Blade Runner 4K UHD (1982)

[captainsolo]

They definitely did some sort of overall archival master as a base in picture and sound before cobbling together the branched sections for the TC/IC/DC. Until I did close comparisons I thought the 82 and 92 mixes were mostly the same…nope. They have totally different EQ and mix balances throughout and not just where the voiceover is.

Red push in old ntsc masters is almost always going to be somewhat present. I got used to the look of BR this way pre-2007. Now when I look at the older releases on my Sony hdcrt with that magical color monitor mode that removes ntsc red push it’s strange to see them without it! They do look far better this way and I wish this mode had been made standard on all tvs.
The workprint is technically the closest to a “film-like” experience on video in that it’s coming from a single source and has some baked in issues which contribute to the fun of watching it. It’s still not a proper reference and likely was slightly manipulated in the transfer process here and there.

The best visual experience is still the 1992 DC print for me. Amazing quality with nuances not there in video releases. While it might be a tad softer than the FC masters or FC print it does feel entirely intrinsic to the production era and was made when the negative was still really fresh.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by WBMakeVMarsMovieNOW

Yeah, that would be cool and then we'd finally find out what Atari is. Ever since I first saw the film, the one thing that caught my attention and that I have always puzzled over, is the mysterious Atari. I've always wondered what that was all about. What is Atari? It almost sounds like it might be a company that deals in selling spreadsheet software or something boring like that but for some reason it still intrigues me and makes me really wonder what that truly is all about. What on Earth (or outer space? or inner space?) is Atari?

Considering the "Blade Runner Curse", it was probably an ad for a remake of Hatari and the H fell off ...

[KevinStriker]

Originally Posted by captainsolo

The best visual experience is still the 1992 DC print for me. Amazing quality with nuances not there in video releases. While it might be a tad softer than the FC masters or FC print it does feel entirely intrinsic to the production era and was made when the negative was still really fresh.

Do you remember if the print you saw had the yellow tinted unicorn dream, or if it was colour-corrected like the 06-07 remasters?

I've seen it mentioned online that the Director's Cut was redone and re-printed in 35mm for Warners' 75th Anniversary in 1998.

[cgpublic]

Originally Posted by Jason One

Just heard about Joe Turkel. I got to meet him at the San Diego Comic Con, I think it was in 2002 for the Blade Runner 20th anniversary. He was on a panel with Joanna Cassidy and William Sanderson. I think Paul Sammon was there as well.

I remember it being pretty low key and not very well attended. The actors also had an autograph booth where I got to talk to them a little. They were all super nice. Hard to believe how not-a-big-deal all of this was at the time, before Comic Con started becoming insanely huge.

Speaking of Blade Runner and 'memories,' there's a keeper.

What some may not know is the reason Blade Runner was Joe's last major role:

"Although “Blade Runner” has become one of the most critically acclaimed science fiction films in history, it was originally a box-office dud. Mr. Turkel, having grown tired of grinding through auditions after decades in Hollywood, decided to retire; aside from a few more small TV and film roles, he never acted again.

'I’ve done some great films,' he told an interviewer for Blade Zone, a BR fan site, in 1999. 'I know other actors that have done brilliant films. They still have to go out and audition and meet the producer, director, and please these people no matter what they’ve done. Of course the great big stars don’t do that. But there are great quality actors that do that and they find it demeaning. Still, he added, 'I’ve had a hell of a career.'"

While some seem surprised at his appearing in BR and The Shining, you can't miss him if you decide to revisit Hellcats of the Navy, The Killing, The Sand Pebbles and, in what I would say his best and highest profile role, Paths of Glory.

Godspeed son of Brooklyn.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by captainsolo

They definitely did some sort of overall archival master as a base in picture and sound before cobbling together the branched sections for the TC/IC/DC. Until I did close comparisons I thought the 82 and 92 mixes were mostly the same…nope. They have totally different EQ and mix balances throughout and not just where the voiceover is.

Red push in old ntsc masters is almost always going to be somewhat present. I got used to the look of BR this way pre-2007. Now when I look at the older releases on my Sony hdcrt with that magical color monitor mode that removes ntsc red push it’s strange to see them without it! They do look far better this way and I wish this mode had been made standard on all tvs.
The workprint is technically the closest to a “film-like” experience on video in that it’s coming from a single source and has some baked in issues which contribute to the fun of watching it. It’s still not a proper reference and likely was slightly manipulated in the transfer process here and there.

The best visual experience is still the 1992 DC print for me. Amazing quality with nuances not there in video releases. While it might be a tad softer than the FC masters or FC print it does feel entirely intrinsic to the production era and was made when the negative was still really fresh.

Charlie de Lauzirika said that the workprint was so grotty that they had two attempts at grading it, one at Modern Videofilm and the other at FotoKem.

[captainsolo]

Originally Posted by KevinStriker

Do you remember if the print you saw had the yellow tinted unicorn dream, or if it was colour-corrected like the 06-07 remasters?

I've seen it mentioned online that the Director's Cut was redone and re-printed in 35mm for Warners' 75th Anniversary in 1998.

If I recall correctly it was sort of yellowish but not much. Almost somewhere between the two. I vividly remember the DC credits looking hastily tacked onto the end credits as they were crooked.
A later 98 reprint? Hmmm that’s news to me. The BR plot continues to thicken…

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Charlie de Lauzirika said that the workprint was so grotty that they had two attempts at grading it, one at Modern Videofilm and the other at FotoKem.

I remembered it being discussed somewhere. The various arthouse and theater runs of that print in 91-92 must’ve also taken a toll.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by captainsolo

I remembered it being discussed somewhere. The various arthouse and theater runs of that print in 91-92 must’ve also taken a toll.

Didn't they pull it fairly quickly once they knew what it was?

[KevinStriker]

Originally Posted by captainsolo

A later 98 reprint? Hmmm that’s news to me. The BR plot continues to thicken…

Here are two forum threads I could find mentioning a reprint. Might not be too radically different, but who knows.

http://www.film-tech.com/ubb/f3/t002735.html
http://www.film-tech.com/ubb/f5/t001947.html

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by captainsolo

If I recall correctly it was sort of yellowish but not much. Almost somewhere between the two. I vividly remember the DC credits looking hastily tacked onto the end credits as they were crooked.
A later 98 reprint? Hmmm that’s news to me. The BR plot continues to thicken…


I remembered it being discussed somewhere. The various arthouse and theater runs of that print in 91-92 must’ve also taken a toll.

Workprint is workprint: they’re usually pretty rough to begin with (as are all print scans, come to think of it! ) so I think the few extra screenings it got didn’t make all that much difference. It’s just not in very good shape because it was never intended to be, then it was plonked on a shelf somewhere for 10 years.

As for newer prints, I double-checked the AC article on the 2007 restoration and the Final Cut was indeed colour matched to a newer print, one dating from 2001 that was struck directly from the OG negative.

[BladeRunner2007]

Originally Posted by ek79

BR is one of the movies of my life. Love all the versions. But, I prefer the Final Cut image. all about the blackness for me.

Oh yes, the Final Cut looks beautiful. Love its color timing and darkness.

[dallywhitty]

There's to be a 40th anniversary panel at San Diego Comic Con with David L. Snyder, Paul Sammon and Charles de Lauzirika. I wish my queen Sean Young was there slagging off Harrison Ford and making everybody uncomfortable.

[IndyMLVC]

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

There's to be a 40th anniversary panel at San Diego Comic Con with David L. Snyder, Paul Sammon and Charles de Lauzirika. I wish my queen Sean Young was there slagging off Harrison Ford and making everybody uncomfortable.

I'm shocked she's not going. She's got nothing else to do.

[Gacivory]

Originally Posted by IndyMLVC

I'm shocked she's not going. She's got nothing else to do.

She recently changed her name to Sean Old and the invitation was sent to the wrong person.

[IndyMLVC]

Originally Posted by Gacivory

She recently changed her name to Sean Old and the invitation was sent to the wrong person.

[KevinStriker]

Caught Blade Runner on cable while with my parents.

Now, I don't have cable, so I forgot just how much sonic information is missing when they compress audio for TV. I couldn't hear half the music the midrange was so muffled during the Taffey Lewis scene.

For a movie I know this well, it's like simulated deafness.

[Hydra Spectre]

First time I saw Blade Runner was when I caught a censored version of the domestic theatrical cut airing on Cinemax.
I loved it, and it made me get the Final Cut.

HBO was also airing Blade Runner 2049 in IMAX open matte 16:9 but with some censorship as well.

[Rollo Tomassi]

Originally Posted by Hydra Spectre

First time I saw Blade Runner was when I caught a censored version of the domestic theatrical cut airing on Cinemax.
I loved it, and it made me get the Final Cut.

HBO was also airing Blade Runner 2049 in IMAX open matte 16:9 but with some censorship as well.

They're censoring movies on HBO??? That's weird...
On HBO they're pushing the envelope all the time!
BR or BR 2049 are pretty tame compared to most Game of Thrones- episodes!

[CompleteCount]

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

I wish my queen Sean Young was there slagging off Harrison Ford and making everybody uncomfortable.

She might be. Charlie Sheen has already allocated her a seat.

syc.jpg

[BladeRunner2007]

I consider the editing of BR to be flawless. Kind of shocking to find out that the editor Marsha Nakashima never worked on another movie again. BR was her first and only movie.

[CreasyBear]

Originally Posted by Hydra Spectre

First time I saw Blade Runner was when I caught a censored version of the domestic theatrical cut airing on Cinemax.
I loved it, and it made me get the Final Cut.

HBO was also airing Blade Runner 2049 in IMAX open matte 16:9 but with some censorship as well.

HBO and Cinemax don't edit the films they show. That's kind of the whole point of their existence.