The Fifth Element (Blu-ray SteelBook) (KimchiDVD Exclusive #26) [Korea]

Jan 24, 2011
476
Portugal
Release date: January 29, 2016
Purchase links: Lenti - Full Slip A1 - Full Slip A2 - One Click
Price: $34.99
Note: SteelBook is glossed and embossed. Lenti 1300 copies - Full Slip A1 1000 copies - Full Slip A2 300 copies - One Click 200 copies
Group buy: hosted by Kaka1888

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Like a lot of other ninjas, I have mixed feelings about this one. But I love this film.

The steel itself looks good, but it's lacking something.

Slip A is nice, but the back is boring. Should have had the Alien Opra singer on the back

Slip B front looks off, but the back looks great

I want to see what the lenti looks like and maybe I'll bite...but for now...not a high priority

I like the slips but I do agree that the steelbook is missing something. Maybe if the front and back picture would be combined into one picture, so that marks for those 4 elements would be in front and "Evil" in the back. And on the back of the steelbook I would maybe put an image of the guardians, they definitely deserve a place on the steel or slip.
 
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I have a feeling the finish on these are going to be special. It will ooze quality and then everyone will be chasing them like they did with Her Full Slip.
 
Quite frankly i'm not too excited about the lenticular. I'm very excited about the FULLSLIP 1 ... Kimchi make ridiculously nice embossed fullslips.

I need them to be using the USA Atmos 4K remaster though. Us guys in the UK / Europe never got a remastered REGION B version as far as I know so it will be ideal if they use that encode.
 
I need them to be using the USA Atmos 4K remaster though. Us guys in the UK / Europe never got a remastered REGION B version as far as I know so it will be ideal if they use that encode.
The US mastered from 4k release is region A locked (I just got it, but play blu-ray disks via my PC so region locks are not an issue); not sure if they'd be able to release that encode region free.
 
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Quite frankly i'm not too excited about the lenticular. I'm very excited about the FULLSLIP 1 ... Kimchi make ridiculously nice embossed fullslips.

I need them to be using the USA Atmos 4K remaster though. Us guys in the UK / Europe never got a remastered REGION B version as far as I know so it will be ideal if they use that encode.

The Region B version though is a studio approved transfer. There are issues with it though as there is with the print Sony use in the USA.

http://www.caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=6743&d2=6745

all down to prefernece really.
 
all down to prefernece really.
Very true. I don't have an issue with the colours for the UK release, however I'm wondering if there was excessive use of DNR or something because there's a lot of detail/sharpness lost compared to the US remaster.

This is a good shot for seeing the colour differences, for anyone interested (put your mouse over the picture to switch from US -> UK):
http://www.caps-a-holic.com/c.php?go=1&a=0&d1=6743&d2=6745&s1=63650&s2=63684&i=6&l=0
 
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Very true. I don't have an issue with the colours for the UK release, however I'm wondering if there was excessive use of DNR or something because... but there's a lot of detail/sharpness lost compared to the US remaster.

This is a good shot for seeing the colour differences, for anyone interested (put your mouse over the picture to switch from US -> UK):
http://www.caps-a-holic.com/c.php?go=1&a=0&d1=6743&d2=6745&s1=63650&s2=63684&i=6&l=0

Thanks for that !! to be honest I like the colour grading of the UK version but you're right. I'm not happy that a lot of detail has been lost.
 
Very true. I don't have an issue with the colours for the UK release, however I'm wondering if there was excessive use of DNR or something because... but there's a lot of detail/sharpness lost compared to the US remaster.

This is a good shot for seeing the colour differences, for anyone interested (put your mouse over the picture to switch from US -> UK):
http://www.caps-a-holic.com/c.php?go=1&a=0&d1=6743&d2=6745&s1=63650&s2=63684&i=6&l=0


No digital noise reduction used in any transfer but for that screencap, look at the blown out whites in the curtains. The 4K remaster will show more detail anyway because of the more indepth scan of the print / negative

The USA version from Sony though has always had a slightly darker look to it. I remember it from the previous DVD's (Superbit and regular) and Laserdisc. The Euro version (Gaumont approved as well) is a bit brighter and punchier but suffers from things like in the example above

Like i said before, all down to preference. Sony 4K master has Atmos sound so it should sound pretty sweet on my 7.1 setup. If i can pick up the Zavvi steelbook for a price that doesn't involve selling my arse on a street corner, i'll be a happy chappy and have the best of both releases
 
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Ah...had some high hopes but the steel artwork dont work for me and for the slips i find the full slip 1 ok, but not more than that. Too bad...a missed opportunity!
 
Quite frankly i'm not too excited about the lenticular. I'm very excited about the FULLSLIP 1 ... Kimchi make ridiculously nice embossed fullslips.

I need them to be using the USA Atmos 4K remaster though. Us guys in the UK / Europe never got a remastered REGION B version as far as I know so it will be ideal if they use that encode.
Is that the release that came with the Cinema series from Sony? That was actually region A locked. I'm not sure if it will be the same for Kimchi as there releases are usually region free.
 
I really like this tbh - I also like that my hobby has evolved enough that I can have a very high quality version of an older film I absolutely love rather than relying on poor quality catalogue releases. I tend to display my steels and slips separate and I'm sure that steel will look cracking on the shelf.
 
Is that the release that came with the Cinema series from Sony? That was actually region A locked. I'm not sure if it will be the same for Kimchi as there releases are usually region free.

Don't these Korean retailers just nab the encoded footage and make their own custom menus etc and region free the disc up ???
 
Don't these Korean retailers just nab the encoded footage and make their own custom menus etc and region free the disc up ???

That would be piracy haha

4K transfer is licenced solely to Sony in the USA (since they did the work on it). Rest of the world use the Gaumont transfer so i'm guessing it will be the same as those releases.

Unless Sony want to sub-licence that transfer out for a pretty penny.
 
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That would be piracy haha

4K transfer is licenced solely to Sony in the USA (since they did the work on it). Rest of the world use the Gaumont transfer so i'm guessing it will be the same as those releases.

Unless Sony want to sub-licence that transfer out for a pretty penny.
No seriously, most of my discs have custom menus LOL ... I don't know how many Kimchis / Novamedia releases you own but they all have custom menus and are region free even though some of the covers state REGION A locked.
 
No seriously, most of my discs have custom menus LOL ... I don't know how many Kimchis / Novamedia releases you own but they all have custom menus and are region free even though some of the covers state REGION A locked.

Only got the one Kimchi mate and that was it to be honest. Not sure what you mean by custom menus exactly (menu with retailer / studio logo on it?) but i presume Korea already have The Fifth Element on Blu-ray so they would use that same transfer.
 
Only got the one Kimchi mate and that was it to be honest. Not sure what you mean by custom menus exactly (menu with retailer / studio logo on it?) but i presume Korea already have The Fifth Element on Blu-ray so they would use that same transfer.

As in the menu is completely different to say a UK REGION B version.

So they can't simply be duplicating discs. They are taking the encode of the film and re-authoring the whole disc with their own menu designs. They must have rights to do that otherwise as you rightly pointed out, it's piracy.
 
When I saw this thread I was thinking OOOH.

But then I saw the artwork and thought, oh...

I love the movie so I'll buy it I'm not exactly delirious about it.

As for the US vs European blu ray debate, very few people are going to notice the loss of detail from 10 or 12 feet away. Shouldn't be difficult to buy a reasonably cheap high quality Region A player if you want a lot of North American discs. I have a region A/1 player and a multi region blu/dvd player.
 
As in the menu is completely different to say a UK REGION B version.

So they can't simply be duplicating discs. They are taking the encode of the film and re-authoring the whole disc with their own menu designs. They must have rights to do that otherwise as you rightly pointed out, it's piracy.
I'm guessing they make there own menus to suit but the transfer of the film will be owned by the studio they have licensed it from. If they did use the Sony one it would have to be region locked.
 
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