Need advice from all shmoes(DVD v.s. VHS)

[nightmareman]

I currently own close to 50 horror flicks(some rare) I was wondering if I shoud get a DVD player and start over my collection or keep my collection and buy the movies I already have for DVD. IS there much differnce between DVD versons and VHS.
Are all the little extras worth it?

[Fettdog]

Hi nightmareman.

I've been updating my video collection with DVDs and have to say that the extras are definitely worth having, particularly on your favourite films.

We're lucky really in that horror films still seem to be getting the best treatment in the extras department (check out the Scream and Elm Street box sets for starters), so my advice is start your DVD collection today!

[Horror Hippie]

DVD all the way. Some DVDs have very little extras, but since every company is releasing old movies onto the format(like Universal and their Midnite Movies series), pick em up anyway.

[JenDan05]

DVDs are the best! Even if there are no extras. The movie is usually presented in widescreen and I'd have to say that I just bought HALLOWEEN and it was much scarier in widescreen.

[APzombie]

start as soon as you can, if you had a record collection and cds came out would you refuse to get cds? i have a vhs/dvd horror and it blends nicely.

[Antonio Del Lago]

Although I'll have to "start over" as well, DVD's are better B/C of the quality and extras. No competition.

[Creep]

I have to disagree with you all. I bought a DVD player two years ago and I am greatly dissappointed. Sure DVD gives films a better quality, but that's not necessarily a good thing. In fact, I feel thatby digitalizing the picture the dark (and sometimes gritty) look found in 70's and 80's flicks is lost. Thus, DVD makes the picture look fake and sometimes cartoonish. My personal favorite is Laserdisc, which is the closest medium to give a theaterical picture. It's a shame people have fallen in love with DVD.
***VHS FOREVER***

[Prairiedogking]

I think that DVD is going to eventually replace VHS. I love DVDs. Crisp picture, great sound, cool extras...most of the time (I love audio commentaires) wide screen options. DVD ALL THE WAY BABY!

[nightmareman]

Hey thanks for the feedback shmoes, Im gonna go out there to get a DVD player, I herd there trying to get The Burning out on DVD uncut so ill keep the VHS but start on the DVD's

[nightmareman]

Hey Im buying a DVD player whats some of the best oldshool horror to buy what should I buy first. Fuck "Scream" and all that new bullshit, but some of the older flicks

[Jo-Jo]

There are some great lists of old school horror films on this board, just look around a bit. It shouldn't take you more than 5 minutes to find a decent list. You can also check out:
http://www.anchorbayentertainment.com
They have done some good transfer jobs for great films like Halloween, the Hammer series, the Evil Dead films and many others.

[zombiejazon]

yeah i dont like dvd. its a lot better, but i spent 700 on a great dvd player and the piece of shit broke after a month cuz the dvds were dirty! ive had the same 3 VCRs for over 5 years and theyve never broken. until i get a raise, im sticking with my vhs

[countchocula]

I don't plan on getting a DVD player anytime soon. I agree with Creep. VHS FOREVER!

[Jo-Jo]

For the detractors out there, think of getting a DVD player as an investment. My DVD player came in the form of my PS2 and even though I had to put out a bit for it, it's well worth it. No matter how much you love your VHS tapes, they all deteriorate over time, no matter how good you take care of them. And everytime you try to duplicate your old VHS movies the quality just gets worse. Stick with the DVD's and wait 4 years and VHS will have gone the way of BETA!!!

[nightmareman]

HEY I LIKE BETA , good old grainy quality of horror cant get much better than BETA

[MISFITS_Fiend]

Forget about the extras (even though I have yet to buy a DVD without them), it's the quality of the movies that sold me on 'em. For a great example, check out Elite Entertainment's copy of Night of the Living Dead (the original). The picture is soooo clear, it looks like it was filmed last week only in black and white! You get to see a lot of things that you would ordinarily miss on regular VHS. I was also skeptical about "starting over", but now it kills me when I have to buy a tape over DVD (e.g., Orgazmo...great movie, btw). Anyway, there's my 2 cents...plus a lot extra I guess...

[APzombie]

good point MISFITS_Fiend, when i got the crow SE i noticed a heck of alot things while watching, and i seen it on vhs over 50 times. Friday the 13th part 1 annoyed the hell out of me when i saw it on vhs cause 40% of it was just a black screen, but on dvd you could accualy point things out during those parts.

[Cyclonus]

Extras are all well and good, but it takes a back seat to sound and picture quality.

[nightmareman]

Hooray I got a DVD player, but since my wife doesnt like horror movies I had to get U571 oh well time to start on the horror collection for DVD

[Adidas03]

Its funny how some people will babble about extras not being that great or whatever. DVD also has better sound and picture quality, I mean what's the huge debate about? Hands down... DVD is better than VHS.

[Bry Bry]

i was the same as you about 8 months ago..i didn't know what benefits there would be with dvd compared to VHS..not many of my buddies had them, and i thought it ws mostly hype as far as DVD goes...i started looking at the differnt ones, and noticed alot of the DVD movies have alot of "behind the scenes" info and some even have the "making of" featurette...i got a DVD player and from day one, i was hooked...i LOVED the crisp picture quality, and the SOUND was much better...anyone who is a big movie buff needs to go out and buy a DVD player!!!you won't regret it...

grea dvd's to get...

TCM-the picture is better than VHS, but still has that "gritty" look to it, and that's a good thing..the DVD has a very interesting AUDIO COMMENTARY with TOBE HOOPER,GUNNAR HANSEN and another producer of the film...alot of interesting behind the scenes info they share with us...also, the DVD has the TRAILERS for TCM 1,2,3 and 4...it also has OUTTAKES of TCM, and a few DELETED scenes...a great dvd...
HALLOWEEN-the restored version does NOTR have the televiosn version, but that is all that it lacks...the picture quality is OUTSTANDING as compared to the VHS..the SOUND is of course better as well...there is a "making of" featurette as well, that contains some nice info...there are also trailers and snapshots of the fiml..

there are many more good horror dvd's, but im too tired to into them..

[Scully1888]

I think the larger the TV and sound system you have, the more you notice the change in quality. Even if you have a wee 14-inch TV, DVD provides quality so much better that you'd be a dick not to realise the advantages it has.
The only problem I can see (in Scotland anyway) is that they're still a lot more expensive that VHS tapes. A cheap DVD costs about $6, whereas cheap videos can be as little as $2, and with most of the horror movies such as Halloween, Phantasm etc. that have very little or no special features, I need to be feeling pretty flush to fork out, being a student now.

[Bry Bry]

bro, HALLOWEEN(restored version) has many extras..it has a 30 minute behind the scenes type of show that has interviews with the actors and dirctor/producers of the movie..it also has 4-5 TV spots and 2-3 trailers...there are also snapshots of the movie and promo material...HALLOWEEN is NO bare bones DVD by any means...

HALLOWEEn 2 is bare bones though..it doesnt even have a trailer!!!i bought it for $9.95 at SUNCOAST VIDEO though..

[Chris_foster14]

I think in regards to the DVD vs. VHS debate that the answer depends on what film you are watching. If you're watching something like Star wars, it would probably be better on DVD. But, like Creep said, alot of the 70's and 80's horror films look and feel better on VHS.

[Scully1888]

I know, Bry Bry. That's the case with the Region 1 version, but I only have access to the Region 2 version here in Scotland, and it sucks ass.

[nightmareman]

I have a DVD player for awhile now and I have to say I love movies better on DVD at first I was like whats the differnce but all the extras make it worth my while

[EvilAsh]

I say have both. Don't sell that VCR but also get a dvd player. By doing that some movies that u love on vhs but aren't available on DVD are still for the watching. Near Dark comes to mind(even though the dvd comes out later this year.)

[Mojo67821]

I agree, definitely both. I've been buying DVD's like a fiend, but I'm also collecting some of the classics on VHS. For instance, I just bought Sleepaway Camp's 2 and 3 on VHS because they're collectors item.

I love the sound and picture of DVD's, but there's something nostalgic about watching a grainy 80's horror flick. I say both, besides...DVD porn is so expensive!

[Dehydrator]

Hmm, mabye I'm the only one but:

(reagge beat)

no I don't like no DVD
How can I watch DVD with no money?
I'd rather look for ol' VHS
If I had to spent money on all dat DVD
My summer budget
would be a mess

(horns)
ohhhnononononononono no I don't like no DVD

Ya sell me extras but I don't care
Ya tell me da quality and price is fair
But let me tell ya, I dig my VHS
And if someday VHS is out of print
My nostalgic heart
would be a mess

ooooohhnononononono no I don't like no DVD

all of them extras look pretty neat
but it's the movie I'm interested on
so please, don't ya bother me
I cannot afford all these crazy things
and jah knows if I would try
all of my summer I'd rather cry
'cause a movie is not dat important to me
so set me free
of ya DVD

ohhhhnononononononono I don't like no DVD

I know da future belongs to da DVD
but lord have mercy, dat's no future for me
I don't really care about da betta quality yeah
I don't like no DVD

sometimes, lord knows I think about having them too
but once you got one, you just have to get two
and if you got two, you gotta have three
oh please dear DVD please let me be
jah tell me I don't know what I be talking about
but I grew up on VHS
where you gotta turn up the volume real loud
and dat be the waaaay it's supposed to be
a VHS looks cooler
at least to me

everybody now

I don't like no DVD
(background singers)
He don't like no DVD
Ohhh I don't like no DVD
(background singers)
set him free
of ya DVD
nonononononono
I don't like no DVD
Dear DVD please let me be

Lord knows I put all of my weeed
in a VHS box
Ya can't do with a box
that looks like dat
ya know can't put all of my weeeeed
in a DVD-Box
cause dat case be way to smaaaal
ain't got room enough

a VHS looks nice just like a book
can't put a DVD on da shelf to look
noooooooooooooo I don't want no DVD


nooooooo oh oh oh oh oh I don't want no DVD

[This message has been edited by Dehydrator (edited 03-18-2002).]

[Mojo67821]

lol...that's the strangest post I've seen on these boards in a while man...touche!

[robk]

I've been fortunate enough to get a VCR/DVD hybrid.
I usually buy DVD's if the film in question isn't available letterboxed on VHS(although some films like Cujo & Piranha don't seem to be available letterboxed in either way).
It's the same with CD's & audio cassettes; one's more popular than the other, but that doesn't mean the other will fade away.

[XCoRyX]

while dvds are better looking alltogether sound and screen wise including up to date extras....not all movies are formatted to dvd yet so wait a couple years,atleast thats what im doing

[SAI]

For me the main selling point of dvd (and one that is neglected) is WIDESCREEN.

Lets put it this way. Would you rather see

HALLOWEEN
or
LLOWEE

That plus the picture, sound and extras means dvd wins hands down.

[Jason Voorhees]

I agree with the general consensus of horror fan's here, DVD is the way to go but keep your VCR though. Really I like both.

[EDsoulsurvive*]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Creep:
In fact, I feel thatby digitalizing the picture the dark (and sometimes gritty) look found in 70's and 80's flicks is lost. Thus, DVD makes the picture look fake and sometimes cartoonish. </font>

ok, that dark 70's and 80's feel is great unless the picture is so dark and crappy u can hardly tell whats happening. O wait! the picture is always like that! DVDs KICK VHS ASS!!!

[skantchweasel]

Its really a double edged sword IMHO...
As some have been saying here, the picture presented on DVD is usually digitally remastered - looking better than it ever has done, but in some cases this can ruin films. Check the Evil Dead... It really doesnt seem right watching it with a clear picture, plus you can really make out the matte shots of the moon.. Its really easy to pick the classics apart. How about I Spit on your grave? Lovely transfer, but please... The film is as low and seedy as they come, i feel it truely detracts from the overall impact of a movie having a pristeen immaculate print. Its an impact thing... for those sentimental of us enough to remmeber the days of Dodgy Dave on the carboot flogging pirates of the video nasties, having these flicks readily available is wierd enough, but to have them available looking better than Titanic or whatever.. yeah, id say in some cases it can ruin the experience.. but thats personal opinion. I love my 700 strong VHS collection and have started off on DVD now due to the lures of the extras. Im sorry, but IMHO its the main reason ive made the switch. Plus for us in the UK, providing we shell out on the right equipment in the first place, we can import to our hearts content with very little/no mollestation from the customs people. Ive had Dr Lamb & Untold Story both arrive here without interferance from customs. Still, for someone who appreciates their films how can you really deny DVDs power. I mean, ive got at least 3 completely fresh watchings worth out of Evil Dead - COMMENTARIES!!! Especially when Bruce Campbells envolved these can be entertaining and insightful to the process of the making of your favourite films as well as amusing stories from the set. In some instances (cough..Reanimator..cough) they can be lame, but on the whole, gotta be worth ure moneys worth..

Yeah, what about those classics which havent been released on DVD? Well, there arent that many which havent to be honest. ROTLD has seen a (crap) R2 release and is getting the R1 treatment soon... Scarecrows is kinda missing without a trace... and to be honest, i cant really think of many of my personal fave films awaiting the treatment from some region. Its pretty impressive when you think about the annuls of horror cinema being covered in the space of some 5 years.. anyone missing their faves should petition anchor bay or someone, theyll probably be desparate for ideas soon.

So yeah in a nutshell, DVD ... yeah... Im keeping my VHS too, only coz im too poor to go out and rebuy all my movies on DVD (and coz a lot of them suck)
errr.... anyone want some PAL VHS?
was there any point to my writing so much?
I dont think so...

[Pumpkinhead]

I still don't have a DVD player, and honestly, I'd rather just keep my VHS. The picture and sound quality on VHS seems fine to me. And although I think that extras would be nice, I really don't think that some extras are worth all the extra expense. However, I'm probably going to have to buy one one day anyway, because I don't want to just keep buying videos forever until VCR's are extinct, and then I'll have to buy all the movies I own over again on DVD.
I wish that DVD's weren't taking over, but I guess I'll just have to give in eventually.

[psycho path]

Id keep my V.H.S,and include the DVDS....in the same collection.