Groundhog Day (1993)

[amoergosum]

Originally Posted by Ben_UK

Can someone confirm forced subs, yes or no?

Thanks.

>>>
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...&postcount=113

[Ray_Rogers]

Originally Posted by DMRI2006

That hasn't been the case for a while -- it's about 3-5 business days to the USA. It's THAT fast. Comes via DHL, and requires a signature -- just keep that in mind, though the last two times, the DHL guy didn't bother knocking and just left my package at the door.

Amazon JP only offers this one Global Shipping option to the US now and it's also much cheaper than it used to be too. You won't find a better shipping option from Japan in terms of speed and price. I've probably made 3-4 orders over the last 18 months, and they all arrived within 3-5 days once they shipped from Japan. Unless there's a big disparity in pricing on a certain title, there's not much need to order from anyone else if you're in the US.

I finally got around to importing L.A. Confidential 2-Disc JP release from Amazon JP cause the price was right, waited 6 long years just because of the price!, and it took less than 4 days to get to me through DHL. Which was literally over a weekend. Extremely fast but I only ordered the one title.

Still going to order Groundhog Day from CDJapan too but with the double set, it's just a shrinkwrap with both separate releases in their own cases and coverartwork but with a nifty paper thing, which also has The Age of Innocence for $14.93 prior to shipping. Practically a steal and will be doing that with more of the Sony JP double packs.
But I'm still going to have to buy the USA release since I still want all the special features. Just going to use a Vortex 2-Disc case, leave the far better original poster art cover of the JP release with it being the first disc and the USA as the second disc.
In fact I have far too many double packs bookmarked (their wishlist) on CDJapan though.

[Geoff D]

It's always interesting to have a root around in the cheapy section of a site like CDJapan, they've got the Christine/Fright Night double pack, the "Archival Versions" disc of Blade Runner available to buy separate from the fancy boxsets and a few other odds 'n' ends.

[DMRI2006]

Still going to order Groundhog Day from CDJapan too but with the double set, it's just a shrinkwrap with both separate releases in their own cases and coverartwork but with a nifty paper thing, which also has The Age of Innocence for $14.93 prior to shipping.

Just a heads-up the Groundhog Day/Age of Innocence double pack is less at Amazon JP, because they also remove their VAT/consumption tax or whatever they call it (it ends up being 1632 Yen at Amazon JP), which CD Japan doesn't do (they charge 1800 yen).

The only way CD Japan is cheaper on the total cost is if you go with their lowest rung, slowest SAL shipping, which saves you $2 but will literally take weeks opposed to days from Amazon JP.

I used to order from CD Japan and still use it to search items, then take the catalog # and enter it into Amazon JP to find a specific item. They're usually less (especially when you consider Amazon JP removes the local tax), and the shipping is so much better than CD Japan now it's not much of a contest.

[Ray_Rogers]

Originally Posted by DMRI2006

Just a heads-up the Groundhog Day/Age of Innocence double pack is less at Amazon JP, because they also remove their VAT/consumption tax or whatever they call it (it ends up being 1632 Yen at Amazon JP), which CD Japan doesn't do (they charge 1800 yen).

The only way CD Japan is cheaper on the total cost is if you go with their lowest rung, slowest SAL shipping, which saves you $2 but will literally take weeks opposed to days from Amazon JP.

I used to order from CD Japan and still use it to search items, then take the catalog # and enter it into Amazon JP to find a specific item. They're usually less (especially when you consider Amazon JP removes the local tax), and the shipping is so much better than CD Japan now it's not much of a contest.

Thanks for the heads up. I'm still going to keep my wishlist on CDJapan and just do what you're doing for the catalog numbers for Amazon JP. I'll just stick with Amazon JP for my Japanese Blu-ray imports.
I'm still needing to get the superior Blu releases from Japan even though some don't have all the extras which a lot of the USA releases do. So still gonna combine them. Do they have the same exact Priced-Down Reissues CDJapan does through catalog numbers for Amazon JP? Going to enter in some catalog numbers and start adding tons of titles to my wishlist on Amazon JP.

[Geoff D]

Got my JPN disc today, it only took five days to the UK (including the weekend). Nice.

[Bluyoda]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Got my JPN disc today, it only took five days to the UK (including the weekend). Nice.

Sweet. Please let us know how great an upgrade it is, and everything noteworthy regarding the disc, menu, etc..

Enjoy!

[Geoff D]

On first glance: utterly gorgeous, although the skin tones take a very funky turn in the bit when Phil's about to rob the security truck. The reverses are fine, but he looks weirdly jaundiced. Other random scenes (I'm just chapter skipping through it) look great in terms of the colour, hopefully that bit's just a one-off.

The menu's fine. I don't know my kanji from my kaiju, but if you've ever used a Blu-ray or a DVD (yes, I'm being sarcastic) then you know the drill: play movie, language select, scene select. It's only got English DTS-HD MA 5.1 or a Japanese track for audio, and Japanese subtitles on/off for captions. That's it.

[Geoff D]

Just watched it proper and done a bit of comparing to the US Blu-ray. The difference to me is not subtle, the new transfer looks so much more naturalistic it's crazy. The coarse grain & sharpening from the old one has been supplanted by clean edges and a beautifully light dusting of grain. It allows the subtleties of the photography through with more accuracy; that long-ish shot (just after the high establishing shot) of Phil & Rita as he's carving her face out of ice has a little diffusion on it, the effect of which is lost on the old transfer. The newer scan is rock solid too.

Primaries have just a touch more richness, and although that issue with the jaundiced looking skin tones does pop up again here and there, the old one actually has some very similar moments, like the bit I mentioned when Phil robs the van. As he walks across the road counting down, his face is drained of colour in the old Blu whereas there's a bit more life in the new one, but there's still a very strange pallor to him. The blacks are lovely and deep though, providing a feeling of proper density and richness. If this IS one of the 'black crush' titles it doesn't hurt the movie one iota IMO.

Overall, it's not perfect due to the colour niggles but when it's good, it's stunning. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio sounds just a little more clearly defined to me than the TrueHD on the old Blu, but maybe that's just a placebo effect. The dubbed JPN audio is Dolby Digital 2.0 @ 640kb/s. The subtitles are FULLY removable, although there's one instance where they're forced when it translates the billboard on the way to Punxsutawny at the beginning just as long as you play the movie on default settings and turn the subs off manually with your remote instead of selecting the second subtitle option in the disc menu. Many thanks to Cevolution for pointing this out.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Just watched it proper and done a bit of comparing to the US Blu-ray. The difference to me is not subtle, the new transfer looks so much more naturalistic it's crazy. The coarse grain & sharpening from the old one has been supplanted by clean edges and a beautifully light dusting of grain. It allows the subtleties of the photography through with more accuracy; that high establishing shot of Phil & Rita as he's carving her face out of ice has a little diffusion on it, the effect of which is lost on the old transfer. The newer scan is rock solid too.

Primaries have just a touch more richness, and although that issue with the jaundiced looking skin tones does pop up again here and there, the old one actually has some very similar moments, like the bit I mentioned when Phil robs the van. As he walks across the round counting down, his face is drained of colour in the old Blu whereas there's a bit more life in the new one, but there's still a very strange pallor to him. The blacks are lovely and deep though, providing a feeling of proper density and richness. If this IS one of the 'black crush' titles it doesn't hurt the movie one iota IMO.

Overall, it's not perfect due to the colour niggles but when it's good, it's stunning. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio sounds just a little more clearly defined to me than the TrueHD on the old Blu, but maybe that's just a placebo effect. (The dubbed JPN audio is Dolby Digital 2.0 @ 640kb/s. The subtitles are removable, although there's one instance where they're forced when it translates the billboard on the way to Punxsutawny at the beginning.)

Darn. I guess I will have to live with that.

[Vidya]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

The subtitles are removable, although there's one instance where they're forced when it translates the billboard on the way to Punxsutawny at the beginning.)

Darn. You wouldn't happen to know if in that instance the subtitle is burned into the image would you? I ask because my bluray player can remove subtitles so long as they are actually subtitles and are not rendered into the image.

[dvdmike]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Just watched it proper and done a bit of comparing to the US Blu-ray. The difference to me is not subtle, the new transfer looks so much more naturalistic it's crazy. The coarse grain & sharpening from the old one has been supplanted by clean edges and a beautifully light dusting of grain. It allows the subtleties of the photography through with more accuracy; that high establishing shot of Phil & Rita as he's carving her face out of ice has a little diffusion on it, the effect of which is lost on the old transfer. The newer scan is rock solid too.

Primaries have just a touch more richness, and although that issue with the jaundiced looking skin tones does pop up again here and there, the old one actually has some very similar moments, like the bit I mentioned when Phil robs the van. As he walks across the road counting down, his face is drained of colour in the old Blu whereas there's a bit more life in the new one, but there's still a very strange pallor to him. The blacks are lovely and deep though, providing a feeling of proper density and richness. If this IS one of the 'black crush' titles it doesn't hurt the movie one iota IMO.

Overall, it's not perfect due to the colour niggles but when it's good, it's stunning. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio sounds just a little more clearly defined to me than the TrueHD on the old Blu, but maybe that's just a placebo effect. (The dubbed JPN audio is Dolby Digital 2.0 @ 640kb/s. The subtitles are removable, although there's one instance where they're forced when it translates the billboard on the way to Punxsutawny at the beginning.)

That came quickly! Where did you order it from?

[tama]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Just watched it proper and done a bit of comparing to the US Blu-ray. The difference to me is not subtle, the new transfer looks so much more naturalistic it's crazy. The coarse grain & sharpening from the old one has been supplanted by clean edges and a beautifully light dusting of grain. It allows the subtleties of the photography through with more accuracy; that high establishing shot of Phil & Rita as he's carving her face out of ice has a little diffusion on it, the effect of which is lost on the old transfer. The newer scan is rock solid too.

Primaries have just a touch more richness, and although that issue with the jaundiced looking skin tones does pop up again here and there, the old one actually has some very similar moments, like the bit I mentioned when Phil robs the van. As he walks across the road counting down, his face is drained of colour in the old Blu whereas there's a bit more life in the new one, but there's still a very strange pallor to him. The blacks are lovely and deep though, providing a feeling of proper density and richness. If this IS one of the 'black crush' titles it doesn't hurt the movie one iota IMO.

Overall, it's not perfect due to the colour niggles but when it's good, it's stunning. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio sounds just a little more clearly defined to me than the TrueHD on the old Blu, but maybe that's just a placebo effect. (The dubbed JPN audio is Dolby Digital 2.0 @ 640kb/s. The subtitles are removable, although there's one instance where they're forced when it translates the billboard on the way to Punxsutawny at the beginning.)

Good to hear overall. My order is currently in Los Angeles, CA so should be another day or two for me.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by dvdmike

That came quickly! Where did you order it from?

CDjapan.

Originally Posted by Vidya

Darn. You wouldn't happen to know if in that instance the subtitle is burned into the image would you? I ask because my bluray player can remove subtitles so long as they are actually subtitles and are not rendered into the image.

Yes, it's a player generated sub, not burned in.

[Vidya]

Thanks, Geoff. Knowing myself, that little issue would have tempted me to triple-dip (I'm retiring my '09 disc once I receive the JP version) when the likely future US release comes.

[Markgway]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

The subtitles are removable, although there's one instance where they're forced when it translates the billboard on the way to Punxsutawny at the beginning.)

Why would they do that? Surely if you've turned the subs off you don't want any translations... am I wrong?

Originally Posted by Vidya

Darn. You wouldn't happen to know if in that instance the subtitle is burned into the image would you? I ask because my bluray player can remove subtitles so long as they are actually subtitles and are not rendered into the image.

What does that entail? And is it only specific players that can do this?

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by Vidya

Darn. You wouldn't happen to know if in that instance the subtitle is burned into the image would you? I ask because my bluray player can remove subtitles so long as they are actually subtitles and are not rendered into the image.

I'm just curious, how does your player do this? I have a title in my collection where the same thing happens, subs are removable but still forced for a couple of scenes where English text is visible in the movie.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Markgway

Why would they do that? Surely if you've turned the subs off you don't want any translations... am I wrong?



What does that entail? And is it only specific players that can do this?

1st point: true, but this is very much a Japan-only disc, it's not a one-size-fits-all jobbie that's been released over there first, so some quirks are to be expected.

2nd point: certain players (Oppo, recent Panasonics) have a subtitle shift feature, you can move the subs off the screen.

[Cevolution]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

The DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio sounds just a little more clearly defined to me than the TrueHD on the old Blu, but maybe that's just a placebo effect. (The dubbed JPN audio is Dolby Digital 2.0 @ 640kb/s. The subtitles are removable, although there's one instance where they're forced when it translates the billboard on the way to Punxsutawny at the beginning.)

Originally Posted by Geoff D

1st point: true, but this is very much a Japan-only disc, it's not a one-size-fits-all jobbie that's been released over there first, so some quirks are to be expected.

2nd point: certain players (Oppo, recent Panasonics) have a subtitle shift feature, you can move the subs off the screen.

I received my Japanese copy the same day as you Geoff, and I watched it last night. I saw your post about the forced sub translating the billboard and I didn't remember having seen this when I watched it. I went back and checked this on 3 different players (two Oppo players and just now on a Toshiba player as well) and I didn't see it on any of them when the English DTS-HD MA track was selected and with the subtitles turned off. The sub only appears when I select Japanese subtitle option 1 or Japanese subtitle option 2. Unless perhaps I've misunderstood what you were meaning?

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Cevolution

I received my Japanese copy the same day as you Geoff, and I watched it last night. I saw your post about the forced sub translating the billboard and I didn't remember having seen this when I watched it. I went back and checked this on 3 different players (two Oppo players and just now on a Toshiba player as well) and I didn't see it on any of them when the English DTS-HD MA track was selected and with the subtitles turned off. The sub only appears when I select Japanese subtitle option 1 or Japanese subtitle option 2. Unless perhaps I've misunderstood what you were meaning?

I may well be wrong then. How did you turn off the subtitles completely? There are only two options that I can see in the disc's menu itself, so I picked the one which didn't have subs when they were talking, which I assumed was off, but then the billboard bit popped up.

If I go into the player's settings while the disc is running it's saying the subtitles are already off hence why I assumed that that bit was forced, but clearly this varies across players. I've got a Panasonic 310.