The Abyss (1 Viewer)

[Mike_G]

Hi Van,
Big fan of your work on these discs over the years! I haven't read everything in this thread, but a dedicated 5.1 music track would be awesome. The CD of the soundtrack isn't as extensive as it could have been. Keep up the awesome work!

 

[Peter Neski]

How about not so much loading stuff,I can't stand the T2 disc ,and hope to get the Japanese 2 Blue Ray set

 

[Van Ling]

Thanks for the feedback, Peter. The challenge is dealing with the fact that there is a wide gap between the capabilities of low-end players versus high-end players, so the same disc has to play in both types. The simplest solution is to minimize the menus and graphics, which will probably be the thinking from this point forward. Sadly, the age of menus as a creative artform on disc may be over with the advent of the "service" menu style of most BDs.

V

PS: I did the menus for the Japanese one, too... but they are a version of the simpler menus I did for the first US T2 BD release in 2006.

 

[Jerome]

As we have to wait for The Abyss on Blu-Ray, here is something interesting in the mean time.

 

[cafink]

Originally Posted by Van Ling /forum/thread/274613/the-abyss/60#post_3626851
Thanks for the feedback, Peter. The challenge is dealing with the fact that there is a wide gap between the capabilities of low-end players versus high-end players, so the same disc has to play in both types. The simplest solution is to minimize the menus and graphics, which will probably be the thinking from this point forward. Sadly, the age of menus as a creative artform on disc may be over with the advent of the "service" menu style of most BDs.

I'm actually rather pleased with this trend. If one purchases a DVD or Blu-ray disc, it's generally because he wants to watch the movie that it contains, and every aspect of the disc's design--the menus especially--ought to cater to that desire. Elaborate menus that force the viewer to sit through extensive animated transitions and give meaningless, cutesy names to important options don't help. Simple, functional menus do.

 

[RickER]

I am so happy to see static menus. Moving menus are cute the first time, but, especially on TV shows, can be a pain in the back. No menu, static, or otherwise should take longer than 30 seconds. Less is better.
True, the ones that talk, tell you to pick something are cute. But those dont have to pre-load for 2 minutes BEFORE allowing you to select something.
I hate to say it, but i loath my T2 Blu-ray because it takes 3 or 4 minutes BEFORE i can hit play...hate it! I have a Sony 350, and a PS3 that is better, but still a damn slow menu.


Just my 2 cents, for what its worth, and yes i do appreciate your work Van. Thanks for being a member here, and listening to us!

 

[Jerome]

Abyss on Blu-ray at the end of 2010. At least in 16X9 /img/vbsmilies/htf/drum.gif
http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=3801

 

[TheBat]

very interesting news. thanks for the update.

Jacob

 

[hampsteadbandit]

excellent news about the Blu-Ray


I watched "The Abyss : Special Edition: Director's Cut" on DVD the night before last

and then all the special features on the second disc, last night


seeing Mr. Van Ling's name on the credits for the "making of" documentary was very cool, after participating in this forum

the documentary gave me a great sense of the nightmare that was the production, and a completely different understanding of the film itself

The Directors Cut was very involving, with all the extra elements that fleshed out the characters and details in a way that the theatrical release did not (due to time constraints, as I understood whilst watching the documentary)

great work to all involved!

 

[oscar_merkx]

Awesome news indeed.

can't wait.

Always thought that the 60 minute docu on the Abyss set the benchmark for making of documentaries

 

[Jerome]

I love Under Pressure: the making of Abyss But I hope there will other new documentaries about the special effects, maybe a featurette about the Special Edition or the editing of both versions

 

[Geoff_D]

Van, with the news swirling about of next year's Blu-ray, I take it that the A/V assets are now in place?

I ask because there's a new R6 Chinese DVD out there which is reported to feature anamorphic video and remixed DD EX/dts-es audio. Have you heard anything about this?

 

[DVDvision]

Still no official word from the US side, but of course it is to be expected to see Abyss hit Blu-Ray at around the same time as Avatar and Aliens -- these will make a nice A box set ! All the movies are owned by Fox too. My guess is once Avatar is out, the value of both Abyss and Aliens (which Avatar seems to be drawing of lot of both) will raise dramatically on the home market sales potential.

In the meantime, I bought the Abyss on director's pan & scan DVD, the copy is so much better looking at this size than the widescreen version. It's nice it was issued thought with little fanfare. The encoding is quite good for a master that I think probably dates from the laserdisc days.

 

[Van Ling]

Can't really say anything about the A/V assets, Geoff. To be honest, no one has approached me at all about "The Abyss". But I do know that any anamorphic transfer or remix that may be out there now would not be official.

V

 

[Geoff_D]

Originally Posted by Van Ling /forum/thread/274613/the-abyss/60#post_3634444
Can't really say anything about the A/V assets, Geoff. To be honest, no one has approached me at all about "The Abyss". But I do know that any anamorphic transfer or remix that may be out there now would not be official.
V

Thanks Van. It's a false alarm anyways. The R6 is technically anamorphic, but it's been upscaled from the existing 4:3 master. Damn.

 

[Mike Wadkins]

The Film 4 channel in the UK had an animorphic version on this weekend with a JC intro, so there is hope !

 

[TonyD]

Originally Posted by Mike Wadkins /forum/thread/274613/the-abyss/60#post_3640108
The Film 4 channel in the UK had an animorphic version on this weekend with a JC intro, so there is hope !

As soon as I saw this post I was taken back in time about 2 years ago to a very similar post and discusion afterwards.
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/228473/the-abyss-anamorphic-release-merged-thread/90#post_3318167

 

[Jerome]

announced for June by Fox in Holland
http://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=373370&postcount=1

 

[Geoff_D]

Heh. I remember that thread all too well. Paul S just didn't quite get it.

Originally Posted by TonyD /forum/thread/274613/the-abyss/60#post_3640118
As soon as I saw this post I was taken back in time about 2 years ago to a very similar post and discusion afterwards.
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/228473/the-abyss-anamorphic-release-merged-thread/90#post_3318167

 

[DVDvision]

There's a recent region 6 DVD that just came out in anamorphic and DTS -- However, as Mr Van Ling suggested, the anamorphic is home made, they just upscaled digitally the regular master, which looks bad with lots of jaggies, according to a forum post I read. I'm wondering if the DTS isn't just a re-encode upscale of the DD tracks also. Don't bother, a little patience, is all we need...