Black Christmas from Happinet

[Rockercub]

I just got an e-mail from Amazon Japan showing an upcoming release of Black Christmas from Happinet on February 3, 2015. Google Translate doesn't do a great job with Japanese, but it states the following: "HD domestic version's first 1080p widescreen version by remastering." This is potentially very exciting, as the existing blu-ray releases for this movie aren't that great and it's in desperate need of a remaster. Has anyone heard anything about this?

EDIT:

It already has a listing here:

Black Christmas

[iank]

Hmm, hope it's better than the current one.

[Bad Sandwich]

Hm. If Happinet was able to do a proper new encode of the actual HD master--as opposed to just slightly cropping + filtering the living shit out of the crappy 11gb artifact-ridden encode from the North American release, as Capelight so obviously did for the German release--then we may just have something!

[Rockercub]

So I went ahead and grabbed it, but now I wish I hadn't -- it looks the worst of the three in my opinion. Lots of swirling "grain" (or noise or whatever it is). I did gather up some info for everyone to check out though. It appears to be region free, as it played in my region free player on all three region settings. Here's BD Info:

                                                                                                                Total   Video                                             
Title                                                           Codec   Length  Movie Size      Disc Size       Bitrate Bitrate Main Audio Track                          Secondary Audio Track
-----                                                           ------  ------- --------------  --------------  ------- ------- ------------------                        ---------------------
00000.MPLS                                                      AVC     1:37:50 25,085,712,384  44,544,660,002  34.18   24.41   Dolby TrueHD 5.1 2014Kbps (48kHz/16-bit)  Dolby TrueHD 2.0 710Kbps (48kHz/16-bit)

DISC INFO:

Disc Title:     BLACK_CHRISTMAS
Disc Size:      44,544,660,002 bytes
Protection:     AACS
BD-Java:        No
BDInfo:         0.5.8

PLAYLIST REPORT:

Name:                   00000.MPLS
Length:                 1:37:50.739 (h:m:s.ms)
Size:                   25,085,712,384 bytes
Total Bitrate:          34.18 Mbps

VIDEO:

Codec                   Bitrate             Description     
-----                   -------             -----------     
MPEG-4 AVC Video        24409 kbps          1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1

AUDIO:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
Dolby TrueHD Audio              English         2014 kbps       5.1 / 48 kHz / 2014 kbps / 16-bit (AC3 Embedded: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps)
Dolby TrueHD Audio              English         710 kbps        2.0 / 48 kHz / 710 kbps / 16-bit (AC3 Embedded: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps / Dolby Surround)
Dolby TrueHD Audio              Japanese        409 kbps        2.0 / 48 kHz / 409 kbps / 16-bit (AC3 Embedded: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 256 kbps / Dolby Surround)

SUBTITLES:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
Presentation Graphics           Japanese        18.471 kbps                     
Presentation Graphics           Japanese        0.647 kbps                      

FILES:

Name            Time In         Length          Size            Total Bitrate   
----            -------         ------          ----            -------------   
00000.M2TS      0:00:00.000     1:37:50.739     25,085,712,384  34,184          

CHAPTERS:

Number          Time In         Length          Avg Video Rate  Max 1-Sec Rate  Max 1-Sec Time  Max 5-Sec Rate  Max 5-Sec Time  Max 10Sec Rate  Max 10Sec Time  Avg Frame Size  Max Frame Size  Max Frame Time  
------          -------         ------          --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  
1               0:00:00.000     0:01:20.705     24,593 kbps     44,254 kbps     00:00:01.001    30,627 kbps     00:00:01.001    28,685 kbps     00:00:01.001    128,150 bytes   428,759 bytes   00:00:01.084    
2               0:01:20.705     0:05:10.518     24,502 kbps     33,228 kbps     00:02:16.761    29,135 kbps     00:03:09.772    27,327 kbps     00:03:09.731    127,744 bytes   355,594 bytes   00:02:17.762    
3               0:06:31.224     0:03:47.352     24,326 kbps     29,608 kbps     00:08:16.204    27,833 kbps     00:09:32.947    26,876 kbps     00:07:33.995    126,824 bytes   282,941 bytes   00:09:34.490    
4               0:10:18.576     0:06:53.371     24,574 kbps     34,680 kbps     00:17:05.441    32,163 kbps     00:17:04.815    30,729 kbps     00:17:01.937    128,117 bytes   349,892 bytes   00:17:05.482    
5               0:17:11.947     0:05:37.336     24,273 kbps     30,567 kbps     00:21:56.440    27,725 kbps     00:21:56.273    26,887 kbps     00:21:56.440    126,546 bytes   411,199 bytes   00:22:38.482    
6               0:22:49.284     0:03:06.978     24,340 kbps     28,704 kbps     00:23:37.749    26,537 kbps     00:23:36.498    25,766 kbps     00:23:35.747    126,898 bytes   347,273 bytes   00:25:56.263    
7               0:25:56.263     0:03:48.228     24,536 kbps     30,068 kbps     00:28:51.646    27,318 kbps     00:28:48.184    26,663 kbps     00:28:46.599    127,920 bytes   366,089 bytes   00:26:00.267    
8               0:29:44.491     0:07:05.508     24,355 kbps     35,095 kbps     00:35:25.957    29,817 kbps     00:35:25.832    28,139 kbps     00:35:25.832    126,978 bytes   357,490 bytes   00:32:25.318    
9               0:36:49.999     0:01:18.995     24,286 kbps     28,671 kbps     00:37:19.820    26,850 kbps     00:37:52.895    26,357 kbps     00:37:48.266    126,618 bytes   318,287 bytes   00:37:22.698    
10              0:38:08.995     0:05:47.221     24,354 kbps     40,469 kbps     00:41:20.186    31,498 kbps     00:41:23.189    29,814 kbps     00:41:23.189    126,969 bytes   345,851 bytes   00:38:51.704    
11              0:43:56.216     0:08:23.294     24,484 kbps     31,246 kbps     00:52:15.715    29,474 kbps     00:43:56.550    28,388 kbps     00:43:56.216    127,647 bytes   307,657 bytes   00:47:54.663    
12              0:52:19.511     0:05:05.305     24,354 kbps     33,392 kbps     00:52:19.511    27,605 kbps     00:56:55.328    26,194 kbps     00:55:07.178    126,968 bytes   315,211 bytes   00:56:16.372    
13              0:57:24.816     0:03:13.109     24,510 kbps     33,988 kbps     00:57:24.816    30,276 kbps     00:59:52.672    28,590 kbps     00:59:52.672    127,785 bytes   313,332 bytes   00:59:13.132    
14              1:00:37.925     0:05:21.446     24,446 kbps     35,703 kbps     01:04:33.452    29,880 kbps     01:01:15.171    28,797 kbps     01:04:16.102    127,450 bytes   320,917 bytes   01:04:38.416    
15              1:05:59.372     0:03:44.849     24,329 kbps     34,658 kbps     01:06:13.552    30,200 kbps     01:09:08.686    28,677 kbps     01:09:08.269    126,838 bytes   312,016 bytes   01:08:12.004    
16              1:09:44.221     0:04:18.091     24,438 kbps     32,840 kbps     01:11:02.925    29,121 kbps     01:11:02.341    26,576 kbps     01:10:56.669    127,410 bytes   330,703 bytes   01:11:16.355    
17              1:14:02.312     0:06:44.862     24,366 kbps     38,530 kbps     01:19:18.503    33,475 kbps     01:19:18.503    29,264 kbps     01:19:14.040    127,031 bytes   320,016 bytes   01:19:19.212    
18              1:20:47.175     0:04:28.184     24,439 kbps     33,979 kbps     01:24:56.091    30,659 kbps     01:24:54.547    29,261 kbps     01:24:54.547    127,414 bytes   309,594 bytes   01:24:00.285    
19              1:25:15.360     0:04:36.859     24,298 kbps     42,133 kbps     01:27:35.583    34,215 kbps     01:27:43.716    32,258 kbps     01:27:43.716    126,680 bytes   392,728 bytes   01:27:24.447    
20              1:29:52.220     0:05:38.546     24,492 kbps     35,458 kbps     01:29:54.472    31,527 kbps     01:29:52.345    28,797 kbps     01:34:09.977    127,690 bytes   376,898 bytes   01:31:51.839    
21              1:35:30.766     0:02:19.973     24,125 kbps     32,443 kbps     01:35:30.766    29,846 kbps     01:35:30.808    28,069 kbps     01:35:30.766    125,815 bytes   347,686 bytes   01:37:21.418    

STREAM DIAGNOSTICS:

File            PID             Type            Codec           Language                Seconds                 Bitrate                 Bytes           Packets         
----            ---             ----            -----           --------                --------------          --------------          -------------   -----           
00000.M2TS      4113 (0x1011)   0x1B            AVC                                     5870.656                24,410                  17,912,512,035  97,434,698      
00000.M2TS      4352 (0x1100)   0x83            TrueHD          eng (English)           5870.656                2,462                   1,806,733,942   15,891,660      
00000.M2TS      4353 (0x1101)   0x83            TrueHD          eng (English)           5870.656                1,158                   850,010,502     8,902,839       
00000.M2TS      4354 (0x1102)   0x83            TrueHD          jpn (Japanese)          5870.656                665                     488,089,876     8,145,653       
00000.M2TS      4608 (0x1200)   0x90            PGS             jpn (Japanese)          5870.656                18                      13,554,708      80,414          
00000.M2TS      4609 (0x1201)   0x90            PGS             jpn (Japanese)          5870.656                1                       475,162         2,783

[Arlington]

Originally Posted by Rockercub

So I went ahead and grabbed it, but now I wish I hadn't -- it looks the worst of the three in my opinion. Lots of swirling "grain" (or noise or whatever it is). I did gather up some info for everyone to check out though. It appears to be region free, as it played in my region free player on all three region settings.

Thanks for takin' one for the team

[Rockercub]

On the plus side, it's got a nice black blu-ray case:









I'm guessing that the extras are the same as those on the US release. I can't confirm that right now, but while trying to navigate the menu system (not English friendly), I came across the alternate audio fragments.

[Rockercub]

Screenshots! I tried to match the ones from the review of the US release. I've only done this once before, so hopefully they're okay. I used PowerDVD with my graphics card settings adjusted as suggested to me after my last attempt.

[Clark Kent]

If those screenshots are representative of the actual picture quality then I am not sure the Japanese BD is sourced from an HD master.

[Bad Sandwich]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

If those screenshots are representative of the actual picture quality then I am not sure the Japanese BD is sourced from an HD master.

Agreed, this disc's HD credentials seem highly suspect based on those grabs. And Rockercub, thanks for your efforts. To ebay with it, I guess?

[Rockercub]

Originally Posted by Bad Sandwich

Agreed, this disc's HD credentials seem highly suspect based on those grabs. And Rockercub, thanks for your efforts. Now to ebay, I guess?

We'll see! I need to plod through the remaining extras to see if there's anything special. So far, it's just the same old documentaries and interviews. I'll probably hang onto it though just for the sake of the collection.

[originalHDphantom]

Great job, Rockercub! Thanks for taking the time in doing all this. Been wondering about this release for a while now. So would it be safe to say that the German release is the best overall then (even though there's no mono track)?

[Rockercub]

Thanks! Yeah, that's my opinion, although I would understand if an audio purist thought the uptick in picture quality didn't compensate for the loss of the mono track.

[DetroitSportsFan]

Thanks for the info.

Happinet is such a "hit or miss" studio.