Scanners (1981)

[dcfan88]

Picked this up from the Criterion sale!

[Kyle15]

Did anyone grab the new Japanese release?

[NLScavenger]

Originally Posted by Kyle15

Did anyone grab the new Japanese release?

An Amazon user posted a comparison with the 2013 Japanese Blu-ray. It frankly looks identical.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/gp/cus...SIN=B08Z55FQTC

[biggquis]

Just finished this one up and loved it. I feel like it didn't go as far off the deep end as some of Cronenberg's films, and it hit my sweet spot.

[Rollo Tomassi]

I want to enter the discussion regarding which version is currently the best available. I also think from screencaps that the Criterion is revisionist and offers flat contrast at best. But during the discussion no one mentioned grain retention...
There ARE - at least to my laymans eyes - screencaps where the Subkultur release shows grain (or is it scanner noise? No pun intended! ) where the Criterion disc does not....
What's your thoughts? Does the grain stem from sharpening?
Be that as it may, as much as I like Criterion, the Subkultur looks more "filmic" to me

https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?go=1&...102645&i=6&l=0

https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?go=1&...02650&i=12&l=0

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Rollo Tomassi

I want to enter the discussion regarding which version is currently the best available. I also think from screencaps that the Criterion is revisionist and offers flat contrast at best. But during the discussion no one mentioned grain retention...
There ARE - at least to my laymans eyes - screencaps where the Subkultur release shows grain (or is it scanner noise? No pun intended! ) where the Criterion disc does not....
What's your thoughts? Does the grain stem from sharpening?
Be that as it may, as much as I like Criterion, the Subkultur looks more "filmic" to me

https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?go=1&...102645&i=6&l=0

https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?go=1&...02650&i=12&l=0

You are exactly right. The Subkultur disc is still the best release IMHO.

[Rollo Tomassi]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

You are exactly right. The Subkultur disc is still the best release IMHO.

Thank you!
That's reassuring. I personally don't get why people are so adamantly defending the Criterion release. It may not look as actrocious in motion (which I can't comment myself, since I don't own the Criterion), but judging by the caps, it's quite sad seeing Cronenberg joining the ranks of George Lucas, Michael Mann, William Friedkin, etc.....

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Rollo Tomassi

Thank you!
That's reassuring. I personally don't get why people are so adamantly defending the Criterion release. It may not look as actrocious in motion (which I can't comment myself, since I don't own the Criterion), but judging by the caps, it's quite sad seeing Cronenberg joining the ranks of George Lucas, Michael Mann, William Friedkin, etc.....

The Criterion looks horrible with the haze of green tint all over it.

[MifuneFan]

Unforuntately, the Subkultur release is OOP, and not easily obtainable. I do see one listing on ebay for the LE in used condition, but it's around $50+ right now, shipped from the UK.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

Unforuntately, the Subkultur release is OOP, and not easily obtainable. I do see one listing on ebay for the LE in used condition, but it's around $50+ right now, shipped from the UK.

I remember paying $12 for it and sold it a year or so ago for about $25.

[balthazar_bee]

I'll admit these comparisons look rather stark, but to my eyes, the Criterion disc looks pretty great in motion.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by balthazar_bee

I'll admit these comparisons look rather stark, but to my eyes, the Criterion disc looks pretty great in motion.

I've seen both in motion and it's poor compared to the Subkultur disc. We got a revisionist color grading from Cronenberg and it ruined an otherwise solid transfer.

[balthazar_bee]

Hey, fair enough, and I remember when it was released the word "revisionist" was thrown around a lot. It certainly looks that way on the basis of the relative caps, though I also didn't see the film theatrically and wouldn't want to make any sweeping judgments about how it looked in 1981.

[Rollo Tomassi]

Originally Posted by balthazar_bee

Hey, fair enough, and I remember when it was released the word "revisionist" was thrown around a lot. It certainly looks that way on the basis of the relative caps, though I also didn't see the film theatrically and wouldn't want to make any sweeping judgments about how it looked in 1981.

Are you absolutely positive a movie from the early 80s showed close-to no grain structure in theatres? Moreover, the look of the movie appears to be modernized on the Criterion imho. I honestly wouldn't know another example of a greenish palette, drab contrast movie from '81...
No offense - but I don't think so!

[Mediton]

Does anyone know this release, and can say something about video and audio quality?

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Scann...lu-ray/192126/

[balthazar_bee]

Originally Posted by Rollo Tomassi

Are you absolutely positive a movie from the early 80s showed close-to no grain structure in theatres? Moreover, the look of the movie appears to be modernized on the Criterion imho. I honestly wouldn't know another example of a greenish palette, drab contrast movie from '81...
No offense - but I don't think so!

Again, fair enough, and comparing the caps does point in that direction. I'll abstain from reaching for 40-year-old anecdotal evidence one way or the other. Though I do see grain when I watch the Criterion disc, and am not at all distracted by these purportedly revisionist aspects of the presentation when I'm watching it.

I feel compelled to reiterate this stuff in the specific case of this disc, because it's one of the few examples where I was shocked by the appealing look of the disc itself after being somewhat mortified by the comparison caps in the weeks leading up to getting a copy. Generally skeptical of "wait till you see the disc in motion" voices, but nevertheless.

[Kyle15]

Been pointed out before that the Criterion does not have a "tint." It's a physical aspect of the IP's film base that Cronenberg assumedly requested not be keyed-out during color correction. There's a couple spots that do look very very particular with their color cast but it's two fold; from lighting conditions and again, the actual physical film. The Brood is also like this though not maybe to the same extent but it's plainly visible. Both masters have a very specific look to them that comes from a lack of doctoring beyond basic restoration. It hasn't been pumped up with naturalization in mind, which would in fact also be revisionism. I personally enjoy how filmic they look due to this.

I'd previously erred on the edge like others it was a "tint" till I really sat down and familiarized myself further with differences between these things. It's hard to make people understand tho.

[dylrichard02]

My biggest issue with the Criterion is the encode. I think a 4K scan on UHD would be excellent if it looked how Cronenberg originally shot it. Then again I first saw the film from the Criterion, so that's the look I know the film by.

[Rollo Tomassi]

Originally Posted by Kyle15

Been pointed out before that the Criterion does not have a "tint." It's a physical aspect of the IP's film base that Cronenberg assumedly requested not be keyed-out during color correction. There's a couple spots that do look very very particular with their color cast but it's two fold; from lighting conditions and again, the actual physical film. The Brood is also like this though not maybe to the same extent but it's plainly visible. Both masters have a very specific look to them that comes from a lack of doctoring beyond basic restoration. It hasn't been pumped up with naturalization in mind, which would in fact also be revisionism. I personally enjoy how filmic they look due to this.

I'd previously erred on the edge like others it was a "tint" till I really sat down and familiarized myself further with differences between these things. It's hard to make people understand tho.

Alright! Your post, the previous one from balthazar_bee and the caps of "The Brood", comparing Second Sight and Criterion, convinced me to buy the Criterion releases for both Brood and Scanners. The Criterion releases DO look more natural (the "Brood"-caps were truly a revelation!) and I really wonder now what they look like in motion. It's a triple dip on both counts for me, but I've always had a soft spot for "70s & 80s Cronenberg", so what the hell!

[Rollo Tomassi]

Finally received my Criterion copies of The Brood and Scanners!
Watched Brood 3 days ago and just checked Scanners. Both exhibit subdued colors ( more lifelike, tbh!). But: I really did not get the impression, that colours were "drab" by any means. Rather the red carpet in Scanners after the "money shot" looks quite lush. The picture does not appear sharpened( unlike the Subkultur release!), black levels look inky without crushing and there is a layer of fine grain throughout, almost like on UHD! Very nice, indeed! The Criterion discs shall be my go-to editions for both movies hence forth!
@Criterion: now do "The Fly" next, please!!!
I'm perfectly aware, that won't happen, but one may always fantasize...