James Cameron 4k movie overview

[Socko]

Since I'm not familiar with most techniques I wanted to get an overview of his movies and the current status.

All you video gurus can correct me where is needed. Thanks.

Piranha II: The Spawning (1981)
2k scan done and only exists on 1080p blu-ray

The Terminator (1984)
4k scan done and only exist on 1080p blu-ray

Aliens (1986)
2k scan done and upscaled to 4k using AI technology?!?
It's coming out on physical media soon

The Abyss (1989)
4k scan done
It's coming out on physical media soon

Terminator 2 (1991)
4k scan done and it is out on 4k disc

True Lies (1994)
2k scan done and upscaled to 4k using AI technology?!?
It's coming out on physical media soon

Titanic (1997)
2k scan/4k scan? I'm not sure anymore.
It's out on physical media.

[b]Avatar (2009)v
2k DI upscaled to 4k using AI technology
It's out on physical media.

Avatar 2 (2022)
4k DI
It's out on physical media

[steve_dave]

Aliens, True Lies, and Titanic are 4K scans; they have some AI assistance for clarity.

[Infallible Presence]

[Protozoid]

Still never seen a solid source that Aliens was a 4K scan. Not saying it wasn't, it's just weirdly difficult to find information about.

[Talal86]

Originally Posted by Socko

Terminator 2 (1991)
4k scan done and it is out on 4k disc

Sounds nice on paper..

[bebbsie23]

Originally Posted by steve_dave

Aliens, True Lies, and Titanic are 4K scans; they have some AI assistance for clarity.

True Lies and Aliens may have 4k scans but the current streaming versions sure don't look like they came from 4k scans. Maybe the AI tech they used has an "emulate old 2k master" button they forgot to uncheck or perhaps they are saving the 4k scans for the physical releases just for sh*ts and giggles.

[trespoochies]

Originally Posted by Protozoid

Still never seen a solid source that Aliens was a 4K scan. Not saying it wasn't, it's just weirdly difficult to find information about.

Some people are vibing that it is. That seems like a pretty solid confirmation to me.

[Vinyl]

What about the status of Strange Days? It’s written by Cameron and not available in any format in the US any longer.

[By_His_Strypes]

Originally Posted by Vinyl

What about the status of Strange Days? It’s written by Cameron and not available in any format in the US any longer.

It's one I'd like to see but you'll have to pry it out of Disney's hands.

[blakninja]

When we talk about these "4K scan of original camera negatives".. are these scans only used in the masters for the parts that have no special effects? And the special effects shots are taken from other sources and put in the masters? So the masters end up with a mix and match of 4K original camera negatives and some other sources?

[DR Herbert West]

Originally Posted by blakninja

When we talk about these "4K scan of original camera negatives".. are these scans only used in the masters for the parts that have no special effects? And the special effects shots are taken from other sources and put in the masters? So the masters end up with a mix and match of 4K original camera negatives and some other sources?

The negative is a mix of camera original and other sources.

[KMFDMvsEnya]

Aliens 4uaxK is most likely based on what we understand to be a 2K transfer by Lowry Digital.

The optical geometry for both transfers are more often than not the same.

There are numerous bits of print damage that are exactly the same between the two transfers.

The sharpening has created visible stair stepping with high contrasting elements such as the white specks of print damage that are evident in the "4K" transfer. Also with bright elements like sparks.

All the digital fixes appear to be exactly the same with the "4K" transfer.

Even though the color grade has been adjusted moderately throughout the film from the Lowry transfer, there are several shots in which it the colorists did not make any changes to the colors which indicates that their work was based upon that older color grade.


Titanic is a hybrid transfer.
There are plenty of original digital assets that were likely not rendered beyond 2K, if even that, back in 96-97.

We are under the impression that the 4K scan and transfer from the beginning of the 2010s had new assets integrated into the film at likely 4K resolution.

And now that lovely 4K scan has been AI gussied up, with likely luminosity sharpening, to varying degrees of success.

So Titanic is mostly a true-esque "4K" transfer.

Better than the results in Aliens but not the perfect home run that some like to claim.


The Abyss seems to be the only truly 4K scan and transfer of the released bunch so far.
For better or for worse it has also been AI polished along with sharpening to generally good success, but not perfectly.


True Lies, who the heck knows.
The final Credit Title Card does not mention Reliance Mediaworks like Titanic does.
Aliens does not mention them, even though it is extremely likely based on their efforts.


Terminator, as far as I am aware it maybe a 4K scan with a 2K DI that was done years ago.

Terminator 2. Ummm. Moving on.

[StingingVelvet]

James Cameron UHD overview:

[By_His_Strypes]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

James Cameron UHD overview:

Adam Sandler is one to talk...

[dallywhitty]

Originally Posted by Vinyl

What about the status of Strange Days? It’s written by Cameron and not available in any format in the US any longer.

I recently bought the German BD and it's a pretty typical oversharpened DVD-era master, but it's the best we have for now. I'd ordered the UK disc originally but smashed that cancel button when I found out it was censored.

[ronboster]

If this thread helps that the Terminator 2 thread doesn't get bumped anymore with redundant discussion pts, I'm a huge fan of this thread.

Maybe this thread can be the sock draw for the forum.

[5150z]

Originally Posted by steve_dave

Aliens, True Lies, and Titanic are 4K scans; they have some AI assistance for clarity.

Yeah, let's go with that! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

[deatheats]

Unless there is an official mention of coming from a 4k scan, I’d have to assume these are coming from existing scans in an attempt to save money by testing out their new upscaling AI tools. Had new 4k scans been completed there would be zero incentive to spend additional funds on unnecessary processing from a perfectly decent OCN scan.

[Mierzwiak]

*sigh*

[Ben_UK]

Would Cameron still have the same control over Terminator? As in the same level of control to ruin it with AI like his other releases? I wasn’t sure if the ownership was different on that film and would that affect what he is able to do with it.