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

[Cinema Squid]

Originally Posted by DenonCI

Thanks! So, hypothetically, we're looking at Dec 1, 8, or 15 Great news (hypothetically, of course)

Well, the UK street date is 12-28, so 12-29 is not an unreasonable guess for the US date, but of course it could always show up earlier (or later).

[FourToedStatue]

Just a suggestion

[juanell]

Originally Posted by FourToedStatue

Just a suggestion

I second this. A Soldiers Story and Used Cars would be nice as well :-)

[aramis109]

Looking forward to District 9 on BD... hypothetically, anyway.

Hey, I got nothin' else, but just noticed this morning that Penton has his own smiley- the "Penton"!

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

The good thing that has a lot of people running scared, and this last awards season SERIOUSLY reduced leakage is that the recipiants name is now encoded on the screeners invisibly and cannot be removed. If you leak it they will find you and you will literally pay the price....

Well, I’m not saying that is or isn’t done but even good deterrents aren’t foolproof when it comes to mass material that goes from a place of business into peoples’ private homes (~ 5,800 households) for personal use.

For instance, I don’t believe that many Academy members keep their Oscar screeners locked up in their wall safes or even file cabinets, etc. It’s not uncommon for them to be opened and then placed on one’s desk, coffee table, etc. with all the other home media that comes in the mail, and then during holiday season when you’ve got so many people running through your house, like carpet cleaners, maids, your daughter or son’s teenage next-door-neighbors and such who decide to *borrow* the DVD and *share it with their friends* being clueless or dismissive as to the confidentiality or repercussions of such behavior……and viola!......like the polite bumper sticker says “Stuff Happens”.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by aramis109

Hey, I got nothin' else, but just noticed this morning that Penton has his own smiley- the "Penton"!

I did show a little leg once (anymore and I was fearful that someone in corporate would get jealous)……….
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...&postcount=530

[Jeff Kleist]

Well, I’m not saying that is or isn’t done but even good deterrents aren’t foolproof when it comes to mass material that goes from a place of business into peoples’ private homes (~ 5,800 households) for personal use.

That's why I said "reduced" People were more mindful/careful of them, and where casual lending used to take place more. Accidents can and will happen, but it's more at the forefront of people's minds.

[SpaceDog]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I did show a little leg once (anymore and I was fearful that someone in corporate would get jealous)……….
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...&postcount=530

Don't think I realized before now that you bike. Do you do any distance rides like MS-150?
I did the one here on the coast of NC the last 5 years.

[pro-bassoonist]

Good afternoon Penton.

Pedro Almodovar's latest is set to be released in France very soon:
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=115082

If possible, could you please encourage the folks at SONY to consider a US release (they completely ignored Nikita Mikhalkov's 12 this summer)? SONY also released the wonderful Almodovar Collection on SDVD sometime ago. An encouragement for the set to be released on Blu-ray would also be appreciated.

I don't post here often, unless I absolutely have to , but I would really appreciate it if you encourage the studio to consider releasing more of the films under their SONY Pictures Classics line.

Thank you, Sir.

Pro-B

**And, yes, I do own Volver, it was the first BD I bought a couple of years ago.

[abintra]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

I don't post here often, unless I absolutely have to , but I would really appreciate it if you encourage the studio to consider releasing more of the films under their SONY Pictures Classics line.

I love that line of films. Hardly a dud amongst them.

[PeterTHX]

Hey Penton:

Quick question, it seems Sony/Columiba is starting to zoom in on new transfers, notably titles like Labyrinth and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. It is especially puzzling since 1080p has more resolution, there isn't reason to zoom in like what has been done on some DVD titles.

Just an FYI.

[Vincent Pereira]

Based on some screen grabs I've seen, LABYRINTH seems to have a slight amount of cropping on all four sides compared to the old DVD, but it is very slight and I'm guessing it falls well within SMPTE guidelines.

Vincent

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by SpaceDog

Don't think I realized before now that you bike. Do you do any distance rides like MS-150?
I did the one here on the coast of NC the last 5 years.

Lots of long (including solo 24 hr. stuff) and multi-day mountain bike event/races on both a National as well as International (TransAlp, La Ruta, Trans Rockies, etc.) level but, I’ve only done a tiny handful of roadie stuff of an extended nature......actually posted a pic of my jersey somewhere on this thread from the 25th Anniversary MS Bike Tour.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

I don't post here often, unless I absolutely have to , but.....

Yeah but, it’s a pleasure when you do post here and your contribution to the forum at-large is undeniably productive and positive.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Hey Penton:

Quick question, it seems Sony/Columiba is starting to zoom in on new transfers, notably titles like Labyrinth and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. It is especially puzzling since 1080p has more resolution, there isn't reason to zoom in like what has been done on some DVD titles.

Just an FYI.

You have me at a disadvantage as I am not familiar with the specific work performed on either of the two titles which you mention. The good thing is though that technician turnover in Hollywood is pretty stable compared to that at the corporate level these days……….
http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/2008-12-...sal-and-disney

I can pass the info on to the person(s) directly involved in the transfers; however, keep in mind that you may be surmising there is slight “zooming” when in reality, what you are seeing is slight cropping.
In a nutshell, if you are noticing a slightly different *size* appearance compared to a previous home edition incarnation, then the operator may have felt that he probably would lose more in the filter(less sharp) than he could gain by having a few less pixels when the HD master was produced.

If you don’t follow me…….basically, one has two choices after having scanned a film element at 2k which is used as the source for an HD master.
1. 2k(2048x1556) -> HD (1920x1080) by using a digital filter to resize.

Or

2. 2k(2048x1556) -> HD (1920x1080) by slightly cropping the image.

Many folks believe that procuring a 1920x1080 image by slight cropping (option #2) will give a more accurate result (i.e. looks better) than resizing via a digital filter (option #1), which can induce a slight haziness. If memory serves, check out the Oct. ’07 SMPTE Journal for further elucidation of filter theory. You want to avoid these horrible tiny small ratio numbers (2048 to 1920), if possible, because a digital filter to scale 2048 to 1920 is not without consequence (artifact).

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Vincent Pereira

Based on some screen grabs I've seen, LABYRINTH seems to have a slight amount of cropping on all four sides compared to the old DVD, but it is very slight and I'm guessing it falls well within SMPTE guidelines.

Sounds good to me.
You’re a fan of Allen’s (visa-vee The Godfather restoration)…….are you not?
This is a little dated but, you still may enjoy.
http://www.hdexpo.net/virtual/panels/hfm04.html

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

You have me at a disadvantage as I am not familiar with the specific work performed on either of the two titles which you mention. The good thing is though that technician turnover in Hollywood is pretty stable compared to that at the corporate level these days……….
http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/2008-12-...sal-and-disney

I can pass the info on to the person(s) directly involved in the transfers; however, keep in mind that you may be surmising there is slight “zooming” when in reality, what you are seeing is slight cropping.
In a nutshell, if you are noticing a slightly different *size* appearance compared to a previous home edition incarnation, then the operator may have felt that he probably would lose more in the filter(less sharp) than he could gain by having a few more pixels when the HD master was produced.

If you don’t follow me…….basically, one has two choices after having scanned a film element at 2k which is used as the source for an HD master.
1. 2k(2048x1556) -> HD (1920x1080) by using a digital filter to resize.

Or

2. 2k(2048x1556) -> HD (1920x1080) by slightly cropping the image.

Many folks believe that procuring a 1920x1080 image by slight cropping (option #2) will give a more accurate result (i.e. looks better) than resizing via a digital filter (option #1), which can induce a slight haziness. If memory serves, check out the Oct. ’07 SMPTE Journal for further elucidation of filter theory. You want to avoid these horrible tiny small ratio numbers (2048 to 1920), if possible, because a digital filter to scale 2048 to 1920 is not without consequence (artifact).

Appreciate you looking into it Penton

[Jeff Kleist]

Transfer may not have been at Sony. Henson owns the films and retains control of the elements. Unfortunately all my people there are performers and not techs. They always stare at me blankly when I ask these questions

[aramis109]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Transfer may not have been at Sony. Henson owns the films and retains control of the elements. Unfortunately all my people there are performers and not techs. They always stare at me blankly when I ask these questions

LOL. "Cropping? OAR? Are these props for a set?"

[Bullseye]

Penton sorry if this was asked previously as I was away on vacation for the last couple of weeks. What's the general feeling within Hollywood on Roman Polanski's extradition? I have read some support but I would be amazed if it was widespread.