Warner to release Ben-Hur on Blu-ray in 2009 (?), or..... (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

I don't think WB needs to be influence as they are well aware of the problems associated with the last SD DVD release and will not want to mess up the 50th anniversary release of this great film next year on BRD. Furthermore, this is the type of title that will help sell Blu-ray to those people sitting on the sidelines because they believe SD DVD is good enough for them. You'll be surprise how many people still need convincing that such a notion is wrong.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Robert,

have you heard from WB that they are aware that their transfer for the last Ben-Hur DVD wasn't up to par? I know there was lots of debate at places like HTF over that transfer, but I hadn't heard any response from any WB party.

thanks!

 

[Robert Crawford]

David,
To answer your question without acknowledging anything, Warner reads our forum regularly.





Crawdaddy

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Yes, but that's not quite the same as them *agreeing* that the disc had a problem.

(as an example, There's a lip-sync delay on the DTS track of the Moulin Rouge DVD, but FOX has never (to my knowledge) acknowledged even internally that there was a mastering error in the disc).

I think that your comment implies politely that WB is indeed aware that the disc's image was not optimal (in addition to being aware of the debate surrounding it on the board). If so, good news. I'd hate to have a 1080p disappointment on this one!

Now... if they would just give us the *ORIGINAL* soundtrack mix (lossless), we'd be set!

dave

 

[Robert Crawford]

I think Warner feels the same way.





Crawdaddy

 

[Bill Hunt]

You can all rest assured that Warner's George Feltenstein monitors these forums regularly. He admitted as much to me personally the other day.

 

[Douglas Monce]

Looks like the site is down. I'm sure it will be back up again soon.

Doug

 

[mike--]

.......I saw Mutiny on the Bounty In February 1963 at the Leow's New York.........and those forementioned titles .....Overture and Intermission title still frames existed then!!!.....in the original release!!....so they WERE INTENDED!

 

[Michel_Hafner]

Please tell us more about examples you have looked at in 8K versus 4K. How was the 8K looked at? Filmouts? Zoomed in on 4K projector, 2K monitor? What was the main difference between 8K and 4K from 8K? Grain structure?

 

[OliverK]

Ben Hur was shown in HD, I think on Cinemax, and it looked better than Spartacus, not that this is saying much. It looked similar to Mutiny on the Bounty but with more registration errors and I would say a tad softer overall. I think we all would want the Blu-Ray to look better than that.

Oliver

 

[john a hunter]

Mike,I don't wish to be rude but what absolute rubbish!!. What medication are you taking ?

I saw Mutiny, Ben Hur, Cleopatra, South Pacific, El Cid,etc in their first runs in 70 mm and I have NEVER EVER seen such titles until the advent of prerecorded tapes and later DVD.they are put on , presumably, so people don't ask where the picture is gone. All that is needed is some education by the studios or small lettering saying Overture or what ever that fades away after a few seconds.

 

[Vern Dias]

Yup. Mike was certainly on something

I projected MOB when it was released. It was a 35mm 4 track mag print and the Overture and Entre'Acte were on black and white opaque film stock. No road show release except for "West Side Story" ever used any kind of image for the overture or entr'acte.

Vern

 

[Rob W]

John is quite right. In the grand old days of single screen roadshow theaters, the overtures and such were played with the curtains CLOSED so there was no need for identification cards . The curtains would then majestically part ( or rise, depending on the set-up ) with the first appearance of the studio logo leading into the feature.

Remember curtains in theaters ?

 

[Brandon Conway]

Well, then shouldn't they be screens of curtains on home video instead of black?

 

[Vern Dias]

MyHT already has curtains.....

But I did work in a theater many years ago that projected an image of a curtain from a slide projector whenever the movie wasn't running....
Vern

 

[Douglas Monce]

It's back up again.

http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/special/ben-hurdvd.htm

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Why am I having flashbacks to Baz Luhrmann's Red Curtain films?

 

[OliverK]

Hi,

let's not forget what this is about - we all want to get better quality than the last HD version:

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And yes, I would like the Overture and Intermission and Exit music to be played back with a blank screen but I would not loose too much sleep over a stellar transfer with superimposed stills - I can always mute the pic in my HT

Oliver

 

[Paul Hillenbrand]

Wonder how IMAX handles the cost of digitally mastering their 15/70 formats, exhibited in IMAX theaters an then telecined to 1080P 1.78:1 for the Blu-ray reproduction, like the IMAX - "Blue Planet" disc?
The detail & sharpness is so vitally important in the HD experience.

Paul

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Not the same thing. IMAX docs are considerably shorter than the average feature film.