Killers From Space (1954) DVD (Restored Edition) (1 Viewer)

[Mark McFurbin]

Tried to watch the free Amazon Prime streaming of Killers From Space last night, but it was the old, beat up PD print with washed out contrast. No solid blacks. Gave up after about 1/2 hour.

Obviously you watched the wrong version. This one isn't available to watch for free. Didn't you see the screenshots above?


http://www.amazon.com/Killers-Space-Restored-PeterGraves/dp/B014004G0K/


That is the correct link to the one we are discussing in this thread.

 

[BobO'Link]

Tried to watch the free Amazon Prime streaming of Killers From Space last night, but it was the old, beat up PD print with washed out contrast. No solid blacks. Gave up after about 1/2 hour.

You have to pay attention to the disc art on Amazon Streaming selections. The Art reflects just which version is being offered. The art for the default is the old, crappy, Synergy version.

Obviously you watched the wrong version. This one isn't available to watch for free. Didn't you see the screenshots above?


http://www.amazon.com/Killers-Space-Restored-PeterGraves/dp/B014004G0K/


That is the correct link to the one we are discussing in this thread.

Thanks! I'd not found that one, but I also didn't really look after discovering the Free Prime version was the Synergy one. You'd think they'd link to the streaming version for the disc copy shown on the physical media page. I can see them losing sales because they offered the crappy PD version with people thinking it's what's being sold as "remastered." You see "reviews" about that frequently. That god one is for sale at only $2.50 and I have a bit more than that from "free" $1 digital credits for using slow-boat shipping. I may use it for a copy of the "good" version to screen before making a physical media purchase.

 

[John Sparks]

Hopefully mine will be here today along with "Monster that Challenged the World!" Saw MTCTW in 1959 at age 9 and it scared the hell out of me!!!

 

[Bob Furmanek]

 

[John Sparks]

Have it and going to watch it in the HT and compare it with the other crappy ones I have.

 

[John Sparks]

Just finished watching it all I can say is "WOW!!!"

It's a DVDr and like Markie states above, it's unknown who puts it out...nothing anywhere on the disc or packaging.

This release is just as good as anything that WB MOD has put out or anyone else. The picture is almost blemish free, runs in at 70:46 min., whereas the PDs run at 69:26 min...at least the two of mine do.

There's only one time that a reel change over black dot is visible. Don't know where they got the source from, but it looks like it's from the original and not a old 35mm source. It is progressive and not interlaced. The sound is excellent, but only in a few spots and only for a few seconds was there a lip ssync problem.

It is 1.37:1, but there are a few scenes that a mic is visible in the top of the frame, and a lot of head room in some scenes, so I'm sure it was shown in 1.85:1 at some theaters.

All in all, thanks Markie for showing this to us here at HTF and I get to add it to scf-fi/horror collection.

So, whomever released, maybe they will do this to some other PDs out there!!!

Also, a company called Film Detectives has released "The Killer Shrews" in a restored version for $10 on Amazon. Going to pick it up and I'll report back what I find.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

It was more than shown in 1.85 in some theaters, it was composed for that aspect ratio. The earliest announcements for the film in the trades (before the start of principal photography) state it will be widescreen.

 

[John Sparks]

It was more than shown in 1.85 in some theaters, it was composed for that aspect ratio. The earliest announcements for the film in the trades (before the start of principal photography) state it will be widescreen.

Bob, so this print is what was sent out to theaters and then masked for 1.85:1?

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Correct, if the transfer has not been zoomed or manipulated in telecine.


That was SOP for non-anamorphic widescreen at the time. There's more info in these two articles.


http://www.3dfilmarchive.com/home/widescreen-documentation


http://www.3dfilmarchive.com/the-first-year-of-widescreen

 

[Bob Furmanek]

From the July 15, 1953 issue of Daily Variety:

The title was changed to PHANTOM CREATURES on September 15, 1953 and finally KILLERS FROM SPACE on January 4, 1954 when RKO picked up the film for release.

 

[John Sparks]

Thanks for the info Bob. No where on the disc is there any mention of RKO releasing it.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

I believe this is sourced from an international 35mm element which may have never had an RKO logo.


If you use the zoom feature on your display - and the transfer is close to the full width of the original image - you'll get a pretty accurate widescreen image.

 

[Mark McFurbin]

Also, a company called Film Detectives has released "The Killer Shrews" in a restored version for $10 on Amazon. Going to pick it up and I'll report back what I find.

The best version of The Killer Shrews is the Legend Films release here:


http://www.amazon.com/Killer-Shrews-Monster-Colorized-Versions/dp/B001BSBBQW/


It's a double feature that includes The Giant Gila Monster which is also the best version of that film available as well.


Film Detectives is a PD company, I'm not positive but my guess is there's would just be sourced from the Legend release, so your best bet is just to buy the Legend Films DF.

 

[John Sparks]

Most of these companies use PD 35mm as their source and some are better than others. "The Giant Gila Monster" from Image is in it's correct AR and has a better picture. Another one which has a better picture is "Phantom Planet" from Image. Both the Image and Legend are not in their correct AR.

I don't have the Legend of The Killer Shrews/The Giant Gila Monster, but post some screen shots if you have them, the AR and run time.

When I get my Film Detectives copy on Saturday, I'll compare. Also, maybe this PD print will be like KFS and show the full picture or show it as 1.85:1.

 

[Darren Gross]

I second the vote- the Legend copies of The Killer Shrews/The Giant Gila Monster are gorgeous.


Thanks for the heads-up on Killers from Space. Probably the best copy yet released.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Standby because there may be a better version in the works. I'll know more in a few days...

 

[John Sparks]

I second the vote- the Legend copies of The Killer Shrews/The Giant Gila Monster are gorgeous.


Thanks for the heads-up on Killers from Space. Probably the best copy yet released.

...Again, what I wrote above still stands. We'll find out sometime in the next 2 days, when I review it, if the "Killer Shrews is any where near to the Legend version.

 

[John Sparks]

Standby because there may be a better version in the works. I'll know more in a few days

What ever version you're talking about...we're behind you 100% percent.

 

[Mark McFurbin]

...Again, what I wrote above still stands. We'll find out sometime in the next 2 days, when I review it, if the "Killer Shrews is any where near to the Legend version.

Not to be rude, but I don't think it does stand. Name one PD company that actually sources PD releases from actual 35mm prints. Most of the time they steal from whatever source they can get there hands on not caring if it's total garbage or not. Most of the time there will be a pristine release out there and the PD company will still source there DVD from a 20th generation VHS copy or simply take it from archive.org. They just don't care, plain and simple.


I guarantee the Killer Shrews from Film Detective if it's any good at all will be sourced from the Legend disc.

 

[John Sparks]

Not to be rude, but I don't think it does stand. Name one PD company that actually sources PD releases from actual 35mm prints. Most of the time they steal from whatever source they can get there hands on not caring if it's total garbage or not. Most of the time there will be a pristine release out there and the PD company will still source there DVD from a 20th generation VHS copy or simply take it from archive.org. They just don't care, plain and simple.


I guarantee the Killer Shrews from Film Detective if it's any good at all will be sourced from the Legend disc.

Legend!