Swades (2004) Blu-ray (Eagle) - Snapshots

[MovieMania]

SWADES
We The People

2004 | Blu-ray

10th Anniversary | Digitally Remastered Edition

Snapshots

Label: Eagle Home Entertainment

Watermarked: No.

Format: BD50
Replicated By: Sony DADC

Audio:

• DTS-HD MA 5.1
• Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles: English | Arabic | French

Bonus Features:

• Original Auditions
• Bloopers
• 6 Deleted Scenes

Blu-ray Forum Link
Swades (Blu-ray) - 2004 - Hindi

iMDB Link
Swades (2004)

[Duane Dibbley]

Thanks! Definitely looks superior to previous releases. Is this Eagle version available to buy online anywhere?

[prepress]

I may not upgrade to this Eagle, both look almost similar to me, nothing identical. But Extras seems good. I guess price is 999/-

Below are 720 PNGs from MoserBaer edition

[nrD]

Are you saying the screens look almost identical or do they look different?

Both look decent but oversharpened.

[prepress]

Both look almost same TO ME. Only reason to go for Eagle release is Extras.

[HDDCS]

Can you upload the Blu-ray cover?

[prepress]

[HDDCS]

Thanks a lot!

[prepress]

Very disappointed with the cover, completely unprofessional work. Example...
See
W e , t h e p e o p l e
Used too much space and going outside the Swades from both sides. It doesn't represent the actual Swades-We, The People (a kind of logo). Written and Directed by Ashutosh Govariker placement also doesn't make sense.

If we look for design sense, everything was well placed/aligned in the MoserBaer edition.

[HDDCS]

Look at the difference! They could have just formatted this poster instead of adding unnecessary changes.

[benhoppel]

Originally Posted by prepress

Both look almost same TO ME. Only reason to go for Eagle release is Extras.

If the Moser-Baer is practically the same as UTV this one is better. The ridiculous oversharpening is gone (still sharpening there but much less). Your Moser-Baer pics in 720p show the oversharpening clearly, in 1080p it would be all the more obvious how much better the Eagle is. The basic transfer is probably the same but the destructive post processing was removed this time it seems. Finally I can buy this film on BD.

[nrD]

I want to know if that piece of hair is still there at the beginning ��

[Anurag1700]

Originally Posted by nrD

I want to know if that piece of hair is still there at the beginning ��

+1. same here

@moviemania
Can we please get a screenshot of censor certificate? that will clear things up

[technobhatt]

Originally Posted by nrD

I want to know if that piece of hair is still there at the beginning ��

As far as I recall; that piece of hair was even present when I watched it in theater in 2004..twice..
Guess it's in the original film stock...
However what can I say about Eagle..they have cutting edge technology to bring a VCD on BluRay (remember Maqbool & Gupt!!)... so they could easily remove it digitally ;-)

[prepress]

Originally Posted by technobhatt

As far as I recall; that piece of hair was even present when I watched it in theater in 2004..twice..
Guess it's in the original film stock...
However what can I say about Eagle..they have cutting edge technology to bring a VCD on BluRay (remember Maqbool & Gupt!!)... so they could easily remove it digitally ;-)

Yes, but they have downgraded their equipments, now they are not using VCD to Blu-ray technology.

[benhoppel]

I have watched the disc. Overall an ok transfer. The hair is still there during the opening credits. About 4 shots have, for whatever reason, severe horizontal instability (during NASA scenes and one later). Some others have slight instability at cuts. And there is sharpening throughout, but greatly reduced compared to the UTV version. No DNR. This is overall quite watchable and worth a purchase. Sound is fine but quite low volume compared to the typcial Bollywood soundtrack which is deafeningly loud.
Supplements lack subtitles and have a menu mastering bug. Selecting one deleted scene plays all that follow. Then we are back in the main menu, not supplements sub menu. And the deleted song "Aahista" is not accessible at all.
The film could use a new 4K transfer and better colour grading for sure.

[prepress]

Originally Posted by benhoppel

[Show spoiler]I have watched the disc. Overall an ok transfer. The hair is still there during the opening credits. About 4 shots have, for whatever reason, severe horizontal instability (during NASA scenes and one later). Some others have slight instability at cuts. And there is sharpening throughout, but greatly reduced compared to the UTV version. No DNR. This is overall quite watchable and worth a purchase. Sound is fine but quite low volume compared to the typcial Bollywood soundtrack which is deafeningly loud.
Supplements lack subtitles and have a menu mastering bug. Selecting one deleted scene plays all that follow. Then we are back in the main menu, not supplements sub menu. And the deleted song "Aahista" is not accessible at all.

The film could use a new 4K transfer and better colour grading for sure.

Can anybody recall any other movie (Blu-ray) which is RE-authored twice by different Indian company?
Don't include Eros/T-Series Partner, Wanted, Murder etc. or YashRaj Movies new batch.

I doubt Swades will get another (third) chance for 4K scan transfer.

I wish below movies get another chance to release again with perfect transfer.
1. Dil Chahta Hai
2. Gupt
3. Vidhaata
4. Maqbool
5. Fanna (because of double echo sound in songs)
6. Murder 2 (T-Series has different ending song and credit)
and some earlier T-Series and all Shemaroo titles.

[Anurag1700]

Originally Posted by prepress

1. Dil Chahta Hai
2. Gupt
5. Fanna (because of double echo sound in songs)

+1. These titles badly and oh SO BADLY need to be re-authored particularly because they are audio visually well made movies irrespective of how they were written or directed.

I would only add below to the above from my end.

1. DDLJ - Given the age of the film, I dont mind the PQ as some people have problem with. Rather, I would want this re-done for including the originally mixed Dolby Stereo 4.0/2.0 Track. That track was till date found only on the bootleg DVD and even today in my set up it surpasses the experience of the remixed 5.1 found on BD. Besides the 5.1 remix has blatant omission/removal of some sounds in the original track - now thats not remix at all isnt it.

2. Ghajini- As much as i love the outstanding Video encode of this Reliance BD, I hated the loudest screechy sounding surround mix that was done for BD. This was shocking because DVD had the correctly balanced mix. If only they had encoded the rear volumes properly I wouldnt have to sell this BD.

3. Veer Zaara. - All SRK starrer older Yash raj films BDs had color issues of using boosted HDTV parameters and not filmic intended colors. Initially I was happy to notice that veer zaara did not have that issue but it had raised Black levels that ruined the beauty of those correct colours. There is a workaround to this using HDMI color space but I would any day re-buy this title if they just correct the black levels by re-authoring and give this epic film (for me ) its deserved respect.

[Anurag1700]

On Topic, I had bought the Swades eagle BD a few weeks back and i can confirm it is very much identical to the moser baer BD.

Now note that unlike the most common misconception, moser baer BD is not identical to the UTV BD found abroad. The biggest difference is because UTV filled all extras on the same disc, the bit rate severly got affected resulting in more pixellation. MB being a barebones movie disc has considerably and most importantly 'easily noticeable' less pixellation.

Eagle on the other hand, despite including all extras on the same movie disc has got the movie in identical to MB quality. However having said that, for anyone who cares for the extras quality, the bit rates of Bonus features have been literally zeroed. All deleted scenes and other videos/Extras on Eagle now look more horrible than a VCD.

In order to view extras in best possible way, get the 2 Disc UTV dvd (i.e. if at all once could hunt it down today). In that Bonus disc, Swades extras are in best quality. Not just that, but for the enthusiasts, this DVD version is also devoid of contrast/brightness boost which is present in the BDs and the over blown image, though tolerable, has killed the details in many shots.

So in conclusion, as far as Only the movie is concerned which is what at the end of the day we should all crave for, Moser Baer or Eagle are the best BD versions of Swades. Only thing that may incline one towards Eagle is the chapters are correctly marked. MB had apparantly got that task done by some 5 year old.

And BTW for those who r still wondering, the Hair strand is still there in Eagle in the opening title sequence when Mohan is in flight to India. However if its any relief, Eagle has repaired the censor certificate and it does not look 'censored' now.

[prepress]

I have Swades on Moserbaer, was thinking to buy Eagle one too. But as you stated and the above screenshots are almost identical I couldn't finalize yet. Another reason for getting this Eagle BD was extras, which you confirmed are in VCD quality.

Now question is, Imported UTV BD and Eagle extras are same? Quality is same? If imported has superior quality extras then I should buy that instead of Eagle. Because movie is almost same on MB and Eagle. I have MB BD, then for extras I can go for imported one.