A Few Words About A few words about... ™ Batman Begins -- in HD-DVD (1 Viewer)

[Garrett Lundy]

I am shocked that they're releasing this movie without waiting for additional encryption that would require HDMI (480p for component user). Which is, as far as I can fathom, the reason we will be waiting for the LOTR for two more years :frowning:

Crappit, now I need a really big 1080p TV.
Damn you Batman!

 

[Sean Bryan]

It has been discussed in this forum (and others) that there has been a general agreement between the studios that using ICT at any time in the near future is a bad idea, so they aren't planing on using it for several years.

As for LOTR, while it may not be released until 2008 (though I suspect Holiday 2007 is a realistic possibility for release) I think the reason for the wait has everything to do with wanting more players in the market and little if anything to do with concerns about component video.

 

[Ron-P]

While I do not view this Batman film as the best of the Batman movies I will pick this up.

 

[Tim Glover]

Wow!

 

[Phil Iturralde]

Check your emails or Amazon Accounts section, ... just received my "Just Shipped" email notice - Monday, October 9, 2006 10:41 AM PST!

TrueHD should sound glorious @ -5 dB below REF LEVEL!!!

Phil

 

[Larry Sutliff]

Yeah, Amazon is getting ready to ship my copy, too. I was afraid that the demand for this title was going to cause problems, but apparently Amazon is getting better at this HD DVD thing. I've also read that those who have ordered the Wonka movies on HD DVD from Amazon are also getting shipping notices.

 

[chris rick]

Got this today at a local Target. STUNNING. Probably the truest presentation of a film on a video format ever created. Best transfer I've ever seen and I am naturally no expert like Mr. Harris. TrueHD sounds really good, but I'm just not quite sold on it as a huge improvement over DDplus yet. The black levels on this disc are BLACK. Watching on a 96" screen projected from Panny 900 via HDMI (DENON 2807) and all I can say is that I picked my jaw from the floor several times, as did the girlfriend. WHEW.

 

[Ron-P]

Very, very cool Chris. Picking up my copy tomorrow along with Corpse Bride, can't wait.

 

[Mark Bendiksen]

Must...resist...urge....to buy.....HD-DVD player.

My resolve has weakened considerably after reading this thread. I'm getting much closer to biting the bullet and finding the best deal I can on the low-end Toshiba player.

Thanks, Robert. My wife may not thank you, but I do.

 

[Tim Glover]

 

[Mark Zimmer]

I believe a major part of the reason for the LOTR delay was that Peter Jackson has been quoted as saying he wanted to be involved in the new HD transfer (the 2002 transfer of FOTR is obviously no longer good enough). And he's a pretty busy guy these days, so who knows when he'll get to it?

No, I don't have a link, but I remember reading it in the mainstream press over 6 months ago.

 

[Mark Basile]

Chris,

Does Warner plan on using TrueHD for Blu Ray as well?

 

[John Troutman]

You know, I can barely afford to feed myself right now, but after "Batman Begins is the most finely crafted piece of home video software yet created in the known universe," I couldn't stop myself from throwing down the $20 at Amazon.

CURSE YOU, HARRIS! Oh well. I guess I don't really NEED more than one meal a day...

 

[Larry Sutliff]

I watched this last night. Mr. Harris is absolutely correct, this is a flawless transfer. For me, it's between BB and SEABISCUIT for best high def release, both are spectacular. The Dolby TrueHD was better articulated than that found on the regular DVD, with clearer dialogue, tighter bass, and great surround envelopment. This is a must buy disc-and it doesn't hurt that this is a truly great film.

 

[JonZ]

Larry have you seen Corpse Bride?

 

[Phil Iturralde]

Ditto Larry!!! Loved the way the subsonic LFE bass was so evident, deeper, smoother and tighter vs. the SD DVD! (yeah, the "NSD woofer upgrade" is definitely worth the cost!!! ) The entire "Batman Begins" TrueHD 5.1 - Crystal Clear, Dynamic w/360-degree Seamless Surround Soundtrack has added a new sonic & impact value to the pristine VC-1 HD x-fer, especially when viewed on a 56" 1080p 16x9 screen!!!

(Check out my "Batmobile" 1:18 - from Batman Begins Movie")

All this HiDef DVD stuff is just plain ... "Glorious"!!!

Also, Thanks, ... RH for ... "A few words about... ™ Batman Begins -- in HD-DVD"!!!

Phil

 

[Larry Sutliff]

Jon, I have CORPSE BRIDE on Blu-Ray, and it looks really nice. But I think that BATMAN and SEABISCUIT are a bit better.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

I haven't seen the Blu-Ray version but the HD DVD version of Corpse Bride is amazing. My top three image transfers so far are that, BB and Training Day.

 

[EricW]

hate to highjack the BB thread into a Corpse Bride one, but of the 4 HD discs i own (KK, BB, Sleepy Hollow, and Corpse Bride), CB is the stunner by a long shot. sure BB and KK have some scenes where the 'WOW' factor comes in (like the NY city shots in the beggining of KK where you see all the cars and the buildings, and the fur off KK) but CB just screams WOW with every shot.

 

[Electric_Haggis]

Although it was hailed as having excellent picture on its initial HD DVD release in mid-2006, newer HD releases have shown up "Batman Begins" to be a relatively soft-looking transfer.
Also, like the standard DVD, it's also slightly vertically squashed! Only slight, but it's noticable.

Hopefully, Warner Bros will make the effort to re-transfer and re-encode the film (in AVC at full bit-rate) for the upcoming Blu-ray release, as Paramount are doing with Transformers. The same goes for "V for Vendetta", which could also do with a bit of a boost.
Both are modern classics with fantastic cinematography, so it'd be a crying shame to commit them to Blu-ray forever with anything less than the best treatment.

Another Warner title, "Lady in the Water", is possibly the worst transfer on either format. Only marginally better looking than the DVD, and not a patch on the 35mm print I saw in the theatre. As it already exists on Blu, it's probably too late to save that one...

Currently Sony seem to be out in front with all the cleanest, most razor-sharp transfers. Titles like "The Covenant, Black Book, Spiderman 3 and Casino Royale" are among the best HD film transfers going. Fox is also doing a great job, with titles like "Kingdom of Heaven", and Disney with "Pirates of the Carribean" and "Bridge to Teribithia".

Compared to these more recent transfers, Batman Begins needs s new lease of life.