House of 1000 Corpses (2003) - 2003 Lions Gate/Trimark DVD Screener

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screener's static and only menu

Went on another day trip before Irene plunges the Eastern seaboard into a toilet paper and milk Apocalypse and snagged this screener disc of Rob Zombie's House of 1000 Corpses for three bucks at an old guy's yard sale on the way. I was so jacked at the find I nearly turned around right then. Well, not really, but it was very unexpected and couldn't wait to see if there were any differences with the retail disc.

Differences are there but they're subtle. The 1.85:1 widescreen transfer is anamorphically enhanced with an intermittent no rental or sale warning. Interestingly, the matting is slightly thicker on the final release compared to this screener which has picture tight to the borders. So there's a sliver more picture on the top and bottom of the pre-release. The screener is also a touch darker. Haven't figured why yet, but the screener is seven seconds longer as well (1:28:07 vs. 1:28:00). The audio is limited to English Dolby 2.0 with twenty minutes of trailers including a slightly different home video version of Ho1kC's theatrical trailer. The single-layer disc itself has no art looking like a double-sided DVD.

The screener's back cover is designed to sell the sizzle of the film's theatrical run to potential retail and rental chains but the real story is the modified front calling it "Rob Zombie's House of 1,000 Corpses", adding the "The most shocking tale of carnage ever seen" tagline, abbreviating the L.A. Times pull quote, and adding the house along the bottom. Basically a slightly different take on the theatrical one-sheet (seen here). Also notice how the back states the actual release will include deleted scenes yet no release anywhere has ever included any to date. In addition for the sake of trivia, Lionsgate has stealthily managed to release several DVD variants since Zombie's debut first appeared on video as follows:

• Initial Cardboard Gatefold Digi-pak (catalog #VM8429D, same number as screener)
• Clear Amaray Case with double-sided art (catalog #VM8429D)
• Clear Amaray Case with double-sided art without L.A. Times quote (catalog #VM8510D)
• Black Amaray Case with single-sided art with L.A. Times quote reinstated and generic white disc art (no catalog number, some copies have blurry cover resolution)

(all stateside DVDs in order above with screener first)

Capture Comparison, click for full size (Screener TOP / Retail BOTTOM)