The Hobbit Trilogy 4K UHD Extended & Theatrical (2012-2014)

[Pieter V]

Smaug EE

Disc Size: 91,849,926,510 bytes
Protection: AACS2
Extras: Ultra HD, BD-Java
BDInfo: 0.7.5.9

PLAYLIST REPORT:

Name: 00800.MPLS
Length: 3:06:34.516 (h:m:s.ms)
Size: 90,642,923,520 bytes
Total Bitrate: 64.78 Mbps

(*) Indicates included stream hidden by this playlist.

VIDEO:

Codec Bitrate Description
----- ------- -----------
MPEG-H HEVC Video 55728 kbps 2160p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / Main 10 @ Level 5.1 @ High / 4:2:0 / 10 bits / 4000nits / HDR10 / BT.2020
* MPEG-H HEVC Video 71 kbps (0.13%) 1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / Main 10 @ Level 5.1 @ High / 4:2:0 / 10 bits / 4000nits / Dolby Vision MEL / BT.2020

AUDIO:

Codec Language Bitrate Description
----- -------- ------- -----------
Dolby TrueHD/Atmos Audio English 3648 kbps 7.1 / 48 kHz / 3200 kbps / 16-bit (AC3 Core: 5.1-EX / 48 kHz / 448 kbps)
Dolby Digital Audio Italian 448 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 448 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio Czech 448 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps

SUBTITLES:

Codec Language Bitrate Description
----- -------- ------- -----------
Presentation Graphics English 23.649 kbps
Presentation Graphics Italian 25.291 kbps
Presentation Graphics Spanish 21.184 kbps
Presentation Graphics Chinese 19.561 kbps
Presentation Graphics Korean 16.624 kbps
Presentation Graphics Czech 18.316 kbps
Presentation Graphics Danish 19.336 kbps
Presentation Graphics Finnish 19.611 kbps
Presentation Graphics Norwegian 20.051 kbps
Presentation Graphics Polish 19.037 kbps
Presentation Graphics Swedish 20.346 kbps
Presentation Graphics Thai 19.791 kbps
Presentation Graphics Italian 0.886 kbps
Presentation Graphics Spanish 0.896 kbps
Presentation Graphics Czech 0.756 kbps

[Resettito]

Good point Geoff, though Peter commenting on the VFX is in my mind about LOTR, not The Hobbit itself. For example, the whole action scene towards the end of DOS with the dwarves cooking up potions and starting up the whole gold making machinery is pretty rough visually as, you can see it in the making of, it was the very last scene they worked on, and "finished" it because they had to stop there.

I figure maybe Peter might have seized the opportunity here to touch up and polish some of that VFX work.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Resettito

Good point Geoff, though Peter commenting on the VFX is in my mind about LOTR, not The Hobbit itself. For example, the whole action scene towards the end of DOS with the dwarves cooking up potions and starting up the whole gold making machinery is pretty rough visually as, you can see it in the making of, it was the very last scene they worked on, and "finished" it because they had to stop there.

I figure maybe Peter might have seized the opportunity here to touch up and polish some of that VFX work.

Right, but if he's focussing solely on LOTR there for its creaky VFX then why would he tweak the Hobbitses at all, except to maybe dumb them down a touch to better match the softer VFX on LOTR? He says that he's not made any changes or updates as such and I believe him, he's just cleaned them up a bit and more of these superficial tweaks will likely get revealed as things progress.

I know they were delivered under the gun, and PJ certainly made some changes in the transition from theatrical to EE in the case of the first Hobbit, but IIRC the scene in the 'making of' of Smaug where they literally just have to stop is PJ locking the cut so they can deliver the sound mix to the printers.

[levcore]

I think the DOS finale looks amazing bar a bit of the CG liquid gold, which is really just a few shots.

[Alan B]

[imsounoriginal]

Originally Posted by levcore

I think the DOS finale looks amazing bar a bit of the CG liquid gold, which is really just a few shots.

Yeah the liquid gold never looked right, but I'm not interested in them going back to re-touch any of those VFX, even if they were under-the-gun at the time. I get that The Hobbits are less precious (lol) than LOTR, so people may be more willing to let those movies get manipulated after the fact, but I'd rather they just remain as they were.

[levcore]

Absolutely agree, leave it be.

[pottyaboutpotter1]

Interesting observation from watching AUJ, looks like the new colour grading is, to my eyes, to try and match all three films. AUJ always had a slightly different look to the sequels, but that looks to have been changed for the UHD. Definitely feels like Jackson has tried to make all the Hobbit movies look the ‘same’. The greens in Erebor at the start are a bit more muted like they are in the sequels for example.

[anktry203]

anybody got comparison shots of Hobbit trilogy for HD vs. 4k? curious to see how the color grading and CG shots compare...

[Resettito]

Very interesting potty. And about the VFX in DOS, it's not really the gold I'm talking about, it's from the moment they step into the room with the whole machinery (well, a tad before that too), you can just tell that very little in the room is physical sets. It has this feel of a totally green screened environment, and Thorin on his sleigh, on the gold "river", for example looks really icky. It would have been something else if they didn't have to literally deliver the film the same day.

[StarWarsFreak1138]

So I’m interested in getting the 4K trilogies but currently don’t have a 4K player or TV. I don’t need the crispest image so I was wondering if I could get a 4K player and connect it to my Vizio HD Tv (it’s not a smart TV) and still watch the films, just not as clear and refined? I’ll still be able to notice the color grading difference and changes I’m guessing, so I don’t need top of the line stuff. And does a 4K player need to be connected to the internet to use? I don’t really need to connect it to the WiFi since I’d only use it to watch 4K discs. I just really want these sets. I was planning on having a PS5 (stupidly...) but no luck snagging one, and I was gonna use that for my 4K player.

[Gacivory]

Originally Posted by StarWarsFreak1138

So I’m interested in getting the 4K trilogies but currently don’t have a 4K player or TV. I don’t need the crispest image so I was wondering if I could get a 4K player and connect it to my Vizio HD Tv (it’s not a smart TV) and still watch the films, just not as clear and refined? I’ll still be able to notice the color grading difference and changes I’m guessing, so I don’t need top of the line stuff. And does a 4K player need to be connected to the internet to use? I don’t really need to connect it to the WiFi since I’d only use it to watch 4K discs. I just really want these sets. I was planning on having a PS5 (stupidly...) but no luck snagging one, and I was gonna use that for my 4K player.

You can connect a 4K player to a non 4K tv. They don’t need to be connected to the internet to work.

[Everan]

Could anyone somehow scan the steelbook covers, back and front? Would make awesome phone wallpapers.

[StarWarsFreak1138]

Originally Posted by Gacivory

You can connect a 4K player to a non 4K tv. They don’t need to be connected to the internet to work.

Awesome, thanks!!

[GenPion]

Originally Posted by StarWarsFreak1138

Awesome, thanks!!

Just FYI, WB is issuing new Blu-ray Discs in summer 2021 for The Lord of the Rings. If that’s all you want.

[Pieter V]

An Unexpected Journey | The Hobbit 4K Ultra HD | Warner Bros. Entertainment - YouTube

The Desolation of Smaug | The Hobbit 4K Ultra HD | Warner Bros. Entertainment - YouTube

The Battle of the Five Armies | The Hobbit 4K Ultra HD | Warner Bros. Entertainment - YouTube

[pottyaboutpotter1]

Another colour grading observation from AUJ; The Radagast in Dol Guldur sequence has definitely been regraded to match the sequels. The scene is a lot darker and greyer than the previous release. IIRC Dol Guldur was still grey but was also very teal on the previous release. Now it’s a much closer match to Dol Guldur in the sequels. Flashback scenes also have the ‘blurry’ edges found in flashbacks in the sequels.

So I think it’s clear now that Jackson has regraded AUJ to be a closer match for the sequels to provide a more consistent viewing experience. Some may cry revisionism, but I think the new grade is an improvement. Jackson did intend for The Hobbit movies to start very vivid and colourful and slowly get darker as the story went on to reflect Sauron’s growing evil and influence as the story shifted from a simple adventure story to a Lord of the Rings prequel, but this idea was either dropped or heavily scaled back for the sequels. So while AUJ is still very colourful, it’s a much closer match to the sequels than it was before.

The Erebor and Dol Guldur scenes being a closer match colour grade wise for the sequels is a very nice touch.

I’m about halfway through the film and this is a lovely UHD so far. I’m noticing a lot of details I never did before (and I watch these films pretty regularly so that’s a good thing). I’m excited to finish this off and see how the sequels have turned out before I move onto LOTR (which I’m still waiting on being delivered!)

[tcripe]

The reviews on this site had some very high praise for these transfers. Cant wait to check them out!

[dannycj]

Originally Posted by tcripe

The reviews on this site had some very high praise for these transfers. Cant wait to check them out!

DOS is stunning probably the best 4K transfer I have seen.

[Deathbymonkeys]

Originally Posted by GenPion

Just FYI, WB is issuing new Blu-ray Discs in summer 2021 for The Lord of the Rings. If that’s all you want.

Fall 2021.