Official Blu-Ray & HD-DVD Thread

[Skerik]

Re: Official Blu-Ray & HD-DVD Thread

'Lost' Blu-ray Gets Surprise Price Reduction

In an unexpected move sure to please 'Lost' fans, Disney has announced a price drop for its December Blu-ray debut of 'Lost: The Complete Third Season - The Unexplored Experience.'

Due December 11, the extensive seven-disc box set was originally announced with a $124.99 price tag, but Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has now confirmed that they are reducing the MSRP to $96.99 -- nearly $30 less than the original price tag.

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Disney/TV_on_High-Def/High-Def_Disc_Marketing/Lost_Blu-ray_Gets_Surprise_Price_Reduction/986

[ExtremeGamer]

Re: Official Blu-Ray & HD-DVD Thread

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/sh..._Reduction/986

At least it's in line with other season sets now. Still getting the regular DVD version, but that's good news.

[SLAYER]

Re: Official Blu-Ray & HD-DVD Thread

Report: New Line Readying 'Rush Hour 3' for Blu-ray Release; HD DVD to Follow

New Line is apparently planning a next gen release for 'Rush Hour 3,' with the Blu-ray expected just after Christmas, and the HD DVD to follow sometime in 2008.

Although it was critically reviled, the third film in the Jackie Chan-Chris Tucker franchise has grossed $133 million in the five weeks since its theatrical release in early August.

Now, according to information published by Home Media Magazine, New Line is planning a next-gen release for the film, with the Blu-ray edition hitting stores on December 26, day-and-date with the standard-def DVD (a rare Wednesday street date).

The second next-gen title to surface from dual-format supporting studio New Line, like 'Hairspray' before it, The HD DVD version of 'Rush Hour' will hit stores sometime after the Blu-ray. (As part of its initial announcement for 'Hairspray,' the studio said that region-coding concerns would prevent it from immediately releasing many of its early titles on HD DVD, but it promised they would see release sometime in early 2008.)

Although New Line has yet to issue a press release with specs, according to Home Media Magazine, the 2-disc platinum edition DVD is set to include audio commentary, deleted scenes and a featurette. We can only assume those features will find their way to the next-gen releases as well.

Both the Blu-ray and the forthcoming HD DVD editions are listed with a $39.99 list price. We'll let you know when more information on this title comes in.

'300' HD DVD Goes Non-Combo For Toshiba Bundle

'Master & Commander' Blu-ray Back on for 2008

HD DVD Players, Discs To Carry HDi Logo

'Smallville' Blu-ray Hits Production Snag

[SLAYER]

Re: Official Blu-Ray & HD-DVD Thread

House of 1000 Corpses has a sweet transfer, but they replaced the live action menus with a one shot, pretty tacky "Wheel of ______" motif.

There's also a BD-J based game, but as with many of these type of extras..pretty lame, but it's done a lot better than some may expect.

[CaptainZombie]

Re: Official Blu-Ray & HD-DVD Thread

House of 1000 Corpses has a sweet transfer, but they replaced the live action menus with a one shot, pretty tacky "Wheel of ______" motif.

There's also a BD-J based game, but as with many of these type of extras..pretty lame, but it's done a lot better than some may expect.

The transfer was enough for me to upgrade alone............but I agree about the live action menus, EG and I were talking about that the other night. I can't believe ow much they cleaned it up.

[ExtremeGamer]

Re: Official Blu-Ray & HD-DVD Thread

OUCH!! Halloween's picture quality trashed.

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/966/halloween1978.html

[CaptainZombie]

Re: Official Blu-Ray & HD-DVD Thread

OUCH!! Halloween's picture quality trashed.

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/966/halloween1978.html

That sucks since I do go buy most of their reviews. Some reviews have like the PQ and a few haven't.

[CaptainZombie]

Re: Official Blu-Ray & HD-DVD Thread

First Top Gun review:



Final Thoughts

'Top Gun' is a pretty silly film, and twenty years on, it's not hard to view it as pure unadulterated camp. That's probably a good thing, at least for viewer with my perspective, as it makes for a more entertaining if still ultimately unfulfilling experience. This HD DVD also yields mixed results. I was pleasantly surprised by how terrific it looks and sounds, but what's with the complete lack of extras, Paramount? I wish I could recommend 'Top Gun' wholeheartedly, but sans extras, this one's probably best reserved for die-hard fans only.

[SLAYER]

Re: Official Blu-Ray & HD-DVD Thread

OUCH!! Halloween's picture quality trashed.

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/966/halloween1978.html

Over the years, the major studios have taken a lot of heat for "double dipping" their top titles ad nauseam on disc, but indie distributors are not immune to the disease, either. Case in point is Anchor Bay (newly christened Starz Home Entertainment), which has released, re-issued, and re-packaged 'Halloween,' oh, about 5,237 times now. There was the original (and utterly dreadful) 1997 DVD version, followed by various single- and double-disc special editions, culminating in the 2003 "DiviMax" version, which boasted a newly-remastered transfer minted from a new high-definition master.

Unfortunately, that DiviMax version caused quite an uproar with fans when word quickly leaked out on the eve of its release that neither John Carpenter nor cinematographer Dean Cundey had approved the new master, and without their input, great liberties were taken with the film's color timing. Originally, to compensate for the film's low budget (and the fact that the movie was shot in the summer in California, not in Illinois in the fall), Cundey and Carpenter used filters and other tricks to create an appropriately spooky feel. Sadly, that's long gone on the DiviMax edition -- the deep midnight blues of the night scenes were turned star white, and the intentionally stylized orange cast of the daylight exteriors were "corrected" to blandness. Sure, image detail and clarity were improved, but it came at the expense of the mood originally intended by the filmmakers.

Sadly, this 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 sports most of the same color timing problems as the DiviMax DVD edition. Although earlier reports had indicated that Starz/Anchor Bay had planned on using the old, Cundey-approved master for this Blu-ray edition, judging from the results here, I have to assume that they just used the DiviMax master and tweaked it a little. Though the daylight exteriors are much closer to previous Cundey-approved masters (including a 1995 Criterion Collection laserdisc, as well as earlier Anchor Bay THX-certified DVD editions), the nighttime scenes -- about 3/4 of the movie -- still just aren't right. The effective blue-orange complimentary color palette is white-washed away, and though fleshtones may be more "accurate," this is just not the 'Halloween' it should be. (For a look at some comparison pics between the Blu-ray and the THX-certified, Cundy-approved transfer, see this thread in our forums area.)

Other aspects of the transfer are much better. The print is not perfect -- there are still quite a few white speckles and dirt granules -- but it's pretty clean for a thirty year-old low-budget flick. Detail is also noticeably sharper than any previous standard-def release, including the DiviMax DVD. During Carpenter's many tracking shots of the Haddonfield neighborhoods, textures on houses, cars, and trees are now distinct (before, everything was a little mushy). I was not as fond of the shadow delineation and still feel the DiviMax master is too bright -- there is more detail visible in the dark portions of the image than ever before, but it just looks too bright compared to the old Cundey-approved versions. Finally, regardless of which disc version you choose, 'Halloween' looks a little soft by modern standards. Although this Blu-ray edition is without a doubt the most three-dimensional ‘Halloween’ has ever looked on video, I’m sorry to say that I just can't recommend it. I've always been a big fan of both 'Halloween' and Anchor Bay/Starz (I've certainly bought enough of their DVDs over the years), so I was really hoping they’d spent the money to re-transfer the movie under the guidance of Cundey and Carpenter, but unfortunately, despite this golden opportunity, it seems we'll have to wait for another Blu-ray double dip to see if a proper high-def version of 'Halloween' is at last a possibility.

(UPDATE: Since I originally posted this review, many readers have asked how I could possibly have rated the video on this disc so poorly when others have reported strong results for this disc's video. To be clear, setting aside the color timing issues mentioned above, this is a generally strong transfer, and if you're not sensitive to the issues inherent in preserving a director's intentions, you're not likely to take issue with the video on this disc. As a longtime fan of 'Halloween,' however -- and as someone who feels strongly that the filmmaker's intentions should always be sacrosanct -- I take particular issue with the decision to yet again utilize a compromised master that's been disowned by John Carpenter himself for this release. If you don't happen to share this same sensitivity, you're likely to find the picture quality on this disc perfectly acceptable and even quite superior for an almost thirty year-old indie film.)

There's the direct quote.

An overreaction to the color timing, IMO. I like the blue tint, but I've watched Halloween so many times on TV, VHS, etc. without it that it doesn't matter to me.

[CaptainZombie]

Re: Official Blu-Ray & HD-DVD Thread

There's the direct quote.

An overreaction to the color timing, IMO. I like the blue tint, but I've watched Halloween so many times on TV, VHS, etc. without it that it doesn't matter to me.

Slayer, I think that Peter overreacted when he wrote that review. If you look at some of his other reviews, he doesn't get this upset over the colors. I've been reading a few threads over at highdef, even those people think that Peter is taking it a bit too far with complaining about the "Director's Intent" since he doesn't in other movies reviews.

DVDTalk and a few others were very positive. I have seen so many versions of this movie that I'll be the judge if this kills the atmosphere. Now this is derived from the 2003 Divimax print, so I haven't seen that version so I'm not too sure if its good or bad.

Next week I'm looking forward to Halloween BD, plus Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, and Evil Dead II........as long as those other 3 receive good reviews.

[SLAYER]

Re: Official Blu-Ray & HD-DVD Thread

'The Simpsons Movie' Headed to Blu-ray

Don't have a cow, man! Fox has announced it will bring 'The Simpsons Movie' to Blu-ray day-and-date with the standard-def DVD this December.

After over a decade in development, 'The Simpsons Movie' lived up to the hype and emerged as one of the summer's biggest hits, with Bart & Co. netting a worldwide gross of nearly $300 million.

Fox will debut the Blu-ray and DVD day-and-date December 18, with both sharing identical extras (al though the Blu-ray versions will all be presented in full 1080 HD video).

Among the goodies are two audio commentaries with multiple cast and crew, three featurettes, deleted scenes, a Homer monologue from the "Tonight Show," and alternate character designs from the show's creator, Matt Groening.

The BD-50 dual-layer release will come with 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 video and a DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround track.

Fox has set a $39.98 MSRP for the Blu-ray.

[CaptainZombie]

Re: Official Blu-Ray & HD-DVD Thread

Evil Dead II Review



Anchor Bay has a lot to prove with the presentation of Evil Dead II on Blu-ray as not only is this the first appearance of the film in high definition, but it’s also one of the first four titles ever released by the studio on Blu-ray. Early indications from the disc specs were promising: an AVC MPEG-4 encoded 1080p transfer and uncompressed PCM 5.1 audio on a BD-50 disc. It’s hard to argue with those stats from a major studio release, much less a small independent. At the same time, we expected this based on the new HD-master used by Anchor Bay on the last edition of Evil Dead II.

Before Evil Dead II can even begin, its clear Anchor Bay has done a bang up job on their first wave of Blu-ray releases via a pre-film Blu-ray teaser trailer. All the scenes from Halloween, Dawn of the Dead, and even a trio from Evil Dead II are noticeably crisper than their DVD counterparts. One of the Evil Dead scenes featuring Ash awakening in a puddle in daylight is a visual highlight of the entire film with amazing clarity and sharpness. Night and interior scenes are generally softer than outdoor daytime scenes and more in line with the Book of the Dead DVD edition, understandable for an aged low budget production. They still offer an upgraded picture, if only slightly.

The PCM 5.1 uncompressed audio track isn’t the original mono track purists crave, but it certainly delivers. Previous re-masters of the sound effects benefit most from the extra audio information during intense scenes such as the effects-filled opening credits, Ash’s battle with his hand and the subsequent "wall" encounter, and the finale fight against a vortex and tree. Poorly originally recorded voices come across weak underneath the audio effects and take a little getting used to.

Supplemental material is mostly recycled from the Book of the Dead edition in 480p save for Blu-ray exclusive pop-up Film Fast Facts. During the film viewers can choose between the pop-up facts or a hilarious must-hear Commentary with Writer/Director Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell. Co-Writer Scott Spiegel, and Special Effects Make-Up Artist Greg Nicotero, which can be played individually or simultaneously. A pair of featurettes totaling just shy of 50 minutes, Behind the Screams and The Gore the Merrier, offer still and video glimpses into the production and special effects, while a fuzzy full-screen Theatrical Trailer is completely out of place on this release.

Poor trailer aside, everything else about Evil Dead II on Blu-ray Disc meets expectations, most importantly the high definition audio and video presentation. It’s worth a double, triple or even quadruple dip for you dedicated Deadites out there. Whether it’s solely worth making the jump to Blu-ray Disc will be entirely up to your wallet to decide.

[SLAYER]

Re: Official Blu-Ray & HD-DVD Thread

Slayer, I think that Peter overreacted when he wrote that review. If you look at some of his other reviews, he doesn't get this upset over the colors. I've been reading a few threads over at highdef, even those people think that Peter is taking it a bit too far with complaining about the "Director's Intent" since he doesn't in other movies reviews.

DVDTalk and a few others were very positive. I have seen so many versions of this movie that I'll be the judge if this kills the atmosphere. Now this is derived from the 2003 Divimax print, so I haven't seen that version so I'm not too sure if its good or bad.

Next week I'm looking forward to Halloween BD, plus Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, and Evil Dead II........as long as those other 3 receive good reviews.

Agreed.

For example, I first watched Seven on VHS, not in theaters, and it was just as powerful as when I saw the "director's intent" on the Platinum Series DVDs. I won't make the blanket statement of saying cinematography doesn't matter, but for some films, it doesn't for me.

[Double Eights]

Re: Official Blu-Ray & HD-DVD Thread

I'm not going to bother reading the entire thread, but which DVD player do most people have? Blu-Ray or HD-DVD?

I am interested in buying one before Transformers is released on DVD. But I am not sure which route to take.

[Skerik]

Re: Official Blu-Ray & HD-DVD Thread

I'm not going to bother reading the entire thread, but which DVD player do most people have? Blu-Ray or HD-DVD?

I am interested in buying one before Transformers is released on DVD. But I am not sure which route to take.

If you want Transformers, you're getting an HD-DVD player. It's not coming out on Blu-Ray due to Paramount's recently signed exclusivity deal with HD-DVD.