The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

[The Great Owl]

The Adventures of Robin Hood was one of my first Blu-ray purchases, and it was a priority as soon as I jumped to this format. Such a wonderful movie, and the existing disc is magnificent.

[Swissangel4616]

where the heck is the german bluray of this movie? I can't be possible that such "classic" have not gotten yet a release. Same with the "Robe" (Das Gewand).

[CinemaScope]

Originally Posted by Swissangel4616

where the heck is the german bluray of this movie? I can't be possible that such "classic" have not gotten yet a release. Same with the "Robe" (Das Gewand).

The Robe Blu-ray has never been released outside of America, very odd, & it's region A locked. I suppose Fox are wondering why they didn't sell more copies than they did.

[Swissangel4616]

Originally Posted by CinemaScope

The Robe Blu-ray has never been released outside of America, very odd, & it's region A locked. I suppose Fox are wondering why they didn't sell more copies than they did.

I know... The Robe was 1 of the first blurays I bought for my codefree Player back in 2008 after I already owned the DVD.

And with upcoming 4K /UHD Bluray... i suppose only a few "classic movies" gonna make it onto this new media.

[hanshotfirst1138]

Was there ever any reason given for why the disc only had lossy DD audio? Was it just because it was an early Blu release, or because there was some issue with the existing audio elements?

[DaViD Boulet]

That was in the day when some folks at WB seemed intent on dumbing-down Blu-ray for no real technically-imposed reason (we saw examples where HD DVD had lossless or superior codec while the same title on blu-ray, with more bandwidth available, got lossy DD). The question about source-material quality is an interesting one. However, even a compromised analog source will sound better encoded losslessly digitally in high-resolution versus adding further degradation with lossy digital encoding.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by hanshotfirst1138

As there ever any reason given for why the disc only had lossy DD audio? Was it just because it was an early Blu release, or because there was some issue with the existing audio elements?

Early Warner HD stuff was odd that way. They felt older movies did not need lossless sound presentations. Even on blu-rays that had a lossless track, the default audio with which the film started was lossy dolby and you had to use the audio button or pop-up menu to launch the lossless.

[captainsolo]

This was also my first BD purchase and the lossy audio did bother me. It was better than the DVD 192 kbps mono but I have since supplemented with both the MGM and Criterion Laserdiscs.
Some still have issues with the color on the new version, but I still don't know which is most accurate. I think the old Criterion holds up pretty well and has some exclusive extras in the 50th anniversary set version. The MGM version is good but all of the color is glaringly too high in level.

[zzap64]

The 2018 Spanish Blu-ray has lossless English audio.
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-A...lu-ray/208545/

DISC INFO:

Disc Label:     ROBIN HOOD
Disc Size:      24,063,042,096 bytes
Protection:     AACS
BDInfo:         0.7.5.5

PLAYLIST REPORT:

Name:                   00000.MPLS
Length:                 1:41:55.484 (h:m:s.ms)
Size:                   21,840,222,336 bytes
Total Bitrate:          28.57 Mbps

VIDEO:

Codec                   Bitrate             Description     
-----                   -------             -----------     
MPEG-4 AVC Video        24665 kbps          1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1

AUDIO:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
Dolby Digital Audio             Spanish         192 kbps        2.0 / 48 kHz /   192 kbps / DN -31dB
DTS-HD Master Audio             English         1799 kbps       2.0 / 48 kHz /  1799 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz /  1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Dolby Digital Audio             French          192 kbps        2.0 / 48 kHz /   192 kbps / DN -31dB

SUBTITLES:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
Presentation Graphics           Spanish         0.410 kbps                      
Presentation Graphics           Spanish         29.671 kbps                     
Presentation Graphics           English         32.772 kbps                     
Presentation Graphics           French          20.075 kbps                     
Presentation Graphics           Portuguese      26.893 kbps

[TheOneWithThePrize]

Originally Posted by zzap64

The 2018 Spanish Blu-ray has lossless English audio.

It also comes from known pirate company Resen.

[Det. Bullock]

Can anyone confirm if this is region free?
I'd prefer to have a version with the Italian dub (it's the kind of movie my brothers would like and they prefer their movies dubbed) but since it's probable WB doesn't have the rights or the intention to release it here I'd get this one if it's region B compatible.

[redxrebellion]

Originally Posted by Det. Bullock

Can anyone confirm if this is region free?
I'd prefer to have a version with the Italian dub (it's the kind of movie my brothers would like and they prefer their movies dubbed) but since it's probable WB doesn't have the rights or the intention to release it here I'd get this one if it's region B compatible.

I’ll check my copy later today when I get home

[All Darc]

Medieval Myth Busting :

YouTube

[Drake2222]

‘Bout time for a 4k Adventures of Robin Hood I would think

[EVOLVIST]

Originally Posted by Drake2222

‘Bout time for a 4k Adventures of Robin Hood I would think

Yeah, that would be nice, as I just purchased this on BD and it did not upscale well to 4K at all. In fact, it looked like ass; not at all like the screenshots.

A big disappointment. I think I'll need to take note of when these Warner Archive releases came out, as obviously the quality is much better these days.

[captainsolo]

You have to keep in mind it was a very early catalog Blu-ray that itself was only using the 2003 DVD era restoration efforts. It does the job adequately and improved on that DVD in many aspects plus ported over all the extras. But it definitely has major room for improvement and as one of the all time most beloved and important Technicolor films cries out for UHD.

My qualm was always the audio. It was lossy on the disc and pretty much the same as the DVD's audio. Nothing I've found sounds as good as the Criterion CAV anniversary release from the Laserdisc days. (Which transfer wise is stunning for three strip on composite video!)

[WaverBoy]

Originally Posted by EVOLVIST

Yeah, that would be nice, as I just purchased this on BD and it did not upscale well to 4K at all. In fact, it looked like ass; not at all like the screenshots.

A big disappointment. I think I'll need to take note of when these Warner Archive releases came out, as obviously the quality is much better these days.

It definitely doesn’t look as bad as all that, but it does have room for improvement.

[EVOLVIST]

Originally Posted by captainsolo

You have to keep in mind it was a very early catalog Blu-ray that itself was only using the 2003 DVD era restoration efforts. It does the job adequately and improved on that DVD in many aspects plus ported over all the extras. But it definitely has major room for improvement and as one of the all time most beloved and important Technicolor films cries out for UHD.

My qualm was always the audio. It was lossy on the disc and pretty much the same as the DVD's audio. Nothing I've found sounds as good as the Criterion CAV anniversary release from the Laserdisc days. (Which transfer wise is stunning for three strip on composite video!)

I'm with you for a UHD release. I don't know what the WB BD was sourced from, but there's lots of flecks and age related wear still present. I would imagine that a thorough restoration would be called for. A deeper dive.

From there, an HDR grade on that vintage Technicolor. The original dyes must be in good shape, so they'd have a benchmark to target.

You're right. I alluded to the fact that I need to check when these WB archive films got their BD release. It seems they aren't all going to be Show Boat (1951), but that was released last year.

[Doomhunter]

I’d be okay with an Errol Flynn 4k boxset

[matbezlima]

Wanna bet this will get a UHD in the 100th anniversary? I believe yes.

And hopefully they do King Kong in the 105th anniversary or earlier.