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Arrow Video is Working on a 4K Restoration of John Carpenter's The Thing

H

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/236164/arrow-restoring-john-carpenters-thing-4k/

Not much in the article as it was announced on Arrow Video's facebook page. I'm actually not all that familiar with them but it seems they've done this with some other classic horror films.

From the Arrow Video facebook page:

19243257_1599084030125585_7473796498185673596_o.jpg
Click to expand...

Buy yet another copy of JC's The Thing if old.

Edit: From Stuart Cohen,
Co Producer of The Thing:
Arrow has confirmed to me that this is a new 4K master from the original camera negative supervised by Dean Cundey and John Carpenter...
 
R

Ridley327

Member
I wonder how this will ultimately stack up to the 2K scan that Universal did for last year's Shout Factory release. That one had the benefit of Dean Cundey supervising it the whole way through.

I'll be really surprised if Arrow can match the extras that release had, even with how good they usually are in that department.
 
H

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
I wonder how possible it is or if its even worthwhile to add HDR into the 4K version.
 
P

PhoncipleBone

Banned
Ridley327 said:
I wonder how this will ultimately stack up to the 2K scan that Universal did for last year's Shout Factory release. That one had the benefit of Dean Cundey supervising it the whole way through.

I'll be really surprised if Arrow can match the extras that release had, even with how good they usually are in that department.
Click to expand...
Yeah, the Shout release was stacked. So good.
 
S

SeanC

Member
Depends on the quality but I really don't know if I buy The Thing yet again. Scream Factory release is solid, though I am in the camp of it being a little too bright for me, like someone lessened the contrast to the darkness. Even then it's such a good transfer and looks amazing.

They just did a 70mm screening of the original print (only known 70mm print to known to exist) here in LA just last night. Of course I missed it...
 
D

Daingurse

Member
Oooooh. That's the type of thing that would make we want to upgrade! John Carpenter's The Thing is my favorite horror movie of all time!
 
S

Scavenger

Member
Ridley327 said:
I wonder how this will ultimately stack up to the 2K scan that Universal did for last year's Shout Factory release. That one had the benefit of Dean Cundey supervising it the whole way through.

I'll be really surprised if Arrow can match the extras that release had, even with how good they usually are in that department.
Click to expand...
The 2K scan is from an interpositive and there is baked in sharpening. Dean Cundey and John Carpenter supervised the 4K restoration.

stuart cohen said:
Arrow has confirmed to me that this is a new 4K master from the original camera negative supervised by Dean Cundey and John Carpenter...
Click to expand...
 
R

Ridley327

Member
Scavenger said:
The 2K scan is from an interpositive and there is baked in sharpening. Dean Cundey and John Carpenter supervised the 4K restoration.
Click to expand...

Well that's exciting news! I wonder if that means they'll license out Cundey's commentary that he did for that release.
 
C

Citizen Mane

Member
Well there's no way they can have worse artwork than what was used for the Shout Factory version. I love that release but the cover is terrible.

Arrow Video puts out a lot of cool stuff by the way, kind of like a trashy Criterion.
 
A

admiraltaftbar

Member
DeathoftheEndless said:
Arrow has a nice library, but most of their releases aren't Region 1.
Click to expand...

I think they've done a pretty good job of bringing out most of their releases as region one. The only things that don't get released are those movies that have rights problems in the States or already have a distributor here (like Out1). With shout factory's release in the States though I'm worried we won't be getting this although I thought the same thing about Donnie Darko and we did get that so who knows.

Citizen Mane said:
Well there's no way they can have worse artwork than what was used for the Shout Factory version. I love that release but the cover is terrible.

Arrow Video puts out a lot of cool stuff by the way, kind of like a trashy Criterion.
Click to expand...

Arrow has an Arrow Academy line that's more like criterion and releases artsy well regarded films. But yeah the main of arrow is mostly for exploitation/ b film releases that are awesome.
 
R

Ridley327

Member
admiraltaftbar said:
I think they've done a pretty good job of bringing out most of their releases as region one. The only things that don't get released are those movies that have rights problems in the States or already have a distributor here (like Out1). With shout factory's release in the States though I'm worried we won't be getting this although I thought the same thing about Donnie Darko and we did get that so who knows.
Click to expand...

I doubt it'll be region free. Shout has the backing of Universal these days, so they're not going to authorize competing releases in the same region.
 
G

geomon

Member
Day 1. I bought Arrow's Donnie Darko set, holy shit. For years I thought it would never look or sound any better than the dvd, marginally if it all. I was so wrong.

I already have Arrow's Re-Animator on preorder.
 
I

Imbarkus

As Sartre noted in his contemplation on Hell in No Exit, the true horror is other members.
Ridley327 said:
I wonder how this will ultimately stack up to the 2K scan that Universal did for last year's Shout Factory release. That one had the benefit of Dean Cundey supervising it the whole way through.

I'll be really surprised if Arrow can match the extras that release had, even with how good they usually are in that department.
Click to expand...

I'm very satisfied already with the SF release.

At certain film stocks, what do you even get with a new 4k transfer besides better-defined grain?
 
R

RoyaleDuke

Banned
Imbarkus said:
I'm very satisfied already with the SF release.

At certain film stocks, what do you even get with a new 4k transfer besides better-defined grain?
Click to expand...

It is literally like seeing a totally different film, things that had texture but were too blurry because of the transfer are now razor sharp.

Like it goes on and on, it is so much more than simple "more film grain" my favorite Blu Ray transfers of Bladerunner and Alien both highlight this.
 
D

dskillzhtown

keep your strippers out of my American football
I went down the YouTube rabbit hole about The Thing and all the theories around it that I had no idea about. Great movie.
 
I

Imbarkus

As Sartre noted in his contemplation on Hell in No Exit, the true horror is other members.
RoyaleDuke said:
It is literally like seeing a totally different film, things that had texture but were too blurry because of the transfer are now razor sharp.

Like it goes on and on, it is so much more than simple "more film grain" my favorite Blu Ray transfers of Bladerunner and Alien both highlight this.
Click to expand...

Definitely between the Collector's Edition DVD copy and the SF Blu-Ray I see the difference, for sure. I guess I'm not sold on 4k. My actual eyes are becoming the limiting factor to making out any more detail.
 
Diseased Yak

Diseased Yak

Gold Member
Will buy, again, for who know's what number of times.

Love me some Arrow. They're the only company that I blind-buy most every release from other than Criteron.
 
S

Scavenger

Member
The Thing Limited Edition *Limited to 4000 units*
Release Date: 23rd October 2017
yP5k8PZ.jpg


THE ULTIMATE IN ALIEN TERROR

Over the years, star Kurt Russell and master of horror John Carpenter have teamed up on a multitude of films (Big Trouble in Little China and Escape from New York to name a few) but of all their collaborations, 1982 s horror/sci-fi amalgalm The Thing surely tops the list.

A research team based out in the snowy wilds of Antartica find themselves beseiged by a terrifying, shape-shifting creature which has found its way into their base. When it becomes clear that the creature can take the form of any organism it so chooses, the tension within the team reaches breaking point any one of them could be... The Thing.

Critically panned at the time of its release, John Carpenter s The Thing has rightly gone on to become one of the most celebrated sci-fi horror efforts ever made now newly restored by Arrow Video in a stunning 4K transfer supervised by Carpenter and director of photography Dean Cundey.

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
  • Brand new restoration from a 4K scan of the original negative, supervised and approved by director John Carpenter and director of photography Dean Cundey
  • High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
  • Original Mono and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
  • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • Audio commentary by John Carpenter and actor Kurt Russell
  • Who Goes There? In Search of The Thing an all-new feature length documentary produced by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures exploring the history of The Thing, from the original novella to John Carpenter's terrifying science fiction classic. Featuring new interviews with the cast and crew, as well as authors, historians, and critics
  • 1982: One Amazing Summer an all-new retrospective documentary produced by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures about the unforgettable films released in the summer of 1982
  • John Carpenter's The Thing: Terror Takes Shape archive documentary on the background and production of the film
  • Vintage Featurettes
  • Outtakes
  • Behind-the-Scenes
  • Trailers, Teasers, TV and Radio Spots
  • Still Galleries
  • Poster
  • Lobby Cards
  • Book containing new writing on the film
Click to expand...


The Thing Limited Edition Steelbook (without poster, lobby cards and book) *Limited to 4000 units*
Release Date: 23rd October 2017
jt70a5s.jpg
Click to expand...

Arrow is having a sale next week with the amount of points received doubled. I plan on pre-ordering the LE using points earned from the sale.
 
I

itwasTuesday

He wasn't alone.
Scavenger said:
The Thing Limited Edition *Limited to 4000 units*
Release Date: 23rd October 2017



The Thing Limited Edition Steelbook (without poster, lobby cards and book) *Limited to 4000 units*
Release Date: 23rd October 2017


Arrow is having a sale next week with the amount of points received doubled. I plan on pre-ordering the LE using points earned from the sale.
Click to expand...

What the bullshit is this?
1080p
 
F

Fancy Clown

Member
Is this region B only? Extras don't look worth double dipping for...but the packaging and 4K resto definitely tempt me even tho I'm pretty happy with the scream release.
 
B

berzeli

Banned
Nerdkiller said:
Is any of the cinephile focused publishers ever making 4K BD's yet? It's annoying enough as it is to not see Arrow or Criterion make any as of this moment.
Click to expand...

Shout released a couple of nature documentaries in UHD. But that's it.

The costs are way too high still unfortunately.
 
M

mariachi507

Member
Fancy Clown said:
Is this region B only? Extras don't look worth double dipping for...but the packaging and 4K resto definitely tempt me even tho I'm pretty happy with the scream release.
Click to expand...

Most likely since they are not able to acquire the NA rights. However, there have been instances where titles released by Arrow as region B were able to played in Region A players. Off the top of my head, these include Shivers and Deep Red among others. These were explained as oversights and weren't supposed to happen, so there is chance Arrow could "accidently" forget to region lock The Thing.

Or, you could just bypass this completely and buy a region free player. I have a Seiki player that does the job very well and can be switched between regions A, B, and C. However, I also caught it in sale and got it pretty cheap compared to the pricing I'm seeing for it right now. Also, your wallet will be hurting in the long run since you'd be buying blu's from multiple regions. I love it though and am glad I made the finally made the jump.
 
M

MarionCB

Member
Oh, wow, the LE edition artwork is beautiful. Par for course with Arrow; I'm very happy with the Donnie Darko and Phenomena sets. Hmm, I think this will be another one I won't be resisting.
 
W

wenis

Registered for GAF on September 11, 2001.
This gunna work on american bluray players/consoles?

the arrow site is getting hammered.
 
M

MarionCB

Member
wenis said:
This gunna work on american bluray players/consoles?

the arrow site is getting hammered.
Click to expand...

Arrow site explicitly states Region B on the page, which is usual for Arrow releases. So you'll need a multi-region/region-free player in the States.
 
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