What Blu-Ray did you watch last night?

[Osi Osgood]

I was always find of "The Bad News Bears", which works on a number of levels. Mathau is brilliant, the kids wonderfully obnoxious, but it's the conflict of the parents living thru they're children that I remember most. We just watched the classic first two Sherlock Holmes films, "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes", and "The Hound of the Baskervilles ". Both looking quite nice. I know that the BBC Holmes series is the benchmark these days, but Basil Rathbone truly made this character his own. We just recently purchased on super 8 "The Scarlet Claw" as well!

[Ed Gordon]

.... We just watched the classic first two Sherlock Holmes films, "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes", and "The Hound of the Baskervilles ". Both looking quite nice. I know that the BBC Holmes series is the benchmark these days, but Basil Rathbone truly made this character his own.

The 1959 version with Peter Cushing is also very good. The 1988 Jeremy Brett version, is also excellent.

One of the best Hound adaptations

Though some may find Holmes's long stretches of absence disappointing in this adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles (the most celebrated of all Conan Doyle tales), it should be understood that these absences are in keeping with the original novel. Watson does much of the footwork here, and is separated from Holmes for most of the story. And since Watson was the man who penned the memoirs, he recorded his own experiences. When he was away from Holmes, he could not divine what Holmes was doing, and would only record Holmes's own account of his actions during their separation once they'd been reunited. So, in this respect, this version remains more faithful to the original story than any other. There is, after all, tremendous pressure to pack as much Sherlock Holmes as one can into what is ostensibly a Sherlock Holmes film. It takes guts to keep him out of the picture for as long as this adaptation does...but this adaptation shows its courage in staying true to the text, even if it means leaving Sherlock Holmes out of it, for the most part.

Really, this was the only one of the Granada feature films that could have been made at this time, as Jeremy Brett was (quite noticeably) ill and could not have taken part in a two hour film in which Holmes was on the main stage...the strain would have been too much. As always, Brett's Holmes (when he's around) is a remarkable performance, and Hardwicke's Watson proves yet again why he was a more-than-suitable replacement for David Burke. Overall, a fine adaptation of Sherlock Holmes's most famous adventure. This and, to a lesser extent, the 1983 television version with Ian Richardson are, to my mind, the definitive Hounds.

Source: IMDB

[Graham Ritchie]

Its been an interesting week last night once again the blu-ray of "Jurassic Park" a DVD the night before which I must mention, and the night before that the blu-ray of "They Shall Not Grow Old" all projected using the Epson VP.

Now with this DVD thrown in the mix was a surprise as I had never heard of "Duma" before. I came across this disc in a second hand shop for a dollar. I had never come across a imported DVD disc, NTSC region one that came in a plastic sleeve with DTS at the top. so thought give it a go. Strange as it seems while looking at amps in another second hand shop they were also selling blu-ray and DVDs as well. Out of the blue there was a Region 4 again of this same title.

This is weird was my thinking coming across two in different places for a dollar each and not a mark on them. This started me thinking why had I never heard of this 2005 title. After a bit of research I found out the film had never come to NZ in fact it only had a limited world wide release, at one point Warner Bros were not going to release it in the US, but changed there minds and as such given a limited release.

The film was a failure at the box office, but those that went to watch it thought the film was good. So the other night lets give it a go, "Duma" was directed by Carroll Ballard, who if you remember did "The Black Stallion" and "Fly Away Home" both really good films in my book.

So how did "Duma" come across?, well to start with, the picture quality as with the sound on the Region 4 disc is excellent, filmed in South Africa "Carroll Ballard" did a outstanding job capturing some stunning South African scenery, as for the story and the actors I thought both were really good and enjoyed watching it, not only that, but the "cheetah" in fact six were used in the filming are real, no CGI like the Harrison Ford "Call Of The Wild" I watched a while ago, with this one "Duma" had real animals in it Its a movie I would highly recommend looking out for, full marks to Carroll Ballard, I think he did a wonderful job of directing this film.



The Region 4 Disc

Region 1 US release

A couple of screen shots from the other night.

[Graham Ritchie]

Although I usually watch this one in 3D I did pick up another copy of it on 2D, during my rounds of my favorite store yesterday. The blu-ray cost be the grand total of $5 dollars at "Penny Lane" there average price of most second hand titles these days. The people there are brilliant, always time for a quick chat and time to look at there the vast selection of LP records including heaps of 45s. I did buy and it was expensive the new latest ""Abba" LP album, but that's another story.

Anyway back to ""Life Of P.I"" I first watched it at Reading cinemas on 3D and it looked stunning, this is where digital projection really comes into its own over 35mm film, both the "Life Of P.I", and "Hugo" being another outstanding 3D cinema visit are out on blu-ray 3D as well. Those two movies were made in 3D and the transfers to blu-ray are outstanding in picture quality. Back to last night I projected the $5 2D disc of Life Of P.I.

A couple of screen shots from last night. would highly recommend getting this one

[Douglas Meltzer]

Graham,

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Life of Pi in 3D in theatres. Suraj Sharma is excellent as the teenage Piscine (Pi) in the film. I'm sorry I missed the Broadway version of this (which originated in England). The reviews were excellent and the puppetry was supposed to have been amazing.

[Steve Klare]

Tonight, we had about a dozen friends over for what we called a "Concert on Screen": the main "act" being the Billy Joel blu-Ray, Live at Shea Stadium. It is a really great concert: the last event ever held at Shea. The very last act among thousands of baseball games and football games and concerts was Paul McCartney coming on stage and singing "Let it Be" sitting at Billy Joel's piano.

I actually cranked the volume a little (...or even more than a little) and nobody in the room objected at all!

A concert requires some opening acts: warm the crowd up a little!
These arrived on Super-8 Sound courtesy of the kind folks at Derann Film Services:

One Froggy Evening
Maria/America from West Side Story ('Scope)
The Beatles Come to Town (Therefore Sir Paul both opened and Closed!)

[Ken Finch]

Graham, I have both “Life of Pi” and “Hugo” on normal dvd. I cannot cope with 3d for long. I went to see “Avatar” in 3 D and came out of the cinema with a blinding headache. Which reminds me of the ads for CinemaScope “you see it without glasses”. I wonder how many people left their specs at home!!
Douglas, I have seen the stage version of “Life of Pi” at the Marlowe theatre here in Canterbury. It is truly fantastic. The stage effects, lighting, puppetry and transitions from scene to scene are truly amazing.

[Graham Ritchie]

Excellent line up of films Steve, One Froggy Evening was one of the last films I bought new from Derann before they closed, regarding The Beatles Come To Town I think we placed a new order with Derann at the same time if I remember right. Actually I was thinking about screening it the other night, as it had been a while

Ken sadly that's the downside to 3D, it wont work for everyone, there is a screen warning that comes up on the Epson about it at the start of a 3D blu-ray, you have to press enter to continue. I myself have never had a problem with it, but well aware of it. I try to not watch 3D to much, say once a month stretch it out that kind of thing. Movies like "Titanic" are long in 3D, but again I don't watch 3D all the time. You can get those titles in 2D as well, and "Hugo" is certainly one of the best on blu-ray.

Grandson Watching Terminator 2 on 3D.....The one 3D movie we both have watched a few times is The Martian, that's amazing to watch.




I do have the 35mm trailer interesting though its in Scope here a couple of 35mm shots. I wonder if there any 35mm prints of the feature out there, getting one would be nice

The 35mm film trailer running on the Ernemann 2 projector

[Brian Fretwell]

I believe the trouble can be that your eyes are constantlyfocused on the screen but the toe-in between the eyes varies without the focal point changing. This can cause strain to some peoplle due to the conflict, the brain thinks both should be changing!

[Graham Ritchie]

It was time once again to watch this one on blu-ray last night using the Epson VP.

[Graham Ritchie]

Tonight being Saturday it was time to watch the 60th Anniversary Edition of "To Kill A Mockingbird" its hard to imagine this film was made in 1962 regarding the B/W picture quality, its a absolutely stunning transfer to blu-ray, plus the DTS HD Surround 5:1 is amazing and gives Elmer Bernstien score the full benefit.

There are heaps of extras as well, this is one blu-ray that should be on your shopping list, highly recommend getting this one. Its also been released in 4K so if you have the means for 4K projection then this movie is a must.

[Steve Carter]

It was time once again to watch this one on blu-ray last night using the Epson VP.

We watched the Railway Man the other day on blu-ray upscaled to 4k, a beautiful film, well acted, a film of forgiveness and redemption. Some of the brutal scenes of relentless beatings are hard on the eyes and ears, those brave men are likes we will never see again and I hope and pray that we will never have to put young men through the psychical and mental torture of war. Schools should run films like this, so that our up and coming politicians of the future generations do not make the same mistakes of history, and please stop trying to rewrite history these atrocities did happen keep the memory of these brave men alive, because of them we live in freedom God bless them each and every one.

[Graham Ritchie]

I agree Steve "The Railway Man" is excellent, I watched it a while back

Saturday night it was "The Guns Of Navarone" 1961 blu-ray, always a favorite of mine to watch every so often.

Sunday night, just finished, the 2003 Directors Cut blu-ray of "Alien" 1979 introduced by the man himself Ridley Scott.

I did throw in a DVD as well I think that was the Friday one, starring Hardy Kruger of "The One That Got Away" the transfer to dvd going by the screen image looked pretty good.

All projected using the Epson

[Brian Fretwell]

For me Supergirl. I was shocked when I saw it was released in 1984 - forty years ago!!!

[Graham Ritchie]

Yes Brian

I know that feeling what happend to all those years , When I was down at the heritage park a while back, when a group of kids came through. One youngster said to me, you have got a lot of old stuff here, I later thought mmmmm was I included in that old stuff comment.

Watched this one tonight...brilliant.