Gladiator (2000)

[HDPlasma]

Originally Posted by anomynous

You don't trade in anything at Best Buy, it's a manufacturer's rebate included with the movies.

The best buy dead is buy both, get an extra $10 off.

Correct.
Just like the Paramount Transformers trade in.
You need to send in the DVD UPC in with the rebate form with the original receipt(no copies) and 6-10 weeks later you get your $10.

It's most likely comparable to this rebate.

[whippersnapper]

Originally Posted by HDPlasma

But you will notice they didn't do any comparison shots against the Extended shots on the blu-ray release.
That is one of the benchmarks used that helped determine that Paramount did a half hearted job getting this release out.
Is is a dramatic difference in detail/PQ when you compare the remastered extended cuts on the blu-ray release again theatrical shots in the movie.

Still glad though that Bill Hunt shut down the HD DVD conspiracy theorists, which haven't even admitted they were wrong.

Bill Hunt without a doubt provides the most reputable reviews of DVD & Blu-ray of anyone in the business. His reviews are spot on and after reading his review of Gladiator I'm taking a pass on this version. I'll wait for the better one which will come.

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/

[Kirsty_Mc]

Originally Posted by ai3rocks57

Anyone know if the Overseas version will have a better transfer? (ie; the apparently Region Free German release from Universal)

It's the same transfer apparently

[deado]

Originally Posted by Kirsty_Mc

It's the same transfer apparently

Yeh, makes sense considering that Universal did the transfer.

[Mr. Joshua]

Originally Posted by whippersnapper

Bill Hunt without a doubt provides the most reputable reviews of DVD & Blu-ray of anyone in the business. His reviews are spot on and after reading his review of Gladiator I'm taking a pass on this version. I'll wait for the better one which will come.

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/

Now I'm rethinking my Gladiator purchase. This should not have happened.

[Yautja]

Im still getting a copy of this film regardless, just love it!

[nathanp]

Just cancelled my preorder, thanks to everyone who reported on this, you just saved me about $30!

[robertc88]

I still don't know why so many folks preorder movies. The preordered price one was getting was probably far less then stellar to begin with for a catalog title and easily slammed by Best Buy's deal afterwards!

No preorders for me unless the deal is outstanding (like Star Trek TNG box set)!

[robertc88]

Well I haven't seen and more reviews in the last 12 hours or so either but learned professionals or folks getting their copy and giving their opinions. I know we'll see more before release day which would be helpful to some waiting to read more though they probably have made up their minds at least somewhat on what they are planning to do.

[Suntory_Times]

Originally Posted by robertc88

Well I haven't seen and more reviews in the last 12 hours or so either but learned professionals or folks getting their copy and giving their opinions. I know we'll see more before release day which would be helpful to some waiting to read more though they probably have made up their minds at least somewhat on what they are planning to do.

I'm simply praying that Australia gets a different video transfer.

[Petri Teittinen]

Originally Posted by Suntory_Times

I'm simply praying that Australia gets a different video transfer.

That's very unlikely, unfortunately.

[syncguy]

Originally Posted by Suntory_Times

I'm simply praying that Australia gets a different video transfer.

Unlikely... since it is one transfer for all countries That may change you never know.

[johnsmeets]

canceled my preorder after reading bill,s review
I,l wait for a better transfer i,m not in a hurry.
I will order braveheart

[persuazion]

I cant wait to pick this up!!!

[Suntory_Times]

Originally Posted by syncguy

Unlikely... since it is one transfer for all countries That may change you never know.

Hence why I'm praying. If it does I hope its region free for the rest of the world, though I agree it's unlikely (though still remotely possible, stranger things happen all the time after-all).

That being said, I can live with a poor Gladiator transfer (though I wont buy it), however if the Lord of the Rings transfers are poor, by god I shall be angry.

[onemorechance]

haa cancelled my pre-order!

[GoBlu08]

I too went to dvdbeaver and looked at the screenshots and to be honest they look awesome. Braveheart also looks awesome to me as well. Both of these movies are incredible and I have to have both in my collection.

[Brandon]

Well, here's my impressions - from a strictly layman, "average joe" point of view. I'm not trained to spot all these technical defects, etc...but if anyone wants to know what it looks like just casually watching it, without trying to spot all the problems, here is my experience. I watched it on a 42" LCD, so again, apparently not large enough to spot a lot of the flaws that the other pro reviewers spot.

The missing arrows/fireballs: Watching it in normal motion as part of the film, not concentrating on spotting them - I did not notice anything. I even told my girlfriend about the part as it was coming up and told her to watch for the flames disappearing and appearing. She said it looked fine. This part I did rewind twice, and the third time I watched it, I did spot one arrow kind of disappear, but it was more like a flicker of the flame or something. Not major. I didn't notice any big fireballs disappear, but again, I wasn't really watching for it. None of these effects took me out of the film experience.

The picture quality: There is definitely a huge difference in the extended scenes, even a non-trained eye like mine easily spotted it. The extended scenes really looked high definition. I don't really know how to spot edge enhancement but if DNR means there is very little grain with the loss of detail in the picture, especially faces, etc...there is definitely DNR. There seemed to be very little detail in faces in most scenes. I skipped around to the battle scenes, and they looked pretty damn good. It's been a long time since I watched the DVD, so I can't really compare, but they didn't strike me as being horrible picture quality. Overall the picture was far from one of those movies where you think "wow, this is why I watch blu-ray."

As other reviews have said, this is better than DVD, so if you are a fan of the film and can't wait, buy it. But it is nowhere near reference quality. Since there is such a difference between the extended scenes and the theatrical scenes, it might be a good idea to wait for the next release, if there is one.

[meowCat]

Well that's sucks to hear about the Gladiator in terms of PQ...

Loss of details, houston, we have a damn problem.

Some artifacts? houston, we have another problem.

from what it sounded it has enough contrast / pop. It's okay to have a little stronger contrast than being less contrasty.

The reviewer didn't complain about the color / flash tones, sounded okay.

Oh wait.. extended scenes look good but the rest of it are not? they used the original master from 2000? well that's a BIG problem houston. I can't tolerate inconsistency.... the PQ needs to be good from the beginning to the end of the movie.


Well Thanks for letting us know that the Glaidator sucks. I'm definitely not going to buy it. I'll just pick up a copy of Braveheart since this one has good PQ.


So I take it it may take another 10 years to come up with a new digital remaster of this film Gladiator and make all the final tweaks to make the PQ look good? FORGET IT..... I will never buy this movie for the rest of my life. I'm the one was very anticipating to get this movie like 3 or so years ago and now I hear PQ issues already. Great going, dreamworks or paramount or whatever. You fail......

[supersix4]

Originally Posted by BrandonT

Well, here's my impressions - from a strictly layman, "average joe" point of view. I'm not trained to spot all these technical defects, etc...but if anyone wants to know what it looks like just casually watching it, without trying to spot all the problems, here is my experience. I watched it on a 42" LCD, so again, apparently not large enough to spot a lot of the flaws that the other pro reviewers spot.

The missing arrows/fireballs: Watching it in normal motion as part of the film, not concentrating on spotting them - I did not notice anything. I even told my girlfriend about the part as it was coming up and told her to watch for the flames disappearing and appearing. She said it looked fine. This part I did rewind twice, and the third time I watched it, I did spot one arrow kind of disappear, but it was more like a flicker of the flame or something. Not major. I didn't notice any big fireballs disappear, but again, I wasn't really watching for it. None of these effects took me out of the film experience.

The picture quality: There is definitely a huge difference in the extended scenes, even a non-trained eye like mine easily spotted it. The extended scenes really looked high definition. I don't really know how to spot edge enhancement but if DNR means there is very little grain with the loss of detail in the picture, especially faces, etc...there is definitely DNR. There seemed to be very little detail in faces in most scenes. I skipped around to the battle scenes, and they looked pretty damn good. It's been a long time since I watched the DVD, so I can't really compare, but they didn't strike me as being horrible picture quality. Overall the picture was far from one of those movies where you think "wow, this is why I watch blu-ray."

As other reviews have said, this is better than DVD, so if you are a fan of the film and can't wait, buy it. But it is nowhere near reference quality. Since there is such a difference between the extended scenes and the theatrical scenes, it might be a good idea to wait for the next release, if there is one.

Yeah, I'm just looking for an upgrade at the moment to get the best sound/video thats out now(we'll probably see a revision in the next 1-5years), and it seems like even an imperfect gladiator to perfectionists is better then watching HBOHD w DD audio. Only time I'd be mad about having to buy a re-release if next month they bring one out that says full 2009 restoration.