a central image that's become iconic because of its ubiquity on home video releases, and mostly in the west. Despite all that, I still think it's a nice piece of work. I just get tired of boutique labels thinking they have to commission new artwork for every re-issue these days, but as long as they retain the originals (and thus the work of the painters, designers and/or photographers who worked on them), it's all good. I'm glad Arrow gives buyers a choice and preserves the original marketing campaigns regardless of what anyone thinks of them (the original poster art for nearly all of their vintage Japanese releases beats the do-overs hands down). The Korean OLDBOY image on the reverse is from a photography session done for the film, with few adjustments beyond the overlaying the text. If an American company used it, they'd probably add a hand-holding 'flourish' like a slash of red filter over the hero's side of the image to spell out how angry he gets in the film.

OldBoy

It’s not a re-issue though. It’s new transfer and new extras.

JoeySeven

Yeah it is .. major spoiler about the ending I just realized after watching for a third time.

also my two orders from amazon.com both canceled.
but it came back in stock for about $42 from amazon fulfillment.so maybe 3rd is a charm or strike 3.

add
So the third time was a charm. Received the trilogy yesterday.
I'll have pay more attention in the future to these limited editions releases that I might want so I do not miss out.

asianxcore

Finally received my copy of the SE from Arrow Video

OldBoy

yay!!!!! another to add to club!!!!!!!!!!! yet to see though

asianxcore

You haven't watched your copy?

OldBoy

not yet. I’m terrible like that. I want to watch trilogy in order. I have ADD...

OldBoy

anyone get into this yet?

swampconcept

I have seen the original and the ones in the vegeance trilogy, but I prefer the American version by Spike Lee. Wasn't as bad as everyone made it out to be.

OldBoy

but Lee's version is a true abomination.

swampconcept

Spike's movies are awesome.
If you watch his Oldboy for the second time, you will appreciate it more. Like a fine wine, it gets better with age.
Trust me, I seen it like 4 times already

OldBoy

Well, I’m finally watching the original and only one that matters imo from the Arrow set on NYE. Can’t wait. The Old Days docu I’m gonna try as well.

OldBoy

i do have to say that watching Lee's version for the second time, while it doesn't hold a candle to the original, it really isn't that bad. Brolin being a key reason.

PhantomStranger

It's better than any Hollywood remake I could have expected.

OldBoy

I liked the ending especially with that grin. I mean some scenes were verbatim, but it had just enough differences to keep you guessing even if you know the source material, which isn’t even the S. Korean movie, but a Japanese manga, I believe.