Posted Mon Mar 25, 2024 at 08:30 AM PDT by Matthew Hartman
If keeping up with your collection wasn't already tough enough, some amazing independent labels dropped some great opportunities on Kickstarter! 3-D Film Archive, Deaf Crocodile, and Rifftrax have some exciting campaigns running right now!
Sometimes a project needs a little extra cash or a guaranteed number of sales to get going. Ever since crowdfunding took off, it's been a fantastic revenue stream for independent levels and entertainers to fund their next projects. Restorations of films and media of all kinds is rarely cheap. It's often a laborious process and if a title is a little obscure or not a big noteworthy release, the prospect of funding a project like that out-of-pocket can be dodgy financially. In recent years Kickstarter and other crowdfunding sources have become a haven for companies to not only fund their restoration efforts but also guarantee a number of unit sales. Right now on Kickstarter, there are a bunch of great campaigns rolling that physical media fans won't want to miss out on.
In the last couple of years, Deaf Crocodile has been steadily delivering one amazing Ptushko disc after another. Right now on Kickstarter you can punch in a pledge of $100 to get a beautiful boxset with Ilya Muromets, Sampo, The Tale of Tsar Saltan, and the upcoming Ruslan and Ludmila. These discs are the same ones available through Vinegar Syndrome's Partner Label selections, but now with a new box set and new slipcovers. But what if you already have the previous Ilya Muromets, Sampo, and The Tale of Tsar Saltan discs? Don't worry, the great people at Deaf Crocodile has your back. You can pick up the box on its own for $20 or snag the box with a copy of Ruslan and Ludmila with the Vinegar Syndrome slipcover for $50! So you've got some nice cash-affordable options if you don't want to break the bank re-purchasing discs you already have. But act fast - as of this writing there are only four days left in the campaign!
Next, the masters of stereoscopic Blu-ray releases, 3-D Film Archive has designs to unleash Arch Obler's final film Domo Arigato with a new fully restored 3-D Blu-ray release. No stranger to the crowdfunding process, 3-D Film Archive had delivered incredible 3-D Blu-ray releases time and again. Their previous crowdfunding effort Robot Monster was a phenomenal success and this shouldn't be any less impressive. The entry point for this release is nice and low; $30 guarantees your copy. Stretch goals have already flown by so you're going to get a fully-loaded disc with plenty of great bonus features. Now if you don't have a 3-D ready TV or projector, do not worry, this disc will also include an Anaglyph 3-D (Red/Cyan) version with a pair of glasses so you can experience the film on any home theater setup. As of this writing, you have nine days left in the campaign. So a little time yet to jump on the preorder option, but don't wait too long!
For years now, MST3K alums Mike, Kevin, and Bill have been delivering hilarious new commentaries for our favorite A-list blockbusters and Z-list forgotten gems. A staple of Rifftrax has been their annual live-show events streamed to theaters. Past heavy hitters included Plan 9 From Outer Space, Return of Swamp Thing, The Room and the biggest title (so far) has been Starship Troopers. MKB and the Rifftrax team are digging in for their biggest show yet - Point Break! That's right, the classic 90s Swayzee/Reeves action thriller will be riffed live in theaters across the country. Backers can choose their entry point to get a bunch of swag items and digital goodies, but best of all - there will be a physical media release for this show! Unlike Starship Troopers and Anaconda which only got a studio-recorded commentary track, we'll be able to enjoy the full show on DVD or Blu-ray! The campaign was quickly funded and stretch goals were destroyed opening up a Blu-ray release option! But to get that physical media option, you do have to punch in at the $100 tier level, but if you just want a digital release - you can opt-in at $40 to secure your spot. As of this writing, the show is already fully funded with fourteen days left in the campaign.
Of course when and where possible as these releases come to our home collections we aim to offer a thorough review - until then, happy collecting!
The latest news on all things 4K Ultra HD, blu-ray and Gear.
