Equilibrium (Blu-ray SteelBook) [Canada]

[apsmith21]

Release date of November 8th, 2011.
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/search?rh=i...eelbook&?tag=brcforumsca-20&tag=hidefnin0b-20

 

[lgans316]

I had 2 copies. On one, I was able to remove the residue with warm water but nothing can be done about the dents. I kept this one as an exhibit copy and asked amazon.ca to check on this and revert. I asked them to consider putting this item on review as many copies could have been affected by this issue. It would be great if all Studios stop using these stupid sticky glues.

Glad that I opened my copies yesterday evening and found these as if I had delayed, I could have passed amazon's deadline.

This comes as another warning to those who keep everything Sealed.

 

[BluSteel2012]

Spoiler

I'm coming up on 5 years on this forum. It's helped me find lots of Steelbooks. I thought I would add pics of one Steelbook each day (as they are in alphabetical order in my collection) to that particular Steelbooks corresponding thread. I thought it might be good for bumping the old titles for new collectors and appreciating/discussing them all over again!

Todays post is Steelbook # 24

 

[bojee]

Thanks for the memories @BluSteel2012 . I remember picking this up at my local HMV when I first got into steelbooks. At that point I was looking to replace amarays/dvds of movies I enjoyed with their steelbook counterparts.

 

[tono06]

i remember i got this as a blind buy at a time i used to get every single movie in steelbook, when i was a junkie for anything steelbook...lol but when i saw it' i really liked the film...

 

[AlienKing]

Custom glossed Equilibrum (1 layer)


2 layer coating (left) vs 1 layer (right)

 

[larson1977]

Anybody interested in the Scanavo Approval Sheet for this steel?

 

[C.C. 95]

Be aware that the Canadian Alliance steelbook version of EQUILIBRIUM has the wrong aspect ratio.
It cropped the scope 2.35 to a 1:85 matte. I bought the steelbook but switched out the disc for one with correct aspect ratio.
(Also, Alliance at this time was making blu rays from Masters made for Cable Television - so more often than not the blu rays are 720i or 1080i and look dreadful. (Especially with an action movie, where interlaced strobes with excessive movement).

 

[dfoles]

(Also, Alliance at this time was making blu rays from Masters made for Cable Television - so more often than not the blu rays are 720i or 1080i and look dreadful. (Especially with an action movie, where interlaced strobes with excessive movement).

Any others from around this time affected? Like Requiem for a Dream or Shaun of the Dead?

 

[Hooch]

Be aware that the Canadian Alliance steelbook version of EQUILIBRIUM has the wrong aspect ratio.
It cropped the scope 2.35 to a 1:85 matte. I bought the steelbook but switched out the disc for one with correct aspect ratio.
(Also, Alliance at this time was making blu rays from Masters made for Cable Television - so more often than not the blu rays are 720i or 1080i and look dreadful. (Especially with an action movie, where interlaced strobes with excessive movement).

Same here....got the Italian bd inside. What a great movie it is!!!

 

[C.C. 95]

Any others from around this time affected? Like Requiem for a Dream or Shaun of the Dead?

The Alliance REQUIEM FOR A DREAM is Progressive (1080p) and not interlaced...however it is slightly cropped from its 1.85 aspect ration down to 1.78. This is negligable. But the disc is a single layer disc with a very small file size and bitrate. (The Lionsgate blu ray is Dual layered and double the bitrate and 1.85 aspect ratio).

The Alliance SHAUN OF THE DEAD (according to reports) is released on a BD50 (so probably high bit rate and dual layered).
The aspect is listed as correct at 2.35(9) (keep in mind that Equilibrium also says that on its packaging despite being 1.78). I have no info as to whether it is interlaced or progressive. But I have heard some say that the PQ was not great. This is all heresay, so take from it what you will for this title.

 

[wjasoncul]

This also had the worst glue for the j-card that I have ever seen used on a steelbook before. It was like krazy glue I cleaned mine for 30 minutes before it was finally gone.

 

[C.C. 95]

This also had the worst glue for the j-card that I have ever seen used on a steelbook before. It was like krazy glue I cleaned mine for 30 minutes before it was finally gone.

Good to know! Wreck once mentioned (and, non openers take note) that if you leave the J card on for years, the glue hardens and can possibly rip off the paint from the steelbook! (His solution: make the glue pliable with heat).

 

[AlienKing]

Be aware that the Canadian Alliance steelbook version of EQUILIBRIUM has the wrong aspect ratio.
It cropped the scope 2.35 to a 1:85 matte. I bought the steelbook but switched out the disc for one with correct aspect ratio.
(Also, Alliance at this time was making blu rays from Masters made for Cable Television - so more often than not the blu rays are 720i or 1080i and look dreadful. (Especially with an action movie, where interlaced strobes with excessive movement).

Hmm, no wonder movie looked a different than i remember

Which disc do you recommend i get? it just so happens this steelbook is a 2 disc holder

 

[C.C. 95]

Hmm, no wonder movie looked a different than i remember

Which disc do you recommend i get? it just so happens this steelbook is a 2 disc holder

O.k....I went down this road a while back! I suppose the BEST edition would be the Japanese edition called REBELLION.
It'll cost you $50.


-OR-
You can do what I did...which is a little more low rent! Miramax/Echo Bridge put out a DoublePack of Equilibrium and Renaissance together.

It is a two disc collection (one is both movies on DVD and one is both movies on Blu ray). Even though it has two films on one blu ray, it has a good bitrate (around 16), Dolby Digital, and MOST importantly - the correct aspect ratio.
(Do not. Repeat: Do not get The Miramax Echo Bridge standalone Equilibrium. Even though it is the same guys - it came out in a different year, and has an incorrect aspect ratio).
Maybe it is a little "ghetto" to do it this way - but it is very inexpensive considering the import prices.
I can't go back and remember how exactly I came to this conclusion - but it was the most logical decision to me at the time. (Also keeps it Region A, if that helps)
And, like you mentioned- the steelbook is a two disc set. So you just jettison the DVD and put this in - and Bob's Yer Uncle! You have the Dual Movie blu ray disc for watching the film in the correct aspect ratio, and the original steelbook Blu ray for all the extra features (commentary, etc)!
I have watched and enjoyed this copy. All good.

*you can usually find the dual edition for around $6 on ebay...

 

[Cyberpunk88]

Actually, the 2.35:1 version looks cropped to me as opposed to the 1.78:1 version. Take these screenshots for example of both versions, where clearly black bars were added to create a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, while really you're missing half of the screen by added black bars.. Not sure what the logic is here, but I prefer the opened up version that fills the screen:

(The one on the top is the Canadian release, and the screenshot on the bottom is from the Japanese version, if you open them both in full screen you can compare the differences in sharpness and color, IMO very minimal)

 

[Hooch]

If you check AVSForum etc you can read about different versions....the Italian scores just below the Japanese one, but the cost for the Italian is only 11 euro on amz.it

 

[AlienKing]

O.k....I went down this road a while back! I suppose the BEST edition would be the Japanese edition called REBELLION.
It'll cost you $50.
View attachment 260783

-OR-
You can do what I did...which is a little more low rent! Miramax/Echo Bridge put out a DoublePack of Equilibrium and Renaissance together.
View attachment 260784
It is a two disc collection (one is both movies on DVD and one is both movies on Blu ray). Even though it has two films on one blu ray, it has a good bitrate (around 16), Dolby Digital, and MOST importantly - the correct aspect ratio.
(Do not. Repeat: Do not get The Miramax Echo Bridge standalone Equilibrium. Even though it is the same guys - it came out in a different year, and has an incorrect aspect ratio).
Maybe it is a little "ghetto" to do it this way - but it is very inexpensive considering the import prices.
I can't go back and remember how exactly I came to this conclusion - but it was the most logical decision to me at the time. (Also keeps it Region A, if that helps)
And, like you mentioned- the steelbook is a two disc set. So you just jettison the DVD and put this in - and Bob's Yer Uncle! You have the Dual Movie blu ray disc for watching the film in the correct aspect ratio, and the original steelbook Blu ray for all the extra features (commentary, etc)!
I have watched and enjoyed this copy. All good.

*you can usually find the dual edition for around $6 on ebay...

1) What about the Canadian (Alliance) release from 2002? Back of the case shows 2:35...and i can pick it up for about $5 locally...
2) Why do you say the Japanese edition is the best? Are there any other differences in PQ?

Actually, the 2.35:1 version looks cropped to me as opposed to the 1.78:1 version. Take these screenshots for example of both versions, where clearly black bars were added to create a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, while really you're missing half of the screen by added black bars.. Not sure what the logic is here, but I prefer the opened up version that fills the screen:

(The one on the top is the Canadian release, and the screenshot on the bottom is from the Japanese version, if you open them both in full screen you can compare the differences in sharpness and color, IMO very minimal)

Yes, it clearly looks cropped by adding black bars, but are you sure they are the correct pictures? Are those your pics?
If not, which Canadian release was it? There are 3 I think...

 

[C.C. 95]

1) What about the Canadian (Alliance) release from 2002? Back of the case shows 2:35...and i can pick it up for about $5 locally...
2) Why do you say the Japanese edition is the best? Are there any other differences in PQ?


Yes, it clearly looks cropped by adding black bars, but are you sure they are the correct pictures? Are those your pics?
If not, which Canadian release was it? There are 3 I think...

The Alliance SAYS 2.35. It is not.

 

[Cyberpunk88]

Yes, it clearly looks cropped by adding black bars, but are you sure they are the correct pictures? Are those your pics?
If not, which Canadian release was it? There are 3 I think...

Yes they're mine, not sure which release it was, but it was the one with the 1.78:1 AR and 22 Mbps video bitrate, the Japanese one has a bitrate of around 32 Mbps, but I couldn't see much of a difference.

 

[C.C. 95]

Actually, the 2.35:1 version looks cropped to me as opposed to the 1.78:1 version. Take these screenshots for example of both versions, where clearly black bars were added to create a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, while really you're missing half of the screen by added black bars.. Not sure what the logic is here, but I prefer the opened up version that fills the screen:

(The one on the top is the Canadian release, and the screenshot on the bottom is from the Japanese version, if you open them both in full screen you can compare the differences in sharpness and color, IMO very minimal)

The film was shot in a 2.35:1 Super 35 Matte format. Unlike anamorphic Scope (where you are actually shooting a rectangular image with Anamorphic lenses, (with nothing above or below the frame), Super 35 shoots a square image with a "soft Matte" that masks the top and bottom of the image to make it rectangular. The director frames the movie for the rectangular 2.35 shape.
The problem is, without the director's approval, the mattes can be removed in a video transfer creating an "opened" version without the framing the director intended. The result is odd framing, with too much headroom above the actors, and odd wasted space below. Sometimes the boom mics will be seen, or apple boxes below because they were not in frame when the soft mattes were in place.
The Japanese version is obviously (like the Alliance version) a version with the soft matte removed. This may look o.k in that shot - but if you watch more - the framing is off because this was not how the film was framed. (There are a lot of scenes with too much headroom this way).
It basically throws the shot compostition completely off. To me, opening up mattes in a super 35 film is just as egregious as Panning and Scanning an anamorphic scope film.
If a film is shot 2.35 and you are watching it on a 16:9 TV you should see black bands at the top and bottom of the screen. If you don't, one of 3 things has happened. 1) They pushed in on the image cutting off the sides, 2) they removed the soft matte, or 3) you hit the zoom button on your TV remote. None of these scenarios is o.k. As this is not correct.
If you like it, that's fine. But I prefer to have the film the way the director meant for it to be seen.

*Side Note: directors became annoyed by this practice and later employed a Super 35 "HARD Matte"- in this process they actually PHYSICALLY put a matte in front of the lens so the bands at the top and bottom were filmed as part of the image, and no one could ever remove them in post.