In the Heat of the Night (1967)

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by Cremildo

For those who are knowledgeable about the subject - does that mean a different source from the previous disc has been used?

From the Blu-ray.com review of the 2014 edition:

I'm not really sure, but I know for certain that this release HAS to improve upon the MGM one. Just looking back at the screencaps on that old review you linked to, there are a lot of smooth looking faces and not a whole lot of grain that I can see and some caps have a very bright "video" look to them.

[Dailyan]

Originally Posted by RCRochester

I'm not really sure, but I know for certain that this release HAS to improve upon the MGM one. Just looking back at the screencaps on that old review you linked to, there are a lot of smooth looking faces and not a whole lot of grain that I can see and some caps have a very bright "video" look to them.

Even by older MGM masters standards it's fairly underwhelming and watching it on a bigger screen only makes it look worse.

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by RCRochester

I'm not really sure, but I know for certain that this release HAS to improve upon the MGM one. Just looking back at the screencaps on that old review you linked to, there are a lot of smooth looking faces and not a whole lot of grain that I can see and some caps have a very bright "video" look to them.

It's mainly because the registration is off, causing it to look soft and mildly out of focus. Not sure Criterion could get the separation masters to re-align the filmstrips, but one hopes they did.

[koberulz]

Originally Posted by Bates_Motel

It's mainly because the registration is off, causing it to look soft and mildly out of focus. Not sure Criterion could get the separation masters to re-align the filmstrips, but one hopes they did.

"New digital restoration" to me implies it's the same scan.

[SpaceBlackKnight]

Originally Posted by koberulz

"New digital restoration" to me implies it's the same scan.

Then I wouldn't put it past MGM if they cheapened out on the restoration and just "enhanced" the previous source for 4k ala Platoon.

Again, we should wait till someone sees screenings of this restoration or come January.

[tama]

Originally Posted by koberulz

"New digital restoration" to me implies it's the same scan.

No. The original scan was not derived from a 4K scan. Also the official press release both here and elsewhere on other sites specifically state Brand New 4K resto. Park Circus has been screening a DCP of this new 4K master for a while now as well.

[Tae]

Really happy to see this finally get a release date! I picked up TT's edition of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner in their last sale to go with my copy of To Sir, With Love, and with this release my 1967 Sidney Poitier collection will finally be complete

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by koberulz

"New digital restoration" to me implies it's the same scan.

They have said that exact same verbiage on other releases like The Graduate and Midnight Cowboy, which turned out to have a new 4K scans, so we'll know when the disc comes out.

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Whoever handled it, one would hope that they've done exactly what you described, digitally recombining the seps rather than dealing with an extremely dupey-looking source. I do hope they haven't Platoon'ed it though.

To be honest, I can't imagine a scenario where they DON'T do that. There's no way theyvrelease the same master that's out there, so there has to be some incentive for them to tackle it.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Bates_Motel

It's mainly because the registration is off, causing it to look soft and mildly out of focus. Not sure Criterion could get the separation masters to re-align the filmstrips, but one hopes they did.

Whoever handled it, one would hope that they've done exactly what you described, digitally recombining the seps rather than dealing with an extremely dupey-looking source. I do hope they haven't Platoon'ed it though.

[Dailyan]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

It's only come up because of Platoon, which got a DNR disaster straight from MGM that Shout released. If they remastered this, and it's the same decision makers, then there is some cause for concern.

Did Criterion remaster Silence of the Lambs themselves, or did MGM do it?

Platoon, in my opinion, is an isolated/peculiar case. If “The Man in the Iron Mask” ‘98 can get a better remaster...something’s up. MGM have some great non-boutique label remasters such as Rain Man, Robocop, Rocky, and The Spy Who Loved Me. Usually, a good way to tell if Criterion did a transfer if Lee Kline is credited as a transfer supervisor.

[SpaceBlackKnight]

Originally Posted by Dailyan

Platoon, in my opinion, is an isolated/peculiar case. If “The Man in the Iron Mask” ‘98 can get a better remaster...something’s up. MGM have some great non-boutique label remasters such as Rain Man, Robocop, Rocky, and The Spy Who Loved Me. Usually, a good way to tell if Criterion did a transfer if Lee Kline is credited as a transfer supervisor.

Rain Man, Robocop, Rocky, The recent 4k Bond remasters, and The Terminator were high end Fox restorations done for MGM a few years years back (and the recent Bond ones were certainly finished before the Disney takeover, which is said to put a halt to many operations at Fox for the time being).

Man in the Iron Mask was definitely Shout's own transfer (a 4k scan from original elements, which sounds like a combination of the negative and the IP patched in for credits sequences and damaged sections of the neg). It's like SF's other 2/4k scans in that they're film like, kinda wobbly and dirty/spotty in areas, and reinstate original UA/other distributors tags that MGM loved to cut off with their Lions, but lack the magenta tinged, EE'd looks of the MGM masters. All of SF's MGM scans, despite whatever issues they have, aren't smeary mess's ala Platoon that's for sure, which again sounds like Stone or the DOP ordered "a clean image" to ether MGM or SF when they were working on the transfer.

[alexpeden2000]

The 4K remaster was done a few years ago now, saw it on the big screen at the GFt in Glasgow 3 or 4 years ago now - looked great