DVD Review HTF REVIEW: Bullitt - Two Disc Special Edition (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED). (1 Viewer)

[CraigF]

Thanks Herb, whenever you can get the info it's appreciated. I suppose this belongs in another thread, but as usual the collection is financially advantageous for those who want to check out more (or are cheap!).

Haven't seen Bullitt or Papillon since I was a teenager, both of which I really liked, so the collection is worth it to me for those alone. I guess I'm beating around the bush and really asking if Papillon looks as good as Bullitt...

Thanks and regards.

 

[Paul_Scott]

Papillon is the same disc as was previously released, save that this time its in a keep case.
so no remastering on that one.

 

[Robert Crawford]

To my eyes, the visual difference between the two dvds is rather obvious. The old disc is much brighter with the color muted while this new dvd has a darker and richer picture with improved fleshtones.





Crawdaddy

 

[Stephen PI]

I am disappointed that the original mono track was not included. It looks like the track on the dvd could be the same one, a mono spread, that dates back to the laserdisc release?

 

[Robert Crawford]

I've completed the "Bullitt" dvd and I think the full feature documentaries were among the best ever on any dvd!







Crawdaddy

 

[Nelson Au]

Just to add my 2 cents, I've seen about half of the new Bullitt DVD. Without doing a direct A-B comparison, I can tell a difference alright between this disc and the first Warner DVD.

I have the VHS Warner tape, the Warner laserdisc of the film that is fullscreen (wow, $24.95 for 1989), the first Warner DVD and now this new SE of Bullitt. In each edition, from memory, there has been an incremental improvement in the video, with this edition being the best and most improvement. I agree with Crawdaddy's comments above on the video quality, this new edition is darker and denser. And the audio commentary from director Yates expalins why it's so dark. I do recall some nice stereo effects on the VHS and the laser has nice bass too.

The one thing you'll find amusing is that on the fullscreen laserdisc, you can just catch the top edge of the boom mike on the bottom of the frame. Perhaps this is common knowledge, like the number of times you see the same Volkswagon during the chase sequence. The sequence to which I refer is when the killer is at the hospital and is asking a doctor where to find his "relative", at 37:35 into the film.

 

[Gregory Vaughan]

I was listening to an interview with the designer of the 2005 Mustang on NPR the other day. He said they took the soundtrack from Bullitt and tuned the engine and exhaust system to sound the same.

 

[Gary Nash]

RE-EDITED CRASH SEQUENCE
I noticed that there's been some retrospective tinkering to the film which won the Oscar for editing.
Check out the sequence where the Charger slides round a corner and smashes into the camera mounted on a parked white car:-
On the original DVD and LaserDisc the impact occurs followed by a black frame, then a frame of the empty scene prior to impact, then another black frame.
On the new DVD, the black frames are removed and replaced by multiple frames of the empty scene prior to impact.
The revised edits don't work as well - they're obviously trying to make it look like the Charger has glanced off the parked car, but as the crushed fender repairs itself, the edit looks quite jarring.
The original 'black-frame' edit is much more powerful and looks better - it makes me jerk my head back everytime.

Seems like a rather odd way to treat a classic film and Peter Yates doesn't mention it in the commentary track (mind you, he might have blinked and not spotted the revised frames).

Anyone else noticed this ?

 

[Robert Crawford]

The screen going black was annoying to me and I'm glad they've taken taken that out.





Crawdaddy

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I never saw Bullitt, and I am now inclined
to buy it since I have heard so many great
things.


I love Papillon. I own the original DVD
release. Haven't watched it in years and
I'm too lazy to pop it in to answer my own
question.....

I read the original release was non-anamorphic.
I could very well be wrong about this. Was
the original release anamorphic, and if not, is
the new release now in anamorphic?

Thanks Guys!

 

[Haggai]

Ron, the Papillon disc in the new Essential McQueen collection is definitely anamorphic, I just popped it in (and I'll probably watch it later today). I never saw the disc on its original release, but a few reviews I read online said that it was anamorphic, and all indications are (as Paul Scott said above) that they didn't change anything about it. I do remember liking the movie, but have you ever read the book? Wow...one of the best I've ever read. It was a massive worldwide best-seller at the time it was published, understandably so.

The whole Warners McQueen collection is certainly worth getting, as you get this great Bullitt 2-disc SE along with an excellent Cincinnati Kid disc, and a SE of The Getaway, which I guess no one around here has had a chance to watch yet, but surely delivers the goods as well.

 

[Alan_H]

Craig, Ronald or anyone else interested, I just opened the Essential Steve McQueen Collection today and according to the backs of the individual DVD cases all 6 movies are in anamorphic widescreen! It's a great-looking set too

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Oh, I knew all 6 movies were anamorphic....
just not sure that the original Papillon
release I own was.

Okay, guys, sell me on this....

I like Steve McQueen. Have only really seen
a small handful of his films, most notably
The Great Escape, The Maginificent Seven, The
Blob and Nevada Smith.

Outside of Papillon (which I know is
superb), how do these McQueen films rate amongst
those of his entire career?

I could just buy Bullitt and get off
cheaply. If you guys really push me, I'll spend
the money on this set.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Ronbo,
If you watch Bullitt, The Getaway, The Cincinnati Kid or even Never So Few, you will observed the cool persona of Steve McQueen. I even like Tom Horn because it shows a different side of McQueen as a tragic figure who fell from being a western hero to as low as a man can get. Though, I thought Papillon was a good film it isn't one of my favorite McQueen films. Personally, I think he gave his best performance in The Sand Pebbles which was a Fox dvd release. It's his only Oscar nominated performance and it was well deserved.






Crawdaddy

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Crawdaddy,

Sand Pebbles was fantastic! In fact,
it was a film you recommended.

I'll buy this set.

 

[Paul_Scott]

that was easy

 

[CraigF]

Thanks for the info/update guys.

[Collection acquired...it was surprisingly easy to find locally, ubiquitous in fact, much easier than any previous "non-related titles" collection for any director/actor, except possibly Chaplin. Must say something for the expected appeal of S. McQueen movies.]

 

[James D]

Ron-if there's an FYE store in your area, then I have some good news for you. They have this set on sale right now for just $39.99 plus a mail-in rebate for $10 for a total of $29.99 after rebate.

 

[RichardCrowther]

For those who want a comparison between the old and new Bullitt (or The Getaway for that matter), go here:

http://www.dvdscan.com/stmq_comp.htm

Whilst I'm not happy about everyone's heads now getting the chop thanks to the reframing in the new version, it is clear that, in terms of clarity and colour, the new release is lightyears ahead of the old. Which is a more accurate representation of the way it was originally seen in theatres, however, I'll leave to the historians to argue (especially given the claims that it has been - very mildly - edited during the car chase).

Was Bullitt originally mono? Does this new disc contain the original soundtrack?

 

[Ric Easton]

Well, I am definately late to this party. I picked up the boxset in June, but had not watched any of it until last night. Loved Bullit! I did find myself replaying that little edit re-do when the car apparently glances off the parked one. Loved the shot in the doc where we see it from another angle and the camera goes flying.

All of the docs were great. Having known very little about McQueen, it was a real eye opener. I also enjoyed the documentary on editing, but was a little surprised there was not one shot of Bullit in it (unless I blinked)!

Anyway, this is what I call a special edition! Hopefully it won't be too long before I check out the other films in the set.