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

[sharkshark]

forgetting all this two wheel crap, the Oz GP was a excellent ride, for those that took the time to watch it...

SPOILER:



Super nice to see Button make the call that won him the race - huzzah!

[Jeff Kleist]

I saw some drift racing from the train yesterday, and there was a motorcycle show at |Big Site as well, does that count?

[sharkshark]

No, no it does not...

[captveg]

I have to think that by this point Robert Harris is knee deep in figuring out all the important info re: this release, and FOTR in particular. He's obviously read Penton's pleas in this thread.

Of course, I also know he'll do his due diligence of his own viewing and of contacting his sources at WB. Which is why I eagerly anticipate his viewpoint. I can see him bringing to the forefront some extenuating circumstances for this release being the best it can be, as disappointing that would be to many A/V enthusiasts. I can also trust him to be brutally honest if somewhere along the line someone at WB went too far in using unnecessary tools to tweak the video presentation.

But whatever the circumstances, at least there will be more concrete and valuable technical information out there, because at this point I feel like I'm experiencing my own Groundhog Day spreading across the internet forums.

[Monkey]

Originally Posted by sharkshark

what, like this?


re: Not liking Lebowski? Well, you're wrong, clearly. You should watch it in HD (you know... buy a player that can play the disc while waiting for the BD already...) And NCFOM is a work of genius, one that, maybe, you'll learn to like one day.

The issue with Baraka was that people were drawing incorrect conclusions about the causes for the screenshot anomalies, not that there weren't any anomalies to begin with. But, of course, I assume you knew that...

Watching a crappy movie in HD instead of SD doesn't make the movie good, it just improves the picture quality and sound quality.. Hearing "dude" 500 times in lossless is actually probably worse I have no desire to "learn" to like crap. NCFOM is a movie that one has to throw your brain out the door to have any sense of believability. It was entertaining for the first half at least..

"you know... buy a player that can play the disc while waiting for the BD already"

You are going to have to elaborate on this one

As for Baraka, true, that was one issue. Still it is a good transfer, not the best ever, but it looks good. When you have people following "experts" around like blind sheep listening to the advice of the "Experts" well, I guess that is their fault for being sheep.

It is hard to have any respect for people when they make comments on movies such as Baraka

" Originally Posted by Xylon View Post
.....

And DNR on some scenes that almost approaches the level of some of the worst examples of detail scrubbing.

The only thing that is worth praising in this transfer is the lossless audio "

[sharkshark]

Duuude... This aggression will not stand...

[Doctorossi]

Easy now, Shark. I know hearing that from a guy with a prequels avatar is kind of like watching a dude pee on your rug...

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by captveg

I have to think that by this point Robert Harris is knee deep in figuring out all the important info re: this release, and FOTR in particular. He's obviously read Penton's pleas in this thread.

Of course, I also know he'll do his due diligence of his own viewing and of contacting his sources at WB. Which is why I eagerly anticipate his viewpoint. I can see him bringing to the forefront some extenuating circumstances for this release being the best it can be, as disappointing that would be to many A/V enthusiasts. I can also trust him to be brutally honest if somewhere along the line someone at WB went too far in using unnecessary tools to tweak the video presentation.

But whatever the circumstances, at least there will be more concrete and valuable technical information out there, because at this point I feel like I'm experiencing my own Groundhog Day spreading across the internet forums.

I'm afraid that I have little in hard facts in this case. Are there problems in lowered resolution and occasional digital anomalies the first of the series? Certainly. Some of them (and I don't remember what the film looked like on screen to comment) may have been locked into the final production materials. The point that some are missing here, however, is that while this is being released via WB, the trilogy is not Warner product, and AFAIK went through their own post route, outside of the studio proper. They are very much New Line product, and like some other NL productions, share certain eccentricities.

One element of the release that seems to fly in the face of the Blu-ray ethic, is that of preparing for double-dipping when none is seemingly necessary. By that I refer to the fact that both versions of the three films could have, and by the design of Blu-ray, could have been released concurrently, allowing the consumer to put their hard earned dollars down -- once.

RAH

[Monkey]

Originally Posted by Doctorossi

Easy now, Shark. I know hearing that from a guy with a prequels avatar is kind of like watching a dude pee on your rug...

I was inspired by the RedLetterMedia review of the prequels on youtube (if I have time to find the spot I'll link it)

[sharkshark]

Originally Posted by Doctorossi

Easy now, Shark. I know hearing that from a guy with a prequels avatar is kind of like watching a dude pee on your rug...

and then that guy turns out to be friends with the guy who turns out to be the main guy from Lost!!!

Brainwave - who wants to connect Lost's Jacob to the Lebowski world... Cummon, youtubers, get to it!

"Clearly, you're not a golfer..."

I can't make fun of monkey for the silly avatar, I'm man enough to not hate TPM. However, given the fact that he pissed on Lebowski like so much carpetting, I had to point out that that would not be aboded.

Back OT, I'd be curious, RAH, if you could expand upon these certain "curiosities" that plague/plagued NL's HD-disc production methodologies....

I'm funny that I don't mind that there will be two separate releases (hell, I bought the film on DVD three times, TE, EE, and the silly third edition with the branching that included a feature length doc for each film), so it's all kind of money down the drain for me. That said, it would indeed remain frustrating if corners were cut at the BD production stage.

From everything I've seen, it looks to be that the issues may very well be endemic to the master, but, hell, what do I know... I'm still going to buy the bloody thing, unlike the vast majority judging from MKV rips of a retail disc they've yet to actually see...


ps. Oh, crap. You know, you think you're being clever... After I wrote this post I thought I'd check just to see if there are any original ideas anymore:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg5OxQlj5zY

sigh.... I am once again late to the party...

[captveg]

Originally Posted by Robert Harris

I'm afraid that I have little in hard facts in this case. Are there problems in lowered resolution and occasional digital anomalies the first of the series? Certainly. Some of them (and I don't remember what the film looked like on screen to comment) may have been locked into the final production materials. The point that some are missing here, however, is that while this is being released via WB, the trilogy is not Warner product, and AFAIK went through their own post route, outside of the studio proper. They are very much New Line product, and like some other NL productions, share certain eccentricities.

One element of the release that seems to fly in the face of the Blu-ray ethic, is that of preparing for double-dipping when none is seemingly necessary. By that I refer to the fact that both versions of the three films could have, and by the design of Blu-ray, could have been released concurrently, allowing the consumer to put their hard earned dollars down -- once.

RAH

Thanks for the response.

Here's hoping for further insight into what you've stated here on the HTF in your patented "Few words about..." reviews.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by JimSD

You must have some great MTBing in your area SquidPuppet. Here you go:

http://raceacrossthesky.com/store.php

http://www.amazon.com/Race-Across-th...9811553&sr=1-5

The Amazon seller is a couple of dollars cheaper due to lower shipping.

Thank you.

Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes, 72 miles of...





Hiawatha trail...

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

If you’re a big fan, might I suggest you purchase Kristin’s fine book………..http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/..._Interview.php
Another idea would be to shoot Bill Hunt a quick e-mail and ask if he could get her to do an interview (for historical perspective) on the Bits in relation to the recent LOTR Blu-ray release and his review, since Bill may know her. I do know for a fact that he knows her husband, David as I think they're buds from back in college.

Thanks for the link; I have never seen that before.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by JimSD

Penton-Man,
As promised, I have sent you a PM about Race Across The Sky Blu-ray now being up for sale.

Thanks.

I just returned from a ride down there in your neck of the woods - San Diego County, which I hooked up with attending a beach wedding in Mission Beach.
Those folks are a wild lot, to say the least.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by sharkshark

Duuude... This aggression will not stand...

Shark, I luv you bud but Monkey is exactly correct in regards to Baraka. You must have missed some of the *screenshot analysis* or, the perpetrator has since deleted them.

It wasn’t a case of the *screenshot scientist* of record simply posting some soft captures of Baraka and claimed foul (needless DNR). He did say, just as Monkey quoted….”And DNR on some scenes that almost approaches the level of some of the worst examples of detail scrubbing. The only thing that is worth praising in this transfer is the lossless audio.”

Then, the mob grabbed their torches and pitchforks and went wild. The only thing that one could possibly complain about with Baraka is that due to downconversion filter (8k->HD) bias set more toward avoidance of aliasing artifacts, the encoding team then pepped it up with a tad with minimal EE (which you have to hunt for) to counter the softness of the downsampling product. Removing grain and DNR digital manipulation was never in the mindset of the mastering folks for that project.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Robert Harris

I'm afraid that I have little in hard facts in this case. Are there problems in lowered resolution and occasional digital anomalies the first of the series? Certainly. Some of them (and I don't remember what the film looked like on screen to comment) may have been locked into the final production materials. The point that some are missing here, however, is that while this is being released via WB, the trilogy is not Warner product, and AFAIK went through their own post route, outside of the studio proper. They are very much New Line product, and like some other NL productions, share certain eccentricities.

Bob, I’m not so sure that you are correctly characterizing the situation. New Line has been completely absorbed by WB and the way I understand it, everything (technically) is now and since that restructuring has been for quite awhile, under the umbrella of the WB’s technical crew or at least their decision making process, if not directly hands-on.

It’s not like in the old days where the post production facility known as OneK did much of New Line’s mastering and encoding/authoring work. I will say though that George F. personally had little or nothing to do with this project.....and I wouldn't be surprised if he's been bashed by at least several posters all over the internet.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Thank you.

Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes, 72 miles of...

I gota do a biking thing up there.
I know at least a couple companies run organized trips up in your neck of the woods because the mountain biking is so superb with those natural vistas.

[JimSD]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I gota do a biking thing up there.
I know at least a couple companies run organized trips up in your neck of the woods because the mountain biking is so superb with those natural vistas.

I've already started my research...
http://www.skilookout.com/hiawatha/picture_gallery/

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by JimSD

I've already started my research...
http://www.skilookout.com/hiawatha/picture_gallery/

The Hiawatha trail is one way only. Slight descent the whole way. Light gravel. It was built on the removed logging railroad path. It has eleven trestles and nine tunnels (lights required). The trestles are HIGH and some are long. I think a couple exceed 1,000 foot drops. The first time I rode it about ten years ago, the were NO hand rails, chains or any other form of launch prevention. And let me tell you, a path the width of a train feels mighty narrow when you are 1k feet in the air and the breeze is a'blowin and there is nothing between you and a downward flight. NOT for the acrophobic.

Makes fer good picture takin though.

Wild hucklberries grow all along the path, so snacking is quite tastey, for bikers as well as bears. Yes BEAR!

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I’m not so sure that you are correctly characterizing the situation. New Line has been completely absorbed by WB and the way I understand it, everything (technically) is now and since that restructuring has been for quite awhile, under the umbrella of the WB’s technical crew or at least their decision making process, if not directly hands-on.

It’s not like in the old days where the post production facility known as OneK did much of New Line’s mastering and encoding/authoring work. I will say though that George F. personally had little or nothing to do with this project.....and I wouldn't be surprised if he's been bashed by at least several posters all over the internet.

I'm aware of the "absorption," but these would be extant masters, created under NL. I don't believe anything new has been performed.