I've only watched the film and haven't been through any of the extras or read the booklet yet so maybe there's a note or disclaimer talking about the source materials. There wasn't anything onscreen before the film. It would be wise on Second Sight's part to say something about the transfer beforehand - they have a reputation to uphold. Not saying anything could hurt them in the end. This worries me a bit because there are other, similar films waiting for their HD upgrades. The film ils (Them), which hasn't hit Blu-ray legitimately yet, also looks rough and video-y. Maybe it's a French thing. Someone needs to give those guys better cameras
The film ils (Them), which hasn't hit Blu-ray legitimately yet, also looks rough and video-y. Maybe it's a French thing. Someone needs to give those guys better cameras
I do own 'Ils' (Them ) on Blu-Ray, it was released in Italy by Koch a while back. Poor effort, but perhaps it's source-related too, as you say.
Now I see it was released also in UK and France.
I love ils (Them). I've had a couple of copies of the the UK blu for quite a while.
Source materials may in fact be the limiting factor on a few of these similarly situated releases. Hopefully some caps will roll out comparing the new blu rays to prior blu rays and/or to prior dvd efforts, and we can pick and choose the least worst of each....
I love ils (Them). I've had a couple of copies of the the UK blu for quite a while.
Source materials may in fact be the limiting factor on a few of these similarly situated releases. Hopefully some caps will roll out comparing the new blu rays to prior blu rays and/or to prior dvd efforts, and we can pick and choose the least worst of each....
Yeah, it is a great little movie, it had a realistic feel. Really good at building up its atmosphere of dread and anguish without even showing that much
Not the same thing as a Blu-ray but I have the movie on iTunes and it seems to come from the same transfer. If I had to guess they probably just used what they had available to them. Maybe they could have done a restoration but as far as titles go this one is pretty niche.
Stuck this in for a quick look yesterday and yes it does look very rough, I'd swear I'd put the DVD in instead lol. However at least i can retire my DVD now and i love the movie and will hopefully check out the new extras at some point.
There definitely should have been some sort is disclaimer at the beginning regarding the transfer/ source elements just to prepare the viewer. If i hadn't read this thread beforehand i would have been very taken aback.
Source materials may in fact be the limiting factor on a few of these similarly situated releases. Hopefully some caps will roll out comparing the new blu rays to prior blu rays and/or to prior dvd efforts, and we can pick and choose the least worst of each....
This master does not look like source elements were the limiting factor here.
If IMDb is to be believed, Frontier(s) was shot on 35mm film. As-is, it looks like a cheap video production.
Unless the filmmakers decided to willfully run the negative through a 20-year old telecine with 720p resolution and DNR followed by significant sharpening applied (I'm exaggerating only slightly) and allow all future releases only from this transfer, better results are fully within the realm of expectations.
This master does not look like source elements were the limiting factor here.
If IMDb is to be believed, Frontier(s) was shot on 35mm film. As-is, it looks like a cheap video production.
Unless the filmmakers decided to willfully run the negative through a 20-year old telecine with 720p resolution and DNR followed by significant sharpening applied (I'm exaggerating only slightly) and allow all future releases only from this transfer, better results are fully within the realm of expectations.
Better results from whom? The Germans? I'm guessing the reason why the film only got a DVD in the US is because nobody wants to touch it now. If Second Sight was unable to secure a good scan, who can? I still think the video-y look was intentional.
Better results from whom? The Germans? I'm guessing the reason why the film only got a DVD in the US is because nobody wants to touch it now. If Second Sight was unable to secure a good scan, who can? I still think the video-y look was intentional.
Better results by re-scanning the negative or any other suitable element. Heck, even a proper scan of a release print would probably look much better than what we've got now.
I do own 'Ils' (Them ) on Blu-Ray, it was released in Italy by Koch a while back. Poor effort, but perhaps it's source-related too, as you say.
Now I see it was released also in UK and France.
& Sweden which has a proper 1080p transfer whereas the UK Metrodome release ONLY has a 1080i one but has better extras.
& Sweden which has a proper 1080p transfer whereas the UK Metrodome release ONLY has a 1080i one but has better extras.
Yeah, you know what the problem is with you Swedes? You never provide those damn English subs! Never!
There is a number of releases I'd have gotten from your (?) country (starting with the complete original Wallander set - not the meh Branagh one). But I can't!
Damn. I had high hopes for the 2nd Sight BD of Frontiers. But i guess it's true what I read on a german site somewhere saying that there is no Full HD material of Frontiers left. Presumably all that was safed was some SD video file...
I had the uber-priced uncut Mediabook imported from Austria that came with a DVD and a BD many years ago. When I checked the BD on a large screen projected via a Full HD beamer I couldn't spot any improvement over the DVD. Sold the Mediabook right away and kept waiting for a decent release ever since. Guess my last hopes just got shot down ��
Damn. I had high hopes for the 2nd Sight BD of Frontiers. But i guess it's true what I read on a german site somewhere saying that there is no Full HD material of Frontiers left. Presumably all that was safed was some SD video file...
This definitely needs a reference, also regarding the use of the terms "Full HD" and "SD" in this context.
Original film negatives are by far not as easily discarded in this century as they were 100 years ago. It would be an utter surprise if they were indeed missing.
Even if we had a situation similar to what seemingly happened with Irreversible (post-prod in 2K using crummy 2002 technology, unwillingness to redo some of the digital effects on a new scan), Frontier(s) (2007) should look way better than it currently does.
This definitely needs a reference, also regarding the use of the terms "Full HD" and "SD" in this context.
Original film negatives are by far not as easily discarded in this century as they were 100 years ago. It would be an utter surprise if they were indeed missing.
Even if we had a situation similar to what seemingly happened with Irreversible (post-prod in 2K using crummy 2002 technology, unwillingness to redo some of the digital effects on a new scan), Frontier(s) (2007) should look way better than it currently does.
Read it on Schnittberichte.com. That's the original site movie-censorship.com is based on as far as I know.
It was a comment by a user called 'Hosferatu' - in German if course.
Here is the link: https://www.schnittberichte.com/news.php?ID=20133
It is a recent posting concerning the news of the 2nd Sight release in particular. That's why it stuck in my head.
This definitely needs a reference, also regarding the use of the terms "Full HD" and "SD" in this context.
Original film negatives are by far not as easily discarded in this century as they were 100 years ago. It would be an utter surprise if they were indeed missing.
Even if we had a situation similar to what seemingly happened with Irreversible (post-prod in 2K using crummy 2002 technology, unwillingness to redo some of the digital effects on a new scan), Frontier(s) (2007) should look way better than it currently does.
The usage of Full HD and SD was just my 'free' interpretation since all that was said, was that no real HD Master exists anywhere in the world.
There was no further info on what facts this comment was based.
It could very well be bogus.
But... considering the facts that all Full HD (1080p) releases looked like SD (720p) or at least very similar and ugly/aweful AND that even 2nd Sight's newest release does too, paints a picture. It would be an explanation why all Blu-ray releases sucked. That's all I'm saying ✌
Their Dog Soldiers release was from a source that was lost for a little while, if I remember correctly. That's why the Scream Factory Blu-ray was so awful.
I did. And then I bought it on dvd. And then I bought it digitally. And now, I have this blu disc. The new blu is better than the previous dvd, as in it lacks that format's compression artifacts, but apart from that, it's pretty much the same. I'd say the disc looks identical to the HD digital version doing the rounds on Amazon & iTunes, etc. Which is to say, it's mucky. It's always looked mucky, and probably always will. I don't know if it's intentional, but I doubt it's ever going to look better (happy if I'm ever proven wrong on this). In this instance, I actually quite like the rough & ready look. It's how I associate the film. It matches the subject tone, and its execution.
I did. And then I bought it on dvd. And then I bought it digitally. And now, I have this blu disc. The new blu is better than the previous dvd, as in it lacks that format's compression artifacts, but apart from that, it's pretty much the same. I'd say the disc looks identical to the HD digital version doing the rounds on Amazon & iTunes, etc. Which is to say, it's mucky. It's always looked mucky, and probably always will. I don't know if it's intentional, but I doubt it's ever going to look better (happy if I'm ever proven wrong on this). In this instance, I actually quite like the rough & ready look. It's how I associate the film. It matches the subject tone, and its execution.
So it looked mucky in the theater too? If it matches the original theatrical presentation, it must have been intentional.
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- not the meh Branagh one). But I can't! 
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