Got Close Encounters....

[richard lichtenfelt]

dvdtown.com rates it as a 9 out of 10 for video and audio, highdefpreview.com rates it as a 4.5 out of 5 for video and audio. Links are in my previous post (#8).
Grain is a natural artifact of the cameras and film used to make the movie. Next time you're at the movies if you pay attention you will notice the grain. People never scrutinize the picture at the theater like they do at home.

[darkpoet25]

Originally Posted by ClaytonMG

Alright, I have to ask, can anyone confirm that this film is pretty grainy and in a couple of scenes, there's this... well I guess you could say a bar of light that goes accross the film from right to left in some shots. You can only see it on the darker scenes. One spot is 30:20 into the Director's Cut... Am I imagining this? Is there something wrong with my PS3 or something (it's not the TV because I can pause it).

No you are not imagining this. This is how Spielberg intended to shoot the film. He did after all have to approve the transfer. I haven't seen the director's cut yet, I only watched the Theatrical Cut because it's the only version of the film I had not seen yet. But the grain was meant to be there as he liked shooting on 35mm film I believe, although I could very well be mistaken.

[sj001]

Spielberg is old school and does prefer to have some grain in his films, says it looks more "natural". I think his buddy George Lucas has been trying to convince him to film in digital for a while, and I think Indy IV is his last non-digital. But it's funny, I heard something along the lines of Lucas telling him that he could "add the grain back in" if it's filmed digitally, and Speilberg said, "what's the point, why don't I just film it traditionally!"... LOL.. something along those lines.

[digibob]

I just watched this film tonight. It was beautiful. The transfer and restoration is perfect. This film has always been my all time favorite. It was the first time my 15 year old son saw it and he loved it as much as I do. We watched Transformers just before Close Encounters and there is no comparison. Close Encounters is a far better film. Bring more Spielberg to Blu-Ray.

[MarkGubarenko]

Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition [A]

[cathexist]

This is definitely amongst my higher praised purchases. Just watched it the other night, forgot how great the movie is and it looked absolutely amazing.

[Sushisake]

I, too, love this movie - but am getting pretty tired of the "that's the way the director meant it to be seen" cop-out. I have tremendous respect for Speilberg, however, I also have respect for the technology that we are all buying into - and expect to see major differences between the original standard definition DVD and Blu-Ray.

When I compare Close Encounters to something like Fantastic Four - or even an older film like Viva Las Vegas - there should be no excuse for this filmlooking the way it does.

There - I said it...

[WriteSimply]

Originally Posted by Sushisake

There - I said it...

Which of course you STILL don't get the point of it all. If you compare the DVD and the BD, you'll see more grain AND more detail on the BD.

The difference between Viva Las Vegas and CE3K is the film stock and the style of filmmaking. If Spielberg is dead and somebody in his estate tell SPHE that for the next HD version SPHE should remove all of the grain in CE3K, it means that this "clean" version is FAR REMOVED from the film source. Basically, you're getting a smoothened out, screwed up version of the film. The removal of grain means you also get less detail. Film enthusiasts would not want that version.


fuad

[Sushisake]

Thank goodness we live in America - where everyone is entitled to their opinion without being criticized...

[sj001]

Originally Posted by Sushisake

Thank goodness we live in America - where everyone is entitled to their opinion without being criticized...

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I don't know about the criticism part though...

[clyon]

I am glade I got this one, too bad it was $44 at BB . The only way I have seen it before was on cable, edited to hell & it has been years since I have last seen it.

Good movie.

[cajmoyper]

Originally Posted by Sushisake

I, too, love this movie - but am getting pretty tired of the "that's the way the director meant it to be seen" cop-out. I have tremendous respect for Speilberg, however, I also have respect for the technology that we are all buying into - and expect to see major differences between the original standard definition DVD and Blu-Ray.

When I compare Close Encounters to something like Fantastic Four - or even an older film like Viva Las Vegas - there should be no excuse for this filmlooking the way it does.

There - I said it...

I was trying to think of how to put this, and you definitely said what I meant to. I don't know if I would've been as blunt but it's so frikin' true.

[bluflu]

[GreenScar]

I remember when my Dad took me to this at the Base Theater. It's my most wanted right now, but I may have to wait until after Christmas (unless it goes on sale... )

[SingingTheBlues]

I see less grain at 768p than I did at 1080p. It's one of the reasons why I can live with downgrading from my previous 1080p set. 1080p also makes special effects look fake.

[gvortex7]

I have had the special edition version on DVD for years now and I bought the Blu-ray version about two weeks ago and spent about 30 minutes comparing the two. Within the first minute of watching the Blu-ray version it was very evident that both the picture and the sound were superior to the DVD version. The colors, the level of detail and overall clarity of the video was the best I've seen for this title on any format. The sound was equally impressive for this 30 year old movie.

I'm impressed by this release and I think people in general shouldn't have unrealistic expectations when it comes to the restoration and 1080p presentation of classic movies. There is only so much one can do to to create the best version of a movie from another period, and I don't think that enhancing the picture to the point where at almost looks "artificial" should be the goal.

[xwingsct]

Originally Posted by bluflu

Nice movie. Well worth the bucks. I didn't expect the extra disc or book. The seamless branching for the three versions worked... seamlessly.

Just got mine tonight and watching it right now and don't forget the free CD soundtracks of the film. Worth every pennies. Takes awhile for the disc to load on my BDP-s301 though.

[andyparhelia]

Watched it last night, it looks absolutely amazing - and what a package. buy this now.

[Galley]

Originally Posted by xwingsct

Just got mine tonight and watching it right now and don't forget the free CD soundtracks of the film. Worth every pennies. Takes awhile for the disc to load on my BDP-s301 though.

What'choo talking about a free CD soundtrack?

[ClaytonMG]

I am confused by the complaints about film grain... I can't imagine what people will say if Minority Report comes out As for the person that basically said that we shouldn't keep the director's vision and change it to fit the format. That's just silly... The format was created to keep the director's intensions intact. DVD can't produce film grain very well at all. Blu-Ray can... and it can also keep the image sharp. Now I personally feel that Spielberg has an amazing eye. What I really liked about this Blu-Ray is how nothing looked fake. Everything blended together extremely well and I believe that is actually due in a major part to the film grain. As for my thoughts on grain, some movies have it, some don't. If you hate grain so much, stick to the ones that don't. There's other titles you can show off your system with if they also don't understand grain. This title is grainy, but that doesn't mean all Blu-Rays are. And just because some Blu-Rays don't have grain, that doesn't mean this one shouldn't and should just look like them. Ok, I am done with my rant!