Videodrome Blu-ray - James Woods

Search DVDBeaver

S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka 'Network of Blood' or 'Zonekiller' ')

directed by David Cronenberg
USA 1983

When Max Renn goes looking for edgy new shows for his sleazy cable TV station, he stumbles across the pirate broadcast of a hyperviolent torture show called Videodrome. As he unearths the origins of the program, he embarks on a hallucinatory journey into a shadow world of right-wing conspiracies, sadomasochistic sex games, and bodily transformation. Renn’s ordinary life dissolves around him, he finds himself at the center of a conflict between opposing factions in the struggle to control the truth behind the radical human future of “the New Flesh.” Starring James Woods and Deborah Harry in one of her first film roles, Videodrome is one of writer/director David Cronenberg’s most original and provocative works, fusing social commentary with shocking elements of sex and violence. With groundbreaking special effects makeup by Academy Award-winner Rick Baker, Videodrome has come to be regarded as one of the most influential and mind-bending science fiction films of the 1980s.

Posters

Theatrical Release: January 29th, 1983

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

Comparison:

Universal - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Criterion (2 disc) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Bill McAlpine for the Universal Screen Captures!

(Universal - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Universal Region 1 - NTSC	Criterion Collection - Spine # 248 Region 1 - NTSC	Criterion Collection - Spine # 248 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1.28.33	1:28:42	1:28:52.827
Video	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.32 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio - 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 7.39 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	Disc Size: 47,385,991,972 bytes Feature Size: 26,380,283,904 bytes Average Bitrate: 24.99 Mbps Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video 1080P
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Criterion DVD
Bitrate: Criterion Blu-ray
Audio	English mono, French mono	English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)	LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Subtitles	English, Spanish, and none	English, and none	English, and none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Universal Studios Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterboxed - 1.85:1 Edition Details: • Production notes • Cast & Filmmakers' bios • Theatrical trailer DVD Release Date: September 2nd, 2003 Keep case Chapters 16	Release Information: Studio: Criterion Collection / Home Vision Aspect Ratio: Original aspect Ratio 1.85:1 Edition Details: • Two audio commentaries: David Cronenberg and director of photography Mark Irwin, and actors James Woods and Deborah Harry • Camera (2000), a short film starring Videodrome’s Les Carlson, written and directed by Cronenberg • Forging the New Flesh, a new half-hour documentary featurette by filmmaker Michael Lennick about the creation of Videodrome’s video and prosthetic makeup effects • Effects Men, a new audio interview with special makeup effects creator Baker and video effects supervisor Lennick • Bootleg Video: the complete footage of Samurai Dreams and seven minutes of transmissions from “Videodrome,” presented in their original, unedited form with filmmaker commentary • Fear on Film, a 26-minute roundtable discussion from 1982 between filmmakers Cronenberg, John Carpenter, John Landis, and Mick Garris • Original theatrical trailers and promotional featurette • Stills galleries featuring hundreds of rare behind-the-scenes production photos, special effects makeup tests, and publicity photos English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired • 40-page booklet featuring an essay by film critic Carrie Rickey, excerpts from an unpublished book on Videodrome by film critic and publisher Tim Lucas, and a new essay by novelist and culture critic Gary Indiana DVD Release Date: August 31st, 2004 Firm cardboard slip box Chapters: 24	Release Information: Studio: Criterion Collection Disc Size: 47,385,991,972 bytes Feature Size: 26,380,283,904 bytes Average Bitrate: 24.99 Mbps Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video 1080P Edition Details: • Two audio commentaries: David Cronenberg and director of photography Mark Irwin, and actors James Woods and Deborah Harry • Camera (2000), a short film starring Videodrome’s Les Carlson, written and directed by Cronenberg • Forging the New Flesh, a new half-hour documentary featurette by filmmaker Michael Lennick about the creation of Videodrome’s video and prosthetic makeup effects • Effects Men, a new audio interview with special makeup effects creator Baker and video effects supervisor Lennick • Bootleg Video: the complete footage of Samurai Dreams and seven minutes of transmissions from “Videodrome,” presented in their original, unedited form with filmmaker commentary • Fear on Film, a 26-minute roundtable discussion from 1982 between filmmakers Cronenberg, John Carpenter, John Landis, and Mick Garris • Original theatrical trailers and promotional featurette • Stills galleries featuring hundreds of rare behind-the-scenes production photos, special effects makeup tests, and publicity photos English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired • 36-page booklet featuring an essay by film critic Carrie Rickey, excerpts from a book on Videodrome by film critic and publisher Tim Lucas, and a new essay by novelist and culture critic Gary Indiana Blu-ray Release Date: December 7th, 2010 Transparent Blu-ray case inside slip box Chapters: 23

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Criterion Region 'A' Blu-ray - (November 2010) - Desirable image from Criterion's 1080P treatment of Videodrome. It advances quite handily over both previous DVD editions (of which I believe the Criterion DVD captures were obtained at an 'enhanced' option - it was over 6 years ago). The Blu-ray shows textured grain and the more accurate color palette - largely supporting the Criterion SD rendering but overall a bit darker. Everything is visually represented as adeptly and impressively as one might expect from Criterion and the image advances to a far more film-like appearance. The 'creepy' hallucinogenic scenes gain some further momentum in 1080P but the higher resolution doesn't expose the effects.

Audio stays faithfully mono in a linear PCM 1.0 track at 1152 kbps. The lossless rendering accentuates the haunting music score with some perceived depth. There are optional English subtitles.

Criterion move over all the excellent extras from the 2-disc DVD package including the two enjoyable commentaries: David Cronenberg and director of photography Mark Irwin, plus the second with actors James Woods and Deborah Harry. We get the a short film, Camera from 2000, starring Videodrome’s Les Carlson, written and directed by Cronenberg and the Forging the New Flesh, half-hour documentary featurette by filmmaker Michael Lennick about the creation of Videodrome’s video and prosthetic makeup effects. Effects Men, is the audio interview with special makeup effects creator Baker and video effects supervisor Lennick, Bootleg Video is the complete footage of Samurai Dreams and seven minutes of transmissions from “Videodrome,” presented in their original, unedited form with filmmaker commentary, Fear on Film, is a 26-minute roundtable discussion from 1982 between filmmakers Cronenberg, John Carpenter, John Landis, and Mick Garris. There are original theatrical trailers and promotional featurette, stills galleries featuring hundreds of rare behind-the-scenes production photos, special effects makeup tests, and publicity photos English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired and a 36-page booklet featuring an essay by film critic Carrie Rickey, excerpts from Tim Lucas' book on Videodrome (Videodrome: Studies in the Horror Film), and a new essay by novelist and culture critic Gary Indiana.

This was a great release from Criterion back in 2004 (some of the very best digital supplements of that year) and is likewise a solid Blu-ray package in 2010. Fans of the film will be very happy with the a/v upgrade. It is just the type of transfer Videodrome viewers would want to see - exporting more 'B'-esque realism with the advanced, grain-prevalent, video and lossless audio. The extras remain magnificent.... recommended!

***

ON THE DVDs: Comparing the Universal edition does show that the Criterion is cropped on the right and top edges a shade. To be fair, the non-anamorphic Universal is not too bad and lack of 16X9 enhancement is its biggest failing. It is duller and a shade hazy, colors appear less vibrant. The Criterion has some red in the skin tones, but has very good contrast. Non-intrusive subtitles and extras are solidly in Criterion's favor, but the Universal does offer a French audio DUB and some extra subtitle choices. For this reason we say that for those watching through a tube, desire the language options, and are not overly concerned with the minutia of the extensive extras - they will find the Universal price is right. Big fans of the film (and there are many) will rejoice at the Criterion.

- Gary W. Tooze

DVD Menus

(Universal - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)