Gladiator (2000)

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Petri Teittinen

Do note that part was clearly marked as speculation.

True. Still illogical as hell. Studio exec puts out bad product on purpose because he's mad at the world. Doesnt float.

[kpkelley]

Originally Posted by thecardman23

if there is any truth to what he says thou it would explain why the extended cut look better than the theatrical.

The Extended Edition DVD(Aug. 2005) was released nearly five years after the Theatrical Edition(Nov. 2000). It seems logical to me that the Extended Edition would have had a different master than the Theatrical. Keep in mind that the HDTVs open matte master would also be different from these two.

[aramis109]

Originally Posted by Blu2U

I found this and called expecting to get a voice mail and a live person answered. I was flustered and hung up. Wondering if any of you would call and ask her what the deal is with Gladiator. It is a direct line to Paramount studios. I asked for the Blu-ray complaint department and they put me right through.

Call 323-956-5000. If you are calling about the decision to only release high def on HD-DVD ask for the DVD complaints department. You will then have to leave a message explaining your complaint, with your name and phone number. Good luck

This was obviously published a while ago

I would never do this without first having the disc in hand and verifying there is an issue with my own eyes. Wouldn't you feel kind of dumb if there wasn't an issue? I think this is a bad idea on multiple fronts.

[bandit29]

So now we are making phone calls to complain? ugh

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Blu2U

I found this and called expecting to get a voice mail and a live person answered. I was flustered and hung up. Wondering if any of you would call and ask her what the deal is with Gladiator. It is a direct line to Paramount studios. I asked for the Blu-ray complaint department and they put me right through.

Call 323-956-5000. If you are calling about the decision to only release high def on HD-DVD ask for the DVD complaints department. You will then have to leave a message explaining your complaint, with your name and phone number. Good luck

This was obviously published a while ago

It's TOO SOON. We have not seen it yet.

[rkolinski]

Originally Posted by Philnerd

Gladiator won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. Its not a CGI problem, the arrows are absolutely there in the HD broadcast version and even the DVD. Ditto the in-and-out fireball. And apparently some of the flying spears too

I think you misunderstood my point. I am not saying that Gladiator didn't deserve an AA for Best Visual Effect. And I think there is a big difference between giving an entire film an AA for Visual Effects and focusing in on one screen capture of CGI arrows. However, I do doubt that you can pause that HD broadcast of Gladiator to a single frame or stop it so that you can see the full detail of those CGI arrows. I DVR'd the Gladiator in HD and I doubt I could get such detail on pause. I was only suggesting in my comments that BLU might show more flaws in a movie than we might want to see (or perhaps, at least in my case, I want to see those flaws). Still, like I said before, I do not think there are enough reviews of this BLU to draw a conclusion that this is a lousy transfer. And even though I have belonged the the AVS forum for a long time, I rarely buy into their conspiracy theories; especially the ones which are being suggested regarding the release of this particular BLU!

[Buddy Christ]

Originally Posted by aramis109

I would never do this without first having the disc in hand and verifying there is an issue with my own eyes. Wouldn't you feel kind of dumb if there wasn't an issue? I think this is a bad idea on multiple fronts.

I think what I wanted to ask if she is hearing any complaints or concerns about this yet.

[Petri Teittinen]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Doesnt float.

I'm not buying it either. Mostly because I don't think those studio bosses work at the studio any more.

[Buddy Christ]

Originally Posted by bandit29

So now we are making phone calls to complain? ugh

No not to complain but to see if there is any buzz over there.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Blu2U

I think what I wanted to ask if she is hearing any complaints or concerns about this yet.

It releases NEXT WEEK.

[benricci]

Originally Posted by Blu2U

I found this and called expecting to get a voice mail and a live person answered. I was flustered and hung up. Wondering if any of you would call and ask her what the deal is with Gladiator. It is a direct line to Paramount studios. I asked for the Blu-ray complaint department and they put me right through.

Maybe it's me, but I think it's kind of obnoxious to call and complain about a title that:
A) you don't even own
B) hasn't even been released yet and
C) isn't technically a defective disc (transfer quality being subjective and all, and not an actual error in the physical disc that warrants a return).

I don't think the poor woman answering phones at Paramount is gonna be all that helpful to you, especially when you ask confrontational questions that begin with "What's the deal"...

[Buddy Christ]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

It releases NEXT WEEK.

Just figured the non oflunatics would call and complain. That seems to be their MO

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by Grubert

Okay, in real time now:

wow, thanks Grubert. It is even more noticeable in real time IMO. this is one of my favorite scenes in Gladiator: I'd always crank up the old DVD system and play this sequence, great demo material. This is troubling, but I'll see for myself on opening day ($18 is a steal at best buy, w/ $10 off coupon + Braveheart), plus i'll double dip later, as the mod said, if need be. most titles don't warrant double dipping, Maximus does!!

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Petri Teittinen

I'm not buying it either. Mostly because I don't think those studio bosses work at the studio any more.

Operating under their logic, consumers should exercise great caution when purchasing a Toshiba Blu-ray player (when available) because they had the biggest chip on their shoulder. Makes sense, no? Make crappy players that fail because we are still mad at the Blu camp. Good business plan. DUH...and LOL.

[Buddy Christ]

Originally Posted by benricci

Maybe it's me, but I think it's kind of obnoxious to complain about a title that
A) you don't own
B) hasn't been released yet and
C) isn't technically a defective disc (transfer quality being subjective and all, and not an actual error in the physical disc that warrants a return).

I don't think the poor woman answering phones at Paramount is gonna be all that helpful to you, especially when you confront her with antagonizing questions that begin with "What's the deal".

Try to read all posts before writing, I think I already explained myself.

[benricci]

Originally Posted by Blu2U

Try to read all posts before writing, I think I already explained myself.

Jeez, give me a freakin' break, will ya? It's obvious I was writing at the same as other posts were coming in. I have multiple windows open, sorry if I didn't click "save" soon enough for you, your highness.

That said, I still stand by my post. I think your original suggestion is really obnoxious and uncalled for at this point.

[mikem471]

Originally Posted by Blu2U

No not to complain but to see if there is any buzz over there.

You were going to call a complaint department, to see if there were any complaints about something that hasn't been released yet????

Are you f*cking serious?????

[singhcr]

If the Extended edition utilized a newer master (2004?) vs. the original DVD master (2000), why would you not use the Extended master for the entire movie and then use seamless branching to give people the option of watching the Theatrical cut?

Seems a waste to not use a better and newer master. I'm guessing this 2000 master, if it was used for the BD, utilized more DNR because it was intended to be viewed in 480p, just like low older laserdisc transfers made for poor DVD transfers because they were "tweaked" for laserdisc display, not the increased resolution of DVD. This makes some sense to me, but why they didn't use the Extended master when it's clearly superior to whatever master was used for the theatrical portions of the film is beyond me.

[Philnerd]

Originally Posted by rkolinski

I think you misunderstood my point.

No I understood

Seriously, the BD's missing arrows are *absolutely* in the HDTV broadcast and the DVD. I actually posted a cap earlier in the thread that showed in great detail spots where arrows are missing or have been only partially painted out. The CGI was top notch, the arrows were there originally. As were the fireball. And apparently the spears. One can obviously accept these couple of compromised shots and enjoy this movie, nothing wrong with that. But there's no denying the issue.

It was a case of scratch removal software finding what it thought was random specs or damage and trying to remove them.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by mikem471

You were going to call a complaint department, to see if there were any complaints about something that hasn't been released yet????

Are you f*cking serious?????