THE FUNHOUSE, CAT PEOPLE Coming in 4K UHD

[AndyDursin]

Finally some nice announcements from Shout Factory as the much-in-need-of-remastering CAT PEOPLE is also coming.

Love the scope lensing of this one. Elizabeth Berridge was cute also.

[AndyDursin]

[Monterey Jack]

I didn't care much for The Funhouse when I watched it for the first time eight or so years ago (aside from John Beal's terrific score), but maybe I was too harsh on it at the time. The UHD releases of Cat People and Dog Soldiers are a must, though, considering how hideous the existing Blu transfers are.

[AndyDursin]

I'm very fond of THE FUNHOUSE. It's basically an early 80s updating of an old monster movie -- otherwise it's hard to classify as it's neither a slasher nor a typical teen horror outing from its era. It drips atmosphere, mood and visuals, but if you expect it to be something it's not, I can understand people getting antsy with it. For me, though, it's Tobe Hooper's best movie (I don't count POLTERGEIST!).

I contacted my Shout PR people this morning and offered my TV cut of CAT PEOPLE if they need it -- kind of weird nobody has included it previously since it has a bunch of interesting deleted scenes.

[Monterey Jack]

I'm very fond of THE FUNHOUSE. It's basically an early 80s updating of an old monster movie -- otherwise it's hard to classify as it's neither a slasher nor a typical teen horror outing from its era. It drips atmosphere, mood and visuals, but if you expect it to be something it's not, I can understand people getting antsy with it. For me, though, it's Tobe Hooper's best movie (I don't count POLTERGEIST!).

I may order this and give it another chance, then. Truth be told, I just want that cool poster.

[AndyDursin]

I was also a little underwhelmed the first time I saw it, back in high school -- I rented the laserdisc back at the time -- but repeat viewings go down well IMO. I think if you approach it as being less an outright horror movie and definitely not a typical '80s teen genre movie, the better off you are. There's an old school monster kind of at the center with a sad backstory, and it's more about that -- and the milieu and atmosphere -- than it is outright "shocks!" and such. But it's sort of unique for what it is.

Very good looking, elegantly shot film too, with a superb John Beal score like you said.

[AndyDursin]

I offered the TV version to Shout Factory, I sent to them and never heard back. The UHD looks great at least.

Anyway another label elsewhere is interested and they DO want it.

[andy b]

I offered the TV version to Shout Factory, I sent to them and never heard back. The UHD looks great at least.

Anyway another label elsewhere is interested and they DO want it.

Must be something to do with Shout, when they were doing The Deer Hunter I offered them the entire EMI campaign items, 200 stills, 100 international 10x 8 & 11 x 14 lobby cards, 100 colour transparencies, art work prints for the entire poster campaign & a set of original posters for the USA, Europe, Australia & New Zealand & all three versions of the campaign (press books in the USA) books, these were the EMI copies, so the quality was outstanding. Also the whole Academy Awards re-release items. All I asked for was for them to cover the mail costs & I did not want it back!

But never heard back! so the lot was sold in an auction in London UK, so no complaints as I did exceeding well out of & it paid for a holiday back to the UK.

Sad in one way as it would of shown collectors what went into selling a film in those days. But that is the way things go & maybe no one there knew what I was trying to give them?

Kind of like Cat People but never bought it & never seen Fun House.

regards
Andy b

[Monterey Jack]

When is Funhouse supposed to drop?

[Edmund Kattak]

Cat People got, no reason........

[AndyDursin]

When is Funhouse supposed to drop?

9/6. They sent me a (rare) 4K review copy of CAT PEOPLE so I've had it for a few days (won't be getting THE FUNHOUSE, had to order that myself).

The CAT PEOPLE transfer is outstanding, so much better than the horrible old HD master we had before (even the HD-DVD looked better than Shout's previous Blu-Ray).

[AndyDursin]

Must be something to do with Shout, when they were doing The Deer Hunter I offered them the entire EMI campaign items, 200 stills, 100 international 10x 8 & 11 x 14 lobby cards, 100 colour transparencies, art work prints for the entire poster campaign & a set of original posters for the USA, Europe, Australia & New Zealand & all three versions of the campaign (press books in the USA) books, these were the EMI copies, so the quality was outstanding. Also the whole Academy Awards re-release items. All I asked for was for them to cover the mail costs & I did not want it back!

But never heard back! so the lot was sold in an auction in London UK, so no complaints as I did exceeding well out of & it paid for a holiday back to the UK.

Sad in one way as it would of shown collectors what went into selling a film in those days. But that is the way things go & maybe no one there knew what I was trying to give them?

Kind of like Cat People but never bought it & never seen Fun House.

Andy, similar stuff indeed.

Some of the Universal TV edits from the '80s were lost in the fire (apparently) though it surprises me, since they circulated to stations all over the country, that tapes aren't out there somewhere. Some of the TV versions still exist like FAST TIMES and MIDWAY which ended up on those Blu-Rays; I had sent Indicator the MIDWAY TV version and they were going to use it but they ended up finding it in the Universal archives (they were still nice enough to credit me and send a copy gratis for my time and trouble).

With CAT PEOPLE I have a really clean copy that went right off DirecTV (no VHS tape needed) to my DVD Recorder/Hard Drive so the quality is as good as it can be. But Shout for whatever reason never got back to me. It has a lot of cuts and you'd never watch it over the theatrical cut, but like many of these Uni TV versions, it has some interesting deleted scenes that you can't find anywhere else.

Looks like the other folks want it, which I'm happy for. Not sure they are doing a 4K UHD or just a Blu-Ray though.

[Monterey Jack]

My copies of Cat People and Dog Soldiers have shipped. They're gonna be fighting like you-know-what in a double feature in October for my annual horror marathon.

[AndyDursin]

CAT PEOPLE is so much more watchable now. I had a French Blu-Ray which was off the old lousy HD master, only because it at least didn't have the DNR that got plastered over it on the American releases. This transfer is a sight for sore eyes it's so much better, scenes that were anemic have color splashed all over them. I'd imagine this is what it's supposed to have looked like all these years. Kind of an uneven/not really satisfying movie but Kinski, Annette O'Toole, and the visuals make it repeatedly worthwhile.

[Monterey Jack]

I only saw the movie once on the crummy (non-anamorphic?) Universal DVD about a decade ago, so this will obviously be a revelation. And Annette O'Toole and Nastassja Kinski in HDR...