A Simple Plan (1998) - December 2022 from Gaga Communications

[lilboyblu]

Released in Japan, December 2022, from Gaga Communications.

Has anybody here bought this, or does someone know anything about it? What’s the quality like? New scan? Decent audio? Couldn’t find much on it doing a Google search, nor are there any reviews. The BD-50 spec that’s posted here is a good sign though if it’s accurate. Thanks

[danny24]

I have the German BD obviously I also want to know if the transfer is improved on this release before importing it. I did not even know this came out till I read your post. It looks possible it could have a new scan.

This twitter user posted pics of the disc and case:
https://twitter.com/akihiko89/status...70673294028800

[lilboyblu]

Originally Posted by danny24

I have the German BD obviously I also want to know if the transfer is improved on this release before importing it. I did not even know this came out till I read your post. It looks possible it could have a new scan.

This twitter user posted pics of the disc and case:
https://twitter.com/akihiko89/status...70673294028800

Didn’t know about it either until I stumbled across the database entry last night. Thanks for sharing the Tweet of the cover images. If the pictures on the back of the case are indicative of the on disc content, I’d be very pleased. They look way better than the German Blu-ray. Though it was serviceable as the only HD disc option, I’m sure most would happily unload it.

[Mizu_Ger]

Scan of the Japanese disk below.

The film title in the opening credits is in English. I think this is in German on the German disk.

I'll try to take some screen grabs from VLC and post later. In general, the picture looks fine on my PC screen.

                                                                                                                Total   Video                                             
Title                                                           Codec   Length  Movie Size      Disc Size       Bitrate Bitrate Main Audio Track                          Secondary Audio Track
-----                                                           ------  ------- --------------  --------------  ------- ------- ------------------                        ---------------------
00000.MPLS                                                      AVC     2:01:15 41,534,343,168  46,485,473,171  45.67   36.83   DTS-HD Master 5.1 3961Kbps (48kHz/24-bit)

DISC INFO:

Disc Label:     A_SIMPLE_PLAN_BD
Disc Size:      46,485,473,171 bytes
Protection:     AACS
BDInfo:         0.7.5.5

PLAYLIST REPORT:

Name:                   00000.MPLS
Length:                 2:01:15.184 (h:m:s.ms)
Size:                   41,534,343,168 bytes
Total Bitrate:          45.67 Mbps

VIDEO:

Codec                   Bitrate             Description     
-----                   -------             -----------     
MPEG-4 AVC Video        36826 kbps          1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1

AUDIO:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
DTS-HD Master Audio             English         3961 kbps       5.1 / 48 kHz /  3961 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz /  1509 kbps / 24-bit)
DTS-HD Master Audio             Japanese        1971 kbps       2.0 / 48 kHz /  1971 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz /  1509 kbps / 24-bit)

SUBTITLES:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
Presentation Graphics           Japanese        143.039 kbps                    
Presentation Graphics           Japanese        170.223 kbps                    
Presentation Graphics           Japanese        142.123 kbps                    
Presentation Graphics           Japanese        0.213 kbps                      

FILES:

Name            Time In         Length          Size            Total Bitrate   
----            -------         ------          ----            -------------   
00000.M2TS      0:00:00.000     2:01:15.184     41,534,343,168  45,672          

CHAPTERS:

Number          Time In         Length          Avg Video Rate  Max 1-Sec Rate  Max 1-Sec Time  Max 5-Sec Rate  Max 5-Sec Time  Max 10Sec Rate  Max 10Sec Time  Avg Frame Size  Max Frame Size  Max Frame Time  
------          -------         ------          --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  
1               0:00:00.000     0:04:53.167     35,826 kbps     46,870 kbps     00:00:15.682    39,309 kbps     00:00:11.678    38,401 kbps     00:00:06.673    186,755 bytes   533,851 bytes   00:00:00.000    
2               0:04:53.167     0:02:47.542     37,341 kbps     39,981 kbps     00:05:18.234    37,812 kbps     00:06:01.736    37,589 kbps     00:06:01.736    194,680 bytes   516,664 bytes   00:05:18.276    
3               0:07:40.710     0:04:56.796     37,207 kbps     41,294 kbps     00:07:45.590    38,033 kbps     00:10:31.672    37,766 kbps     00:10:26.667    193,983 bytes   531,006 bytes   00:09:50.715    
4               0:12:37.506     0:06:03.821     37,249 kbps     40,529 kbps     00:17:30.549    38,216 kbps     00:17:17.578    37,884 kbps     00:17:16.577    194,200 bytes   533,454 bytes   00:17:25.586    
5               0:18:41.328     0:04:21.636     37,061 kbps     40,296 kbps     00:19:23.871    37,850 kbps     00:19:19.867    37,610 kbps     00:20:46.328    193,219 bytes   533,851 bytes   00:23:01.213    
6               0:23:02.964     0:04:33.523     37,305 kbps     39,605 kbps     00:23:52.514    37,738 kbps     00:23:48.510    37,539 kbps     00:23:43.547    194,489 bytes   365,654 bytes   00:27:36.488    
7               0:27:36.488     0:03:03.266     37,201 kbps     39,874 kbps     00:29:47.035    37,924 kbps     00:30:31.579    37,662 kbps     00:30:26.574    193,947 bytes   533,464 bytes   00:30:35.875    
8               0:30:39.754     0:08:08.196     37,260 kbps     40,419 kbps     00:32:34.619    37,875 kbps     00:37:11.854    37,623 kbps     00:32:25.610    194,258 bytes   475,742 bytes   00:35:29.627    
9               0:38:47.950     0:04:14.963     37,250 kbps     43,486 kbps     00:39:18.689    37,848 kbps     00:40:17.748    37,723 kbps     00:40:12.743    194,203 bytes   488,387 bytes   00:40:10.241    
10              0:43:02.913     0:06:35.728     37,249 kbps     40,871 kbps     00:44:38.675    38,107 kbps     00:44:34.797    37,752 kbps     00:44:29.792    194,200 bytes   451,398 bytes   00:43:35.863    
11              0:49:38.642     0:04:28.601     37,327 kbps     41,469 kbps     00:50:24.980    37,840 kbps     00:50:20.934    37,620 kbps     00:50:16.054    194,607 bytes   435,301 bytes   00:54:07.243    
12              0:54:07.243     0:06:47.407     37,122 kbps     42,183 kbps     01:00:50.229    37,944 kbps     01:00:46.184    37,566 kbps     01:00:41.179    193,536 bytes   533,851 bytes   01:00:52.649    
13              1:00:54.651     0:10:16.365     37,299 kbps     40,198 kbps     01:05:55.201    37,732 kbps     01:01:29.227    37,538 kbps     01:04:37.582    194,462 bytes   368,233 bytes   01:03:03.070    
14              1:11:11.016     0:05:04.137     37,233 kbps     42,222 kbps     01:14:00.727    38,138 kbps     01:13:52.052    37,668 kbps     01:13:47.047    194,117 bytes   354,843 bytes   01:12:26.508    
15              1:16:15.153     0:04:12.460     37,338 kbps     39,574 kbps     01:20:06.843    37,708 kbps     01:20:02.881    37,606 kbps     01:19:57.751    194,661 bytes   438,202 bytes   01:18:31.623    
16              1:20:27.614     0:03:52.649     37,302 kbps     41,129 kbps     01:24:14.591    38,117 kbps     01:24:10.587    37,718 kbps     01:24:05.582    194,476 bytes   511,514 bytes   01:24:18.136    
17              1:24:20.263     0:03:37.008     37,344 kbps     39,931 kbps     01:27:51.266    37,908 kbps     01:26:55.001    37,615 kbps     01:26:50.038    194,696 bytes   510,574 bytes   01:24:25.101    
18              1:27:57.272     0:03:19.032     37,233 kbps     41,115 kbps     01:28:42.692    38,353 kbps     01:28:38.688    37,822 kbps     01:28:33.683    194,115 bytes   512,229 bytes   01:27:58.272    
19              1:31:16.304     0:04:38.361     37,287 kbps     40,911 kbps     01:32:14.737    37,840 kbps     01:32:10.733    37,597 kbps     01:32:05.728    194,400 bytes   532,204 bytes   01:35:44.488    
20              1:35:54.665     0:05:13.187     37,117 kbps     42,729 kbps     01:38:14.638    37,877 kbps     01:37:54.827    37,600 kbps     01:36:45.508    193,509 bytes   501,781 bytes   01:40:08.293    
21              1:41:07.853     0:03:17.238     37,234 kbps     41,267 kbps     01:41:43.597    38,305 kbps     01:43:09.558    37,934 kbps     01:43:04.553    194,122 bytes   533,258 bytes   01:43:07.598    
22              1:44:25.092     0:02:55.466     37,059 kbps     42,114 kbps     01:45:11.596    38,878 kbps     01:45:07.509    37,755 kbps     01:45:02.546    193,209 bytes   531,023 bytes   01:44:48.907    
23              1:47:20.559     0:07:34.829     37,266 kbps     42,458 kbps     01:53:20.627    38,280 kbps     01:53:16.664    37,920 kbps     01:53:11.576    194,286 bytes   518,727 bytes   01:47:27.566    
24              1:54:55.388     0:02:14.259     37,103 kbps     43,362 kbps     01:57:07.270    38,220 kbps     01:57:03.266    37,864 kbps     01:56:58.261    193,439 bytes   429,776 bytes   01:57:08.062    
25              1:57:09.647     0:04:03.618     26,800 kbps     43,587 kbps     02:01:11.931    32,793 kbps     01:59:02.885    32,083 kbps     01:59:00.925    139,724 bytes   533,851 bytes   02:01:03.839    
26              2:01:13.266     0:00:01.918     12,766 kbps     18,634 kbps     02:01:13.266    0 kbps          00:00:00.000    0 kbps          00:00:00.000    68,036 bytes    533,851 bytes   02:01:13.307    

STREAM DIAGNOSTICS:

File            PID             Type            Codec           Language                Seconds                 Bitrate                 Bytes           Packets         
----            ---             ----            -----           --------                --------------          --------------          -------------   -----           
00000.M2TS      4113 (0x1011)   0x1B            AVC                                     7275.101                36,827                  33,489,806,124  182,111,765     
00000.M2TS      4352 (0x1100)   0x86            DTS-HD MA       eng (English)           7275.101                3,961                   3,602,091,432   20,710,306      
00000.M2TS      4353 (0x1101)   0x86            DTS-HD MA       jpn (Japanese)          7275.101                1,971                   1,792,035,272   10,925,647      
00000.M2TS      4608 (0x1200)   0x90            PGS             jpn (Japanese)          7275.101                143                     130,079,737     734,027         
00000.M2TS      4609 (0x1201)   0x90            PGS             jpn (Japanese)          7275.101                170                     154,800,403     868,470         
00000.M2TS      4610 (0x1202)   0x90            PGS             jpn (Japanese)          7275.101                142                     129,246,187     729,616         
00000.M2TS      4611 (0x1203)   0x90            PGS             jpn (Japanese)          7275.101                0                       194,055         1,131

[danny24]

Got the Japan BD and it looks a little better than the German BD some shots are clearer but there isn't a big dramatic difference really. It's likely due to the higher bit rate of the disc. IMO it's worth getting because there is an improvement even if it's marginal.

Here is a screenshot from the Japan disc:

[e_d]

FYI it's getting a cheaper re-issue BD in Japan in February for 1700 yen. I just submitted an entry, so it should be showing up on the site shortly.

[Watershipdownisgood]

Nice I just got my copy delivered today from EBay cannot wait to rewatch this film again for the first time in years. I hope it gets a US or UK release at some point but this is pretty good. I’m rewatching it this week it has been years since I watched it on tv.

[Slughead]

Hope this gets a release with English subtitle some day.

[Brandon K]

Thanks to those who shared the information about the Japanese release! Can't believe that a Sam Raimi movie, starring Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton, and Bridget Fonda, with a score by Danny Elfman, isn't available on Blu-ray in North America. Not having English subs on the disc itself is certainly annoying, but I'm glad to have this on Blu-ray at all, and the higher bitrate and not having the localized German title in the opening credits is definitely a plus compared to the German release.

Ordered this (together with Ponoc's The Imaginary) and it arrived in 2 days.

I'm a bit wary since it doesn't have the usual cellophane overwrap with folded corners, it has plastic shrinkwrap, however, I'm inclined to believe it's new because the shrinkwrap is clearly carefully done, it doesn't look like what you normally see for resealed items, and it hasn't warped the plastic sleeve of the case.

It also has this sticker on the bottom left corner which made me curious, I tried image to text translation, I believe this is what it says? Has anyone heard of "Terishas Choice" before?

I haven't opened it yet, but I'll open it this weekend after I take some photos.

[Show spoiler]

[Brandon K]

Originally Posted by Slughead

Hope this gets a release with English subtitle some day.

Arrow is releasing this in November in separate Blu-ray and 4K editions, specs list English SDH subtitles, of course this happens right after I import the Japanese disc lol

Blu-ray: https://www.arrowvideo.com/blu-ray/a.../15607332.html

4K: https://www.arrowvideo.com/4k/a-simp.../15607334.html