GoodFellas (1990) (25th Anniversary Edition)

[Dylan34]

I sent my request to Warner's a couple of days ago and, would love a new transfer just like everyone else. We deserve this time around, a proper HD release for this classic film. But, the release that we all own now is not the most horrible release ever made. There are plenty others that would win that award before Goodfellas.

[Pieter V]

Originally Posted by Dylan34

I sent my request to Warner's a couple of days ago and, would love a new transfer just like everyone else. We deserve this time around, a proper HD release for this classic film. But, the release that we all own now is not the most horrible release ever made. There are plenty others that would win that award before Goodfellas.

There was no effort at all from Warner:

DVD vs Blu-ray:

http://www.caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergl..._multiID=1465#

[Justtoview]

Originally Posted by Midnight Rambler

And what will happen when their grand illusions of streaming and cloud use fail due to the lack of network capability to support it ?

And how about the huge population of people who still live outside of broadband's reach ? I live just outside a very large city, which also happens to be home to TWC. Yet you go less than a mile down my road and there is no service available except for satellite, which is a joke.

I agree with this 100%! I can't understand the obsession with Netflix. I tried it for one weekend and will never go back. The streaming content is nowhere near what blu-ray provides: The picture was stuttery and not 1080p, and of course the audio is not lossless DTS Master Audio. How can people say it's replacing blu-ray when it is substandard and doesn't offer the same picture and sound?

[PowellPressburger]

Originally Posted by Justtoview

I agree with this 100%! I can't understand the obsession with Netflix. I tried it for one weekend and will never go back. The streaming content is nowhere near what blu-ray provides: The picture was stuttery and not 1080p, and of course the audio is not lossless DTS Master Audio. How can people say it's replacing blu-ray when it is substandard and doesn't offer the same picture and sound?

to be honest most don't care about better audio or video and they love buying downloads etc. same with music. If people cared more so blu ray sales would be even greater then they are. It is sad though.

[HeavyHitter]

Originally Posted by I KEEL YOU

1. A restoration and re-scaning is expensive and requires both money, time, skill and effort. It can be VERY expensive depending on the shape of the negative. But I'm pretty sure Goodfellas is in good shape.

2. A re-scan only requires some effort, but is still very doable. Smaller labels do this if the film is provided to them by the major studios. For example Arrow and The Burbs. If Arrow can do it with The Burbs, Warner not doing it with Goodfellas is beyond inexcusable.

3. A simple re-encode with a new codec and a higher bit rate of an existing master (which would help Goodfellas much more than other movies) is no problem whatsoever. I swear, if I was an employee in Warner's home video section, I would work overtime and do it for free, to show the consumers at least some respect.

I'm putting all my faith in Marty and will also hold him accountable if they give us the same faulty master again. He has the power to make them provide a better video transfer if he wants to, I'm sure of it. I've already mentioned the Spielberg-Universal example. And Scorsese would be a hypocrite if he didn't intervene, after endorsing the blu ray format with praise for its ability to showcase grain structure and his praise for the blu ray releases of The Searchers and such.

I largely agree. Just to touch on your points:

Pure speculation, but I would think the negative would be in good shape and they probably would just have to just clean it up in terms of dust, etc. Of couse, they have to then go through the process of deriving "materials" from it, re-color time it, etc. and this is costly as you said, but should be cheaper compared to older films that went through it. I doubt they will do this though. Wizard of Oz, GWTW, etc. are the expections for them.

A cheaper route, although not achieving as good of results, would be to re-scan the existing IP (assuming it's of good quality) as this seems to be the route MGM took last year on several titles that turned out pretty well and were notable improvements over the original scans. This should be the absolute minimal and most likely scenario if they do a new scan at all.

I would be very disappointed if they only re-encoded the current transfer. The current transfer has too much of that "DVD look" in terms of detail, contrast being a bit too high, some filtering, etc. If you re-encode it to a higher bit AVC, you might tighten up the image a hair at most. They did this for Blazzing Saddles and it's almost impossible to tell the difference although that was a better scan than Goodfellas.

The reality is though, this is a business and they are only going to do any work if it will help them justify more sales and the cost of the work. Goodfellas has surely sold well for them hence the 10,000 re-releases. If they feel they cannot milk this title out anymore based on what they are doing, then a new transfer is likely - again - IF the costs of the work justify the potential new sales. I'm sure the number crunchers are/have gone through to figure this out. And for some of these people doing mastering working, etc. unfortunately it's just a day job to them. I'm sure if a lot of us who did that kind of work would put the hours in necessary to do it right even not to get paid for it, but we have a passion for this stuff.

[Geoff D]

All good points guys but you're preaching to the converted; we know that this is what they should be doing but, as I said, Warners follow the path of least resistance. It took years for them to finally correct the last of their faulty 1440x1080 releases and their re-releases are almost always the old encode with new lossless audio.

There were some exceptions, like Mad Max 2 and Blazing Saddles which got new encodes, but they've reverted to type since then with the same video encodes rolled out for Interview with the Vampire, Gremlins etc. The funny thing is, when they do decide to restore a title then they go full-tilt, spending millions on doing GWTW and Wizard of Oz amongst others.

[malakaheso]

I can't see them going all out for this, even though they should given the film's status and popularity.

The Casino blu-ray was nothing special either, but that's another story.

[HeavyHitter]

I haven't watched Casino in years, but may watch it tonight actually.

I sold off Goodfellas a few years ago upon hearing of a re-release and mistakenly speculating it would be a new transfer. Ha.

[HeavyHitter]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

All good points guys but you're preaching to the converted; we know that this is what they should be doing but, as I said, Warners follow the path of least resistance. It took years for them to finally correct the last of their faulty 1440x1080 releases and their re-releases are almost always the old encode with new lossless audio.

There were some exceptions, like Mad Max 2 and Blazing Saddles which got new encodes, but they've reverted to type since then with the same video encodes rolled out for Interview with the Vampire, Gremlins etc. The funny thing is, when they do decide to restore a title then they go full-tilt, spending millions on doing GWTW and Wizard of Oz amongst others.

I know, but one would *hope* one of these years and especially with 4K Blu upon the horizon (and given this has been an early format release on DVD, HD DVD, and Blu-ray - it would be logical to think it would be an early 4K Blu title too) it finally gets a new transfer. If it doesn't happen this year, then I don't see it happening for a long time....but all speculation.

[Mr. Cinema]

I expect, finally, that this will be a remastered Diamond Luxe release.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Mr. Cinema

I expect, finally, that this will be a remastered Diamond Luxe release.

I wrote in the first post that it'll come with a photo book, so it's very unlikely to have Diamond Luxe.packaging for the movie.

[Mr. Cinema]

Oops, I just saw that. I'm surprised this won't get the Diamond Luxe treatment. Maybe sales have been underwhelming.

[klauswhereareyou]

Originally Posted by Mr. Cinema

Oops, I just saw that. I'm surprised this won't get the Diamond Luxe treatment. Maybe sales have been underwhelming.

Probably because most if not all featured dated transfers. Which gets me to thinking, if Warners throws this on a disc yet again, it'll be the same transfer they came up with for the 2-disc DVD set and blu-ray that same out almost a decade ago now.

[tylergfoster]

Originally Posted by I KEEL YOU

Again, Spielberg is at least just as busy and he's been heavily involved with releases of Jaws, Schindler's List and others. And I'm not even saying that Marty should, like Spielberg, supervise the re-scaning process. He could make a simple request: Either release the movie properly or don't release it at all. And if he can't control what Warner release, he could at the very least refuse to appear in the new featurettes if Warner didn't oblige.

Besides, wasn't Marty directly involved with Criterion's Last Temptation of Christ release?? Isn't he involved with many restorations, like Richard III? Doesn't he have a whole friggin "World Cinema Project" on blu ray??? He'll make sure that an obscure Senegalese film from 1973 looks great on blu ray, but he doesn't have time for Goodfellas. Um, okay...

What I mean is, you operate under the premise that Scorsese is aware there's anything wrong with GoodFellas on Blu-ray now. When Criterion gets a film, they generally do their own masters if they can. That's a company where I'm sure he walks in knowing they're gonna want him to look at the transfers, and he expects upfront to be part of that process. Not only that, but I'm sure he is especially careful about how he, as a person whose name basically greenlights a "World Cinema" box set, is helping to present those films to American audiences. As far as Spielberg goes, his relationship with Universal has lasted for decades. I think Universal feels they owe a great deal more to Spielberg than Warner feels they owe Scorsese (which is not to say they don't give a shit, but Spielberg is more of a figure in Universal's history as a company than Scorsese is to Warner).

I certainly believe Scorsese cares about the presentation of movies. However, I doubt he has any reason to distrust Warner's treatment of GoodFellas so far, and if he hasn't seen the old disc he probably doesn't even know to object. Unless fans are going up and telling him, "well, this Blu-ray looks like garbage," then I doubt he has any idea. If he checked his own releases, it seems like it wouldn't have taken eight years to get a Two-Disc Special Edition DVD of GoodFellas with the film on one disc.

[klauswhereareyou]

Well when it comes to El Spielbergo, hopefully he can push for a better transfer for JP..and I can only imagine what Scorsese would think if he saw the dreadful Color of Money disc.

[tylergfoster]

That was an example I was coming back to add. I dunno if he'd bang down Touchstone's door to get an upgrade, but you imagine he has no idea about that.

[klauswhereareyou]

Originally Posted by tylergfoster

That was an example I was coming back to add. I dunno if he'd bang down Touchstone's door to get an upgrade, but you imagine he has no idea about that.

Can't imagine. If it's director approved, it must've been circa the laserdisc era.

[Mandalorian]

Originally Posted by Pieter V

Please send Warner Bros an e-mail stating we want to know the tech specs.

http://www.warnerbros.com/help/customer-service

My e-mail is sent. The more the better.

I sent it for kicks. I doubt it will mean anything, but if they see a trend, there's that.

[tylergfoster]

Originally Posted by klauswhereareyou

Can't imagine. If it's director approved, it must've been circa the laserdisc era.

This sounds like you're disagreeing with me but I was agreeing with you, I was saying I doubt he's heard about the disc or seen it because it looks awful. I mentioned it to Thelma Schoonmaker when she was here, though.

[klauswhereareyou]

Originally Posted by tylergfoster

This sounds like you're disagreeing with me but I was agreeing with you, I was saying I doubt he's heard about the disc or seen it because it looks awful. I mentioned it to Thelma Schoonmaker when she was here, though.

Was she aware of how it looked?