American Gangster - Blu-ray Forum

mr.hidef · 10-20-2008, 10:03 PM

Is it just me..............or is this the WORST transfer that UNIVERSAL has done ?

Michael.Schinke · 10-20-2008, 10:12 PM

Well it was never a particular pretty film, but I do admit to being underwhelemed by this one.

Lsalas76 · 10-20-2008, 10:16 PM

no its not just you I had the same reaction actually. I thought it looked bad, just as good as the dvd version. Casino looked so much better and its an older film, go figure. Can't complain though since I got American Gangster for free.

BluPayne4400 · 10-20-2008, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr.hidef

Is it just me..............or is this the WORST transfer that UNIVERSAL has done ?

Wouldnt say its WORST transfer(The Thing and Sarah Marshall did not look very good to me IMO) and also the movie is a little dark vs something like casino.

Blu Titan · 10-20-2008, 10:20 PM

I thought it looked good. The movie just has a dark, gritty look to it.

xander · 10-20-2008, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BluPayne4400

Wouldnt say its WORST transfer(The Thing and Sarah Marshall did not look very good to me IMO) and also the movie is a little dark vs something like casino.

I think The Thing looks fantastic but agree with you, I was pretty underwhelmed with Sarah Marshall's transfer. I thought it really lacked detail and was kind of soft.

American Gangster didn't do much for me either, to the topic. I didn't expect much given the color pallette and multiple viewings in SD, but still, just kind of meh.

SkillzthatKillz · 10-20-2008, 10:23 PM

good thing i got it for 20 bucks and i never bought the DVD ...idk though cuz one time it was on HBO HD and it did look better than DVD's do

sfmarine · 10-20-2008, 10:26 PM

I guess I'll keep my dvd version.

DeeChizzle · 10-20-2008, 10:33 PM

Just watched this last night. I don't think it's as bad as the OP is making it out to be. Definitely not the worst from Universal. Haven't seen the DVD version but based on what I saw last night it has to be a lot better than the DVD.

lotrswhouse1886 · 10-20-2008, 10:40 PM

I wouldn't call the BD version of American Gangster reference quality or anything, but I thought it looked about what it did in theaters, and the transfer was considerably better than the DVD version of the film. While watching the Blu version, I could see everything that was going on, particularly towards the end of the film. When I was watching the DVD version of this I had a hard time seeing some of what was going on because it was too dark.

driecken · 10-20-2008, 10:57 PM

Looked fine to me, I think it has more to do with the lighting and fimling methods Ridley Scott used, then the actual transfer. The quality seems to be pretty good, I just think it is more of the gritty, dirty feel the movie has.

mrgreed202 · 10-21-2008, 01:37 AM

Im pretty sure its because Ridley Scott wanted it to look like an old film so he did it this way.

BrianAgenda · 10-21-2008, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sfmarine

I guess I'll keep my dvd version.

same here. Wasn't really thinking of upgrading any time soon anyway.

mr.hidef · 10-21-2008, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsalas76

no its not just you I had the same reaction actually. I thought it looked bad, just as good as the dvd version. Casino looked so much better and its an older film, go figure. Can't complain though since I got American Gangster for free.

Yeah!........I used my rewards points on this purchase, so I got this movie for $4.99+TX.....I was just expecting an awesome transfer, since it's a newer movie....

Looking forward to seeing "THE INCREDIBLES" on the mighty blu......

broganreynik · 10-21-2008, 03:47 AM

The worst Universal Blu so far has hands down gotta be 40 Year-Old Virgin. I didn't think American Gangster was that bad. It just looked like it was Scott's intent to have an older looking film.

Lepidopterous · 10-21-2008, 04:18 AM

Damn.

Is it not worth it? I was going to buy this tomorrow...

Now I am disinclined...

DeeChizzle · 10-21-2008, 04:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Damn.

Is it not worth it? I was going to buy this tomorrow...

Now I am disinclined...

No it's not that bad. Just don't expect it to be reference quality material. It's definitely not Universal's best blu-ray release. There are worse Uni releases such as 40 year old virgin and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. There are only a few blu-rays I'd consider to be marginally better than the dvd version and American Gangster is not one of them.

cembros · 10-21-2008, 05:46 AM

i think people just want to hate on films that used to only be on hd dvd. I thought AG looked great. Time and time again i see a movie re released on blu when it was an hd dvd exclusive and people automatically bash it, seams like a bunch of bull to me

diamondfoxxx · 10-21-2008, 01:44 PM

In "American Gangster," you're shooting New York from 35 years ago. What did Ridley say he wanted the film to look like?

Harris Savides (DP for American Gangster):

"He wanted it to be gritty, to be a color film that was almost black and white.
So I went back and watched "The French Connection" and "Prince of the City," to try to absorb some of the style.
We made the colors less vivid.
I actually pulled the film, by underdeveloping the negative, to give it a slight veil, an almost subliminal fogginess.
I really wanted it to look like it was shot 35 years ago."

Valore · 10-21-2008, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sfmarine

I guess I'll keep my dvd version.

+1 Thats disappointing to hear because the color in casino popped! Very sad to hear this wasn't as good of a transfer

10-20-2008, 10:03 PM	#1
mr.hidef Power Member Top ranked HT gallery Top contributor Member since:Sep 2007 Location:Twin Cities Home Theater Gallery:113 Blu-ray collection:570 Blu-ray reviews: 6 Trading Score:17	American Gangster Is it just me..............or is this the WORST transfer that UNIVERSAL has done ?

10-20-2008, 10:40 PM	#10
lotrswhouse1886 Member Member since:Jul 2008 Location:Houston, TX 4K collection:423 Blu-ray collection:1093 MA collection:548 Digital collection:656 iTunes collection:669 Prime collection:603 Blu-ray reviews:20	Not Reference Quality, but Still Better Than the DVD I wouldn't call the BD version of American Gangster reference quality or anything, but I thought it looked about what it did in theaters, and the transfer was considerably better than the DVD version of the film. While watching the Blu version, I could see everything that was going on, particularly towards the end of the film. When I was watching the DVD version of this I had a hard time seeing some of what was going on because it was too dark.

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10-20-2008, 10:12 PM	#2
Michael.Schinke Active Member Member since:Apr 2008 Location:Michigan 4K collection:509 Blu-ray collection:1063 Blu-ray reviews: 14	Well it was never a particular pretty film, but I do admit to being underwhelemed by this one.

10-20-2008, 10:16 PM	#3
Lsalas76 Blu-ray Guru Top contributor Member since:Mar 2007 Location:USA 4K collection:391 Blu-ray collection:831 DVD collection:29 Blu-ray reviews:1 Trading Score:225	no its not just you I had the same reaction actually. I thought it looked bad, just as good as the dvd version. Casino looked so much better and its an older film, go figure. Can't complain though since I got American Gangster for free.

10-20-2008, 10:20 PM	#5
Blu Titan Super Moderator Top ranked HT gallery Top contributor Member since:Jul 2007 Location:Edo, Land of the Samurai Home Theater Gallery:42 4K collection:41 Blu-ray collection:2864 Blu-ray reviews: 2 Trading Score:92	I thought it looked good. The movie just has a dark, gritty look to it.

10-20-2008, 10:23 PM	#7
SkillzthatKillz Special Member Member since:Feb 2008 Location:Cincinnati, OH Blu-ray collection:214 DVD collection:2 Trading Score:1	good thing i got it for 20 bucks and i never bought the DVD ...idk though cuz one time it was on HBO HD and it did look better than DVD's do

10-20-2008, 10:26 PM	#8
sfmarine Blu-ray Archduke Top contributor Member since:Apr 2008 Location:The Swan Station aDdIcTeD 2 LOST PSN:U5MC51473 Home Theater Gallery:18 4K collection:931 Blu-ray collection:2312 DVD collection:276 MA collection:461 Digital collection:492 iTunes collection:534 Blu-ray reviews: 7 Trading Score:43	I guess I'll keep my dvd version.

10-20-2008, 10:33 PM	#9
DeeChizzle Power Member Member since:Nov 2007 Location:The Last Frontier Blu-ray collection:188 Blu-ray reviews:74 Trading Score:47	Just watched this last night. I don't think it's as bad as the OP is making it out to be. Definitely not the worst from Universal. Haven't seen the DVD version but based on what I saw last night it has to be a lot better than the DVD.

10-20-2008, 10:57 PM	#11
driecken Member Member since:Aug 2008 Blu-ray collection:45	Looked fine to me, I think it has more to do with the lighting and fimling methods Ridley Scott used, then the actual transfer. The quality seems to be pretty good, I just think it is more of the gritty, dirty feel the movie has.

10-21-2008, 01:37 AM	#12
mrgreed202 Senior Member Member since:Apr 2008 Blu-ray collection:138	Im pretty sure its because Ridley Scott wanted it to look like an old film so he did it this way.

10-21-2008, 03:47 AM	#15
broganreynik Blu-ray Guru Top contributor Member since:Sep 2007 Location:Nebraska Home Theater Gallery:60 4K collection:124 Blu-ray collection:2113 DVD collection:111 Blu-ray reviews: 4 Trading Score:46	The worst Universal Blu so far has hands down gotta be 40 Year-Old Virgin. I didn't think American Gangster was that bad. It just looked like it was Scott's intent to have an older looking film.

10-21-2008, 04:18 AM	#16
Lepidopterous Blu-ray Ninja Top contributor Member since:Feb 2008 Location:DjMethod was here Blu-ray collection:696 Trading Score:2	Damn. Is it not worth it? I was going to buy this tomorrow... Now I am disinclined...

10-21-2008, 05:46 AM	#18
cembros Power Member Member since:Jan 2008 Blu-ray collection:456 Trading Score:4	i think people just want to hate on films that used to only be on hd dvd. I thought AG looked great. Time and time again i see a movie re released on blu when it was an hd dvd exclusive and people automatically bash it, seams like a bunch of bull to me

10-21-2008, 01:44 PM	#19
diamondfoxxx Senior Member Member since:Jan 2008 Location:San Francisco Blu-ray collection:45 Blu-ray reviews: 36	In "American Gangster," you're shooting New York from 35 years ago. What did Ridley say he wanted the film to look like? Harris Savides (DP for American Gangster): "He wanted it to be gritty, to be a color film that was almost black and white. So I went back and watched "The French Connection" and "Prince of the City," to try to absorb some of the style. We made the colors less vivid. I actually pulled the film, by underdeveloping the negative, to give it a slight veil, an almost subliminal fogginess. I really wanted it to look like it was shot 35 years ago."

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