Gladiator Blu-ray Discussion Thread

[TTUBatfan2008]

Originally Posted by gates70

Is it possible that there are bad batches ? Mine looks great also.

Looks pretty processed to me. Not as bad as Gangs of New York, but it looks like crap compared to Braveheart, which I am watching right now. I remember seeing Gladiator in the theater and the Blu-ray does not reproduce the natural look of the film that I remember. Braveheart on Blu looks like a film. Gladiator looks a bit like a MTV music video.

[gates70]

Originally Posted by TTUBatfan2008

Looks pretty processed to me. Not as bad as Gangs of New York, but it looks like crap compared to Braveheart, which I am watching right now. I remember seeing Gladiator in the theater and the Blu-ray does not reproduce the natural look of the film that I remember. Braveheart on Blu looks like a film. Gladiator looks a bit like a MTV music video.

Well that's why I ask if it's possible that there's a bad batch cuz mine doesn't look like that at all. Very film like and very natural on a 120" screen.

[SBrooks1]

Originally Posted by gates70

Very film like and very natural on a 120" screen.

Impossible...

[TTUBatfan2008]

Originally Posted by gates70

Well that's why I ask if it's possible that there's a bad batch cuz mine doesn't look like that at all. Very film like and very natural on a 120" screen.

I highly doubt there's a bad batch. It's the actual look of the transfer. I was screwing around with my TV settings trying to get it to look right and it never quite looked the way it should. The settings that I used for the last hour or so of it are what I'm watching Braveheart with and it looks the way a film should look, so it's not my TV.

[gates70]

Originally Posted by SBrooks1

Impossible...

It is possible cuz I'm telling you...maybe a different transfer for us Canadians or something.

[HAVOKK]

Well, the movie kicks ass regardless of PQ but I think we all imagined and hoped for a much better outcome.. maybe even too much..

I have to agree that it tends to look better when watched opposed to being skipped through because you run into little graphical treats along the way that you would miss otherwise. Still, for the most part is seemed dull for a BD. I think for those who say that the PQ is great or even perfect, you need to pop in a reference BD to help you remember what BD is and what it is capable of. Ive seen worse, but it could have been better..

Like I said though, its a great movie none the less, and the PQ isnt enough to screw the movie up at all.. Its not bad, it just could have been better.. Thats how I see it.

[Big Z]

Originally Posted by 42041

Now we're having joe six pack judge our blu-rays? This is a videophile format for gods sake

Hi all..

Joe Six Pack here..

Just got done watching Gladiator w/ my wife and a friend. I found myself actually struggling through the first 25 minutes (remind me again what negative effects EE provides the viewer? Many sequences seemed hard to follow visually because the image became distorted through motion. Is this haloing from "EE"?). I enjoy this movie so very much, but the quality of the video actually made it difficult/frustrating to watch at times. You can look at my limited collection, but I dont think any of my blu-ray movies have been this "distorted" through action sequences or looked this artificial when an object is in motion as I have watched them on my TV (52" sammy 630). I don't really know how to properly evaluate this movie in "blu-ray.com" terms, but gladiator seemed mediocre at best. Not bad, not good, but an upgraded representation of a great film, never-the-less. I bought this movie because even if it is mediocre, as I found it, it is personally one of my top 3 movies of all time and a must own. I simply hope for an exchange program of some sort in the near future. I had determined prior to viewing that I was not going to participate in the disgruntled blu-ray fan email fest. The average quality of this top quality epic has since changed my mind. I too will be emailing to voice my regrettable dissatisfaction with Gladiator. Until the day the Paramount/Universal owns up to their gross inadequacies with this film, I will take what I have so long enjoyed from gladiator... the action, acting, the soundtrack,and storyline. Nothing more.

J.S.P....out.

[TheSoviet]

Even though it is not the most spectacular transfer we were all hoping for, it isn't garbage.

I think the news that the transfer was bad made people expect really crappy everything. It is watchable. And hopefully they will re-issue this soon with an immaculate transfer.

[jd213]

Originally Posted by gates70

It is possible cuz I'm telling you...maybe a different transfer for us Canadians or something.

Just curious, but what Blu-rays don't look good on your setup?

[bandit29]

I love the movie but Gladiator didn't "pop" I guess. Seemed kind of dull to me as well. The smearing in the opening scenes...not good..

[TTUBatfan2008]

Originally Posted by TheSoviet

Even though it is not the most spectacular transfer we were all hoping for, it isn't garbage.

I think the news that the transfer was bad made people expect really crappy everything. It is watchable. And hopefully they will re-issue this soon with an immaculate transfer.

Yeah, it's nowhere near as bad as Gangs of New York in my opinion but it is still a disappointment. Oh well. Got it for pretty cheap once I do the mail-in rebate, assuming Paramount actually lives up to their end of it.

[SBrooks1]

In case some of you didn't see this before....

From the Theatrical Edition - http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...theatrical.jpg

From the Extended Edition - http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...r-extended.png

I'm guessing Paramount/Universal has the entire movie available somewhere that looks as good as these Extended Edition scenes seamlessly branched do. They should re-release this Blu-ray and give us the Extended Edition quality.

[gates70]

Originally Posted by jd213

Just curious, but what Blu-rays don't look good on your setup?

Taken in some scenes...Predator was so so...Rambo II and III was hit and miss...and there are others

[HAVOKK]

Originally Posted by SBrooks1

In case some of you didn't see this before....

From the Theatrical Edition - http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...theatrical.jpg

From the Extended Edition - http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...r-extended.png

I'm guessing Paramount/Universal has the entire movie available somewhere that looks as good as these Extended Edition scenes seamlessly branched do. They should re-release this Blu-ray and give us the Extended Edition quality.

im so glad I didn't look at those before I watched the movie.. Every scene would have looked 100x worse

[TTUBatfan2008]

Originally Posted by gates70

Taken in some scenes...Predator was so so...Rambo II and III was hit and miss...and there are others

Let me guess, you don't like grain?

[sharkcohen]

Originally Posted by TheSoviet

Even though it is not the most spectacular transfer we were all hoping for, it isn't garbage.

I think the news that the transfer was bad made people expect really crappy everything. It is watchable. And hopefully they will re-issue this soon with an immaculate transfer.

Well, the DVD is 'watchable', too....

[gates70]

Originally Posted by TTUBatfan2008

Let me guess, you don't like grain?

I don't mind grain depending if it's meant for the movie "a la 300 or Black Hawk Down".

[Big Z]

Originally Posted by 42041

Now we're having joe six pack judge our blu-rays? This is a videophile format for gods sake

Originally Posted by Big Z

Hi all..

Joe Six Pack here..

Just got done watching Gladiator w/ my wife and a friend. I found myself actually struggling through the first 25 minutes (remind me again what negative effects EE provides the viewer? Many sequences seemed hard to follow visually because the image became distorted through motion. Is this haloing from "EE"?). I enjoy this movie so very much, but the quality of the video actually made it difficult/frustrating to watch at times. You can look at my limited collection, but I dont think any of my blu-ray movies have been this "distorted" through action sequences or looked this artificial when an object is in motion as I have watched them on my TV (52" sammy 630). I don't really know how to properly evaluate this movie in "blu-ray.com" terms, but gladiator seemed mediocre at best. Not bad, not good, but an upgraded representation of a great film, never-the-less. I bought this movie because even if it is mediocre, as I found it, it is personally one of my top 3 movies of all time and a must own. I simply hope for an exchange program of some sort in the near future. I had determined prior to viewing that I was not going to participate in the disgruntled blu-ray fan email fest. The average quality of this top quality epic has since changed my mind. I too will be emailing to voice my regrettable dissatisfaction with Gladiator. Until the day the Paramount/Universal owns up to their gross inadequacies with this film, I will take what I have so long enjoyed from gladiator... the action, acting, the soundtrack,and storyline. Nothing more.

J.S.P....out.

P.S. This review is without watching Braveheart as a comparison (or any other blu for the last week) and without watching the extended version/scenes of Gladiator.

P.S.S. If there's a test for videophiles to enter this forum, please provide it at the door. Until then, shut it.

[SBrooks1]

Originally Posted by gates70

I don't mind grain depending if it's meant for the movie "a la 300 or Black Hawk Down".

heh, natural film grain is meant and supposed to be there for every movie. 300's wasn't grain per se. It was digital noise added in post processing.

[jd213]

Originally Posted by gates70

Taken in some scenes...Predator was so so...Rambo II and III was hit and miss...and there are others

Sounds to me like you're more sensitive to heavy film grain than to EE/sharpening and DNR. Which is cool, everyone is different.