| Author | Comment | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 dracsback |
|||
|
(11/04/09 4:15 PM) |
Any news on Blu-ray releases for these titles??
JAWS STAR WARS INIDANA JONES TRILOGY KING KONG (1933) These have been talked of but I'm not sure what the hold up is.
"I saw what I saw when I saw it!"
|
||
|
Jameson281 |
|||
|
(11/04/09 5:56 PM) |
dracsback wrote: JAWS is expected next year for its 35th anniversary. There are no current plans for any of the STAR WARS live-action films. INDIANA JONES has been rumored several times; maybe next year. KONG '33 was advertised on a Warners Blu-Ray insert, but there's been no talk of it lately. |
||
|
Jameson281 |
|||
|
(11/04/09 8:55 PM) |
The GREMLINS Blu-Ray, previouosly available only as a Target exclusive, will go into general release on December 1.
|
||
|
dhtreptow |
|||
|
(11/05/09 1:37 AM) |
Checked out CHRISTMAS CAROL (Scrooge) with my own eyes tonight. It definitely looks the best I've seen it looking (very film-like). I did notice one thing
however, there was a faint "strobe" to some of the motion on my set-up, and I've never seen this with a BD before. For good measure they stick a
DVD of it tucked behind the insert that you might miss if you weren't looking for it, but I didn't check to see if what I noticed was there too. My
understanding is that VCI did a MPEG-2 HD mastering which is a notch below the AC3 or VC-1 codes everyone else is using blu-ray. Nonetheless, it's kind of
a treat to see a this film looking this good, and for $16.99 (Amazon) which includes the DVD, you kinda can't miss if you're a fan.
For VCI to do a decent job is pretty encouraging, I had my doubts and hope they keep future BD releases up to this standard. |
||
|
dhtreptow |
|||
|
(11/05/09 1:53 AM) |
I also watched DAMIEN: OMEN II tonight. So far this is one of the less impressive looking Blu-rays I've seen from a major studio. I wasn't bad, but
some distance shots were a tad soft and drab, though this could be inherent to the late 70's anamorphic film itself. I don't have the DVD and never did
so I don't know how it compares, in fact I only ever saw this heavily edited on TV as a kid, so I got to see the full-strength mayhem for the first time.
I also gotta add that it's a C+ movie in in my view. It was needlessly long, sorta uninspired in it's directing, and the kills range from somewhat effective (the death beneath the ice) to brazenly slapstick (Elizabeth's Shepperd's & Meshach Taylor's ordeal's). William Holden also seemed hungover and just going through the motions here.
Last Edited By: dhtreptow
11/05/09 2:07 AM.
Edited 1 times.
|
||
|
Chesterbelloc |
|||
|
(11/05/09 10:43 AM) |
I've been watching a lot of regular DVD's lately, and I sometimes think that SD DVD is "good enough" for some titles. But I was reminded of
how incredible BD can be when I watched the new NORTH BY NORTHWEST disc last night. I've seen this movie at least a dozen times, but I never saw it look
like it does now. The aerial shot where Grant flees from the UN is just amazing. This is such a great movie, and anyone who is a fan and has a Blu-ray player
should add this one to their collection.
I also spot checked the new A CHRISTMAS CAROL BD, and it also looks fantastic.
Check out my movie collection at:
http://www.dvdaf.com/search.html?where=larryw7&init_form=where_0_larryw7*mode_more |
||
|
dhtreptow |
|||
|
(11/05/09 2:44 PM) |
I'm sad to say that I do increasingly notice SD as not bad, but having a slight "haze" all around now that I watch a lot of BD. Also, I notice a
difference between old SD and new SD. For instance, Warner's masters of the Val Lewton films look weaker and much more videoish than Criterion's VAMPYR
even though VAMPYR was taken from a much more compromised source.
That said all blu-ray isn't equal either, I'd be surprised if DAMIEN: OMEN II wasn't improved on BD, but I'm sure it doesn't touch something like NORTH BY NORTHWEST. |
||
|
Chesterbelloc |
|||
|
(11/05/09 3:05 PM) |
Also, I notice a difference between old SD and new SD. For instance, Warner's masters of the Val Lewton films look weaker and much more videoish than Criterion's VAMPYR even though VAMPYR was taken from a much more compromised source. I agree. I watched most of the Universal horrors on DVD last month, and the majority of them have really dated transfers. In particular, DRACULA'S DAUGHTER and SON OF FRANKENSTEIN are in bad need of an upgrade. They looked fine when they were released(and we all had smaller, standard def televisions), but they just don't hold up now. On the other hand, HOUSE OF DRACULA, WEREWOLF OF LONDON and the new ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN transfer are very nice looking transfers.
Check out my movie collection at:
http://www.dvdaf.com/search.html?where=larryw7&init_form=where_0_larryw7*mode_more |
||
|
Professor X |
|||
|
(11/05/09 3:30 PM) |
dhtreptow wrote:I'm sad to say that I do increasingly notice SD as not bad, but having a slight "haze" all around now that I watch a lot of BD.I think the slight *haze* you're seeing is probably the effect of upscaling. If you were to compare the same DVD played side-by-side on a flatscreen SD tube and an HDTV, I have no doubt that you would see that an SDTV produces a noticeably sharper image (although the geometry might not be quite as good). As far as I'm concerned, the main reason to upgrade DVDs to Blu-Ray is to regain the resolution lost due to upscaling. |
||
|
happydude33 |
|||
|
(11/05/09 3:38 PM) |
Professor X wrote: I completely agree. I had the same experience when I got a larger set. But now I a) live somewhere where I can sit farther back and still comfortably see which improves the image for me and b) have gotten used to it and c) the increase in size was worth the trade-off for me since 'not as sharp' is still pretty sharp to me.
Last Edited By: happydude33
11/05/09 3:40 PM.
Edited 1 times.
|
||
|
happydude33 |
|||
|
(11/05/09 3:40 PM) |
dhtreptow wrote: I love the Bill Holden though. I saw this for the first time this past summer and I was thoroughly expecting the worst, so I actually kinda liked it. The campy death-by-raven included. Then I watched Final Conflict, thoroughly expecting the worst. And thoroughly got the worst. |
||
|
dhtreptow |
|||
|
(11/05/09 3:52 PM) |
Professor X wrote:Well, not all films upscale as well as others either. I have to agree with Chesterbelloc that the early Universal stuff is starting to have that "video" look of being over-processed and under-defined, I think more recent SD transfers do a better job of preserving the character of film and letting your hardware take care of the rest. I watched THE BLACK CAT (34) and MAN MADE MONSTER two days ago, and BLACK CAT had an almost VHS-like appearance whereas MONSTER just looks like a fairly straight-forward transfer of a perfectly acceptable preservation print. Now, there weren't a lot of years between the release of the two films to DVD, but it wouldn't surprise me to find out that Universal ported BLACT CAT from the same master they used for the tape and laserdisc, and the same goes for Warner's Lewton stuff. There were a lot of DVDs that used analog masters, and looked better than the same master did on VHS and LD, but they were still a far cry from what a recent DVD master can achieve. |
||
|
Joe Karlosi |
|||
|
(11/06/09 11:12 AM) |
Y'know, I finally watched all of BUTCH CASSIDY last night, and then as I often like to do with my favorite films, I went to the extras. Once again it
seemed as if there was a lot more stuff on the regular DVD that I sold! Grrrrrrrrr! I do usually hold onto SD's for a bit, but with BUTCH and
GRADUATE it was a rare thing where I'd already sold them in anticipation of getting the Blu's.
There's no excuse for this. Blu-ray is a great format, the best thing to happen to home video. For them not to be the last word in everything, including HD quality and the widest array of bonus features, is absurd.
Last Edited By: Joe Karlosi
11/06/09 11:14 AM.
Edited 1 times.
|
||
|
Chesterbelloc |
|||
|
(11/06/09 11:18 AM) |
There's no excuse for this. Blu-ray is a great format, the best thing to happen to home video. For them not to be the last word in everything, including HD quality and the widest array of bonus features, is absurd. Especially considering the 40 dollar price tag that titles like BUTCH CASSIDY had when they were first released to BD. I'm sure this is all part of the grand scheme,ie, trying to sell you the same title again in a new "Super Duper Deluxe" version sometime down the road.
Check out my movie collection at:
http://www.dvdaf.com/search.html?where=larryw7&init_form=where_0_larryw7*mode_more
Last Edited By: Chesterbelloc
11/06/09 12:00 PM.
Edited 2 times.
|
||
|
dracsback |
|||
|
(11/06/09 11:39 AM) |
As much as I lke the extras on these discs I rarely if ever watch them more than once. But the movie I do watch more than once so I am not concerned if I can
get the BLU with just a few extras at a decent price.
Does anyone know if Spielberg or Lucas have issues with the BD format? Seems like few of their movies are being released in BD. They must be waiting on a piece of the action or a new format. Thoughts?
"I saw what I saw when I saw it!"
|
||
|
Chesterbelloc |
|||
|
(11/06/09 11:42 AM) |
Does anyone know if Spielberg or Lucas have issues with the BD format? Seems like few of their movies are being released in BD. They must be waiting on a piece of the action or a new format Lucas waits until a format is more settled so he can make the most money on the films. He did the same thing with Star Wars on DVD. I don't know why Spielberg is dragging his feet(though at least 2 of his movies-CLOSE ENCOUNTERS and INDY IV-are available on Blu-ray).
Check out my movie collection at:
http://www.dvdaf.com/search.html?where=larryw7&init_form=where_0_larryw7*mode_more |
||
|
Joe Karlosi |
|||
|
(11/06/09 11:54 AM) |
dracsback wrote:With me it depends on the movie, I guess. If it's a movie I really like and which I think is kind of special, I like to have the extras too and I'll play them more than once (I am particularly fond of cast interviews/memories and well-done documentaries) . I like to play them after the feature. THE GRADUATE and BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID certainly apply here for me, so believe it or not I'm going to do something I very rarely if ever have done -- I am going to go back and RE-BUY the standard DVDs of these, at least to have the extras. In the future I'll go back to being more careful before I part with the SDs. 
|
||
|
dhtreptow |
|||
|
(11/06/09 3:04 PM) |
If there is a movie with DVD extras I can't part with, I shove it in a paper envelope and tuck it in the BD case, and ditch the DVD case. It's not like
you get more than a few bucks for most used DVDs anyhow.
|
||
|
Joe Karlosi |
|||
|
(11/06/09 3:16 PM) |
Yup, that's what I've done a few times with DVD extras too - put 'em in with the Blu-ray.
But there's a "used" store near my house that'll pay you anywhere between $1.00 to $5.00 per DVD (depending on the title), and when you go there with, like, 20-30 discs in one shot, that's like getting $20 - $150, for stuff you no longer have any use for. So it's well worth it. Helps me to pay for things like the UNIVERSAL CULT HORROR COLLECTION! 
|
||
|
Jameson281 |
|||
|
(11/06/09 3:45 PM) |
dhtreptow wrote: I bought some Blu-Ray cases that hold 2 discs for such situations. |
||
