The Abyss 4K UHD (1989)

[Indiana Jones]

Originally Posted by deadmanjones57

I am horribly behind on this thread. Is there a planned restock of this set or is it just gonna be forever OOP? Also what's this I hear about faulty discs? Forgive my lack of knowledge; I've only ever experience this film on Laserdisc.

They will be back, will just take time.

As for disc issues it’s mostly due to them stacking the UHD on top of the Blu-ray resulting in scratches.

[KMFDMvsEnya]

Originally Posted by THF90

What is the best/easiest way to back up 4k’s?

I can't tell you how to MakeMKV files but I am sure if you do some google searching then you will discover some easy methods to MakeMKV files or ISOs for personal backups.

[Blacknapkins]

Originally Posted by Matt89

And while I think Kino and Shout have gotten better as of late, Sony and Disney are now probably the worst offenders in my experience. I actually cannot believe that my Columbia Classics Vol. 4 set arrived with only 1 tiny nick on one of the discs (tested and it's fine). My Vol. 3 I had to exchange twice and even then had to piece together a set in order to get a collection where (most of) the discs were unscathed.

I would add Lionsgate to that list as well. The last few releases I have bought from them either have big circular scratches or claw-mark looking ones.

[martinstraka8282]

Somehow, someway, I'd never seen this. Hard to believe, but it happened. It came out before we had a TV in the house and I guess I never pursued it until now.

Absolutely ****ing delighted to watch this on the weekend on my JVC projector.

They definitely don't make em like they used to. What a trip.

[Blacknapkins]

Also, I'm wondering if the scratches were already on the discs before being stacked on top of each other. Doesn't the UK exorcist steelbook have 5 discs, with 3 stacked discs being stacked on one hub and two on the other hub? I don't recall anyone getting messed up discs with that release.

[deadmanjones57]

Originally Posted by Blacknapkins

Doesn't the UK exorcist steelbook have 5 discs, with 3 stacked discs being stacked on one hub and two on the other hub? I don't recall anyone getting messed up discs with that release.

My copy of the UK Exorcist came with plastic hinges for each disc.

[SpacemanDoug]

Originally Posted by deadmanjones57

I seriously doubted that "cream" did anything to actually work. Any time I had a disc resurfaced it always gunked it all up, making it unreadably. It's only ever worked once for me, which shows how well that works.

I did wait like 25 min at a gaming store waiting for discs to get resurfaced, I got some free credits for the wait. Haven't tested out if they actually work or not but at least they don't look pale on the bottom.

EDIT: I've never tried resurfacing or putting any "cream" on a Blu-Ray disc, doesn't seem ideal to me.

I've used that type of cream on DVDs and it would work, but admittedly never tried it on a 4K disk or BD

There was one DVD I had that managed to get so scratched up that the player wouldn't read it, but after 2 or 3 times of using that cream stuff it actually managed to make the movie play which amazed me

[sojrner]

I watched the SE version without issue. Yes, it was stacked in the same dumb way, but the couple of very fine scratches I could see did not seem to affect it. (Panny ub820) It played right out of the case; I did not clean anything.

I also enjoyed the presentation. The PQ was decent. Not perfect by any means, and you can see that it's an updated, digital-ish look. While I would have enjoyed it being less futzed-with, this is not unwatchable and easily is the best way to see the movie today. The audio has solid bass and decent overhead usage, but the center channel (more pointedly, the voices) is sometimes overwhelmed by the effects. Unlike the typical atMouse, bumping the volume a few db above normal didn't give an even result. Raising it for the voice would invariably warrant a bump down during active bits. That type of management is not unheard of, but it is still rare, even for Walt's Joint. It's lively and fun though, that's for sure. FWIW, my adult daughter was new to it, loved it, and was amazed at all the "real" underwater work.

One thing I noted as better: There's a moment where Linsay and Bud are arguing while walking through the rig (showing off the set) and two guys are working on something causing a loud clanking. (It looks like one is supposed to be holding a pipe that the other one is hammering on, but it's always looked goofy with the guy swinging the hammer never hitting his target.) On the DVD, the clanking has never been positioned or synced well. This version appears to have smoothed all that out much better.

Last thought: Yes, the framing of the tidal wave scene with the guy getting pantsed is different than the DVD. Not only is it clear now because of that reframing, but you can see the old version on the Under Pressure doc. Towards the end when they show the SE footage, they have a clip of that exact scene, and the guy is cut off below the chest, just like my old DVD. It's an odd choice.

[KcMsterpce]

I have behind-the-scenes footage at the 4k UHD factory.

[timfitz99]

Originally Posted by sojrner

I watched the SE version without issue. Yes, it was stacked in the same dumb way, but the couple of very fine scratches I could see did not seem to affect it. (Panny ub820) It played right out of the case; I did not clean anything.

Thanks for clarifying it working on the 820. I see no scratches at all on mine (which did have issues), so don't know if it's a manufacturing defect or not. I'll return it to Walmart and hold out for the next run.

I did really enjoy watching it again despite the issues, and that Under Pressure documentary is one of my favorite "making of" documentaries ever.

[Geoff D]

They AI'ed the old BTS video footage for the new documentaries and it's insanely hilarious, it literally looks like everything's been animated to look like A Scanner Darkly or some shit. Thankfully though they left Under Pressure alone, and whaddaya know, for such an 'old' documentary it looks perfickly serviceable.

[bilbofett]

Originally Posted by SpacemanDoug

-better pacing
-more isolated feel
-unnecessary "in your face" cold war subplot mostly removed

should I go on?

the cold-war angle IS the entire point of the movie and why the aliens show up. The couple reconciling proves to the aliens that they need not nuke the Earth to 'start over' and that there's hope for humanity.
When that is cut, the aliens serve no purpose and are more like a macguffin.
The submerged intimate couple drama is juxtaposed to the bigger picture of war brewing on the surface.

[KcMsterpce]

The Bonus Features disc doesn't load on my Magnetar. It says "UNKNOWN DISC".
The 820 works, though!

[kristoffer]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

They AI'ed the old BTS video footage for the new documentaries and it's insanely hilarious, it literally looks like everything's been animated to look like A Scanner Darkly or some shit. Thankfully though they left Under Pressure alone, and whaddaya know, for such an 'old' documentary it looks perfickly serviceable.

I am really glad they left one of the best BTS documentaries alone!

[deadmanjones57]

Originally Posted by kristoffer

I am really glad they left one of the best BTS documentaries alone!

Don't tempt them. They can just as easily recall the disc because the forgot to unscrew something up.

[Blu-Runner]

Originally Posted by Blacknapkins

Also, I'm wondering if the scratches were already on the discs before being stacked on top of each other. Doesn't the UK exorcist steelbook have 5 discs, with 3 stacked discs being stacked on one hub and two on the other hub? I don't recall anyone getting messed up discs with that release.

I think the scratches are becoming part of the manufacturing process itself and not the double stacking after pressing. I say that because I have multiple stacked releases and sometimes my scratched discs are the ones in the very bottom while the top disc is fine

I'm just sad my Abyss 4K disc is so scratched up... It's not like I can return it for a replacement now.

[geomon]

Originally Posted by KcMsterpce

The Bonus Features disc doesn't load on my Magnetar. It says "UNKNOWN DISC".
The 820 works, though!

How much was that Magnetar again?

[Purploros]

I contacted Disney about my scratched discs and they told me they won't replace the individual discs, but would provide a pre-paid label for me to mail them everything, then ship me replacement copies :/

[deadmanjones57]

Originally Posted by Purploros

I contacted Disney about my scratched discs and they told me they won't replace the individual discs, but would provide a pre-paid label for me to mail them everything, then ship me replacement copies :/

(keep the slipcover just in case)

[SpacemanDoug]

Originally Posted by bilbofett

the cold-war angle IS the entire point of the movie and why the aliens show up. The couple reconciling proves to the aliens that they need not nuke the Earth to 'start over' and that there's hope for humanity.
When that is cut, the aliens serve no purpose and are more like a macguffin.
The submerged intimate couple drama is juxtaposed to the bigger picture of war brewing on the surface.

it's not the fact that it was the entire point, to me it was the way it was executed

if it was executed better I think it wouldn't have been so annoying, but I didn't like the way they made it so "in your face"