The Time Machine (1960) (Blu-ray) Available for Preorder (1 Viewer)

[ahollis]

Oh God, not that screen caps argument again! Many of us will have the disc in hand tomorrow, so I rather go by what we say about this disc than some reviewer and their screen caps.

Yep in my hands tomorrow.

 

[Matt Hough]

Yep in my hands tomorrow.

Me, too. Can't wait!

 

[Josh Steinberg]

So… UPS dropped mine off a day early, which in the history of me ordering from Amazon, has never happened.

I don't want to watch the whole movie because I have a projector coming in this week, and I wanted to save it for the big screen. But I couldn't resist taking a peek, so I watched the first ten minutes on my 50" TV. Now, with the caveat that I've only seen this movie on videotape and that was years ago… I'm really happy with how this Blu-ray looks. The image seems film-like to my eyes, with what looks like light but very pleasing grain. Without really knowing for sure what it's supposed to look like.. it looks right to me. I want to emphasize I can't really give the definitive word on this, but if the rest of the movie looks as good as the start of it, I think it's gonna be great. Hopefully everyone here will be as happy as I am with this.

 

[Robert Crawford]

There will be several mini-reviews posted in the next 48 hours. I can't wait for miy copy.

 

[David Weicker]

I can't wait for mine copy.

Watch out, that could be an explosive viewing experience

 

[John Hermes]

So… UPS dropped mine off a day early, which in the history of me ordering from Amazon, has never happened.

I don't want to watch the whole movie because I have a projector coming in this week, and I wanted to save it for the big screen. But I couldn't resist taking a peek, so I watched the first ten minutes on my 50" TV. Now, with the caveat that I've only seen this movie on videotape and that was years ago… I'm really happy with how this Blu-ray looks. The image seems film-like to my eyes, with what looks like light but very pleasing grain. Without really knowing for sure what it's supposed to look like.. it looks right to me. I want to emphasize I can't really give the definitive word on this, but if the rest of the movie looks as good as the start of it, I think it's gonna be great. Hopefully everyone here will be as happy as I am with this.

I got mine today too. I have a 42" LCD in my bedroom but can't really run stuff on my living room projector with 106" screen (120" for scope) until night. Spot checking at it on the 42", anyway, I found it quite nice looking, with good contrast and color. It seems to have decent sharpness too. I received Point Blank today as well. That one also looks very good.

 

[Tommy R]

So… UPS dropped mine off a day early, which in the history of me ordering from Amazon, has never happened.

I don't want to watch the whole movie because I have a projector coming in this week, and I wanted to save it for the big screen. But I couldn't resist taking a peek, so I watched the first ten minutes on my 50" TV. Now, with the caveat that I've only seen this movie on videotape and that was years ago… I'm really happy with how this Blu-ray looks. The image seems film-like to my eyes, with what looks like light but very pleasing grain. Without really knowing for sure what it's supposed to look like.. it looks right to me. I want to emphasize I can't really give the definitive word on this, but if the rest of the movie looks as good as the start of it, I think it's gonna be great. Hopefully everyone here will be as happy as I am with this.

I grew up watching the movie on an 80's laserdisc, and even though it's been several years since I've viewed that LD (been watching the DVD for the last decade) I remember well how the picture looked and thought about it every time I viewed the DVD. I'm not worried about the few words about the blu not impressing some, especially now with a few people on here already saying it looks very nice. Can't wait to open my mail tomorrow!

 

[Craig S]

I grew up watching the movie on an 80's laserdisc, and even though it's been several years since I've viewed that LD (been watching the DVD for the last decade) I remember well how the picture looked and thought about it every time I viewed the DVD. I'm not worried about the few words about the blu not impressing some, especially now with a few people on here already saying it looks very nice. Can't wait to open my mail tomorrow!

Hell, I grew up watching this movie on a 13" B&W tube TV (and later a massive 19" color set) with probably over 10% overscan. It was an NTSC OTA broadcast on one of the three channels available, was pan'n'scanned to 4:3 and all chopped up by commercials to boot. None of that mattered. It was all about the movie, and even under those less-than-ideal conditions good films still enthralled me (and yes, those damn Morlocks scared the bejesus out of me).

To those of us who grew up in the 60s, owning a movie like this on the amazing format that is Blu-ray for under $15 is a frickin' miracle. Sometimes I'd like to round-up all the complainers and nitpickers, stuff them into a time machine, send them back to my family's living room in 1964, and set them down in front of the old B&W to watch some of their favorite movies. I believe a little perspective might do some people a lot of good.

I've said my piece. Now if you will all excuse me I think I hear some kids on my lawn...

 

[Robert Crawford]

Watch out, that could be an explosive viewing experience

Yuk, yuk.

 

[dpippel]

Mine will be here today. w00t!

 

[Matt Hough]

I have REAL self-control! Even though I had planned to watch The Time Machine this afternoon, the review copy for Witness for the Prosecution came in today and even though it doesn't come out until July 22nd, I chose to watch it for review (review should be up in a couple of hours) instead of The Time Machine.

Hopefully, I'll get to it when I go back downstairs to the HT this evening.

 

[Mark Cappelletty]

Mine got delivered to my wife's office today. Excited to check it out (along with POINT BLANK) tonight. My only beef? That horrible cover art!

 

[Charles Smith]

Wait until you behold the beautiful disc art...

 

[haineshisway]

Watched the first half so far. It pretty much looks like it always has. I saw the film over and over again back in the day and I've seen prints over the years, some of which had obviously faded, but several 16mms that were AGFA prints and that had no fade at all. It's just never been a pretty film to look at and has always had the slightly brownish look - it's in the production design especially in the first third of the film. And there are a humungous number of opticals, too. When you get to the future with Yvette Mimiuex, you can see that the colors there are very accurate. Plenty of nice detail, certainly as much as any release print would have had. But I understand that people whose only experience with the film has been home video might think this could be better - I don't know what the camera negative is like or if this is even off of it, but it's a fine Blu-ray and looks, as I said, as the film has always looked. I think someone on another board actually posited that it's a decade old transfer - as if they would know that.

EDIT: Finished and very pleased with it. As to those who said (on other boards) that it's a decade old transfer or barely better than the DVD - get real, will you? I just put on the DVD and it's a joke compared to the Blu-ray. It's funny that the Beaver conveniently does NOT compare it to the DVD. But people look at their beloved caps and make with the judgment calls. I can't imagine fans of the film won't be please with this.

 

[Persianimmortal]

Sigh. Capsaholic has a DVD vs Blu-ray comparison up now for The TIme Machine for anyone interested in an objective and not subjective comparison between the two.

To my eyes, the comparison of the various screenshots between the DVD and BD versions show that the Blu-ray is definitely better than the DVD, with slightly more detail and much better contrast/richer colors. It's not a dramatic improvement, but I - and probably most other people - don't have any real knowledge of how much better it could have looked without knowing the state of the elements.

Either way I'm looking forward to getting my copy soon.

 

[Ethan Riley]

I'm gonna agree with Bruce's comments above. And I have no idea how it's "supposed" to look. The only time I saw it on the big screen was at an early 70s kiddee matinee, so who knows how good the print really was. I had the vhs but never the DVD. The blu is a revelation.

 

[haineshisway]

Sigh. Capsaholic has a DVD vs Blu-ray comparison up now for The TIme Machine for anyone interested in an objective and not subjective comparison between the two.

To my eyes, the comparison of the various screenshots between the DVD and BD versions show that the Blu-ray is definitely better than the DVD, with slightly more detail and much better contrast/richer colors. It's not a dramatic improvement, but I - and probably most other people - don't have any real knowledge of how much better it could have looked without knowing the state of the elements.

Either way I'm looking forward to getting my copy soon.

Um, I just ran them side by side and if you think that there isn't a dramatic improvement in the transfer between the DVD and the Blu-ray, based on CAPS, then I don't know what to tell you because it is night and day. There is not slightly more detail, there's a ton more detail in every shot. But what do I know? I'm only looking at the two transfers on the same screen via two OPPO Blu-ray players. I know, it's not optimal but…

 

[Charles Smith]

I'm gonna agree with Bruce's comments above. And I have no idea how it's "supposed" to look. The only time I saw it on the big screen was at an early 70s kiddee matinee, so who knows how good the print really was. I had the vhs but never the DVD. The blu is a revelation.

Haven't watched it all yet, but I definitely agree.

(The only theatrical screening of this one I remember was a kiddie matinee, too, but in the early 60s!)

 

[Matt Hough]

I watched it this evening, and I was very pleased and quite impressed with how it looked. And it seemed very clean to me, too, with none of the specks I seem to remember from the DVD. The sound was quite involving, too.

Another winner from Warners in my book.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Um, I just ran them side by side and if you think that there isn't a dramatic improvement in the transfer between the DVD and the Blu-ray, based on CAPS, then I don't know what to tell you because it is night and day. There is not slightly more detail, there's a ton more detail in every shot. But what do I know? I'm only looking at the two transfers on the same screen via two OPPO Blu-ray players. I know, it's not optimal but…

Just for kicks I put on the DVD so I could switch back and forth between it and the Blu in a couple of segments. The biggest surprise was that the DVD held up very nicely upscaled. Switching to the Blu-ray was definitely a *big* upgrade in picture quality, though. The limitations of the DVD became apparent pretty quickly (general softness, lack of detail in non close-ups, etc.) compared to the Blu. Looking forward to watching the whole thing over the next few days. Note: this was projected 8 feet wide.