International BLU-RAY DISCS FROM GERMANY (1 Viewer)

[macdaddy]

How was the image and sound quality of this set, Gary?

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On another note, followers of this thread may be interested to know that Amazon.de has a 4 Blu-rays for 25 Euros deal underway. Several good titles among the 1000+ Blus, including some Westerns I've previously bought at a much higher price!

The link is here:
https://www.amazon.de/b?ie=UTF8&node=8484526031&lo=dvd&p_6=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF&ref_=pe_2100391_85069501

They are Koch Media. All are very good or better IMO. My favorite was Column West.I Think I'll watch it again today. I have ordered Volume two its on the way to me now. I have never received a Koch Media dvd or blu-ray that has been sub-standard. Also I might add a company called Explosive Media falls into this category too. Looking forward to a few of their new releases in the next month or so.

Ramin if you are considering this PULL THE TRIGGER!!

Gary

 

[RMajidi]

They are Koch Media. All are very good or better IMO. My favorite was Column West.I Think I'll watch it again today. I have ordered Volume two its on the way to me now. I have never received a Koch Media dvd or blu-ray that has been sub-standard. Also I might add a company called Explosive Media falls into this category too. Looking forward to a few of their new releases in the next month or so.
Ramin if you are considering this PULL THE TRIGGER!!
Gary

Gary, I agree re the quality of Koch Media. I've also got several Explosive Blus, and they've mostly been very good quality as well.

I've been eyeing Backlash (Richard Widmark) and Fort Massacre (Joel McCrea) from Explosive. Would you (or other members) be able to comment on these Blus?

I've placed the Audie Murphy set in my cart ready for my next batch purchase (I put in a big order earlier today). Would you please post about Volume 2 as well once you receive it?

Many thanks!

 

[macdaddy]

Gary, I agree re the quality of Koch Media. I've also got several Explosive Blus, and they've mostly been very good quality as well.

I've been eyeing Backlash (Richard Widmark) and Fort Massacre (Joel McCrea) from Explosive. Would you (or other members) be able to comment on these Blus?

I've placed the Audie Murphy set in my cart ready for my next batch purchase (I put in a big order earlier today). Would you please post about Volume 2 as well once you receive it?

Many thanks!

I have both Backlash and Fort Massacre. Backlash is the better of the two. I found Ft. Massacre to be a bit of a downer. Widmark is always good. .I will post on Volume 2 when received.

Thanks Gary

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yes, Backlash is very good. Do you have a link to the Audie Murphy titles?

 

[macdaddy]

No I Don't Robert. I just search and search and search!! I picked up three from Amazon.uk from an outfit called 101 films.Ride Clear Of Diablo,Ride A Crooked Trail and Hell Bent For Leather. So far I've watched Ride Clear Diablo. Not very impressive. Pretty good movie, terrible pq and aq.. I have an idea the other two will be the same. Oh well, you pays your money and you takes your chances*****

 

[Robert Crawford]

No I Don't Robert. I just search and search and search!!

Can't you go to your order history to get a link?

 

[RMajidi]

Yes, Backlash is very good. Do you have a link to the Audie Murphy titles?

Links below as requested. Please note though that they are DVDs and not-Blu Rays...


Audie Murphy Collection [4 DVDs]:

http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00JKAJGC4?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_8&smid=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF


Audie Murphy Collection 2 [4 DVDs]

http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00RL7X5AC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_7&smid=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF

 

[macdaddy]

I have both Backlash and Fort Massacre. Backlash is the better of the two. I found Ft. Massacre to be a bit of a downer. Widmark is always good. .I will post on Volume 2 when received.

Thanks Gary

I have received and watched vol II. Four pretty good westerns, but IMO vol.I was superior. Vol.IIs contents are Destry,Tumbleweed, The Kid From Texas,and Gunpoint. All are good westerns with Gunpoint and Destry being my favorites. Destry is a remake of the James Stewart movie of many years earlier. Now let me say something about the packaging of these two box sets. They come in rather flimsy cardboard cover boxes. The individual movies are packaged in slim cases. But here's the thing which makes the package such a good purchase, at least for me. They are covered with ORIGINAL poster art. They are beautiful. Almost worth the price by themselves. I have scanned several of them, printed them and they are now framed and hanging on the wall of my man cave. There are no stickers nor any other things to mar their beauty. Please keep in mind that the movies are dvd's not blu-rays and pq is not always the best. However they are all very watchable.

Thanks for reading, Gary

 

[rjsdvd]

Just received the blu-ray of "For Whom the Bell Tolls." I didn't have the chance to sit down and watch the roadshow version in full, but I did watch some selected scenes to check picture quality. It is, to say the least, jaw-droppingly beautiful. The roadshow version also includes overture and entr'acte music (according to some other review I read somewhere on the internet, the exit music is also included, but I couldn't find it in my random search.) All in all highly recommended! (Didn't watch any scene in the general release version on the second blu-ray, so I can't vouch for the quality, but even sight unseen it is a wonderful extra.)

 

[AshJW]

Thanks macdaddy.

The 2nd set will be my birthday present for my father next March, like the first set was this year.

 

[rjsdvd]

Has anyone viewed the German blu-ray edition of "It Happened One Night" (supposedly produced from a 4K scan)? If so, can you tell me what the quality is like? I know that a domestic blu-ray is available from Criterion - they do good work but are so expensive (at least in Canada). (I apologize if there is already another thread about this.)

 

[RMajidi]

Has anyone viewed the German blu-ray edition of "It Happened One Night" (supposedly produced from a 4K scan)? If so, can you tell me what the quality is like? I know that a domestic blu-ray is available from Criterion - they do good work but are so expensive (at least in Canada). (I apologize if there is already another thread about this.)

It Happened One Night was released last month and my copy is winging its way to me (due here Nov 27).

It's being distributed in Germany by Sony itself, so I'm confident it'll be the same transfer as that used by Criterion - which is why I ordered it. [great cover too aside from the obtrusive ratings logo]:

http://www.amazon.de/geschah-einer-Nacht-Mastered-Blu-ray/dp/B013DBI6F8/ref=tmm_blu_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Shall post again with my non-expert impressions once it arrives.

[Also receiving Audie Murphy Vol 1 in the same delivery, following Gary's mouth-watering post, and Backlash with Richard Widmark]

 

[rjsdvd]

It Happened One Night was released last month and my copy is winging its way to me (due here Nov 27).

It's being distributed in Germany by Sony itself, so I'm confident it'll be the same transfer as that used by Criterion - which is why I ordered it. [great cover too aside from the obtrusive ratings logo]:

http://www.amazon.de/geschah-einer-Nacht-Mastered-Blu-ray/dp/B013DBI6F8/ref=tmm_blu_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Shall post again with my non-expert impressions once it arrives.

[Also receiving Audie Murphy Vol 1 in the same delivery, following Gary's mouth-watering post, and Backlash with Richard Widmark]

Thank you- can't wait to read your report!

 

[RMajidi]

Thank you- can't wait to read your report!

[Review as requested; however amateur...]

Sony 4K remastered Blu-ray of It Happened One Night.

Same transfer as that used by Criterion, although I understand Criterion did some further tweaking of the sound.

Two distinct source elements have been used for the restoration. Thankfully, the pristine nitrate negative accounts for most (85 to 90 percent) of the transfer. The quality in these passages is excellent. The lower quality print sections are noticeably fuzzier in appearance, but not distracting and still very watchable.

No speckles, tears, cracks or burns to be seen anywhere - beautifully restored.

The sound is also superb, and the transfer as a whole compares very well to some much later (50's) black and white film restorations.

Some good extras too - a Frank Capra Jnr commentary track and a filmed short interview with content that overlaps some of his commentary. Also includes the audio of the radio play, a stills gallery and trailer. The region-A locked Criterion Blu carries several more extras than the Sony.

The disc is region-free and picks up the locale automatically, so everything from copyright and piracy notices through to menu options are all presented in English, with no 'Sprachen' to be seen. There's also a wealth of audio dubs and subtitle language options to choose from.

The film itself by the good-hearted Mr Frank Capra is obviously an acclaimed classic and has been reviewed at length on HTF and elsewhere, so nothing to add there.

Very happy with this purchase.

http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B013DBI6F8?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01

 

[rjsdvd]

Thank you so much for this full review - very appreciated and the blu-ray sounds wonderful! Definitely on my order list!

[Review as requested; however amateur...]

Sony 4K remastered Blu-ray of It Happened One Night.

Same transfer as that used by Criterion, although I understand Criterion did some further tweaking of the sound.

Two distinct source elements have been used for the restoration. Thankfully, the pristine nitrate negative accounts for most (85 to 90 percent) of the transfer. The quality in these passages is excellent. The lower quality print sections are noticeably fuzzier in appearance, but not distracting and still very watchable.

No speckles, tears, cracks or burns to be seen anywhere - beautifully restored.

The sound is also superb, and the transfer as a whole compares very well to some much later (50's) black and white film restorations.

Some good extras too - a Frank Capra Jnr commentary track and a filmed short interview with content that overlaps some of his commentary. Also includes the audio of the radio play, a stills gallery and trailer. The region-A locked Criterion Blu carries several more extras than the Sony.

The disc is region-free and picks up the locale automatically, so everything from copyright and piracy notices through to menu options are all presented in English, with no 'Sprachen' to be seen. There's also a wealth of audio dubs and subtitle language options to choose from.

The film itself by the good-hearted Mr Frank Capra is obviously an acclaimed classic and has been reviewed at length on HTF and elsewhere, so nothing to add there.

Very happy with this purchase.

http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B013DBI6F8?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01

 

[Josh Steinberg]

The audio from the radio play is missing from the Criterion, but is on the original DVD release (so I've kept my DVD) - I really enjoyed that bonus feature, it was great hearing the cast recreate their roles for the radio broadcast.

 

[RLane777]

I Just started to get into Koch Media after I purchased three DVDs a month ago then two Blus earlier this month. Then seven titles today with all being reduced prices, I'm guessing for Black Friday week.

The DVDs were from eBay for $9.99 ea from a seller, both Apache Drums and Untamed Frontier had great PQ and AQ, but the PQ of The Naked Dawn was not that great but still watchable and is in full-screen format. All the DVDs are Region 2 and locked, but I was able to play in my Region-Free DVD player. Just Apache Drums was in a keep-case and the other two were digibooks, all in German.

As for the two BDs, they are Cave of Outlaws and Western Union. The PG and AQ of both BDs are almost perfect and the Western Union BD blows away the Fox Cinema Archive DVD any day. If I could read German then the digibooks would add to the excellence of the quality of the discs. Both BDs back-covers list them as Region B, but I was able to play the movies in my Region A Blu-ray player without any problems; although, I didn't check the extras but I'm guessing by other users that those are probably playback on Region B.

For the third bunch, I ordered Destry Rides Again [BD], War Arrow [BD], Kansas Raiders [BD], The Ox-Bow Incident [BD], George Sherman Western Collection [BD], Sioux Uprising [DVD] and the Audie Murphy Collection [DVD] for about $99. I'm a huge Western fan and an Audie Murphy fan so I'm glad about this bunch, but skeptic about the Region code for the George Sherman Collection. I checked other users comments here about few of these titles to see which ones I should and shouldn't buy. I'll post again for the last bunch after I receive them and check the quality of them.

By the way, does anyone have Star in the Dust [BD] or The Rawhide Years [DVD]; if so, how is the quality? I saw Koch Media will be releasing Gun for a Coward on Blu-ray on January 28, 2016; the 101 Films transfer wasn't that good but the US Universal transfer from a collection was pretty good, so I wonder how this BD will look.

 

[macdaddy]

I have The Rawhide Years. I rate it very high. The pq is excellent and the movie is very good IMO. Spend your money you can't lose. It's a winner!!

Also I would also suggest The Last Wagon with Richard Widmark. Excellent western

which looks and sounds amazing.

 

[RMajidi]

I Just started to get into Koch Media after I purchased three DVDs a month ago then two Blus earlier this month. Then seven titles today with all being reduced prices, I'm guessing for Black Friday week.
The DVDs were from eBay for $9.99 ea from a seller, both Apache Drums and Untamed Frontier had great PQ and AQ, but the PQ of The Naked Dawn was not that great but still watchable and is in full-screen format. All the DVDs are Region 2 and locked, but I was able to play in my Region-Free DVD player. Just Apache Drums was in a keep-case and the other two were digibooks, all in German.
As for the two BDs, they are Cave of Outlaws and Western Union. The PG and AQ of both BDs are almost perfect and the Western Union BD blows away the Fox Cinema Archive DVD any day. If I could read German then the digibooks would add to the excellence of the quality of the discs. Both BDs back-covers list them as Region B, but I was able to play the movies in my Region A Blu-ray player without any problems; although, I didn't check the extras but I'm guessing by other users that those are probably playback on Region B.
For the third bunch, I ordered Destry Rides Again [BD], War Arrow [BD], Kansas Raiders [BD], The Ox-Bow Incident [BD], George Sherman Western Collection [BD], Sioux Uprising [DVD] and the Audie Murphy Collection [DVD] for about $99. I'm a huge Western fan and an Audie Murphy fan so I'm glad about this bunch, but skeptic about the Region code for the George Sherman Collection. I checked other users comments here about few of these titles to see which ones I should and shouldn't buy. I'll post again for the last bunch after I receive them and check the quality of them.
By the way, does anyone have Star in the Dust [BD] or The Rawhide Years [DVD]; if so, how is the quality? I saw Koch Media will be releasing Gun for a Coward on Blu-ray on January 28, 2016; the 101 Films transfer wasn't that good but the US Universal transfer from a collection was pretty good, so I wonder how this BD will look.

Rick, Star in the Dust is a good quality Blu with no damage, but not in the same stellar HD league of Cave of Outlaws and Western Union. It was a blind buy for me, but I really enjoyed it despite a recurring song that I disliked. Good quality picture and sound.

I also agree with Gary's comments about the excellent DVD of The Last Wagon, featuring the always enjoyable Richard Widmark.

I have several of the titles you mentioned, but haven't yet ordered the George Sherman collection, so please post again to share your findings on this (that is if the region code doesn't lock you out).

[Edit: Canyon Passage is another visual treat you might like to try sometime]

 

[John Hermes]

I have The Rawhide Years. I rate it very high. The pq is excellent and the movie is very good IMO. Spend your money you can't lose. It's a winner!!

Also I would also suggest The Last Wagon with Richard Widmark. Excellent western

which looks and sounds amazing.

I have The Rawhide Years too, and agree with your comments.