Close Encounters of the Third Kind 4K UHD (1977) (40th Anniversary Edition)

[elwaylite]

Still amazes me these older flicks can have such inky blacks yet the newer movies have this raised black level fetish... Anyways, good use of HDR at times, looked great overall, but some scenes were kinds soft (the way it was shot from my reading).

[Brandon K]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Yep, the UHD version of the new transfer preserves the lowlights which the new BD crushes down to shit.

Crap. Wish I'd researched this more before I purchased it (Starship Troopers too). Luckily the price was very reasonable, although I think I might still try to return it.

I can imagine this becoming a real problem for anyone who isn't planning on upgrading to 4K anytime soon. We want new Blu-rays of films not yet on Blu-ray or films previously released on Blu-ray that could really benefit from new transfers for any number of reasons, and so we are looking to these 4K combo packs.

But - and I'm guessing this will apply especially to catalog titles that, let's face it, are some of our favorite movies that we keep happily rebuying with desparate hopes for them to be treated properly and actually improved - the 4K releases will either include the same old Blu-ray disc, or they'll include a Blu-ray that is marred by new problems such as this.

Crap.

[robgmun]

Originally Posted by SplitScreen

Just watched the Director's Cut of the 4k version and was a little disappointed in the overall picture quality on this disc. It's quite inconsistent. Some scenes are so noisy with grain and lacking detail due to upped contrast. On the other hand some scenes are fantastic, pristine and beautiful looking, particularly Barry's abduction scene.

So it's a bit of a mixed bag for me. I don't think as much of it as some others seem to do even though I love the film. Overall, I'd give it a 3/5 for pic quality. I so expected it to be better, particularly after just watching the 4k version of Blade Runner, which was exceptional throughout the entire film and also another much older release. A much better job was done with Blade Runner imo. Maybe it'll just take a while to get used to....

Sorry guys, i know a vast majority are praising this transfer to the high hills but i'm going to have to agree with SplitScreen on this on. The worst scenes for me was when you see the smaller ufo's and the lights they emit. The ending where there are dozens of ufo's flying around devils mountain, in some shots it looks like the picture is breaking apart!

Some of the day time shots look fantastic, especially India and the boat in the desert. Those scenes are almost up there with Bladerunner. But it suffers in SFX heavy night time shots. I will try to post some pics tonight to show you what i mean. And i'm going to compare it with my 2007 BD. The movie is in my all time top 10. So i was hoping/expecting a lot more i guess.

Interestingly, i see most of the complaints are from people who have OLED TV's like me, i know SplitScreen has the same model. I haven't professionally calibrated it but i did spend a lot of time calibrating it myself. Bladerunner on the same TV looks astonishing and i wonder if this transfer doesn't play nice with OLED's and geared more towards LED's?

[jh901]

Originally Posted by robgmun

Some of the day time shots look fantastic, especially India and the boat in the desert. Those scenes are almost up there with Bladerunner. But it suffers in SFX heavy night time shots. Bladerunner on the same TV looks astonishing and i wonder if this transfer doesn't play nice with OLED's and geared more towards LED's?

Bottom line: is your critique aimed at the ultra hi def/HDR transfer or the master source?

Feature length films are not academic exercises performed in a lab.

[robgmun]

Originally Posted by jh901

Bottom line: is your critique aimed at the ultra hi def/HDR transfer or the master source?

At this point i simply don't know what is causing the issues, it could be either. I'll be posting some pictures of the worst of it tonight and you lot can tell me if you're seeing the same thing. If you aren't then something is wrong with the setting on my TV/xbox 1s if you are seeing the same thing but still think it's great then it's something i'll have to get used to as that's just how the movie is.

[Geoff D]

I've seen a few people now complaining about "black grain" on their OLEDs, with this title and other Sony ones. I know you haven't said anything about that per se but it can't be a coinkydink that some OLED owners are struggling with this UHD.

[maverick22]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I've seen a few people now complaining about "black grain" on their OLEDs, with this title and other Sony ones. I know you haven't said anything about that per se but it can't be a coinkydink that some OLED owners are struggling with this UHD.

I just got my replacement LG UP970 a couple of days ago and have been checking out some discs. I'll have to look at this one in the next couple of days.

Definitely Crouching Tiger and Starship Troopers show some heavy grain/swarming ants on my C7 (I'm willing to bet more so than what non-OLED TVs are displaying and doubtful the director intended it to appear that way).

[Geoff D]

That's what I mean, the "ants" thing is like you're seeing something else inside the grain.

[maverick22]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

That's what I mean, the "ants" thing is like you're seeing something else inside the grain.

Exactly, and the grain appears to "move," as in sparkles or some shimmering effect.

[robgmun]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I've seen a few people now complaining about "black grain" on their OLEDs, with this title and other Sony ones. I know you haven't said anything about that per se but it can't be a coinkydink that some OLED owners are struggling with this UHD.

I don't know what "black grain" looks like, maybe that's what i'm seeing but describing it wrongly.

[wonderer99]

Well count me in as another who thought the PQ on this was disappointing. I'm no grain critic generally but how anyone could actually like the look of a lot of this film is beyond me. A healthy ,light grain is fine but this was just outright ugly and unwatchable in some shots.

Another OLED viewer for what it's worth.

[jh901]

Originally Posted by wonderer99

A healthy ,light grain is fine but this was just outright ugly and unwatchable in some shots.

Ugly and unwatchable. Which scenes? Do you only enjoy the look of modern, digitally shot movies?

[Bond84]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I've seen a few people now complaining about "black grain" on their OLEDs, with this title and other Sony ones. I know you haven't said anything about that per se but it can't be a coinkydink that some OLED owners are struggling with this UHD.

I have an OLED and I thought this UHD looked fantastic. No complaints at all.

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by wonderer99

Well count me in as another who thought the PQ on this was disappointing. I'm no grain critic generally but how anyone could actually like the look of a lot of this film is beyond me. A healthy ,light grain is fine but this was just outright ugly and unwatchable in some shots.

Another OLED viewer for what it's worth.

It is how it was shot. What more can you ask for? Thank god they didn't scrub the hell out of it like Studio Canal did with T2.

[robgmun]

Originally Posted by jh901

Ugly and unwatchable. Which scenes? Do you only enjoy the look of modern, digitally shot movies?

You do realise all the same people are praising the hell out of Bladerunner right?

[wonderer99]

Originally Posted by jh901

Ugly and unwatchable. Which scenes? Do you only enjoy the look of modern, digitally shot movies?

No. I clearly stated in the same post that a healthy amount of grain is fine. But as numerous others have acknowledged there are some scenes or shots where the grain amount is simply too much. Yes it is how it was shot but that does not mean that everyone has to like it (you know, opinions and what not) or, more importantly, that is is not a negative issue. Just because a movie was shot in a way that results in heavy grain does not mean that that grain level, when accentuated by 4k HDR can not become a genuine negative for the movie.

Originally Posted by robgmun

You do realise all the same people are praising the hell out of Bladerunner right?

It's like if you dare breathe a word about the look of a movie shot on film the film snobs all creep out the woodwork. As I have said before here grain is not always a good thing. It can be great for the look of a movie but there are times when it can look like a mess. There a number of shots in 3rd kind where that is true imo.

I just wish people would quit the whole black and white crap with grain. Grain good, digital bad. Give me a break. All kinds of looks and processes can look great or awful.

[elwaylite]

Bladerunner was a step up for sure, but the soft scenes and other issues are the source. Some of it looked great.

My main thing is faithful to source in 4k, with HDR. After that, is what it is.

[Geoff D]

The grain looks entirely commensurate with the late '70s origination to me, this UHD is almost lovely beyond words.

[robgmun]

Oh wow, after tonight little comparison i did i can't agree with you GeoffD, in fact there's something seriously wrong with this transfer, it's worse then i feared:

Ok first this is my setup, my LG OLED65E6V:



This is just after Ned gets blasted by the light and sees the UFO, then in the distance more light at the next Cross-roads.

UHD


2007 BD


Notice how the details have been obliterated and you can't even make out the sign in the UHD (they're the same frame more or less) also how the grain is so heavy it's shifted to the green and producing grain colours that weren't originally there.

Another example:

UHD


2007 BD


and a few more examples of the UHD's horrible grain structure:






Sorry i couldn't get better pictures but this should illustrate that i'm not imagining this

Overall i prefer the 2007 BD as it maybe a bit softer, but seems more filmic and closer to what the director intended for the movie watcher to see, i seriously doubt that Steven Spielberg wanted to make us watch dancing green pixels.

Unless someone can give me some setting i can calibrate my TV too, then i'm starting to think about selling my UHD on, what a massive disappointment

[elwaylite]

Something isnt right on the HDR mode IMO.