Predator (1987) (Ultimate Hunter Edition)

[Bomberman]

While every one is right, Honestly grain that detracts from the overall film is annoying. I watch a movie to watch it, not to watch a sandstorm.

[Beast]

Originally Posted by retablo

Thank you, Bill Hunt, from Digital Bits:

"Let me be perfectly clear: The new Blu-ray is an unmitigated disaster. You remember how awful Patton looked? Well, the new Predator disc is every bit as bad. So much Digital Noise Reduction (the infamous and dreaded 'DNR') has been applied to this disc, that even the sky looks like it was molded from shinny plastic. Fox has actually managed to take a dark, gritty film and make it look like video. Not even high-def video, but old analog video. There is not a speck of grain to be seen anywhere, and hardly a speck of fine image detail either. The subtle textures of clothing, walls, hair, skin - they're nearly all gone. And Fox did this deliberately... It's just deeply disheartening to see a Blu-ray released with shockingly mishandled video like this. But it's even more disheartening that there are apparently so many fans online who don't seem to understand the most basic, most important thing about film restoration and mastering: A FILM SHOULD LOOK LIKE A FILM! Yes, I know that original Predator Blu-ray was full of sometimes coarse grain. But how many of those who complained about it have actually seen Predator projected in a theater? That's how the film looks, guys. That's how it looked on Day One when it hit theaters. It's ALWAYS looked like that - dark, gritty, grainy - the result of choices in film stock and camera process made by director John McTiernan and his cinematographer."

Oh, we understand perfectly well.

We just disagree with his take on things. Simple as that.

The original release was craptastic. The new release is problematic for a different reason.

[Hi-Def Steve]

Good to see Hunt tear the new disc a new one.

[Beast]

Originally Posted by Cliff

And BTW, those Carl Weathers shots (in motion, not stills) looked like I was watching something out of Final Fantasy. Even if your defense of the new disc is that only that briefing scene is terrible, it's still one scene too many and you shouldn't be willing to accept anything of that shoddy quality.

Then why are you accepting the original craptastic release?

[Beast]

Originally Posted by Hi-Def Steve

Good to see Hunt tear the new disc a new one.

Yeah, he's ripping into an inanimate object. What a man.

[fdm]

Originally Posted by 720pDude

HAhaha..NOT TRUE AT ALL

Ha Ha Ha yourself. You are wrong.

[FendersRule]

Look at this phenominal shot of the Ultimate Edition. Old at top, New on Bottom.

[Show spoiler]

Look at the awesome waxiness and anime quality on the mud! Look at all the fine detail that was lost with the moisture of the mud while ruining the contrast of the picture.

The Predator:

[Show spoiler]

Ultimate Wax Edition

[Beast]

Originally Posted by FendersRule

Truth.

Opinion!

[mayorofsmpleton]

I like Blu because of the more vivid colors and detail that it shows....despite it having DNR or not.

Okay, so long as you fully admit that your argument is not necessarily the opposite of ours.

Does the image look "Cleaned up" and "pretty" -- yes.

What bothers us is that we consider ourselves fans of film -- as an art form. Tweaking art to look/be the way you want misrepresents the intention of the film-makers

Originally Posted by persuazion
Your right but all Im saying is people have different taste in what they think looks good.....if somebody wasnt a brightened less grainy picture despite losing some detail then whos to say their wrong?

They aren't "wrong" what's wrong is that the artistic merit of the film is thrown out. People are welcome to love overly DNR'd titles but it's on the same level as MAR releases, incorrect audio, etc. It may have "turned out" to look prettier to some people but it's an example of everyone thinking "brighter" "smoother" = better. It might appeal to you more, but as a faithful representation of the film Predator this release fails. That's what bothers us.

What's most frustrating is that FOX might plan to do this on many releases which will lead to MANY films being DNR'd that didn't have much grain to begin with... and that throws into question the artistic merits of the material.

Some of us see movies as more than just "a fun time" and issues like this can completely misrepresent a film.

Predator was turned from a dark and gritty (liek it was supposed to be) horror adventure into a bright, happy, and smooth video game looking thing. Doesn't give the same mood or feeling at all.

Yes. And that is the biggest offense of all... because for a great deal of people this will be their first time seeing the movie. If the first cut of THE EXORCIST I saw was "The Version You've Never Seen!" then I probably wouldn't like the movie nearly as much. Part of the appeal of some of these movies is their "ugly" look -- sometimes these things weren't meant to be so brightly -- it kills the film because it overexposes what was originally dark... ie, unknown, dark. Yeah the monster under the bed is scary as hell when you shine the flashlight right on him -- but he's scarier when you can just get a hint of him under there... and then after getting the hint you still don't quite know what he looks like.

With this release it kills the mystique. and we'll have a whole generation of people deciding their opinions of the movie based on an incorrect representation of the material. Sigh.

[FendersRule]

Originally Posted by Beast

Then why are you accepting the original craptastic release?

The original release is not craptistic. Please do some research before posting with people who have actually physically worked with the source material.

[FendersRule]

Originally Posted by Beast

Opinion!

Opinion from every damn professional review, including this site.

It's called a consensus, and you sir, are not involved.

Go wait in the car.

[supercutz]

Originally Posted by SpotOn

Because 2008 will eventually go out of print. That is standard business procedure when a new version of a movie gets released.

All movies go out of print but I understand your point. It's a good thing the original release is still readily available though.

Originally Posted by FendersRule

First off, none of you can properly read. This release affects us, because Fox can do the same incorrect treatment to other movies. How is that difficult to understand? Why are you even hear if you are support releases that are not an accurate representation of what they looked like in theaters? I'm greatly confused.

I didn't even read your post so calm down. There are obviously 2 camps: grain/2008 lovers and anti-grain/UHE lovers. I'm not taking a side. I'm simply pointing out that both camps currently have options and should vote with their wallets. I'm fully aware that DNR can "ruin" a film's intended look but that still isn't stopping studios from doing what they want to in order to please people that care more about the illusion of a clean HD picture versus the director's original vision. It's sad but true. DVD's great debate was fullscreen vs widescreen. Bluray's appears to be the ever growing debate over grain or no grain. Both debates had the same fundamental issue: director's intent vs viewer's personal preference.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by Bomberman

Why exactly is that? because i dont agree with u or rather i think we should all just vote with our wallets?

If u dont like the way the film looks, dont buy it.....PERIOD!!!!
If u like the way it looks, then buy it......PERIOD!!!1

What i have gathered from all the bickering is that people who dont like the way the film looks are voicing their opinions and those that do like it are already confused as it due to those that dont like it.

Just let people buy the film.

We get it, U dont like the way it looks, The plus side is that it provides great extras.

I don't care if you agree or not. It doesn't even matter if I like how it looks or not. Bottom line is: that's not how it is supposed to look.

I'm glad you don't care about the director's aesthetic, even though he is the author of the film, he created it, it's his ideas that made a film that you enjoy. But hey, screw him, right? I mean, without the director, who makes EVERY choice on a film, you wouldn't have the movie in the first place.

Apparently you haven't ever created anything, but that's fine, not everyone is meant to lead. Some follow. But if you did, and someone came along and bastardized it, you'd probably have a change of heart.

[Beast]

Originally Posted by FendersRule

The original release is not craptistic. Please do some research before posting with people who have actually physically worked with the source material.

Sure it is. For a variety of reasons that make it just as bad as the new one.

[FendersRule]

Please listen:

IF YOU WANT SCRUBBED RELEASES, PLEASE USE THE "CLEAN" SETTING ON YOUR BLU-RAY PLAYER AND LEAVE THE ORIGINAL SOURCE MATERIAL ALONE. TURD UP YOUR OWN MOVIES.

This is not rocket surgery. All of you arguing about how HD movies are suppose to look like is pointless. They are NOT your movies. They are the work of others and it is THIER intentions that matter.

Scrub up your own shit. Be a rocket surgeon.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by Bolty

That scathing article by Bill Hunt will cost Fox at least a dozen copies in sales.

How come when the original version came out everyone said it was no better than a 3 star out of 5 PQ, but now everybody says....

"it looks exactly like it should and is the way the director intended."

Those guys in Beneath the Planet of the apes were actually worshipping 'film grain'


"I reveal my inner-most self to the great god of grain. A-Men"

But then an ape shot them and set off a doomsday H-bomb that left the whole planet covered in a fine grain-like powder.

Because after a debacle like "Gladiator," we shouldn't have to go through this again. But that was a different studio. Eventually they will all learn.

[Post Prod]

Originally Posted by Bomberman

Is this still going on?
Give it a rest, LADIES!!!!
I bought the Predator Ultimate Hunter edition and I think while it does look waxy with some of the characters, overall its pretty damn good. (Pardon my french).

I give it a 4 out of 5. Clarity is there, detail is somewhat lacking, but i am happy overall. Im glad i didnt buy the 2008 edition. I buy HD movies for Stunning picture and sound, not for the directors asthetic choice. While they shouldnt have DNRed it to hell, im glad it looks this way. Take what u can get.

I could care less what reviewers think it should look like, i care about what HD movies are supposed to look like. Beautiful picture, Stunning audio, and robust Extras
Get a life guys and move on.

Its blu ray, not the end of the world

What HD movies are supposed to look like?

HD stands for high definition. HD movies should like they are in high definition.

SD movies should look like they are in standard definition.

and dogs go bark and cows go moo.


as I said a while ago, there are two kinds of people:

Those who buy fancy equipment to show off their movies.

and those who buy movies to show off their fancy equipment.

Of course the people who care more about validating their fancy equipment than the movies, don't care enough to get their damn equipment properly calibrated.

Some people want their movies to be demo discs.
Some people want their demo discs to be movies.

I feel like Tommy Lee Jones in No Country For Old Men right now.
Only much younger and more handsome.

[Beast]

Originally Posted by FendersRule

Opinion from every damn professional review, including this site.

It's called a consensus, and you sir, are not involved.

Go wait in the car.

Not every professional reviewer. So please stop making up facts.

Consensus means nothing. Many of the greatest crimes of mankind have been performed over a consensus.

If you don't like my opinion, tough cookies. I have just as much right as you to offer it.

I'd go tell you were to wait, but I'm not as rude as you are.

[dcowboy7]

MUST

USE

BOLD

TO

MAKE

POINT

i lost my crayons.

[bfellow]

Option 3 since both are the worst in each of their faults. The UHE reminds me of Gladiator with its literally night and day scene changes.