I think we went through similar journeys in the beginning I didn’t care about who put them out I just wanted my favorites. I didn’t understand the reason boutiques were more expensive I just wanted as many movies as cheaply as possible and then I found that many of the movies I wanted only had boutique releases and now I’m hooked. I too buy more boutiques than studio releases always a better experience. I have never been a slip cover guy but a big beautiful box set they can’t take my money fast enough. Great video man. 👍
Yeah that's exactly the way I was too man! Very similar. When I first got back into collecting, I was focused on the best deals, and how to get the movies I wanted for the lowest price. At first, it was harder for me to stomach the boutique prices. But then I discovered those limited edition rigid "chunky" box sets (my favorite type of editions too), and my attitude started to change. I fell in love with those types of editions almost immediately. It's amazing what having even just a couple of those editions in-hand can do for one's mindset and perspective LMAO! Thanks for watching and commenting brother!
I agree with you guys just started back collecting last April thanks to Fuzz and other RUclipsrs found out about the boutique labels the picture quality and I think the packaging is a lot better quality than studio labels wasn't a big horror fan but have really enjoyed second sight and others
Being from the U.K. I’m happy to see you enjoy our fantastic boutique labels from across the pond. Boutique releases make up 75% of our purchases these days. Not only is the attention to detail and quality sublime, boutique labels put out the films we tend to be more interested in. Major labels seem to be focusing on their current cinema releases when I’d far prefer to see more catalogue titles. Also, they’re mainly including tat in their overpriced limited editions. My favourite labels would be Arrow (for their fantastic 4K ‘chunky’ box versions), Indicator for their extensive exclusive supplemental content with chunky booklets, Eureka Entertainment for great value packages, and Radiance for their attention to detail. Criterion do put out a decent selection here and some of their bespoke releases (think the Wes Anderson ones) are some of my favourites. Interestingly, Second Sight are my least favourite as even here their chunky boxes are too expensive and the standard editions are bare and overpriced. Restoration quality can vary too. Great video and very interesting topic.
Yeah I'm right there with you on preferring catalog releases over newer films. I mostly watch older titles these days myself, and I always want to see more titles from the 70s-90s released on 4K (and maybe a few films from the 2000s as well). And yep, I do love Arrow... i don't think I've ever been disappointed by the quality of any of their restorations. They do such great work. And their chunky boxes are my absolute favorite type of editions, on either side of the pond. Thanks for watching and weighing in!
Yeah MVD has some cool stuff. I don't have too many of their titles, but I'd like to get more of their stuff in my collection. Love their nostalgia angle!
I'm very grateful for the info breakdown. Prior to a few weeks ago, I only knew about Criterion. Now I have about a dozen movies from Criterion: The Seventh Seal, Citizen Kane, Night of the Living Dead, Blood Simple, and The Princess Bride in 4K, and The Breakfast Club, On the Waterfront, The Silence of the Lambs, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Killing (with The Killer's Kiss), Paths of Glory, and Dr. Strangelove on Blu-ray, and then recently stumbled upon a chunky box of Conan the Barbarian from Arrow Video. I've been trying to build up a physical movie library of my favorite films for about a year or two (although I've had some physical movies for much longer), and I'm really enjoying the adventure of exploring these boutique labels. I'm honestly shocked that I didn't know about them sooner.
That's great to hear! Yeah, that's exactly why I made this video... to kind of help out other collectors learn a bit more about the different boutique labels. There are some great labels out there that really deliver the goods. Welcome back to the collecting scene! And thanks for watching!
Out of the 10 you discussed, There are only 2 I don't have nay titles from: Synapse and Blue Underground. I have known about them but just haven't gotten around to buying any yet.
Rockin video, Fuzz. One of my favorite Boutique Labels and definitely would be in my Top 10 is Severin Films. They are expensive, no doubt about it, but their 4k transfers and their supplements are outstanding. If you like Grindhouse, and non-traditional horror movies, I highly recommend them.
Thanks Frank! Yeah I have a few Severin titles, but I'm not the biggest fan. I mean, they're ok, and I don't disagree with you about their restorations (from what little I've seen, they do a good job). Occasionally they'll have something I really want, but they seldom have anything new that I can justify spending that much coin on. I'll buy from them if they release something I just have to have (like Dario Argento's Inferno and Mother of Tears on 4K, to complete the Three Mothers trilogy on 4K. Those I would pay the price for), but most of the time, there's nothing really that critical for me personally that's being released. In fact, I think the last thing I bought from them was that Four Flies on Gray Velvet 4K about a year and a half ago or so. Now if their prices were a little more reasonable and they had better packaging (at least, based on the limited experience I've had), then I might be more inclined to take a few chances with them on some blind buys. I keep an eye on their announcements in case they release something I really want. But it needs to be something pretty special for me in order to justify spending like $65 on a new 4K release (after shipping and taxes). Thanks for weighing in man! I'm glad you've had a good experience with Severin.
Still working my way through this video, but I will get through every second of it. So glad you took the time to do this. Also glad that you mentioned Streets of Fire. Shout did a fantastic job not just with the visual aspect, but with the audio! The audio takes full advantage of the Dolby Atmos format. Highly recommend. The other Shout title that I have to mention is Midnight Run. Such a gem of a movie and another great transfer to 4k.
I haven't picked up the Midnight Run 4K yet, but I think that's one I probably will add to the collection at some point. I used to watch it all the time years ago. Always got a kick out of that one. And yes, Streets of Fire was awesome. When I bought the 4K, it was the first time I'd ever seen the film (even though I remember the film growing up in the 80s... but never got around to seeing until the Shout 4K). I just love the music in this film. I don't have a Dolby Atmos setup yet, so I can't fully comment on that. But at the very least, I did notice the Atmos mix sounded great on my 5.1 surround system. Anyway, great to hear from you Chad! Thanks for taking the time to watch my crazy long video LMAO!
@@TheOriginalFuzz The Longer the better. Most of my offline friends aren't movie people. It's nice to have this channel. I feel like I've found a home here!
@@chadeldred3539 Yeah I'm kind of in the same boat... I don't have a lot of people around me who are into movies and collecting the way I am. This physical media collecting community on RUclips has been awesome for connecting with others who share the same interest/passion for movies.
I absolutely love VS and Arrow. Need to get more into Turbine. I missed out on that Barbed Wire steelbook…damn that looks sweet! Great information once again my brother…
Thanks my friend! Yeah VS and Arrow are among my favorites for packaging. Hey it looks like Turbine just restocked on one of the Barb Wire 4K editions (same steelbook art, different slipcover art than mine). So you can still get it if you want. But it's low on stock, so I'd recommend jumping on it quickly if interested. Here's the link: turbine-shop.de/en/Barb-Wire-Limitierte-Steelbook-Edition-mit-Full-Slip-B-4K-Ultra-HD-Blu-ray-Unrated-Blu-ray/6961235
Great discussion! I know I didn't learn about boutique labels until a few years ago.I was searching for An American Werewolf in London blu-ray and noticed multiple versions available, Upon reading reviews, the best one has those color bars on the bottom of front cover (representing Arrow). Once I started watching RUclipsrs, I learned a lot. Although i did know about Criterion, I did not realize it was a separate lable. I just though it was a special line within the studios. I have the Criterion laserdisc of Robocop and a couple Criterion DVDs still.
Got the UK Arrow (Blu ray )release , wasn't that impressed with the picture. quality. The 3 disc Turbine edition (4K & Blu ray) on the other hand has great colour and overall better picture quality (even on the blu ray).
@@stevealharris6669 Oddly enough, I never got around to buying the BD. I waited long enough, the 4K was announced and waited for it. I would like to find the Turbine 4K and compare it. I really like what Turbine does.
13 hours is great .....though 50% for me is realism and sound. I admit u need good 🔊 set up.. even just 2 channel a Denon AVR witg room correction and Sub. Very immersive sound, next level.
Sir you didn’t mentioned Mondo Mocabro which is much older than Severin,Arrow or so many other Beatique labels..They are in the business since early 2000
Excellent video!!! Thank you so much for letting me know about different boutique stores for physical media! I already knew of Arrow, Shout Factory, and Criterion, but the others I haven't heard of. Browsing the websites now I like Kino Lorber, and the Synapse sale that's currently going on looks great! The Vinegar Syndrome website is currently down, but will reopen 12:01am Friday May 24th, so I'll check back in then.
Thanks so much for watching! I'm really glad to hear you enjoyed it. Yes, this coming weekend is one of Vinegar Syndrome's big sales, so great timing. It's their Halfway to Black Friday sale, and most titles released prior to 6 months ago are 50 percent off the list price. So it would be a great time to dip your toes in their selection. They always shut down the site a couple days before a big sale. They are a very unique company, and they do things a little differently than other boutiques. You'll see what I mean once you start browsing their site and get familiar with them. But there's just something kind of special about them for me, even though I'm very selective in what I buy from them. My recommendation would be to set up a free account with them before ordering anything, and then make sure you're logged in when you order so you can get points (which can eventually be redeemed as cash discounts on your orders at certain intervals -- or you can use the points to buy fun little products, like re-printed variant slipcovers for certain releases). Just a heads up though... it can take Vinegar Syndrome quite some time to ship items out after a big sale like this, so expect to wait a few weeks or a month to receive items. They are really cool people over there with amazing customer service, but they are a small operation with a full-time shipping staff of only about 20 people during big sales, and they get totally slammed (they will get literally thousands of orders over the weekend, so it takes them a little time to fulfill orders). But they are a really fun company with lots of cool little bells and whistles.
@@TheOriginalFuzz I appreciate the heads up about Vinegar Syndrome sale, I will definitely have to check it out, especially if it's supporting a small company!
@@Shuxy Oh no problem. I figured I'd warn you ahead of time, since sometimes people find it a little alarming when it takes a month to get a shipping notification from VS - Lol! But they are definitely on top of everything over there. Great little company. Btw, while you're waiting for them to open the site back up, check out their Halfway to Black Friday sale FAQ page. They always do this before a big sale... they try to answer as many questions about the sale as they can ahead of time. They're super informative and transparent. I love that about them. support.vinegarsyndrome.com/en-US/halfway-to-black-friday-2024---faq-508981
Thanks so much for watching! Yeah I originally wanted to talk about a few more labels in addition to these, but the video got so long, I had to cut it off LOL. Maybe I'll do a sequel video at some point. Because there are definitely others out there that could be mentioned. Thanks for commenting.
Warner Archive puts out a quality product and many also have some decent special features at more realistic prices. They are the best model and example of a company who is actually trying to get product into as many hands as possible and not just a few.
Yeah I agree, they've done some pretty good work over there, from what I've seen (which isn't a lot, but I do have some Warner Archive titles, and they're decent). Thanks for watching!
Agreed. In part because they have had the most-clever business model of the major studios. TCM is a corporate affiliate of Warner, with basically unfettered access to the Warner back catalog. TCM both needs watcheable restored prints in order to broadcast them, but it also has served as a way to then market that back catalog to home viewers and keep it visible. ("That movie you just saw? You can enjoy it anytime on disc! Old movies are so cool!") Thus they have long understood how to tap the long-tail economic value of a century of films, and not just double down on the last 30 years or so. And we as film enthusiasts are so much better of for it.
Lol! Yeah I definitely need to get more Second Sight titles in my collection. I just love what I've seen from them. Can't wait for The Hitcher! And of course, Arrow is probably my favorite. Thanks for watching!
@@TheOriginalFuzz Agree with you. Think the Hitcher will be a day one purchase for me. Rutger was absolutely brilliant in this movie. He always seemed to elevate every movie that he starred in 🌟
Criterion is my favorite with Kino being a close second. Criterion doesn't deal with limited editions which I love. I find limited editions to be predatory and manipulative. It's just FOMO buying. I also just so happen to watch movies that's released by them. I like their packaging, the jewel cases are nice and the digipaks are simple (Though what were they on with trainspotting?). Kino are for the same reasons. I love how their slipcovers look on the shelf. They match really well together (though it's limited which is a bummer). They also happen to have titles that I watch. These two also just simply release the movie (criterion with a small booklet). A poster is nice, but all these other labels and their big boxes just includes junk like art cards and other memorabilia (espeically shout studio, like what is up with them?). Which they use to justify the huge mark ups. I just care about getting the movie and don't care much anymore in what way they are packaged. Also worth mentioning that Kino, Criterion, and Arrow each have a 2 month long 50% sales at Barnes and noble. So for some, going in stores is nicer than risking the package being damaged because of shipping.
Interesting what you said about Vinegar Syndrome not selling the better editions on Amazon, since I bought both Roadhouse and TCM2 from a seller there at the same price about two or three years ago. The seller was OCD, as in the company name. I missed out on Second Sight’s deluxe DotD with the library music CDs, but I have a CD of it that released years ago. Synapse has Don May working for them? I didn’t know that! I remember him from the Image Entertainment laserdisc days. Tombs of the Blind Dead is a great disc.
Oh yeah good point with the Amazon thing. I was referring to Amazon proper, not the third-party vendors that sell their items through Amazon (which is more or less like getting it from eBay or something). There are many third-party sellers on Amazon who may have some of the Vinegar Syndrome LE box sets (though presumably at a significantly higher price now for the ones that are out of print). But Amazon themselves only carry standard amaray case editions of VS titles in their inventory. Re: Synapse... I believe that's actually Don May Jr.'s company. He was either the founder or co-founder or something. Love the work he does. They're a great label! Thanks for watching and commenting! Appreciate it!
Thanks for watching and commenting man! It seems like a lot of the old Olive Films catalog may have been rolled over to Kino Lorber on the licensing... I've noticed Kino reissuing a number of titles that used to be under Olive's domain (although I'm sure there must be other labels who picked up some of Olive's catalog too). So I feel like we're probably in good hands with a lot of those Olive titles. I definitely want to get more MVD titles... I have a few, but there's lots more to explore! LMAO!
@@TheOriginalFuzz Yea there are a few MVD titles im wanting, Disturbing Behavior is at the top of my list to get. & yea I have noticed that too, im doing research for an Olive Films videos & ive noticed Kino & Criterion has picked up a lot of old Olive films & released them on Blu-Ray & a few have gotten 4Ks but speaking of 4K, have seen Kino is releasing The Generals Daughter on 4k! 🤯 I know your a huge Crimson Tide & The Rock fan, maybe im alone in this but I feel The Generals Daughter is a perfect triple feature with those 2 movies.
I only saw the General's Daughter once years ago, around the time it was a relatively new release. I don't even really remember it that well (knowing me back then, I was probably drunk when I watched it LMAO!). But I did notice it's coming to 4K... never really associated it with The Rock or Crimson, but I may have to revisit that one.
@@TheOriginalFuzz I may be alone in this but I truly consider Crimson Tide & The Rock brother/sister films that aren't sequels (if that makes sense). The Generals Daughter I would put in that same family but more of a cousin lol. I've always LOVED The Generals Daughter but ever since the Kino 4k got announced I realized my excitement isn't felt by everyone on RUclips lol. It's amazing man! very high recommend! especially if you just got Barb Wire on 4k LMAO!
There are 3 cuts of the robocop in the arrow set. The rated,unrated and the hilarious made for tv cut. Great topic. I love collecting boutique labels when budgets permits. They can get a little expensive sometimes
Oh good point... I always forget about the TV cuts on these things (since I never watch them). And yeah, I totally hear ya on the budgeting for this stuff. I find I do have to prioritize/pick and choose sometimes, depending on the boutique, title and edition in question. Some boutiques can get pretty pricey for their limited editions. Right now I'm getting stoked for the Vinegar Syndrome Halfway to Black Friday sale this coming weekend (I usually wait for VS sales to pick up most titles from them).
Being a Brit I’m massively impressed with 88 Films and what they’re doing, they’re rapidly putting themselves among the elite. Also keep an eye on Curzon Films, they’re looking very promising.
I need to explore those labels a bit more. I have a couple 88 Films releases, but I've only dabbled a bit with them if they had something I wanted. I haven't even heard of Curzon Films yet, so I'll be looking into both labels and seeing what they have. Thanks for the tip, and thanks for watching!
88 Films’ 4K UHD Italian Collection is fantastic. They’re releasing the 80s semi-classics Antropophagus and Absurd soon. Their recent releases of Witchfinder General and Blood on Satan’s Claw are also superb. Their packaging is great, with hard outer shells, posters, reversible cover art etc. Highly recommended. Curzon are a partner label for Criterion I believe, and will next month be releasing a 4K of the Korean masterpiece Memories of Murder.
Hey Fuzz, great and informative video! I'm curious what you think about/if you have any titles from the Powerhouse/Indicator label? I've picked up a few recently, and they're fantastic releases. The ones I have at least all come with booklets and a nice rigid slipcase, they're amazing! The Ormond Family boxset is a super cool release with a lot of (almost) lost films. I know you love Vinegar Syndrome, so I think you should check them out, they've got a lot of exploitation/obscure films with lots of bonus features. Once again, great video and can't wait for the next one!
I don't have a whole lot of experience with Indicator. I think I only have like one title from them (Brian De Palma's Body Double on blu ray), and it's a standard edition blu ray. So I will have to look into them more and see what else they have in their catalog... especially if they have rigid slipcase editions. I love that kind of stuff! Thanks for the tip! And thanks so much for watching... I know this one got a little long LOL!
@@TheOriginalFuzz they're also decently affordable, around 30-35 for a 4K release if you buy from the right place! A lot of their more recent releases come in rigid slipcases, so take a look and see if any interest you.
Great informative video there. Thanks. I've few follow-up questions: Q1: Are these Boutique releases as you call it having any affiliation with the original studios that produced the movie? Or how do they obtain the licence to restore the movies? Q2: Are there any cases where two separate boutique releases have restored/released same movie title? I remember '12 Angry Men' was released by MGM studio as well as Criterion. Why would MGM care to give licence to Criterion boutique to reproduce their proprietary title? Q3: Aren't there any competition among these bootiques like who will go first with a certain movie title? Q4: What's the difference between US release and UK release for a same movie title or a different movie title? Does it mean some boutiques operate from US and some from UK? or Same boutique has presence in two geographies? Q5: Are there any other boutique releases geography wise, apart from US and UK releases? Remark: Those 'chunky boxes' may be distinctively looking good, but I like some uniformity in how the Blurays packaging look. Besides, I find those booklets and cards useless commodities, I wonder if anyone reads those booklets and the photo prints are awfully bad.
Thanks for watching! Good questions. The funny thing is, I originally had a section in this video talking about licensing, but I ultimately edited it out because the video was getting so long. Let me preface my response by saying I am not an expert on this stuff by any measure, nor do I consider myself to be a professional reviewer. I'm just an average collector with a RUclips channel and a passion for movies and collecting, sharing my views and any bits of info I've picked up in recent years that might be helpful to new collectors. I really only have a laymen's understanding of how licensing works, but I think I may be able to shed a little light on your questions. Q1 -- From what I understand, licensing agreements/contracts can be very complex and detailed, involve lawyers and a bunch of legal stuff, etc. And I don't pretend to know the ins-and-outs of how it all works. But essentially, major studios (like MGM, Universal, Paramount, Warner Bros, etc.) will license out some of their movies directly to smaller boutiques for distribution. The boutiques then do all/much of the work (packaging design, restoration, etc.) and release the product on physical media, and the major studio gets a cut of the sales. This can happen for many reasons and in many ways, but perhaps one example might be if a major studio doesn't know how a title (or bundle of titles, as is often the case) will sell, it might not want to take the risk on releasing those titles on a particular format (especially with 4K, which is a much more expensive process/format to produce). But a particular boutique may come along with a niche customer base that might appreciate the title(s) in question, and will seek out a licensing distribution agreement with the major studio that holds the rights to the title(s). It can take time for this process to happen, from what I understand... sometimes even several years of negotiation. And when a licensing deal is inked, those rights are temporary... meaning, the boutique will only have the rights to produce the title for a few years at a time (like 4-5 years), and then they can either renew the license or maybe someone else bids for the license, etc. I think there are all kinds of different scenarios in play. Every agreement is different, specific, and unique. Usually these agreements are limited to a specific format, specific region of the world (i.e. U.S. vs. UK), and there may be all kinds of conditions the major studio places on the boutique in terms of how they allow a title to be released, what kind of artwork can be used (or if new artwork can be commissioned), whether the boutique is allowed to produce their own exclusive special features and bonus material (like retrospective documentaries), or do they have to use only what the studio provides to them, etc., etc. Like I said, it can get really complicated. But it all just depends on the title, the studio, and the boutique in question as to how it's handled from there. Some/many boutiques have their own in-house film restoration facilities/gear and/or partners they work with for some titles, while for other titles, the major studio may provide the finished restoration or maybe just a new scan (4K or 2K) of the original source elements, for the boutique to work with on the restoration, color timing, etc. Sometimes the studios will provide all the original source elements (camera negatives, etc.) and give the boutique carte blanche to work its magic from the ground up. Sometimes the boutqiues will even work with the directors or receive input from others who worked on the film to accurately restore a title. It really all just depends. Every movie and situation is different, and there are so many different variables. But in a nutshell, these are legally-binding, contractual licensing agreements between the boutiques and major studios for temporary distribution rights, in a specific region, on a specific format, for a specific period of time. Q2 - Q5 -- Because licensing agreements are so detailed and regionalized, yes you can have more than one boutique releasing the same title. But usually not within the same region (country). There is usually some exclusivity in the agreement that pertains to the region and format a title can be released in. A major studio may license out a title to one boutique in the US (like, say, Kino or Shout), but also have a different agreement with another boutique in the UK for the same title (like Arrow or Second Sight). The regional exclusivity of these agreements cuts down on the competition (in fact, to the contrary, some collectors will buy imports/multiple releases of the same title from multiple regions, just to get different packaging, artwork, treatment, etc.). And I think more often than not, we see boutiques working with each other to share resources more than we see them competing against each other. For example, boutiques will often share the same 4K scans of a film's original camera negative to cut costs, but then each perform their own individual work on the scans. But it's not usually a zero-sum game with most collectors... meaning, one boutique's gain is not necessarily another's loss in the same region, because those boutiques likely wouldn't have licenses to the same titles (on the same formats) within that region anyway. And collectors tend to buy from whatever boutique has the titles and collectible editions they want. However, sometimes there will be major studio releases and boutique releases of the same title on the same format (like blu-ray, for example). The major studio release might be an older, lower-resolution or lower-quality transfer, but then a boutique comes along and gives it a fresh scan, a new restoration treatment, and new bonus features, etc. So there are many different ways this stuff can play out. The example you brought up about 12 Angry men is a really good one. I looked it up, and it looks like Criterion previously had the rights to distribute the title in the U.S. back in 2011 when they released their blu-ray. But somewhere along the way, they appear to have lost the rights, and now Kino Lorber holds the distribution rights... and as such, Kino has released that film on both blu-ray and 4K (the 4K came out just in April). Another company might hold the license over in the UK or Australia, etc. But I'm not aware of those. As to why MGM would care to give the rights to Kino... my guess is, probably because Kino asked to distribute it, and it's no skin off of MGM's back to just sit back and take their cut, and let Kino do all the work. To my knowledge, MGM has not released a 4K of the title, but Kino has. Kino assumed all the risk of releasing it in 4K, so if it turned out to not be a good-selling title for them, it would hurt Kino Lorber, not MGM. Finally, most boutiques I'm aware of are based in Europe and the U.S., but there are some based in Australia too. Anyway, I hope this helps. I think I pretty much covered everything. I know my response is a little long here, but they were fairly loaded questions lol.
@@TheOriginalFuzz Wow, Thank you so much for that elaborate response to my questions. Really greatly appreciate it. It shows your passion for what you love to do, that's to collect and watch movies in their best possible format. That makes so much sense to me in this otherwise routine life. Your Boutique review was so interesting and informative and unique as a topic that those 'loaded' questions were inevitably triggered lol. It is a great intro and starter for anyone like me who is too much engrossed in buying movie titles but seldom cared much for who released it. As long as the movie is available, I'm happy until I saw your review and knew so much goes on behind the release of a movie on Bluray physical disc. You've got one new subscriber. Will look forward to more informative and interesting content like this one.
@@Gundeski Thank you so much for watching, subbing and commenting! I really appreciate that. Check out my "Back to Basics" series when you get the chance (there's a playlist for the series on my channel homepage)... the series is intended for those who are relatively new to collecting (or new to returning to collecting, as is often the case). You might find some of the topics interesting.
I only have a couple Indicator titles on blu-ray (Body Double and I think a John Carpenter film... like Vampires or something). But I've been very happy with what little I've seen from them. Thanks for watching!
Shout Factory/Scream dunno what their issue is but us in the uk cannot buytheir titles Point Break, Midnight Run and more, like whats their issue? Thank god Point Break is coming out in Europe on 4k steelbook with Dolby Atmos, which Best Buy version did not have, coming soon fuzz.
It's because Shout/Scream are a U.S. company and they only ship to the U.S. But usually, someone in Europe has the rights to the same titles and ends up releasing a European edition, like you indicated. For example, I've noticed Arrow often gets a lot of the same titles as Shout/Scream do (like Carrie). Most of the Shout/Scream licenses are for U.S. rights only (or maybe North America only). So I assumed you'd probably get Point Break from another label over there. Do you know what label is putting out the steelbook on your side of the pond?
Just wondering did you buy the 4k of the Last Eemperor from Arrow last year ? i got witness, robin hood, & Conan Chromicles.and blu-rays too, need to reissue Four Weddings and A Funeral.
No I wasn't interested in that one. I may pick up the special edition version of Witness at some point... since I missed out on the LE box. I hear the transfer on that is excellent.
Blowout is Not available to usRegion A, they also do not synch with europe which is very annoying, so do we have to buy a multi region player to play stuff like this beyond annoying, the Magnetar 800 looks good, any opinion ?
The 4K disc is region-free (4K is largely a region-free format). It's just the included blu-ray that is region A. But you should be able to play the 4K disc on any player. That said, I've heard good things about Magnatar players (although they do seem a bit pricey).
@@TheOriginalFuzz British Film institute - I would consider it a boutique label,they do a lot of work restoring and conserving with (on occasion) chunky box sets. Not to sure how extensive their back catalogue is (if I went down that rabbit hole it would end up costing a lot 😎. All the best from Norfolk UK.
It depends on the boutique and the title in question. But there are boutiques in both U.S. and Europe. Arrow Video, for example, is based out of the UK, and they offer some of the best transfers/restorations on the market. They do fantastic work. Likewise for Second Sight Films (also UK based). Turbine is based out of Germany. And there are a bunch of other boutiques in Europe as well. But to answer your initial question, boutiques tend to put a little more love into the products they're releasing. Often they have better packaging and more bonus features, and yes, they often have better restorations. Although, major studio restorations can still look really good. So it really just depends on the title, since every movie is different. But if I have the choice between buying a major studio edition vs. a boutique edition of the same title, usually I'll go with the boutique release. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching!
Yeah it's pretty glorious all the beautiful editions we're getting these days. That's the big benefit to seeing physical media shift to a more collector's niche market. The wallet can definitely take a bit of a hit. But at the same time, I really love finding out that some cool chunky box I bought two years ago is now out of print and quite valuable and sought-after. Thanks for watching my friend!
Boutique is a Great way to get you to buy a movie you've already bought for the 5th 6th 7th time or more!!!! And this time we get to spend two or three times the price. 😊
Lol!😆 That's definitely true for some collectors. It doesn't happen a whole lot for me personally. Occasionally I'll double dip on the same format, but very seldom, and only for titles that are particularly important to me. Often times, the boutique release is the one and only time I've purchased the title (on blu-ray or better -- I don't count old DVDs from 20 years ago in this calculation lol🤣). Ideally, I prefer to only buy the titles once, but for it to be a definitive edition -- like a 4K chunky box set or something. Thanks for watching!
Are you talking about the digipacks that the discs are housed in? I don't mind those at all... in fact I kind of like them. I like the way they unfold to reveal the discs. As long as the discs are secured in actual trays (rather than cardboard/paper slots/sleeves), that's what is important to me -- that the discs are protected.
I don't think I own any Eureka stuff yet. I might have to look into them more. I do have a few 88 Films and Severin releases, but I haven't delved into those labels too much yet... Might have to do a Part 2 video at some point as I expand my boutique selection. Though I'm kind of on the fence about Severin. If they release something I really want and just have to have, I'll buy it. But their price point is pretty high for new releases (even for a boutique), and their handling of the Four Flies On Grey Velvet 4K debacle kind of left a bad taste in my mouth. And I'm less likely to blind-buy something from them because of their price point for many releases. But I like their restorations... they seem pretty solid from what I've seen. and I still keep an eye on their announcements, in case they release something I'm really interested in.
Yeah I almost included Studiocanal in my list (I even had a few titles pulled that I was going to talk about), but ultimately, this video got so long that I ran out of time. I may have to do a follow up video at some point to discuss some additional labels. Thanks for watching!
Why? From my pov, 4K does wonders for older, catalog movies shot on film. In most cases, the 4K transfers are usually the best the films have ever looked on home media (to varying degrees, of course... some films have a greater quality jump than others). I love the format. What don't you like about it?
@@TheOriginalFuzz I think it looks God Awful. I hate HDR. Over processed, over DNRd, over sharpened, over contrast, over saturated, etc. I don't like my Films to look like a bad video game.
@mg-ThisHandleIsSoStupid Sorry to hear that. That has not been my experience. Quite the opposite, in fact. I could understand maybe feeling that way about a specific movie, depending on what it is and how it was filmed, restored, processed, released etc. But every movie is unique and handled/treated differently. So those seem like pretty broad strokes to paint across the entire format. For example, Jaws or The Godfather on 4K were handled in a completely different manner than something like Top Gun Maverick or the Avatar movies. Different animals from different eras. I'm wondering if maybe it has something to do with your TV picture settings. Like for example, do you turn up the image sharpness on your TV? Or do you have motion smoothing turned on? (I'm assuming you don't but I thought I'd ask anyway, just in case lol)
I think we went through similar journeys in the beginning I didn’t care about who put them out I just wanted my favorites. I didn’t understand the reason boutiques were more expensive I just wanted as many movies as cheaply as possible and then I found that many of the movies I wanted only had boutique releases and now I’m hooked. I too buy more boutiques than studio releases always a better experience. I have never been a slip cover guy but a big beautiful box set they can’t take my money fast enough. Great video man. 👍
Yeah that's exactly the way I was too man! Very similar. When I first got back into collecting, I was focused on the best deals, and how to get the movies I wanted for the lowest price. At first, it was harder for me to stomach the boutique prices. But then I discovered those limited edition rigid "chunky" box sets (my favorite type of editions too), and my attitude started to change. I fell in love with those types of editions almost immediately. It's amazing what having even just a couple of those editions in-hand can do for one's mindset and perspective LMAO! Thanks for watching and commenting brother!
Without a doubt, boutique labels and their unique releases have kept physical media alive.
Same here. I really only care about Boutique Limited Editions these days.
@@MsModestyBlaise hell yeah! 🤣 I have some videos that show off some nice limited editions
I agree with you guys just started back collecting last April thanks to Fuzz and other RUclipsrs found out about the boutique labels the picture quality and I think the packaging is a lot better quality than studio labels wasn't a big horror fan but have really enjoyed second sight and others
Being from the U.K. I’m happy to see you enjoy our fantastic boutique labels from across the pond. Boutique releases make up 75% of our purchases these days. Not only is the attention to detail and quality sublime, boutique labels put out the films we tend to be more interested in. Major labels seem to be focusing on their current cinema releases when I’d far prefer to see more catalogue titles. Also, they’re mainly including tat in their overpriced limited editions.
My favourite labels would be Arrow (for their fantastic 4K ‘chunky’ box versions), Indicator for their extensive exclusive supplemental content with chunky booklets, Eureka Entertainment for great value packages, and Radiance for their attention to detail. Criterion do put out a decent selection here and some of their bespoke releases (think the Wes Anderson ones) are some of my favourites. Interestingly, Second Sight are my least favourite as even here their chunky boxes are too expensive and the standard editions are bare and overpriced. Restoration quality can vary too.
Great video and very interesting topic.
Yeah I'm right there with you on preferring catalog releases over newer films. I mostly watch older titles these days myself, and I always want to see more titles from the 70s-90s released on 4K (and maybe a few films from the 2000s as well). And yep, I do love Arrow... i don't think I've ever been disappointed by the quality of any of their restorations. They do such great work. And their chunky boxes are my absolute favorite type of editions, on either side of the pond. Thanks for watching and weighing in!
I love how MVD does the nostalgia covers! Their 4K LaserVision Collection is awesome! Making the covers look like the old CED Laserdiscs.
Yeah MVD has some cool stuff. I don't have too many of their titles, but I'd like to get more of their stuff in my collection. Love their nostalgia angle!
I'm very grateful for the info breakdown. Prior to a few weeks ago, I only knew about Criterion. Now I have about a dozen movies from Criterion: The Seventh Seal, Citizen Kane, Night of the Living Dead, Blood Simple, and The Princess Bride in 4K, and The Breakfast Club, On the Waterfront, The Silence of the Lambs, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Killing (with The Killer's Kiss), Paths of Glory, and Dr. Strangelove on Blu-ray, and then recently stumbled upon a chunky box of Conan the Barbarian from Arrow Video. I've been trying to build up a physical movie library of my favorite films for about a year or two (although I've had some physical movies for much longer), and I'm really enjoying the adventure of exploring these boutique labels. I'm honestly shocked that I didn't know about them sooner.
That's great to hear! Yeah, that's exactly why I made this video... to kind of help out other collectors learn a bit more about the different boutique labels. There are some great labels out there that really deliver the goods. Welcome back to the collecting scene! And thanks for watching!
This video was so awesome as a new collector thank you so much
Very cool to hear! That was my hope... that maybe new collectors could benefit from this. Thanks so much for watching!
Wicked vision is one of my favorites lables
Out of the 10 you discussed, There are only 2 I don't have nay titles from: Synapse and Blue Underground. I have known about them but just haven't gotten around to buying any yet.
Rockin video, Fuzz. One of my favorite Boutique Labels and definitely would be in my Top 10 is Severin Films. They are expensive, no doubt about it, but their 4k transfers and their supplements are outstanding. If you like Grindhouse, and non-traditional horror movies, I highly recommend them.
Thanks Frank! Yeah I have a few Severin titles, but I'm not the biggest fan. I mean, they're ok, and I don't disagree with you about their restorations (from what little I've seen, they do a good job). Occasionally they'll have something I really want, but they seldom have anything new that I can justify spending that much coin on. I'll buy from them if they release something I just have to have (like Dario Argento's Inferno and Mother of Tears on 4K, to complete the Three Mothers trilogy on 4K. Those I would pay the price for), but most of the time, there's nothing really that critical for me personally that's being released. In fact, I think the last thing I bought from them was that Four Flies on Gray Velvet 4K about a year and a half ago or so. Now if their prices were a little more reasonable and they had better packaging (at least, based on the limited experience I've had), then I might be more inclined to take a few chances with them on some blind buys. I keep an eye on their announcements in case they release something I really want. But it needs to be something pretty special for me in order to justify spending like $65 on a new 4K release (after shipping and taxes). Thanks for weighing in man! I'm glad you've had a good experience with Severin.
Criterion didn’t start with DVD. They started with Laserdisc! They were really boutique before the term was coined.
Still working my way through this video, but I will get through every second of it. So glad you took the time to do this. Also glad that you mentioned Streets of Fire. Shout did a fantastic job not just with the visual aspect, but with the audio! The audio takes full advantage of the Dolby Atmos format. Highly recommend. The other Shout title that I have to mention is Midnight Run. Such a gem of a movie and another great transfer to 4k.
I haven't picked up the Midnight Run 4K yet, but I think that's one I probably will add to the collection at some point. I used to watch it all the time years ago. Always got a kick out of that one. And yes, Streets of Fire was awesome. When I bought the 4K, it was the first time I'd ever seen the film (even though I remember the film growing up in the 80s... but never got around to seeing until the Shout 4K). I just love the music in this film. I don't have a Dolby Atmos setup yet, so I can't fully comment on that. But at the very least, I did notice the Atmos mix sounded great on my 5.1 surround system. Anyway, great to hear from you Chad! Thanks for taking the time to watch my crazy long video LMAO!
@@TheOriginalFuzz The Longer the better. Most of my offline friends aren't movie people. It's nice to have this channel. I feel like I've found a home here!
@@chadeldred3539 Yeah I'm kind of in the same boat... I don't have a lot of people around me who are into movies and collecting the way I am. This physical media collecting community on RUclips has been awesome for connecting with others who share the same interest/passion for movies.
I absolutely love VS and Arrow. Need to get more into Turbine. I missed out on that Barbed Wire steelbook…damn that looks sweet!
Great information once again my brother…
Thanks my friend! Yeah VS and Arrow are among my favorites for packaging. Hey it looks like Turbine just restocked on one of the Barb Wire 4K editions (same steelbook art, different slipcover art than mine). So you can still get it if you want. But it's low on stock, so I'd recommend jumping on it quickly if interested. Here's the link: turbine-shop.de/en/Barb-Wire-Limitierte-Steelbook-Edition-mit-Full-Slip-B-4K-Ultra-HD-Blu-ray-Unrated-Blu-ray/6961235
Great discussion! I know I didn't learn about boutique labels until a few years ago.I was searching for An American Werewolf in London blu-ray and noticed multiple versions available, Upon reading reviews, the best one has those color bars on the bottom of front cover (representing Arrow). Once I started watching RUclipsrs, I learned a lot. Although i did know about Criterion, I did not realize it was a separate lable. I just though it was a special line within the studios. I have the Criterion laserdisc of Robocop and a couple Criterion DVDs still.
Got the UK Arrow (Blu ray )release , wasn't that impressed with the picture.
quality.
The 3 disc Turbine edition (4K & Blu ray) on the other hand has great colour and overall better picture quality (even on the blu ray).
@@stevealharris6669 Oddly enough, I never got around to buying the BD. I waited long enough, the 4K was announced and waited for it. I would like to find the Turbine 4K and compare it. I really like what Turbine does.
13 hours is great .....though 50% for me is realism and sound. I admit u need good 🔊 set up.. even just 2 channel a Denon AVR witg room correction and Sub. Very immersive sound, next level.
Sir you didn’t mentioned Mondo Mocabro which is much older than Severin,Arrow or so many other Beatique labels..They are in the business since early 2000
Excellent video!!! Thank you so much for letting me know about different boutique stores for physical media! I already knew of Arrow, Shout Factory, and Criterion, but the others I haven't heard of. Browsing the websites now I like Kino Lorber, and the Synapse sale that's currently going on looks great! The Vinegar Syndrome website is currently down, but will reopen 12:01am Friday May 24th, so I'll check back in then.
Thanks so much for watching! I'm really glad to hear you enjoyed it. Yes, this coming weekend is one of Vinegar Syndrome's big sales, so great timing. It's their Halfway to Black Friday sale, and most titles released prior to 6 months ago are 50 percent off the list price. So it would be a great time to dip your toes in their selection. They always shut down the site a couple days before a big sale. They are a very unique company, and they do things a little differently than other boutiques. You'll see what I mean once you start browsing their site and get familiar with them. But there's just something kind of special about them for me, even though I'm very selective in what I buy from them. My recommendation would be to set up a free account with them before ordering anything, and then make sure you're logged in when you order so you can get points (which can eventually be redeemed as cash discounts on your orders at certain intervals -- or you can use the points to buy fun little products, like re-printed variant slipcovers for certain releases). Just a heads up though... it can take Vinegar Syndrome quite some time to ship items out after a big sale like this, so expect to wait a few weeks or a month to receive items. They are really cool people over there with amazing customer service, but they are a small operation with a full-time shipping staff of only about 20 people during big sales, and they get totally slammed (they will get literally thousands of orders over the weekend, so it takes them a little time to fulfill orders). But they are a really fun company with lots of cool little bells and whistles.
@@TheOriginalFuzz I appreciate the heads up about Vinegar Syndrome sale, I will definitely have to check it out, especially if it's supporting a small company!
@@Shuxy Oh no problem. I figured I'd warn you ahead of time, since sometimes people find it a little alarming when it takes a month to get a shipping notification from VS - Lol! But they are definitely on top of everything over there. Great little company. Btw, while you're waiting for them to open the site back up, check out their Halfway to Black Friday sale FAQ page. They always do this before a big sale... they try to answer as many questions about the sale as they can ahead of time. They're super informative and transparent. I love that about them. support.vinegarsyndrome.com/en-US/halfway-to-black-friday-2024---faq-508981
Great video! Very informative. I wasn't introduced to any labels I wasn't aware of, but I learned more about them. That'll work. Thanks.
Thanks so much for watching! Yeah I originally wanted to talk about a few more labels in addition to these, but the video got so long, I had to cut it off LOL. Maybe I'll do a sequel video at some point. Because there are definitely others out there that could be mentioned. Thanks for commenting.
Warner Archive puts out a quality product and many also have some decent special features at more realistic prices. They are the best model and example of a company who is actually trying to get product into as many hands as possible and not just a few.
Yeah I agree, they've done some pretty good work over there, from what I've seen (which isn't a lot, but I do have some Warner Archive titles, and they're decent). Thanks for watching!
Agreed. In part because they have had the most-clever business model of the major studios. TCM is a corporate affiliate of Warner, with basically unfettered access to the Warner back catalog. TCM both needs watcheable restored prints in order to broadcast them, but it also has served as a way to then market that back catalog to home viewers and keep it visible. ("That movie you just saw? You can enjoy it anytime on disc! Old movies are so cool!") Thus they have long understood how to tap the long-tail economic value of a century of films, and not just double down on the last 30 years or so. And we as film enthusiasts are so much better of for it.
Hi Fuzz. Like you I’m a big fan of the “chunks”. Arrows and Second Sight do some amazing releases 🤩
Lol! Yeah I definitely need to get more Second Sight titles in my collection. I just love what I've seen from them. Can't wait for The Hitcher! And of course, Arrow is probably my favorite. Thanks for watching!
@@TheOriginalFuzz Agree with you. Think the Hitcher will be a day one purchase for me. Rutger was absolutely brilliant in this movie. He always seemed to elevate every movie that he starred in 🌟
Got the 4K of The Amityville Horror (with slip case) from 88 Films / great art work , different from the U.S version.
Criterion is my favorite with Kino being a close second.
Criterion doesn't deal with limited editions which I love. I find limited editions to be predatory and manipulative. It's just FOMO buying. I also just so happen to watch movies that's released by them. I like their packaging, the jewel cases are nice and the digipaks are simple (Though what were they on with trainspotting?).
Kino are for the same reasons. I love how their slipcovers look on the shelf. They match really well together (though it's limited which is a bummer). They also happen to have titles that I watch.
These two also just simply release the movie (criterion with a small booklet). A poster is nice, but all these other labels and their big boxes just includes junk like art cards and other memorabilia (espeically shout studio, like what is up with them?). Which they use to justify the huge mark ups.
I just care about getting the movie and don't care much anymore in what way they are packaged.
Also worth mentioning that Kino, Criterion, and Arrow each have a 2 month long 50% sales at Barnes and noble. So for some, going in stores is nicer than risking the package being damaged because of shipping.
Interesting what you said about Vinegar Syndrome not selling the better editions on Amazon, since I bought both Roadhouse and TCM2 from a seller there at the same price about two or three years ago. The seller was OCD, as in the company name.
I missed out on Second Sight’s deluxe DotD with the library music CDs, but I have a CD of it that released years ago.
Synapse has Don May working for them? I didn’t know that! I remember him from the Image Entertainment laserdisc days. Tombs of the Blind Dead is a great disc.
Oh yeah good point with the Amazon thing. I was referring to Amazon proper, not the third-party vendors that sell their items through Amazon (which is more or less like getting it from eBay or something). There are many third-party sellers on Amazon who may have some of the Vinegar Syndrome LE box sets (though presumably at a significantly higher price now for the ones that are out of print). But Amazon themselves only carry standard amaray case editions of VS titles in their inventory.
Re: Synapse... I believe that's actually Don May Jr.'s company. He was either the founder or co-founder or something. Love the work he does. They're a great label!
Thanks for watching and commenting! Appreciate it!
Great Video Fuzz!! I love MVD. I miss Olive Films too
Thanks for watching and commenting man! It seems like a lot of the old Olive Films catalog may have been rolled over to Kino Lorber on the licensing... I've noticed Kino reissuing a number of titles that used to be under Olive's domain (although I'm sure there must be other labels who picked up some of Olive's catalog too). So I feel like we're probably in good hands with a lot of those Olive titles. I definitely want to get more MVD titles... I have a few, but there's lots more to explore! LMAO!
@@TheOriginalFuzz Yea there are a few MVD titles im wanting, Disturbing Behavior is at the top of my list to get.
& yea I have noticed that too, im doing research for an Olive Films videos & ive noticed Kino & Criterion has picked up a lot of old Olive films & released them on Blu-Ray & a few have gotten 4Ks
but speaking of 4K, have seen Kino is releasing The Generals Daughter on 4k! 🤯 I know your a huge Crimson Tide & The Rock fan, maybe im alone in this but I feel The Generals Daughter is a perfect triple feature with those 2 movies.
I only saw the General's Daughter once years ago, around the time it was a relatively new release. I don't even really remember it that well (knowing me back then, I was probably drunk when I watched it LMAO!). But I did notice it's coming to 4K... never really associated it with The Rock or Crimson, but I may have to revisit that one.
@@TheOriginalFuzz I may be alone in this but I truly consider Crimson Tide & The Rock brother/sister films that aren't sequels (if that makes sense). The Generals Daughter I would put in that same family but more of a cousin lol.
I've always LOVED The Generals Daughter but ever since the Kino 4k got announced I realized my excitement isn't felt by everyone on RUclips lol. It's amazing man! very high recommend! especially if you just got Barb Wire on 4k LMAO!
There are 3 cuts of the robocop in the arrow set. The rated,unrated and the hilarious made for tv cut. Great topic. I love collecting boutique labels when budgets permits. They can get a little expensive sometimes
Oh good point... I always forget about the TV cuts on these things (since I never watch them). And yeah, I totally hear ya on the budgeting for this stuff. I find I do have to prioritize/pick and choose sometimes, depending on the boutique, title and edition in question. Some boutiques can get pretty pricey for their limited editions. Right now I'm getting stoked for the Vinegar Syndrome Halfway to Black Friday sale this coming weekend (I usually wait for VS sales to pick up most titles from them).
@@TheOriginalFuzz I am looking forward to the criterion sale coming up
True Romance is the best arrow video release because of the awesome steelbook that included!
Flicker Alley is one of the best boutique labels that is rarerly mentioned
Home of the "Cinerama" travelogue restorations! (Just got an order of them in, and am thoroughly impressed)
Being a Brit I’m massively impressed with 88 Films and what they’re doing, they’re rapidly putting themselves among the elite. Also keep an eye on Curzon Films, they’re looking very promising.
I need to explore those labels a bit more. I have a couple 88 Films releases, but I've only dabbled a bit with them if they had something I wanted. I haven't even heard of Curzon Films yet, so I'll be looking into both labels and seeing what they have. Thanks for the tip, and thanks for watching!
88 Films’ 4K UHD Italian Collection is fantastic. They’re releasing the 80s semi-classics Antropophagus and Absurd soon. Their recent releases of Witchfinder General and Blood on Satan’s Claw are also superb. Their packaging is great, with hard outer shells, posters, reversible cover art etc. Highly recommended. Curzon are a partner label for Criterion I believe, and will next month be releasing a 4K of the Korean masterpiece Memories of Murder.
Hey Fuzz, great and informative video! I'm curious what you think about/if you have any titles from the Powerhouse/Indicator label? I've picked up a few recently, and they're fantastic releases. The ones I have at least all come with booklets and a nice rigid slipcase, they're amazing! The Ormond Family boxset is a super cool release with a lot of (almost) lost films. I know you love Vinegar Syndrome, so I think you should check them out, they've got a lot of exploitation/obscure films with lots of bonus features. Once again, great video and can't wait for the next one!
I don't have a whole lot of experience with Indicator. I think I only have like one title from them (Brian De Palma's Body Double on blu ray), and it's a standard edition blu ray. So I will have to look into them more and see what else they have in their catalog... especially if they have rigid slipcase editions. I love that kind of stuff! Thanks for the tip! And thanks so much for watching... I know this one got a little long LOL!
@@TheOriginalFuzz they're also decently affordable, around 30-35 for a 4K release if you buy from the right place! A lot of their more recent releases come in rigid slipcases, so take a look and see if any interest you.
Great informative video there. Thanks.
I've few follow-up questions:
Q1: Are these Boutique releases as you call it having any affiliation with the original studios that produced the movie? Or how do they obtain the licence to restore the movies?
Q2: Are there any cases where two separate boutique releases have restored/released same movie title? I remember '12 Angry Men' was released by MGM studio as well as Criterion. Why would MGM care to give licence to Criterion boutique to reproduce their proprietary title?
Q3: Aren't there any competition among these bootiques like who will go first with a certain movie title?
Q4: What's the difference between US release and UK release for a same movie title or a different movie title? Does it mean some boutiques operate from US and some from UK? or Same boutique has presence in two geographies?
Q5: Are there any other boutique releases geography wise, apart from US and UK releases?
Remark: Those 'chunky boxes' may be distinctively looking good, but I like some uniformity in how the Blurays packaging look. Besides, I find those booklets and cards useless commodities, I wonder if anyone reads those booklets and the photo prints are awfully bad.
Thanks for watching! Good questions. The funny thing is, I originally had a section in this video talking about licensing, but I ultimately edited it out because the video was getting so long.
Let me preface my response by saying I am not an expert on this stuff by any measure, nor do I consider myself to be a professional reviewer. I'm just an average collector with a RUclips channel and a passion for movies and collecting, sharing my views and any bits of info I've picked up in recent years that might be helpful to new collectors. I really only have a laymen's understanding of how licensing works, but I think I may be able to shed a little light on your questions.
Q1 -- From what I understand, licensing agreements/contracts can be very complex and detailed, involve lawyers and a bunch of legal stuff, etc. And I don't pretend to know the ins-and-outs of how it all works. But essentially, major studios (like MGM, Universal, Paramount, Warner Bros, etc.) will license out some of their movies directly to smaller boutiques for distribution. The boutiques then do all/much of the work (packaging design, restoration, etc.) and release the product on physical media, and the major studio gets a cut of the sales. This can happen for many reasons and in many ways, but perhaps one example might be if a major studio doesn't know how a title (or bundle of titles, as is often the case) will sell, it might not want to take the risk on releasing those titles on a particular format (especially with 4K, which is a much more expensive process/format to produce). But a particular boutique may come along with a niche customer base that might appreciate the title(s) in question, and will seek out a licensing distribution agreement with the major studio that holds the rights to the title(s). It can take time for this process to happen, from what I understand... sometimes even several years of negotiation. And when a licensing deal is inked, those rights are temporary... meaning, the boutique will only have the rights to produce the title for a few years at a time (like 4-5 years), and then they can either renew the license or maybe someone else bids for the license, etc. I think there are all kinds of different scenarios in play. Every agreement is different, specific, and unique. Usually these agreements are limited to a specific format, specific region of the world (i.e. U.S. vs. UK), and there may be all kinds of conditions the major studio places on the boutique in terms of how they allow a title to be released, what kind of artwork can be used (or if new artwork can be commissioned), whether the boutique is allowed to produce their own exclusive special features and bonus material (like retrospective documentaries), or do they have to use only what the studio provides to them, etc., etc. Like I said, it can get really complicated. But it all just depends on the title, the studio, and the boutique in question as to how it's handled from there.
Some/many boutiques have their own in-house film restoration facilities/gear and/or partners they work with for some titles, while for other titles, the major studio may provide the finished restoration or maybe just a new scan (4K or 2K) of the original source elements, for the boutique to work with on the restoration, color timing, etc. Sometimes the studios will provide all the original source elements (camera negatives, etc.) and give the boutique carte blanche to work its magic from the ground up. Sometimes the boutqiues will even work with the directors or receive input from others who worked on the film to accurately restore a title. It really all just depends. Every movie and situation is different, and there are so many different variables. But in a nutshell, these are legally-binding, contractual licensing agreements between the boutiques and major studios for temporary distribution rights, in a specific region, on a specific format, for a specific period of time.
Q2 - Q5 -- Because licensing agreements are so detailed and regionalized, yes you can have more than one boutique releasing the same title. But usually not within the same region (country). There is usually some exclusivity in the agreement that pertains to the region and format a title can be released in. A major studio may license out a title to one boutique in the US (like, say, Kino or Shout), but also have a different agreement with another boutique in the UK for the same title (like Arrow or Second Sight). The regional exclusivity of these agreements cuts down on the competition (in fact, to the contrary, some collectors will buy imports/multiple releases of the same title from multiple regions, just to get different packaging, artwork, treatment, etc.). And I think more often than not, we see boutiques working with each other to share resources more than we see them competing against each other. For example, boutiques will often share the same 4K scans of a film's original camera negative to cut costs, but then each perform their own individual work on the scans. But it's not usually a zero-sum game with most collectors... meaning, one boutique's gain is not necessarily another's loss in the same region, because those boutiques likely wouldn't have licenses to the same titles (on the same formats) within that region anyway. And collectors tend to buy from whatever boutique has the titles and collectible editions they want. However, sometimes there will be major studio releases and boutique releases of the same title on the same format (like blu-ray, for example). The major studio release might be an older, lower-resolution or lower-quality transfer, but then a boutique comes along and gives it a fresh scan, a new restoration treatment, and new bonus features, etc. So there are many different ways this stuff can play out.
The example you brought up about 12 Angry men is a really good one. I looked it up, and it looks like Criterion previously had the rights to distribute the title in the U.S. back in 2011 when they released their blu-ray. But somewhere along the way, they appear to have lost the rights, and now Kino Lorber holds the distribution rights... and as such, Kino has released that film on both blu-ray and 4K (the 4K came out just in April). Another company might hold the license over in the UK or Australia, etc. But I'm not aware of those. As to why MGM would care to give the rights to Kino... my guess is, probably because Kino asked to distribute it, and it's no skin off of MGM's back to just sit back and take their cut, and let Kino do all the work. To my knowledge, MGM has not released a 4K of the title, but Kino has. Kino assumed all the risk of releasing it in 4K, so if it turned out to not be a good-selling title for them, it would hurt Kino Lorber, not MGM. Finally, most boutiques I'm aware of are based in Europe and the U.S., but there are some based in Australia too.
Anyway, I hope this helps. I think I pretty much covered everything. I know my response is a little long here, but they were fairly loaded questions lol.
@@TheOriginalFuzz Wow, Thank you so much for that elaborate response to my questions. Really greatly appreciate it. It shows your passion for what you love to do, that's to collect and watch movies in their best possible format. That makes so much sense to me in this otherwise routine life.
Your Boutique review was so interesting and informative and unique as a topic that those 'loaded' questions were inevitably triggered lol.
It is a great intro and starter for anyone like me who is too much engrossed in buying movie titles but seldom cared much for who released it. As long as the movie is available, I'm happy until I saw your review and knew so much goes on behind the release of a movie on Bluray physical disc.
You've got one new subscriber. Will look forward to more informative and interesting content like this one.
@@Gundeski Thank you so much for watching, subbing and commenting! I really appreciate that. Check out my "Back to Basics" series when you get the chance (there's a playlist for the series on my channel homepage)... the series is intended for those who are relatively new to collecting (or new to returning to collecting, as is often the case). You might find some of the topics interesting.
Nice choices. Do you have any releases from Indicator in the U.K.? They put out first rate transfers and are loaded with extras.
I only have a couple Indicator titles on blu-ray (Body Double and I think a John Carpenter film... like Vampires or something). But I've been very happy with what little I've seen from them. Thanks for watching!
I have both movies studios and factory shout select
Shout Factory/Scream dunno what their issue is but us in the uk cannot buytheir titles Point Break, Midnight Run and more, like whats their issue? Thank god Point Break is coming out in Europe on 4k steelbook with Dolby Atmos, which Best Buy version did not have, coming soon fuzz.
It's because Shout/Scream are a U.S. company and they only ship to the U.S. But usually, someone in Europe has the rights to the same titles and ends up releasing a European edition, like you indicated. For example, I've noticed Arrow often gets a lot of the same titles as Shout/Scream do (like Carrie). Most of the Shout/Scream licenses are for U.S. rights only (or maybe North America only). So I assumed you'd probably get Point Break from another label over there. Do you know what label is putting out the steelbook on your side of the pond?
Great video.
Thank you my friend.
Long video!!! i have films from Arrow, Criterion, 88 films and Blue Underground (( Final Countdown, great one) and KL.
Just wondering did you buy the 4k of the Last Eemperor from Arrow last year ? i got witness, robin hood, & Conan Chromicles.and blu-rays too, need to reissue Four Weddings and A Funeral.
No I wasn't interested in that one. I may pick up the special edition version of Witness at some point... since I missed out on the LE box. I hear the transfer on that is excellent.
Blowout is Not available to usRegion A, they also do not synch with europe which is very annoying, so do we have to buy a multi region player to play stuff like this beyond annoying, the Magnetar 800 looks good, any opinion ?
The 4K disc is region-free (4K is largely a region-free format). It's just the included blu-ray that is region A. But you should be able to play the 4K disc on any player. That said, I've heard good things about Magnatar players (although they do seem a bit pricey).
Yes I have vinegar syndrome few movies
Fuzz, not into Roadhouse, are their chunky boxsets Region Free? thanks
Yes they are region free at Vinegar Syndrome. That's another thing I like about them.
The BFI are also very good.
BFI? I'm not familiar with that one. Is that a boutique label?
@@TheOriginalFuzz British Film institute - I would consider it a boutique label,they do a lot of work restoring and conserving with (on occasion) chunky box sets.
Not to sure how extensive their back catalogue is (if I went down that rabbit hole it would end up costing a lot 😎.
All the best from Norfolk UK.
Question as a noob , is a Boutique 4K blu ray better in sound and image than a mayor cheaper release 4k of the same movie ?
Ow i'm listening and you mention it, but it is not easy to get boutique 4k cheap in mainland Europe.
It depends on the boutique and the title in question. But there are boutiques in both U.S. and Europe. Arrow Video, for example, is based out of the UK, and they offer some of the best transfers/restorations on the market. They do fantastic work. Likewise for Second Sight Films (also UK based). Turbine is based out of Germany. And there are a bunch of other boutiques in Europe as well.
But to answer your initial question, boutiques tend to put a little more love into the products they're releasing. Often they have better packaging and more bonus features, and yes, they often have better restorations. Although, major studio restorations can still look really good. So it really just depends on the title, since every movie is different. But if I have the choice between buying a major studio edition vs. a boutique edition of the same title, usually I'll go with the boutique release. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching!
Good video mate 👍🏻 I think we are being spoilt these days 💿👈🏻 some beautiful releases, my wallet or wife doesn't think so though 😮😅lol
Yeah it's pretty glorious all the beautiful editions we're getting these days. That's the big benefit to seeing physical media shift to a more collector's niche market. The wallet can definitely take a bit of a hit. But at the same time, I really love finding out that some cool chunky box I bought two years ago is now out of print and quite valuable and sought-after. Thanks for watching my friend!
Interesting !
Flat liners I would love to add to my collection of arrow video
The Arrow 4K is a really good restoration. It looks amazing... way better than I've ever seen the movie look before. Beautiful colors that pop.
@@TheOriginalFuzzyes i agree with you
Boutique is a Great way to get you to buy a movie you've already bought for the 5th 6th 7th time or more!!!! And this time we get to spend two or three times the price. 😊
Lol!😆 That's definitely true for some collectors. It doesn't happen a whole lot for me personally. Occasionally I'll double dip on the same format, but very seldom, and only for titles that are particularly important to me. Often times, the boutique release is the one and only time I've purchased the title (on blu-ray or better -- I don't count old DVDs from 20 years ago in this calculation lol🤣). Ideally, I prefer to only buy the titles once, but for it to be a definitive edition -- like a 4K chunky box set or something. Thanks for watching!
My only problem with second sight is the digital style case
Are you talking about the digipacks that the discs are housed in? I don't mind those at all... in fact I kind of like them. I like the way they unfold to reveal the discs. As long as the discs are secured in actual trays (rather than cardboard/paper slots/sleeves), that's what is important to me -- that the discs are protected.
@@TheOriginalFuzz yes sir I think their cheap
I’m also got new steel books and new releases
You have a great collection i enjoy your content
Thanks Sara! Appreciate you watching. I'll check out your channel too.
@@TheOriginalFuzzthat’s awesome thanks
Arrow video yes I have some
Wow!
I have been collecting movies
I have same boutique labels and same studios I have
Can you not yype stuff on here that is not relevant, you do not list any labels that you have bought from, too many ?
No love for 88 Films, Eureka or Severin?
I don't think I own any Eureka stuff yet. I might have to look into them more. I do have a few 88 Films and Severin releases, but I haven't delved into those labels too much yet... Might have to do a Part 2 video at some point as I expand my boutique selection. Though I'm kind of on the fence about Severin. If they release something I really want and just have to have, I'll buy it. But their price point is pretty high for new releases (even for a boutique), and their handling of the Four Flies On Grey Velvet 4K debacle kind of left a bad taste in my mouth. And I'm less likely to blind-buy something from them because of their price point for many releases. But I like their restorations... they seem pretty solid from what I've seen. and I still keep an eye on their announcements, in case they release something I'm really interested in.
That’s all have Halloween 1
studio canal another good lable
Yeah I almost included Studiocanal in my list (I even had a few titles pulled that I was going to talk about), but ultimately, this video got so long that I ran out of time. I may have to do a follow up video at some point to discuss some additional labels. Thanks for watching!
I’m adding new content
I’m making changes for my channel
Interesting you say 4K is what brought you back to collecting. 4K is what is making me want to get out of collecting,
Why? From my pov, 4K does wonders for older, catalog movies shot on film. In most cases, the 4K transfers are usually the best the films have ever looked on home media (to varying degrees, of course... some films have a greater quality jump than others). I love the format. What don't you like about it?
@@TheOriginalFuzz I think it looks God Awful. I hate HDR. Over processed, over DNRd, over sharpened, over contrast, over saturated, etc. I don't like my Films to look like a bad video game.
@mg-ThisHandleIsSoStupid Sorry to hear that. That has not been my experience. Quite the opposite, in fact. I could understand maybe feeling that way about a specific movie, depending on what it is and how it was filmed, restored, processed, released etc. But every movie is unique and handled/treated differently. So those seem like pretty broad strokes to paint across the entire format. For example, Jaws or The Godfather on 4K were handled in a completely different manner than something like Top Gun Maverick or the Avatar movies. Different animals from different eras. I'm wondering if maybe it has something to do with your TV picture settings. Like for example, do you turn up the image sharpness on your TV? Or do you have motion smoothing turned on? (I'm assuming you don't but I thought I'd ask anyway, just in case lol)