Ronald Epstein

300 Conquers High-Def Awards

‘300’ Conquers High-Def Awards
DEC. 5, 2007 — Warner Home Video’s hit film 300 dominated the first-ever High-Def Disc Awards, taking High-Def Title of the Year and Best Bonus Feature honors.

The High-Def Disc Awards dinner was part of High-Def 2.0, a one-day conference held Dec. 4 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Century City, Calif. High-Def 2.0 was presented by Home Media Magazine in cooperation with The Hollywood Reporter and the Entertainment Merchants Association.

A panel of critics determined the best titles in 11 categories, with eligibility dating back to the inception of each high-def format — HD DVD in April 2006 and Blu-ray Disc in June 2006.

Not only was 300 the only multiple winner, but it was also the only winner released on both high-def formats. Specifically, the 300 Blu-ray earned title of the year, while the HD DVD version won the bonus feature award for a function that allows a bluescreen version of the film to run simultaneously with the feature, allowing fans to compare the two and see the extent of the special-effects work done on the film to depict an ancient battle between Spartans and Persians.

A live-action title of the year for each format also was awarded: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s James Bond epic Casino Royale won for Blu-ray and Universal Studios Home Entertainment’s cop comedy Hot Fuzz won for HD DVD.

Sony Picture’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind was named best multidisc set. The definitive collection uses seamless branching to store three different versions of Steven Spielberg’s classic sci-fi film on a single disc, allowing viewers to compare them.
High-Def Award Winners:

High Def Title of the Year: 300 (Blu-ray), Warner Home Video

Best Live-Action Blu-ray: Casino Royale, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Best Live-Action HD DVD: Hot Fuzz, Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Best Animated: Ratatouille (Blu-ray), Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

Best Picture Quality: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (Blu-ray), Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

Best Audio Quality: Transformers (HD DVD), Paramount Home Entertainment

Best Bonus Feature: 300 (HD DVD), Bluescreen Picture-in-Picture, Warner Home Video

Most Innovative Use of New Technology: HD DVD U-Shop feature (Internet purchase ability), Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Best Long-Form Music Video: Dave Mathews & Tim Reynolds: Live at Radio City Music Hall (Blu-ray), Sony BMG

Best Catalog: Kingdom of Heaven: Director’s Cut, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Best Collection/Multidisc Set: Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Home Media Magazine is the leading home entertainment business-to-business trade. It is published weekly by Questex Media Group Inc.

Dave>h

Re: 300 Conquers High-Def Awards

Will the fact that Transformers won in the best sound category finally put to rest the debate over lossy vs lossless audio?

Any bets?

I do think it is very ironic and telling that the best sounding High Def media disk is presented in a lossy format. Apparently the judges had a hard time telling it wasn't lossless too.

Some very good choices on the list. Curious how the 300 Blu Ray won out over the HD version when the HD version had the best special feature which wasn't included on the Blu Ray. I guess more voters own the Blu Ray copy? Or maybe they weren't allowed to include "special features" in their voting decision on best disk... wonder what the criteria was.

Dave

Jeff Adkins

Re: 300 Conquers High-Def Awards

Saying it sounds great has nothing to do with the fact that it's possible that it could sound even better.

Dave>h

Re: 300 Conquers High-Def Awards

True, but given the plethora of lossless tracks available, which according to some are the be all and end all of sonic nirvana, why then would the voters choose a lossy soundtrack? Surely, given the apparent limitations of Dolby Digital plus any number of lossless tracks could would and should sound better. Correct?

ppltd

Re: 300 Conquers High-Def Awards

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Adkins Saying it sounds great has nothing to do with the fact that it's possible that it could sound even better.

. But it did win over the multitude of lossless titles out (from both camps), didn't it. Guess some people will never be satisfied.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave>h True, but given the plethora of lossless tracks available, which according to some are the be all and end all of sonic nirvana, why then would the voters choose a lossy soundtrack? Surely, given the apparent limitations of Dolby Digital plus any number of lossless tracks could would and should sound better. Correct?

Amen.

• Toshiba HD-XA2, HD Add-on, Panasonic DMP-BD10A
• Pioneer VSX-94TXH, Panasonic PT-AE 2000U 1080p (delivered but not mounted yet)
• 252 HD DVDs, 65 BD DVDs, and over 1560 - SD DVDs and going down
• New buying strategy - I will continue to buy Universal and Paramount HD DVD's, but if it available in both formats, Blu-ray now gets my purchase.

Patrick.C

Re: 300 Conquers High-Def Awards

I was wondering the same thing...

BrettB

Re: 300 Conquers High-Def Awards

Probably because it sold ~twice as many copies. Best-selling hd disc=High Def Title of the Year? Makes as much sense as TF audio.