Vault Master's Collector's Corner: I Finally Completed My Vestron Video Collector's Series Blu-ray Collection!

 

Hey gang! It's been a busy year for yours truly, and I apologize that I sort of vanished back in February. I've been picking up a ton of overtime at work, and am otherwise occupied with trying to raise a now (almost) three-year old son, which doesn't leave much time for writing about movies, let alone watching them! While I'm hoping that this post is the start of my latest comeback, don't be too surprised if new content remains sporadic for the next, oh I don't know.... fifteen years or so?

As an avid collector of physical media I currently have two issues plaguing me: I don't have a lot of shelf space in my current residence (which I've found a temporary solution for) and I don't have the same amount of expendable income that I once did (let's face it, kids are expensive and rent isn't cheap these days). This has forced me to cut back and be a little more conservative with my purchases. And while I have long given up on on my fool's errand of trying to own the entire catalogs of boutique Blu-ray labels like Arrow Video, Scream/Shout! Factory, and Vinegar Syndrome, I recently decided to go for a far more obtainable goal as a Blu-ray hoarder: To complete my collection of Lionsgate's Vestron Video Collector's Series' releases!

To date there have been twenty-nine titles released under this label (with number thirty making its way here as of my posting this!), and up until recently I was missing half of them. While many of the later Vestron discs are very reasonably priced (everything released after MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE has been around $12), the first seventeen Blu-rays still remain in the $25 - $30 range. For that reason, I've continued to shy away from filling in those noticeable holes on my Vestron shelf.... until I received a text message from Diabolik DVD!

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This alerted me to their current Vestron sale where most titles are marked down to $15.99! Seeing the opportunity to fill the remaining gaps in my collection I ended up grabbing nine Blu-rays from Diabolik! (Whoops!) Then I immediately opened up the Amazon app on my phone and searched for the remaining titles, most of which were incredibly cheap (except for GOTHIC, which is still fairly expensive), and I was done! I DID IT! I COMPLETED MY VESTRON COLLECTION SUCKAS! Oh wait.... no. No I didn't! DOH!

Shortly after my brief moment of triumph I realized that I was still missing ONE disc - #10, THE UNHOLY! Unfortunately for me, that particular title quietly went out of print! While this isn't typically a huge deal, I quickly discovered that I couldn't find a single Region A copy of the movie anywhere! (And apparently I'm not alone.)  In the end, I managed to procure a Region B copy of the UK Vestron release on eBay. Though it doesn't really fit the aesthetic of the other Vestron discs, I can now confidently say that I own the entirety of Lionsgate's Vestron Video Collector's series Blu-rays! WOOHOO!

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I am very much looking forward to seeing what other titles Lionsgate digs up, and I really hope they keep that awesomely low price point as well! I'm not sure what else they have on the docket, but some possible future Vestron releases could include: 976-EVIL 2, BIG MAN ON CAMPUS, ALIEN WARRIOR, C.O.D., AMERICAN DRIVE-IN, DOORMAN, FEAR (1990), FUNLAND, FUTURE-KILL, DEVIL DOG: HOUND OF HELL, HIDER IN THE HOUSE, THE HUNTERS OF THE GOLDEN COBRA, JENNIFER (1978), NEON MANIACS, PAINT IT BLACK, STRANGE INVADERS, THE MANIPULATOR, THE NIGHT STALKER (1986), and/or THE POWER (1984)! And that's barely the tip of the iceberg of the hundreds of teen sex comedies, Horror flicks, and exploitation films that were released decades ago by the long defunct Vestron Video! 

That's all for now gang - hopefully you'll be seeing more of me around these parts in coming months! Although I'm not creating much new content these days, I'm still fairly active on social media! To see what other new titles I've added to my collection be sure to follow me on Instagram! For updates on upcoming Blu-rays, new trailers, and fun memes, be sure to follow the Vault on Facebook! To keep tabs on what I've been watching, follow me on Letterboxd!

VAULT MASTER'S COLLECTOR'S CORNER: MY KINO LORBER ROCKTOBER 2021 HAUL!

 

Just got my latest Blu-ray haul (after I promised myself I wouldn't splurge for the remainder of the year) from Kino Lorber, who is currently having a ROCKTOBER SALE (ends on October 26th, 2021), with some really great prices on hundreds of classic titles! There's a lot of Code Red reissues (e.g. CONQUEST, JUST BEFORE DAWN, PANIC, SLITHIS, DEVIL'S EXPRESS), a bunch of Film Noir boxed sets, and more for some really hard to beat prices!

I myself just blew in BURIED ALIVE (a staple of my childhood that used to play on USA Network all the time!), CONQUEST (Fulci does sword & sorcery), DEVIL'S EXPRESS, GOG (in 3D!), JUST BEFORE DAWN (which contains two cuts of the film), THE MASK (in 3D!), THE MAZE (in 3D!), THE QUEST (aka FROG DREAMING), and SEPTEMBER STORM (in 3D!)! As an added bonus, I pre-ordered the complete KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER TV series (it's currently cheapest if you order direct from Kino) and it showed up early! 

View a few pics of my newest acquisitions below and be sure to follow me over on Instagram for more similar posts! Also be sure to follow me over on Facebook and Twitter for a constant stream of random thoughts, Blu-ray announcements, and other cool stuff!

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Vault Master's Collector's Corner: My Small CAMP ARROW VIDEO PART II Sale Haul!

 

After taking advantage at various sales from Kino Lorber, Shout! Factory, Severin Films, Vinegar Syndrome, and Amazon, I declared that I was absolutely 100% DONE collecting Blu-rays for a while. And then Arrow Video unleashed their second annual CAMP ARROW VIDEO PART II sale... Hundreds of Arrow titles have been reduced in price at their UK shop, and also over at Zavvi (which is doing a Buy One Get One deal on many discs as well!), Diabolik DVD, and Grindhouse Video! The sale ends on July 26th, so take advantage fellow collectors!

Despite spending an exorbitant amount of money throughout June, I broke down and snagged seven titles from Arrow's website (many of which were Region Free), including: BLOOD TIDE, THE CHILL FACTOR, ONE CUT OF THE DEAD (HOLLYWOOD EDITION), SCARED STIFF, THE SLAYER, TREMORS (standard edition 4K UHD), and WHITE FIRE!

I shared a few photos of my latest Arrow acquisitions over on my Instagram feed - you can view them below!

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I saw BLOOD TIDE many years ago after I purchased a bargain-bin DVD of the film which featured a heavily-edited cut that looked like it was mastered from a VHS tape. Now this mostly forgotten creature feature has been lovingly restored in 4K and comes complete with a new director's commentary and interview with Writer/Producer Nico Mastorakis! Joy!

ONE CUT OF THE DEAD recently became a favorite of mine after I saw it on Shudder. If you managed to survive the first half-hour (power through it - trust me!), you'll be treated to an oft-hilarious movie that is full of heart. This release comes with a spin-off film (ONE CUT OF THE DEAD IN HOLLYWOOD) plus a variety of bonus features not found on the standard releases!

TREMORS is a perennial favorite and easily one of the best monster movies ever made! I couldn't help myself and made the (some would argue) necessary upgrade to the new 4K release, which boasts absolutely gorgeous picture and sound, plus an impressive number of newly created special features!

As for the rest, I have never seen THE CHILL FACTOR (2K restoration, new commentary and interviews, VHS workprint, et al.), SCARED STIFF (2K restoration, new audio commentary and making-of documentary, et al.), THE SLAYER (new 4K restoration, audio commentary, isolated score, making-of documentary, et al.), or WHITE FIRE (new audio commentary, new cast & crew interviews, et al.) Just from the description on the back of these discs I'm certain that I am in for quite a ride!

To see what else I've added to my ever-growing movie collection, be sure to scope out my Instagram! To keep up to date on new and upcoming genre titles on Blu-ray and 4K UHD, definitely be sure to follow The Vault on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Until next time Vault Dwellers, continue bulking up your collections to help keep physical media alive in an increasingly digital world!

Vault Master's Collector's Corner: Just Added the HAMMER 20-FILM ULTIMATE COLLECTION to My Blu-ray Shelves!

 

Welcome back to Vault Master's Collector's Corner gang! Today I just wanted to share one of the newest additions to my collection with ya'll - Mill Creek Entertainment's awesome 20-film Collection of Hammer flicks! This 10-disc Blu-ray set offers up a little bit of everything from classic Hammer Horror (e.g. THE GORGON, CURSE OF THE MUMMY'S TOMB) to swashbuckling adventures (e.g. THE PIRATES OF BLOOD RIVER, SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST), and comes with a 12-page booklet, multiple audio commentaries, and several featurettes & retrospectives! Peep out a few pictures of it below from my Instagram feed!

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The following films are included in the collection.
Note: Titles with a * next to them have audio commentaries.

• THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1958) *
• THE TWO FACES OF DR. JEKYLL (1960)
• THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY'S TOMB (1963)
• THESE ARE THE DAMNED (1962)
• THE OLD DARK HOUSE (1963) *
• THE GORGON (1964) *
• THE SNORKEL (1958) *
• MANIAC (1963)
• DIE! DIE! MY DARLING (1965)
• SCREAM OF FEAR (1961) *
• STOP ME BEFORE I KILL! (1961)
• NEVER TAKE CANDY FROM A STRANGER (1960) *
• CASH ON DEMAND (1961)
• THE STRANGLERS FROM BOMBAY (1960)
• THE TERROR OF THE TONGS (1961)
• THE PIRATES OF BLOOD RIVER (1962)
• SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST (1964)
• THE CAMP ON BLOOD ISLAND (1958)
• YESTERDAY'S ENEMY (1959)
• CREATURES THE WORLD FORGOT (1971)

Deep Discount mistakenly placed this Blu-ray set on sale for $20 (and at one point even less) a while back and didn't honor the price for most of their customers. (Many of us got an apology and a $5 coupon code.) However, I lucked out because I found the set marked for $30 on Amazon through Deep Discount days later - this time the order went through! Currently, the cheapest you can find Mill Creek's 20-Film HAMMER ULTIMATE COLLECTION is $45.99 - snag a copy now from AMAZON or BEST BUY or wallow in regret!

That's it for the moment Vault Dwellers, but stay tuned for more new content and be sure to follow The Vault on Facebook and/or Twitter to keep up to date on sales, limited time offers, and great deals on Blu-ray and 4K discs!

Vault Master's Collector's Corner: The 2-Disc Solution - You Don't Have to Ditch Those DVDs After You Upgrade to Blu-ray!

 

Hiya Vault Dwellers! After a long (and sort of unintended) hiatus, your friendly neighborhood Vault Master has returned with an all new column here at the News Vault! While I fully intend to get back to weekly Stock Your Vault posts, and plan to rejuvenate our fallow Wanted on Blu-ray column (as well as write up some new reviews, lists, and articles at the main site), I've decided to add a new segment to the News Vault archives that focuses on showcasing my newest physical media acquisitions, as well as discussing how I maintain and present my ever-growing collection!

To kick things off, I would like to share a little trick I picked up years ago concerning my extra DVD copies of films that I've since upgraded to Blu-ray or 4K disc. I know lots of people either give their old DVDs away, or sell/trade them in for a few bucks, or even toss them in the trash, but I typically don't. Why? Well for several reasons:

• Sometimes the DVD actually has more bonus features than the Blu-ray release (e.g. JACK BROOKS: MONSTER SLAYER) which boggles my mind. If you're a person that is all about the extras, you may feel compelled to keep two copies of a movie on your shelf, just so you can enjoy an audio commentary or making-of featurette that wasn't ported over to the Blu-ray/4K release.
• If you're the type of person that (foolishly) lets other people borrow your movies, the DVD is great to have in case you lend out a film to someone who hasn't bothered upgrading to high-definition just yet. (i.e. Your parents or grandparents.)
• If you happen to run a website and want to include screen captures from the film to flesh out reviews or articles, you cannot take "screen grabs" from a Blu-ray disc! (Literally. They are designed that way.) While there are ways around this, it is just plain easier to pop in the DVD to acquire any desired screencaps.

So let's say you fall into one of those very specific categories and decide to keep both your DVD and newly acquired Blu-ray - what should you do with your DVD? Space is a luxury that many of us collectors do not have: Our shelves fill up quickly and having two copies of the same film is kind of hard to justify. While I have seen some collectors toss out cases and stash their discs in a giant CD binder (blasphemous but great for saving space!) I believe my solution to this issue will be far more attractive to those of you who prefer to display your cinematic treasures.

BEHOLD! MY BEAUTIFUL SOLUTION!

Yep. That's it. A 2-Disc Blu-ray case! They can be easily obtained online (buy some HERE from Amazon) and can be purchased one-at-a-time or in various increments (e.g. ten, twenty-five, or even a nice even hundred!) All you have to do is pop both discs into one of these bad boys, slip in the Blu-ray cover art and you will have successfully created your very own two-disc Special Edition release!

I've been doing this for over six years to save space, make certain that I have ALL of the special features possible, and obtain screencaps for my reviews. The only downside is that I'm stuck with a pile of empty DVD & Blu-ray cases, as well as a stack of DVD cover art. While it is good to have spare cases on hand (sometimes a movie's trip from the warehouse to my mailbox is a rough one), I have absolutely no idea what to do with the leftover DVD slipcases. They are currently stored in a small binder under my desk because I can't bring myself to throw them out, so if any of you reading this can think of something cool to do with them, I am all ears!

To wrap things up: If you want to donate, sell, or trash your old DVDs that's perfectly fine - don't let me tell you how to run your life (or your collection). But if the mere thought of doing so pains you, you've got the "2-Disc Solution" to fall back on! Thanks for reading Vault Dwellers and be sure to stay tuned for more new content as I try to get things back on track here at the News Vault!

For more film collecting shenanigans be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook, and maybe consider bookmarking our extremely useful UPCOMING BLU-RAYS PAGE as well! That way you'll get to see the latest additions to my personal Blu-ray/4K collection, and stay up to date on upcoming Blu-ray titles and flash sales!