The Rocky Horror Picture Show 35th Anniversary Blu-Ray

[PeterPanfan]

Fasten your garter belt and come up to the lab and see what's on the slab! It's The Rocky Horror Picture Show Special Edition, a screamingly funny, sinfully twisted salute to sci-fi, horror, B-movies and rock music, all rolled into one deliciously decadent morsel. And now there's even more to make you shiver with antici...pation: two additional musical numbers, "Once In A While" and "Superheroes", never seen theatrically or available on video! The madcap, musical mayhem begins when rain-soaked Brad and Janet take refuge in the castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a transvestite mad scientist from outer space who is about to unveil his greatest creation - and have a bit of fun with his reluctant guests! Join Tim Curry, Barry Bostwick, Susan Sarandon and rock star Meat Loaf in the most popular cult classic of all time.

Out October 19

I, for one, am excited! Anyone else?

[Escapay]

Oh man, I totally forgot that's coming out on Tuesday! And I just watched the movie this past weekend! Off to MovieStop tomorrow to pre-order it! And Moulin Rouge! comes out the same day. Damn, my wallet will hate me. Or love me.

albert

[zackisthewalrus]

I watched this for the first time this past summer and will definitely pick this up! It's so funny and awesome. Haha.

[dvdjunkie]

I wonder if it will have all three versions of the film in this set. I really like the two disc set that I have because of all the extras and the different versions of the film.

There is an Easter Egg that allows you to watch the film with the original Black & White opening. There is the UK Version and the US Version of the film included. Also a special setting that allows you to watch the movie as if you are in the audience and all the things that go on like the candles, newpapers, squirtguns and rolls of toilet paper being tossed in the air, all on the special cues.

Either way, I will double-dip just to have it on Blu-ray, but will probably keep my Special Edition version on standard DVD.

[Lazario]

I was listening to parts of the audio commentary last night and they said that the film was supposed to be black-and-white until the moment when we see Frank-N-Furter's face in the elevator. That has to be almost 27 minutes.

[PixarFan2006]

Looks like they (Fox) stole Warner's idea of releasing the film in digibook packaging.

[PeterPanfan]

I was listening to parts of the audio commentary last night and they said that the film was supposed to be black-and-white until the moment when we see Frank-N-Furter's face in the elevator. That has to be almost 27 minutes.

That would have been cool... hmm.

[dvdjunkie]

Lazario wrote:

I was listening to parts of the audio commentary last night and they said that the film was supposed to be black-and-white until the moment when we see Frank-N-Furter's face in the elevator. That has to be almost 27 minutes.

Richard O'Brien's original idea was to pay homage to The Wizard of Oz by having the film in Black and White until they enter the realm of Dr. Frankenfurter's Castle, which is approximately 27 minutes into the film. The movie premiered this way in London, but the critics hated it, so they reinstated the full color release of the film.

On the 25th Anniversary Edition of the movie there are approximately seven Easter Eggs and they are all easily accessible from the main menu.

If the Blu-ray doesn't have these Easter Eggs I will probably hang on to this version of the film also, as it is a lot of fun to watch in various forms.

[SpringHeelJack]

Almost. The movie was never filmed in black and white, and was never screened as such.



The B&W version was a post-production effect done for the DVD release. While every source I've read says that it was to jump to color the first shot of Frank's face on the elevator, I kinda like the way it is on the DVD. The homage to "Wizard of Oz" works a little better when Brad and Janet enter the "new world" in the ballroom.

On that note, I can't help but wonder if the jump to color during "Sweet Transvestite" was during a draft more reflective of the stage show, in which that song precedes "Time Warp." Thus the B&W transition could have been something that was abandoned before they even restructured the songs, making the version available on DVD still true to general spirit of the gimmick.

[2099net]

Got the UK version of this disc today and its great.

It does have the US, UK and B/W Opening versions of the film on.

Also the PiP window showing the audience participation/reenactments can be made full screen on demand - simply press the green button to toggle full screen mode on and off (it appears this is full 1080p HD too when scaled-up). I can't say much more, because I've only just put the disc in and given it a quick spin. I'm not sure if the PiP is present throughout the film, or just for select sequences at this point.

Also while there's not that much taken from the "vault" of previous releases (DVD and LD), what has been taken has been re-encoded to AVC rather than kept as MPEG2 - presumably to save disc space. I would imagine the disc is pretty full if the PiP track is for the entirety of the film's runtime, in which case the fact a lot of material has been omitted from the vault can easily be forgiven. But anyone with the 2 disc DVD set would be advised to keep hold of it.

Sadly, the UK version isn't a digibook.

[Mickeyfan1990]

First review!:

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Rocky ... 08/#Review

[SpringHeelJack]

So... what's missing from the two-disc DVD on the new Blu-ray? I'll probably hang on to my DVD regardless because it'll be good to have for now and I like the package, but I'm just curious what's not there anymore.

[Escapay]

Based on the blu-ray.com review, it looks like the VH1 extended interviews (56 minutes) and "Hot Patootie" Pop-Up Video (5 minutes) aren't included on the new Blu-Ray. Pity. I'd have hoped that the Blu-Ray would have included them, along with the actual "Behind the Music" and "Where Are They Now?" specials.

I'm not sure if "Vintage Callback Track" is just the Audience Participation audio track, or if it also includes the branching video segments from the "Multi-View Experience". Since the review mentions subtitles, they may have also included the Participation Prompter subtitle track. So essentially, it looks like the three* alternate viewing options (the branching video, the audio track, the subtitle track) are now combined into one PiP option. I'll have to wait until Tuesday to check for sure.

Too bad Shock Treatment isn't coming to Blu-Ray too. I still need to get that one on DVD.

albert

*not including the Wizard of Oz version, which looks to be an alternate playback feature now instead of an easter egg.

[2099net]

Based on the blu-ray.com review, it looks like the VH1 extended interviews (56 minutes) and "Hot Patootie" Pop-Up Video (5 minutes) aren't included on the new Blu-Ray. Pity. I'd have hoped that the Blu-Ray would have included them, along with the actual "Behind the Music" and "Where Are They Now?" specials.

There's also non of the DVD-ROM features. The Audience Participation soundtrack is also missing (on the UK at least - see below)

I'm not sure if "Vintage Callback Track" is just the Audience Participation audio track, or if it also includes the branching video segments from the "Multi-View Experience". Since the review mentions subtitles, they may have also included the Participation Prompter subtitle track. So essentially, it looks like the three* alternate viewing options (the branching video, the audio track, the subtitle track) are now combined into one PiP option. I'll have to wait until Tuesday to check for sure.

The DVD actually featured an audio audience participation track. This is missing from the disc - the UK version at least. It's confusing because if you turn on the Call Back Track you get a screen mentioning a soundtrack, but it doesn't exist. It's so loosely worded, they could just be describing where the subtitles originally originated from, and where they were taken from. Escapay is right, the Call back is only subtitles.

It may be possible this participation soundtrack is on the US disc, as traditionally European releases have more soundtrack options meaning less space and sometimes additional soundtracks are dropped for this reason. However, the Blu-ray review lists the same soundtracks as the UK disc. The UK disc is different though as it has no BD-Live.

I shouldn't have mentioned audience participation when discussing the PiP - its actually all a "shadowcast" - actors on stage act/mime along to the film. This is constantly available throughout the film and can be full-screened in what appears to be 1080p (but could be upscaled when set to full-screen).

All of the Midnight Experience features can be played concurrently - each taking a quarter of the screen - although apart from the shadowcast all are simply subtitles/graphics timed to the film.

The alternative B/W opening can be played on both the US and UK cuts, meaning that there are 6(?) versions of the film available -

US Standard
US "Oz"
UK Standard
UK "Oz"
US Shadowcast ?
UK Shadowcast ?

All in 1080p(? - see notes on Shadowcast) - even with branchaing that's two full films (UK Standard, UK Shadowcast) 20 minutes of more HD content (the "Oz" opening) and two versions of Superheroes (Normal and Shadowcast).

We also have two different soundtracks for every song in HD (the Kareoke - one soundtrack with vocals, one without) and just over an hour of new HD supplements, although I must admit the subject - auditioning and casting the starts of the shadowcast, holds little interest for me.

While some content has been missed from the 25th Anniversary DVD, I don't think anyone can mind that much, given the huge amount of HD content on the disc, and the care and attention that has gone into authoring it.

Too bad Shock Treatment isn't coming to Blu-Ray too. I still need to get that one on DVD.

albert

*not including the Wizard of Oz version, which looks to be an alternate playback feature now instead of an easter egg.

I actually prefer Shock Treatment to TRHPS. It's only crime was being decade or so ahead of its time.

[Barbossa]

I picked it up a couple of weeks ago on DVD for $5. I can't get the music out of my head. Had to put the tracks on my mp3 player. "It's just a jump to the left..."

[PeterPanfan]

Anyone get this today and want to comment on it? I'm going to pick it up from Target soon.

[Escapay]

Haven't had a chance to watch my Blu-Ray yet, but the book is gorgeous. Very nice high-quality pictures, thick glossy paper. My one complaint is that rather than have a plastic tray for the Blu-Ray (the way some Warner Digibooks are), it's just a little cardboard pocket. But given that Blu-Rays are very scratch-resistant, it shouldn't pose that big a problem. I'm holding on to the 25th Anniversary DVD from ten years ago, it's got several good features not carried over.

albert

[SpringHeelJack]

I really hate the disc holder. Three times so far the Blu-ray has fallen out, and I'm trying to think of a better way to secure it. The photos are nice, but it would be nice if the book itself was the same size as a regular Blu-ray and not slightly larger.

The movie itself looks nice, though, and I love the trivia track / callback prompter / shadow cast / prop box. It is annoying that they used a different take of Susan Sarandon's solo in "Over at the Frankenstein Place," but I can't say I'm holding my breath for Fox to fix that one.

[Escapay]

All right, I perused through the Blu-Ray, watching select scenes of the film in various forms (the Midnight Experience, Rocky-oke, Black & White, etc.)

It may be possible this participation soundtrack is on the US disc, as traditionally European releases have more soundtrack options meaning less space and sometimes additional soundtracks are dropped for this reason. However, the Blu-ray review lists the same soundtracks as the UK disc. The UK disc is different though as it has no BD-Live.

Unfortunately, the US disc is only subtitles for the Callback Track. The Audience Participation audio track from the DVD has been left out.

I'm a little annoyed at that, but at the same time, I'm glad we're just getting subtitles. The raucous nature of the audio track on the DVD made it hard to decipher what was being said if you've never heard it before. So having subtitles of what to call out (though they do admit in the beginning that some are omitted), is a nice compromise. But I'm sure nothing beats a live theatrical screening of the film, costumes, water pistols, and all (which, if time permits, I'll be attending for the first time this weekend).

I shouldn't have mentioned audience participation when discussing the PiP - its actually all a "shadowcast" - actors on stage act/mime along to the film. This is constantly available throughout the film and can be full-screened in what appears to be 1080p (but could be upscaled when set to full-screen).

I really liked the shadowcast. It's full 1080p when it's switched to fullscreen, and is like watching a whole separate movie in and of itself, even with the shared soundtrack. I watched the first 10 minutes of the documentary about it, and will try to watch the rest later.

All of the Midnight Experience features can be played concurrently - each taking a quarter of the screen - although apart from the shadowcast all are simply subtitles/graphics timed to the film.

I did that for the first five minutes and with so many things going on at once, it was a wonder I could see the actual movie at all.

I like the Prop Box, it's a nice little novelty. I can throw rice during "Sweet Transvestite" instead of just during weddings, and it's fun seeing the prunes fly around during "The Sword of Damocles".

The trivia track was informative (during the times I turned it on to see what they'd talk about). I didn't think to watch it during "Hot Patootie" to see how the trivia differed between the Blu-Ray and the Pop-Up Video, I'll have to do that next time.

While some content has been missed from the 25th Anniversary DVD, I don't think anyone can mind that much, given the huge amount of HD content on the disc, and the care and attention that has gone into authoring it.

I agree. Plus, since I still have the old DVD, the content isn't really "missed" or "gone". The convenience of having it all on one disc is a minor grip, but what we have on the Blu-Ray is quite an excellent presentation of the film in various incarnations, and a nice selection of special features.

albert

[Barbossa]

Even though I watched it just a week and a half ago, I'm tempted to watch it again. Darn that music, it's stuck in my head.