The Bullet Train (1975) [Eureka | Eureka Classics] - April 24, 2023

[CrockettandTubbs]

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-B...327112/#Review

Less than stellar PQ, according to blu-ray.com's review.

"I found the technical presentation very frustrating and ultimately disappointing. It appears that someone was guessing how the film should look, so when the 2K master was graded several mistakes were made that destroyed its native appearance. For example, virtually all whites and blues are affected by a harsh green cast that makes different sections of the film have a neon-esque appearance."

"Daylight footage can look particularly poor because the green cast eliminates the different white, blue, and even proper green nuances."

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by tomblu

Just watched this one.

Fantastic film, thoroughly enjoyed it. Transfer looked great and so does the artwork. Not had chance to check the extras out or the booklet yet.

Any recommendations of similar Japanese titles or more from the actors in this one?

I had gone through a Sonny Chiba kick years ago, which is when I first came across Bullet Train. Out of his films, I deeply enjoyed Golgo 13: Assignment Kowloon, The Executioner, The Street Fighter series, and GI Samurai (also known as The Time Slip). I recall seeing 1980's Virus and thinking it was okay. I kind of warmed up Ninja Wars as a guilty pleasure. I'd say most of these are fun, but The Street Fighter is probably the most essential of the lot.

But as far as movies like Bullet Train go, if it's more thrillers and suspense you're looking for, High and Low should be worth a look too.

[Ben_R]

Originally Posted by CrockettandTubbs

[Show spoiler]https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-B...327112/#Review

Less than stellar PQ, according to blu-ray.com's review.

"I found the technical presentation very frustrating and ultimately disappointing. It appears that someone was guessing how the film should look, so when the 2K master was graded several mistakes were made that destroyed its native appearance. For example, virtually all whites and blues are affected by a harsh green cast that makes different sections of the film have a neon-esque appearance."

"Daylight footage can look particularly poor because the green cast eliminates the different white, blue, and even proper green nuances."

I wouldn’t let that review be your guidance. Pick it up, watch it with your own eyes, in your own environment on your own equipment. If you like it keep it, if you don’t sell it.

If you don’t like it, wait until it’s OOP and chuck it on eBay in an auction. You won’t loose out.

[Modman]

Originally Posted by Ben_R

I wouldn’t let that review be your guidance. Pick it up, watch it with your own eyes, in your own environment on your own equipment. If you like it keep it, if you don’t sell it.

If you don’t like it, wait until it’s OOP and chuck it on eBay in an auction. You won’t loose out.

The reviewer may be right but of course the reviewer is saying my assumptions about what the film should look are correct.

[Ben_R]

Originally Posted by Modman

The reviewer may be right but of course the reviewer is saying my assumptions about what the film should look are correct.

Exactly that. I’m no super-fan of the Asian cinema (as some clearly are on here) so if this review is spot on for them with regards to PQ it’s a pill i’ll happily swallow.

Is it fact that the Toei Channel look is the correct look?

Could this be another case of Picnic at Hanging Rock?

Are Eurekas standards slipping?

Is Svet pi55ed off it doesn’t look how he wants it to look?

I don’t look at his screencaps and want to vomit. So answers on a postcard please…

[Takuma]

All I can say is that I’ve seen roughly 250 Japanese films from 50s to 80s from 35mm prints in Tokyo and Osaka, and the number of prints I recall with teal colour timing is ZERO. In fact, the number of prints with any odd colour timing that wasn’t clearly intended as a “special effect” or a likely result from print degradation is ZERO.

Bullet Train is included in the count btw (Sonny Chiba film festival, Cinema Vera, 2014).

Of course my memory could be failing me. The prints could have been incorrectly colour timed. Elvis could be alive.

[Jackie Scanlon]

Well, like a stopped clock being correct twice a day, I suppose Svet would statistically be correct occasionally.

[Ben_C]

I was fairly happy with the presentation tbh (my only other point of reference being the old Optimum dvd). Certainly didn’t strike me as a 2.5/5 PQ, but hey ho.

[Cinematt]

Originally Posted by Takuma

I'm not sure how did this happen. How did we go from Toei's natural looking 2019 4K remaster to Eureka's 2023 teal edition? Did Toei send it to them like that? I hope Discotek will fare better. They released Shogun’s Samurai last year, and that disc at least looked more or less the same as Toei’s 4K that airs on TV, though I haven't done a comparison.

The case says 'from a new restoration completed by Toei' but there's no further info in the booklet about it.

It is a shame about the teal because they've gone to town with the extras and even added a reversible sleeve on this (which they overlooked on Violent Streets) so it's a really nice package but I'm not sure it quite lives up to the 'definitive release' that the packaging claims to be. For those that aren't region free though I'm not sure you'll see a better one.

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by Cinematt

The case says 'from a new restoration completed by Toei' but there's no further info in the booklet about it.

For those that aren't region free though I'm not sure you'll see a better one.

I'm curious what other releases will look like. Discotek is releasing this in the US and they are probably one of the best encoders in the business, but I wonder if they are also stuck with the teal. I asked before and was ignored, but will try again.

I think detail looks strong, but I'm not sure what's up with that teal and some of these Toei films.

[MifuneFan]

Takuma?

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

It's definitely has a more heavy teal push in certain scenes, but if you look at some of the other (smaller) caps from DVDBeaver, it's at least not a blanket teal job. These look fine to me. Takuma, feel free to post any matching shots to these

[Takuma]

Originally Posted by Cinematt

The case says 'from a new restoration completed by Toei' but there's no further info in the booklet about it.

That's the odd thing. They say it's a Toei restoration, but the version Toei plays on their own TV channel has completely different colour grading.

Also Eureka refers to their version as a new 2K restoration, while Toei refers to their TV print as a 4K restoration and it's been airing since 2019.

I'm really curious to see how Discotek's upcoming BD will turn out.

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Takuma?

If you have time codes for those frames I can take matching screenshots.

[Takuma]

Originally Posted by Takuma

If you have time codes for those frames I can take matching screenshots.

In the meantime, here are a few more screen caps to compare with the BD.com review screen caps.

Eureka (BD.com)


Toei Channel (TV) (me)


Eureka (BD.com)


Toei Channel (TV) (me)


Eureka (BD.com)


Toei Channel (TV) (me)


Eureka (BD.com)


Toei Channel (TV) (me)


And one I found for Mifune

Eureka (BD.com)


Toei Channel (TV) (me)

[russweiss1]

Just based on those screen shots I prefer the look of the Eureka. The TV version looks slightly washed out in comparison.

[annubis44]

It will be interesting to see how the Discotek release compares.

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by russweiss1

Just based on those screen shots I prefer the look of the Eureka. The TV version looks slightly washed out in comparison.

lol

[CrockettandTubbs]

Originally Posted by Ben_R

I wouldn’t let that review be your guidance. Pick it up, watch it with your own eyes, in your own environment on your own equipment. If you like it keep it, if you don’t sell it.

If you don’t like it, wait until it’s OOP and chuck it on eBay in an auction. You won’t loose out.

No - I was always going to buy it

Tony Rayns AND Kim Newman!

[DatLOLBoi]

The new color correction seems to be done by Toei btw, so it's not like Eureka's to blame for it. Only thing that I really find unappealing about this release is the 10 mb/s bitrate for the export version.

[Rutger Lundgren]

While that looks quite different, I don't mind Eureka's look at all. I'm not a purist, and I suffered through Curzon's Memories of Murder and lived to tell about it.

[Modman]

Originally Posted by russweiss1

Just based on those screen shots I prefer the look of the Eureka. The TV version looks slightly washed out in comparison.

I can see the differences but I am in no way offended by the look of the Eureka release, I wouldn't say its had a complete teal job done on it.