Gladiator (2000)

[benricci]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

DVD wasn't commercially available until lat 1996 I believe...... I think I got my first player VERY EARLY in late 1997

It was announced in 1996, available to test markets in early 1997 and the full retail roll-out was late '97 in the States.

Most retailers didn't fully support DVD hardware or software until later in 1998, though.

[Buddy Christ]

Originally Posted by benricci

No - try late 1997 for the US launch of DVD (1998 for Europe). DVD has really only been on shelves for a little over a decade.

Too much acid

[dolphinc]

Originally Posted by benricci

No - try late 1997 for the US launch of DVD (1998 for Europe). DVD has really only been on shelves for a little over a decade.

1997 - In March, the first DVD players went on sale in the U.S., with 349,482 players and 2 million discs sold by the end of the year. In April, Sony released its first commercial DVD player in the U.S., the model DVP-S7000. Sony's DVD plant in Terre Haute, Indiana, opened in the summer of 1997. The Digital Audio Disc Corporation (DADC) "was the first manufacturer of compact discs in the United States, recently celebrated the manufacture of its billionth compact disc and remains the largest CD manufacturing facility in the country today."

[banned user105]

Originally Posted by Blu2U

In my letter I purposely tried to sound NOT like someone who knows a lot about the process. They need to know that regular people are displeased,

Exactly

[TheHOYT]

Originally Posted by fuzzynutkila

I just picked up both Braveheart and Gladiator from Best Buy.... when you buy both, they are $17.99 each. That means if you own the dvd of either, it's really only $7.99 per blu ray($10 trade in value.....which sounds good to me. BAM!

Yeah, despite the moaning about the PQ on Gladiator, I just couldn't resist this offer!

[Gremal]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

Tell the good people here what you think about Gladiator on blu-ray, your opinion is always warmly appreciated by me.

Thanks...I do plan to head out to Fry's in 7 minutes to get it. Will let you know soon.

[Philnerd]

Originally Posted by Blurayfan88

Seriously, if they botch up Star Trek i'm going to be sooo pissed.

Nah, their catalog stuff is all over the map, but their new releases are consistently outstanding. I won't hesitate to pick up Star Trek on release day.

Hehe.. now if you're talking the Next Gen movies who knows

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by dolphinc

1997 - In March, the first DVD players went on sale in the U.S., with 349,482 players and 2 million discs sold by the end of the year. In April, Sony released its first commercial DVD player in the U.S., the model DVP-S7000. Sony's DVD plant in Terre Haute, Indiana, opened in the summer of 1997. The Digital Audio Disc Corporation (DADC) "was the first manufacturer of compact discs in the United States, recently celebrated the manufacture of its billionth compact disc and remains the largest CD manufacturing facility in the country today."

I guess I was on board with DVD earlier than I thought..... I picked up my first player and took it to college with me, and I graduated H.S. in 1997..... I just thought they were around the year before.... guess not

I know it was HARD to find DVDs though (none in my town) when I first got my DVD player..... and the internet wasn't even something I had!


BACK ON TOPIC. Who else has seen the movie, that wishes to comment?

I encourage everyone who has seen it, to give an honest, and in depth review on this site.

[nycomet]

Originally Posted by fuzzynutkila

I just picked up both Braveheart and Gladiator from Best Buy.... when you buy both, they are $17.99 each. That means if you own the dvd of either, it's really only $7.99 per blu ray($10 trade in value.....which sounds good to me. BAM!

Thanks for the tip. I purchased both Glad and BHeart from Best Buy this morning and got the deal. Since I have both on oldray DVD, I will be mailing in the rebate tomorrow. I just hope that the rebate gets processed. In the past I have sent in rebates (and I followed the instructions exactly) and the rebate fund were NEVER mailed back to me. Some of those mail in rebates are scams. Hopefully, PMount will come through.

[Philnerd]

Originally Posted by bandit29

I find all this Gladiator discussion shallow and pedantic.

Darnit, if only there was some way for you to not have to read it.

[Jumpman]

Having finally finished it, out of five stars, I'd give the picture quality on Gladiator 3.8.

Could've been pristine but not nearly as bad as being reported. Not matter how you feel, it IS a pretty darn good improvement over the DVDs.

[HAVOKK]

Ive seen it.. its a good movie regardless of quality so I felt is was worth the watch.. However, the PQ takes alot away from it.. I honestly feel like I could have gotten the same experience out of the DVD to be honest but thats me..

Id suggest renting just to watch it as a classic epic flick or buying if your a fan of the movie.. Like I said, its a good movie regardless but the PQ certainly doesnt add anything.

posted some screens in the Bluray Screen thread btw..

[Chordata]

Originally Posted by HAVOKK

Ive seen it.. its a good movie regardless of quality so I felt is was worth the watch.. However, the PQ takes alot away from it.. I honestly feel like I could have gotten the same experience out of the DVD to be honest but thats me..

.

Hopefully you and everyone else dissatisfied continue to write e-mails to the studio.

[BaronVH]

With Best Buy having these at basically $17 with a $10 mail in rebate, I couldn't pass up a $7 Blu-ray regardless of the complaints. My setup allows me to switch instantly from DVD to Blu-ray, and a comparison between the two is vast. I think the first release DVD is rather poor, which is what I used. On the DVD the colors are very muted, and the black levels are awful. The sound, while really good, is rather harsh. The Blu-ray had huge improvements in the colors, black level, and sound, but the image problems are there, just at $7, not bad enough for me not to get with a 50" display. A fairly recent best picture winner should not be released with this controversy.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by HAVOKK

Ive seen it.. its a good movie regardless of quality so I felt is was worth the watch.. However, the PQ takes alot away from it.. I honestly feel like I could have gotten the same experience out of the DVD to be honest but thats me..

Id suggest renting just to watch it as a classic epic flick or buying if your a fan of the movie.. Like I said, the PQ doesnt take from the movie but it certainly doenst add anything..

posted some screens in the Bluray Screen thread btw..

You kind of contradict yourself there on the PQ. What I think is the movie itself is outstanding. Very well scripted and cast and directed. YES, the PQ does hurt the movie because it can be very distracting and that makes even a great classic like Gladiator a little less watchable. The sound IS better than it's ever been so if you're an audio junkie like some of you are, this movie's for you.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by BaronVH

With Best Buy having these at basically $17 with a $10 mail in rebate, I couldn't pass up a $7 Blu-ray regardless of the complaints. My setup allows me to switch instantly from DVD to Blu-ray, and a comparison between the two is vast. I think the first release DVD is rather poor, which is what I used. On the DVD the colors are very muted, and the black levels are awful. The sound, while really good, is rather harsh. The Blu-ray had huge improvements in the colors, black level, and sound, but the image problems are there, just at $7, not bad enough for me not to get with a 50" display. A fairly recent best picture winner should not be released with this controversy.

That's a good distinction to make.... because "Waxy" looking faces are certainly unfortunate..... but the color replication of Blu-ray is certainly a huge improvement over DVDs.

I am eager to check out the audio more than anything at this point.

[Gremal]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I am eager to check out the audio more than anything at this point.

Yep!

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

You kind of contradict yourself there on the PQ. What I think is the movie itself is outstanding. Very well scripted and cast and directed. YES, the PQ does hurt the movie because it can be very distracting and that makes even a great classic like Gladiator a little less watchable. The sound IS better than it's ever been so if you're an audio junkie like some of you are, this movie's for you.

You didn't fall in love with the movie in the theater, and then lose interest because you were watching it on DVD did you???? So how is this Blu-ray going to make the movie any less watchable to someone who has seen it on DVD, or not at all for that matter?

[HAVOKK]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

You kind of contradict yourself there on the PQ. What I think is the movie itself is outstanding. Very well scripted and cast and directed. YES, the PQ does hurt the movie because it can be very distracting and that makes even a great classic like Gladiator a little less watchable. The sound IS better than it's ever been so if you're an audio junkie like some of you are, this movie's for you.

I edited the PQ thing right after i wrote it :P

But yea, im not trying to complain about the movie itself.. Id watch it again in a heatbeat but for a BD, it just didnt impress me.. Ive seen so many other successful BD that have a great movie plus great PQ that this one just sortof disappointed.

But, again thats my opinion.. if someone else was to say this movie was sharp and clear as hell id be just fine with that.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by Gremal

Yep!

You hear things you never heard before, like the slight echo of footsteps in the palace, the over-done clang as fake swords collide and the rustling of robes as people move from one spot on set to another. Truly a RQ blu-ray, AQ wise anyhow.