The CURRENT T1 BD release

[benricci]

Originally Posted by UniSol GR77

Like on the DARKMAN HD-DVD! Why that, Ben Ricci? Can't they clean up those FX scenes at all?

When you use an optical printer to composite special effects shots, there is bound to be dirt introduced as you layer the separate film elements on top of each other and re-photograph them. Think of it like making a photocopy of a photocopy.

As you create effects and dissolves, each pass through the printer will also degrade the quality (as it's now a generation removed from the source) and you may notice that one scene in the film is crystal clear, but the next scene that features effects has a slightly softer and possibly grainier look. Each time you re-photograph the film elements, you add a new layer of grain and possible artifacts.

This is why I typically don't take points off for video quality if the special effects shots have a softer look or some dirt. It's most likely not a transfer issue, as these "problems" are probably in the source print to begin with.

It can be cleaned up (with some work and a bit of money, and possible re-composition of effects shots), but that's usually why you'll see more dirt and speckling during shots featuring optical effects in pre-CGI films.

As CGI effects and digital editing became more prevalent, these types of issues went away, by and large.