What Blu-Ray did you watch last night?

[Graham Ritchie]

Hi Ed

Thanks for the advice regarding firmware upgrade. If it happens again with another disc I will do that. I notice that the "Cleopatra" blu ray says 2013 on the back cover, with 2012 on the disc itself, so its quite an old release. I have bought the latest releases with no problem with the player at all. I use a Pioneer BDP-180 player on the Epson VP. The player will do DVD "ALL" Pal/Ntsc. But only I think region "B" only blu-rays. It has worked very well on 2D and also 3D discs. As soon as you put in a 3D disc, everything is automatic with the Epson projector and player. The Epson increases its light output and the cooling fan goes faster. All in all its a good combination between the Pioneer player and Epson .

After reading your comments on the Part two, I think I will give the second part of the movie a miss, however the special features on that disc two, will be worth a look at. I don't have any problems with disc two on any player, its just that disc one does seem to be the problem.

Last night it was this import from Germany, brilliant this is me Although the disc is of German origin, the Pioneer goes straight to the Englisch 5:1. Picture quality and sound is excellent. This is one movie I never get tired watching. I like the aspect ratio of 2.20:1 it fills the screen nicely .



Who remember buying this neat little Super8 digest from Ken films long long ago

[Brian Fretwell]

I didn't buy the extract, but do have the full feature on Super 8 in 'scope from Derann. Also the Movietone 'scope reel that features the filming - but doesn't mention the name of the film!!!

[Graham Ritchie]

Brian

I have that Scope newsreel as well its very good

Here is a screen shot from a previous screening of the blu-ray .

[Lincoln Thorn]

Last night was a Smokey and The Bandit night!

[Graham Ritchie]

Excellent movie tonight from 1985. The blu-ray was projected using the Epson VP. Good picture quality, but what really stood out was the Dolby Digital 5:1 sound mix of Maurice Jarre score. Harrison Ford is at his best in this one. Another great movie from the 80s.

[Graham Ritchie]

Years ago I watched "Last Action Hero" 1993, but never really thought much of it. Two nights ago I again watched it on blu-ray, but this time I was seeing things in the movie I had never picked up on the first time around. After watching it I came to the conclusion, that "The Last Action Hero" is a lot better than I first thought .

For years I think it was in Scope, the trailer was available through Derann. A fun movie with lots of action and of course some very well known actors pop up in it.

Here are a couple of screen shots of it the other night using the Epson VP.

[Ed Gordon]

I missed this one when it was released and found it later on TV. I thought it was one of Arnold's better movies. It suffered at the box office when Columbia released it a week after Jurassic Park premiered. The other star of the film was the classic LA Orpheum theater (http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/13).

[Brian Fretwell]

I watched it again last night. It seemed that the sound had been processed to be as if all the dialog shot to sound as if it was being watched in an old cinema, rather than how it would sound at home off disc or a modern Dobly or DTS cinema. Again I found bits I had either not spotted before or forgotten.

[Lee Mannering]

Tis getting 4k uhd release next month as well. Much excitement for this Arnie fan

[Ed Gordon]

In John McTiernan's "Last Action Hero" (Columbia, 1993) young Danny Madigan (Austin O'Brien) gets a magic ticket from a friendly projectionist that propels him into another dimension of the movies. He starts on 42nd St. in New York City at the "Pandora Theatre" (actually the Empire) but when we go inside we're at the Orpheum, 842 S. Broadway, in Los Angeles. The Pandora, as we see from the signage, is about to be demolished so it can be replaced with a new Loew's multiplex.

When they shot the 42nd St. sequences the neighborhood was already being redeveloped. The theatres were all closed and plans were in place for the "New 42nd St." The filmmakers had to make the street grungier again and put appropriate film titles on the various marquees.

Danny's a big fan of fan of Jack Slater (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and his ticket allows him to enter Jack's world where the heroes always win. The film is surprisingly funny and what's not to like? It's all about the joy of going to the movies in run-down old theatres.

Full article at: https://theatresinmovies.blogspot.co...tion-hero.html

[Graham Ritchie]

Thanks Ed for those links, it was very interesting to read how the filmmakers used the locations and where they actually were.

[Graham Ritchie]

Back to the digital stuff tonight, with this one projected using the Epson VP. This is the 2012 blu-ray release from the Universal 100th Anniversary Collection's Series. I like the way this two disc is presented in a book like form as you open it, inside not only are the discs, but a interesting information booklet is included.

The highlight of coarse in "ET" itself which I am glad to say is the original 1982 edit, not the 25th anniversary one. Both picture and sound DTS 5:1 is excellent. It hard to take in, that its now close to 40 years since we first watched it on the big screen, how time passes.

Anyway some screen shots taken from the Epson VP. .

[Graham Ritchie]

I seem to be time warped in the 80s at the moment Tonight something nice and easy from that era "Flight Of The Navigator" 1986. This movie was one of the most popular VHS tapes to hire when it was released on that format. One of the things that stands out, is the music by Alan Silvestri. Its the 1980s stuff through and through. The blu-ray picture quality is excellent, as with the audio 2.0 PCM.

All in all "Flight Of The Navigator" is simply, good all round entertainment for all, its a pity it never made it to Super8.

[Graham Ritchie]

Watched "again" "The Train" last week using the Epson VP. Outstanding movie, especially if you like trains, highly recommend this particular blu-ray, excellent picture and sound.

[Graham Ritchie]

With the school holidays at the moment, and our grandson staying for a couple of nights, finding something that he has not seen is almost impossible so tonight I thought I would try out "Belle and Sebastian" on blu-ray using the Epson VP, with this particular blu-ray, you do have a choice of either being in French with English sub-titles, or English dubbing which is well done. The location photography is really stunning, the best transfer I have seen in this format.

As for the movie itself, it went a treat, got a thumbs up Its a excellent addition for any blu-ray collection, and most importantly, a good all round family film.