Unforgiven (1992) (Remastered)

[MassiveMovieBuff]

I just watched this again and Im so glad I finally found my enjoyment with the film. I think in the past I went into it with the wrong expectations and found this to be a great Western that stands on its own from your traditional Western.

Something I never realized before though. For any fans of the 1980 horror film Prom Night, the guy who plays the villain who cuts up the woman at the beginning of Unforgiven is the guy who played the antagonist bully Lou in Prom Night. The beard in Unforgiven made it harder for me to notice.

[infiniteCR]

I caved and watched it again. Old one is still pretty good. Guess Ill just buy the new one in a few years when it's a couple of bucks and I am ready to watch it again.

[JayFank]

Anyone who got the new release for just the 4K edition holler at me if you wanna sell the Blu only.

[Trekkie313]

Originally Posted by infiniteCR

I caved and watched it again. Old one is still pretty good.

It looks like shit, how do you manage the crazy fluctuating black levels?

[infiniteCR]

I did not have to do anything. Whats your TV gamma curve at?

[The Great Owl]

I just finished watching the standard Blu-ray of the remastered Unforgiven from my 4K Blu-ray + Blu-ray package.

I've seen Unforgiven a great many times since my first viewing back in 1992, on the night of its release in theaters, and it's still one of the most tough-as-nails films that I've ever seen. I was taken off guard during my first viewing, because this movie comes across more as a classic western, as opposed to a "Clint Eastwood western", but, all the while, it still manages to be quintessentially Eastwood. Eastwood's best films have always deconstructed the mythos of male action heroes, and Unforgiven does so by presenting a western story that takes place at a time when the "Wild West" is coming to an end, and when the legendary frontier has become self-aware. Pulp paperback writers embellish and romanticize the stories of famous gunfighters, while young wannabe gunfighters give themselves brand names ("The Schofield Kid"). The frontier is becoming more civilized, but sometimes at the hands of overbearing lawmen, like Gene Hackman's Little Bill character. Eastwood's William Munny, one of the true legends, owns a small farm and is years removed from his former murderous self in an era that has come to pass, or so he believes.

I've always loved Little Bill's discussion about how the best gunfighters are the ones who keep their cool. Later, during this film's violent conclusion, the lawmen in the saloon are rattled and are hurriedly firing their pistols, but William Munny is cool, calm, and collected as he guns down his foes.

The final credits of Unforgiven read, "Dedicated to Sergio and Don", in honor of Sergio Leone and Don Siegel, both of whom directed Eastwood in westerns of the 1960s and early 1970s. With this movie, which is one of the most deserving Best Picture winners in the history of the Academy Awards, Eastwood did his mentors proud.

This newly remastered standard Blu-ray looks incredible, and it marks a noticeable improvement over the former high definition presentation. The film looks a tad brighter on this new Blu-ray, but the details jump out of the screen more, the black levels look better, and the overall effect is easier on the eyes. I look forward to the day when I'll have the equipment to watch the 4K disc.

I remember seeing this movie at the theater all those years ago and always being blinded during the sequence where the beaten Clint Eastwood is hallucinating in the darkened barn, but then the screen suddenly shows a bright snowy outdoor landscape. This new Blu-ray has the same effect during that sequence.

The extras are ported over from previous releases, but they're still worth revisiting. The "Eastwood on Eastwood" supplement is just brilliant.


(This review recycles some observations that I wrote in an earlier post in this thread, just in case people are wondering about deja vu.)

[Member-222782]

Logan was my first 4K/BD combo purchase - I guess Unforgiven will be my second. It'll be a while before I get a 4K TV but I suppose I should start picking these up now. I'll only grab the combo packs, though - no 4K-only titles (yet).

[grim_tales]

I just watched this on BD for the first time:

Unforgiven: 4/5

I'd never seen this one before - Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman are superb as aging outlaws getting together for one last job, to collect some money and avenge a prostitute who was injured.
Richard Harris was quite funny as well.

[Show spoiler]Eastwood's character reveal is quite chilling - that he is a reformed (?) killer and was once a complete bastard

I only planned to watch a little bit at first but couldnt stop watching it.

[geomon]

http://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=10409&d2=10410&c=4168

It's worth picking up the 4K version just for the regular blu-ray alone. Holy crap, what an improvement.

[Mandalorian]

Originally Posted by geomon

http://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=10409&d2=10410&c=4168

It's worth picking up the 4K version just for the regular blu-ray alone. Holy crap, what an improvement.

http://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?go=1&a...101420&i=2&l=0

http://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?go=1&a...101421&i=3&l=0

http://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?go=1&a...01430&i=12&l=0

[Worship.my.wreck]

Originally Posted by geomon

http://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=10409&d2=10410&c=4168

It's worth picking up the 4K version just for the regular blu-ray alone. Holy crap, what an improvement.

Yeah, I'm thinking about picking this up as my first 4K title even though I'm not planning to upgrade any time soon if ever. I don't think I've seen this film, but I've always been a big fan of Clint Eastwood and westerns. Might pick this up if I can get it on a good sale.

[indiana]

look at this one, there is an improvement in details and new remaster is superior.

http://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?a=1&x=...6&l=0&i=8&go=1

[StingingVelvet]

Watched this already but neat to see the caps. Definitely a huge upgrade, looks much more natural. The UHD looks even more detailed, one of the nicer detail upgrades I've seen. Colors are actually more restrained on the UHD, in a nice way.

[MisterXDTV]

I agree with Robert Harris that probably the original negative can't resolve true 4K but the upgrade is huge because the first Blu-ray is very old (2006) and it's possible used the same master as the 2002 DVD, probably a 1080p telecine.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by MisterXDTV

I agree with Robert Harris that probably the original negative can't resolve true 4K but the upgrade is huge because the first Blu-ray is very old (2006) and it's possible used the same master as the 2002 DVD, probably a 1080p telecine.

35mm gets pure detail in the 2k-3k range, according to most, but scanning at 4k (or higher) results in a more finely resolved look. There's definitely more detail on the UHD, so the scan was not a waste at all.

[MisterXDTV]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

35mm gets pure detail in the 2k-3k range, according to most, but scanning at 4k (or higher) results in a more finely resolved look. There's definitely more detail on the UHD, so the scan was not a waste at all.

I never said it was a waste, but the movie is not a looker compared to other 35mm movies. As i said most of the upgrade comes from the new scan compared to a very old telecine...

[HD Goofnut]

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

[Show spoiler]

Thought I'd check it for you... thought maybe something was bent.

There ain't no hawk, kid. You can't see for sh*t, can you?

All right, how far can you see?

Can you see that scrub oak yonder?

He's blind, Will.

Now hold on. Hold it. How far can you see, Kid? Fifty yards?

You hear that, Ned? The kid can see fifty yards. Fine. Fifty yards will do just fine.

[ROSS.T.G.]

I hope they release the standard Bd soon. I ordered a few posters to replace my current ones in my theatre room and Unforgiven is one of them.

[allyndrew]

Unforgiven was released in Theaters in 1992 and released on Blu-ray in 2007. This should have been Remastered in 2007...