A Star is Born (Blu-ray SteelBook) (Manta Lab Exclusive No. 25) [Hong Kong]

Level Of Interest


  • Total voters
    131
Feb 21, 2017
986
Release date: August 23, 2019
Purchase link: Full Slip 4K, Lenticular Slip A, Lenticular Slip B - Preorder on July 12th 8PM (HKT, UTC+8), Local Time HERE
Price: $48.99 (Full Slip 4K), $43.99 (Lenticular Slip A), $43.99 (Lenticular Slip B)

MANTA LAB EXCLUSIVE #025 <A STAR IS BORN> STEELBOOK (Extended Edition)
- Numbered, 1-800
(Due to large number of orders, shipping out can take up to 1 week from the release date)

- WEA, Exclusive Steelcase designed by Manta Lab features "Full Glossy" Finish and "Debossed" Title. Steelbook
- Booklet (Full Size)
- Postcards (4ea)
- Character Cards (7ea)
- Envelope with Spot Gloss

- Tip-on with Product Specification

SteelBook:
A Star is Born_steelbook.jpg


One Click:
A Star is Born_one click_beauty shot.jpg A Star is Born_one click_front.jpg A Star is Born_one click_back.jpg

Full Slip 4K:
A Star is Born_full slip_beauty shot.jpg A Star is Born_full slip_front.jpg

Lenticular Slip A:
A Star is Born_lenticular slip A_beauty shot.jpg A Star is Born_lenticular slip A_front.jpg

Lenticular Slip B:
A Star is Born_lenticular slip B_beauty shot.jpg A Star is Born_lenticular slip B_front.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Looking at @pbtour4il pic of the three together, Lenti B looks to be the winner to me.

Still shocked how Manta didn't go all out on a premium finish for this FullSlip too. Usually their Fullslips are a safe bet but this one really surprised me, in a bad way :squint: Another example of why we should see previews before we order, I'd never have ordered the FullSlip had I known it would look as dull as that, with next to no finish. Only thing I'm happy with is it's 4K lol.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Punker76
Looking at @pbtour4il pic of the three together, Lenti B looks to be the winner to me.

Still shocked how Manta didn't go all out on a premium finish for this FullSlip too. Usually their Fullslips are a safe bet but this one really surprised me, in a bad way :squint: Another example of why we should see previews before we order, I'd never have ordered the FullSlip had I known it would look as dull as that, with next to no finish. Only thing I'm happy with is it's 4K lol.

I see where you and others are coming from. But here is my take: more and more the so-called "full-slip treatment" for premiums consists in taking a front artwork that depicts characters of the movie in question, embossing and glossing those characters (along with movie title, if present) on a matte or still-glossed or whatnot background. That's the increasingly standardized "premium treatment" for full-slips. That's a bit limitative imo, there are other possibilities that can be explored. Ironically, this same apparently dull treatment for A STAR IS BORN full-slip (with only embossed/gold title on sandy paper, if I catch it correctly from pics) is maybe an attempt to deviate from that standard.

I'm not saying I don't like what I called the standard treatment. I'm saying that sometimes something different can be good.
 
I see where you and others are coming from. But here is my take: more and more the so-called "full-slip treatment" for premiums consists in taking a front artwork that depicts characters of the movie in question, embossing and glossing those characters (along with movie title, if present) on a matte or still-glossed or whatnot background. That's the increasingly standardized "premium treatment" for full-slips. That's a bit limitative imo, there are other possibilities that can be explored. Ironically, this same apparently dull treatment for A STAR IS BORN full-slip (with only embossed/gold title on sandy paper, if I catch it correctly from pics) is maybe an attempt to deviate from that standard.

I'm not saying I don't like what I called the standard treatment. I'm saying that sometimes something different can be good.
I too see where you're coming from, and don't disagree with you. Yes, I think on some occasions I too have seen a FullSlip treatment as you describe and it can feel repetitive. But that doesn't change the fact I don't like this FullSlip finish at all nor does it feel very premium to me personally. The steelbook however, yes, star of the show and an absolute knockout for sure, but the slip itself a massive let-down.

Their own description states: "Full Slip: Scratch Resistance Coating + Glossy + Embossing + Gold Foil". By reading that, and looking at the mock-up pics, there's no way of knowing (to me) it would turn out the way it did. For one I expected a punchy gold foil for the lettering which in-hand is actually pretty weak, and the only embossed parts are the titles, text and logos etc.. I assumed the characters themselves would be embossed in some way or something more.

I love Manta as a retailer, and they've proved on numerous previous occasions that they are very creative and like to offer stuff others haven't tried/tested before. But this isn't something different in a good way, it's dare I say boring and if anything screams lack of effort or certain limitations were applied when it came to finishing rather than this was their desired look for the end product. That's my opinion anyway, not saying I'm right. Either way $50 before shipping isn't necessarily cheap when you're always having to take a punt on these things and effectively don't know what it is you're buying.
 
I got my full slip today. And whilst it is a classy edition, just like others have mentioned, it’s a slightly disappointing full slip

The steel is beautiful, art cards etc are nice too. But that slip is just basic. What annoys me is their listing on their website says “Scratch Resistance Coating + Glossy + Embossing + Gold Foil” and like others I was fully expecting Cooper and gaga to be spot glossed. I have though, noticed that the extremely small names to the left of “is” are spot glossed. The same with the Warner logo and the 4K logo on the spine! I swear if this is why they have stated glossy in the listing then that’s pretty shiiitty!

I still like it but it should of been like the inglorious basterds full slip. Massively missed opportunity. I still prefer this edition to the lentis though
 
  • Like
Reactions: Vaako
So I finally got my tracking number yesterday. Apparently the package was posted on 9/9 ("Left for destination"), but has yet to arrive in Germany. Hm... anybody else's stuck in limbo? Usually it takes only two to three days before a package from HK is scanned over here.
 
I have now asked twice if there is any update on the GB shipping invoices and no reply.
Sadly this might sway my decision to buy direct from Manta going forward as after looking on ebay there are copies I can have now in the UK actually cheaper than the combined price of shipping invoice and item from GB.
This is not a bullet fired at you Aniv so please do not take it that way mate.But why are we always the last to get our orders shipped by Manta when other people order direct and cheaper and get their copies far quicker.
It could be something to do with all the upset in Hong Kong and the protests but an update would be nice especially a month after release as nearly passed.
 
I have now asked twice if there is any update on the GB shipping invoices and no reply.
Sadly this might sway my decision to buy direct from Manta going forward as after looking on ebay there are copies I can have now in the UK actually cheaper than the combined price of shipping invoice and item from GB.
This is not a bullet fired at you Aniv so please do not take it that way mate.But why are we always the last to get our orders shipped by Manta when other people order direct and cheaper and get their copies far quicker.
It could be something to do with all the upset in Hong Kong and the protests but an update would be nice especially a month after release as nearly passed.

its the same on all the sites involving gbs with manta it appears john seems to serve all his own orders first and NO gb are posted till that happens.
my last manta order took nearly six weeks to turn up(not from here).
and as you say if there all turning up on ebay faster it maybe that people will stop using gb's and either go direct or just wait for the bay.
but you would like to think john would look after his largest orders first his gbs, perhaps someone should relay that message back to john instead and i get hes small company but would seem nothing has improved since he last said it would.
a sure fired way of pissing people of quickly just my opionon

basil
 
  • Like
Reactions: kingkarl1967
I have now asked twice if there is any update on the GB shipping invoices and no reply.
Sadly this might sway my decision to buy direct from Manta going forward as after looking on ebay there are copies I can have now in the UK actually cheaper than the combined price of shipping invoice and item from GB.
This is not a bullet fired at you Aniv so please do not take it that way mate.But why are we always the last to get our orders shipped by Manta when other people order direct and cheaper and get their copies far quicker.
It could be something to do with all the upset in Hong Kong and the protests but an update would be nice especially a month after release as nearly passed.
Kinda agree here. For sure, I know @Aniv and other GB hosts allow us to save a copy every time. Their work is really appreciated. But I was so hyped by this release, it is really frustrating not to have any updates after one month. We can understand a delay we just need some info.
 
its the same on all the sites involving gbs with manta it appears john seems to serve all his own orders first and NO gb are posted till that happens.
my last manta order took nearly six weeks to turn up(not from here).
and as you say if there all turning up on ebay faster it maybe that people will stop using gb's and either go direct or just wait for the bay.
but you would like to think john would look after his largest orders first his gbs, perhaps someone should relay that message back to john instead and i get hes small company but would seem nothing has improved since he last said it would.
a sure fired way of pissing people of quickly just my opionon

basil

I dont think you can say who should be prioritised to be honest. Yes those who join a GB may pay more and may pay earlier than those who go direct but you pay the premium to 'beat the queues' nothing else. It certainly makes no difference to ML whether people stop using GB's and as someone who buys directly from them I certainly don't want to wait for GB orders to be processed first before I get mine

As has been said countless times before you really dont need to use the GB's for ML's products, all editions stick around for a good day or two (if not longer) and when they do 'sell out' it's always only a tactic on ML's side to ensure they can cope with possible QC issues with usually at least 2 restocks later down the line
 
Waiting wouldn’t be so bad if we at least got some kind of update. It’s been a month and between ML’s normal delays and extra delays, I don’t even know what’s going on at this point. It’s a definite bummer.