Lawrence of Arabia 4K UHD (1962)

[teddyballgame]

Originally Posted by Mister_Kidd

Not taking any chances this time. Just preordered from Bull Moose.

ya done good kidd

[Bugg]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

I hate the cover artwork so much...that's what's put me off, waiting for a version without that garbage art. I just assumed there'd eventually be a non-steel release eventually, with different artwork.

It does look a lot better in hand than the pics show. The colors are a bit darker and less gaudy.

[panasonicst60]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

On the fence.

[emgesp]

Originally Posted by thebarnman

All I can say is I hope anyone and everyone who wants to procrastinate thinking a different edition will come out sooner or later, or waiting for the price to go down...just finally jump on the bandwagon and get this.

The quality isn't the best but it is available and it's at a decent price. No excuses this time!

What does this mean?

[Warm Gun]

Originally Posted by emgesp

What does this mean?

[Show spoiler]

I just accessed my server and picked a random scene. Rather mucky. Look at the grain. The disc is crammed. Not sure about disc 2. That one's a BD-66.

To be honest, I have not rewatched this since the original Columbia 4K boxset came out. I started rewatching it some months ago, but the theme song highlighted a rattling in my surround that I had tried to ignore for a while, prompting me to stop the movie at about 38 minutes and get the speaker replaced.

[thebarnman]

Originally Posted by Wintermute

What do you mean, how is this edition inferior?

Originally Posted by emgesp

What does this mean?

Geoff's review and or many of his comments about how high frequency information from the scan has been filtered away.

The image is nice, but not as nice as it can be. It was probably done to hide some noise in the aging film elements. But film is film and I'd rather see more of the film elements.

Maybe one day a better version of this film will be released onto UHD Blu-ray.

[Wintermute]

Originally Posted by thebarnman

Geoff's review and or many of his comments about how high frequency information from the scan has been filtered away.

The image is nice, but not as nice as it can be. It was probably done to hide some noise in the aging film elements. But film is film and I'd rather see more of the film elements.

Maybe one day a better version of this film will be released onto UHD Blu-ray.

Ahh, makes sense now. And here I'd been trusting random people in various sites' comments sections who were saying how spectacular this UHD is, maybe one of the very best ever, etc. Seems like i saw so many people saying that that I just took it for granted---I should've known to scour the blu-ray.com forums for the *real* scoop.

That being said, this upcoming re-print is no worse or different than earlier prints, right?

[thebarnman]

Originally Posted by Wintermute

Ahh, makes sense now. And here I'd been trusting random people in various sites' comments sections who were saying how spectacular this UHD is, maybe one of the very best ever, etc. Seems like i saw so many people saying that that I just took it for granted---I should've known to scour the blu-ray.com forums for the *real* scoop.

That being said, this upcoming re-print is no worse or different than earlier prints, right?

That's correct as far as I know. Yes, being able to see some film noise would also allow for more detail to shine through.

Overall, it's not bad and it's quite good...just not the best it can be. If your on the sidelines, I would just get it as that would make waiting for a even better version of the film (who knows how long that would take) much less painful.

[JohnCarpenterLives]

Originally Posted by Hedrox

Yeah, if you're in the US, cause Sony can't be bothered to put it out in a few extra markets.

I paid 50€ to import the Starship Troopers steelbook, not doing that again. I just can't justify it.

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

I hate the cover artwork so much...that's what's put me off, waiting for a version without that garbage art. I just assumed there'd eventually be a non-steel release eventually, with different artwork.

Dude, I was waiting for that but at this point I am seriously not sure if that is going to happen. We still don't even have a solo Taxi Driver release. I feel the same way about the artwork, and to a lesser degree the Starship Troopers steel artwork. At this point I am going to bite the bullet and pay the premium for both, shitty artwork and all.
If regular editions come out maybe I can sell the steel for at least what I paid like I did with Hunt for Red October.

Originally Posted by Mister_Kidd

Not taking any chances this time. Just preordered from Bull Moose.

Just placed my preorder for both Lawrence and Starship Troopers! Thank you for reminding me.

Originally Posted by thebarnman

Geoff's review and or many of his comments about how high frequency information from the scan has been filtered away.

The image is nice, but not as nice as it can be. It was probably done to hide some noise in the aging film elements. But film is film and I'd rather see more of the film elements.

Maybe one day a better version of this film will be released onto UHD Blu-ray.

Does Geoff recommend it over the bluray? Is this the best home video option there is?

[thebarnman]

Originally Posted by JohnCarpenterLives

Does Geoff recommend it over the bluray? Is this the best home video option there is?

Here's what he says about the 4K HDR vs the 4K SDR https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...postcount=1750

Here he talks about why he likes the SDR version (vs the HDR verion) again, but this time addresses more of the film issues that complicate things.
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...postcount=1739

More details about sharpening the UHD Blu-ray to help it a little. https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...&postcount=887

I also read someone saying it's not much of a improvement over the Blu-ray...but if that's the case, the UHD Blu-ray would then have to be slightly better...particularly in the reds.

[SoundCreateUnit]

This is currently up for preorder on Amazon. $45.99 (hopefully that price drops a bit sometime between now and release date).

https://www.amazon.com/Lawrence-Arabia-Anniversary-Limited-Steelbook/dp/B09TLBJNPT/ref=sr_1_2?crid=B7BW2CPTMAQU&keywords=lawrence+of+ arabia+4k&qid=1693492469&sprefix=lawrence+of+arabi a+4k%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-2

[Wintermute]

Originally Posted by SoundCreateUnit

This is currently up for preorder on Amazon. $45.99 (hopefully that price drops a bit sometime between now and release date.

Hmm---on that page, I don't see any "pre-order guarantee" of matching price-drops, though...

[James Luckard]

Originally Posted by SoundCreateUnit

This is currently up for preorder on Amazon. $45.99 (hopefully that price drops a bit sometime between now and release date).

https://www.amazon.com/Lawrence-Arabia-Anniversary-Limited-Steelbook/dp/B09TLBJNPT/ref=sr_1_2?crid=B7BW2CPTMAQU&keywords=lawrence+of+ arabia+4k&qid=1693492469&sprefix=lawrence+of+arabi a+4k%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-2

Sold out already, it seems.

Just like Target, gone in hours.

Glad I ordered from Bull Moose.

[trespoochies]

Originally Posted by thebarnman

Here's what he says about the 4K HDR vs the 4K SDR https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...postcount=1750

Here he talks about why he likes the SDR version (vs the HDR verion) again, but this time addresses more of the film issues that complicate things.
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...postcount=1739

More details about sharpening the UHD Blu-ray to help it a little. https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...&postcount=887

I also read someone saying it's not much of a improvement over the Blu-ray...but if that's the case, the UHD Blu-ray would then have to be slightly better...particularly in the reds.

I tend not to scrutinize on the level of so many people on this forum the movies I watch. I've had this from this Columbia Classics box set, so I've had it a few years now. But for me, this is about as good as this movie will ever look. And I have owned just about all versions released (mostly Stateside releases). The 4K offering is miles above anything previously released. I'm very happy with it and I hope most people enjoy this release for what it is.

[emgesp]

Originally Posted by thebarnman

Geoff's review and or many of his comments about how high frequency information from the scan has been filtered away.

The image is nice, but not as nice as it can be. It was probably done to hide some noise in the aging film elements. But film is film and I'd rather see more of the film elements.

Maybe one day a better version of this film will be released onto UHD Blu-ray.

Obviously, I've only seen caps, but definitely doesn't look like a DNR disaster or anything. Definitely has a grain field still.

Anyways, so happy I got my preorder in at Bullmoose before the preorder sold out. $29.99 is much better than $200+ lol.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by emgesp

Anyways, so happy I got my preorder in at Bullmoose before the preorder sold out. $29.99 is much better than $200+ lol.

I ordered a copy from Bullmoose as well. Are they pretty reliable with fulfilling preorders?

[emgesp]

Originally Posted by Alan T

I ordered a copy from Bullmoose as well. Are they pretty reliable with fulfilling preorders?

First time ordering there, but from what I've read they have a really good reputation.

[BluraySe7en]

Once again the UK Market gets looked over, what is the big deal, just release it in a standard case.

They just take the piss out of us that want to still buy physical formats.

No not all of us have a bank account that can get these first time round and if I remember it wasn't exactly that widely available here anyway.

HMV never had it, I think Amazon had it briefly and Zavvi.

Like I said it takes the piss, it's one the great British films ever made, surely it should be available here in the best possible format.

Rant over, apologies I have Covid.

[matbezlima]

Originally Posted by Wintermute

Ahh, makes sense now. And here I'd been trusting random people in various sites' comments sections who were saying how spectacular this UHD is, maybe one of the very best ever, etc. Seems like i saw so many people saying that that I just took it for granted---I should've known to scour the blu-ray.com forums for the *real* scoop.

That being said, this upcoming re-print is no worse or different than earlier prints, right?

Don't hesitate buying this 4K though. Lawrence Of Arabia looking 90% as good as it could potentially be is still a visual marvel to behold and be in awe of. In fact, this being Lawrence Of Arabia is why any minor flaws here can feel like a far bigger deal than in UHDs of almost any other films, because if a film deserves a truly perfect UHD, it's Lawrence Of Arabia. It already looks stunning overall. Not to mention that the original Lawrence Of Arabia 1080p blu-ray can rival UHDs, and this 4K disc is more detailed than that Blu-ray, though there is not as much of an increase in detail as one would hope for, partially due to the filtering.

The slight filtering here happened because they wanted to minimize a bit the digital restoration artefacts and issues of the extremely damaged negative (all of which are more visible now in HDR) while also avoiding any visible DNR. Ideally, this film should probably get a new restoration eventually, as the 4K restoration effort from 2012 was fantastic for its time, but its cracks start to show in this UHD, and there is also more grain here than one would expect from a large-format film, specially 70mm. A screenshot shared in this page a few comments above shows this: you can see coarser grain than what you would expect from 70mm film, and large-format in general (compare it with Vertigo, for example, that film's 4K disc has spectacularly fine grain in all but a few moments, as we expect from large-format such as VistaVision).

But I understand why Sony haven't done a new restoration yet: the 2012 restoration took two years and was an insanely expensive and hard effort. It makes sense why Sony wouldn't want to throw that work away, reusing it for this UHD.

[Egbert Souse]

Worth noting that the 4K restorations of both Lawrence of Arabia and Vertigo were done around the same time, as well as Singin' in the Rain, Jaws, and Rear Window.