The Wire

[spcamaj]

Hey did anyone hear any new on The Wire. It was a great show and it deserves to be on blu-ray. I would get the whole collection.

[Harry Caul]

Sorry pal no news, but it's by far the best unanswered question i've seen today.

[Woodstove]

I can't wait. The Wire is sitting comfortably below Twin Peaks as my second favorite TV show. Speaking of, when are we going to see some David Lynch on Blu-ray?

[retablo]

It never aired on HD (the only HBO show not to) and even creator David Simon says he prefers the gritty fuzzy look of SD to give it a really rough documentary-type feel. So I assume if it ever did come out, it would have to be completely re-scanned in HD... that is, if Simon approves.

[retablo]

From David Simon:

"And perhaps the final contrast to the rest of high-end episodic television, The Wire for each of its five seasons has been produced in good old fashioned 4 x 3 standard definition. DP Dave Insley recalled, "The reason the show has stayed 4x3 is because David Simon thinks that 4x3 feels more like real life and real television and not like a movie. The show's never been HD, even 4x3 HD and that (SD) is how it is on the DVDs. There is no 16x9 version anywhere." As a viewer with an HD set I will point out that like much of SD television that makes its way to HD channels, it appears that HBO utilizes state-of-the-art line doubling technology. It may still be standard definition, but line doubled it looks considerably better on a high definition set than it would on a standard definition set.

Insley explained, "When the show started 2001 / 2002 they framed it for 16 x 9 as a way of future-proofing. Then a couple of seasons ago, right before Season 4 began shooting, there was a big discussion about it and after much discussion -- David, Nina, Joe Chappelle, the Producers, the DPs -- and we discussed what should be the style of the show. David made the decision that we would stay with 4x3. The DPs pretty much defined the look to be what it is now. And it's been consistent for the past two seasons."

The Wire is shot entirely with Panavision cameras. David Insley let us know that, "These later episodes of the show are shot Super 35, 3-perf, and that saves a lot of money because that means we're shooting about three quarters of the film we used to. But we're only using the 4 x 3 part, so we're losing the edges of the 16x 9, but it's less than we were using when it was 4-perf, so (the image is) somewhere between a Super 16 image and a standard 35 (mm) image."

[Riff Magnum]

Originally Posted by Woodstove

I can't wait. The Wire is sitting comfortably below Twin Peaks as my second favorite TV show. Speaking of, when are we going to see some David Lynch on Blu-ray?

Look on the main page on the left side under bluray news. About half way down is a press release concerning studio canal, which includes the Elephant Man. I'm sure more lynch will follow.

[Volume11]

Originally Posted by retablo

From David Simon:

"And perhaps the final contrast to the rest of high-end episodic television, The Wire for each of its five seasons has been produced in good old fashioned 4 x 3 standard definition. DP Dave Insley recalled, "The reason the show has stayed 4x3 is because David Simon thinks that 4x3 feels more like real life and real television and not like a movie. The show's never been HD, even 4x3 HD and that (SD) is how it is on the DVDs. There is no 16x9 version anywhere." As a viewer with an HD set I will point out that like much of SD television that makes its way to HD channels, it appears that HBO utilizes state-of-the-art line doubling technology. It may still be standard definition, but line doubled it looks considerably better on a high definition set than it would on a standard definition set.

Insley explained, "When the show started 2001 / 2002 they framed it for 16 x 9 as a way of future-proofing. Then a couple of seasons ago, right before Season 4 began shooting, there was a big discussion about it and after much discussion -- David, Nina, Joe Chappelle, the Producers, the DPs -- and we discussed what should be the style of the show. David made the decision that we would stay with 4x3. The DPs pretty much defined the look to be what it is now. And it's been consistent for the past two seasons."

The Wire is shot entirely with Panavision cameras. David Insley let us know that, "These later episodes of the show are shot Super 35, 3-perf, and that saves a lot of money because that means we're shooting about three quarters of the film we used to. But we're only using the 4 x 3 part, so we're losing the edges of the 16x 9, but it's less than we were using when it was 4-perf, so (the image is) somewhere between a Super 16 image and a standard 35 (mm) image."

And I'd still buy it even if the end result was a slight upgrade from the DVD releases.

However, its one of those rare cases where I think the filmmaker's intent is not only wrong but poorly justified. Simon is lucky that everything else he has said in numerous interviews and the work he did on Generation Kill outshine his odd outlook on how to achieve a gritty look.

[deangrazy]

Originally Posted by spcamaj

Hey did anyone hear any new on The Wire. It was a great show and it deserves to be on blu-ray. I would get the whole collection.

I am sure many people would love to add The Wire to their collection on BLU-RAY, I am hoping for a sooner release.

[Clark Kent]

This will only come out on Blu-ray once BD is the only game in town for home video. It could be another few years, if ever.

[fatediesel]

Despite how much I love this show I'd probably stick with the DVD releases. I wouldn't find it worthwhile to spend the money to upgrade for a 4:3 Blu-ray.

[Volume11]

Originally Posted by Clark Kent

This will only come out on Blu-ray once BD is the only game in town for home video. It could be another few years, if ever.

Especially when you wonder if the effort needed to get the slight upgrade would deter them.

Here is hoping SFU gets the Blue treatment as well.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Riff Magnum

Look on the main page on the left side under bluray news. About half way down is a press release concerning studio canal, which includes the Elephant Man. I'm sure more lynch will follow.

I cant find this Riff. Got a link please?

[fatediesel]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I cant find this Riff. Got a link please?

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=3434

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=3434

Thanks. I cant get it to work right now. Whats the date of the news....maybe I can find it that way. I searched By Studio Canal and by Elephant and got nothing. Very odd.

Edit: Got it....I didnt have all countries enabled. Thanks again.

[LordCrumb]

Originally Posted by Volume11

However, its one of those rare cases where I think the filmmaker's intent is not only wrong but poorly justified.

Eh? How can the filmmakers intent be wrong? he made the damn show.

[retablo]

Originally Posted by KaiGusto

Eh? How can the filmmakers intent be wrong? he made the damn show.

I think all he is saying is that Simon chose to stay with 480i after most broadcast went to 1080. The Wire debuted in 2002 before HD; after HD broadcast began, he chose to stick with SD to maintain consistency in all the episodes. I applaud that, but at the same time think an 1080 upgrade off the original film elements could still maintain the grit and ambience. As stated above, look at Generation Kill, another Simon show. No doubt if he started the Wire today, it would be shot and broadcast in 1080.

[thecroshow]

thanks for posting in the Blu-Ray movies and releases section!! GRRRRR

[Volume11]

Originally Posted by retablo

I think all he is saying is that Simon chose to stay with 480i after most broadcast went to 1080. The Wire debuted in 2002 before HD; after HD broadcast began, he chose to stick with SD to maintain consistency in all the episodes. I applaud that, but at the same time think an 1080 upgrade off the original film elements could still maintain the grit and ambience. As stated above, look at Generation Kill, another Simon show. No doubt if he started the Wire today, it would be shot and broadcast in 1080.

Exactly. I was kidding around to an extent as I think the Wire is easily one of the best serialized shows ever released but his reasoning for not making the jump to HD and producing the show in a manner which would require them to go back and re-scan/master them to get an HD version down the line seems real stubborn and short sighted.

[graf1k]

Originally Posted by retablo

I think all he is saying is that Simon chose to stay with 480i after most broadcast went to 1080. The Wire debuted in 2002 before HD; after HD broadcast began, he chose to stick with SD to maintain consistency in all the episodes. I applaud that, but at the same time think an 1080 upgrade off the original film elements could still maintain the grit and ambience. As stated above, look at Generation Kill, another Simon show. No doubt if he started the Wire today, it would be shot and broadcast in 1080.

Are you sure about that? I could have sworn I saw season 1 of The Sopranos on HBO in HD which started well before The Wire did.

[Volume11]

Originally Posted by graf1k

Are you sure about that? I could have sworn I saw season 1 of The Sopranos on HBO in HD.

And thats why ultimately its silly Simon chose to have the Wire as a finished sub-HD 4:3 product.

Do you buy be@rbricks?