Titanic 4K UHD (1997)

[sperezmore]

Originally Posted by Aragorn the Elfstone

This comment from Mr. Harris really saddens me.



Call me a purist, whatever. But this isn't what Titanic should look like, and I'm very saddened by what has been done to it for this release.

For those who are fine with it, enjoy away.

I tend to agree with Mr. Harris but also I can see your point.

Anyway, the 4K release works for me.

Thank you.

Kind regards,

[teddyballgame]

Originally Posted by Riddhi2011

The sheer number of glowing reviews this is getting, I fear, may encourage other filmmakers to also de-grain, sharpen and add fake grain on their films in UHD. I hope better sense prevails among filmmakers and restorers.

This is probably just a Cameron thing hopefully it doesn't spread. I'm also in the camp that would prefer it retain more analog character and look like a 1996 film print. But, if nothing else this disc serves as a litmus test in some ways; some see it and others don't.


JC marches to his drum and he'll always do whatever he wants. But even without direct involvement like that, when a title is known to carry mainstream appeal the expectations go up and the potential for processing shenanigans too. Compromises are considered acceptable because they're trying to cook a dish for a wide variety of palettes.
Setups of all budgets. The Godfather was the same way last year...clearly managed and given a fresh coat of color because hey why not let's "reimagine it" for the kids. Still praised up and down.
I also believe that influencers and publishers who have an interest in maintaining good working relationships feel some pressure to overlook faults because of the weight a title carries.

[y2jman]

i just got 4k now folks saying its a terrible release? anyways about missing line i still got bluray is it a big deal and i should keep bluray or what?

[videopat]

Originally Posted by y2jman

i just got 4k now folks saying its a terrible release? anyways about missing line i still got bluray is it a big deal and i should keep bluray or what?

I think the UHD has clear improvements over the Blu-ray in terms of detail and color ... but the DNR aspect is also greatly amplified. For some, this is clearly not an issue. For others (like myself) it makes the film legitimately hard to watch. I'd say be safe and hold on to that blu, just in case.

[thejoeman2]

I really like this transfer a lot. It was well done and had a lot of details too.

[KMFDMvsEnya]

Originally Posted by y2jman

i just got 4k now folks saying its a terrible release? anyways about missing line i still got bluray is it a big deal and i should keep bluray or what?

No, most are not really saying that it is terrible, rather that it is a difference of opinion on what constitutes as "perfect" or "reference" in light that the film has been processed in a manner that is better than other efforts to this point. Yet still not artifact free and the most evident issue is the sharpening method varies in its subtly or lack thereof.

[Rich Pure Doom]

I'm sorry, but if you are a professional reviewer and giving this disc a perfect score and calling it "flawless", either your setup is terrible or you have no business reviewing discs. This presentation is false looking from the first frame to the last. If it doesn't bother you then that's great but "flawless"? C'mon.

[MisterXDTV]

I think this time Cameron was able to strike a good balance between his intentions and the original source material.

That's why the reviews are so good...

But I think it happened just by pure luck because the 2012 master was still "filmic" enough...

Like I said, I'm very worried about the Abyss, as it's basically done from scratch. It was never released in HD....

The first Avatar 4K release is tragic IMO

[Mierzwiak]

Originally Posted by Riddhi2011

The sheer number of glowing reviews this is getting, I fear, may encourage other filmmakers to also de-grain, sharpen and add fake grain on their films in UHD. I hope better sense prevails among filmmakers and restorers.

I can imagine people working on those remasters and 4K editions are reading the reviews, but filmmakers? Why would they? It's just another of many releases of their past, sometimes decades old work.

Now if filmmakers know what they are doing and know what their movie should look like, there's no way some "restorer" will convince them to play with DNR / regraining / AI-upscaling BS. Or... they might deliberately use these tools for the very same reason, because they want a specific look! But let's not pretend all these things that let you alter or even destroy the look of 35mm film were invented two days ago, or that Titanic is the first "problematic" UHD release having glowing reviews.

[Aragorn the Elfstone]

At least Titanic has a filmic Blu-ray release. I'm relieved by that, at least. The Abyss and True Lies are not so fortunate.

[Riddhi2011]

Originally Posted by Mierzwiak

I can imagine people working on those remasters and 4K editions are reading the reviews, but filmmakers? Why would they? It's just another of many releases of their past, sometimes decades old work.

Now if filmmakers know what they are doing and know what their movie should look like, there's no way some "restorer" will convince them to play with DNR / regraining /AI-upscaling BS. Or... they might deliberately use these tools for the very same reason, because they want a specific look! But let's not pretend all these things that let you alter or even destroy the look of 35mm film were invented two days ago, or that Titanic is the first "problematic" UHD release having glowing reviews.

The difference between other problematic home video releases and this one is that it's the 11-Academy Award-winning TITANIC; considered one of the greatest films of all time that still go almost houseful every time it returns to theatres, which people still shed copious amounts of tears over. That's what gives this film weight. I am not trying to school you, please don't misunderstand. I'm saying that anything that is done with this movie will be noticed and the responses by the majority of consumers might influence the treatment of highly popular yesteryear films, going forward. Hope it does not happen.

[henry00x]

Originally Posted by Rich Pure Doom

I'm sorry, but if you are a professional reviewer and giving this disc a perfect score and calling it "flawless", either your setup is terrible or you have no business reviewing discs. This presentation is false looking from the first frame to the last. If it doesn't bother you then that's great but "flawless"? C'mon.

well from all reports Cameron himself spent a week on each of these, so if he personally supervised these transfers this is how he meant for them to look, I trust his work moreso than what others may think the film should look like

[henry00x]

Originally Posted by y2jman

i just got 4k now folks saying its a terrible release? anyways about missing line i still got bluray is it a big deal and i should keep bluray or what?

the nitpicking on the 4k forums is unbearable

[Aragorn the Elfstone]

Originally Posted by henry00x

the nitpicking on the 4k forums is unbearable

It's not nitpicking.

If the mutilation of this film doesn't bother you, that's fine. Enjoy your disc. But the issues here are real.

[maverick22]

Originally Posted by Riddhi2011

The difference between other problematic home video releases and this one is that it's the 11-Academy Award-winning TITANIC; considered one of the greatest films of all time that still go almost houseful every time it returns to theatres, which people still shed copious amounts of tears over. That's what gives this film weight. I am not trying to school you, please don't misunderstand. I'm saying that anything that is done with this movie will be noticed and the responses by the majority of consumers might influence the treatment of highly popular yesteryear films, going forward. Hope it does not happen.

The other day, this release made me go back and look at the AFI’s top 100 list.

This was 83 on the list.

Thoughts?

[y2jman]

Originally Posted by henry00x

the nitpicking on the 4k forums is unbearable

ok well i haven't watch 4k so i don't think its t2 terrible level or pirates of Caribbean 4k i do like movie perhaps i need to judge by myself if its so terrible need to return amazon or not

anyways about missing line part that is still on bluray but missing on here and i guess music cues? is the missing line that big of a deal to keep bluray or not

[Mierzwiak]

Originally Posted by Riddhi2011

I'm saying that anything that is done with this movie will be noticed and the responses by the majority of consumers might influence the treatment of highly popular yesteryear films, going forward. Hope it does not happen.

But it's not the first beloved movie that was remastered this or other way! Some restorations of classic, beloved films are stunning and flawless, others not. Literally nothing has changed because of that one title and nothing will, you really need to stop being so dramatic about it.

And majority of consumers don't even buy physical media

[Sidney Prescott]

Originally Posted by henry00x

the nitpicking on the 4k forums is unbearable

It really, really is.

I want to stay here because it's one of the last few online spaces that remind me of that golden age of the Internet where forums/message boards were a dime a dozen, but man, do some users make it hard.

It's not even that I dislike discourse and negativity. I grew up with message boards, I have seen and participated in it all. Hell, I have been a moderator and administrator of several. If people genuinely dislike the transfer, then by all means, express why. But I do think people here often cross the line from valid criticism over to this obsessive negativity where it almost (or sometimes outright) feels like they're complaining and creating criticisms just because, or because they refuse to swallow their pride and admit that something, while imperfect, is fine. It's exhausting, and I don't understand how people can consume their media that way because it just seems so utterly joyless in every respect.

And yes, lately, it really seems like people are doubling down on the behavior, which is why it feels so unbearable lately. I may be a new-ish member, but I've been lurking for far longer, and the difference between the older days and now almost feels night and day. And no, I don't think it's only a few noticing this, because I have also, to the community's credit, seen a lot more legacy members calling this behavior out more than ever.

[ImBlu_DaBaDee]

Absolutely glowing rave review from the site with 5 stars in every category. Described as “perfect in every way” and “completely filmic and organic”. I imagine this will not prove to be controversial at all.

[KMFDMvsEnya]

Originally Posted by ImBlu_DaBaDee

Absolutely glowing rave review from the site with 5 stars in every category. Described as “perfect in every way” and “completely filmic and organic”. I imagine this will not prove to be controversial at all.