8mm Forum: Close Encounters on Laserdisc

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Topic: Close Encounters on Laserdisc

Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005

posted November 28, 2007 03:13 PM

I was recently reviewing my two copies of Close Encounters on laserdisc, (very glad I kept them, as I can use that restored Criterion 1977 version for a great stereo re-record of that new print I recieved on Super 8mm), and I noticed something ...

The restored 1977 laserdisc (Criterion), has absolutely gorgeous color, from start to finish, with no blue screen problems from the special effects.

The "Special edition" laserdisc, however, has major problems. It must have been taken from a very poor copy of the film, as there are many shots whre there i actually a little redddening to the color, and the Mothership scenes at the end show a great deal of bad blue screen matteing together. i was actually quite stunned comparing the two.

I really look forward to the DVD 30th aniversary restoration that is coming outr of this soon.

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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Robert Wales
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 100
From: Toronto
Registered: Nov 2005

posted November 28, 2007 05:30 PM

Hey Osi- it's been out for at least two weeks now ! [Smile]

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Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005

posted November 28, 2007 10:39 PM

Your right, I looked after leaving the post and found out that it is as you say.

It will be the first Blu-ray I buy, that and the Blade Runner special edition. I won't even have a player yet, but within a year or so from now, i will be buying both a HD TV and the player, as, thankfully, the regular DVD's play on the blu-ray disc players.

I really look forward to seeing Close Encounters in this restored format. I really hope that it doesn't bring out the imperfections in the special effects of the day. One that i already noticed in the special edition, was the clouds rising up behind Devil's Tower, as I see glass reflection in that first shot there of the clouds.

A sad example of that happening is in the original War of the Worlds. I remember seeing it only on TV for years. When I had the opportunity the buy the laserdisc version, I could clearly see the fishing line holding up the Alien warships during the main battle. I actually preferred seeing it before. I bet it looks great on that Marketing version.

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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Gary Crawford
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 979
From: Manassas, VA. USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted November 29, 2007 08:27 AM

I got to buy a used Marketing print of War of the Worlds from someone on ebay about a year and a half ago....and it does look very good. The first time I screened it, I was using the standard elmo st 1200 F1.3 lens....didn't really see the wires. The second time I was using the F1.1 and could discern the wires...but only because I was looking for them. Color on that print is still fine....and it was recorded in stereo. Very nice. Although I tend to think many of us spoil the movies for ourselves by not doing our jobs. The filmmakers do the best they can do to make things look right and real, but , of course, such things may not turn out perfectly. It's their job to do the best they can. It is our job as viewers to meet them half way and at least try to suspend disbelief for a couple of hours. I think many of us just don't want to cooperate with ther filmmakers.... Of course, with laser and dvd we are afforded the opportunity to pick things apart frame by frame...which is not what the filmmakers intended. But I admit it's fun to fine fault and technique that shows .....but not in the first viewing.

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Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005

posted November 29, 2007 10:22 AM

No complaints on that original War of the Worlds. It definitely is the equivilancy of the CGI epic of the 1950's sci-fi cinema!

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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