The Abyss 4K UHD (1989)

[darkanek]

Originally Posted by By_His_Strypes

A pretty favorable review. I'm sure you will still have some out there saying how bad this transfer is. They are certainly entitled, but they would more likely have more of an ulterior motive rather than critiquing what they are watching.

I think the overall consensus on new Cameron releases is that The Abyss is acceptable transfer, not ideal as still have DNR applied and probably sharpening too but it's the best this movie ever looked on home release and they didn't go full overboard mode with digital sharpening.
Titanic is also acceptable but some report that it's too artificially sharp and lost it film like quality (compared to old Blu-Ray which has this softer film-look). So, Titanic looks like movie shoot today and not in the 90s, people who are not bothered with digital sharpening and grain removal are enjoying Titanic on UHD disc.
Aliens got treated quite badly. Unfortunately, from screenshot comparison with old blu-ray looks like they did go full grain removal mode and heavy AI sharpening and AI artifacts added on top of that. At least there is respectable old blu-ray that looks like this movie should look.
True Lies is another bad one. Not only it got this heavy AI sharpening thing but at same time lot of faces looks artificial and waxy, waxier that in Aliens 4k I guess.

I'm for sure buying The Abyss and later on Titanic, but Aliens and True Lies will most likely skip. Or will check later if there is any improvement on 4k disc itself but I'm not optimistic for that as AI thing is messing too much with original look of these movies

[By_His_Strypes]

Originally Posted by darkanek

I think the overall consensus on new Cameron releases is that The Abyss is acceptable transfer, not ideal as still have DNR applied and probably sharpening too but it's the best this movie ever looked on home release and they didn't go full overboard mode with digital sharpening.
Titanic is also acceptable but some report that it's too artificially sharp and lost it film like quality (compared to old Blu-Ray which has this softer film-look). So, Titanic looks like movie shoot today and not in the 90s, people who are not bothered with digital sharpening and grain removal are enjoying Titanic on UHD disc.
Aliens got treated quite badly. Unfortunately, from screenshot comparison with old blu-ray looks like they did go full grain removal mode and heavy AI sharpening and AI artifacts added on top of that. At least there is respectable old blu-ray that looks like this movie should look.
True Lies is another bad one. Not only it got this heavy AI sharpening thing but at same time lot of faces looks artificial and waxy, waxier that in Aliens 4k I guess.

I'm for sure buying The Abyss and later on Titanic, but Aliens and True Lies will most likely skip. Or will check later if there is any improvement on 4k disc itself but I'm not optimistic for that as AI thing is messing too much with original look of these movies

Very fair assessment on your part. I think Aliens looks better than some do, but I do understand (don't necessarily agree, but understand) why some wouldn't care for that presentation. I still think we need to wait and see the physical disc. There is a chance that they will be an improvement over the digital. Perhaps a slim chance, but still a chance.

[NJScorpio]

Originally Posted by By_His_Strypes

Very fair assessment on your part. I think Aliens looks better than some do, but I do understand (don't necessarily agree, but understand) why some wouldn't care for that presentation. I still think we need to wait and see the physical disc. There is a chance that they will be an improvement over the digital. Perhaps a slim chance, but still a chance.

I wonder if we will ever see a disc released with two versions of a movie, not just cuts, but a "raw" scan (with appropriate color timing adjustments that would reflect chemical color adjustments), then one of these modernized DNR/enhanced releases.

[LexInHD]

What the **** is going on here, with the only version of the film that people actually really like and want to see in 4K being a VOD exclusive (Prime Video) and relegated to an HD extra on the 4K disc release????!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!??!?!!????????????? ???????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kris Deering]

Originally Posted by By_His_Strypes

Very fair assessment on your part. I think Aliens looks better than some do, but I do understand (don't necessarily agree, but understand) why some wouldn't care for that presentation. I still think we need to wait and see the physical disc. There is a chance that they will be an improvement over the digital. Perhaps a slim chance, but still a chance.

The version I have is disc quality (or better) through Kaleidescape and it has the same issues.

[sojrner]

Originally Posted by KcMsterpce

You may say the quote is true, but only a fool would believe what he is told - and I am not a fool - therefore I cannot accept the quote as true.
But, you also KNOW that I am not a fool - you would have counted on it - so I can clearly choose to accept the quote as true!

This jiggering of a classic deserves more love. Any reference of such quality must be ack'd, so you get a thanks from me regardless of the chaos in this thread. <3

[By_His_Strypes]

Originally Posted by Kris Deering

The version I have is disc quality (or better) through Kaleidescape and it has the same issues.

fair enough, but there is an outside chance the digital was altered for that platform and they used something different on disc.

[By_His_Strypes]

It's easier to see people's points when they spend less time calling Cameron names or mocking those that enjoyed the new transfer/transfers and more time making good points.

[Wes_k089]

Originally Posted by NJScorpio

I wonder if we will ever see a disc released with two versions of a movie, not just cuts, but a "raw" scan (with appropriate color timing adjustments that would reflect chemical color adjustments), then one of these modernized DNR/enhanced releases.

Never. Especially not any Cameron films.

[mar3o]

Originally Posted by LexInHD

What the **** is going on here, with the only version of the film that people actually really like and want to see in 4K being a VOD exclusive (Prime Video) and relegated to an HD extra on the 4K disc release????!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!??!?!!????????????? ???????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where did you get the information that the SE is only in HD on the upcoming UHD?

[By_His_Strypes]

Could it explain why the digital versions dropped months before the physical releases, in that the work wasn't yet finished for physical? 2 unique presentations perhaps. something to ponder anyways.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by mar3o

Where did you get the information that the SE is only in HD on the upcoming UHD?

The press release states that both cuts are in 1080p for the Blu-ray and 4K for the UHDs. At least I don't think we have to worry about this particular aspect.

[Fang Zei]

Originally Posted by By_His_Strypes

Could it explain why the digital versions dropped months before the physical releases, in that the work wasn't yet finished for physical? 2 unique presentations perhaps. something to ponder anyways.

I hope so.

Originally, when these were first announced, greed seemed the obvious reason for Disney to cash in on a digital-only release before the holidays.

March of ‘24, when the discs arrive, was originally going to be a big month for them before the strikes delayed everything.

But the backlash to these “AI-enhanced” transfers (well, here anyway) makes me wonder if Cameron and Disney knew this was as experimental as it’s gotten for home media and factored in a delay for the actual physical release in case it didn’t go over so well.

Nah, who am I kidding? It was probably just greed.

[Mierzwiak]

Originally Posted by Fang Zei

But the backlash to these “AI-enhanced” transfers (well, here anyway) makes me wonder if Cameron and Disney knew this was as experimental as it’s gotten for home media and factored in a delay for the actual physical release in case it didn’t go over so well.

Yeah, just like they released that great 4K remaster of The Curse of the Black Pearl on UHD at the beginning of 2022 after the backlash to the botched 4K version available on Disney+ since its launch in November 2019

[NJScorpio]

Originally Posted by Fang Zei

I hope so.

Originally, when these were first announced, greed seemed the obvious reason for Disney to cash in on a digital-only release before the holidays.

March of ‘24, when the discs arrive, was originally going to be a big month for them before the strikes delayed everything.

But the backlash to these “AI-enhanced” transfers (well, here anyway) makes me wonder if Cameron and Disney knew this was as experimental as it’s gotten for home media and factored in a delay for the actual physical release in case it didn’t go over so well.

Nah, who am I kidding? It was probably just greed.

They are trying to catch that overlap of people who are so excited to see these titles in 4k (and in the case of The Abyss and True Lies, in HD) that they will just buy the digital version as soon as they can, and then double dip and buy the physical versions.

If the physical one was released same day, we'd all have just picked up the discs and cashed in the digital codes.

Heck, even if it's just people who buy the digital and skip the disc, they are still likely making more money than if that buy purchased the disc and not the digital release.

[KcMsterpce]

Originally Posted by sojrner

This jiggering of a classic deserves more love. Any reference of such quality must be ack'd, so you get a thanks from me regardless of the chaos in this thread. <3

Aww, well, actually I was just making a reference to the poison wine goblet scene from "The Princess Bride".

[MEB]

Originally Posted by chip75

The press release states that both cuts are in 1080p for the Blu-ray and 4K for the UHDs. At least I don't think we have to worry about this particular aspect.

I don't know, the technical specs in the press release read as follows:

4K Blu-ray Theatrical Version & Special Edition

It seems there's some "wiggle room" on whether the SE is also in 4K. Or maybe not.

Mark

[MEB]

Has anyone actually purchased the 4K Special Edition of The Abyss from Amazon and watched it? (Perhaps I missed a message about that experience.) If so, how did it look? Was the SE footage consistent in quality with the rest of the 4K footage?

Mark

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by MEB

I don't know, the technical specs in the press release read as follows:

4K Blu-ray Theatrical Version & Special Edition

It seems there's some "wiggle room" on whether the SE is also in 4K. Or maybe not.

Mark

No, there’s not. Stop with “the sky is falling” misinformation when it’s already been widely reported both cuts are 4k.

[LexInHD]

Originally Posted by mar3o

Where did you get the information that the SE is only in HD on the upcoming UHD?

I read it here, in a linked review that I read earlier today and I just verified that the SE is on PV (purchase only) in 4K, while it's currently only 1080P everywhere else. Apparently, Disney is gonna poop out another UHD-BD release of The Abyss, like the Avatar SE release that included the extended cut of the film. Most likely, they are waiting for Cameron's next Avatar release to float that one out on the market.