The Matrix 4K UHD (1999)

[Tok]

As usual there will never be full agreement on which version is correct or most correct to the theatrical experience.

It seems for every major release you’ve got a small fringe group complaining that what they did for a release is a travesty. I have to wonder if these people ever just sit down and enjoy the experience of the film. I think they seem to get more joy out of ruining the experience for others. God forbid you say anything positive about a release in their presence.

Now I’ve seen some shoddy releases that I would also recommend other potential buyers to avoid. But there’s a certain group here that have pointed out some minutia of details that differ from the theatrical experiences and claim the title is unworthy of ownership. Things like color temp changes or audio differences or possibly a slightly different edit in a scene. Most of these things no one would notice unless someone is extremely familiar with a film. I agree to not support bad releases where excessive DNR or sharpening has been applied but some need to lighten up a little. I get this film had a different look in its early days on home video but let’s be realistic here too. Digital video was in its early incarnations, Laserdisc and VHS were also limited by analog video capabilities of their respective formats. Today we have wide colorspaces like DCI and BT.2020 plus the addition of HDR for specular highlights. To expect the disc makers to try to approximate how the original DVD or Laserdisc looked is rather naive. Even what most of experienced in the cinema was most likely a dupe of dupe from the OCN. To say are memories are 100% accurate of what we saw over 20 years ago now is kind of ridiculous.

[alxcia]

Hello everyone.

Comments on the different versions of the home releases of The Matrix keep popping up here and in other discussion boards, so I made this small website where you see most versions compared side by side.

https://sway.office.com/z9ldAgl5FvaMpT9F

I appreciate the feedback, and I hope you like it.

[Ryrynz]

Waiting for the day a fan takes the 4K release and gives it the DVD colors (just not in every scene) because there are some actual improvements in later releases in some areas.

[Warm Gun]

Originally Posted by Ryrynz

Waiting for the day a fan takes the 4K release and gives it the DVD colors (just not in every scene) because there are some actual improvements in later releases in some areas.

Somebody already did something like that for the 4K. Problem is nobody is hosting it.

[Tok]

Originally Posted by Ryrynz

Waiting for the day a fan takes the 4K release and gives it the DVD colors (just not in every scene) because there are some actual improvements in later releases in some areas.

Any guesses on the next release that’s unwatchable on UHD due to slight changes? My money is all-in on the usual suspects pointing out all the flaws in The Godfather Collection.

[KubrickKurasawa]

I just hope that people stop paying to watch every reboot movie so we can get something more original that is bigger budget, but I know most people have super high iq's so it will happen soon. Someone needs to start a movement.

[Batfreakforever1939]

The 4K has outstanding picture and audio quality. Best release to date of the original movie.

[badfingerboogie]

Originally Posted by alxcia

Hello everyone.

Comments on the different versions of the home releases of The Matrix keep popping up here and in other discussion boards, so I made this small website where you see most versions compared side by side.

https://sway.office.com/z9ldAgl5FvaMpT9F

I appreciate the feedback, and I hope you like it.

Great site, very comprehensive stuff.

If that batch of images comparing the old Blu to the remastered (1080p) Blu is accurate, I feel like I can pretty comfortably avoid that - those images look pretty terrible, frankly, while the actual 4K disc does seem quite nice.

[motorheadache95]

Originally Posted by badfingerboogie

Great site, very comprehensive stuff.

If that batch of images comparing the old Blu to the remastered (1080p) Blu is accurate, I feel like I can pretty comfortably avoid that - those images look pretty terrible, frankly, while the actual 4K disc does seem quite nice.

Yeah WB does such a lame job with their remastered SDR Blu-ray’s I wonder why they even bother. I’d recommend the old Blu-ray, revised green tint and all, over the remastered Blu-ray. If you don’t have 4K tv but have a means to play a 4K disc you might get decent results downconverting it until you upgrade, it just might be a bit dark.

[badfingerboogie]

Originally Posted by motorheadache95

Yeah WB does such a lame job with their remastered SDR Blu-ray’s I wonder why they even bother. I’d recommend the old Blu-ray, revised green tint and all, over the remastered Blu-ray. If you don’t have 4K tv but have a means to play a 4K disc you might get decent results downconverting it until you upgrade, it just might be a bit dark.

Yeah, I'll just stick with the old discs I think. I thought the remastered SDR Blu for Unforgiven still looked pretty great, but I think that's the only one I've seen lately to be honest.

Was thinking of grabbing their newer Shining disc as well, but now I might just give that a miss...

[cybersoga]

Originally Posted by Batfreakforever1939

The 4K has outstanding picture and audio quality. Best release to date of the original movie.

I agree I think it looks amazing in 4K HDR

[TheBoss062]

If anybody here has spares, would you send me the 4K UHD codes for the first two Matrix films if you don't mind parting with them? When I first got mine, their codes were missing from the case, having been taken out without the shrink wrap removed.

[red_5ive]

Can't believe I just got bit by the default vanilla dolby digital track. I'm in the middle of evaluating different speakers for a potential speaker upgrade, and I failed to remember that these discs default to DD. I just sat through most of The Matrix thinking how flat, lifeless, and tinny & sibilant-ridden ear-scratchers these B&W 600 Series Anniversary speakers were sounding with movies. I actually turned down the treble a couple of notches as they were hurting my ears. My processor is in a new cabinet which I haven't gotten accustomed to looking at the display with where it's located. Then I happened to look down at it and saw it was on DD, which the processor will default to DTS:Neo 6 as the default DD DSP decoder.

Watching Reloaded now in Atmos, and wow, what a difference! These speakers are making a strong case to remain in the cabinet!

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by red_5ive

Can't believe I just got bit by the default vanilla dolby digital track. I'm in the middle of evaluating different speakers for a potential speaker upgrade, and I failed to remember that these discs default to DD. I just sat through most of The Matrix thinking how flat, lifeless, and tinny & sibilant-ridden ear-scratchers these B&W 600 Series Anniversary speakers were sounding with movies. I actually turned down the treble a couple of notches as they were hurting my ears. My processor is in a new cabinet which I haven't gotten accustomed to looking at the display with where it's located. Then I happened to look down at it and saw it was on DD, which the processor will default to DTS:Neo 6 as the default DD DSP decoder.

Watching Reloaded now in Atmos, and wow, what a difference! These speakers are making a strong case to remain in the cabinet!

I still loathe that some of the Warner discs default to lossy. This has been an on and off problem since BD was established, which of course way before UHD was even a pipedream.

[TravisTylerBlack]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

I still loathe that some of the Warner discs default to lossy. This has been an on and off problem since BD was established, which of course way before UHD was even a pipedream.

Those early-era WB titles that auto-play the feature with lossy audio drive me nuts. Not sure what the rational was behind that but thankfully they amended their ways (and menu system) after consumer complaints.

As for UHD titles, are there any outside of the first three Matrix films that default to DD? I imagine many people have watched them that way without realizing it.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by TravisTylerBlack

Those early-era WB titles that auto-play the feature with lossy audio drive me nuts. Not sure what what rational was behind that but thankfully they amended their ways (and menu system) after consumer complaints.

As for UHD titles, are there any outside of the first three Matrix films that default to DD? I imagine many people have watched them that way without realizing it.

Does Blade Runner default to lossy on UHD? I thought it did for some reason.

[TravisTylerBlack]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

Does Blade Runner default to lossy on UHD? I thought it did for some reason.

The blu-ray might but the UHD goes straight to Atmos. Only the foreign language options are lossy.

[mpls1981]

Originally Posted by TravisTylerBlack

Those early-era WB titles that auto-play the feature with lossy audio drive me nuts. Not sure what the rational was behind that but thankfully they amended their ways (and menu system) after consumer complaints.

As for UHD titles, are there any outside of the first three Matrix films that default to DD? I imagine many people have watched them that way without realizing it.

Ready Player One is another one that doesn't default to Atmos.

[welcometothepartypal]

My brother in law had never seen The Matrix so I showed him the 4K in my home theater. I also forgot it defaulted to DD. He seemed to enjoy it but not love it like me. A couple hours after his visit I remembered about the sound default and his reaction to the movie and wanted to yell “Nooooooooooooooooo!” Damn WB should of fixed that for 4K.

[Warm Gun]

Originally Posted by welcometothepartypal

My brother in law had never seen The Matrix so I showed him the 4K in my home theater. I also forgot it defaulted to DD. He seemed to enjoy it but not love it like me. A couple hours after his visit I remembered about the sound default and his reaction to the movie and wanted to yell “Nooooooooooooooooo!” Damn WB should of fixed that for 4K.

To be fair, plenty of other Blu-ray discs have the older mixes as the defaults. Arrow, for example. They order from old to new. That's typically what I would want too. I know the DD 5.1 is not the original mix.