Léon - Nikita - The Fifth Element first Blu-ray reviews!

[hhhrrrinnn]

As there are more movies than Léon concerned, I thougt it would be helpfull to create a new thread.

Here are the first reviews (on French) of Besson's movies French releases:

Léon : http://www.dvdrama.com/rw_fiche-11329-.php

The fifth element : http://www.dvdrama.com/rw_fiche-11327-.php

Nikita : http://www.dvdrama.com/rw_fiche-11328-.php


Enjoy!


Nikita Blu-ray.com Review

[The Duke]

hhhrrrinnn - Many thanks for the links to the reviews. I used Google translate for English translations. Could you answer a few questions about the review for Leon, SVP? -

The specs lists the languages as:
Languages: - English DTS-HD MA 5.0 (long version) / English DTS HD MA 5.1 (short version) / French DTS-HD MA 5.0 (short version)

But in the review, they say:
>>La première chose à savoir est qu'il n'existe pas de piste française pour cette version longue, celle-ci n'ayant jamais été doublée par les comédiens.<<
The first thing to know is that there is no English track for this long version, it has never been duplicated by the actors.
>>Le film nous est présenté en DTS-HD Master Audio 5.0 <<
The film is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.0

So, I'm confused - is there or is there not English audio for the "long" International Cut?

And, is this a fair translation of their comments concerning video quality? -

>>Si l'étalonnage, magnifiquement respecté, offre aux couleurs une chroma bouleversante de chaleur, et bien que dotée d'un encodage AVC/1080P, cette édition n'atteint pas toujours la précision que l'on a pu observer sur Nikita ou encore sur Le cinquième élément.<<
If the calibration, beautifully observed, offering COLOR A chroma heat shocking, although with an encoding AVC/1080P, this edition does not always accurate as could be observed on or about Nikita The fifth element.

>>En effet, quelques scènes en basse lumière se voient légèrement entravées par un peu de grain et perdent un brin en définition.<<
A few scenes in low light are slightly hampered by a bit of grain and lose a little definition.

>>En revanche, dès que nous passons en extérieur ou que la luminosité est à son comble, la définition, idyllique, offre aux arrière-plans une fluidité irréprochable (pas d'artefact de compression).<<
However, once we move outdoors or the brightness is at its height, the definition, idyllic, provides background irréprochable fluidity (no compression artifacts).

Merci beaucoup

[hhhrrrinnn]

Actually there is no French track for the long version (Google translated "English" instead of "French" for "français") because it had never been duplicated by the actors themselves (I'm thinking about Jean Reno) or any other french voice (for N. Portman for example) contrary to the theatrical cut which was the only version ever released in France. That's why you'll never find a French track for the long version.
There are for sure an English track 5.1 for the thaetrical cut and a 5.0 one for the long version, both in DTS HD-MA (contrary to what was annonced as only HD-HR in the past).

Regarding the video quality, I would rather use "a warm and wonderful chroma" to translate "une chroma bouleversante de chaleur" than "shocking" (which has a negative tone). Regarding the end of your sentence, I would say :"despite its AVC/1080P encoding, this edition does not always reach the precision we've been able to observe on Nikita or The fifth element".

"A few scenes in low light are slightly hampered by a bit of grain and lose a little definition" => "A few scenes in low light show their limits because of a bit of grain and a small loss in their definition"

The rest of your translation is pretty accurate

Hope I've been able to help you!

[The Duke]

Originally Posted by hhhrrrinnn

Actually there is no French track for the long version (Google translated "English" instead of "French" for "français") because it had never been duplicated by the actors themselves (I'm thinking about Jean Reno) or any other french voice (for N. Portman for example) contrary to the theatrical cut which was the only version ever released in France. That's why you'll never find a French track for the long version.
There are for sure an English track 5.1 for the thaetrical cut and a 5.0 one for the long version, both in DTS HD-MA (contrary to what was annonced as only HD-HR in the past).

Regarding the video quality, I would rather use "a warm and wonderful chroma" to translate "une chroma bouleversante de chaleur" than "shocking" (which has a negative tone). Regarding the end of your sentence, I would say :"despite its AVC/1080P encoding, this edition does not always reach the precision we've been able to observe on Nikita or The fifth element".

"A few scenes in low light are slightly hampered by a bit of grain and lose a little definition" => "A few scenes in low light show their limits because of a bit of grain and a small loss in their definition"

The rest of your translation is pretty accurate

Of course, I see it now - "n'existe pas de piste française pour cette version longue". I studied French at University, but it was too long ago and I am not able to practice my French very much here in Arizona. And I was pretty certain "shocking" was not a good translation of "bouleversante de chaleur" .

Hope I've been able to help you!

Tres certainement, merci.

[pandemonium]

Am I mis-reading the review, or are these titles region locked B?

Thanks

[Jojos]

Filmsactu's review with 1080p caps : http://www.filmsactu.com/test-blu-ra...u-ray-6389.htm

[DigitalfreakNYC]

And no extras?

Ugh. Guess I'm waiting.

[jd213]

Originally Posted by pandemonium

Am I mis-reading the review, or are these titles region locked B?

Thanks

It doesn't appear to say either way, it looks like it's just placed in a Zone B category since it's a French release and not a US one.

But since the German one was region locked I wouldn't bet on this one being region free. I hope this one doesn't have better PQ though, since I recently bought the German steelbook in anticipation of getting a Blu-ray drive for my HTPC...

[hhhrrrinnn]

PQ here really seems to be better than on the German release...

And Gaumont usually produces region free discs. This will have to be confirmed with Pro-B's review

[Damage Inc.]

At least this one has a cooler/better box-artwork.
Too bad about the ridiculous foreign titles on them though.
I'm sorry foreign people, but they don't even do that in The Netherlands.
"Het Vijfde Element" LOL!

I bought it on DVD a couple of months ago, and it has this Taxi-themed packaging.
Why didn't they just get one awesome version out and use that one?
Would be awesome...
Of course that doesn't make the BD worse, it's just such an ugly cover to be honest.
If there won't be another version and I buy this one, I think I'll just use the DVD-box.
But they so should, I'm sure everyone else would love it, such a nice novelty-thing.

[Hugh K. David]

Was reading these reviews last night. As a long-time French speaker, and having worked as a translator several years ago, I have to congratulate you hhhrrrinnn on your work in this thread - excellent stuff.

The general tone of DVDrama's reviews seems to be "excellent picture & sound, minimal extras" and they specifically blame the latter on Besson himself, who is apparently against extras a la Woody Allen. I notice on their screencaps that French subs are optional on Leon, and English subs are optional on Nikita, which is good news all round. However, I will be hanging on to my DVDs for the extras.

[hhhrrrinnn]

Thanks Hugh but as a French student my English is a bit limited, I'm just trying to do my best. I also bought the director's cut of Léon on DVD (Zone 1) with all the extras a few years ago and I don't know exactly what to do with these French blu releases. How could they decide to release Leon for example with a 5.0 audio setup?!?

PS: dvdrama changed its PQ and AQ ratings for Léon and Nikita to 8/10 (PQ) and 8/10 (AQ).

PS2: You can find here another review (in French) of the 3 blu ray releases:

Léon:
PQ: 6/6
AQ: 5/6
Extras: 4/6 (they gave a 4 just because of the choice between the theatrical and the extended version...)
http://www.avcesar.com/bluray/fiche/id-301/Leon.html

Nikita:
PQ: 4/6
AQ: 3/6 o_O
Extras: 1/6
http://www.avcesar.com/bluray/fiche/id-298/Nikita.html

The Fifth Element:
PQ: 5/6
AQ: 6/6
Extras: 1/6
http://www.avcesar.com/bluray/fiche/...e-element.html

PS3: The UK release seems available on pre-order (thanks uk-guy )
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...71#post1945971

[ArieS]

Anglais DTS-HD MA 5.0 (version longue)
Wtf? And does that mean the subwoofer won't be working?

[hhhrrrinnn]

Originally Posted by ArieS

Anglais DTS-HD MA 5.0 (version longue)
Wtf? And does that mean the subwoofer won't be working?

I know... I don't understand why Gaumont made this choice...

[Kynch]

Did the previous DVD they released of Nikita include a 5.1 track?

[Damage Inc.]

Originally Posted by ArieS

Anglais DTS-HD MA 5.0 (version longue)
Wtf? And does that mean the subwoofer won't be working?

That '5.0' is either true or a typo or something.
But I can guess the subwoofer would still be working.
I have a DVD(!) or two that also say that on the back.
And the subwoofer is working just as well...

However, I'm not sure if a receiver would re-direct or "remixed"
so the bass is forced through the subwoofer or something.
In case there really is no "bass-channel" or anything like that.
Actually, I think the LFE-indicator still showed on the receiver's display...

[Kynch]

The review does confirm the 5.0, so it's not a typo.

[neo_reloaded]

The pictures of the artwork makes it look like the discs come in some sort of cardboard package. Does anyone have experience with French Paramount / Gaumont releases and can speak as to what kind of case the Blu-rays come in? Thanks.

[Eastkhan]

Originally Posted by neo_reloaded

The pictures of the artwork makes it look like the discs come in some sort of cardboard package. Does anyone have experience with French Paramount / Gaumont releases and can speak as to what kind of case the Blu-rays come in? Thanks.

I bought Gaumont release of JCVD. Its a digipack (cardboard package like some music CDs). Its thinner than BD case, same height, no booklets etc.

[neo_reloaded]

Originally Posted by Eastkhan

I bought Gaumont release of JCVD. Its a digipack (cardboard package like some music CDs). Its thinner than BD case, same height, no booklets etc.

Does it have a plastic disc holder inside the cardboard case, or is the disc inside a cardboard sleeve? I'm fine as long as there's a real disc holder in there - I hate sliding discs in and out of a sleeve.