Thanks.The current UK offering is supposed ot have been restored under the approval of Nic Roeg.
Not to do the gentleman a disservice, I can only assume they modified the 'approved' version after he left the building.
It's not a grain problem - real film has grain and as you say remove the grain, you remove the clarity.
The problem is that there is only what can be descried as machine noise that is occasionally very heavy . It smears and makes some panoramic shots look very washed out, soft and lacking depth and overall very un-film like.
I
View attachment 153466 n the screencap here (borrowed from the other place) look at the upper right quarter of the picture - not only soft and smeary, but it looks for all the world lke a painted backdrop.
View attachment 153469
Look at the second one and you can see an odd effect in the faces of both Christie and Sutherland.
There are lots of other instances where it just doesn't look right. It would seem they have probaby tried to make the film look more modern, but have removed much of the definition in places.
As regards the Criterion version, I am told they have tinkered with the colour timing.
edited for afterthoughts
Have a look over at DVDBeaver- they have a direct comparison between Optimum and Criterion.
Thanks.
The Criterion seems to have more definition and a less washed out look. The differences are subtle, but I think the Criterion is more crisp.
Sadly, the only real way to tell is to be able to plug it into your own system! I like the comparison pictures on the other sites, but you can never be sure that they're true to the image they representing.
There are so many ways that an image can go wrong on the way to your eyes!!
There are so many ways that an image can go wrong on the way to your eyes!!
I mean, you have to assume that the reviewer knows how to calibrate a television, set up his Blu-ray player correctly, make sure his video signal going through his receiver isn't altering the picture on the way to the television, etc.
...And if he's taking pictures to put on the Internet, are his laptop and/or desktop computer monitors calibrated correctly to show what the image truly is? Did he use 'flat' settings for comparison?
There is a lot that can go wrong in that whole signal chain!! I've been an AV honk for 30 years and I still make mistakes (I actually made one last night with a PAL-NTSC transfer!).
I actually bought the Criterion DVD of CHILDREN OF PARADISE over their newer Blu-ray because I believe they totally over-tweaked the image on the blu. (Sometimes you overshoot the top of the mountain and start going down the other side!).
Can't disagree with anything there. Think you're in line for being my new best pal
Certainly I have said many times that there are some DVDs that are significantly superior to the blu ray equivalent - There are many others, but Butch and Sundance, and the original MGM 2 disc special editions of The Battle of Britain, A Bridge Too Far and The Great Escape spring to mind as great examples of restoration done in the correct manner, and an example of how good DVD can actually be if they only make the effort.
Hey, I'm curious- since you mention the Bridge Too Far DVD. I have heard many times that the blu transfer of that in the steelbook version is atrocious. Do you know if that is true? I came close to buying it a couple of times before I remembered that, and I didn't want to go through a repeat of the Patton DNR debacle!!
Its more considered to be psycho-horror thriller
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