Angela's Ashes (1999)

[McCrutchy]

Paramount released Alan Parker's Angela's Ashes (1999) on May 26th, 2020.

[McCrutchy]

BDInfo scan:

The Dolby Digital tracks are the audio commentaries with Frank McCourt and Alan Parker, respectively. No other extras are present.

English subtitles are SDH in a smaller white font, but are in ALL CAPS save for the captions themselves.

                                                                                                                Total   Video                                             
Title                                                           Codec   Length  Movie Size      Disc Size       Bitrate Bitrate Main Audio Track                          Secondary Audio Track
-----                                                           ------  ------- --------------  --------------  ------- ------- ------------------                        ---------------------
00003.MPLS                                                      AVC     2:25:56 34,072,952,832  34,663,040,968  31.13   25.26   DTS-HD Master 5.1 3781Kbps (48kHz/24-bit)

DISC INFO:

Disc Title:     ANGELA'S ASHES
Disc Label:     ANGELA S ASHES
Disc Size:      34,663,040,968 bytes
Protection:     AACS
BDInfo:         0.7.5.5

PLAYLIST REPORT:

Name:                   00003.MPLS
Length:                 2:25:56.122 (h:m:s.ms)
Size:                   34,072,952,832 bytes
Total Bitrate:          31.13 Mbps

VIDEO:

Codec                   Bitrate             Description     
-----                   -------             -----------     
MPEG-4 AVC Video        25260 kbps          1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1

AUDIO:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
DTS-HD Master Audio             English         3781 kbps       5.1 / 48 kHz /  3781 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz /  1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Dolby Digital Audio             English         192 kbps        2.0 / 48 kHz /   192 kbps / DN -31dB
Dolby Digital Audio             English         192 kbps        2.0 / 48 kHz /   192 kbps / DN -31dB

SUBTITLES:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
Presentation Graphics           English         30.627 kbps                     

FILES:

Name            Time In         Length          Size            Total Bitrate   
----            -------         ------          ----            -------------   
00005.M2TS      0:00:00.000     2:25:56.122     34,072,952,832  31,131          

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     0:06:19.712     23,956 kbps     35,401 kbps     00:02:28.106    28,088 kbps     00:04:41.406    27,011 kbps     00:02:57.886    124,883 bytes   550,602 bytes   00:04:41.614    
2               0:06:19.712     0:07:24.318     25,895 kbps     36,938 kbps     00:07:53.181    28,253 kbps     00:09:04.794    27,091 kbps     00:08:57.036    135,003 bytes   595,989 bytes   00:06:56.582    
3               0:13:44.031     0:07:48.176     25,990 kbps     36,459 kbps     00:18:06.627    28,075 kbps     00:15:37.227    27,115 kbps     00:15:38.354    135,501 bytes   630,024 bytes   00:19:43.640    
4               0:21:32.207     0:01:57.116     25,961 kbps     35,900 kbps     00:21:52.227    27,944 kbps     00:21:45.429    26,886 kbps     00:22:15.500    135,350 bytes   480,379 bytes   00:21:52.269    
5               0:23:29.324     0:03:49.562     25,976 kbps     34,975 kbps     00:25:36.535    27,884 kbps     00:24:15.495    27,176 kbps     00:25:36.201    135,424 bytes   533,878 bytes   00:25:36.576    
6               0:27:18.887     0:03:47.185     26,033 kbps     33,084 kbps     00:29:48.328    28,451 kbps     00:29:08.580    27,043 kbps     00:29:41.946    135,724 bytes   591,263 bytes   00:29:40.153    
7               0:31:06.072     0:05:26.617     26,010 kbps     34,571 kbps     00:31:43.484    28,233 kbps     00:31:53.036    27,111 kbps     00:32:30.281    135,606 bytes   569,143 bytes   00:31:21.671    
8               0:36:32.690     0:04:24.681     25,995 kbps     36,168 kbps     00:38:30.308    28,029 kbps     00:37:11.229    27,174 kbps     00:37:06.349    135,524 bytes   590,664 bytes   00:38:43.738    
9               0:40:57.371     0:02:08.169     25,995 kbps     34,536 kbps     00:42:45.562    28,145 kbps     00:41:34.658    27,004 kbps     00:41:29.695    135,524 bytes   610,095 bytes   00:43:05.541    
10              0:43:05.541     0:02:15.927     26,025 kbps     36,995 kbps     00:45:20.467    27,854 kbps     00:43:34.486    26,924 kbps     00:44:43.430    135,684 bytes   542,693 bytes   00:44:16.737    
11              0:45:21.468     0:05:06.306     25,995 kbps     35,020 kbps     00:47:55.122    28,093 kbps     00:47:26.969    27,186 kbps     00:47:26.844    135,525 bytes   506,962 bytes   00:49:43.313    
12              0:50:27.774     0:02:20.473     26,002 kbps     35,092 kbps     00:52:32.399    28,135 kbps     00:51:03.477    27,005 kbps     00:51:03.727    135,563 bytes   550,931 bytes   00:50:42.330    
13              0:52:48.248     0:03:49.896     25,978 kbps     35,555 kbps     00:55:24.404    28,250 kbps     00:54:29.432    27,057 kbps     00:53:02.804    135,436 bytes   658,769 bytes   00:55:04.426    
14              0:56:38.144     0:03:27.373     26,037 kbps     35,956 kbps     00:57:12.345    27,657 kbps     00:57:35.285    26,849 kbps     00:57:48.673    135,744 bytes   557,449 bytes   00:56:59.666    
15              1:00:05.518     0:03:49.437     25,718 kbps     35,574 kbps     01:00:14.193    27,892 kbps     01:03:07.742    26,877 kbps     01:01:56.337    134,081 bytes   505,671 bytes   01:01:43.866    
16              1:03:54.956     0:04:28.685     26,009 kbps     33,933 kbps     01:08:10.169    27,814 kbps     01:04:35.288    27,133 kbps     01:07:19.577    135,600 bytes   527,925 bytes   01:06:06.545    
17              1:08:23.641     0:06:25.760     26,006 kbps     34,898 kbps     01:10:26.096    28,051 kbps     01:13:41.959    27,037 kbps     01:09:55.316    135,583 bytes   576,268 bytes   01:10:00.196    
18              1:14:49.401     0:05:33.541     25,960 kbps     34,346 kbps     01:19:03.155    28,759 kbps     01:16:33.171    27,088 kbps     01:18:48.640    135,343 bytes   575,159 bytes   01:15:36.198    
19              1:20:22.943     0:04:22.220     26,019 kbps     35,380 kbps     01:22:31.029    27,969 kbps     01:20:47.092    26,943 kbps     01:20:47.384    135,650 bytes   555,226 bytes   01:21:11.950    
20              1:24:45.163     0:08:52.073     25,998 kbps     33,907 kbps     01:27:05.595    27,900 kbps     01:26:13.251    27,132 kbps     01:26:08.288    135,541 bytes   574,140 bytes   01:32:41.722    
21              1:33:37.236     0:06:33.101     26,002 kbps     35,559 kbps     01:34:14.357    27,928 kbps     01:35:57.668    27,031 kbps     01:35:52.538    135,564 bytes   591,559 bytes   01:38:06.005    
22              1:40:10.337     0:03:59.155     26,009 kbps     34,296 kbps     01:41:13.484    27,941 kbps     01:42:41.905    27,107 kbps     01:40:33.736    135,601 bytes   637,623 bytes   01:41:14.443    
23              1:44:09.493     0:06:54.122     25,862 kbps     35,475 kbps     01:49:01.701    27,965 kbps     01:46:40.310    27,082 kbps     01:45:00.294    134,833 bytes   613,314 bytes   01:44:48.949    
24              1:51:03.615     0:03:58.279     25,984 kbps     35,092 kbps     01:52:46.551    28,271 kbps     01:51:18.588    27,092 kbps     01:51:13.625    135,467 bytes   604,485 bytes   01:52:56.019    
25              1:55:01.895     0:08:11.491     26,013 kbps     35,250 kbps     01:56:44.205    27,827 kbps     02:01:34.745    27,259 kbps     02:02:19.123    135,619 bytes   610,932 bytes   02:02:40.394    
26              2:03:13.386     0:03:01.639     25,954 kbps     36,256 kbps     02:04:00.975    27,838 kbps     02:05:05.789    27,217 kbps     02:03:59.849    135,313 bytes   532,953 bytes   02:04:28.085    
27              2:06:15.025     0:05:49.390     26,006 kbps     33,904 kbps     02:10:49.925    28,105 kbps     02:06:58.110    27,258 kbps     02:07:34.980    135,583 bytes   523,512 bytes   02:10:48.715    
28              2:12:04.416     0:02:35.822     25,918 kbps     39,980 kbps     02:14:30.896    28,510 kbps     02:14:21.386    27,498 kbps     02:14:17.007    135,126 bytes   529,139 bytes   02:12:34.029    
29              2:14:40.238     0:05:34.667     25,120 kbps     34,493 kbps     02:15:11.686    28,015 kbps     02:15:08.016    27,053 kbps     02:18:54.325    130,963 bytes   573,795 bytes   02:18:52.657    
30              2:20:14.906     0:05:41.215     10,704 kbps     19,467 kbps     02:22:32.961    18,027 kbps     02:22:31.042    17,620 kbps     02:22:27.705    55,821 bytes    216,397 bytes   02:22:33.044    

STREAM DIAGNOSTICS:

File            PID             Type            Codec           Language                Seconds                 Bitrate                 Bytes           Packets         
----            ---             ----            -----           --------                --------------          --------------          -------------   -----           
00005.M2TS      4113 (0x1011)   0x1B            AVC                                     8756.039                25,260                  27,647,656,729  150,381,394     
00005.M2TS      4352 (0x1100)   0x86            DTS-HD MA       eng (English)           8756.039                3,781                   4,138,698,628   23,857,026      
00005.M2TS      4353 (0x1101)   0x81            AC3             eng (English)           8756.039                192                     210,146,304     1,368,140       
00005.M2TS      4354 (0x1102)   0x81            AC3             eng (English)           8756.039                192                     210,146,304     1,368,140       
00005.M2TS      4608 (0x1200)   0x90            PGS             eng (English)           8756.039                31                      33,521,982      195,249

[Rizor]

That was a quiet release! I actually just bought this digitally a few weeks ago as I gave up that Paramount would release this in the US.

Is this a pressed disc or MOD?

[SpaceBlackKnight]

MOD BD-R. Paramount's transfer is pretty good, considering it's a dated one with EE and the like.

If you must have a pressed disc, there are overseas options from France, Germany, and UK. Unfortunately, they all use a master supplied by Universal (who owns international rights as it was a co-production with Paramount) that has massive amounts of degraining giving it a very smeary looking appearance alongside EE. The UK Signal One BD is region free despite saying region B, but it also uses Universal's smeary dumpster fire master.

Ether a decent transfer on a BD-R, or bad transfer on a pressed UK/FR/DE disc, pick your poison.

[Mikezilla3k]

Originally Posted by Rizor

That was a quiet release! I actually just bought this digitally a few weeks ago as I gave up that Paramount would release this in the US.

Is this a pressed disc or MOD?

MOD if you order from Amazon.
Pressed everywhere else.

[Keymaster]

I watched about twenty minutes of my copy of Angela's Ashes and the transfer is dreadful. I just kept shaking my head. The film itself is shot with plenty of style to enhance the grimness of the protagonists situation. It's a shame we can't see many of the fine details, especially in the distance. Everything looks murky and the white's are dull.

The movie itself is another solid Alan Parker effort with fine performances. Too bad.

There is good news, however. I popped in Atlantic City and scanned through a few scenes... and the transfer looked much better - satisfying even -considering I had low expectations after Angela's Ashes.

I haven't looked at Funeral in Berlin yet, but I'm glad to finally complete the Harry Palmer trilogy.

I should note that I ordered all three discs on Amazon prior to realizing there would be better versions available elsewhere. Also, I viewed the discs on a 100 inch Stewart Filmscreen, using a Sony 295 ES 4k native projector (at a viewing distance of 8 feet). So whenever I critique a disc I get a really good look at it.

[McCrutchy]

I've not watched my copy yet, but based on the comment above, i'm guessing that there is only one HD master for this film (both the Paramount and Universal logos are present) and it's probably the same one used for the DVDs.

Regardless, I'm pretty irritated that Paramount dropped the video extras for this title, so I'll probably get the 2016 UK release (which, in addition to all the DVD extras, contains what I believe is a then-new 40-minute interview with Alan Parker), although absurdly for a UK release, that disc apparently lacks any subtitles for the film, which mildly bugs me.

The 2019 French Blu-ray seems superfluous to the UK release (unless you need French subtitles), but curiously, this was one of a handful of catalogue titles that Universal have released with multiple language options, but only in Spain. In the case of this film, that 2019 disc apparently has English subtitles, which I assume are properly formatted, but I doubt that it has any extras.

Apparently, the German Blu-ray seems to have English subtitles, but is on a barebones BD-25 with a puny video bitrate.

So it seems that there is no definitive Blu-ray release, yet, although if I had to choose between the existing discs, I would probably get the UK edition.

Originally Posted by Mikezilla3k

MOD if you order from Amazon.
Pressed everywhere else.

Yes, my disc came from Bullmoose and was pressed along with the other three May 26th Paramount MOD discs.