Do the Right Thing (1989) (20th Anniversary Edition)

[cheez avenger]

Originally Posted by Richard--W

I like Spike Lee's movies.
I've been meaning to add them to my home library.

The last one I saw in a theater was Malcom X. A fine film, and an important film.
Bamboozled caused me to question his judgment, but I'm not complaining. Everybody is entitled to a lapse.

Within the next 72 hours I'll buy every single one of Spike Lee's films on bluray, or DVD.
I've studied reviews and captures at various websites and prepared a list of which editions to get.

This other director I'm working on this week is Michael Powell.

You'd be wrong if you think Bamboozled was a lapse in judgement. I tracked down a DVD copy of the New Line Platinum Series (on eBay since it's OOP) and it was phenomenal. One of Lee's most misunderstood films.

[popeflick]

No I haven't. 've been wanting to catch it streaming to watch again since I haven't seen it in a while before shelling out the $35.00 or so for it.

In looking at the caps I think Criterion is closer to what I recall. I don't specifically remember if it was THAT orange but it was not the more realistic look on the Universal BD. That film came while I was in film school and is still one of my all time faves.

Originally Posted by Richard--W

Have you seen the Italian bluray of MO' BETTER BLUES ?
can you comment on quality, AR etc?

[mreagan88]

Originally Posted by Richard--W

Have you seen the Italian bluray of MO' BETTER BLUES ?
can you comment on quality, AR etc?

I own it and It looks and sounds great one of the best looking spike lee joints on bluray.

[I KEEL YOU]

Originally Posted by Bates_Motel

2/3 of the Universal extras ARE the original Criterion-produced extras. The older commentary, the Behind the Scenes, the Making of, the riot sequence storyboards, the interview with the editor, and the Cannes footage. Criterion had a few more extras the Universal doesn't, and vice versa.

I knew that there were plenty of extras on the Universal blu ray that were made by Criterion and were on the old Criterion DVD, but I didn't know that there were even more. Cool, I guess there might be even more reasons to get this. But if there are this many extras, and I assume there will be some new, HD ones, then this has got to be a 2 disc release.

[See Rad]

I hope one of the new extras is an interview with Elaine and David McClain about what it means to "do the right thing."

[tylergfoster]

Originally Posted by Bates_Motel

2/3 of the Universal extras ARE the original Criterion-produced extras. The older commentary, the Behind the Scenes, the Making of, the riot sequence storyboards, the interview with the editor, and the Cannes footage. Criterion had a few more extras the Universal doesn't, and vice versa.

The only extra I recall Universal not porting was the "Fight the Power" music video with Lee commentary.

The Universal edition's big extra was 11 never-before-seen, newly-discovered deleted scenes, plus a new retrospective featurette and a new Lee commentary. The latter two are relatively inessential.

If Criterion did a new 4K master, that would be worth the upgrade if it included all of the extras.

[CineSicko]

Originally Posted by profholt82

Just throwing this out there for whatever it's worth, but I still have the original VHS tape from the early 90s, and it has the strong orange color tint.

Finally saw the Universal BD, having seen it for years on the Criterion 2-disc DVD set. The detail level of the BD is highly impressive, and the audio is quite a leap in quality... but the orange tint being absent was bothersome.

There were many overcast days that conflicted with the heatwave aspect of the story (and all that suggests about a community on the verge of boiling over), and that's likely why Lee opted for the tint. I'm unsure whether it was always intended or was an afterthought, but cinematographer Ernest Dickerson (who supervised the BD transfer) shouldn't have opted to remove it. So much is lost without it, not just aesthetically but in terms of the emotions it promotes.

I'm not sure which version I'll reach for next time.

[TheHutt]

The new German BluRay contains the correct color grading (as seen in theatres and on Criterion DVD):

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by TheHutt

The new German BluRay contains the correct color grading (as seen in theatres and on Criterion DVD):

Have you seen this disc in person?

[TheHutt]

I have it in my possession, yes.

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by TheHutt

The new German BluRay contains the correct color grading (as seen in theatres and on Criterion DVD):

The U.S Blu-ray release (which I have) looks much better, and more natural. The other two look the same, that have the orange color saturation, and it's ugly.

[TheHutt]

Well, basically because Spike Lee graded it like this. And Universal reverted the grading.

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by TheHutt

I have it in my possession, yes.

How's the transfer, otherwise?

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by slimdude

The U.S Blu-ray release (which I have) looks much better, and more natural. The other two look the same, that have the orange color saturation, and it's ugly.

Sometimes you manage to even outslimdude yourself.

[TheHutt]

Originally Posted by Doctorossi

How's the transfer, otherwise?

I'll make some screenshots.

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by TheHutt

I'll make some screenshots.

Excellent- thank you very much!

I wonder if this Blu-ray was made from the master Criterion used for their DVD.

[TheHutt]

Ok, here I grabbed some screenshots.

[MTRodaba2468]

Originally Posted by slimdude

The U.S Blu-ray release (which I have) looks much better, and more natural. The other two look the same, that have the orange color saturation, and it's ugly.

It's not supposed to look natural. The orange tint was intentional.

[lilboyblu]

Originally Posted by TheHutt

Ok, here I grabbed some screenshots.

[Show spoiler]

These look fantastic! Glad to see the correct color timing back on this one. The film just doesn’t have that “hottest day of the year” feel to it without.

[slimdude]

Originally Posted by MTRodaba2468

It's not supposed to look natural. The orange tint was intentional.

Why was it intentional? There are no orange people, unless they're aliens from another planet. The U.S release have the natural skin tone and complexion of human beings.