"Club Penton" - Ask questions to Hollywood insider "Penton-Man"

[Slec]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Lets see him take these kinds of kicks...

They found something even more annoying than soccer in a Blu-ray.com thread...those stupid horns.

Don't feel threatened, we all know whining is the true sport on blu-ray.com

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by Slec

Don't feel threatened, we all know whining is the true sport on blu-ray.com

Secret is that they were using those horns as interrogation devices at Guantanamo Bay and when they were released some former prisoners brought them to a soccer game...

[J.Cornelius]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

Despite what some audiovideo forums and bloggers think of themselves in terms of online empowerment to provide “pressure” to studios by their postings against DNR, BD Live, 3D etc., the “listening” aspect was really related to empathy on part of people at the studio who desired to upgrade an initial suboptimal software offering in order to give enthusiasts the very best quality (no expense barred) Blu-ray rendition of a cult classic as a gesture of good will.

One would think it would be the studio's best interest to put forth the "very best quality" in the first place not as a goodwill gesture! That right there exemplifies the disconnect between the suits and the end consumer.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by J.Cornelius

One would think it would be the studio's best interest to put forth the "very best quality" in the first place not as a goodwill gesture! That right there exemplifies the disconnect between the suits and the end consumer.

Not in this case.
If one were to have read this thread from the very beginning, one would know that the intention was to provide “the very best quality” from the get-go. It was an oversight during the earliest days of the Blu-ray format. If you would like further detail on the matter, I would suggest you search my previous old posts about the subject, using search words like CRT display, telecine, master, etc. in order to be truly informed without jumping to wrong conclusions.

Also, I note that you apparently missed (or completely disregarded the post at the top of page 728 - THIS PAGE!

Lucky for you, I took the day off and watched the match live but, I’ll put on my moderator hat and see if I can figure out how to edit your post regarding today’s World Cup results. I hate doing that but in this case I think it’s warranted.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Much like people have lost the ability to spell lose without adding an extra "o"

Peter, just testing to see if you were paying attention. That one was intentional.
Believe me, I know all too well that the words lose/loose are your special pet peeves after reading your posts here for three years or so.

[Q?]

You have mod powers right? Just put "no world cup spoilers" on the thread title temporarily

[aygie]

I'm actually embarrassed to be English today. Last night was appalling.

[Cliff]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

It just seems right now people are using the same "Jump To Conclusions" mat on Predator they used on FOTR. From what he's said I don't think Cliff has viewed the full finished product for himself in the proper environment yet.

No, you're absolutely correct. I haven't seen the new Predator release yet (but I will). I'm also (despite what some may infer based on what I've written) not anti-DNR. Not PRO, but not anti. DNR is just a tool and can be used well or used poorly. My preference first and foremost would be to give me the movie as close to the quality that I would have experienced in a great first run theater, but I've watched (and, gasp, enjoyed) the Star Trek Blu-rays, The Thing, and First Blood. I could have also really enjoyed all of them if they had been presented in less than glossy quality, but my eyes never bled and I didn't feel the need to punch puppies as some others seem to after seeing (usually only) screenshots. My beef when it came to Predator was so many people complaining for so long about something that they didn't even SLIGHTLY understand.

[Oliver K]

Originally Posted by Cliff

My preference first and foremost would be to give me the movie as close to the quality that I would have experienced in a great first run theater [...]

Maybe it is just me but I fear that with Blu-Ray being pushed to the masses we will be given this less often.

Which is very unfortunate as many of todays displays and Blu-Ray players have at least acceptable noise reduction circuits that could be used so that everybody is happy.

Originally Posted by Cliff

My beef when it came to Predator was so many people complaining for so long about something that they didn't even SLIGHTLY understand.

I was rather positively surprised with the original release and had hoped for something similar but with higher bitrate AVC encoding and a DL Blu-Ray with the new edition. I did never complain about the MPEG2 and lowish bitrate though as I already feared that this would drive things in the wrong direction.

[Oliver K]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I haven’t been following “the debate on all of the forums” or even on this forum (if even there is one here) but I assume from your tone and implication that it is the typical *excessive DNR* allegation melodramatics?…whether true and accurate or unfounded and exaggerated. Which begs the bigger question…”How really effective in the long-term was the online forums’ outcry (for months) directed against 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment with the Patton internet *debacle*? Apparently, not much, if this is indeed yet another product characterized by needlessly excessive grain reduction.

So, before sharkshark gets to this one, if the screencaps are accurate, I score it:
Online Activists – 0
Grain Haters -1

I think that with releases like the new Predator edition we all lose so I am not really feeling like I am watching a football match from the sidelines as I know that those releases affect me, too.

I do share your sentiment about the "Online Activists" as you call them and their activities. They seem to have less of an influence than they thought they had and I also think that you would not need to be concerned as much about their activities as in the end it seems that the studios mostly arrive at their decisions in ways that don't include listening to online sources.

Thinking about it I have been rather vocal about a few titles, too but I never was so sure that apart from voicing my disapproval it would accomplish much. Today I just don't buy the bad stuff anymore and I also try to watch some of the botched releases theatrically where they still look as they should. So far this has worked out for Patton, Fall of the Roman Empire and Spartacus, which isn't too bad.

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

In regards to grain removal tools, I’ve evaluated many of them (from different companies) and I’ve yet seen one that really removes grain without at the same time, removing detail – despite the claims of the vendors. It always comes down to a trade-off as to whether the side effects of the de-grainer *are better or worse* than the aesthetic appearance of too much grain or grainy inconsistency from scene to scene, which some modern day viewers may find objectionable.

Grover feels much the same in regards to dnr tools… http://www.dvdfile.com/views/article...ome-media-expo

What will happen when there are grain removal tools that really only remove grain? Then we will have to ask ourselves if we still want grain simply for the fact that it was part of the movie making process back in the day. I still want it as I am more interested in a presentation that comes close to what I could have expected in a premiere screening of the movie back in the day than some adjusted version that passes muster with people who seem to want to "bring out the detail and clarity that was always hidden behind all that noise".

[sharkshark]

Originally Posted by aygie

I'm actually embarrassed to be English today. Last night was appalling.

I really was quite shocking (respectfully). Old cliche's about teams playing as individuals stand, but it just was poor, everybody clearly out of it.

Meanwhile, that US/Slovenia game really was excellent - kvetching about the ref aside (in fairness he blew the whistle WELL before the kick), it was a heck of a match, lots of scrappy play, not giving up. Bodes extremely well for both teams that are playing above their level.

I did love when somebody mentioned that they were playing against a country with the population of Brooklyn.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by aygie

I'm actually embarrassed to be English today. Last night was appalling.

Yeah, pretty poor performance. For much of the match (which I endured in its entirety), I isolated on individual players to see if they were actually RUNNING, or for the most part standing around and watching or reacting. It was the later for everyone I think except for Ashley Cole and Gerrard.

I don’t understand why. I don’t know if they are all fatigued from the Premier League season…or if they are in an emotional slump…or if the naming of the starters just hours prior to the match affects their training and mindset?

I just hope they snap out of it no matter what the reason. Currently, the work ethic is abysmal.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Cliff

No, you're absolutely correct. I haven't seen the new Predator release yet (but I will). I'm also (despite what some may infer based on what I've written) not anti-DNR. Not PRO, but not anti. DNR is just a tool and can be used well or used poorly. My preference first and foremost would be to give me the movie as close to the quality that I would have experienced in a great first run theater, but I've watched (and, gasp, enjoyed) the Star Trek Blu-rays, The Thing, and First Blood. I could have also really enjoyed all of them if they had been presented in less than glossy quality, but my eyes never bled and I didn't feel the need to punch puppies as some others seem to after seeing (usually only) screenshots. My beef when it came to Predator was so many people complaining for so long about something that they didn't even SLIGHTLY understand.

Don’t worry about it Cliff. There will always be other things for folks to express their displeasure with in a ‘pro’ or ‘anti’ fashion.

For example, someone recently mentioned an online review of Toy Story 3, which personally not having seen the theatrical presentation but from some of the reviews, sounds to me philosophically like microstereoscopic 3D…
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/user/mw...vt99-final.pdf

Or, if you don’t like technical papers ^ as above, there is always this -
http://www.smpte.org/education/education_pdanow/

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Oliver K

...Thinking about it I have been rather vocal about a few titles, too but I never was so sure that apart from voicing my disapproval it would accomplish much. Today I just don't buy the bad stuff anymore and I also try to watch some of the botched releases theatrically where they still look as they should...

I think that’s a good philosophy.

The futility of Online Activism =
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology...use-depression

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by Oliver K

What will happen when there are grain removal tools that really only remove grain?...

I'm not holding my breath for that day.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by sharkshark

...Meanwhile, that US/Slovenia game really was excellent - kvetching about the ref aside (in fairness he blew the whistle WELL before the kick), it was a heck of a match, lots of scrappy play, not giving up. Bodes extremely well for both teams that are playing above their level....

I think the second half was the best I have ever seen the USA National team play in a World Cup, or for that matter, any meaningful international match with strong consequences as to the final score. Man, did they look good.

As far as the disallowed goal, I didn’t enjoy seeing all the whining from the soccer pundits in the post game commentaries or, for that matter, some of the players themselves immediately after the match.



The soccer gods giveth (the goal in the USA/England match) and the soccer gods taketh away (the goal at the end of the Slovenia match). The way I see it, USA team players and supporters don’t have much to feel ‘cheated’ about in the grand scheme of 'earned fairness' things, esp. given the fact that questionable referee calls are much more common than that goal keeping blunder by England’s keeper in the first match.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by sharkshark

I did love when somebody mentioned that they were playing against a country with the population of Brooklyn.

Shark, you're just too kind to the egos of us Yanks.

[aygie]

Originally Posted by Penton-Man

I don’t understand why. I don’t know if they are all fatigued from the Premier League season…or if they are in an emotional slump…or if the naming of the starters just hours prior to the match affects their training and mindset?

I think it's this the deflation from Green's error seemed to have gotten the better of them. I also can't believe Capello didn't play Green, the man must be crushed, but David James had an excellent match.

I just hope they snap out of it no matter what the reason. Currently, the work ethic is abysmal.

Agreed, change the formation, leave Heskey off, get Joe Cole in and tell Rooney to stop freaking out when the balls passed to him.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by aygie

I think it's this the deflation from Green's error seemed to have gotten the better of them. I also can't believe Capello didn't play Green, the man must be crushed,...

I agree.

I hope that the coach’s decision was made entirely upon Green’s mindset and physical performance in the practice sessions earlier this week after the USA match (and the confidence of the back defensive line in his ability or lack thereof) rather than other factors.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by aygie

Agreed, change the formation, leave Heskey off, get Joe Cole in and tell Rooney to stop freaking out when the balls passed to him.

Or petition FIFA to allow him to wear a ManU jersey during the World Cup.