Quote:
Originally Posted by James Freeman
On image called "Frodo 2 HD" you can see a long scratch from nose to chin.
Leads me to believe they used a different source for the film, or fixed it.
On image Gollum HD you can see a white dust particle that is not present on the 4K image.
As above, I think they used a different source for the scan, or fixed it in post.
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The fact that print damage is removed is evidence that these transfers are, in fact, brand new, not just upscales. And I believe a few pages back, someone noticed a scratch on the 4K that was removed in previous masters - so, it is a new 4K scan as purported. It’s dizzying to consider how many hours of film the remastering team had to scan, stabilize, correctly frame, grade precisely, and then go through removal of scratches, hairs and dirt. Amazing work.
I legitimately love the new 4K transfers. There is some grain management, but not enough to entirely remove the grain and turn the image into a smeary mess. Let’s not forget that grain removal tools have come leaps and bounds since the early 2000s. The grain isn’t always consistent, as it peaks in some shots and looks almost invisible in others, but let’s not forget that several different film stocks were used during shooting. Lenses, aperture, and shooting conditions will also influence the look of the grain, of course. I was amazed at the detail on display, especially on clothing and sets.
As I’ve stated before, there are some seriously crummy shots in Two Towers, and it really is a shame that the remastering team couldn’t do anything to rectify these moments. But anything is a possibility here, from missing negatives to essential invisible VFX they couldn’t redo - and some shots could’ve also been zoomed in which revealed way too much grain. I would certainly say that these moments are from the digital files, rather than filmout scans. The bad-looking shots are weirdly isolated to the first half of the extended cut of TTT.
So, yeah, I loved marathoning these discs (started as soon as I got home from the shops on Monday afternoon, and I finished on Tuesday afternoon), the films were a pleasure to watch again, and the upgrades across the board - in terms of clarity, spatial detail, colours, contrast, etc. - are not insignificant. The Blu-rays have become coasters.
Oh, can we also appreciate just how much artistry went into these films, and how much they relied on practical effects and old-fashioned camera tricks?
Frodo and Gandalf on the cart? Forced perspective, no CG.
Hobbits sharing the frame with humans and other taller characters? Subtle body doubles. The height difference is so astonishingly effortless that you subconsciously accept it.
Hell, even when cutting between close-ups, human characters are usually framed at eye level while the camera is angled downwards when capturing Hobbits, who also get a bit of headroom in the frame. Something you don’t notice but makes such an impact.
The ring hitting the ground so firmly when Bilbo drops it? They used a magnet.
Legolas gliding over the snow while everybody else is stuck in it? Orlando Bloom was given his own firm walking track.
The sheer amount of practical model work is also staggering.
These films are incredible.
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