Blade Runner 4K UHD (1982)

[Vangeli]

I can stream the Dolby Vision version from VUDU later to see if it has the same issues. If it does, then it might just be the source if not the initial HDR master at the very least.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by imsounoriginal

I didn't notice anything awry with this one, but WB turning to shoddy compression would be par for the course.

Not many people have sir, but the ones who see it really SEE it, if that makes sense.

Originally Posted by Vangeli

I can stream the Dolby Vision version from VUDU later to see if it has the same issues. If it does, then it might just be the source if not the initial HDR master at the very least.

Now that you mention it I recall that the HDD review of the DV stream noted that it had poor compression, even for a streaming version.

[Laserdisk]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Simplest possible answer for me isn't that they used a fubar intermediate master or that the 2007 restoration itself is at fault, it's that the compression for this specific release has been botched.

The frozen grain is in the master, the compression is not
It's a nightmare film to compress

[Snicket]

Originally Posted by Harlock415

I have not had the time to go through every post, so I gather the reason that this has disappeared from stores is because there's some sort of mixup in the discs included in some of the releases but not all?

So If I've not yet gotten one I probably should not buy from a third party vendor but wait until Amazon or Best Buy has them in stock?

I have this same question.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Laserdisk

The frozen grain is in the master, the compression is not
It's a nightmare film to compress

Agreed in general but I see very little frozen grain though. I remember you posting a photo of that shot early on of the Tyrell building and although the grain does move kinda funkily it looks like a photochemical effect to me, like they step printed it to extend the length of the shot before they comped in the spinners so the grain now looks like it's moving in slow motion while everything else moves around normally. If you watch the archival versions the same effect is just about visible, albeit obfuscated by the added grain from both the 65mm to 35mm reduction and the IP printing step. (Still can't get over how good that disc looks, people focus so much on that gash Final Cut BD that the archival cuts transfer is always overlooked for how decent it is.)

[Jar Jar Stinks]

Anyone know if The Final Cut is on a Blu-ray disc in this set? Doesn't specifically say in these descriptions.

[Laserdisk]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Agreed in general but I see very little frozen grain though. I remember you posting a photo of that shot early on of the Tyrell building and although the grain does move kinda funkily it looks like a photochemical effect to me, like they step printed it to extend the length of the shot before they comped in the spinners so the grain now looks like it's moving in slow motion while everything else moves around normally. If you watch the archival versions the same effect is just about visible, albeit obfuscated by the added grain from both the 65mm to 35mm reduction and the IP printing step. (Still can't get over how good that disc looks, people focus so much on that gash Final Cut BD that the archival cuts transfer is always overlooked for how decent it is.)

It was before then, the Hades opening and the billboard scene

[imsounoriginal]

Originally Posted by Jar Jar Stinks

Anyone know if The Final Cut is on a Blu-ray disc in this set? Doesn't specifically say in these descriptions.

[Show spoiler]

Looks like Final Cut's only on the 4K and DVD for some reason.

[nissling]

Originally Posted by Laserdisk

The frozen grain is in the master, the compression is not
It's a nightmare film to compress

Don't worry. Warner will make a remaster once they've updated https://www.warnerbros.com/archive/s.../movie/jam.htm and make everyone happy.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Laserdisk

It was before then, the Hades opening and the billboard scene

But again, I'm not sure I'd trust what grain looks like in a VFX shot as being a definite example of digitally futzed grain, especially something that's minted direct from the 65mm VFX originals and not the 35mm reductions which would naturally layer more grain over the top and obfuscate some of the baked-in grain anomalies. I say "some" because here's a very strange kind of ink-blot pattern to the grain in the Hades bit (look at the upper left of shot after the really big fire plume goes off) which is there even on the archival versions. Can't see it on the workprint but then that's a 35mm reduction of a 70mm blow up of the 35mm original which itself is a reduction of the 65mm VFX, so I'm not surprised.

Originally Posted by imsounoriginal

Looks like Final Cut's only on the 4K and DVD for some reason.

Strange that they mention almost every main feature that's on the "Blu-ray bonus" disc except the workprint!

It also mentions DTS-HD Master Audio for the branched archival versions disc. Typical Warners labelling ****-up or an improved disc? 99% percent chance of the former.

[Laserdisk]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

But again, I'm not sure I'd trust what grain looks like in a VFX shot as being a definite example of digitally futzed grain, especially something that's minted direct from the 65mm VFX originals and not the 35mm reductions which would naturally layer more grain over the top and obfuscate some of the baked-in grain anomalies. I say "some" because here's a very strange kind of ink-blot pattern to the grain in the Hades bit (look at the upper left of shot after the really big fire plume goes off) which is there even on the archival versions. Can't see it on the workprint but then that's a 35mm reduction of a 70mm blow up of the 35mm original which itself is a reduction of the 65mm VFX, so I'm not surprised.


Strange that they mention almost every main feature that's on the "Blu-ray bonus" disc except the workprint!

It also mentions DTS-HD Master Audio for the branched archival versions disc. Typical Warners labelling ****-up or an improved disc? 99% percent chance of the former.

I see all that, but what I see looks digital and it's fleeting

[Jason One]

A minor complaint, but does anyone else think the score playing over the main menu sounds terrible? What did they do to it?

[Jason One]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Strange that they mention almost every main feature that's on the "Blu-ray bonus" disc except the workprint!

It also mentions DTS-HD Master Audio for the branched archival versions disc. Typical Warners labelling ****-up or an improved disc? 99% percent chance of the former.

I wish some country had a 4K package which included the Spanish archival disc with the corrected 5.1, which I can't stop thinking about since you mentioned its existence!

[img eL]

I just checked in to see if the price went down for the UHD & all Hell Broke Loose! 65$ @ Amazon & its been pulled from most places. Whoa wtf?

[bluescholar]

Originally Posted by nissling

don't worry. Warner will make a remaster once they've updated https://www.warnerbros.com/archive/s.../movie/jam.htm and make everyone happy.

lol

[TauHeel05]

I went to see “Blade Runner” at my local Dolby Cinema. It looked and sounded incredible.

Anyone else get a chance to check this one-night event out?

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

This is no way to watch a movie but what happens if you pause and step through the specific light burst at 43m35s? As the light fades away that entire upper left portion of the screen above Deck's head explodes into a shower of blocky digital artefacts on my TV, blatantly visible for me at my normal viewing distance in motion but naturally all the more visible in still form. (It's exactly the kind of compression weirdness that I've talked about on ST '09 from day 1, the light seems to spaz out the encoder.) But if you're not seeing it even in step form - given your professed hatred of compression artefacts - then something's gotta be wrong with my disc somewhere.

I did frame by frame for that timecode just now. At about 43:37 when the light is really fading I saw some chunky grain over the plant mostly, maybe some small amount of blocking, but nothing egregious. The grain over Deckard's head remains well resolved. I do agree that's a spot with some noisy grain, but if that's the best example you've got to call this a "botched compression job" then I think you might be overstating things a bit.

Hopefully others can chime in about this timecode so we can get more opinions. I fully admit the older remaster has some minor issues and there's some noisy scenes here and there, but I'd still rate the disc like a 9.5 out of 10. They're minor, minor issues IMO. Though I'm sure in 10 years we'll all be complaining about what a horrible disc it is and yelling at Warner for not updating it for the 8k set.

[Lt_Cobretti]

I'm not going to act like I can see all the faults of this transfer with pinpoint accuracy, but I will say there is sometimes a harshness to the grain that you don't get with other 4K transfers of films of this era (At least not in those sweet, sweet Sony transfers).

Still it's pretty much impossible to make Blade Runner look less than amazing and again only $25 aud so it's no letdown.

[captainsolo]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Ah right. All the kids'll be like "why you watching that OLD version of Blade Runner for, Daddy-o?"

For years people have been saying that to me when I pull my preferred copy out-despite camping outside a Best Buy for the 2007 UCE, despite having every major release so far, despite it not being my preferred version as it lacks the censored violence...and despite the horrendously bad side breaks.

Yep. The DC CAV Laserdisc. Beats the pants off the flipper DVD and is still the best sounding home release of everything IMO (short of the new mix, which I haven't experienced).

I can't believe they would go back and fully remix the film. Atmos and its ilk were never going to be applied to catalog titles or so I thought. Now it appears we've entered the land of botched remixes done on the fly by those not from the original production all over again-with little to no fanfare and thus the original mixes are gone. It's nice to see the Dracula mix being included if only as a lossy DD track. And to think Kwai was mixed into Atmos when we can't even get any version of its original mono mix. Or the original bass heavy 70mm mix of CEOT3K.

I love the mix of BR. It took me some time to get used to the FC 5.1 remix being more modern in design but none of the effects were overly manipulated or outright changed. The original pushes the limits of 1982 mixing for both 35mm Dolby Stereo and 70mm Dolby blowups.

It's been ten years, but I don't really remember any grain issues in the FC 35mm print. I remember it wiped the floor with the home DVD and BD copies and the low end of the 5.1 was quite huge. I was hoping the new 4K disc would be more like the print version was. I haven't seen a DCP edition. That said, I'm not a fan of the revisionist color timing of the FC and never have been. The 1992 DC print WB loans to arthouses is definitive in my book and looked better than the FC print in every way to my eyes. (I just wish they had had time to locate and put the violence back in 1992...it's otherwise so close to being perfect!)

I'm nowhere near going 4K yet but am insanely curious as to how this new mix sounds. I really hope that perhaps some kind of error was made instead of tearing the sound design apart.

[trekky76]

Nordic edition! What is that extra DVD stuffed in the case? There already is another DVD in there..sigh.