Blu-Ray Best Of The Best - for discussing releases only

[Lyris]

A good example being the recent 'Blade Runner - Final Cut', where they cleaned everything up and removed wires and 'fixed' continuity errors like Zoras face.

I didn't complain about that because Warner offered the original untampered-with version as well. So, everyone's happy.

But just to offer an opinion... fixing continuity errors, that's nuts, if you ask me. Why don't they just let Blade Runner be Blade Runner?

Film restoration is surrounded by this hokey "do-gooder" aura, everyone seems to have the best intentions but in the end I think it often becomes a sort of "I can help!" thing. "The actress had an eating disorder at the time, we can digitally restore her belly to give it that extra bumpiness!"

[Bydo]

I didn't complain about that because Warner offered the original untampered-with version as well. So, everyone's happy.

But just to offer an opinion... fixing continuity errors, that's nuts, if you ask me. Why don't they just let Blade Runner be Blade Runner?

Film restoration is surrounded by this hokey "do-gooder" aura, everyone seems to have the best intentions but in the end I think it often becomes a sort of "I can help!" thing. "The actress had an eating disorder at the time, we can digitally restore her belly to give it that extra bumpiness!"

Totally agree with you that there's a point where you've just got to stop - thats why i mentioned Star Wars as an example of 'too far'.

I also agree that the original untouched version should be kept/supplied with the DVD as well for prosperity, otherwise George Orwell was right on the money! Come to think of it, a nice updated version of 1984 would be a good idea with a totally CGI'd room 101! Now that would be life imitating art or summert or other

[Lyris]

Yeah, whenever I get transfers to clean up (nothing like at the same level as the work done on Blade Runner, before anyone thinks that!), I just take the view that I should get the film looking like it would have out of the camera.

So if I get sent a telecine'd theatrical print, I'll take out the cue marks (the "cigarette burns" that pop up in the top right near the end of a reel) and dirt and scratches (by hand... I'm very wary of the automatic processes and we don't have that sort of money right now even if I wasn't )

[anephric]

I'm a bit of a geek for old special FX (I used to subscribe to Cinefex and I was pretty interested in becoming a makeup FX artist for years when I was a teen, that sort of tragic stuff) and I HATE it when films are digitally twatted for no real reason. I can happily accept this IF (as Lyris says) the original, untampered with versions are supplied alongside the newer one (like ET, Blade Runner and so on).

It still chafes me (even though Foundation Imaging's new work is generally well regarded) that the only version of Star Trek: The Motion Picture I can buy is one where a fair amount of Douglas Trumbull's work has been replaced. Same with THX 1138. The CG monkeys in that actually make my eyeballs weep blood.

I can deal with them cleaning up older, slightly shoddy optical compositing (like removing garbage mattes, heavy matte lines and transparent elements, like making the snowspeeders in Empire Strikes Back opaque, for example, rather than see through, although some of the digital recolouring of Supes's costume in Superman is a bit dodgy) and I can vaguely deal with CG wire removal. Anything else, like redoing old animatronic stuff with CG (as in ET) is just so vile I scarcely have the words.

[JP]

'Short Circuit' Headed to Blu-ray

Image Entertainment has confirmed a May Blu-ray release for the 1985 cult

Starring Steve Guttenberg, Ally Sheedy, and "Number Five" the robot, 'Short Circuit' was the sleeper hit of 1985, grossing over $50 million at the US box office (and eventually spawning a less popular sequel).

As first reported by our pal Dave Lambert at TV Guide, Image Entertainment will give Number Five his first-ever high-def release on May 20, when 'Short Circuit' hits Blu-ray.

Extras announced for the Blu-ray include an audio commentary with director John Badham and screenwriters S.S. Wilson and Brent Maddock, plus isolated music and effects.

Tech specs feature 1080p video, and DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround audio.

Image has set a suggested list price of $19.95 for the Blu-ray.

[ChrisF]

Now we're talking!

[JP]

Lol it means nothing to me but I'm sure somebody, somewhere is interested!

[dvdmike]

Now he is in lost a blacked up Fisher Stevens will for sure hit the tabloids

[Lyris]

It'll be "restored" in a few years with the weird Virtual Boy looking robot changed into a CGI Optimus Prime lookalike

[JP]

I know that a lot of people probably couldn't care less but if you're a fan of the classic B-Movies then you may be as happy as me to know that Blue Underground have announced blu-ray support.

So if you're a fan of stuff like Crazy Legs Conti: Zen & The Art of Competative Eating, The Crazies and the classic Django then it may be time to celebrate.

[Lyris]

I received a note about this a few days ago as well and must say I'm surprised. Blue Underground don't seem like the sort of people who go for quality video so I'll be curious to see their BD releases - hopefully they do better than BCI Entertainment.

[JP]

I really have no idea how they'll handle things on the quality side, although I've seen quite a few of the films I think most of them were actually seen on VHS some time ago so I probably wouldn't have been paying too much attention to the quality as a kid.

I'd seen the BCI BD for sale a few weeks ago and was really surprised to see it for sale. If anything I was sort of expecting that the quality wouldn't be top of the range but that they would just author it with whatever they had on the master rather than removing noise.

Do companies like these get any assistance from the BDA or are they just expected to fend for themselves? If they did get support I'd like to see them getting hands on support in how to treat the films correctly rather than just cash to buy the equipment.

EDIT:
Have you seen the 20 Million Miles BD yet Lyris? I'd be interested to hear what you think about the way that was handled.

[JP]

It seems that the reason that The Song Remains The Same was pulled a couple of days before release was actually down to it including an interview that Warner didn't have the rights for.

This is a review of the officially-released Blu-ray edition of 'The Song Remains the Same.' The original version of the disc had been scheduled to hit stores in November 2007, but was recalled only days before its planned release due to rights issues involving one of the disc's bonus features. Although that original edition never officially hit shelves, the disc was leaked to many retailers, and widely made available for sale to consumers (both online and at traditional storefronts).

On February 26, Warner officially released 'The Song Remains the Same' on Blu-ray, with the said bonus feature (a radio interview by Cameron Crowe with Led Zeppelin) omitted. The disc's video and audio, and other extras, remain identical.

I don't really see it as much of a loss with just an interview being removed. Many copies of the original version got to retail so if you are thinking of picking it up it and you want the interview then have a look at the listed extras to make sure you are getting the original release.

[JP]

I've been hoping to hear some news on Blu-ray audio discs and waht sort of form they would take. From what I know this is the first BD Audio title announced and I like the way they are handling it.

Nine Inch Nails appear to be poised to break new ground in release media with their latest title called Ghosts I-IV.

This new recording is available in a number of forms, one of which includes a Blu-ray Disc with 24bit 96 kHz High Resolution Audio. An exclusive slideshow plays with the music.

The title also includes the ability to download the music in various DRM free formats and the package that includes the Blu-ray also includes original CDs, a book, and perhaps most interesting: the original multi-track recordings allowing the ability to reconstruct and remix.

All in all a pretty impressive release.

Nine Inch Nails to Release ‘Blu-ray Audio’ Disc of Latest Release

[ne0star]

my ' I am legend' has been dispatched from movietyme today.

Fingers crossed it plays on my UK player. I trusted what u lot said about warner disks hehe