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Gary Tooze
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#101 Post by Gary Tooze » Tue Oct 28, 2008 2:45 pm

New...

Optimum Home Ent. - Region 'B' - Blu-ray "Night of the Living Dead" vs. Fox - Region 1 - NTSC (black and white) vs. Fox - Region 1 - NTSC (colorized) Elite (Millennium Edition)- Region 1 - NTSC vs. Elite (Special Collector's Edition) Region 0 - NTSC

New...

Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC "Sunset Boulevard" vs. Paramount (2-disc Centennial Collection) - Region 1,4 - NTSC

Original:
Image

Centennial (improved contrast):
Image

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feihong
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#102 Post by feihong » Tue Oct 28, 2008 7:06 pm

"Perplexing for sure, as I don't doubt the transfer used by MoC matches the color scheme of the film upon release."

I have serious doubts that the MOC color scheme matches the release print. The MOC disc looks blue to the core, and I have never seen a Johnnie To movie that was supposed to look that way. Even a picture like The Longest Nite, which looked rather blue in most scenes of the DVD, appears to have a more subtle, life-like, and broader color scheme in the theater. The only disc of a Johnnie To movie that matches MOC's blu-ray for blue color-timing is Media Asia's disc of Breaking News. That film appears to be way too blue. I haven't seen it in a theater, but I doubt the accuracy of that look in the transfer. More than that, having seen The Mission, The Longest Nite, Exiled, and the two Election films in theaters, I have to say that none of them looked overwhelmingly blue. Certainly when the films hit SD-DVD they pick up more of a blue tinge in many scenes - probably a result of compressing a bit of subtle blue color-timing. But there is no way that Mad Detective should look so washed-blue as it does on the MOC disc.

To reiterate a little of what I posted on the MOC Mad Detective thread, telling signs to me are the flat compression of the forest scene and the nauseating green-blue clash shown in the capture with Lam Ka-Tung staring at us from said forest. Also the neon light in the convenience store behind Lau Ching-Wan - on the Mei Ah it is green, but it is completely blue on the MOC disc. Light like that does not naturally appear blue for the cameras. Scenes like the one with Andy On in the breezeway take place in the middle of the day. On the Mei Ah the indirect light is yellow, looking like mid-day. On the MOC the light is-surprise!-blue. It looks like dusk.

The Mei Ah sd-dvd has a much wider color-palette than the MOC blu-ray. Certain scenes have blu-tinted color-correction, but nothing so extreme as the MOC disc has. I should say, I'm not actually trying to crusade against the MOC disc, but the Mei Ah, for all the grain, has what seems to me a truer and more expansive color palette. That said, obvious problems with the Mei Ah in terms of contrast boosting additive grain and cropping really suck. I guess my main point is that this doesn't jibe with the theatrical exhibitions of To movies that I have seen. The colors are always carefully chosen, but one never feels that the palette is being overtly stylized for such unconventional effects. The MOC disc makes it look like a Joel Schumacher film.

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Gary Tooze
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#103 Post by Gary Tooze » Wed Oct 29, 2008 6:45 pm

New...

Lions Gate (Signature Series) - Region 1 - NTSC "Monster's Ball" vs. Lions Gate - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

New...

Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC "Roman Holiday" vs. Paramount (2-disc Centennial Collection) - Region 1,4 - NTSC

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perkizitore
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2008 3:29 pm
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Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#104 Post by perkizitore » Mon Nov 03, 2008 10:36 pm

Gary,will you review Zatoichi on Blu-Ray?

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Gary Tooze
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Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#105 Post by Gary Tooze » Tue Nov 04, 2008 8:45 am

Possibly, but I don't have it yet....
Best,
Gary

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Gary Tooze
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Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#106 Post by Gary Tooze » Tue Nov 04, 2008 3:37 pm

New...

Miramax / Buena Vista - Rolling Thunder - Region 1 - NTSC "Chungking Express" vs. Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC

First Look Pictures (2-disc Limited Collector's Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC "Paris je t'aime" vs. First Look Pictures - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

We have added some comparison captures of other editions in our reviews of both Roberto Rossellini: Director's Series and The Gregory Peck Film Collection (specifically Arabesque, To Kill a Mockingbird and Cape Fear).

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Gary Tooze
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Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#107 Post by Gary Tooze » Thu Nov 06, 2008 11:17 am

New...

TF1 Vidéo (colorized and black and white) - Region 2 - PAL "Fanfan la Tulipe" vs. Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC

Eclectic DVD Dist. (25th Anniversary) - Region 0 - NTSC "Black Christmas (original)" vs. Somerville House (Special Edition) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Somerville House Region 'A' Blu-ray

NOTE: In our review of the region-free An American in Paris Blu-ray we've compared 6 captures from the older SD-DVD.


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Gary Tooze
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Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#108 Post by Gary Tooze » Fri Nov 07, 2008 3:02 pm

New...

Image Entertainment (3-disc Imperial Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC "Caligula" vs. Image Entertainment (2-disc Imperial Edition) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

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Have a great weekend! :lol:

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Gary Tooze
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Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#109 Post by Gary Tooze » Mon Nov 10, 2008 3:29 pm

New...

Kino (Restored Deluxe Edition) - Region 0 - NTSC "The Last Laugh" vs. Eureka - Region 2 - PAL vs. Eureka 'Masters of Cinema' - Region 0 - PAL vs. Kino - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Films Sans Frontieres - Region 2 - PAL

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skuhn8
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 4:46 pm
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Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#110 Post by skuhn8 » Tue Nov 11, 2008 5:47 am

Looking at those Last Laugh screenshots it looks like the new Kino is indeed sharper, certainly on par with the original Eureka release in being superior to the MOC (and just forget about the other editions). Just a shame about the slight sepia, ridiculous text translation practice and frequent combing.

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Gary Tooze
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Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#111 Post by Gary Tooze » Tue Nov 11, 2008 9:44 am

New...

Carlotta (2-disc) - Region 2 - PAL "The Tarnished Angels" vs. Universal (UK) - Region 2 - PAL

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justeleblanc
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Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#112 Post by justeleblanc » Tue Nov 11, 2008 5:51 pm

Hi Gary,

I'm curious to see how the Facets Yesterday's Girl compares to the PAL edition. I know Facets is often controversial, but it might be worth seeing how one of their upcoming Kluge titles compares to the PAL... just to see if they are getting better.

~jl

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manicsounds
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 10:58 pm
Location: Tokyo, Japan

Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#113 Post by manicsounds » Wed Nov 12, 2008 5:07 am

I don't think Gary will buy another Facets after the Satantango debacle....

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Person
Joined: Sat May 19, 2007 3:00 pm

Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#114 Post by Person » Thu Nov 13, 2008 11:28 am

I see that a review for the Italian Blu-Ray of A Fistful of Dollars is up - looks great! For a Few Dollars More is also available in Italy, Gary.

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Gary Tooze
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Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#115 Post by Gary Tooze » Thu Nov 13, 2008 11:48 am

Really Person?
That link is to A Fistful of Dollars (Per un pugno di dollari)
But the cover is not accurate.
Best,
Gary

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Gary Tooze
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Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#116 Post by Gary Tooze » Fri Nov 14, 2008 4:23 pm

New...

CBS Paramount - Region 1- NTSC "Star Trek Season Three" vs. CBS Paramount (Remastered) - Region 1 - NTSC

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Person
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Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#117 Post by Person » Sat Nov 15, 2008 9:18 am

Gary Tooze wrote:Really Person?
That link is to A Fistful of Dollars (Per un pugno di dollari)
But the cover is not accurate.
Best,
Gary
Sorry, Gary and all - this is the correct url.

Image

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Gary Tooze
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Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#118 Post by Gary Tooze » Sat Nov 15, 2008 9:54 am

Thanks Person!
Hmmmm.... on lafeltrinelli.it it says region 2 (probably mean 'B'), Italian dialogue, Italian subtitles
on dvd.it - it says region 2 - Italian dialogue - no subtitles.
Can anyone confirm or deny?
Thanks,
Gary

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Ashirg
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 9:10 am
Location: Atlanta

Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#119 Post by Ashirg » Sat Nov 15, 2008 12:12 pm

Blu-ray only has Italian dub and no subs.

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Person
Joined: Sat May 19, 2007 3:00 pm

Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#120 Post by Person » Sat Nov 15, 2008 2:45 pm

No English subs? Sad times. This For a Few Dollars More is from a different company than put out A Fistful of Dollars, right? MGM need to step up their pre-1990 Blu-Ray output and their Leone films would be a good place to start.

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denti alligator
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Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#121 Post by denti alligator » Mon Nov 17, 2008 7:06 pm

Gary,

Any chance you'll be comparing the new Kino The General with the Mk2, old Kino, etc.?

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Gary Tooze
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Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#122 Post by Gary Tooze » Mon Nov 17, 2008 7:58 pm

It's possible, although I don't anticipate buying it... it's Kino.
***
New...

MPI Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC "Becket" vs. MPI Home Video - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

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denti alligator
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Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#123 Post by denti alligator » Mon Nov 17, 2008 8:08 pm

Gary Tooze wrote:It's possible, although I don't anticipate buying it... it's Kino.
Who have put out some (though just some) stellar releases. Their Nosferatu is better than MoC's, for example, at least in image quality. MoC's extras are another story.

But you and Schreck already slugged it out over this issue. I think this Keaton release deserves some attention, and I have yet to see any screen cap comparisons, without which I will not buy it.

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Gary Tooze
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Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#124 Post by Gary Tooze » Mon Nov 17, 2008 8:20 pm

<without which I will not buy it>
Me either... been burned enough thanx.
Cheers,
G

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Gary Tooze
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Re: DVDBeaver Comparisons

#125 Post by Gary Tooze » Tue Nov 18, 2008 4:09 pm

New...

Sony - Region 1 - NTSC "Bottle Rocket" vs. Criterion (2-disc Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC

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