What Blu-Ray did you watch last night?

[Ed Gordon]

One thing I have noticed with a lot of titles these days, is not to hesitate like I did with Willy Wonka as they only get them in for a certain time.

If I can get a favorite film in 4k at a good price point I will buy it. I have a UHD Player and a 4k projector and a 12 foot wide scope screen, so the higher cost is worth it. On the other hand, I watch more on my 55" TV, so a 2k bluray is more than enough for a small screen. I have noticed that the 4k setup does a very nice job of up-converting lower resolution media.

If you enjoyed Sahara, you might like Twelve O'Clock High. It is on bluray now (or you can watch it Youtube). It like Sahara, focuses on the men, not the battles. Here is a low res clip from Youtube:

[Graham Ritchie]

Thanks for that Ed I saw the 4k/blu-ray disc for sale last week for only $29 dollars brand new, and thought my present blu-ray was good as it gets, so didn't bother. I can see me now getting it soon the next time I pay JB Hi Fi a visit. One thing I have noticed with a lot of titles these days, is not to hesitate like I did with Willy Wonka as they only get them in for a certain time. "Imprint" especially with there limited runs. For anybody with a VP these days, we have never had it so good jumping back to DVD every so often. One title I have watched quite a bit, one that you recommend is "Sahara" with Humphry Bogart, that's an excellent movie, as with the the DVD of Hearts In Atlantis.

At times I like to watch something quite different and this one below is it. Its an unusual film and when I saw it at the cinema, I think I was the only one there, but its stuck in my mind all those years, and very pleased to be able to watch it on blu-ray. The person who did the documentary for the Imprint release came onto the forum here, and he was the one to put me onto the Imprint release.

[Ed Gordon]

I notice its out in 4K in saying that the average blu-ray is very good... I wonder how it can be any better on 4K...

The 4k version comes highly recommended, by reviewers. I have not seen the upgraded release yet.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was shot on 35 mm photochemical film using Arriflex 35 IIC and Mitchell BNCR cameras with spherical lenses, and was finished photochemically for release at the 1.85:1 theatrical aspect ratio. For the film’s 50th anniversary debut on Ultra HD, Warner has scanned the original camera negative in native 4K, completed a digital restoration, and graded the image for high dynamic range (HDR10 only is available on the disc). The result is a marked improvement on any previous home presentation, with a significant uptick in resolution, more refined texturing, and a dramatic boost in color fidelity and saturation. The film has always had a uniquely 1970s Kodachrome appearance, but its palette has never looked better than it does here, with vibrant hues that practically burst off the screen. Highlights are very bold—Charlie’s much-coveted Golden Ticket now has a genuinely eye-reactive metallic gleam—while shadows are truly dark yet retain good detail. Grain is medium-light to medium but organic. A few shots are optically soft as photographed, as are the film’s optically-printed titles and transitions, but on the whole this is a beautiful UHD presentation of a beloved catalog title.

Source: https://thedigitalbits.com/item/willy-wonka-4k-uhd-2021

[Graham Ritchie]

I notice its out in 4K in saying that the average blu-ray is very good, tonight it was a chill out evening and what better way to chill out that watching Willy Wonka from 1971 on the Epson VP. This is one blu-ray I can sit back and watch anytime and never tire of it.

Willy Wonka, I feel is a classic timeless film.

Highly recommend this blu-ray release, I wonder how it can be any better on 4K, as I can't fault in any way this one

[Graham Ritchie]

If you want to watch a movie that can bring a to your face, then this blu-ray I watched last night is the one to go for.

[Graham Ritchie]

Thanks Ed

I will keep an eye out for it

[Mike Newell]

Invaders from Mars 1953. Finally restored on Blu Ray. Big improvement in quality on previous versions in all formats.

[Ed Gordon]

The 1960 version remains the best to date. The 2016 remake version was ok, but all of the sequels that followed the original 1960 version were pretty poor.

Keep an eye out for the 2022 4k release:

Shout! Factory lists The Magnificent Seven as a “new 2022 restoration and color grade using an existing 4K scan of the original camera negative.” The film is presented on 4K Ultra HD in a 2.35:1 HEVC 2160p (4K UHD) Dolby Vision encodement. It is from the opening scenes a gorgeous, organic, filmic looking transfer. The wide color gamut presents an array of rich colors for the Western setting from patches of verdant green to the earth tones in the towns. The granularity is a bit coarse, but it remains natural throughout. There are some frames that look a bit soft and lacking in detail. These look to be either dupes for in-camera effects or spliced in from separate sources where the original source was unusable. These are very rare and do not take away from the overall naturalness and crispness of detail in the presentation.

[Graham Ritchie]

Last night it was again the turn of this blu-ray just to make a change I thought it would be nice to watch a Westernbelow screen shots are from last night.

[Osi Osgood]

For the kiddos, we watched "The Peanuts Movie", and, as a person that grew up on "A Boy Named Charlie Brown" and "Snoopy Come Home", this was a nice bit of noltagia for me. I was glad that the film makers didn't try to modernize the peanuts gang. You know, giving them dirty language or behavior usually reserved for adults, as is sometimes what happens with other classic characters.

[Graham Ritchie]

Well that's my spend up for this week getting these two. I will watch "Distant Thunder" very soon, its also a movie I have never seen. "Imprint" have a few others coming out over December that have caught my eye, so will see .

Oh! I forgot to mention I picked up The French Connection a few weeks ago second hand, its a film I had never watched before until the other night, after screening the feature using the Epson I watched an excellent "Anatomy Of a Chase" by Gene Hackman, its very good, also looking back, he talks about how important this film was for not only him but Roy Scheider as well for there later future career's in acting.

[Graham Ritchie]

JB Hi Fi store is having a sale at the moment so we went along to see what the new blu-ray release titles were. One and yes its another "Imprint" called "Distant Thunder" starring John Lithgow and Ralph Macchio from 1988 was one we picked out, but also an Australian film that did the cinema run this year that I had never heard of, called simply "The New Boy" starring Cate Blanchett and Aswan Reid. what caught my interest in this one, was the review on the front cover. I usually like to know a bit about a movie first before purchasing it, but took the chance on this one.

I always like to try something different and this Australian film which I would say is large scale production, was impressive to watch tonight. I found it really held my attention from start to finish. The acting, the stunning Australian photography, excellent score all had me glued to the screen for almost 2 hours. Both Cate Blanchett and Aswan Reid were amazing to watch on the screen.

This film really was a total surprise Aswan Reid says very little during the film, but its his silent reaction to events around him that's impressive. as for Cate Blanchett, well this film would have to be one of her best. Both picture and sound are excellent, highly recommend this brilliant Australian production.

[Graham Ritchie]

Doug

This is the complete short film on you-tube

I think "Pro8mm" supplied most of the equipment and props for the the actual Super8 feature.

At the time of of its cinema screening I brought in a Super 8 camera to show our staff a bit about it, one thing for sure they were more interested in the Super 8 camera than any video unit

[Mike Newell]

Cant believe its been 12 years since I ran the 35mm print of Super 8, its quite scary how quickly time passes the older you get. Anyway on a brighter note it was once again the blu-ray projected using the Epson tonight. The blu-ray screen shots below are from a previous screening. I am still kicking myself for not finding a way to hang onto the film print, only a couple of weeks before we closed they wanted it back, only for the prints to get destroyed in a landfill.

PS I should add the Super 8 Scope trailer is very good

Haven't actually watched it but sure it is more sentimental twaddle with large dollop of maple syrup from Spielbergg in the twilight of his career. It is an annoying title has hundreds of copies pop up on eBay for sale.

[Douglas Meltzer]

Graham,

I really enjoy the nostalgic scenes of the kids making their movie, picking up the developed footage and screening it, however to me the alien story is the weakest part. It is great that their finished film is included on the disc.