How close is Blu-ray to the actual film?

[maverick1972]

I'm curious if anyone can answer this question and I know you may get a different answer for different titles. However, I wonder just how close we are to the actual source material.

When I look at a 35mm photograph from the 70s or 80s taken on an expensive film camera. It's pretty darned good. Film is 35mm in most cases. I used to think that they'll never get quality this good in full motion for the consumer. Now, I wonder. I remember DVD being so superior at 480p and even laserdisc at 325i for that matter.

We're now dealing with 1080p and it's jaw dropping quality in many cases compared to what I grew up on. I think we forget the days of banging the side of the set to tune in the Bionic Man while adjusting the rabbit ears.

Let me give bluray a fair advantage here and take two 70 year old movies. "Gone With The Wind" and "The Wizard of Oz". How close would my copies be to the original masters in the studio vaults? Are we there yet? Have we gone passed it? Are we getting close?