DVD Review HTF Review: Hero (1 Viewer)

[ScottJH]

Watched Hero today. I thought there was definite room for PQ improvement but still watchable. If there would have been tons of EE, forget it! The English and French tracks are also DD 5.1, so that makes a DTS and 3 DD 5.1 tracks on this disc plus the extras. I think they should have left off one or two of the DD 5.1 tracks or made them 2.0 Surround. That would have given the PQ more room to breath, which in turn should lead to less filtering. Viewed Panasonic CP-72(progressive out) to Optoma H30.

 

[anthony_b]

I saw it on my JVC 48inch W/S and found it to be a decent transfer. We've all seen worse.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Definitely seen worse!

Just could have been so much *better* (at least on my system)...

-dave

 

[Andy Patrizio]

"Suicide Club" anybody?

 

[Guido AC]

Would you say that both Kill Bill transfers are better or worse than this?

 

[Citizen87645]

I would say the Kill Bill transfers are better. At least with those the close ups look decent. On Hero detail is lacking even in the close up and medium shots.

 

[Ron-P]

Really enjoyed this film. Watched it the other night and thought PQ was decent on my 7' screen. Not the best but I had no real complaints with it.

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Ok, I am late to this party, but I just watched Hero last night and I was completely blown away. One of the best movies I have seen in quite some time. Fabulous, artistic poetry with some amazing visuals with a good story to match (think Rashomon).

The Picture Quality was on the soft side, with a lack of detail. Not horrible, but far from perfect. The DTS soundtrack was absolutely top notch.

 

[Kain_C]

Is there an HTF review of Star Trek Generations? I tried but couldn't find one.

By the way, overall, this DVD is very disappointing. From the low PQ to some poor DVD cover design decisions, this film deserved MUCH better. Odd how crap like Van Helsing and the like get such great DVD treatment while gems like this film are reduced to DVDs that look worse than alot of DVDs that were out when the format first launched!

 

[Gary Tjia]

The GD Region 0 version is out-of-print. What is the next best option? Any word if Miramax will be coming out with a Superbit or improved PQ version of Hero?

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Let's not get carried away!

While this certainly isn't a reference transfer, it isn't terrible either, and is certainly better than the majority of DVD's that were released in the early days of the format.

The picture is very watchable.

My biggest complaint is the fact that the subtitles are all in the picture area, instead of using the black bar at the bottom of the screen on the 2.35 image.

 

[Citizen87645]

Just to clarify, the "Superbit" product is Sony/Columbia-Tristar. And it's doubtful Miramax will redo the transfer - they haven't for such higher profile releases like Gangs of New York and Cold Mountain. If you want the best then you'd have to spring for a multiregion player and the Elite Group release.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

constant-height projection viewers would disagree...all in all I think that for systems that employ masking to project a "real" looking native-2.35:1 image...the subs in the picture area actually make the most sense, though for those with 4x3 or 16x9 monitors that are fixed (no masking) obviously it would more comfortable to view in the bars.

What would be the perfect answer would be to have USER ADJUSTABLE subs...where you could decide. I think that BluRay will employ such a feature...

 

[Rob Tomlin]

And with that I completely agree!

 

[TedD]

Rob:

And where were the subs placed in the original theatrical presentation?

Remember, at least some of us wish to recreated the original theatical experience in our home Theaters!

Ted

 

[Rob Tomlin]

LOL! That has to be one of the funniest arguments I have heard in quite a while!

If you really wanted to "recreate the original theatrical experience", you need to forget about the subtitles entirely and watch it without them (I hope you understand Mandarin) as that is how the movie was actually "intended" to be viewed!

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Subs in the picture area are a necessary evil in theatrical exhibition...if technology allowed, a preferred method would be *real* subtitles imaged below the screen, or even above it like super-titles at the opera.

Though I like the idea of subs in the image area for viewers who employ masking...the perfect solution would be to have a "subtitle out" on your DVD player...a dedicated video stream just for subs...and theaters (and home theaters) would have a subtitle -imager above or below the image.

It's not practical of course...but the presence of subtitles in the image area...for translated films...is certainly not part of the artistic-intent of the director.

Subtitles that are intended even in native-language viewings would be however.

I guess there's no right answer!

-dave

 

[Kain_C]

Actually, I do have very old DVDs that look better than this. And I guess I should have said PACKAGE wise, because everything from the features to the disc quality to the cover art is something that is very unworthy of this movie.

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Thanks Dave, that's exactly the point I was making.