Super Fly (1972) coming from WAC

[zepol]

Originally Posted by Max Solo

And watched.

Probably the best this movie will ever look. It’s clean. The blacks are black. Blurry at times but I think it’s how it was filmed haha.

Sound is really nice, the Curtis mayfield soundtrack is so good.

Overall a great release at a good price.

Blurry at times means I will stick to my no blur at all dvd.
Thank you!
You saved me some dollars.

[CineSicko]

Originally Posted by zepol

Blurry at times means I will stick to my no blur at all dvd.
Thank you!
You saved me some dollars.

I think he's talking about some of the shots being out of focus, which was likely due to the production being low budget and subsequently rushed. The bulk of the movie looks razor sharp on BD, so if you're a fan you owe it to yourself to make the upgrade (I did and it's a big quality leap over the admittedly decent DVD). If you're on the fence, maybe you could pick it up during the next 4 for $44 sale.

[Max Solo]

Originally Posted by CineSicko

I think he's talking about some of the shots being out of focus, which was likely due to the production being low budget and subsequently rushed. The bulk of the movie looks razor sharp on BD, so if you're a fan you owe it to yourself to make the upgrade (I did and it's a big quality leap over the admittedly decent DVD). If you're on the fence, maybe you could pick it up during the next 4 for $44 sale.

Yes. That’s what I meant. I’m not good at describing things here as good as others.

Thanks

[zepol]

Iv'e been burned picking up OFFICER & GENTLEMAN, BULLITT and I hate that background blur that comes up on blu-rays.

I don't recall anything wrong with the SUPERFLY dvd it just looks like a low budget movie.

[CarlosMeat]

I watched this the other night. I found the colors to be quite natural overall a nice presentation but I'd say that this is one of those films that just looks like it was filmd on 16mm at times.

I agree about the Curtis Mayfield sound track hard to be more iconic.

Some of the acting is good others not so but of course one can't make lines that are marginal into much.

I actually enjoyed the film (my first time) and would recommend it for historical significance at least.

[billydillydilly]

Looking forward to this one! I'm intimately familiar with the incredible Curtis Mayfield soundtrack but have never seen the movie.

[mreagan88]

[tetrapak]

Originally Posted by John Earls Umbrella

Amazingly I've never seen this even though it's my favourite era but I may hold fire for the HMV exclusive in the UK which include the postcards. That's if I can wait.

Will there be a release by HMV? is it confirmed?

[zepol]

Originally Posted by CarlosMeat

I watched this the other night. I found the colors to be quite natural overall a nice presentation but I'd say that this is one of those films that just looks like it was filmd on 16mm at times.

The dvd was pretty good looking so is it worth the upgrade?

[javy]

Originally Posted by billydillydilly

Looking forward to this one! I'm intimately familiar with the incredible Curtis Mayfield soundtrack but have never seen the movie.

Ha, same. The first time I was introduced to the Superfly soundtrack was when Doggystyle came out back in '93.

Will be great to finally check out the movie.

[JBL]

Originally Posted by zepol

The dvd was pretty good looking so is it worth the upgrade?

If you love the film - it is worth the upgrade. Like someone wrote further up, this is probably the best that it will or could look. I do not expect a 4K release of this flick. If they ever released one, only HDR would give it an enhancement.

I got it and sold my DVD version. In this 4K era, DVD is not cutting it, but BD is still the standard until 4K cuts out the upscaling.

[StingingVelvet]

Hate to be a bummer but I was very disappointed by this release. I don't think the master is anywhere near as good as reviews have said, and many other films of this same time and budget look much better. Caps-a-holic shows this is the same master as the old DVD to my eye, and I was pretty meh about it. Don't come at me with talk of poor film quality and whatnot, I've seen what can be done with 16mm indie movies from the same time period and they can look a lot better.

I also didn't think the movie held up to my memories of it. The climax is excellent of course, and was an important moment at the time, but as a movie to watch in 2018 I don't think this is nearly as entertaining as other genre classics like Shaft, Black Caesar or even Truck Turner. Maybe that's just me, but on the third "driving somewhere to the same song" montage I was about to fall asleep. Cocaine deals photo montage also went from cool to silly cheese over the years, IMO.

[CinemaScope]

I didn't buy it, but looking at caps-a-holic, it certainly isn't my idea of HD.


https://www.caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d...53&i=0&l=0&a=1

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

Hate to be a bummer but I was very disappointed by this release. I don't think the master is anywhere near as good as reviews have said, and many other films of this same time and budget look much better. Caps-a-holic shows this is the same master as the old DVD to my eye, and I was pretty meh about it. Don't come at me with talk of poor film quality and whatnot, I've seen what can be done with 16mm indie movies from the same time period and they can look a lot better.

I also didn't think the movie held up to my memories of it. The climax is excellent of course, and was an important moment at the time, but as a movie to watch in 2018 I don't think this is nearly as entertaining as other genre classics like Shaft, Black Caesar or even Truck Turner. Maybe that's just me, but on the third "driving somewhere to the same song" montage I was about to fall asleep. Cocaine deals photo montage also went from cool to silly cheese over the years, IMO.

Superfly is definitely rough around the edges and the filmmakers themselves have acknowledged there is a lot of padding due to having a minimal script.
Films like Truck Turner and Shaft are more entertaining, but those are also mainly action movies. Superfly is a drama. Having the Mayfield soundtrack really helps it along though.

I don't think you can dismiss how it was filmed when it comes to the film's visuals though. I think the blu-ray reflects how it's supposed to look.

[Bolo Seagull]

If you think this movie feels padded out and slow, then never, ever, watch 'Sweet Sweetback'. I finally got around to seeing that one and I swear that at least an hour of screen time is dedicated to Peebles jogging around Los Angeles while a jam band warms up in the background. The music never becomes a song, it's just jamming that becomes so numbing so fast. Figuring whether Peebles is actually getting anywhere or why he can't just hop a bus is beyond me.

[I KEEL YOU]

Yeah, this is definitely not the standard DVD-to-blu ray upgrade one expects from a blu ray release in terms of detail:

https://www.caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d...3&a=2&go=1&l=1

I can definitely see why someone who owns the DVD wouldn't bother to upgrade. But that's not to say that Warner Archive did a poor job on this release. There could be several reasons as to why it looks like that: Maybe the OCN were destroyed or lost and they used the best source available. Movies that are MUCH bigger than Super Fly have OCN that are lost forever.

It is what it is. I mean, don't expect a UHD to get announced any time soon that will blow the blu ray away.

[StingingVelvet]

Originally Posted by RCRochester

I don't think you can dismiss how it was filmed when it comes to the film's visuals though. I think the blu-ray reflects how it's supposed to look.

Again though, many films done in the same style, with the same budget, have looked much, MUCH better after a new scan. It's obvious from the caps this is the same scan as the old DVD. Now, it could still be the best the movie can look if the OCN was lost, as suggested above. That doesn't make me love the presentation any more though.

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by StingingVelvet

Again though, many films done in the same style, with the same budget, have looked much, MUCH better after a new scan. It's obvious from the caps this is the same scan as the old DVD. Now, it could still be the best the movie can look if the OCN was lost, as suggested above. That doesn't make me love the presentation any more though.

I don't know how "much, MUCH" better it could look even if it was a new scan from the OCN. It never was and never will be a beautiful looking movie and the visual aesthetics are meant to be gritty to match the subject matter.

[CinemaScope]

Well, it could look in focus! There's not one part of those caps that's in focus, it looks like they used a milk bottle for a lens. Maybe the original negs. are missing, maybe this was scanned from a print, it certainly looks like it. I dunno, but HD? VHS more like it.

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by CinemaScope

Well, it could look in focus! There's not one part of those caps that's in focus, it looks like they used a milk bottle for a lens. Maybe the original negs. are missing, maybe this was scanned from a print, it certainly looks like it. I dunno, but HD? VHS more like it.

Hyperbole much?