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Release Date: 29 September 2014
Format: Dual Format Blu-ray + DVD
Starring: Paul Hampton, Joe Silver, Lynn Lowry
Directed by: David Cronenberg
Synopsis: BEING TERRIFIED IS JUST THE BEGINNING…
Initially reviled in its native land (some critics took exception to the fact the film was largely funded by the Canadian taxpayer), Shivers is an intensely claustrophobic, subversive masterpiece and an essential entry in the oeuvre of one of the horror genre's most gifted auteurs. Some 40 years after its release, it still retains its power to shock.
Starliner Island is an idyllic community. Cut off from the rest of the world, the luxury apartment block affords its occupants the chance to escape from the hustle and bustle of the big city. But this isolation is to prove fatal when a new breed of parasite - a combination of aphrodisiac and venereal disease which arouses sexual aggression in its hosts - is let loose in the building, resulting in an orgy terror and mayhem.
Known under a host of alternate titles such as The Parasite Murdersand They Came From Within!, Shivers is the startling debut full-length feature from director David Cronenberg which anticipates the body-horror concerns of his later films such as The Fly and Videodrome.
SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS:
High definition digital transfers
Newly created and exclusive content
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork
Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film and more!
More to be revealed closer to the release date
New High Definition Digital Transfer supervised and approved by writer-director David Cronenberg
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation
Original mono audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray)
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Parasite Memories: The Making of Shivers - A brand new documentary featuring interviews with stars Barbara Steele, Allan Kolman and Lynn Lowry, special effects genius Joe Blasco and film critic Kier-La Janisse
On Screen! - An episode of the Canadian television programme which documents the release history of Shivers, featuring interviews with Cronenberg, co-producer Don Carmody, as well as other cast and crew
From Stereo to Video - A specially-commissioned video essay by Caelum Vatnsdal, author of They Came from Within: A History of Canadian Horror Cinema, charting Cronenberg's career from his experimental beginnings through to Videodrome, his first major studio picture
Original Theatrical Trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Nat Marsh
Collector's Booklet featuring new writing on the film by Paul Corupe, creator of the Canuxploitation website, reprinted excerpts of Cronenberg on Cronenberg and more, illustrated with original archive stills and posters
Too bad there's no commentary, but it's great news that they got Cronenberg to approve the transfer, as I know he's very particular. (Then again, people have generally disliked his approved transfer for Criterion's SCANNERS release, but this seems to be the exception.) I've had it on pre-order for a while, can't wait to give it a spin.
"This release has now been completely signed off however the release date has now been slightly pushed back until October 13th. For those that ordered direct, your copy will be shipping in advance of this date."
Word on the street is that Arrow's new SHIVERS Blu is missing some footage (no more than 10 seconds, if memory serves me correctly) from the memorable encounter between Linsky and Tudor.
'You know, I'd almost forgotten what your eyes looked like. Still the same. Pissholes in the snow'
http://www.paul-a-j-lewis.com (my photography website)
'All explaining in movies can be thrown out, I think': Elmore Leonard
10 seconds AWOL is certainly not good, but looks like this BD has more serious issues.
Take a look at these comp. caps ( the DVD has issues for sure , but the BD has blown out whites / bad contrast boost )
I cropped the open matte DVD for comparison purposes
DVD
10 seconds AWOL is certainly not good, but looks like this BD has more serious issues.
Take a look at these comp. caps ( the DVD has issues for sure , but the BD has blown out whites / bad contrast boost )
I'm seeing that ( :) ), but I imagine the disc looks much better in motion. Possibly, with the contrast the BD is seeing a more 'accurate'/filmic contrast, where the contrast was dialled down slightly for the DVD so as to avoid clipping the highlights in the primitive/brutal encode to a standard definition digital format. (Just a thought, really; but to my eyes the highlights in that shot don't seem to be burnt out per se: my monitor needs a clean, but it seems that there's subtle tonal detail on the sheet of paper with the William Blake quote on it, for example.) I have a feeling this one looks better in motion than it does via still frame screen grabs. On the other hand, the 1.78:1 framing looks a little too 'tight' to my eyes, but again I'll reserve judgement till I've seen the disc for myself. However, I'm going to hang fire until Arrow address the issue of the missing footage.
'You know, I'd almost forgotten what your eyes looked like. Still the same. Pissholes in the snow'
http://www.paul-a-j-lewis.com (my photography website)
'All explaining in movies can be thrown out, I think': Elmore Leonard
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