Ashes of Time (Redux)

[Clueless_Monkey]

Amazon.co.uk lists an Artificial Eye release of Wong Kar-Wai's Ashes of Time Redux for January 26, 2009.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ashes-Redux-...dp/B001L4I1VE/
http://www.asianblurayguide.com/deta...nited_kingdom/

[pro-bassoonist]

This is a UK release so we actually opened up a thread in the European section yesterday:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=71389



Pro-B

[Clueless_Monkey]

whoops, you're right

[onceachilde]

edit: argh wrong thread. mods please move if possible. thanks.

So now that the review is up . . .

I agree 100% that what they did with the print itself is remarkable, but what about the video? Yeah, the grain and detail are there, but I thought the encode was a bit of a mess otherwise. Yay/nay?

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by onceachilde

So now that the review is up . . .

I agree 100% that what they did with the print itself is remarkable, but what about the video? Yeah, the grain and detail are there, but I thought the encode was a bit of a mess otherwise. Yay/nay?

Interesting. Why do you think so? The only aspect of this presentation that I assume (and this is strictly an uninformed opinion as I have not researched to determine what master elements were used for Redux) could have been improved is probably the frame alignment during 2-3 particular scenes towards the middle of the film. I think that it is fairly obvious that there were at least two different sources that were used, but I don't think that this has anything to do with Artificial Eye. Frankly, given how heavily manipulated Redux is I would say that it is next to impossible to argue that there are specific issues with the video that could be attributed to the encoding.

As far as I am concerned, Redux looks absolutely phenomenal.

Pro-B

[dyerjp]

the transfer looked a whole lot better than i expected. considering how the mei ah disc is that i am used to watching, i was amazed at how well it was done. granted, some parts look pretty shoddy, but as mentioned before, it was probably due to the usage of different sources.

[DCJuggler]

Originally Posted by dyerjp

the transfer looked a whole lot better than i expected. considering how the mei ah disc is that i am used to watching, i was amazed at how well it was done. granted, some parts look pretty shoddy, but as mentioned before, it was probably due to the usage of different sources.

The source(s) were in really bad shape anyway, considering how it looked on vcd/LD and dvd, the bluray is a remarkable improvement.

[onceachilde]

im not going to argue with anyone about whether or not this is the best version of the movie available by a long shot, because it is. its stunning, all things considered and i am very very happy to have this in my collection.

i don't mean to be nitpicky, but am just interested if anyone else sees what i'm seeing.

maybe its just my display, but blacks seemed really unstable - blooming to, i kid you not, a bright navy blue at some points (in the darkest parts of the image). this definitely wasn't a problem with the print. the blue looked pixelated and nasty, definitely the product of video compression. also i noticed a fair amount of color banding. i need to go back and take another look to pinpoint where i noticed these problems though.

if no one else is seeing this, please feel free to write me off as being crazy. this isn't the old mei ah dvd we've struggled to watch all these years and for that i am so incredibly happy.

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by onceachilde

if no one else is seeing this, please feel free to write me off as being crazy. this isn't the old mei ah dvd we've struggled to watch all these years and for that i am so incredibly happy.

I am actually very interested in getting to the bottom of what you have described above. And I thank you for sharing your thoughts with us!

However, I personally did not notice any such disturbing color banding patterns (as I noted earlier, it is fairly difficult, really, to tell what is and isn't a byproduct of the transfer with Redux. Example: the discoloration, from lush yellow to brown and then light gray in the desert scene with Blind Swordsman is undoubtedly a product of the mismatch between the two masters that have been used. Is this what you refer to?).

Please, feel free to PM me with specific timings for the issues you have experienced, I would be glad to go back and look at our disc.

Thank you again for sharing your thoughts with us.

Dr.A

[dyerjp]

the only real problems that i noticed were the discolorations in the browns. other than that, i cannot complain.

[kndy]

I really hope the picture quality for the BD is awesome. I'm watching my DVD review copy right now (as I type) and it's not looking that great. So, I look forward to seeing the quality of the Blu-ray.

UPDATE: After watching the upcoming film coming out on DVD in the US on March 3rd, here is one thing I'm curious about on the Blu-ray version. Granted, I'm having hope for the BD version because watching Criterion's remastering of "Chungking Express" made before "Ashes of Time", I'm hoping to see some major improvements.

Watching "Ashes of Time Redux" on DVD, there was a lot of grain. Typically, I'm not against grain because it's part of the film but watching this on DVD, the amount of grain seemed a bit saturated. Some parts seemed hazy/blurry at times.

I would love to see some scenes of the blue skies, the desert and just seeing if the picture quality of those scenes are tremendous. There is a lot of earth tones, greens and blues but definitely looking forward to seeing how it looks on BD versus the DVD. Granted, perhaps seeing a film like "HERO" may have altered my memory of "Ashes of Time" but I supposed, I'd like to see the improvements on the BD version.

The DVD comes with two special features "Born from Ashes: The Making of Ashes of Time Redux" and Q&A with Wong Kar Wai. The Q&A was in 2008 as Kar Wai mentions "Kung Fu Panda" (when discussing how back then, people had problems distinguishing the characters from each other) and how the company that had the film had literally gone bankrupt (and he mentions the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy). But these two special features were definitely cool additions.

They don't really go into what was edited for the redux and the interviewer doesn't push it since at the film festival (in New York?), Wong Kar Wai doesn't get into discussion about it.

But if anything, surprised to hear how difficult it was to get pieces of film from around the world for Redux.