Warner's Sweeney Todd PQ (say hello to DNR again)

[whiteboi]

Just rented Warner's Finnish version of Sweeney Todd. The picture quality was good but nowhere near close to some of the best blu-ray transfers that I've seen. I am seriously thinking about boycotting Warner's releases from now on, I wasn't happy with batman begins or Dark City. I have a Hd projector and a 92" screen. Warner's current movies do look good but they could be so much more (hate their excessive DNR, trend seems to continue).

As for audio dolby trueHD definitely delivered but wanted the same from the visuals. I am sure these movies will look exellent for most folks who have a 40 something inch lcd tv, but on a larger screen (90" and bigger) I would want to be dazzled more when it comes to fine details.

How do you feel about Warner's late releases such as batman begins and dark city, I know Sweeney Todd is not out in the States yet... wish I could post screenshots but I don't have that capability.

[Mullins]

Dark City is not a Warner release, its a New Line release in the States and an EIV release in the UK.

As for Sweeney Todd the transfer looks great to me. I'm not sure what scenes in the film you think exhibit DNR but my UK Blu has a fine layer of grain throughout, which if it had been DNR'd would not be there. The colour palette is intentionally skewed and the heavy use of filters in post processing was part of the directors vision, I'm thinking you may be confusing these with DNR?

[Lucy Diamond]

I have to tell you folks, I saw the Batman Begins HD-DVD on display in bastbuy a few months ago and I almost cried because it looked so good.

It was on one of those Samsung tv's with the shiney screen, so I don't know if that helped or not, but it was staggering how 3-D it looked.

I KNOW Blu-Ray is capable of this, so I am a little concerned.

[Chris60119]

Originally Posted by Lucy Diamond

I have to tell you folks, I saw the Batman Begins HD-DVD on display in bastbuy a few months ago and I almost cried because it looked so good.

It was on one of those Samsung tv's with the shiney screen, so I don't know if that helped or not, but it was staggering how 3-D it looked.

I KNOW Blu-Ray is capable of this, so I am a little concerned.

I have a Samsung TV. and it looked amazing. I can't wait for Sweeny Todd.

[pere]

I bought Sweeney Todd from UK, I watched many times. Is one of my favorites BD and can assure you that looks good.
I own a projector also.
Not complains for me.

[Bageara]

Originally Posted by Lucy Diamond

I have to tell you folks, I saw the Batman Begins HD-DVD on display in bastbuy a few months ago and I almost cried because it looked so good.

It was on one of those Samsung tv's with the shiney screen, so I don't know if that helped or not, but it was staggering how 3-D it looked.

I KNOW Blu-Ray is capable of this, so I am a little concerned.

I thought batman begins was a straight port from HD-DVD so shouldnt the BD be pretty much the same? certainly not a staggering differance enough to make you cry

[geto10]

Batman Begins BD is awesome, what are you talking about??

[JUDGEMENT 4400]

The Batman Begins BD is good, but not the best. But for a movie that is dark or nighttime a lot of the time, Batman Begins still pulls it's own weight.

[Bageara]

Originally Posted by geto10

Batman Begins BD is awesome, what are you talking about??

What is who talking about?

[Turnda643]

I agree, Batman Begins was good. Nothing to rave about because there is better PQ out there. I would like to assume that Dark Knight will blow BB away in PQ. Time will tell.

[KingLeonidas300]

I have both Batman Begins and Sweeney Todd (UK). I am happy with both especially Sweeney Todd.

[whiteboi]

Originally Posted by Mullins

Dark City is not a Warner release, its a New Line release in the States and an EIV release in the UK.

As for Sweeney Todd the transfer looks great to me. I'm not sure what scenes in the film you think exhibit DNR but my UK Blu has a fine layer of grain throughout, which if it had been DNR'd would not be there. The colour palette is intentionally skewed and the heavy use of filters in post processing was part of the directors vision, I'm thinking you may be confusing these with DNR?

I have to say that copy I watched did not show much of grain or noise. I realize the color palette was skewed and the image has been altered, but the sharpness that I wanted wasnt't there... there were a couple of scenes where the image actually showed the pours on Johnny Depps face, and then a little bit later when we get to a close up of Helena Bonhan Carter, we can hardly make out the details of the blemishes on her face. That is why I think the whole film has DNR applied to it because there hardly was any noise visible... as I said before the image was between good and great but would not call it excellent.

As for batman begins, you can see the same thing, the image doesn't have any noise at all... the image is sharp to the point of being good and great, but there are plenty of scenes of the movie that lack the sharpness that we've seen in the best blu ray transfers. You can see the difference when it comes to sharpenss just by watching the six minute prologue of the dark knight... that is what begins should have looked like... and no it does not have to do with the fact that part of the movie was shot with IMAX cameras...

Feel free to comment...

[jurassic_pork]

Originally Posted by whiteboi

I have to say that copy I watched did not show much of grain or noise. I realize the color palette was skewed and the image has been altered, but the sharpness that I wanted wasnt't there... there were a couple of scenes where the image actually showed the pours on Johnny Depps face, and then a little bit later when we get to a close up of Helena Bonhan Carter, we can hardly make out the details of the blemishes on her face. That is why I think the whole film has DNR applied to it because there hardly was any noise visible... as I said before the image was between good and great but would not call it excellent.

As for batman begins, you can see the same thing, the image doesn't have any noise at all... the image is sharp to the point of being good and great, but there are plenty of scenes of the movie that lack the sharpness that we've seen in the best blu ray transfers. You can see the difference when it comes to sharpenss just by watching the six minute prologue of the dark knight... that is what begins should have looked like... and no it does not have to do with the fact that part of the movie was shot with IMAX cameras...

Feel free to comment...

From what most folks have said in this forum the issue with Begins is that it's just a straight port from HD DVD. I think the masses all agree that a re-encode would maximize all that Blu-ray can do. I have no doubt that TDK will blow Begins out of the water when it comes out.

[lgans316]

OP,

I own Sweeney Todd on Blu-ray and it's neither DNR-ed nor bit starved. A thin veneer of film grain persists throughout the presentation. IMHO Sweeney Todd falls among the top 5 AV presentations on Blu-ray from Warner.

VC-1 BD-50
Running time: 1:56:22
Movie size: 29,153,937,408 bytes
Disc size: 45,585,051,868 bytes
Total Bit Rate: 33.40 Mbps
Average Video Bit Rate: 23.83 Mbps


http://img401.imageshack.us/my.php?i...kbdbackwi7.jpg
http://img401.imageshack.us/my.php?i...opupmensa9.jpg
http://img376.imageshack.us/my.php?i...anguagenv0.jpg
http://img253.imageshack.us/my.php?i...ceneselti6.jpg
http://img253.imageshack.us/my.php?i...pecialfno9.jpg

However Depp's cheeks and the bridge of his nose as mentioned here http://whiggles.landofwhimsy.com/arc...in_london.html have been digital airbrushed.

However I agree with your notion that Batman Begins looks soft.

[2099net]

Originally Posted by whiteboi

...and then a little bit later when we get to a close up of Helena Bonhan Carter, we can hardly make out the details of the blemishes on her face. That is why I think the whole film has DNR applied to it because there hardly was any noise visible...

Sounds like Helena's close ups were shot soft-focus. It's quite common for actresses to have this done to them, as it helps mask any small wrinkles and as you say, blemishes. Basically, it's down to their vanity (and good agents, or perhaps in Helena's case, being the Director's partner! )

[KamiAmaya]

Originally Posted by Mullins

Dark City is not a Warner release, its a New Line release in the States and an EIV release in the UK.

Isn't New Line a part of Warner though?
Just wondering, because my copy of Dark City came with one of those inserts that Warner always includes with their release.

[geoffc]

I have the UK BD and the picture is stunning - the graininess is intentional

[geoffc]

New Line is now completely part of Warner since the disaster that was The Golden Compass!

[2099net]

Originally Posted by KamiAmaya

Isn't New Line a part of Warner though?
Just wondering, because my copy of Dark City came with one of those inserts that Warner always includes with their release.

I believe the point of the post was that Dark City IS a New Line title, and as such is distributed in the UK by EiV, regardless of the recent situation with New Line titles in the US. Existing international distribution contracts still have to be honoured until they expire. Being as "whiteboi" is (presumably) viewing UK discs, his Dark City will (in theory) not be connected to Warners.

However, in my experience of the EiV DVDs (and Hairspray BD) EiV are likely to have gotten the transfer and encoding direct from New Line for Dark City. There is evidence though, that The Golden Compass (another EiV distributed New Line title) did infact have a different transfer/encoding for the EiV release, so it's not possible to say if Dark City UK does or does not match the US Warner/New Line release.

[whiteboi]

Originally Posted by 2099net

I believe the point of the post was that Dark City IS a New Line title, and as such is distributed in the UK by EiV, regardless of the recent situation with New Line titles in the US. Existing international distribution contracts still have to be honoured until they expire. Being as "whiteboi" is (presumably) viewing UK discs, his Dark City will (in theory) not be connected to Warners.

However, in my experience of the EiV DVDs (and Hairspray BD) EiV are likely to have gotten the transfer and encoding direct from New Line for Dark City. There is evidence though, that The Golden Compass (another EiV distributed New Line title) did infact have a different transfer/encoding for the EiV release, so it's not possible to say if Dark City UK does or does not match the US Warner/New Line release.

As for viewing I do have a US Blu-ray player and have my copy of Dark City as Region A, that is why I added New Line's releases as part of Warner's. I wish there was a site that would do reviews on the Uk Blu-ray releases only since European releases do seem to have a different (and better) blu authoring than in the States. I've heard and read good things about image quality being better, Pan's Labyrinth being one, though in the US audio features seem to be better.

As for Sweeney, based on the comments I've read here I am starting to believe that the director might have used a lot of the soft lenses instead of the image being dnr'd. Thanks for all the feedback.