Blu-ray News and Deals

[filmmusic 1,823]

This should interest you, filmmusic!

http://variety.com/2015/film/global/bfi-to-release-newly-restored-4k-doctor-zhivago-1201567387/

Oh, wow, thank you!

Glad I haven't bought this title yet.

Hope it makes its way to Bluray!

[Jay 37,319]

There's a new Blu Ray of The Fifth Element coming out, sourced from a new 4K Remaster

http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=265678

Do I really have to buy this movie again?

First there was the DVD

Then the Superbit DVD

Then the "Ultimate Edition" DVD, the only time it's been a 2 disc set

Then the original US Blu Ray

Then the remastered US Blu Ray

Then the JP Blu Ray

Then the French Blu Ray with Gaumont's 4K remaster

Now Sony's doing their own 4K remaster!

Damn!

http://caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergleiche/multi_list.php?hd_multiID=211

[filmmusic 1,823]

Maybe it' s something better of all those (something between US remaster and French 4K remaster).

By the way, Bram Stoker's Dracula too is coming in this series (and Leon the professional) in brand new 4K restoration.

The original Bluray was much controversial (too dark obscuring some optical effects, altered colors like green moonlight and green fires), so I'm hoping this will be much better.

[Jay 37,319]

I'm sure Dracula will be better

And yes I hope the new US 4K Fifth Element is somewhere between the overly sharp US Remaster and overly warm French 4K Remaster

[Marian Schedenig 8,176]

By the way, Bram Stoker's Dracula too is coming in this series (and Leon the professional) in brand new 4K restoration.

The original Bluray was much controversial (too dark obscuring some optical effects, altered colors like green moonlight and green fires), so I'm hoping this will be much better.

Oh good. I never picked up Dracula because I've only read bad things about the image quality.

[filmmusic 1,823]

By the way, Bram Stoker's Dracula too is coming in this series (and Leon the professional) in brand new 4K restoration.

The original Bluray was much controversial (too dark obscuring some optical effects, altered colors like green moonlight and green fires), so I'm hoping this will be much better.

Oh good. I never picked up Dracula because I've only read bad things about the image quality.

You'll have to put up with a very bad artwork though!

And: it still could be worse, quality-wise than the previous one. We don't know the level they tampered with it yet!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

Ugh!

They should have used this poster:

[filmmusic 1,823]

Ugh!

They should have used this poster:

Of course!

That's very simple and elegant!

Can't understand that there are people approving those covers!

[Marian Schedenig 8,176]

There's ugly covers... and then there's ugly covers that are entirely unrelated to the actual film:

Apparently there was some sort of rights issue though.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I only own the remastered Blu of Fifth Element so I'm on board for the new 4K.

[DreamTheater 131]

I have a funny thing to tell about a European blu-ray release of The Fifth Element which was in stores for a time. Never thought it could be possible but I had gotten a workprint version of the film (very similar to the image below of The Transporter). Because that was the one being sold by a dutch blu-ray manufacturing company that isn't exactly known for its quality assurance. A few complaints later they had no choice but to remaster the disc, and send me a new copy free of charge.

[Jay 37,319]

Are you serious?

Does it have deleted scenes or different music?

[DreamTheater 131]

The menu and everything else was OK, but I remember there being something off from the moment the movie started, it had the information on the borders as you can see in the screenshot, but the film also transitioned from one aspect ratio to another and back again. There was also something wrong with the audio, and I can't say if it had deleted scenes or anything else out of the ordinary, cause after the first couple of minutes I didn't bother with the rest of the film. More than a little bummed as I was totally stoked to watch it in Hi-def.

Now that I mention this, I was wrong before in saying I got a replacement copy. I know the company had to stop selling it and re-master it, but it would take time, so the store took back that faulty edition and I ordered the US remastered edition instead.

I don't think I will be getting the 4K disc, as that one I have still looks damn spectacular.

[Quintus 5,399]

By the way, Bram Stoker's Dracula too is coming in this series (and Leon the professional) in brand new 4K restoration.

The original Bluray was much controversial (too dark obscuring some optical effects, altered colors like green moonlight and green fires), so I'm hoping this will be much better.

Oh good. I never picked up Dracula because I've only read bad things about the image quality.

You'll have to put up with a very bad artwork though!

I got that beat. I got that beat.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[DreamTheater 131]

Too sexy !

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

Is that a hand print I see?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Got slapped too hard!

Figures that David Mann would be the bottom

[BloodBoal 7,538]

The 40th Anniversary Python Holy Grail Box Set Doubles As a Working Catapult

[Marian Schedenig 8,176]

Run away! Run away!

[nightscape94 965]

Bloody brilliant.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Amazon is having a Criterion sale for September. Not quite 50% off, but close enough.

The nice thing is that it doesn't exclude pre-orders like usual. So I placed orders for Moonrise Kingdom, Mulholland Dr., Ikiru, and Don't Look Back for $22.49 each.

[filmmusic 1,823]

I'm picking up Room with a View from that sale:

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film5/blu-ray_reviews_68/a_room_with_a_view_blu-ray.htm

[A24 4,326]

Room With A View is very grainy, isn't it? Wrong stock?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Filmmusic would argue that that's how it's supposed to look and that it represents the directors wishes.

[A24 4,326]

I would argue 'cheap stock'.

[filmmusic 1,823]

I would argue 'cheap stock'.

Alex, this is an old film and this is how films (in 35mm) are like!

This Bluray is coming from a brand new 4K restoration!

I guess you have got used too much to the digital look of the contemporary films?

It doesn't look more grainy that hundreds of other non-digital films that have been released on Bluray and haven't been degrained.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I certainly wouldn't qualify Room With A View as an "old" film, in terms of the whole history of film making.

And 35mm doesnt not automatically mean tons of grain. Films from the late 70's and the 80's were often done on cheap film stock, to save cost. Just ask Martin Scorcese.

[A24 4,326]

Yep, and Ivory/Merchant loved to save a nickel. Some actors still didn't receive their money. I merely have the DVD of Room With A View (1985) but I thought it looked way more grainy than average and with less detail. There are older film than Room With A View (yes, there are!) and they almost have no grain to speak of.

[mrbellamy 6,272]

I'll leave this sad bit of news here: William Becker, who vitalized Janus Films and was a key player in the creation of The Criterion Collection, has passed away at 88.

"Nothing beats seeing a new generation of audiences get blown away by a Bergman or a Fellini, a Renoir or a Truffaut"

[filmmusic 1,823]

10 screenshot comparisons between old Bluray of Home Alone and new 4K remaster (from a member at bluray.com).

Which do you prefer?

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/143371/picture:0

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The 4k remaster is definitely sharper. I would go for that one. If I had any interest in ever owning this movie, which I dont....

[A24 4,326]

The one with more grain is much sharper, filmmusic.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

The 4K version, both in terms of picture quality (but that's obvious) and colour (the Blu-Ray has some sort of pinkish tint...).

The 4K version does look a bit darker, though.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

So much black crush on the 4K one, it's hideous.

4K has the potential to be better due to the higher resolution, but I wish people would get over themselves at how they think everything in 4K is automatically better just by the virtue alone of being 4K.

[filmmusic 1,823]

I prefer the grain of the 4K, but the brightness and colors of the previous Bluray.

The black crush is evident in the 2nd comparison. It hides details.

Also, while in some screenshots the colors don't look that different, in others they are much different (eg. 1st)

I LOVE This movie, I watch it every Christmas, but I'm not sure I'll upgrade.

[filmmusic 1,823]

Faraon, a Polish epic from 1966 comes restored to its original form on Bluray in October as part of the box

Martin Scorsese Presents: Masterpieces of Polish Cinema Vol.1.

Now, I haven't seen this, nor I have seen Scott's Exodus, but seeing the trailer, this looks much more real to me!

https://vimeo.com/123228518

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[A24 4,326]

1966?! That trailer makes the film look like it's shot yesterday!

Alex - who never saw Faraon

[BloodBoal 7,538]

True. The picture quality is excellent.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Good quality film stock!

[crumbs 14,304]

It's sad that films from half a century ago look better than anything made in the last 15 years, since the proliferation of DI. Locking films into a permanent state of 2K resolution was a collosally shortsighted decision.

I'm not even sure why filmmakers bother shooting on film anymore when they insist on finishing with a DI. The fine grain and texture of celluloid is smothered away and replaced with a processed, filtered and digital appearance that plagues all commercial films now.

It seems in the effort to "improve" film stocks to match the clarity of digital cameras, they've actually removed their character.

There's fewer examples better than the abomination of Kaminski's KOTCS. That he was trying to replicate Slocombe's trilogy in his DI is one hell of an indictment.

[filmmusic 1,823]

Is there anyone thinking of buying the Lost In Space complete series?

The Bluray release is currently the cheapest at deepdiscount.

http://www.deepdiscount.com/lost-in-space-the-complete-adventures/024543113867

if you ask me, I don't think the more expensive price of the cd set, is justifiable..

[Jay 37,319]

$150 for 14 hours of music isn't justifiable? WTF? If each CD in the set was sold for $20, it'd come to $240!

[filmmusic 1,823]

$100 for 14 hours of music isn't justifiable? WTF?

I thought it was $150.

edit: ok, i see you changed it.

And anyway, if 74 hours of video & audio are worth $111, shouldn't 14 hours of music alone be much cheaper?

restoration of complete show (around 74 hours of content) on 18 Blurays (more expensive than cd discs) and larger box: around $111-150 currently at shops

restoration of music alone (14 hours) on 12 cds and small box: $150??????

I think I'm being logical here..

[Wojo 2,453]

It doesn't work that way. Picture plus video appeals to a wider consumer base, and the music alone takes more time to make presentable when it doesn't have sound effects to hide behind.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Where's that little blurb by Lukas Kendall?

Short version: Producing CDs costs a lot of money.

[filmmusic 1,823]

Where's that little blurb by Lukas Kendall?

Short version: Producing CDs costs a lot of money.

You mean restoring the whole show for the Blurays cost far less?

I'm just asking..

[Jay 37,319]

Konstantinos, I'm really surprised by your ignorance on this subject! You're comparing apples to oranges: A TV show box set will be sold in stores around the world, to a wide audience of people who grew up watching the show, and sells hundreds of thousands of copies. The Soundtrack box set is sold online to 1,500 fans in a super super specialized market! And yes, it cost a small fortune to restore this music!

Read what Lukas Kendall said about the similar Mission: Impossible box

I picked up my copy of this today from La-La Land. It's safe to say I am always proud of the albums I work on, and I hope people enjoy them...and this one is especially pleasing. I had a great time working with (and for) friends, and I think the team has done outstanding work. Jon Burlingame curated a magnificent collection of this famous show, the design by Joe Sikoryak is beautiful, and it all sounds great thanks to our team of engineers.

MV and Matt at La-La Land wrote some BIG checks to make this outstanding package become a reality. You'll probably never know how big, and it's not for me to say, but I said "I'm so sorry" to them on more than one occasion.

I want to explain just how hard television projects are like this. They are exponentially more difficult than a CD of a film soundtrack. There we are dealing with maybe 70 minutes of music from a two hour movie. There were 171 hours of Mission: Impossible produced, and I don't know how many hours of music recorded, all of which was laboriously (and expensively) transferred so Jon could select the 7+ hours presented on these 6 discs. It was a massive undertaking. The Q/C and proofreading alone was an endurance test.

I've been involved now with several television soundtrack box sets or series of albums, notably Star Trek (and ST:TNG) and the CDs Jon did for FSM of Man From U.N.C.L.E. I think I saw a post asking why there would be an album of Then Came Bronson, of all things, instead of far more famous and probably deserving shows. The answer is because I could. I liked the George Duning pilot score for Bronson, and the title was part of a catalog we were dealing with at the time. The studio had already transferred the Bronson scores for their own preservation, and I had all the episode scores on hand to do a 2CD set for Intrada (after putting the pilot and two Gil Melle scores on our TV Omnibus compilation at FSM). There was only one year of Bronson produced, but it was a ton of work to make that album. Years ago I did a CD of the Logan's Run TV series, for which only half a year was produced, and THAT was a ton of work!

So, TV is hard. You have to sort through hours and hours of music to assemble the best album. And it's expensive to transfer and evaluate all that music.

It's inevitable that when we release something like Mission: Impossible, people ask "Where's Batman?" or "Where's Mannix?" or whatever it might be.

The answer is because sometimes we can't get the rights. But regardless—television projects cost a fortune.

Why does the Mission box set cost $99? That's still less than $20 a disc, but I appreciate that it's a lot for collectors. The answer is because there are fewer collectors than ever...people lose interest, people steal music, people pass away. Let's face it, some people would have given $500 on Kickstarter to make this album happen. Others would NOT buy it if it were $9.99. So these albums are necessarily going to be produced in smaller runs, at premium prices. It's the only way. If the label makes the dream item a reality and then takes a bath, they're never going to do it again.

If you don't want a Mission: Impossible box set—this post is not for you. That's fine! I am speaking to those people who MIGHT want it but are thinking they want to get something else instead this week, or they are waiting for Batman, or they wish this album was Batman, or they're annoyed that they have to pay $100 and then shipping.

(Incidentally—the box set is actually selling great! The problem is that it cost SO much that it has to perform even better...or else there aren't going to be any more like this.)

If you want this Mission box—please buy it. We need you. If you want more television collections, you have to come out and support this one. It's a great set, and you'll like it.

That's all! Mission accomplished! Thanks!

Lukas

[filmmusic 1,823]

Konstantinos, I'm really surprised by your ignorance on this subject! You're comparing apples to oranges: A TV show box set will be sold in stores around the world, to a wide audience of people who grew up watching the show, and sells hundreds of thousands of copies. The Soundtrack box set is sold online to 1,500 fans in a super super specialized market! And yes, it cost a small fortune to restore this music!

Ok, I can accept this about the copies and the specialised market.

But not the other argument.

I still think that to restore the whole show for Bluray presentation (video and audio) is much more expensive.