Anyone here succumbed to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray?

[Andy 4,147]

 

5 hours ago, Corellian2019 said:

The 4K release of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles promises a bonus disc of over 75 minutes of deleted and extended scenes -- although it's not quite clear if the bonus disc is a regular Blu-ray

It’s almost the length of the movie itself!  Someone could edit a supercut of epic length! 
 

Love this film and watch it every year.   I think it’s Hughes’ best. 

[Jay 37,378]

‘Pulp Fiction’ Comes to 4K Ultra HD With Hours of Bonus Content

[Nick1Ø66 4,723]

On 2/10/2022 at 4:33 AM, Andy said:

 

It’s almost the length of the movie itself!  Someone could edit a supercut of epic length! 
 

Love this film and watch it every year.   I think it’s Hughes’ best. 

THOSE.ARE.NOT.PILLOWS!!!!!!

[A24 4,348]

Talking about Steve Martin, I really want to see The Spanish Prisoner.

 

 

But, who knows, maybe I've seen it already and completely forgotten about it. Directed by David Mamet and starring Rebecca Pidgeon, whose first album 'The Raven' I really like. I know that Mamet's next movie was The Winslow Boy, which, IMO, competes with the very best of Merchant Ivory Productions.

[filmmusic 1,843]

I wonder what the community's opinion is about these little "fixes". Are you for or against?

 

Raiders of the Lost ark

https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=247468

Indiana Jones and the temple of doom

https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=596106

Indiana Jones and the last crusade

https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=823965

[Faleel 5,365]

My take:

 

I have no problem with filmmakers revisiting something they are not happy with/dated..

 

 

HOWEVER!

 

The original must ALWAYS be available!

[filmmusic 1,843]

16 minutes ago, Roll the Bones said:

The original must ALWAYS be available!

Do you mean on the same latest format?

Or just available generally, eg. on DVD?

[Faleel 5,365]

4 minutes ago, filmmusic said:

Do you mean on the same latest format?

Or just available generally, eg. on DVD?

Ideally latest format.

[Manakin Skywalker 4,897]

I'd argue most of the changes here are a positive (although I agree the original versions should always be available as well). There are some, such as the added shadows on the cliff in ToD, that definitely aren't. The changes here mostly amount to removing matte lines and other visual errors in the previous release/s, which for the most part make the 4K remasters an improvement. Not perfect of course, but better than the Blu-ray for sure.

 

These are the types of changes I would hope they'd have made to the Star Wars SE's; not adding CG aliens and other nonsense, while ignoring (and sometimes amplifying) the glaring visual problems.

[Brando 1,864]

On 01/10/2022 at 11:33 PM, Andy said:

 

It’s almost the length of the movie itself!  Someone could edit a supercut of epic length! 
 

Love this film and watch it every year.   I think it’s Hughes’ best. 

Yes! Regal is showing in theaters in the beginning of November(horrible date since the movie takes place 2 days before Thanksgiving), but I'm looking forward to it.

[rough cut 1,714]

Coming in 2023. Let’s hope if it has the full colored Crazy 88 fight scene.

 

[crocodile 8,020]

About time!

 

Karol

[Nick1Ø66 4,723]

I want The Whole Bloody Affair!

[Jay 37,378]

Yea seems like poor planning to still only release the theatrical cuts instead of finally giving us all the options almost 20 years later

 

In related news, now that we know Maya Hawke is the real deal, I'd be down for a Kill Bill 3 with her and Uma

[Disco Stu 15,495]

In a sad sign of the further cratering of the physical media market:

 

"Criterion Lays Off 20 Percent of Staff in ‘Reorganization’ Move"

https://www.indiewire.com/2022/10/criterion-layoffs-16-staffers-reorganization-1234774703/

[Andy 4,147]

Picked up Bram Stoker's Dracula, at a good price, and now am wondering if I should've payed extra for the newest version that supports Dolby Vision.

[filmmusic 1,843]

2 hours ago, Andy said:

Picked up Bram Stoker's Dracula, at a good price, and now am wondering if I should've payed extra for the newest version that supports Dolby Vision.

Ahh.. you got the old edition, eh?

The new one includes the original burned-in subtitles too for the non-English speaking parts.

Also, it apparently includes an original stereo track which is curious enough, as it substitutes the last choral cue (just before the end credits) with a part from Mina/Dracula.

And, it is better in terms of picture quality in the opening scenes compared to the older edition:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=20540779&postcount=1970

[Andy 4,147]

Ah sonofagun. I shoulda sprang for the better set. 
 

Edit: Sent back the old edition and ordered the new Steelbook. Good thing I didn’t open it. 

[crocodile 8,020]

Latwst arrivals. Suppose that is my double feature for tonight:

 

 

Karol

[Andy 4,147]

I’m having trouble liking the UHD 4K format. I feel like I’m doing something wrong. 
 

Watched my Bram Stoker’s Dracula 4K UHD this evening and had it pixelate and skip during the roast beef dinner and the sunset chase. 
 

Washed the disc with warm water and gentle dish soap. Dried with microfiber cloth. 
 

It still skips. 

 

I’ll exchange it, but who’s to say the new one isn’t  defective also?  I don’t really feel like watching the movie from start to finish again to do QC that I shouldn’t have to do. 
 

Honestly, I find this format to be incredibly frustrating.   I paid for it, it should just work like DVD and Blu-Ray. 
 

My Sony Ubp x-800 player turned into a brick a month ago.  And now I feel like I have to watch every movie I buy immediately because the format is so goddam vulnerable to grease or scratches.   
 

My TV is a SONY xbr-65 900E, so it’s decent, and I am not really seeing the difference between the Blu and the UHD of the same title. 
 

Am I being unreasonable or is this format just too rife with defects, both with players and discs?
 

[Brando 1,864]

11 minutes ago, Andy said:

 And now I feel like I have to watch every movie I buy immediately because the format is so goddam vulnerable to grease or scratches.   

You're definitely not alone lol. Any movie I buy I feel like I have to watch it almost immediately in case there's a slight issue. 

[Jay 37,378]

I do not believe 4K UHD discs are supposed to be more perceptible to scratches and the like than any other format that uses an optical lens to read tiny holes in a plastic disc, but admittedly I haven't ever looked into it or anything

 

It sounds like you just got unlucky

[Andy 4,147]

No question I got unlucky, but UHD are definitely more susceptible to errors than Blu-Ray.  It’s pretty well documented.   It’s been explained that you’re cramming more data into the same surface area to hold all the pits. 
 

This thread on BluRay.com explains it pretty well.
 

 

I hear lots of anecdotal evidence about the Star Trek TMP Director’s Edition freezing up.  And more and more evidence of residue from case outgassing and replication plant QC causing problems.  
 

This format is hard to love. Between the huge variance in quality dependent on equipment, players locking up, and disc QC, I am frustrated.  My Blu Rays don’t give me this sort of trouble. 

[Manakin Skywalker 4,897]

30 minutes ago, Jay said:

I do not believe 4K UHD discs are supposed to be more perceptible to scratches and the like than any other format that uses an optical lens to read tiny holes in a plastic disc, but admittedly I haven't ever looked into it or anything

 

It sounds like you just got unlucky

 

It's definitely not just him. I usually have to return around 1/5 of the UHD discs I get due to scratches or other defects, I've only ever had one similar issue with a Blu-ray disc (none with DVD's). I remember a ton of people having issues with the Star Wars UHD sets and needing to return them. I had to return 3 or 4 of them, one of them twice due to internal defects that were apparently eventually caught, or so I heard.

 

I use MakeMKV to rip them to my hard drive, so it's a lot simpler to detect defects than simply playing them all the way through.

[Jay 37,378]

Well I stand corrected! 

[Manakin Skywalker 4,897]

19 minutes ago, Andy said:

I hear lots of anecdotal evidence about the Star Trek TMP Director’s Edition freezing up.  And more and more evidence of residue from case outgassing and replication plant QC causing problems.  

 

My Star Trek 6-film set was filled with grease. The Undiscovered Country still won't rip at all. I was planning on cleaning it very thoroughly again sometime and seeing if I can get it to finally work, but I'm not very optimistic.

[rough cut 1,714]

I’ve never had any problems.

[crocodile 8,020]

I've got over 260 of those and never had that issue.

 

Karol

[filmmusic 1,843]

37 minutes ago, crocodile said:

I've got over 260 of those and never had that issue.

 

Karol

260 UHDs? 

[crocodile 8,020]

9 minutes ago, filmmusic said:

260 UHDs? 

Yeah. I clearly have a hoarding problem. 🤣

 

Karol

[Koray Savas 2,251]

You should stream more lol

[Andy 4,147]

12 hours ago, Manakin Skywalker said:

 

It's definitely not just him. I usually have to return around 1/5 of the UHD discs I get due to scratches or other defects, I've only ever had one similar issue with a Blu-ray disc (none with DVD's). I remember a ton of people having issues with the Star Wars UHD sets and needing to return them. I had to return 3 or 4 of them, one of them twice due to internal defects that were apparently eventually caught, or so I heard.

 

I use MakeMKV to rip them to my hard drive, so it's a lot simpler to detect defects than simply playing them all the way through.

 

I have MakeMKV but my external drive is only Blu-Ray.  Would you suggest getting an external 4K drive as a way of screening discs for errors?

 

When you rip the MKVs, do you play those files from a media server?  I use Plex, but 4K file sizes would get pretty enormous.  Is there a better way that I'm not utilizing?

 

Honestly, this format should not be this much trouble, and its cheerleaders seem to look the other way when it seems really buggy.  It's certainly not helping the state of physical media if it's frustrating to a longtime advocate and collector like myself.

[Manakin Skywalker 4,897]

5 hours ago, Andy said:

 

I have MakeMKV but my external drive is only Blu-Ray.  Would you suggest getting an external 4K drive as a way of screening discs for errors?

 

When you rip the MKVs, do you play those files from a media server?  I use Plex, but 4K file sizes would get pretty enormous.  Is there a better way that I'm not utilizing?

 

Honestly, this format should not be this much trouble, and its cheerleaders seem to look the other way when it seems really buggy.  It's certainly not helping the state of physical media if it's frustrating to a longtime advocate and collector like myself.

 

Personally yes. Sometimes I get a boxset with a film that I might not watch often, or bonus features that I might not be as interested in, so attempting to rip them is the only way in that case that I'm able to see if there's any disc read errors.

 

I do have Plex (only recently!) however most of the time I play the movies straight from my hard drive on my PC. I just use two ~15-TB external HDD's. It's useful for Plex too because then you don't have to compress the video files (if you do, I recommend Handbrake). Depending on how many films you intend on ripping you might not need quite that much space though.

[Andy 4,147]

Sounds like a very smart setup. Like iTunes for video.  I just need to invest in the hard drives and disc drive.  Thank you!

[rough cut 1,714]

To be released in 2023, according to The Digital Bits: 

 

Quote

 

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is planning to release Superman II, Superman III, and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace in 4K Ultra HD in early 2023!

 

Superman II will include both the original theatrical version and the Richard Donner Cut.

 

 

[crocodile 8,020]

Awesome.

 

Karol

[filmmusic 1,843]

Haven't seen the Richard Donner cut of Superman II. Is it better?

Although I always prefer the theatrical cuts.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Even for Brazil?

[crocodile 8,020]

56 minutes ago, filmmusic said:

Haven't seen the Richard Donner cut of Superman II. Is it better?

Although I always prefer the theatrical cuts.

Nah, it's a bit of a hodge-podge of Donner stuff, test footage and theatrical cut. Unsatisfying and feels very much like a fan edit. Having said that, the Brando scenes are amazing and make the whole thing worth watching. Theatrical version, for all its silliness, holds up better.

 

Still, it would be nice to have both on UHD.

 

Speaking of 4K, bought Casablanca today. Never seen this film. Looking forward to watching it.

 

Karol

[filmmusic 1,843]

13 minutes ago, crocodile said:

Never seen this film

55 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

Even for Brazil?

Hmmmm... It seems I have seen the director's cut only.

[Tallguy 3,402]

1 hour ago, Disco Stu said:

Even for Brazil?

 

Which one are we calling the Director's Cut?

[filmmusic 1,843]

16 minutes ago, Tallguy said:

 

Which one are we calling the Director's Cut?

If I understand correctly the European cut is the director's cut?

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088846/alternateversions?tab=cz&ref_=tt_trv_alt

[Disco Stu 15,495]

It is a bit confusing.  I thought the "Love Conquers All" version was the theatrical cut, but I guess that version was only the one released for television syndication???  I've only seen the 2000s Criterion DVD release

[rough cut 1,714]

The Donner Cut is superior to the theatrical, but it’s far from perfect. There are some scenes that take you out of the movie, but on the whole it’s better.

[Andy 4,147]

I like the White House raid in the Donner Cut. It’s a bit more (PG) violent, and the updated sound effects give it real bite. 

[Corellian2019 386]

On 07/11/2022 at 11:16 AM, Disco Stu said:

It is a bit confusing.  I thought the "Love Conquers All" version was the theatrical cut, but I guess that version was only the one released for television syndication???  I've only seen the 2000s Criterion DVD release

 

There are three versions: the "Love Conquers All" version for network TV, the 131-minute cut released in North America, and the version released overseas, which is the same as the director's cut released by Criterion

[Jay 37,378]

On 01/10/2022 at 6:22 PM, Corellian2019 said:

The 4K release of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles promises a bonus disc of over 75 minutes of deleted and extended scenes -- although it's not quite clear if the bonus disc is a regular Blu-ray

 

 

 

[Corellian2019 386]

Looking forward to the extended Michael McKean scene

[Brando 1,864]

I heard from someone who got his copy early the scene where Del gets his black eye from the truck driver and the original ending we’re not included, sadly.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,556]

This is rumour control, here are the facts.

There was never any "director's cut" of BRAZIL.

The final cut of BRAZIL (143 mins. run time) was the one that was released on 20.2.1985, in France, and five days later, in the UK (premiering at the Odeon Leicester Square, if you must know).

This is the cut which Gilliam always wanted to release in the USA... until Sid Sheinberg put his grubby little protuberances all over it. In point of fact, the USA release was delayed for so long, that Gilliam took out a full-page ad. in Variety asking Sheinberg when the film was going to be released. That's when Sheinberg cut it to ribbons, and we ended up with the so-called "love conquers all" cut.

This was never what Gilliam intended, and he has disowned this cut, ever since - and quite rightly so.

Gilliam, of course, had the last laugh. The LCA cut has been consigned to the waste basket of cinema history, while the original cut is hailed as a modern masterpiece - and quite rightly so.

Anyone who hasn't seen this towering work, should do so, asap.