First Blood / Rambo: First Blood Part II / Rambo III 4K UHDs (1982-1988)

[x5gb]

Originally Posted by DMRI2006

That's 100% wrong.

They are not mixdowns, they have full directional activity and surround information, which the 5.1 tracks on those very same 2011 Studio Canal discs completely lack.

Whatever forum you read is mistaken -- but we've had this discussion here, on this board, many times before. And there are many other places that verify it, so I'm not sure where you are looking, but that claim is absolutely false.

The forum I read it on compared the 2.0 with the PCM laserdisc sound, but if you say so, I'll take your word for it and why I said mistaken rather than wrong (maybe I read it wrong and they were referring to the initial bluray releases but did those have 2.0, I don't think so and now I've checked they didn't). Still think I would prefer the PCM laserdisc sound to lossy DTS which I am awaiting the person to sync for 1 and 2.

[ROSS.T.G.]

Surprised mine are out for delivery already. Looks like It's gonna be a bloody weekend.

[gregmasciola]

Just watched the Blu-Ray of Rambo: First Blood Part II. I must say it looks fantastic. It felt reference quality to me. Clarity & detail was amazing. My only problem is they seem like they cranked up the blacks on these movies to a point where I have to turn down my TV's brightness. But when I watched Rambo Takes The 80s Part 2, no such issue when viewing footage from the movie. Blacks were fine. Other than this, I'm mostly happy with the transfers.

[Member-222782]

Originally Posted by Mister B Gone

I watched First Blood II last night and it was freaking glorious. Like, tears of joy

In terms of revisiting the film after not having seen it in a while or in terms of picture quality?

[BNex99]

Originally Posted by Alister_M

Nah, it's a clone of the UK disc, so it's the BBFC-cut version. Not by much but still enough to be annoying.

So there really is no release of the SC remaster that has both the uncut version and the subtitles?

[barty22]

Originally Posted by BNex99

So there really is no release of the SC remaster that has both the uncut version and the subtitles?

If you mean (forced) subs for only the Russian language parts, then the answer is no, to the best of my knowledge.

[Khronikos]

Originally Posted by reaperztoll

Watched it last night and have to agree on all counts, the cave sequences especially.

Sounds amazing. I have to do the bluray atm, but hey that is upgraded too I hear.

[Indiana Jonezzz...]

Originally Posted by BNex99

So there really is no release of the SC remaster that has both the uncut version and the subtitles?

I asked earlier, but got no reply, but is the 2 sec horsefall cut that noticeable in Rambo 3? I’ve been trying to find footage online, but no luck. Would you even know it’s missing if you hadn’t seen the uncut version, or is pretty obviously cut?

[BNex99]

Originally Posted by Indiana Jonezzz...

I asked earlier, but got no reply, but is the 2 sec horsefall cut that noticeable in Rambo 3? I’ve been trying to find footage online, but no luck. Would you even know it’s missing if you hadn’t seen the uncut version, or is pretty obviously cut?

I haven't seen the movie in years, so probably not. It's more the principle of the thing.

Although, the cut in question does involve real animal cruelty, so I'm not sure how to feel about it.

[Poya]

A Rambo movie with animals being hurt? Surely you speak voodoo!

[indisposed]

Originally Posted by Indiana Jonezzz...

I asked earlier, but got no reply, but is the 2 sec horsefall cut that noticeable in Rambo 3? I’ve been trying to find footage online, but no luck. Would you even know it’s missing if you hadn’t seen the uncut version, or is pretty obviously cut?

The cutting isn't particularly noticeable and in terms of horsefalls, it's no where near as bad, as something like Conan the Barbarian.

I'll probably go with the German steelbook, because I like the way it looks and it works out cheaper than buying the U.K discs separately, but yeah, it's still annoying that the Russian translation subs aren't gonna be in there. Oh well... They weren't in the original DVDs, either.

[Bates_Motel]

Originally Posted by SGB

Frustratingly though, the subtitles are presented in a forced subtitle stream rather than in "burnt-in" form as originally released.

IMO that's good, because it means they used the negative as a source and not an IP or a print. The subs wouldn't be on the negative. I would much rather have the extra quality a negative will give you than a softer IP just because it has a few lines of burned in text.

[Lantz]

Waiting for the UK 1080p BDs to arrive any day (still have no UHD capability). I hope I will enjoy the PQ of these remasters as I hated the old, smeary 2008 SCs.

I am really no expert in the area, but could the reported lack of deep blacks be down to a sloppy conversion from HDR to SDR? Of course this would only concern the standard BDs. Or are the UHD transfers equally devoid of deep blacks? Forgive an amateur analysis.

[PeterTHX]

Interpositives are often subtitle free and are usually the source for video transfers.

It's extremely rare to touch the negative for recent films (within the past 35 years).

[Markgway]

Sorry, but which UHD has the forced subs for the Russian dialogue? My small brain is getting confused.

[indisposed]

Originally Posted by Markgway

Sorry, but which UHD has the forced subs for the Russian dialogue? My small brain is getting confused.

Probably the Lionsgate disc... but don't quote me on that.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Interpositives are often subtitle free and are usually the source for video transfers.

It's extremely rare to touch the negative for recent films (within the past 35 years).

Dude, what decade are you from? Seriously. LOADS of films have been transferred from negative in recent years, it's actually rarer to get a scan from IP these days. StudioCanal already said that, for example, their recent wave of Carpenter movies were all transferred from camera negative and I understand that the same is true for the Rambos. [edit the second] Yes, SC said so here, 4K 16-bit scans from OG negative at Technicolour Hollywood with Eclair Paris handling the restoration (which would explain the move towards a yellowy-cyan look as that's very much their bag): http://www.studiocanal.de/dvd/rambo_...on-4k_ultra_hd

[edit] OG subtitles being present or not doesn't usually mean a great deal as to what element is what though because alternative 'clean' dupe rolls are usually prepared at the time of production, and when it comes to doing these new transfers for video the studios/distributors will scan both the burned-in subs and the clean version and do whatever for whatever version. Example here with Braveheart, the underlying 4K master for the Fox 4K is clearly identical to the Paramount (forget the colour) owing to the pixel-perfect framing and geometry, plus the unfortunate posterisation error on Mel's boat, but in the scene with subtitles the 'clean' version has slightly shifted framing & geometry because it's a physically different piece of film that has been used for the Fox version: https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?go=1&...116474&i=5&l=0

[Geoff D]

Oh, I meant to say: got my Rambos today!!

[Agent Kay]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Interpositives are often subtitle free and are usually the source for video transfers.

It's extremely rare to touch the negative for recent films (within the past 35 years).

Total rubbish

[ROSS.T.G.]

Mine were supposed to be delivered yesterday but we had a snow storm and a postal strike. The prefect storm for a physical media collector. Hope to have today.