"Club Penton" - Ask questions to Hollywood insider "Penton-Man"

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Mr. Cinema

According to HD Digest's review of Da Vinci Code, only the extended cut is offered. With 50 gb of space, why didn't Sony provide fans with the theatrical as well?.....

Somehow I missed your question.
I’ll ask the compressionist and get back to you.

[Xorp]

Will CTHD be available separately?: https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=2650

Any word on specs? I heard a MPEG-2/PCM disc was being prepared a long time ago, but was postponed. When they finally release it hopefully they took the time to do a AVC/TrueHD encode.

[DenonCI]

Originally Posted by Xorp

Will CTHD be available separately?: https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=2650

Any word on specs? I heard a MPEG-2/PCM disc was being prepared a long time ago, but was postponed. When they finally release it hopefully they took the time to do a AVC/TrueHD encode.

Why wouldn't you want PCM? If there's space on the disc for it, then use it. It's uncompressed.

[Jeff Kleist]

personally I'd like to see them moving toward reuseable glasses, there has to be a way to do that economically

The RealD glasses are plenty sturdy already, can't take that much to make them ready for another go

[Vincent Pereira]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I am unable to talk about it.

I'm reminded of TO BE OR NOT TO BE with Mel Brooks- "I don't know anything about that!"

Vincent

[Torsten Kaiser TLE]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I don’t know anything about the restoration done on that fabulous western as I believe all the work was done in Italy.
Fox has the domestic Blu-ray format distribution rights.
I think that Torsten even did a fabulous restoration of this title back in ’05? or ’06? for some market in Europe.

That particular effort (re: Blu-ray release in Italy) was made on the 2K level using a newly minted IP. The Italian rightsholders never let anyone else near this element, including MGM and us. Ironically, the digital work was done partly in Denmark and in India, not in Italy. The Blu-ray shows the potential of the material, and it would look great, were it not for a subpixel error embedded in the image (the picture signal is slightly shifted by half a pixel vertically so the information designated to one [native] pixel is actually devided onto two pixels making the image appear a lot less sharp and detailed than it should be). The error could have happend (though it should not) during the cleanup process, conforming or playout. Either way, it should have been caught in QC. A real shame

[Bobby Henderson]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

James is trying to ‘encourage’ theater owners/operators to ramp up the installation of 3D technology dramatically with this single motion picture event. I must say, it’s quite a gutsy move and he is one of the few Directors in Hollywood that has the clout to pull it off as everyone in the world is going to want to show Avatar.

James Cameron is known for pushing to have his movies shown in the best manner possible. He went into his own pockets to pay for the 70mm DTS prints on Titanic.

Cameron definitely has clout, and let me preface this by saying I've been a long time fan of Cameron's work, but Titanic was released over 11 years ago. Cameron's last science fiction movie, T2, was released nearly 18 years ago. I think he's also under some serious pressure to deliver a hit after not making feature films for so many years. Chances are still pretty good Cameron will deliver a pretty cool movie with Avatar, but the big time gap can't help but to bring up at least a little uncertainty.

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

The RealD glasses are plenty sturdy already, can't take that much to make them ready for another go.

I have a couple pairs of the things and reuse them. The glasses hold up fine as long as you don't accidentally sit on them or vomit a mixture of beer and stomach acid on the polarized lenses. I imagine a single pair of RealD glasses could last for at least a few years. People won't wear them as everyday sunglasses, so at best they would only get a handful of uses per year.

[Jeff Kleist]

I'm concerned about unrealistic expectations for Avatar, but I know Cameron's talent, and he's earned benefit of the doubt

I have a couple pairs of the things and reuse them. The glasses hold up fine as long as you don't accidentally sit on them or vomit a mixture of beer and stomach acid on the polarized lenses. I imagine a single pair of RealD glasses could last for at least a few years. People won't wear them as everyday sunglasses, so at best they would only get a handful of uses per year.

I meant the theater reuse them some kind of dishwasher style deal. No reason why 500 pairs per theater can't last a year or more, and while one pair is out the other one is scrubbing

[Oliver K]

Originally Posted by Torsten Kaiser TLE

That particular effort (re: Blu-ray release in Italy) was made on the 2K level using a newly minted IP. The Italian rightsholders never let anyone else near this element, including MGM and us. Ironically, the digital work was done partly in Denmark and in India, not in Italy. The Blu-ray shows the potential of the material, and it would look great, were it not for a subpixel error embedded in the image (the picture signal is slightly shifted by half a pixel vertically so the information designated to one [native] pixel is actually devided onto two pixels making the image appear a lot less sharp and detailed than it should be). The error could have happend (though it should not) during the cleanup process, conforming or playout. Either way, it should have been caught in QC. A real shame

Thanks for the insights - despite this vertical pixel shift A Fistful of Dollars looks very good to me and much nicer than The Good, The Bad and The Ugly - do you have any knowledge as to what happened to this one ?

[Eastkhan]

Originally Posted by Torsten Kaiser TLE

That particular effort (re: Blu-ray release in Italy) was made on the 2K level using a newly minted IP. The Italian rightsholders never let anyone else near this element, including MGM and us. Ironically, the digital work was done partly in Denmark and in India, not in Italy. The Blu-ray shows the potential of the material, and it would look great, were it not for a subpixel error embedded in the image (the picture signal is slightly shifted by half a pixel vertically so the information designated to one [native] pixel is actually devided onto two pixels making the image appear a lot less sharp and detailed than it should be). The error could have happend (though it should not) during the cleanup process, conforming or playout. Either way, it should have been caught in QC. A real shame

Originally Posted by Oliver K

Thanks for the insights - despite this vertical pixel shift A Fistful of Dollars looks very good to me and much nicer than The Good, The Bad and The Ugly - do you have any knowledge as to what happened to this one ?

Thank you Torsten.

Oliver, I guess it has to do with "Fistful of Dollars" done by the italian rightsholder, and "The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly" done by MGM, giving the job to different restorers?

but your right, even with the subpixel error, I'd rate sony italy's "Fistful" higher than "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly". I'd like to know what happened as well. After all they're shot the same way, right?

Torsten, since we caught you here & you dont have a separate thread how do you rate (were you able to check) itv UK's blu-rays of classics such as Black Narcissus, Brief Encounter, Great Expectations, or some of their discs, they are not available elsewhere (in US/EU) & are important films.

Thanks.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Bobby Henderson

Cameron definitely has clout, and let me preface this by saying I've been a long time fan of Cameron's work, but Titanic was released over 11 years ago. Cameron's last science fiction movie, T2, was released nearly 18 years ago. I think he's also under some serious pressure to deliver a hit after not making feature films for so many years. Chances are still pretty good Cameron will deliver a pretty cool movie with Avatar, but the big time gap can't help but to bring up at least a little uncertainty.

Well, he can always fall back to his other day job of landscaping on the Uni lot ……..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqMV90pnsZ4

[Alan Gordon]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

personally I'd like to see them moving toward reuseable glasses, there has to be a way to do that economically

I wouldn't use ANYTHING reusable at the closest cinema (chairs being the exception)...

~Alan

[Dan S.]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Well, he can always fall back to his other day job of landscaping on the Uni lot ……..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqMV90pnsZ4

That was a hilarious video. I even watched part 2 and couldn't stop laughing.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Alan Gordon

I wouldn't use ANYTHING reusable at the closest cinema (chairs being the exception)...

~Alan

Nice to see you back Alan.
Long time no hear. I must say you’ve been having crazy weather in your neck of the woods for it seems like months now.

I just hope your comment doesn’t bring John Carey storming in here as they're doing a promotion right now………

http://investor.dolby.com/releasedet...leaseID=374617

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Dan S.

That was a hilarious video. I even watched part 2 and couldn't stop laughing.

Yeah, it’s a real classic.
The executives over at Uni still pass it around (via e-mail) to this day.

[Penton-Man]

Doctorossi, I know you’re lurking out there, so, please no hints about the outcome, play or anything regarding the Arsenal match today because I don’t know exactly when I’ll have the time to watch the game……so don’t spoil it for me.

P.S.
Same thing applies to Chelsea and Barcelona on Wed.

[Slec]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Doctorossi, I know you’re lurking out there, so, please no hints about the outcome, play or anything regarding the Arsenal match today because I don’t know exactly when I’ll have the time to watch the game……so don’t spoil it for me.

P.S.
Same thing applies to Chelsea and Barcelona on Wed.

And Doc, feel free to hang out with us in the Football Thread during the match (es). Seems to be very little support for our boys to go through.

now back to your regularly scheduled Penton programming.

[Jeff Kleist]

there's a dishwasher like thing they used at Disney for Captain EO. It's perfectly safe to reuse glasses

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Xorp

Will CTHD be available separately?: https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=2650

Any word on specs? I heard a MPEG-2/PCM disc was being prepared a long time ago, but was postponed. When they finally release it hopefully they took the time to do a AVC/TrueHD encode.

Well, I can find out the specs for you but, I can’t comment upon anything that might interfere with sales so, don’t even go there.

Plus, I don’t enjoy reading some of the comments on that page you linked me to so, I may not reveal anything anyway.
To Seretur (first comment), the Blu-ray of House of Flying Daggers was handicapped by the HD master that was provided to SPHE. Sony did not even have the opportunity nor ability to do its own HDCAM SR master, much less have access to the film elements to do a scan.

Additionally, MPEG-2 is not really a bad codec as long as you throw enough bits at the material and the material is rather unchallenging.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

there's a dishwasher like thing they used at Disney for Captain EO. It's perfectly safe to reuse glasses

Couldnt the theater charge for the glasses, and the moviegoer keep them? Next visit, bring your glasses, or be forced to buy another pair.

I personally kept my pair from a couple years ago, just as a "green" gesture, and reuse them.