27-28 Blood For Dracula and Flesh for Frankenstein

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kinji

27-28 Blood For Dracula and Flesh for Frankenstein

#1 Post by kinji » Sat Jan 22, 2005 8:52 pm

Blood For Dracula

[img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/275/28_box_348x490_w100.jpg[/img]

Paul Morrissey’s moralistic take on modern values is a brash mixture of humor, horror, and sex—and a revelation to fans of the horror film. In Blood for Dracula, the infamous count searches Italy for virgin blood. Criterion presents the long-suppressed director’s cut of this outrageous cult classic in a widescreen transfer.

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Flesh for Frankenstein

[img]http://criterion_production.s3.amazonaws.com/release_images/272/27_box_348x490_w100.jpg[/img]

Maverick filmmaker Paul Morrissey’s Flesh for Frankenstein reevaluates the horror film, infusing it with satiric wit and sexuality. Morrissey’s tale of the mad Baron Frankenstein and his perverse creative urges was heavily edited upon initial release; Criterion presents the restored director’s cut—fully intact after 25 years—in a widescreen transfer.

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Disc Features

- Audio commentary by Paul Morrissey, star Udo Kier, and film historian Maurice Yacowar
- A stills gallery of publicity and production photos, featuring excerpts from the Claudio Gizzi musical score in stereo

Out of Print

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Nihonophile
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#2 Post by Nihonophile » Sat Jan 22, 2005 9:03 pm

Last week I went to Frys and I found a copy of this buried in a DVD rack, the price was $34, I was expecting to pay that, but when I went to the check out she told me it was $10! It's now on my shelf, brand new sealed, I'm not gonna open it but I was wondering if I'm missing out on a great movie?
Don't hoard it! open it up and enjoy that sucker. That movie is FUN incarnate.

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#3 Post by cdnchris » Sat Jan 22, 2005 9:11 pm

WERGINS!!! WERGINS!!!

This movie (along with Flesh for Frankenstein) are both fun and funny. I would defintely watch it.

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#4 Post by Napier » Mon Jan 24, 2005 12:51 pm

I agree totally, open that sucka and enjoy! What fun! I still remember the first time I saw it. You could still get 100$ online for it even if it is open. I paid $150 for my Criterion copy of Tap.

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dx23
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#5 Post by dx23 » Mon Feb 07, 2005 10:43 pm

From Fangoria's "Video Chopping List":

SEPTEMBER 20 [2005]
*NEW* BLOOD FOR DRACULA (new DVD special edition): Image
*NEW* FLESH FOR FRANKENSTEIN (new DVD special edition): Image
It's mentioned on the DVDTalk forum that Image list upcoming and released Criterions on its website, for example Jules et Jim. Because of that, people from that forum have wondered if the Warhols are going to be re-released by Criterion in the near future. To me it seems a posibility given the Criterion-Image relationship. What does everybody else think?

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#6 Post by lord_clyde » Tue Feb 08, 2005 6:26 am

It would be nice if Criterion did rerelease them. I'm having a hard time finding affordable copies on ebay.

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#7 Post by the dancing kid » Tue Feb 08, 2005 5:02 pm

I think this might be my favorite disc in the collection. Sure, others are "better films" but this is so much fun, and it has one of the best director commentaries I've heard. I haven't gotten the chance to see much of Morrissey's other works (most of which are unfortunately OOP on DVD), but he seems to have a really great eye for making films and a particualrly dark sense of humor.

For those who are familiar with Kristeva's theory of abjection, I think this is one of the best films to deal with that concept. A vampire vomitting blood is such a great image to begin with, and it's only that much better when looked at in the context of her writings.

I guess the only thing I didn't like about it was Vittorio De Sica's character, who only has one or two scenes before leaving. How did he get a sample of Dracula's urine? Maybe we're better off not knowing.

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dx23
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#8 Post by dx23 » Tue Feb 08, 2005 6:06 pm

Ergo, it would seem to me that since Fangoria listed these similarly - apprently after seeing an advance release calender - that it can be assumed that these are also being re-released by Criterion a la M.
I don't know if we can assume that they are going to be re-released a la M or Beauty and the Beast by Criterion. I believe that it is more likely that both are re-released with no changes at all if Criterion bought the rights again.
It seems to me that in looking at the Image release schedule, all the Criterions they distribute are noted as "Special Edition" in parentheses after the film title - and no others seem to be denoted as such.
The Special Edition tag is frequently used by many distributors and retailers when a DVD has some extras. I have seen retailers like Borders call some Criterions Special Edition on their inventory for no reason other than their believe that by having extras, a DVD carry a higher price or that their distributors called them that way.

I really hope that they are re-released by Criterion after seeing Image track record with old material. Sometimes they do it right, like with Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler, but other times they just fail miserably like with Hitchcock's Under Capricorn and Odd Man Out.

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#9 Post by manicsounds » Thu Feb 10, 2005 12:36 am

I found both movies used for about $35 each at a store the other day.......
but with news of an upcoming reissue, i might have to pass them up.

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#10 Post by Lino » Sat Feb 12, 2005 7:02 am

Let us all hope that the new Flesh for Frankenstein edition will have the 3-D version as extra! Wouldn't that be grand?

Anyway, if you like these two and want more of that quirky Morrissey style but with a kooky british flavour to it, try his own take on The Hound of the Baskervilles

This film is hilarious! One of the very best english produced comedies ever, believe me! I have never been so pleasantly surprised at what seemed like an unfunny take on the old Conan Doyle story! Needless to say, this film is only loosely based on its source material but are you in for a treat with this one...! :D

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#11 Post by Nihonophile » Sat Feb 12, 2005 1:24 pm

Hound also has an American R1 release for anyone interested.

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Jeff
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#12 Post by Jeff » Thu Jun 16, 2005 12:06 am

From DavisDVD:
Next up on September 20th are reissues of Blood For Dracula and Flesh For Frankenstein. Previously released through the Criterion Collection, these discs come with respective 1.85 and 2.35 anamorphic transfers, Dolby Digital Mono tracks, audio commentaries director Paul Morrissey and Udo Kier, new audio recollections from Morrissey and still galleries. "Frankenstein will also include a rare screen test. Retail is $19.99 each.
What is really interesting is that on the Image website, they use the phrase "Criterion presents the long-suppressed director's cut of this outrageous cult classic" in the description of both films. Looks like the Criterion audio commentaries are being paired with anamorphic transfers and some additional supplements - all for half of the original price.

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#13 Post by justeleblanc » Thu Jun 16, 2005 1:12 am

Would Criterion have sold the prints back to Image? Or do you think the original deal was that Criterion could release these two films for x number of years with the intention that Image could then pretty much re-package the same discs under their own label? Or are these notions pretty stupid?

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#14 Post by inri222 » Sun Jun 26, 2005 6:01 pm

From the Image website

Flesh for Frankenstein

Audio Format: Mono
Screen Format: 1.85:1
16x9: Yes
Color: Color
Region Code: Region 1
Original Languages: English
English Dubbed: No
Other Languages: None
Subtitles: None

Audio Commentary Featuring Paul Morrissey and Udo Kier; New Audio Recollections from Paul Morrissey; Stills Gallery

Blood for Dracula

Audio Format: Mono
Screen Format: 2.35:1
16x9: Yes
Color: Color
Region Code: Region 1
Original Languages: English
English Dubbed: No

Audio Commentary Featuring Paul Morrissey and Udo Kier; New Audio Recollections from Paul Morrissey; Stills Gallery; Rarely Seen Screen Test.
Other Languages: None
Subtitles: None

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#15 Post by Narshty » Thu Jul 28, 2005 5:31 pm

From Image, as final confirmation (presumably discussing all their Morrissey properties, not just the two in this thread):
Thank you for your inquiry. Image Entertainment's new upcoming Morrissey DVD releases are all from new hi def transfers. Each is scheduled to have interview/commentary segments by Paul Morrissey regarding deleted scenes, and still galleries. (these run 12-20 minutes each depending on the title). We will also have the Criterion commentaries on the discs where applicable.
Hello Ebay!

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#16 Post by Lino » Tue Sep 13, 2005 3:58 am


Cinesimilitude
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#17 Post by Cinesimilitude » Tue Sep 13, 2005 11:12 am

Image upstages Criterion?

there are three words I never thought I'd write.

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Lino
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#18 Post by Lino » Tue Sep 13, 2005 11:51 am

SncDthMnky wrote:Image upstages Criterion?
Actually, it's not that hard to believe. Picture and audio restoration have come a long and fast way in these DVD years we live in. I bet in the near future we will see yet another super restoration of say, Metropolis that will make it look like it was shot 10 years ago. Or even less.

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#19 Post by denti alligator » Tue Sep 13, 2005 2:01 pm

Flesh for Frankenstein

Screen Format: 1.85:1

Blood for Dracula

Screen Format: 2.35:1
Shouldn't these be the other way around? Flesh 2.35 and Blood 1.85? Is this just a mistake on Image's website, or do these DVDs have the aspect ratios reversed? Waiting for the Beaver to review and compare...

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#20 Post by porquenegar » Thu Sep 15, 2005 5:49 pm

I'm assuming these now have anamorphic transfers.

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#21 Post by viciousliar » Wed Sep 21, 2005 3:24 pm


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#22 Post by cafeman » Wed Sep 21, 2005 3:34 pm

For some reason, I expected them to package these two together, but they`re currently only available separately.

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#23 Post by Lino » Thu Oct 20, 2005 5:01 pm

I really don't get Image DVD policy - on their site and on the respective pages for both these films you can find the original theatrical trailers as a download. Now, why oh why couldn't they have put them on the new DVDs? Anyway, here they are:

Blood for Dracula

Flesh for Frankenstein

And on other Morrissey related news, Image is re-releasing Women in Revolt in December with Deleted Scenes and Photo Galleries with commentary as extras. Again, the original theatrical trailer is available for download on the page refering to it but is not to be found on the upcoming DVD.

His hard-to-find Mixed Blood will also be released, this time on February, 2006. No word yet on extras.

And while I'm at it, here's the trailer for Heat. (you guessed it, not included on the new re-released DVD)

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#24 Post by Narshty » Fri Oct 21, 2005 9:47 am

Image's new transfer of Flesh for Frankenstein has a great whack of information missing on the left hand side of the screen, ala The Leopard. To be fair, it's mostly dead space that's gone, so I don't know whether we're now seeing the intentional framing (Criterion's transfer may have opened up the space on the left where the magnetic soundtrack would have gone on prints, ie. The Great Escape) or what's going on. The transfer itself does appear to be an improvement though not a staggering one (and thankfully doesn't revert to noticeably crummier elements for certain parts near the beginning) and the actual look of both transfers is very much the same. They're both also supervised and approved by Paul Morrissey, which will only add to the confusion.

EDIT: Actually, I'm now convinced the Image has the correct framing. There's a shot at the start of chapter 23 (on both discs) which has the two zombies lying horizontally with the horrified maid stumbling upon them. In the Image they're both symmetrical at either edge of the scope frame, but in the Criterion there's a noticeable chunk of dead space on the left next to the female zombie's head (there's also less space on the right, skewing the composition even more). Chapter 7 also now looks symmetrical, with a colourful lab equipment bookending each side of the screen, rather than throwing things off with the extra space featured on the Criterion, which looks a bit odd.

The Criterion colour palette was noticeably pumped up digitally during the transfer stage to try and compensate for presumably faded originals - the outdoor greenery in particularly just looked bizarre, either being olive-coloured or day-glo green. Now everything on the Image disc just looks a normal grassy hue. The elements themselves are a great improvement - presumably the original negatives rather than the third-generation internegatives used by Criterion, with far clearer colours and more shadow detail. The tramlines at the start of chapter 8 are gone now, though minor print damage occurs throughout the film (which I quite like). There's far less grain, as well as removing all the digital noise and other compression nastiness on the Criterion (which is unsurprising, given that it was a 1998 single-layer presentation). Curiously, it keeps the same first 30 chapters from Criterion, amusing quotes and all, but omits the final one.

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#25 Post by cdnchris » Fri Oct 21, 2005 12:05 pm

Narshty wrote:Curiously, it keeps the same first 30 chapters from Criterion, amusing quotes and all, but omits the final one.
I remember when I first bought Flesh For Frankenstein. I had never seen it, but thought I'd go for it, and when I opened the DVD and saw the chapter entitled (I believe) "You have to fuck life in the gall-bladder" I thought to myself "this movie is going to rock!" And indeed it did. Best chapters list ever!

I'm still disappointed Image didn't include the 3D version. I'd only watch it once out of curiosity (watching 3D on TV is brutal) but I'd love to see how some of those shots would have worked (like the spear at the end.) But if the transfer is a big improvement I may have to pick both Flesh and Blood up.

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