Older films or newer films on Blu-Ray?

[Blu-21]

Which type of films do you generally find more impressive in terms of wow factor on Blu? I know every individual film is different and there are a lot of variables etc, but overall, are you more impresst about the crisp clean sharp images of newer films with eye popping colours like Avatar, The Avengers, Transformers, animated films, Iron Man, Inception etc) or older tittles that previously looked to be in rough shape on older formats but have since gone through frame by frame remasters or restorations for a Blu-Ray release or because they were so well shot like The Terminator, The Godfather, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner, Ben Hur, Alien, Aliens, Lawrence of Arabia etc.. etc..

Lets classify "older films" from the 80's and before..

[adamclark83]

I think if every movie was treated with the utmost care for its Blu-ray premiere, they would all look incredible.

[LordCrumb]

I am more impressed with transfers from older films such as BladeRunner, Road Warrior, Lawrence of Arabia and Bride on the River Kwai over the new release films.. mainly because its 2012 so you expect films to look good and you get it all the time.. so when you stick on an old film that you really only saw on VHS, or a 'remastered' DVD release, you get a real sense of how the death of FILM is going to be one sad fraking day.

[Al_The_Strange]

My first reaction would be to say "both, silly!" But like LordCrumb said, we expect newer films to look good, and it's naturally disappointing if they don't. Whereas if an older film looks bad on Blu-Ray, we can often times chalk it up to source limitations or the age of a film. In spite of that, it is more surprising, more pleasant, more awe-inspiring to see a film 20, 50, 100 years old looking like it was made just yesterday.

Key examples I would mention are Seven Samurai, Anatomy of a Murder, The Exorcist, various James Bond films, all the classic Disney films, some of the Hitchcock movies, and many others.

[Blu-21]

Well said guys, I fully agree.

Seeing an older film that was remastered or restored with all that grain preserved also feels so much more authentic as though you are watching these classics in a theater which you just don't get with a newer film, especially if its shot digitally.

BTW, are films even shot with film anymore these days? All is it all digital? I know some independent films are still shot the traditional way like The Tree of Life, but how about Hollywood productions.

Such a shame the day film dies which sadly isn't too far away I suspect..

[VoorheesBD]

Some of the oldies have wowed me like Jaws, Taxi Driver,Back To The Future,Towering Inferno,Trading Places and i could list many more and then of course your Iron Mans,Avengers etc A scene that sticks out from me in a movie where i have gone wow at the PQ is the start of No Country For Old Men theres a scene with the road where the texture and detail looks so good

Cheers V

[80sfanboy]

Originally Posted by VoorheesBD

Some of the oldies have wowed me like Jaws, Taxi Driver,Back To The Future,Towering Inferno,Trading Places and i could list many more and then of course your Iron Mans,Avengers etc A scene that sticks out from me in a movie where i have gone wow at the PQ is the start of No Country For Old Men theres a scene with the road where the texture and detail looks so good

Cheers V

Taxi driver is simply beautiful.

The more you sweat in training the less you bleed in battle

[Blu-21]

Add The Exorcist to that list of older films that look stunning on Blu! The Omen for example, not so much...

[stevo4264]

I thought The African Queen looked very impressive, a very well done restoration.