Cleopatra (1934)

[guizhang]

i'm kinda in a cleopatra mood, but i actually haven't seen any of the films about her, i just know the history.

is the 1934 version considered better than the 1963 version? how do they compare? would you guys recommend watching both of them?

Thanks

[nitin]

Originally Posted by guizhang

i'm kinda in a cleopatra mood, but i actually haven't seen any of the films about her, i just know the history.

is the 1934 version considered better than the 1963 version? how do they compare? would you guys recommend watching both of them?

Thanks

My brief thoughts are here:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...ostcount=35643

[guizhang]

Originally Posted by nitin

My brief thoughts are here:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...ostcount=35643

thanks, seems like a fun time. i'll check it out

[BluPat]

Just got this in the mail from Amazon today and it still came with a slipcover. I was shocked. 4 years later it still has one.

[NeilZ]

Going by the caps a holic comparisons the universal looks a step down in practically every matchup. Granted it’s not a big difference, but I’m not sure what people are looking at when they say the Uni looks better…

[Dailyan]

Originally Posted by NeilZ

I’m not sure what people are looking at when they say the Uni looks better…

Probably because it's not oversharpened shit.

[NeilZ]

Originally Posted by Dailyan

Probably because it's not oversharpened shit.

I’ve never heard of Eureka using edge enhancement on their Masters of Cinema line… what I’m seeing looks more like mild DNR used in some shots of the Universal (others look near identical in terms of grain). The framing is slightly less good on the Universal too.

[NeilZ]

Yup even up close I see no traces of edge enhancement. I do see Universal did some additional cleanup of dirt and damage, but the final result is still a tad less good no matter how I look at it.

https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?go=1&...159043&i=2&l=0

[ravenus]

I own the Eureka release, but I would say that screenshot shows a more refined image on the Universal disc. The Eureka image in comparison does look a little sharpened and there are visual artifacts not related to damage on the film.

[NeilZ]

Originally Posted by ravenus

I own the Eureka release, but I would say that screenshot shows a more refined image on the Universal disc. The Eureka image in comparison does look a little sharpened and there are visual artifacts not related to damage on the film.

Looking at comparisons again I'm left wondering whether it's possible that Eureka used a copy of the film that was a generation newer than the one Universal scanned. That might explain the coarser grain (possibly made stronger by the increased contrast of the MoC), as well as the difference in dirt/damage. I've never heard of MoC using edge sharpening (unless they're handed material that already had some applied of course), it runs contrary to their policies of how to preserve film. In this case the usual tell tale signs of edge enhancement aren't visible in the caps, that I can see anyway.

If Universal did use a copy of the film a generation closer to the original negative then that would certainly give me a greater appreciation for that release. Would be nice if we could get confirmation on whether they did.

https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?go=1&...159041&i=0&l=0

[Dailyan]

The Eureka disc uses a typical, old, processed (sharpening, clunky "grain", telecine wobble, etc.) Universal master. The Universal disc wipes the floor with it.

[Matt89]

As someone who at one point owned both, yes the Universal wipes the floor with the Eureka, it's why I no longer own the Eureka. The old Universal master looked like hot garbage.

I mean, look at the hideous chunky grain on the old master compared to the new: https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?a=3&x...8&l=0&i=2&go=1

~Matt

[Matt89]

Originally Posted by NeilZ

Looking at comparisons again I'm left wondering whether it's possible that Eureka used a copy of the film that was a generation newer than the one Universal scanned. That might explain the coarser grain (possibly made stronger by the increased contrast of the MoC), as well as the difference in dirt/damage. I've never heard of MoC using edge sharpening (unless they're handed material that already had some applied of course), it runs contrary to their policies of how to preserve film. In this case the usual tell tale signs of edge enhancement aren't visible in the caps, that I can see anyway.

If Universal did use a copy of the film a generation closer to the original negative then that would certainly give me a greater appreciation for that release. Would be nice if we could get confirmation on whether they did.

https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?go=1&...159041&i=0&l=0

Eureka didn't do the remaster. It was given to them by Universal, warts and all, so yes it's full of over-sharpening and chunky grain.

And the chunkier grain doesn't indicate earlier generation film stock, it's the opposite actually.

Also tons of Eureka discs have that sharpening going on, more often on masters that were licensed from Universal. For example, their blu-rays of Touch of Evil, Double Indemnity and Silent Running all suffer, to varying degrees, from these same issues.

~Matt

[NeilZ]

Originally Posted by Matt89

Eureka didn't do the remaster. It was given to them by Universal, warts and all, so yes it's full of over-sharpening and chunky grain.

And the chunkier grain doesn't indicate earlier generation film stock, it's the opposite actually.

Also tons of Eureka discs have that sharpening going on, more often on masters that were licensed from Universal. For example, their blu-rays of Touch of Evil, Double Indemnity and Silent Running all suffer, to varying degrees, from these same issues.

~Matt

Thank you. If you owned both and that was your conclusion after seeing them in motion then that settles it in my book.

And yes when I said a generation newer (for the older release) I meant a copy further away from the original negative.

[Majin Blu]

Do y'all think Universal will release a UHD for the 90th anniversary?