Ask questions to The Digital Bits team (Bill Hunt, Jeff Kleist et.al.)

[Bill Hunt]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Bits Staff:

From the TREK set review (about the Captain's Summit disc):


It should be Whoopi "Guinan" Goldberg

PS: I'd bump up Trek V's rating on the video. However bad the film is, it's never looked better. The original presentations had all sorts of film damage that's been rectified here. Fine details such as the weaves in the stripes of the "Away Team" personnel are visible. This and the TMP disc are the biggest improvements on the set IMO (I thought Wrath of Khan looked a little flat depth and color wise, not to say it's not better but not as good as I thought it would be).

See, now that's the kind of thing spell check can't catch. Fixed.

The grade thing... yeah, I see your points on Trek V. It was really a chore trying to figure out grades that would acknowledge the quality improvement over DVD, but still reflect the problems of DNR relative to the best BD titles. The real shame of this is, if the DNR were dialed back a little bit - enough so you could still see a little grain texture in the image and more of the fine detail that I KNOW was originally present - these transfers would have been largely fantastic. It's just that these were done back when the whole issue of grain reduction as considered "a matter of taste" so they were just taking too much out.

It's very much like how in the early days of DVD, when the studios started doing a lot of anamorphic transfers, a lot of these mastering techs were still using too much edge-enhancement - which they'd been doing with analog video (and rightly so) for years. It took some of them a few years to realize they had to dial it back. Old habits die hard. I'm guessing excessive grain reduction was the norm with DVD transfers (even in HD) for years, but it just wasn't an issue then because DVD didn't have the resolution to really show that. Now that Blu-ray DOES, these mastering guys are having to adjust, and that's a slow and uneven process. I'd bet in a year or so, this will be a non-issue - except in cases where studios make difficult financial decision to just reuse on-the-shelf older HD transfers. But my feeling is that for MOST of the new transfers done today, these guys have learned to be more careful about the excessive use of DNR.

We enthusiasts all want "perfect" every time, but a lot of us forget that 1) there are many issues at play (not the least of which is the quality of the original source material) and 2) even for the best technicians working in the industry, there's a learning curve involved here. Think of it this way: Looking back, some of those early DVD transfers were terrible by the standards of quality even just a few years later. What is state of the art in terms of quality changes and improves over time with each new format. That's just how things work. The Blu-ray transfers we see in a few years will make many of today's discs look paltry by comparison. But we shouldn't let that prevent us from enjoying the improvements we already see. We should still hold the industry's feet to the fire on these issues, but we should also try keep things in perspective and not let some of these issues become the ONLY thing we talk about or care about or take into consideration.

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

Trust me, you are going to be VERY pleased. I'll say no more for now.

At A&M, whenever we hear something that excites us we always say Whoop!


Ill follow that up with a



WHOOP!!!

[HeavyHitter]

Bill,

Well said about the DNR situation. However, as you said, I too think these Trek movies could have looked fantastic as the source material seems quite good. I really hope Paramount rectifies the situation with the Director's Cuts - please keep an eye on them with it.

[TravelNurseRN]

Any word on the Walt Disney Treasures colletions coming to Blu? These were cleaned up and released on DVD's, and it would be great to get the oop ones on Blu! Also, any word on the Looney Tunes theatrical shorts coming to Blu? Thanks!

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

It will be well worth the wait. Have I said that before?

With Sir Charles at the helm, I have zero doubt.

I just hope that wait is 'til Q4 (or whenever they initially get the set out the door), not 'til they break the set out a year later.

[Mr. Cinema]

Jeff,

I noticed Amazon.com has raised the list price of Monster's Inc to a steep $44.99. I believe I read somewhere that Race to Witch Mountain will also carry a $44.99 list price. Both are 3 disc sets, but is this a good time for Disney to be raising prices on software?

Before 100 people chime in with the tired "no one pay's list prices" defense, the list price directly reflects the actual selling price. Monster's Inc is $31.49 right now on Amazon. I will not be paying that for a movie.

So, any idea why they want to gouge us even more?

[Holographic]

Originally Posted by Brad1963

Next year is 25th for Universal's Back To The Future, Out of Africa, Brazil and Peter Bogdanovich's Mask also.

And if I'm not mistaken, Tremors should reach its 20th next year also.

[Jeff Kleist]

I noticed Amazon.com has raised the list price of Monster's Inc to a steep $44.99. I believe I read somewhere that Race to Witch Mountain will also carry a $44.99 list price. Both are 3 disc sets, but is this a good time for Disney to be raising prices on software?

Before 100 people chime in with the tired "no one pay's list prices" defense, the list price directly reflects the actual selling price. Monster's Inc is $31.49 right now on Amazon. I will not be paying that for a movie.

So, any idea why they want to gouge us even more?

Disney was running online surveys a few weeks back asking extensively about pricing and package configurations. I think that Snow White is the first in a lot of multiple editions till they figure out a disc config/pricing that makes financial sense for the consumer, and accomplishes their content goals

I saw the survey, it was VERY thorough, and even let you specify what items MUST be in there, MUST NOT be in there, etc, so while ONE package may be $44.99, I wouldn't count on ALL.

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Disney was running online surveys a few weeks back asking extensively about pricing and package configurations.

There was also at least one interview circulating a month or so back with mention of price-increase plans being under consideration. Disney claimed to want to increase the consumers' perception of Blu-ray as a "premium" product.

ROUGH TRANSLATION: You, Mr. Cinema, may not be willing to pay it, but we think everyone else is.

[Jeff Kleist]

There was also at least one interview circulating a month or so back about price-increase plans being under consideration. Disney claimed to want to increase the consumers' perception of Blu-ray as a "premium" product.

Yeah, that was quote mined and not accompanied by context, like the context I provided above. It was referring to things like the multiple SKUs on Snow White. Of course the red ants latched onto it and ran with it tho.

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Of course the red ants latched onto it and ran with it tho.

Well, naturally- you must admit, Disney never said a peep about raising HD DVD prices.

[Jeff Kleist]

Can't argue with that

Some are reporting that Terminator:TSCC is dead, and yes it's not on Fox's schedule, but it's not quite dead yet. Parties are going to be watching next weekend's box office with great interest last I heard

[Brad1963]

Originally Posted by Holographic

And if I'm not mistaken, Tremors should reach its 20th next year also.

Yes. And Darkman also will be 20.

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Some are reporting that Terminator:TSCC is dead, and yes it's not on Fox's schedule, but it's not quite dead yet. Parties are going to be watching next weekend's box office with great interest last I heard

Isn't the production company also still shopping it to other channels (or at least sniffing around), as well?

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Can't argue with that

Some are reporting that Terminator:TSCC is dead, and yes it's not on Fox's schedule, but it's not quite dead yet. Parties are going to be watching next weekend's box office with great interest last I heard

Since I am a I will say thanks jeff....and remain hopefull that I will be able to

[captveg]

Originally Posted by fuddwupper

On the subject of anniversary releases, what can we be expecting to see this year?

Good question. Sounds like an opportunity to waste some time.

From what I've seen, we've already got/are getting the following:

10th

The Matrix
The World Is Not Enough

20th

Batman
Do the Right Thing
Field of Dreams
For All Mankind
Glory
Kickboxer
Licence to Kill
Road House
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

25th

Amadeus
Children of the Corn
Ghostbusters
The Last Starfighter
Starman
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
This Is Spinal Tap

30th

Being There
Kramer vs. Kramer
Moonraker
Star Trek: The Motion Picture

35th

The Man with the Golden Gun
The Towering Inferno

40th

Easy Rider

45th

Dr. Strangelove
Goldfinger

50th

The 400 Blows
The Diary of Anne Frank

70th

Gone with the Wind
The Wizard of Oz

--------

Here's a long list of anniversary titles I'd pick up. Here's hoping a few make it out (some of these have almost no chance to come out on BD anytime in the next ten years, but, hey, it's a wish list):

10th

American Beauty
Bringing Out the Dead
The Color of Paradise
Galaxy Quest (rumored for Fall release)
The Green Mile
The Insider
The Iron Giant
Man on the Moon
October Sky
The Road Home
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
The Straight Story
Tarzan
Toy Story 2
The Virgin Suicides

15th

Bullets Over Broadway
Eat Drink Man Woman
Ed Wood
Forrest Gump (rumored for Fall release)
Four Weddings and a Funeral
The Hudsucker Proxy
Léon: The Professional
The Lion King
Maverick
Pulp Fiction (rumored for late Summer release)
The Ref
Star Trek: Generations (rumored for Fall release)
Three Colors Trilogy (White and Red are both 1994)

20th

The Abyss
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
Crimes and Misdemeanors
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (rumored for Fall release)
The Killer
My Left Foot
Say Anything...
sex, lies, and videotape
UHF
When Harry Met Sally...

25th

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (rumored for Fall release)
The Karate Kid
The Killing Fields
The Muppets Take Manhattan
The Natural
Paris, Texas
Places in the Heart

30th

Alien (rumored for Fall release)
Apocalypse Now
The Black Stallion
Mad Max
Manhattan
The Muppet Movie
My Brilliant Career

35th

Chinatown
The Conversation
F for Fake

40th

Army of Shadows
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Z

45th

A Fistful of Dollars
A Hard Day's Night
Mary Poppins
The Pawnbroker
A Shot in the Dark
The Train
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

50th

Ben-Hur (rumored for Fall release)
The Bridge
Fires on the Plain
Good Morning
Hiroshima mon amour
North by Northwest (rumored for Fall release)

55th

Dial M for Murder
On the Waterfront
Rear Window
Sansho the Bailiff
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Seven Samurai
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

60th

Battleground
Jour de fête
Kind Hearts and Coronets
White Heat

65th

Lifeboat
Miracle of Morgan's Creek
To Have and Have Not

70th

Dodge City
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Ninotchka
The Roaring Twenties
The Rules of the Game
Stagecoach

75th

The Gay Divorcee
It Happened One Night
The Scarlet Empress

85th (A guy can dream, can't he?)

The Navigator
Sherlock, Jr.

------

A few other potential titles that I'm not interested in, but others would be. I'm sure I'm missing a ton of favorites still:

10th

The Cider House Rules
Magnolia
Sweet and Lowdown

15th

Quiz Show
True Lies

20th

Born on the Fourth of July
Dead Poets Society
Driving Miss Daisy
Henry V

30th

All That Jazz
Breaking Away
The China Syndrome
Norma Rae

35th

Lenny

40th

Midnight Cowboy

45th

My Fair Lady

50th

Some Like It Hot

[captveg]

And because I have way too much free time today, a wish list of 2010 anniversary titles I would pick up (again, some of these won't be seeing BD for forever).

This of course just scratches the surface of potential titles, and is based on what is on my radar. Other people's miles may vary.

10th

Chicken Run
The Emperor's New Groove
In the Mood for Love
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Traffic

15th

Apollo 13
Babe
Before Sunrise
Billy Madison
Braveheart
Dead Man Walking
Toy Story

20th

Akira Kurosawa's Dreams
Dances with Wolves
The Freshman
White Hunter, Black Heart

25th

Back to the Future
Better Off Dead
Brazil
Clue
The Goonies
Legend
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
Pee-wee's Big Adventure
The Purple Rose of Cairo
Ran

30th

The Elephant Man
The Empire Strikes Back
The Fog

35th

Barry Lyndon
Jaws
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
The Passenger
Picnic at Hanging Rock
The Return of the Pink Panther

40th

The Conformist
Ryan's Daughter

45th

Doctor Zhivago
Help!
Red Beard
Samurai Assassin

50th

The Apartment
The Bad Sleep Well
Breathless
Psycho
Spartacus

55th

All That Heaven Allows
Bad Day at Black Rock
Diabolique
Kiss Me Deadly
Lady and the Tramp
The Ladykillers
Marty
Ordet
Rebel without a Cause
To Catch a Thief

60th

All About Eve
The Asphalt Jungle
Cinderella
Orpheus
Rashomon
Sunset Boulevard
Treasure Island

65th

Ivan the Terrible, Part I
Spellbound

70th

Foreign Correspondent
The Grapes of Wrath
The Great Dictator
The Philadelphia Story
Rebecca
The Sea Hawk

75th

Captain Blood
A Night at the Opera
The 39 Steps
Top Hat

80th

All Quiet on the Western Front
Hell's Angels

85th

Battleship Potemkin
The Gold Rush
Go West
The Phantom of the Opera
Seven Chances

95th

The Birth of a Nation

[Braktastic]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Some are reporting that Terminator:TSCC is dead, and yes it's not on Fox's schedule, but it's not quite dead yet. Parties are going to be watching next weekend's box office with great interest last I heard

Early reviews from Rotten Tomatoes indicate it would be best to consider it dead then and not get ones hopes up.

[Esox50]

Jeff Kleist...a stud among us mere mortals...

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...us#post1815220

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...postcount=4532

BTW, still counting the days til 8/11/09.

[wallendo]

Bill or Jeff -
What is your take on this article:
http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=24769

Good news for film fans: some of our favourites are set to be re-released in digital cinemas this year, with Spartacus, The Blues Brothers, Scarface, The Thing and Animal House all headed back to the big screen.

Are these restorations of the originals, and does it suggest that blu-ray versions may be around the corner?

I for one was bummed when Animal House was reissued last year without a blu-ray version (even though Universal had gone blu by that point).