The Thing (1982) (Blu-ray SteelBook) (Arrow Video) [UK]

[bwatt99]

Release date: October 23, 2017
Purchase link: Amazon - Zavvi - HMV - Arrow Films (Sold Out)
Price: £17.99 (Arrow) - £24.99 (Amazon) - £19.99 (Zavvi - Hmv)

 

[kingkarl1967]

It's a slipbox in the mock up that is what was released

Poster/Book/Artcards in a Slipbox
It don't show a digipak in the mock up

I understand @paulboland but the image certainly don't look like a standard amaray case to me buddy.

 

[LoStAlIvE]

Just put the Steelbook in the slipcase if it will fit. Now that would be sdoo cool.

 

[BluSteel2012]

Do we know is there any real difference in the transfer between this and Scream Factory's?

 

[lgans316]

Got mine today. Finish is awful. Transfer is much better though. Looks filmic thanks to a layer of film grain preserved unlike the Universal grain scrubbed Blu-ray release.

@Steelselecta,

Great post btw. Gloss and character embossing at a cheap price is a rarity these days. Remember Play.com, Paramount and Zavvi Disney long time back had some great and crazy embossed Steels with gloss finish. The USP were not just the finish but the pricing as well. Most of them looked even better than these so-called WEA Steels offered by Premium retailers. Sadly nowadays we are confined to get excited about title being spot glossed and embossed.

 

[nekromantik]

Mine posted today from Amazon

 

[virkia]

Not too sure what you were expecting there - product is exactly the same as the advance pics showed - and at least this *was* an under £20 release which considering a lot of similar releases these days is quite something...Yes some embossing might have been nice on the slip but not every Arrow release has gone that route (Battle Royale collectors edition for example) so it's not out of character (and Society and Nekromantic 1/2 were around £25 originally )

SOCIETY and NEKROMANTIK 1 & 2 were well under 20 quid each .. . thinking I paid £17.99 for SOCIETY and the other two . . . but both were available for a time for under 15 quid each by the way.

I deliberately didn't compare these cheapo releases to BATTLE ROYALE and other similar doorstop editions.

My issue - which I somehow didn't make clear - is to do with the plastic Amaray instead of the classy digipack
. . . and the misleading images that gave me the impression this package would be the same as the other examples I mentioned . . . and should have been advertised like this, or similar:-

I'd be very surprised if literally anyone truthfully prefers an Amaray release to a digipak release . . . no matter the reversible artwork.

How so ?

a) Amarays are cheap compared to digipaks - how else does one explain the move away from digipaks by Arrow if not a cost-cutting profit-maximising exercise.
Arrow abandoned the lovely window slipcase editions some years back in favour of the clear white Amarays for the same cost-cutting reasons.

b) Digipaks have a far greater capacity to show more AND larger artwork than any Amaray release ever can . . . as can be seen here on this one example:-

Let's not pretend it ain't so!

c) If packaged properly the digipak will suffer no more harm than the Amaray . . . only item likely to suffer in transit anyway is the slipbox.

In a way it's good - OCD-wise - that Arrow are sticking with the same style clear white Amaray cases that they started with when they abandoned the window slipboxes and have not gone more upmarket with the Scanavo clear white cases used by Criterion, by Powerhouse for their first run Indicator Series, by Cult Films and by 101 Films for their Asian Collection etc. even though those have a larger canvas to display the various artworks.

 

[Ashcroft]

The Thing LE was under £16, I was in no way expecting a digipack.

It's easier to sell an amaray than a loose digipack anyway, so for me it's easier this way.

 

[paulboland]

It definitely looks closer to a digipak than an amaray.

It don't show either a digipak or an amaray case in the mock up

It only shows part of poster image sticking out of the slipbox which led some to assume it would be a digipak including myself at first

I can understand the assumption that some though it might be a digipak

Arrow posted later on facebook when asked about the packaging someone asked would it be same packaging as donnie darko they replied no it would be same packaging as The Bird with the Crystal Plumage and The Hills Have Eyes releases which are hard case slipbox with amaray cases

I'm glad it was not a digipak for this release as we get the option to reverse the artwork in the amaray to the original poster artwork which is what I like about arrow video amaray releases we would not of had that option if it was a digipak.

A cardboard digipak would had more chance to get damaged even inside a hard slipbox as that has happened with some releases the digipak getting creased on the sides.

The arrow films website price of £17.99 was also sign it would not be a digipak as they are usually £25.00 or more on Arrow Films website store with a few exceptions

 

[paulboland]

Do we know is there any real difference in the transfer between this and Scream Factory's?

Big difference going by the reviews posted so far and the screen caps I have seen
Arrow Video picture quality a lot better

Arrow Video release is a 4K scan of the original negative
Scream Factory was a 2K scan of the interpositive

Fans of the film best option is to have both Scream Factory and Arrow Video releases as each have different extras

 

[StifflersDad]

Anybody that doesnt want their special edition can shoot me a PM.

 

[Lollard2002]

Fans of the film best option is to have both Scream Factory and Arrow Video releases as each have different extras

As I have already posted. I have both versions and compared them. The Arrow version wins hands down. Big jump in quality.

 

[cooey]

But if you’re a fan of the movie then you need both the Scream Factory and Arrow versions for the extras

 

[Deleted member 9789]

But if you’re a fan of the movie then you need both the Scream Factory and Arrow versions for the extras

The Network TV version is worth the price alone.

 

[virkia]

.It's easier to sell an amaray than a loose digipack anyway, so for me it's easier this way.

The Limited Edition digipacks were also around 16 quid each . . . and look at the prices now.
These Limited Editions containing Amarays will NEVER match the prices of those items.

Sorry, but don't quite follow your "easier to sell" comment.
Easier for Arrow to sell?
Easier for you to sell?

IMO all Limited Editions should be digipaks housed in slipcases . . . not the cheapo Amaray which is the mass market option produced in the many, many thousands.

IMO the Amaray should only be sold by itself and NOT in Limited Edition packaging when in fact there is NOTHING limited about an Amaray and the only thing limited about the release is the slipcase and the "goodies" . . . and as you know the very same Amaray will be available for £8.99 - or in a promotion for 6 quid before too long (with or without booklet / leaflet) . . . A fate which could never befall a digipak which will always be sold with the outer slipcase and which will always be a better quality, more substantial and classier product than any Amaray edition could ever hope to be as well as holding its value better on the secondary market.

IMO the Amaray packaging devalues the product. . . but at the end of the day the Arrow boys know this will sell well and that their profits will be greater with more cost-effective packaging even though said products may be less desirable to certain of their customers.

 

[Vaako]

For those who already received it and watched the movie... what about the picture quality? Is it really such an improvement compared to the previous blu-ray release?

 

[BluSteel2012]

The Network TV version is worth the price alone.

Why? What's the difference with that? Extra content?

 

[Vegano]

The Limited Edition digipacks were also around 16 quid each . . . and look at the prices now.
These Limited Editions containing Amarays will NEVER match the prices of those items.

Sorry, but don't quite follow your "easier to sell" comment.
Easier for Arrow to sell?
Easier for you to sell?

IMO all Limited Editions should be digipaks housed in slipcases . . . not the cheapo Amaray which is the mass market option produced in the many, many thousands.

IMO the Amaray should only be sold by itself and NOT in Limited Edition packaging when in fact there is NOTHING limited about an Amaray and the only thing limited about the release is the slipcase and the "goodies" . . . and as you know the very same Amaray will be available for £8.99 - or in a promotion for 6 quid before too long (with or without booklet / leaflet) . . . A fate which could never befall a digipak which will always be sold with the outer slipcase and which will always be a better quality, more substantial and classier product than any Amaray edition could ever hope to be as well as holding its value better on the secondary market.

IMO the Amaray packaging devalues the product. . . but at the end of the day the Arrow boys know this will sell well and that their profits will be greater with more cost-effective packaging even though said products may be less desirable to certain of their customers.

I agree with what you say. Also, i WAS expecting it to be a digipak. I could be wrong here, but i'm quite sure that Arrow themselves said this would be a digipak when someone enquired about this on their facebook page when the announcement for this movie came out. Amaray IS the cheap way to go, and as much as i like the release.........i am somewhat underwhelmed.

 

[Lollard2002]

For those who already received it and watched the movie... what about the picture quality? Is it really such an improvement compared to the previous blu-ray release?

As I have stated yep and remember I'm watching this on my computer's 34 inch screen which is top notch 4k Monitor and boy does it show the level of detail in a picture. Sadly it also shows up any bad encoding or poor restoration in any release. I find it a more useful monitor than my proper TV downstairs for seeing how good or how bad a disc is. I use a Mac 5.1 pro which has proper colour calibration so I'm getting a pretty accurate reading of how good the disc is.

 

[Lollard2002]

And before anyone asks. I have two mac blu-ray players. One set to region A. One set to Region B.

 

[paulboland]

I agree with what you say. Also, i WAS expecting it to be a digipak. I could be wrong here, but i'm quite sure that Arrow themselves said this would be a digipak when someone enquired about this on their facebook page when the announcement for this movie came out. Amaray IS the cheap way to go, and as much as i like the release.........i am somewhat underwhelmed.

Arrow Video never replied on facebook it would be a digipak
A facebook post on July 17th this was posted
A person asked on facebook Is the limited edition a digipack or a normal case with a slipcover
Arrow Video Reply
We're still confirming the pack specs but we'll let you know when they're finalised.

A question posted on facebook a few months later in regards to packaging
They was asked would it be same as donnie darko and will it be soft or hard cardboard packaging
Arrow Video replied it would be a hard rigid slipbox same type packaging as The Bird with the Crystal Plumage and The Hills Have Eyes releases

When arrow video post release update & final specs on facebook with actual photos of the release this is when you see what a release looks like
This is usually done just before release date but sometimes can be earlier

Most of the previous digipak releases they listed in the description at the start when announced as a digipak or later when finial specs and photos was released

The Thing was not listed as digipak when announced or when final specs was released