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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
(aka "John Carpenter's Vampires" )
directed by John Carpenter
USA 1998
John Carpenter’s Vampires (1998) stars the irrepressible James Woods as a Vatican-sanctioned vampire slayer assisted by a wise-cracking sidekick (Daniel Baldwin) and a naïve young priest (Tim Guinee); they’re pitted against a centuries-old vamp (Thomas Ian Griffith) in an attempt to retrieve a religious relic that will allow the nocturnal types to stalk the world in the full light of day. Also starring Maximilian Schell and Sheryl Lee, and featuring a terrific score by the versatile Carpenter. ***
Along with the comic-book-based Blade and the
television spin-off from Buffy the Vampire Slayer,
this adaptation of John Steakley's disposable novel
Vampires reflects a significant shift of emphasis in
the vampire sub-genre. It's comparable to the mutation
of the gangster movie whereby the flamboyant hoods of
the early 30s were replaced as central figures later
in the decade by equally flamboyant G-men, often
played by the same actors (Cagney, Robinson). This
current cycle similarly recasts the villains
themselves as old-fashioned monsters of the night
without any redeeming features and concentrates on the
vampire slayers, whose inflexible moral superiority is
leavened by their striking an assortment of supposedly
appealing rebel poses. Excerpt of Sight and Sound review by Kim Newman located HERE |
Poster
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Theatrical Release: April 15, 1998
Indicator (Powerhouse) initial slate of Blu-rays | |||||
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Reviews
More Reviews DVD
Reviews
Comparison:
Columbia - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Warner (Edition Collector) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Columbia (Superbit) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. Indicator (UK) - Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Big thanks to Vincent BOUCHÉ for all the DVD Screen Caps!
Box Covers |
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Also available by Indicator on Blu-ray
in a two-pack with
Ghosts of Mars in May, 2018:
Coming to the US on Blu-ray
from Shout! Factory in September 2019:
and re-released in the UK in September 2019:
Coming to 4K UHD from
Shout! Factory in January 2025: |
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Distribution |
Columbia Region 1 - NTSC |
Warner Region 2 - PAL |
Columbia Region 1 - NTSC |
Twilight Time Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Indicator Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 1:47:44 | 1:43:05 (4% PAL speedup) | 1:47:44 | 1:47:53.341 | 1:47:53.341 |
Video |
2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced
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2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced
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2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced
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Disc Size: 31,757,076,397 bytes Feature Size: 30,797,365,248 bytes Total Bitrate: 25.00 MbpsDual-layered Blu-ray MPEG4 - AVC |
Disc Size: 48,697,520,597 bytes Feature Size: 36,039,472,704 bytes Total Bitrate: 33.29 MbpsDual-layered Blu-ray MPEG4 - AVC |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate:
Columbia |
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Bitrate:
Warner (Edition Collector)
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Bitrate:
Columbia (Superbit)
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Bitrate: Twilight Time
Blu-ray |
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Bitrate: Indicator
Blu-ray |
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Audio | English DD 2.0 Surround and DD 5.1, French DD 2.0 Surround |
English DD 5.1 and DTS 5.1, DUBs: French DD 5.1 and DTS 5.1 |
English DD 5.1 and DTS 5.1 |
DTS-HD Master Audio
English 4390 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 4390 kbps /
24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 /
48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
DTS-HD Master Audio English 1927 kbps 2.0 / 48
kHz / 1927 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / DTS-HD Master Audio English 1990 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1990 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) |
DTS-HD Master Audio
English 4202 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 4202 kbps /
24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps /
24-bit)
Dolby Digital Audio
English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps LPCM Audio Undetermined 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit |
Subtitles | English, French, none | French (FORCED on English soundtracks) | English, French, Spanish, Portuguese | English (SDH), none | English (SDH), none |
Features |
Release
Information: Studio: Columbia Aspect
Ratio:
Edition
Details:
Chapters 28 |
Release
Information: Studio: Warner Aspect
Ratio:
Edition
Details:
DVD Release Date:
October 18, 2001 Chapters 24 |
Release
Information: Studio: Columbia Aspect
Ratio:
Edition
Details:
DVD Release Date:
August 5, 2003 Chapters 28 |
Release Information: Studio: Twilight Time
Disc Size: 31,757,076,397 bytes Feature Size: 30,797,365,248 bytes Total Bitrate: 25.00 MbpsDual-layered Blu-ray MPEG4 - AVC
Edition Details: • 8-page liner notes by Julie KirgoLimited to 5,000 units
Blu-ray
Release Date:
October, 2015 Chapters 24 |
Release Information: Studio: Indicator
Disc Size: 48,697,520,597 bytes Feature Size: 36,039,472,704 bytes Total Bitrate: 33.29 MbpsDual-layered Blu-ray MPEG4 - AVC
Edition Details:
Blu-ray
Release Date:
January 30th, 2017 Chapters 24 |
Comments |
NOTE:
The below
Blu-ray captures were
taken directly from the
Blu-ray
disc.
ADDITION: Indicator - Region FREE -
Blu-ray
Audio also matches up well. A very robust DTS-HD Master and the option of a lossless 2.0 channel stereo track. Plenty of depth and separation in the surround. The multi-talented Carpenter does his own score as he has done many times (Christine, They Live, Big Trouble in Little China, Prince of Darkness etc.) There are optional English (SDH) subtitles and the Blu-ray disc is region FREE. Extras duplicate the Twilight Time and add a bit more - we get the audio commentary with writer-director John Carpenter the Making of John Carpenter’s Vampires featurettes - behind the scenes, interviews with cast and crew, including John Carpenter, James Woods and Sheryl Lee, B-roll footage etc. We even get the Carpenter's isolated score track and a theatrical trailer, but Indicator add a, part one (of two), valuable 40-minute Guardian Interview with John Carpenter- excellent and there limited edition (5,000 units) with exclusive booklet with a new essay by Kim Newman and it is dual-format with a, second disc, DVD. Fun schlock ala Carpenter and Sheryl Lee (hubba hubba). All good and more extras than the film deserves... the Indicator Blu-ray is the definitive! Fans shouldn't hesitate! * **ADDITION: Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray October 15': The new Twilight Time 1080P is quite dark - which we assume, now, is accurate (reddish hue is intentional). It's a pretty impressive HD image - everything tightens-up and the dark image is handled well without noise and appearing very crisp. It shows the side information that the NTSC DVDs omit. Contrast is adept. It looks very good - NOTE: I think I have another Blu-ray of this title somewhere - if I find it I will compare one day. Twilight Time gives the option of a 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master (a whopping 4390 kbps) or a 2.0 channel stereo DTS-HD Master. It sounds very strong exporting the many effects with intensity. Sounds exceptional at times. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles and the Blu-ray disc is region FREE. Twilight Time include the, previous, audio commentary with Writer-Director John Carpenter as well as a vintage Making of piece that runs about 6-minutes. They include their usual Isolated Score Track and there is an original theatrical trailer. There are 8-pages of liner notes by Julie Kirgo and the package is limited to 5,000 units. Carpenter's many fans should be very pleased although a second, new, commentary would have added further value - this is still a very cool BD of a fun, scary and detailed film. Absolutely recommended! *** ON THE DVDs: Here is an example of how different an image can be outside of NTSC North America. The PAL edition looks far more realistic in its color scheme and is also sharper. Of course, I have no idea what this film is supposed to look like. Both the original and SuperBit NTSC versions have a strange red hue over the image - it even looks bluish at times. The PAL edition is significantly brighter with far more vibrant colors. Of course, the big avoidance point here is that the PAL edition has non-removable French subtitles when played in the original English track (a copyright issue more than likely). There is also another factor to consider - this is only John Carpenter's Vampires so most people will not care less. I guess I am being harsh, the film did give me a few chuckles. The French edition has a Carpenter commentary and an hour long documentary.
Bottom line is that the NTSC
editions have some room for improvement if only in
sharpness IF you consider the greenish color
scheme to be accurate and director intended. -
Gary W Tooze
JOHN CARPENTER'S VAMPIRES - The U.S. SuperBit edition should be the best one, but I did see this in the theater and both U.S. editions are totally unacceptable. Though Carpenter has not done a truly great film since THEY LIVE back in 1988, why do these U.S. copies have to look so lame? It did not look that bad! Who knows, but the Warner PAL edition is the way it looked in the theater, especially conveying the naturalistic look Carpenter wanted the film to have in reference to those Professional Westerns of the 1960s. Since The Warner PAL version has DTS, it is the obvious winner. As for the SuperBit situation, like Criterion, some live up to their brand name and some do not. VAMPIRES joins CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA and even SPIDERMAN (the DTS and Dolby ruined by having to share space with a commentary track) as SuperBit disappointments. Among the best to date are THE PATRIOT, HOLLOW MAN, the first CHARLIE'S ANGELS and LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, so try those instead if you want to see SuperBit titles at their best. |
Menus
(Columbia - Region
1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Warner (Edition Collector)
- Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE vs. Columbia
(Superbit) - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)
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Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray
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Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray
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CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Subtitle Sample
1) Columbia - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP 2) Warner (Edition Collector) - Region 2 - PAL SECOND 3) Columbia (Superbit) - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD4) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Columbia - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP 2) Warner (Edition Collector) - Region 2 - PAL SECOND 3) Columbia (Superbit) - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD4) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray - FIFTH5) Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Columbia - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP 2) Warner (Edition Collector) - Region 2 - PAL SECOND 3) Columbia (Superbit) - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD4) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray - FIFTH5) Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Columbia - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP 2) Warner (Edition Collector) - Region 2 - PAL SECOND 3) Columbia (Superbit) - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD4) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray - FIFTH5) Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Columbia - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP 2) Warner (Edition Collector) - Region 2 - PAL SECOND 3) Columbia (Superbit) - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD4) Twilight Time - Region FREE - Blu-ray - FIFTH5) Indicator - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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More Blu-ray Captures
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Report Card:
Image: |
Blu-rays |
Sound: |
Blu-rays |
Extras: | Indicator Blu-ray |
Box Covers |
|
|
|
Also available by Indicator on Blu-ray
in a two-pack with
Ghosts of Mars in May, 2018:
Coming to the US on Blu-ray
from Shout! Factory in September 2019:
and re-released in the UK in September 2019:
Coming to 4K UHD from
Shout! Factory in January 2025: |
|
Distribution |
Columbia Region 1 - NTSC |
Warner Region 2 - PAL |
Columbia Region 1 - NTSC |
Twilight Time Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Indicator Region FREE - Blu-ray |
Indicator (Powerhouse) initial slate of Blu-rays | |||||
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Spine #001 | Spine #002 | Spine #003 | Spine #004 |
Spine #005 |
Spine #006 |
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Spine #008 | Spine #010 | Spine #012 | Spine #013 | Spine #019 | Spine #020 |