[quote name='VaRIABLE SoUL']The Killer is an awesome movie.
I had the VCD a long time ago
what's up with these Asian blu-rays getting such crappy transfers? *shrug*[/QUOTE]
Because the original company that made the film might not care. Asian companies tend to play it fast and loose. So picture quality varies greatly.
Also, the Weinstein's who headed Miramax have a habit of screwing up local releases of foreign movies. Be it unnecessary editing or replacing soundtracks. They also have the notorious habit of buying up local distribution rights to foreign movies and then sitting on them making sure no one sees them.
Versus (Japanese zombie action movie) was shot using crappy film stock. No amount of restore work would make it look HD. At least not what people are expecting and used to. However, they are releasing a bluray version. It would require a miracle for it to look much better then already multiple editions released on DVD. As much as I like the movie, I have to draw a line somewhere.
[quote name='opterasis']Speaking of Ichi the Killer (which I don't hate, but I definitely don't get the massive amounts of hype over it) a few people got shipping notices from Amazon today, looks like it's FINALLY out. I wish I held on to my 13$ish preorder, no way in hell am I paying $20+ for it.[/QUOTE]
I'm with you. I've had my overseas DVD release of Ichi for year and years. The movie was analogous to all that is Japanese schlock cinema. And it was no where as entertaining as even some of the other brain dead Japanese movies.
[quote name='DestroVega']Anyone seen The Good, The Bad, The Weird? looks
ing awesome to me.[/QUOTE]
It wasn't half bad but then again it seems over hyped. Song Gang Ho (The Weird) and Lee Byung Hyun (GI Joe, The Bad) did a good job but the story was only slightly above average for me. However, I have to give it to the director. Not too many Kimchi westerns.
[quote name='styl3s']The Killer is AWFUL on blu-ray, go get the criterion DVD release of killer instead.
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare2/killer4.htm[/QUOTE]
Go get the Criterion? Not unless they want to pony up between $50 - $100. The Criterion release has been out of print for close to a decade now. Fox Lorber was the original US right holder who licensed it to Criterion and wouldn't let them renew it when they opened up their foreign movie arm.
[quote name='amphigorey']Argh, I was exited to get The Killer on blu ray - but seriously, why do they even bother with the transfers if upscaled DVD looks better? *grumble*[/QUOTE]
Because people will buy it. A crappy release that people buy tells them one thing. We can get away with a shoddy release and people will buy it.