I got the new Blu-rays of HERCULES (1958) and HERCULES UNCHAINED (1959) last week. They are combo Blu-ray and DVD. The packaging for both is stellar and the HERCULES package includes an amazing booklet. The packaging/booklet: 10 out of 10.
With that being said, there’s nothing else worth mentioning. The prints on those Blu-rays are identical to the problematic Japanese Blu-rays. Well, they’re not Japanese but those prints first appeared in Japan and have basically been the same prints recycled ever since. I already wrote extensively about those Japanese BDs and I have nothing else to add. It’s a major disappointment but not unexpected. There were rumours that the Artus Films’ prints were from Britain but this was obviously false.
So, to recap: the Japanese BDs were first with these blah HD prints. Then came copies from a RAI HD streaming service. Then I recently got the Spanish Blu-ray of HERCULES UNCHAINED and now I have these two. They’re all the same. It seems I’m repeating myself. As a collector, I’m ok with having these and I’m aware people in France won’t buy the Japanese BDs but also as a collector, I’m over it. I’m not buying anything related to the two Steve Reeves classics unless they’re clearly different/better prints.
Sorry to hear that, but not a surprise. Perhaps the French label didn’t use the reported materials from the BFI, but we’ll probably never know.
I had doubts about the BFI story. Remember, they would have had to add the French audio to it, since it’s released in France, which complicates things.
I watched a copy and found the French WS dvd much richer than the Bluray-stronger colour and crisp. Also, for those interested, the print used for that dvd has the euro-english dub track until the crew of the Argo awake from their drugged sleep. The audio then switches to the U.S. Levine voice track.
I agree.
Yes, the audio is odd because even with the Levine one goes back to the ‘Euro-English’ track during the storm on the sea sequence.