Blood
Of Fu Manchu 4K
(1968) + Castle
Of Fu Manchu 4K
(1969/Blue Underground 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays w/Blu-rays*)/Poseidon
4K
(2006*/**)/See:
The Complete Series
(2019 - 2022/Apple TV Blu-ray Set)/Texas
Chainsaw Massacre 4K
(2022 remake*/**)/Texas
Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning 4K
(2006/**Warner/New Line/Arrow 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays/*all MVD)
4K
Ultra HD Picture: B+/B/B+/B+/B+ Picture: B/B/X/B/X/X Sound:
C+/C+/B/B/B/B Extras: C+/C+/C/D/C/C Main Programs:
C/C/D/C/D/D
Now
to revisit some old familiars, now in 4K and not always in a good
way...
The
Blood Of Fu Manchu 4K
(1968) and The
Castle Of Fu Manchu 4K
(1969) are new 4K upgrades to the two later entries in the
Christopher Lee franchise series, which we reviewed as a Blu-ray
double feature years ago from Blue Underground at this link:
https://fulvuedrive-in.com/review/14975/The+Blood+Of+Fu+Manchu+(1968)/The+Castle+Of+Fu
If
you can buy Lee as 'Asian' in the role, than you might enjoy these
more than not, some of the last such casting still 'accepted' up to
Al Pacino in the 1983 Scarface
remake. By the end of the series, it was all over for the character,
but they are still interesting to watch and have aged in odd ways, so
its nice to see them get such top rate treatment. The early success
of the Bond Films did not hurt either.
Extras
have been expanded for both films, with Blood
offering...
NEW!
Audio Commentary with Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel
Thompson
The
Rise of Fu Manchu
- Interviews with Director Jess Franco, Producer Harry Alan Towers,
and Stars Christopher Lee, Tsai Chin, & Shirley Eaton
NEW!
Sanguine-Stained
Celluloid
- Interview with Stephen Thrower, Author of ''Murderous
Passions: The Delirious Cinema of Jesus Franco''
Trailers
NEWLY
EXPANDED! Poster & Still Gallery
and
NEW! RiffTrax Edition - THE BLOOD OF FU MANCHU Riffed by Mike
Nelson, Bill Corbett & Kevin Murphy (77 Minutes.)
While
Castle
adds:
NEW!
Audio Commentary with Film Historians Nathaniel Thompson and Troy
Howarth
The
Fall of Fu Manchu
- Interviews with Director Jess Franco, Producer Harry Alan Towers,
and Stars Christopher Lee & Tsai Chin
NEW!
Castle
of Carnage
- Interview with Stephen Thrower, Author of ''Murderous
Passions: The Delirious Cinema of Jesus Franco''
International
Trailer
NEWLY
EXPANDED! Poster & Still Gallery
and
NEW! RiffTrax Edition - THE CASTLE OF FU MANCHU Riffed by Mike
Nelson, Bill Corbett & Kevin Murphy (75 Minutes.)
For
more Fu Manchu, try these links...
Mask
Of Fu Manchu
(1932 Blu-ray)
https://fulvuedrive-in.com/review/16432/Green+Ice+(1981/Via+Vision/Imprint+Region+Free+I
Drums
Of Fu Manchu
1940 serial (DVD set)
https://fulvuedrive-in.com/review/28/Drums+Of+Fu+Manchu+serial
Face
Of Fu Manchu
(1965) + Vengeance
Of Fu Manchu
(1967) DVDs
https://fulvuedrive-in.com/review/12648/Contracted+(2013/MPI/IFC+Midnight+DVD)/Cyberg
Wolfgang
Peterson's Poseidon
4K
(2006) was warner's attempt to capitalize on the massive success of
Cameron's Titanic,
but it still got made after a mini-series that did the same was a
wash (oops) and it was a huge disappointment critically, commercially
and to me, which I get into when I did my review of the old Blu-ray
at this link:
https://fulvuedrive-in.com/review/9796/Poseidon+(2006/Warner+Blu-ray
To
see Kurt Russell, Josh Lucas, Emmy Rossum, Kevin Dillon, Freddy
Rodriguez and especially the late, great Andre Braugher being wasted
like this still bugs me almost two decades later, but now in 4K, you
can really see what did and did not work. Note few other films tried
to do the same after this one and we're all the better for it.
Extras
are expanded and include:
Ocean
View,
a brand-new interview with director of photography John Seale
Big
Sets for Big-Time Directors,
a brand new interview with production designer William Sandell
Surfing
the VFX Wave,
a brand new interview with visual effects supervisor Boyd Shermis
Bringing
Out the Dead, a brand new interview with make-up effects on-set
supervisor Michael Deak
Set
a Course for Adventure,
a brand new retrospective on the film by Heath Holland
Poseidon:
A Ship on a Soundstage,
a featurette looking at the film's production featuring interviews
with cast and crew
Poseidon:
Upside Down,
a featurette exploring the film's challenging set design
A
Shipmate's Diary,
a featurette following production assistant Malona Voigt on the set
of Poseidon
Reversible
sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jacey
and
an illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film
by Priscilla Page.
See:
The Complete Series
(2019 - 2022) is a high concept TV series (backed by Apple) about a
nuclear disaster worldwide so bad, everyone goes blind, loses most of
its population and no one can see, so even the idea it exists is
something no one wants to talk about. When two children are born and
can see, that shakes up everything. Jason Momoa leads the cast over
the three short seasons that look too much like so many shows (Game
Of Thrones,
some of Momoa's old Stargate
episodes, Vikings,
etc.) that is done to look authentic, but the repetition hurts in the
long run.
It
is also the case that the idea just does not hold suspension of
disbelief throughout the episodes despite the ambitious attempt, but
I could see this becoming a cult item of some kind eventually. I was
just a little disappointed still, despite knowing the odds of this
working were a longshot. Now we know what such a narrative would
plays out like. Nice try still!
There
are sadly no extras.
Finally,
we have the 2022 remake of The
Texas Chainsaw Massacre 4K
and Texas
Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning 4K
(2006,) both of which we are actually covering on disc of any kind
for the first time. Two belated attempts to spin the 1974 classic
(which we have reviewed several times so far) into a big money
franchise, both films failed commercially and critically for the most
part and are not discussed much, though almost all the prequels and
sequels have received the same fate.
Alice
Krige is one of the only actors one will recognize in the remake,
though they brought back John Larroquette to do the voice over work
here as he had done in the 1974 film, but it is just a dud and highly
unnecessary, directed by David Blue Garcia. Beginning
has R. Lee Ermey (Full
Metal Jacket,
Se7en,
Streamers)
as the uncle of Leatherface in an attempt to have the same demented
eccentricity Dennis Hopper brought to the first sequel in 1986, but
to no avail, despite Director Jonathan Liebesman best efforts. Matt
Bomer and Jordana Brewer are the most recognizable actors here
otherwise.
In
both cases, trying to turn the low budget all-time horror classic
into a larger Hollywood budgeted franchise just never makes it since
half of its power comes from being cheap, gritty and unhinged. These
films still work on limits, no matter the splatter. They do not even
have cult followings, but Arrow and Warner are banking (thinks in
part to the endless sales of the original) that they could be curios
that finally gain a cult audience. Who knows, but neither are very
memorable and that's why new attempts have been very rare to revive
it all yet again. Some films just cannot be or lead to expansive
franchises.
Extras
on the remake include a brand new audio commentary with Dread Central
co-founder Steve ''Uncle Creepy'' Barton and co-host of The
Spooky Picture Show
podcast Chris MacGibbon
Archival
audio commentary with director Marcus Nispel, producer Michael Bay,
executive producers Brad Fuller and Andrew Form and New Line Cinema
founder Robert Shaye
Archival
audio commentary with Marcus Nispel, director of photography Daniel
Pearl, production designer Greg Blair, art director Scott Gallager,
sound supervisor Trevor Jolly and composer Steve Jablonsky
Archival
audio commentary with Marcus Nispel, Michael Bay, writer Scott
Kosar, Brad Fuller, Andrew Form and actors Jessica Biel, Erica
Leerhsen, Eric Balfour Jonathan Tucker, Mike Vogel and Andrew
Bryniarski
Reimagining
a Classic,
a brand new interview with director Marcus Nispel
Shadows
of Yesteryear,
a brand new interview with cinematographer Daniel Pearl
The
Lost Leatherface,
a brand new interview with actor Brett Wagner
Masks
and Massacres,
a brand new interview with makeup effects artist Scott Stoddard
Chainsaw
Symphony,
a brand new interview with composer Steve Jablonsky
Chainsaw
Redux: Making A Massacre,
a making-of documentary
Ed
Gein: The Ghoul of Plainfield,
an in-depth look at the infamous killer who inspired the character
of Leatherface
Severed
Parts,
a look at the cutting room floor and some of the scenes excised from
the final edit
Deleted
scenes including an alternate opening and ending
Screen
tests for Jessica Biel, Eric Balfour and Erica Leerhsen
Behind-the-scenes
featurette
Cast
and crew interviews
Theatrical
trailers and TV spots
Concept
art galleries
Reversible
sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Aaron
Lea
Double-sided
foldout poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by
Aaron Lea
and
an illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film
by Michael Gingold.
Extras
on Beginning
include a brand new audio commentary on the Uncut Version with Dread
Central co-founder Steve ''Uncle Creepy'' Barton and co-host of The
Spooky Picture Show
podcast Chris MacGibbon
Archival
audio commentary on the Uncut Version with director Jonathan
Liebesman and producers Andrew Form and Brad Fuller
Hoyt,
Actually,
a brand new interview with actor Lew Temple
Original
Skins: KNB FX,
a brand new interview with special effects makeup artist Jake Garber
and special effects makeup technician Kevin Wasner
Light
and Sawdust,
a brand new interview with director of photography Lukas Ettlin
Down
to the Bone: Anatomy of a Prequel,
an archival making-of documentary featuring many interviews with
cast and crew members
Deleted
and extended scenes with optional commentary from director Jonathan
Liebesman and producers Andrew Form and Brad Fuller
Theatrical
trailer
Reversible
sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Aaron
Lea
Double-sided
foldout poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by
Aaron Lea
and
an illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film
by Michael Gingold.
Now
for playback performance. The 2160p HEVC/H.265, 1.85 X 1, Dolby
Vision/HDR (10; Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition
image on The
Blood Of Fu Manchu 4K
is the best-looking of the Lee/Manchu films on home video to date
with solid color, ore detail, more depth and warmth than the Blu-ray
overall, but that 1080p 1.85 X 1 digital High Definition image
transfer on the regular Blu-ray version is still just fine for the
format and pretty much on par with the older Blu-ray release. I just
think the 4K is more effective and delivers better.
The
2160p HEVC/H.265, 1.85 X 1, Dolby Vision/HDR (10; Ultra HD
Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition image on The
Castle Of Fu Manchu 4K
looks a bit better than the also-included Blu-ray version, but has
more issues with the source material that was not as fixable,
apparently. Otherwise, it is the best the film has ever looked
outside of a mint film print as the 1080p 1.85 X 1 digital High
Definition image transfer on the regular Blu-ray version is again
fine for the format and pretty much on par with the older Blu-ray
release. Guess it is just how t was shot and how the materials aged.
All
four discs offer PCM 1.0 Mono soundtracks from the previous Blu-ray
releases that are passable, but I wish it were at least 2.0 Mono of
some kind, but the films are likely too old for a stereo upgrade.
The
2160p HEVC/H.265, 2.35 X 1, Dolby Vision/HDR (10; Ultra HD
Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition image on Poseidon
4K is
looking much better than the old Blu-ray which did not do justice to
the 35mm print I saw, this does. Though not a fan, it should have
the best possible chance for people to judge it one way or the other
and this is finally it. The
DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mix is a slightly better
version of the old Blu-ray, yet this was a Sonics-DDP IMAX sound
release, so why no newer soundtrack? Is it being held hostage for
special IMAx screenings? Its fine otherwise.
The
2160p HEVC/H.265, 2.35 X 1, Dolby Vision/HDR (10; Ultra HD
Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition image on The
Texas Chainsaw Massacre 4K
remake was shot in HD with now more commonly-used HawkScope lenses,
trying to look like the old, original 1974 film, at least mocking
some of its look from its 16mm shoot. The results are not bad, but
still mixed, though we get a little more clarity here than expected,
I hate to admit. The 2160p HEVC/H.265, 1.85 X 1, Dolby Vision/HDR
(10; Ultra HD Premium)-enhanced Ultra High Definition image on Texas
Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning 4K
was shot on Kodak Vision2 color negative and looks a little grittier
on purpose, so it is a little more convincing, but this only goes so
far. Both have as their best soundtracks, DTS-HD
MA (Master Audio) 7.1 lossless mixes that have their moments, but
only go so far. At least they hold up.
The
1080p 2.1 X 1 digital High Definition image on episodes of See
have some good shots, but also some obvious digital work and the
darker-than-average look is a little genre-cliched. Otherwise, it is
consistent, even with its odd framing choice, while the
DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mix on each show is
professional with decent soundfields, but nothing extraordinary
either. The combo is as expected, but smoothly so.
-
Nicholas Sheffo
