Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

[octagon]

Originally Posted by retablo

Yeah, you wanted the movie on 1 disc, and I was pointing out that even when shown theatrically, it's on 2 discs (platters). That's irony.

Sorry that needs extensive explaining...

How is the number of reels relevant let alone ironic? When shown on film doesn't pretty much every feature have multiple reels?

Originally Posted by retablo

I guess humor is lost on all of you, lol.

Sure, we can go with that.

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by retablo

Haha... I hope they split it, no reason not to, at the intermission anyway. Why do an 8K scan if it's going to be so compressed that a 2K scan wold suffice?

Having an intermission already incorporated, to me, makes this whole "debate" a non-debate. A logical spilt point already exists, so why not split it?
As I stated previously, I trust whatever Mr. Crisp and his team decide to do with this release.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by rickah88

Again, you are trying way to hard for a message board.

Now that's irony

[metal134]

Originally Posted by octagon

Now that's irony

See, here is someone who ACTUALLY understands the meaning of the word irony.

[I KEEL YOU]

Originally Posted by retablo

Tell that to the Gettysburg and Gods & Generals discs...

I did some research and there were around 6-7 gigabytes of space left unused on the Gettysburg blu ray, which you can bet would be used by Sony for LoA. Secondly, Gettysburg is 1:78:1, LoA is 2:20:1, which allows for better picture quality. And thirdly and most importantly, Gettysburg is over 40 minutes longer than LoA.

As for Gods and Generals, that's not even worth discussing. They left a whopping 20 gigabytes unused on the disc. And it's also the inferior VC-1 codec. Not to mention that it's also over 40 minutes longer than LoA.

Neither of these movies was scanned in the resolution that LoA was scanned in and given the remastering treatment LoA is given. Sony is NOT Warner. If they do put it on one disc, you can bet they will use every last kilobyte. The two examples you brought up are not the best. IMO, if you want to compare it to a longer movie put on a single disc, then compare it with Criterion's Seven Samurai. Sony and Criterion take care of their movies, use up all the space on a blu ray disc and have adequate bit rates, unlike crappy Warner.

[I KEEL YOU]

I would also like to mention that I own a HD DVD of Casino, a 3 hour movie. Unlike Blu rays which go to 50GB, HD DVDs only go to 30. Yet Casino looks amazing, actually slightly better than the blu ray of Casino which I also own. Because of its 2:35:1 aspect ratio, it was able to fit on a single HD DVD with unbelievable picture quality. And it also has the inferior VC-1 codec, plus a bunch of extras on the disc.

[paper tiger]

Due to the intermission it is an obvious cut point and I would love to see this on 2 discs to get the best quality available. However I trust Sony and I know they will do what is best for the film and the presentation.

[The Duke]

Originally Posted by I KEEL YOU

I would also like to mention that I own a HD DVD of Casino, a 3 hour movie. Unlike Blu rays which go to 50GB, HD DVDs only go to 30. Yet Casino looks amazing, actually slightly better than the blu ray of Casino which I also own. Because of its 2:35:1 aspect ratio, it was able to fit on a single HD DVD with unbelievable picture quality. And it also has the inferior VC-1 codec, plus a bunch of extras on the disc.

Why do you keep referring to VC-1 as "the inferior codec"??? It's capable of 1080p in the same quality as AVC, which is why the BDA certified it as one of the 3 codecs used for Blu-ray, along with AVC & Mpeg2. I see no difference in quality in my BDs that use VC-1. In fact, the one BD Disney used VC-1 on - Deja Vu - it looks stunning.

[slick1ru2]

Almost $70? Does Sony have any idea there is a world wide economic depression? I've been wanting this movie since I got a PS3 in 2007 but no way I am spending $60, $50, $40 or even $30 on it. If the 10 Commandments and Cleopatra can cost a fraction of the price, so can LoA.

[I KEEL YOU]

Originally Posted by The Duke

Why do you keep referring to VC-1 as "the inferior codec"??? It's capable of 1080p in the same quality as AVC, which is why the BDA certified it as one of the 3 codecs used for Blu-ray, along with AVC & Mpeg2. I see no difference in quality in my BDs that use VC-1. In fact, the one BD Disney used VC-1 on - Deja Vu - it looks stunning.

VC-1 is great and unlike MPEG2 it's definitely worthy of the blu ray format, but technically it is inferior to AVC. The difference between AVC and VC-1 is nowhere near as big as the difference between VC-1 and MPEG2, but if you want the absolute best, AVC is the way to go. That's why Criterion, Sony and everyone who truly cares about providing the very best picture quality on the blu ray format (unlike Warner) uses AVC.

[benricci]

Originally Posted by slick1ru2

Almost $70? Does Sony have any idea there is a world wide economic depression?

Yeah, they should just be giving it away because some people are out of work.

Last time I checked, this is a luxury item and Sony's in the business of making money.

Let's put things in perspective, here. I think people suffering due to the economy are more concerned with the rising cost of groceries, not the Collector's Edition of Lawrence of Arabia.

And if they are, then they can just buy the stripped-down version later on. Or, there's a region free version they can order from the UK for about 10 quid.

[PrivatePixel]

Originally Posted by slick1ru2

Almost $70? Does Sony have any idea there is a world wide economic depression? I've been wanting this movie since I got a PS3 in 2007 but no way I am spending $60, $50, $40 or even $30 on it. If the 10 Commandments and Cleopatra can cost a fraction of the price, so can LoA.

To be fair, this is for the Collector's Edition, and even at that price, there is an audience for it. I'm sure that Walmart will carry a barebones release in a Viva Elite case for a significantly reduced price for its consumers, and I see Best Buy and Amazon following suit.

[substance]

I am buying this not only day 1 but also the first minute stores open

I love this movie, I love David Lean movies. I am Turkish and I remember watching this movie on Turkish television when I was 7 or 8. The network was bashing it saying its anti-Turkish film but they showed it anyway. Midnight express and Oliver Stone doesn't get much love from the Turks but I remember watching that on Turkish Tv as well.

I guess there is not stopping when one makes great movies. I don't think Lawrence of Arabia is anti-Turkish anyway. Its just showing the collapsing Ottoman Empire. But the Arabs should have sided with the Turks

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by benricci

Yeah, they should just be giving it away because some people are out of work.

Last time I checked, this is a luxury item and Sony's in the business of making money.

Let's put things in perspective, here. I think people suffering due to the economy are more concerned with the rising cost of groceries, not the Collector's Edition of Lawrence of Arabia.

And if they are, then they can just buy the stripped-down version later on. Or, there's a region free version they can order from the UK for about 10 quid.

Thank you!
I never understood why people bring the "economic crunch" into a blu-ray forum. Last time I checked, anything related to blu-ray is a WANT, not a NEED.
I feel for people that are struggling, I know several...but anyone who is struggling should not be looking at blu-ray purchases. No matter how good or bad a deal it may be.

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by octagon

Now that's irony

Actaully is was my opinion being passed off as fact!

[Ernest Rister]

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs utilized - coincidentally - seven reels (according to Trivial Pursuit) in 1937. Thank God we don't have to swap through seven discs to watch that movie.

Anyway, no less than Robert Harris saw the film on one BRD, and he approved it and "saw no problems", and that man's opinion is good enough for me, and it should be good enough for any sentient being.

Having said that, I'm overjoyed that Lawrence is coming to Blu at all, and if Mr. Harris says it's fine on one disc, great. If it was split across two discs, and he approved that one as well, great. Don't care. Just happy to have a Harris-approved release. And I'm REALLY happy it will receive a theatrical re-issue, as my wife has never seen the film, and cinema is the true proper venue for the film.

[CinemaScope]

I'd be very surprised if Lawrence was on only one disc, it's being advertised by at least one UK online retailer as a two disc set. I would think it will be the same discs that are in the big box, minus the third disc of extras & soundtrack CD.

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs utilized - coincidentally - seven reels (according to Trivial Pursuit) in 1937. Thank God we don't have to swap through seven discs to watch that movie.

Anyway, no less than Robert Harris saw the film on one BRD, and he approved it and "saw no problems", and that man's opinion is good enough for me, and it should be good enough for any sentient being.

Having said that, I'm overjoyed that Lawrence is coming to Blu at all, and if Mr. Harris says it's fine on one disc, great. If it was split across two discs, and he approved that one as well, great. Don't care. Just happy to have a Harris-approved release. And I'm REALLY happy it will receive a theatrical re-issue, as my wife has never seen the film, and cinema is the true proper venue for the film.

Ernest,

While I seldom post over here, it was suggested that I reply to yours.

I have viewed an unfinished disc that was MOS. I would presume that it was auto-compressed, and those parameters understood, looked superb.

And as a side note, reels are not always "reels." While in editorial reels are generally no longer than 10 minutes, in projection, they are doubled up, ie. 2,000 feet.

Snow White at seven reels, would be projected on four.

Lawrence, which is 26 reels, was projected on 13. A 70mm print weighed around 600 pounds.

RAH

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by CinemaScope

I'd be very surprised if Lawrence was on only disc, it's being advertised by at least one UK online retailer as a two disc set. I would think it will be the same discs that are in the big box, minus the third disc of extras & soundtrack CD.

The 2nd disc is for extras..

[MifuneFan]

While it would be nice to have it on 2 discs, just for a little reassurance that it's the best it could be, I think people are probably worrying a bit too much at this point. I mean, the movie is just 9 minutes more than Seven Samurai for instance, a movie released by Criterion on a single disc, and that looks superb. Also consider that Seven Samurai has 4 audio tracks included, LPCM Mono, LPCM 2.0, and 2 Audio commentary tracks. Lawrence of Arabia has no commentary tracks (unfortunately), and while we don't know how many audio options it has, it's very possible the data on the disc won't even be as large as what's on the Seven Samurai disc.