Let’s start this blog off on the right foot, shall we? Who wants a free Blu-ray player?
Oh, did I get your attention with that? Good. I have a spare Panasonic DMP-BD50 Blu-ray player with original manual and remote. This is a fully-featured Profile 2.0 model with all Bonus View and BD-Live capabilities. It used to be my reference player for reviews for this site. I just don’t need and have no room for an extra player at this time. So I figured, why not give it away to one lucky reader?
If you’d like a chance at winning this player, either for yourself or to give away as a gift for a loved one who hasn’t yet joined the Blu-ray revolution, you must post in the Comments section below the name of the guilty pleasure movie not yet available on Blu-ray that you’re hoping will be released in the future, why you like it, and what about it you can’t wait to see in high definition. That “why” portion is critical. I want some good answers here. Entries with ‘Citizen Kane’, ‘Schindler’s List’, or other widely-praised and beloved movies will be disqualified. This is a contest for guilty pleasures only. These are movies that you may like even though the majority of other viewers dislike them, or look down upon them.
The winner will be chosen entirely at my own discretion based on how passionate or well-argued I feel that your defense of the movie is. I will try not to judge anyone’s taste in movies, so long as it’s sincere. If ‘Gigli’ or ‘Battlefield Earth’ is honestly your favorite movie, make a good case for it. Attempts at sarcasm will be dismissed.
The original MSRP for this unit was $699. This one is used, but is in perfectly good working and cosmetic condition. I’ll be honest, I have no idea what the current garage-sale value is. In addition to the Blu-ray player, the winner will receive a starter pack of five guilty pleasure movies on Blu-ray. The titles are: ‘Ninja Assassin‘, ‘Last Action Hero‘, ‘The Waterboy‘, ‘Black Dynamite‘, and ‘The Proposal‘. That’s a $170.87 value at MSRP. (Sorry, the titles are not negotiable.)
Runners-up will not get a Blu-ray player, but may receive separate prize packs of Blu-ray discs (titles TBD).
This contest is only open to entrants from the domestic United States. We will not ship internationally (whether you’re a U.S. citizen or not), so don’t even ask. Employees of High-Def Digest or Internet Brands and their families are not eligible. Standard contest rules and conditions apply. We’re trying to keep this on the up-and-up here.
The deadline for entry is Friday, April 30th. Good luck to everyone who enters.
Harry Harris
Modern Problems. It will probably never make it to BLuRay. I though it would never show up on DVD but it did. I love this movie for just one scene. I know a lot of people don’t like it, it isn’t exactly a great movie. But the scene where the maid spreads the demon powder on the floor in a semi-circle around the bed and Chevy Chase gets down on his knees and snorts the powder while gliding around the room is priceless. It is my pick for the best scene in any movie, the look on his face when he finishes snorting the demon powder and looks at the camera as he says, “I Like It” would be fantastic on BluRay. Hey, I don’t even need the BluRay player, I have a Sony BDPS370 BluRay player. But I had to let someone know just how much I like Modern Problems. There is only one other movie that even comes close and that is Buckaroo Bonzai, for the scene where John Lithgow puts the electrodes on his tongue, but it isn’t even half as good as that scene in Modern Problems.
Victor V.
Voltes V, Daimos or Mazinger Z for me.
These are the cartoons I grew up with and would be really awesome in 5.1 surround sound 🙂 Let’s volt in !!!
Scott Fuller
I’d say Hammer’s Evil of Frankenstein. It’s my favorite of the Hammer Frankenstein films. It’s supremely melodramatic fun that somehow mesmerizes me. I disagree with most Hammer-heads that it’s Cushing’s worst performance. I think he’s as good as always in the film. The complaints I’ve heard in the past have been that his characterization is inconsistent with the rest of the films in the series, that he’s more action oriented in this film. I don’t see that as a problem. It’s a good Cushing performance. Others might say the rest of the acting is too theatrical and that the plot is thin with too many holes. Fair enough. But I think Peter Woodthorpe wonderfully overplays his drunken greedhead of a hypnotist part. Also, this is not Hamlet; I expect things to be overwrought in a Hammer film called Evil of Frankenstein. If one is looking for nuance and subtlety, try the graffiti on the walls of the public john. There are plot holes of course, and I love them. I love the lush colors and the great laboratory sets and the matte paintings. The miniatures look fake? Yes, most miniatures of the time looked fake. But they’re serviceable. The cinematography by John Wilcox is good and Don Banks’ music is the icing on the cake. Freddie Francis does a fine job of keeping things moving and throws in some nice directorial flourishes (the shot of the monster being raised from the slab with the camera mounted in front of him is quite good). I liked the outrageous papier-mâchĂ©, box-head look of the monster, with his matted, stitched together scalp, burlap bag clothing, and steel-toed boots. He looked like something Mike Mignola might draw. All this, as well as James Maxwell spouting lines like “out of my way, in the name of God, out of my way!” and “foul desecrator of graves!” Not the worst of the Cushing Frankenstein films as some have claimed (Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell deserves that distinguished title). No, for me it’s just good horror melodrama, Hammer style. Now I want a nice 1080p transfer for the detail and rich colors BR gives and because, well, BR needs Hammer films.
Terry Pasley
My pick would be UHF.
How can anyone not want to see George Newman do everything he can to cave poor little U-62?
It’s got everything from the “Wheel of Fish” to “Raul’s Wild Kingdom” where I too believe poodles can fly!
Did you ever want to drink from a fire hose? Stanley Spadowski can make that dream come true.
The perfect clarity of UHF makes this a no-brainer to bring to the clarity of Bluray. I’m sure it would look even better than those highfalutin VHS tapes.
I heard this was supposed to come out on Bluray long ago, but that mean ol’ R.J.Fletcher blocked it!
Eric
Missing from the entirety of the digital domain is the great “I Come in Peace” with Dolph Lundgren. (Some call it “Dark Angel” but that feels lame compared to the other title.)
Jeff Trapp
My guilty pleasure would have to be Tremors. This movie is so bad and that is why it is so good and requires multiple viewings. Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward as your heroes. It doesn’t get much better than that. And with a new high def soundtrack the tremor monsters might actually sound pretty cool. But whenver this movie is on I can’t pass it up.
Chad Gardner
Hmmm a guilty pleasure I would like to see released and own on Blu-ray? Orgazmo from the creators of South Park. The movie is so ridiculous…yet I love it and would fork over the cash to own it on Blu-ray! What attracts me so much to anything you create Trey Parker and Matt Stone???
Tim H.
3 Ninjas.
I give you three reasons this would be a great Bluray:
1) Victor Wong in HD!
2) Childhood fantasy of being a ninja kicking the crap out of bad guys in HD!
3) One ninja is awesome. 3 Ninjas is insanely awesome…in HD!
QED
Peter Schwotzer
Jack Frost, no not the sappy one with Michael Keaton. I am talking about the homicidal maniac turned demonic snowman killer after he gets doused toxic waste.
“I just axed you for a smoke.”
1997’s ultimate “B” movie
Chris
Guilty Pleasure…this was too easy. CLIFFORD starring charles Grodin and Martin Short. I have easily seen this movie with a group of friends 40 to maybe 50 times since it was released on VHS in 93’…over the years we wore out that tape (the only tape we’ve ever worn out) It was released on dvd with a standard TV aspect ratio and ZERO features. I would do anything to hear Charles Grodin and Martin Short in character do an audio commentary…as far as the Blu ray is concerned…Larry the scary rex in 1080p with optimal sound to hear uncle Martin yell at Clifford for more years to come with the friends that I grew up watching this movie with….best guilty pleasure out there.
HuskerGuy
Hahaha, that movie is awesome. Forgot all about that one.
Dan
My guilty pleasure: Too Wong Foo: Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar.
WHY? It was HILARIOUS. Many people didn’t even give it a chance to view it. However, it was one of Patrick Swayze’s best performances. It was funny, endearing, heartwarming, and had an excellent message. We are all created as equals.
Also, it was the first time I knew who John Leguizamo was. I can’t wait to see all that RED at the Strawberry festival! Patrick, Wesley, and John completely sold the characters. Go Vida!
Beerstalker
My guilty pleasure movie would be Howard The Duck.
I can still remember the first time I saw the movie as a kid and my best friends older brother had to explain to us what she found in Howard’s wallet (condom). I used to love the music and thought the special effects were amazing. Now nothing takes me back to my younger days like curling up on the couch and watching Howard the Duck.
For a long time I had to get by with my horrible VHS copy that I found on clearance at a Target back in college.
A while back I went through the hassle of importing the movie on DVD from the UK, then upgraded to the US release when it was made.
Now I’m waiting on my Blu-Ray copy, but I’m willing to bet my wait will be a long one.
I’m still looking for a good deal on the movie poster if anyone knows where I can find one (reprint is fine by me, just want it to hang in my theater room).
Mike C
I voted this as my guilty pleasure movie as well. Check e-Bay; I got an original print poster there a few years ago for about $15.
John Garcia
The guilty pleasure I’d like to see on Blu-ray is Legend. Tim Curry’s portrayal of Darkness alone is worth this one IMO. The remastered DVD was pretty good, but I know it could be better and I also always enjoyed the US version’s soundtrack quite a bit and that could be a good thing in lossless. I can live without the originally scored version, though if they didn’t include that it would probably bug rabid fans. It seems to be pretty divided pretty much down the center as most either love it or hate it. It is a cheesy and the effects aren’t always great, but it has something about it and I am always entertained by it.
Al Isaacs
Xanadu. Tremendous guilty pleasure and one that needs to hit Blu Ray. Why? It would make my wife crazy. She knows of my Olivia Newton John crush. But ‘Grease’ is not enough! Not when there is more roller-skatin’, spandex wearin’, ELO dancin’ to be had! Bring it on!
Mark Cappelletty
My ultimate Guilty Pleasure movie that would make a fantastic Blu-Ray would be one that we’ve NEVER gotten in an OAR version: Walter Hill’s underrated EXTREME PREJUDICE. Nick Nolte. Powers Boothe. Clancy Brown. William Forsythe. It’s like THE WILD BUNCH with fancier weapons and Powers Boothe glowering in a white linen suit straight out of a MIAMI VICE episode. It has just as much sweat and egregious tequila guzzling, however.
Runners up include BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS (which would just snap on Blu-Ray) and an uncut, OAR version of Rudy Ray Moore’s THE HUMAN TORNADO. The DVD is missing a weird subplot involving a gay man who picks up Rudy Ray Moore and Ernie Hudson in “Mississippi” (er, Playa del Rey, CA). Inexplicably, it’s intact in release prints and the VHS edition.
Rhoq
I’ve got a few guilty pleasure movies that I want on Blu-ray.
The Gate – I’m quite surprised that Lionsgate didn’t release this on Blu-ray when the gave this a proper DVD release last year.
I also need the following Trey Parker & Matt Stone stones films on Blu-ray… Cannibal: The Musical, Orgazmo and BASEketball.
Ryan M
The Monster Squad came out last year, otherwise that would be at the top of my list. As for one that has not been made available yet…Masters of the Universe.
This film (and the cartoon series) encompass my formative years as a young child. I had EVERY (and I do not exaggerate when I say this) He-Man action figure, and most of the vehicles, castles, and cartoons on VHS. The live-action film was one of the first movies I ever saw in theaters, and I watched it endlessly when it played on The Movie Channel in the late ’80s. To say I was obsessed would be an understatement.
I think it will look like crap on Blu-ray, but if it is ever released, it will be a Day One purchase for me!
bhoier
Guilty pleasure movie: Pete’s Dragon
Sorry, but it is just too cool. I remember as a kid going to the video store (for you youngsters, we used to have ACTUAL BUILDINGS that rented TAPES!) and renting that movie over and over and over… Drove my mom nuts. But I always thought “Why get a movie that might be pure garbage when I KNOW this movie is cool!”
It’s a forgotten Disney gem and one of the greats to blend animation with live action. Also, how could one go wrong with Mickey Rooney, Red Buttons, and Shelley Winters in the cast?
Great music, dragons, and goofy Disney slapstick at its best. I want to see how well the special effects hold up in 1080p. Plus, being a dad, I want to pass it on to the younger generation.
Jason
STRANGE BREW!!! This is hands down my guiltiest of film pleasures. It is so over the top stupid it just can’t be beat. The “steam roller” scene is quite possibly one of a handful of moments in film history that will always, and I mean always make me laugh.
My biggest reason for wanting to see a Blu-ray release for this would be just to have it in the best possible quality. I don’t know they could do much with the transfer, let’s be honest, the production was horrible so even a best effort would only yield ok results. Well, actually it would be pretty interesting to see how bad of a paint job they did on that poor skunk, err, I mean dog. There’s no good reason why the studio would actually put the time, effort and money in to releasing this. Maybe that makes it the “ultimate” guilty pleasure?
Bill
Mine would be: Brainsmasher – A Love Story.
This stars Andrew Dice Clay and Teri Hatcher, and is one of the most ridiculous movies ever made. He is a bouncer and he has to protect her from Ninja running through Seattle trying to get a rare flower back that her sister sent to her to keep away from the ninjas. It’s so bad, you can’t stop watching. It needs to be on blu-ray because…well just because! it’s just one of those movies you could watch over and over agian.
Joe
Guilty pleasure…1 word…”XANADU”!
Why? Well, Olivia Newton-John in leggings, roller skates, and flimsy flowing dresses…animated neon…animated transforming into fish…Gene Kelly…ELO…roller disco…the list goes on, in spectacular HD. As cheesy and bad as the movie was, it had an AWESOME soundtrack (Magic, All Over the World, Xanadu, Suspended in Time, Suddenly…list goes on)…and that soundtrack would be amazing in remastered sound.
I would jump on this SO fast!
Rachael Bellomy
I want The Abominable Dr.Phibes on BD. It’s a dumb 70’s flick that stars Vincent Price as the organ grinding, murderous Dr. Phibes. It’s inhabited by a flock of terrific British suppourting actors such as Terry Thomas and Hugh Griffith. The mechanical band is so amusing that it’s like yet another guest star. The murders that Dr. Phibes commits are so outrageously zany. The audio on the DVD release is so-ooo sickly. Dr. Phibes pipe organ shook the building in the cinema and on the Laserdisc. On the DVD he might as well of been playing a Kazzo. I’d love to have Dr. Phibes on BD with lossless pipe organ. I don’t need a Panasonic 50 deck but if I win, I know of needy families that do. I might keep a couple of the BD’s for myself. Dr. Phibes is the ONE!
Nick
rocketeer, that would be cool
Mr. Embarrassed
Guilty pleasure? You want a guilty pleasure? I can’t believe I’m actually going to put this on the interweb to forever be remembered, but there is no way I’m signing my name to it! 🙂
SPICE WORLD! Look, I know I can’t really defend this guilty pleasure and it will do nothing but generate laughter, but I have very fond memories of this movie, or I suppose, this time of my life and I will just leave it at that. You may, or more likely, may not be fond of ‘bubble gum’ pop music, but this group of young women really took with world by storm in the late 90’s and I just got swept up in it. (Apparently I wasn’t ready to leave it at that)
I actually can convince myself that I think this movie would be pretty great in HD, the movie had a great colour pallette and the HD sound could be amazing. Is the movie an award winner? No. Is the acting great? No. Is it my guilty pleasure? Yes!
Rafael Laruy
My guilty pleasure would have to be The Adventures OOf Ford Fairlane. It is offensive, it is crude, it is totally tasteless. Yet everytime I see it on tv I just stop everything I do and just sit there and laugh histerically. My honorable mention would have to be 27 Dresses. Katherine Heigl is so hot lol.
Geoff
LOVE that movie. My dad, brother and I quote it daily. Girls scouts…took 2 boxes…
Is this Chevy Nova? Is this the car?!
BOOTY TIME! BOOTY TIME! ‘cross the USA!
Scott Brooks
Poor Ken Russell. For a man who’s directed over 70 films, he stays on my radar because of one. Though anything he’s done would qualify as a guilty pleasure, ALTERED STATES (1980) hits you like a ton of bricks with its bizarre Blue-Screen Drug Trip imagery, and one of the most visually out-there finales I’ve ever seen. If it got a good restoration, It would be absolutely riveting to watch in my home theater. Fingers crossed.
Jeremy
Kung Pow – Enter The Fist
Most people think its stupid, but that is why I like it. Its just ridiculous jokes and weird voices, and bad special effects, it’s awesome. I think that green screen effects will be even more obvious in HD and hopefully even funnier.
Erick
Mine would be, The Island.(I realize it’s been released in the U.K., but I refuse to pay $60 for it) I liked it for the exact same reasons people didn’t like it. Most people didn’t like it because it was a Michael Bay film. I like his movies. Are they going to win an Oscar for best picture? No. But the man makes great action movies. People also hated the amount of plot holes. I can see the problem there, but I don’t go to watch an action movie and say ‘hold on, how did he get his memories if he’s a clone.’ Just enjoy the movie for what it is, a straight action flick.
I can’t wait to see this in high definition because of four words; Scarlett Johannson in tights. Also, this is one of those movies that is made for hi-def, bright,clear scenes, action, and a booming soundtrack.
Mike Carter
Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid
A great Sam Peckinpah western with James Coburn, Kris Kristofferson and Bob Dylan. Also with many other notable old time western actors.
Can’t wait to see the dimes come out of the shotgun when Billy escapes from jail.
Matt Schmieding
My guilty pleasure movie would have to be My Science Project. The way that movie incorporate Time Travel, Dinosaurs AND Dennis Hopper was something i’ll never forget watching with my twin brother when we were little. A Blu-Ray could offer a new retrospective commentary, analysis on what would happen if a wormhole opened up in your high school as well as a guide to the “lingo” they used for the cars and everything else back when the movie was made. Favorite line: “Cuz when you’re cool, the sun shines on you 24 hours a day!”