Mad Max Anthology 4K UHD (1979-2015)

[BNex99]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

The most annoying thing with examples like the Batmen, The Thing, now Mad Max 2, is that the audio didn't even have to be 'the' OG track to make it sound like it did, they just had to include the existing 5.1 track and that would've kept most folks happy I think.

Indeed. I've gotten to where I try not to get too worked up over "original audio" unless the remix is overcooked (Batman, Psycho) or just plain borked (Halloween 4).

And for all we know, the 5.1 on the MM2 Blu-ray might have been a straightforward reformatting of the original 4-track (or even 6-track) master.

[Gold Ranger]

How's the Kino release of the first compared to this new release?

[SpaceBlackKnight]

Originally Posted by BNex99

And for all we know, the 5.1 on the MM2 Blu-ray might have been a straightforward reformatting of the original 4-track (or even 6-track) master.

The first Warner DVD of Mad Max 2 uses the same master as the last widescreen Laserdisc that came out and it's 5.1 (probably carried over from whatever prior LD but in DVD spec DD) is believed to be derived from the 70mm six track mix. I imagine for the previous HD master of MM 2 (which was used on the BDs and is indeed sourced from an IP scan) Warner reused the same 5.1 element with some volume and "near field" adjustments.

The Atmos track is obviously a ground up remix ala the Batmens. What's funny is some dubs use the 5.1 (based on the original mix with center channel poorly extracted to make room for dub alingments) and others a mono mix made from the M&E elements.

As for Mad Max, MGM only owns NA distribution rights while Roadshow (original producer) owns Australian distribution, and Warner rest of the world. So my hunch was right about Warner's MM UHD being different from Kino's disc.

Do we know of the Aussie Eng tracks here are genuine, or the same folddowns that MGM did for their masters? Odd that WB would use the Saul Bass logo preceding the AIP logo, as international 35mm prints only had the former (some WB releases have no logos at all or use MGM's master with their indents remaining). Still, a nice refresh from the usual plaster jobs, but I wonder if Warner took the Saul Bass logo from MM2 (as it's windowboxed and already 4k HDR) or pasted it from elsewhere?

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by Gold Ranger

How's the Kino release of the first compared to this new release?

You get extras and Dolby Vision. Oh, and the US dub tracks.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by BNex99

Indeed. I've gotten to where I try not to get too worked up over "original audio" unless the remix is overcooked (Batman, Psycho) or just plain borked (Halloween 4).

And for all we know, the 5.1 on the MM2 Blu-ray might have been a straightforward reformatting of the original 4-track (or even 6-track) master.

I’d prefer to have the OG audio but it’s not like remixes are inherently ultra-revisionist in themselves, it’s dependent on the taste and restraint of the people doing the work, filmmakers included. And plenty of older 5.1 mixes did indeed use 6-track mixes or discrete 4-channel masters (if available) so they sounded very much like they were meant to, not exact theatrical copies and maybe with some sweetening here and there but close enough, and certainly far more authentic than the horrors that “immersive” remixes sometimes serve up.

[Noremac Mij]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I’d prefer to have the OG audio but it’s not like remixes are inherently ultra-revisionist in themselves, it’s dependent on the taste and restraint of the people doing the work, filmmakers included. And plenty of older 5.1 mixes did indeed use 6-track mixes or discrete 4-channel masters (if available) so they sounded very much like they were meant to, not exact theatrical copies and maybe with some sweetening here and there but close enough, and certainly far more authentic than the horrors that “immersive” remixes sometimes serve up.

It’s when they change, alter, add, or remove sound effects that it becomes a true problem. Or buries the score.

[Kwebbotaurus]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Got that too, they can end up sending stuff quite early. Eeek!

How soon do Warner Bros Shop dispatch pre-orders after taking your money?

I got charged on Monday and the funds had cleared, but so far it's not dispatched.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Kwebbotaurus

How soon do Warner Bros Shop dispatch pre-orders after taking your money?

I got charged on Monday and the funds had cleared, but so far it's not dispatched.

I don't recall getting dispatch emails that often, but I got Game of Thrones and the two Sherlock Holmes UHD almost a full week before release. hopefully we'll get a nice surprise turn up in the next week.

[lildemon666]

Are all the codes redeemed through movies anywhere?

[crackedknee]

Originally Posted by lildemon666

Are all the codes redeemed through movies anywhere?

What does the code slip look like? One code for all 4 movies, or 4 individual codes? Judging from the 4K Sheet if 4 individual codes then Vudu for the first movie because it's MGM and not MA.

[posthaste]

Originally Posted by crackedknee

What does the code slip look like? One code for all 4 movies, or 4 individual codes? Judging from the 4K Sheet if 4 individual codes then Vudu for the first movie because it's MGM and not MA.

There are two slips. One contains Mad Max (1979) and the other three movies are all together on the other slip, which redeems as one code in Mlovies Anywhere.

Mad Max (1979) isn't MA.

[crackedknee]

Originally Posted by posthaste

There are two slips. One contains Mad Max (1979) and the other three movies are all together on the other slip, which redeems as one code in Mlovies Anywhere.

Mad Max (1979) isn't MA.

Ah okay, makes sense. Redeem the Mad Max 1979 code in Vudu (will not port), and the single MA code for the other 3 movies in MA (there is no Vudu option for that code).

[lildemon666]

Originally Posted by posthaste

There are two slips. One contains Mad Max (1979) and the other three movies are all together on the other slip, which redeems as one code in Mlovies Anywhere.

Mad Max (1979) isn't MA.

I prefer MA and was hoping all 4 films be redeemed in that app. Sadly it’s not the case.

[Gold Ranger]

What's the going rate for these codes?

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Gold Ranger

What's the going rate for these codes?

On MA and VUDU you have to buy them individually and they'll run you around $50 or so.

[DMRI2006]

Originally Posted by SpaceBlackKnight

Still, a nice refresh from the usual plaster jobs, but I wonder if Warner took the Saul Bass logo from MM2 (as it's windowboxed and already 4k HDR) or pasted it from elsewhere?

It's pasted from elsewhere -- it's a "modern", full 2.35 Saul Bass they logo they just inserted before the AIP logo, since it says "A TimeWarner Company" on it. Had to have been made for something that had a "Retro" opening (Argo? overseas version of Zodiac? etc. Don't recall offhand).

[mad_max2000]

Originally Posted by DMRI2006

It's pasted from elsewhere -- it's a "modern", full 2.35 Saul Bass they logo they just inserted before the AIP logo, since it says "A TimeWarner Company" on it. Had to have been made for something that had a "Retro" opening (Argo? overseas version of Zodiac? etc. Don't recall offhand).

It could be taken from The Nice Guys from 2016, that film opened with the Saul Bass logo to fit with it's retro '70's aesthetic. Can someone with the WB Mad Max disc provide a screencap of the Saul Bass logo?

[Randy Miller III]

Seeing as how this seems to be a recalled release, I suppose it would be pointless to continue my half-finished review originally on track to post this weekend. But yep, this was a botched collection all around: the new Atmos mixes were questionable at best, both the Road Warrior and Thunderdome "original audio tracks" were downmixes, and the total lack of extras across the board (save for Mad Max 2) were a total turn-off and made this one of the most disappointing efforts in recent memory.

There was one bright spot that I don't believe has been mentioned yet: the 4K transfer of Mad Max looks to have been taken from a new scan. I compared three of my screenshots with three from Svet's review of the Kino disc and saw marked improvements across the board in both grain handling, brightness/contrast, and color saturation. The Kino disc even showed a bit of vertical stretching I didn't notice before. Hopefully the second attempt at this set will add a similar lever of care to the audio and extras.

Since my review is on hold for the time being, I might as well post the three screenshots for you to compare with those on Svet's review. Keep in mind that both were take from separate 4K discs, downsampled to 1920x1080, and obviously converted to SDR.

(spoilered for length)

Kino Screenshot #1

[Show spoiler]

Anthology Screenshot #1

[Show spoiler]

Kino Screenshot #2

[Show spoiler]

Anthology Screenshot #2

[Show spoiler]

Kino Screenshot #3

[Show spoiler]

Anthology Screenshot #3

[Show spoiler]

[Geoff D]

Given all those caveats re: solely comparing downrezzed sdr-converted screenshots and not the discs themselves you’ll have to forgive my initial scepticism that Warners’ MM transfer is a “new scan”. Could they have rejigged it some? Sure. But this isn’t an entirely new harvest from the film elements. [edit] The geometry is subtly different on the first two but it's literally identical on the third one. The blacks appear to have been majorly clipped on all your Warners examples, is that actually how the two discs are or some sort of conversion error at your end?

[mad_max2000]

Originally Posted by Randy Miller III

Seeing as how this seems to be a recalled release, I suppose it would be pointless to continue my half-finished review originally on track to post this weekend. But yep, this was a botched collection all around: the new Atmos mixes were questionable at best, both the Road Warrior and Thunderdome "original audio tracks" were downmixes, and the total lack of extras across the board (save for Mad Max 2) were a total turn-off and made this one of the most disappointing efforts in recent memory.

There was one bright spot that I don't believe has been mentioned yet: the 4K transfer of Mad Max looks to have been taken from a new scan. I compared three of my screenshots with three from Svet's review of the Kino disc and saw marked improvements across the board in both grain handling, black levels, contrast, and color saturation. The Kino disc even showed a bit of vertical stretching I didn't notice before. Hopefully the second attempt at this set will show a similar lever of care regarding the audio and extras.

Since my review is on hold for the time being, I might as well post the three screenshots for you to compare with those on Svet's review. Keep in mind that both were take from separate 4K discs, downsampled to 1920x1080, and obviously converted to SDR.

(spoilered for length)

Kino Screenshot #1

[Show spoiler]

Anthology Screenshot #1

[Show spoiler]

Kino Screenshot #2

[Show spoiler]

Anthology Screenshot #2

[Show spoiler]

Kino Screenshot #3

[Show spoiler]

Anthology Screenshot #3

[Show spoiler]

Can you comment a little more on the MMBT audio tracks (if you got that far in your review). I've been going around in circles all morning trying to figure out if the 5.1 and 2.0 on the 4K disc are downmixes but haven't come to a conclusion. Thanks for the screengrabs and for posting, much appreciated!