- Joined
- Feb 8, 1999
- Messages
- 18,392
- Real Name
- Robert Harris
It is acknowledged fact that our history is determined by surviving artifacts. The great Roman and Greek sculptures, the Dead Seas Scrolls, wines from Jefferson's personal library...
And so it is that our modern culture will (for better or for worse) be considered by the survival of home video software packaging artifacts that range from the wasteful to the sublime.
I'm referring, of course, to Blu-ray slipcovers, steelbooks and other materials that are both highly collectible and make for a better looking product on dwindling store shelves and displays.
Therefore, and after great consideration, counsel from members and other reviewers, I'm instituting a new Slipcover Rating in a 1 - 10 scale, with 1 being wasted paper and 10 the finest representations of slipcover and steelbook art.
This has been oft-requested, and will undoubtedly affect the marketplace for these items as they become more and more rare.
For our first example, we'll take a look at Universal's Dracula Sucks Edition of Chris McKay's Renfield, based upon the character from Bram Stoker's original 1897 Dracula.
With Nicholas Hoult in the role of the long-abused Mr. Renfield, Nicolas Cage as many-toothed Dracula and Awkwafina as their comedy relief, the film takes us to a place that the tale has never before visited - the co-dependency between the two leads.
If one is re-visiting the characters of the 1930s Universal horror cycle, and re-working original footage, I far prefer Stephen Sommers Van Helsing, spectacularly lensed by Allen Daviau.
Renfield, shot digitally in 8k and finished in 4k, has been released by Universal in 2k Blu-ray format, and it's a beautiful product, looking far more like 4k from a nominal seating distance in projection. No problems.
Final audio is DTS-HD MA 7.1, which allows for a great home theater experience.
And now for what viewers have been waiting for - the unboxing.
While the normal packaging found within the slipcover is attractive, it's the slip, which one should presume will only be available in it's first edition printing, that adds depth - literally - to the product design.
It's overall a dark design with the two leads, front and center, and a dazzling fire-red sky behind, filled with large flying creatures, possibly turkey vultures.
The cover has a matte finish, and an underlying layer of metallic red that can be seen in it's pure state on the reverse design.
Above Mr. Cage's head is found the title design, with the F and I at the center of the word, turned into either stakes or fangs. Either would work. But the design goes a step further, embossing in a sort of variegated eggshell blue, to coincide with the facial highlights of the undead beneath.
This is a slipcover that should not end up in recycling, and could be worth thousands on eBay in the not too distant future.
Image – 5
Audio – 5 (DTS-HD MA 7.1)
Pass / Fail – Pass
Works up-rezzed to 4k - Yes
Slipcover rating -6.8
RAH
Thank you for supporting HTF when you preorder using the link below. As an Amazon Associate, HTF earns from qualifying purchases. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link.
And so it is that our modern culture will (for better or for worse) be considered by the survival of home video software packaging artifacts that range from the wasteful to the sublime.
I'm referring, of course, to Blu-ray slipcovers, steelbooks and other materials that are both highly collectible and make for a better looking product on dwindling store shelves and displays.
Therefore, and after great consideration, counsel from members and other reviewers, I'm instituting a new Slipcover Rating in a 1 - 10 scale, with 1 being wasted paper and 10 the finest representations of slipcover and steelbook art.
This has been oft-requested, and will undoubtedly affect the marketplace for these items as they become more and more rare.
For our first example, we'll take a look at Universal's Dracula Sucks Edition of Chris McKay's Renfield, based upon the character from Bram Stoker's original 1897 Dracula.
With Nicholas Hoult in the role of the long-abused Mr. Renfield, Nicolas Cage as many-toothed Dracula and Awkwafina as their comedy relief, the film takes us to a place that the tale has never before visited - the co-dependency between the two leads.
If one is re-visiting the characters of the 1930s Universal horror cycle, and re-working original footage, I far prefer Stephen Sommers Van Helsing, spectacularly lensed by Allen Daviau.
Renfield, shot digitally in 8k and finished in 4k, has been released by Universal in 2k Blu-ray format, and it's a beautiful product, looking far more like 4k from a nominal seating distance in projection. No problems.
Final audio is DTS-HD MA 7.1, which allows for a great home theater experience.
And now for what viewers have been waiting for - the unboxing.
While the normal packaging found within the slipcover is attractive, it's the slip, which one should presume will only be available in it's first edition printing, that adds depth - literally - to the product design.
It's overall a dark design with the two leads, front and center, and a dazzling fire-red sky behind, filled with large flying creatures, possibly turkey vultures.
The cover has a matte finish, and an underlying layer of metallic red that can be seen in it's pure state on the reverse design.
Above Mr. Cage's head is found the title design, with the F and I at the center of the word, turned into either stakes or fangs. Either would work. But the design goes a step further, embossing in a sort of variegated eggshell blue, to coincide with the facial highlights of the undead beneath.
This is a slipcover that should not end up in recycling, and could be worth thousands on eBay in the not too distant future.
Image – 5
Audio – 5 (DTS-HD MA 7.1)
Pass / Fail – Pass
Works up-rezzed to 4k - Yes
Slipcover rating -6.8
RAH
Thank you for supporting HTF when you preorder using the link below. As an Amazon Associate, HTF earns from qualifying purchases. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link.
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