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06-11-2008, 11:31 PM
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#1 of 55 
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Motion Picture Archivist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Local Time: 12:40 AM
Local Date: 11-19-2008
Posts: 2,571
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A few words about...™ The Professionals -- in Blu-Ray
Last week was not a particularly happy one here at A Few Words... headquarters.
Viewing Patton on a decent size home theater screen left me with the feeling that we're headed for troubled territory with more people who don't know how to use DNR, and lop off all of the high frequency information in their golden quest to eradicate grain and achieve cleanliness.
And I was ready for more of the same with The Professionals.
I was truly hopeful that The Professionals, created by some of the top talent in the business c. 1966, would survive the onslaught of well-meaning grain rapers and turn out to be at the very least...
viewable.
It wasn't.
I recall viewing a borrowed 35mm dye transfer print in the very room that I now view home video fodder. It had great color, wonderful rich shadow detail and blacks, and a comfortable table of grain moving gracefully over silken smooth high resolution images.
Allow me to be short and to the point.
The new Blu-Ray DVD of The Professionals from Columbia / Sony isn't just "viewable." It doesn't just get by as a new Blu-Ray release.
Not by a long shot.
Everything that was so woefully wrong with Patton, which held 2 1/2 times the information -- two and one half times! --
is so brilliantly correct with The Professionals.
It has taken on the look of a true 35mm print.
I firmly believe that were they together in a room viewing this disc, Mr. Brooks, Mr. Lancaster, Mr. Marvin, Mr. Ryan, Mr. Strode, Mr. Palance, Mr. Bellamy and Mr. Jarre would be thrilled with the representation of their film as carried by the tiny, yet powerfully miraculous Blu-Ray disc.
Allow me to firmly make my point.
Everything that Patton does to harm the image of Blu-Ray as a system is turned on its head by The Professionals.
This is a true reference disc for films of the 1960s.
It shows clearly the image capabilities of the Blu-Ray system.
The men and women behind the creation of this release are the new video Professionals.
Blu-Ray poster child?
Add one more to the wall.
The Professionals is a great western; a great film...
and a truly superb Blu-Ray disc.
"What's the trick, then?"
The trick General Patton, is to look like film, to allow actors to act, to look human, and not look like wax dummies!
And The Professionals succeeds in spades!
I couldn't be more thrilled!
My only hope is that whatever entity did the "clean-up" work on Patton can get a copy of this disc quickly, will watch it, and learn from it.
Extremely Highly Recommended.
RAH
Last edited by Robert Harris : 06-11-2008 at 11:35 PM.
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06-12-2008, 12:10 AM
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#2 of 55
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James
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Local Time: 03:40 AM
Local Date: 11-19-2008
Posts: 75
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Re: A few words about...™ The Professionals -- in Blu-Ray
Sold! In my view, this is one of the best scripted westerns of all time. Brooks is at his peak here. Thanks Robert!
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06-12-2008, 01:04 AM
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#3 of 55
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Douglas Monce
Member
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Join Date: Nov 2006
Local Time: 01:40 AM
Local Date: 11-19-2008
Posts: 3,570
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Re: A few words about...™ The Professionals -- in Blu-Ray
Two words. THANK YOU SONY!
Okay it's three words.
Oh and thank you Mr. Harris.
Doug
"I'm in great shape, for the shape I'm in."
Bob Hope in The Ghostbreakers
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06-12-2008, 02:38 AM
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#4 of 55
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2000
Local Time: 09:40 AM
Local Date: 11-19-2008
Posts: 471
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Re: A few words about...™ The Professionals -- in Blu-Ray
I am so happy about this - The Professionals was aired in HD in Europe and it looked very promising, as did two other Columbia titles that I had the opportunity to watch, I am sure we are in for more treats from Sony.
Now don't ask me how that one Fox title looked that I saw there  |
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06-12-2008, 04:14 AM
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#5 of 55
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Cees Alons
Administrator
Location: Amsterdam, Holland
Join Date: Aug 1997
Local Time: 09:40 AM
Local Date: 11-19-2008
Posts: 18,266
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Re: A few words about...™ The Professionals -- in Blu-Ray
Heh, heh, heh. Ordered!
Thanks, RAH! "Few", but brilliant words. 
Cees |
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06-12-2008, 06:51 AM
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#6 of 55
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2001
Local Time: 08:40 AM
Local Date: 11-19-2008
Posts: 444
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Re: A few words about...™ The Professionals -- in Blu-Ray
Mr Harris, thanks for your review. i seem to remember a problem with the previous DVD release in the day for night scenes, have these been corrected for this release?
Regards
M
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06-12-2008, 08:52 AM
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#7 of 55
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Chris Sierra
Member
Location: Dallas TX
Join Date: Apr 2000
Local Time: 02:40 AM
Local Date: 11-19-2008
Posts: 2,530
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Re: A few words about...™ The Professionals -- in Blu-Ray
You had me going there for a bit! I was about ready to head off on the "colorfu" rant I've been trying so hard to keep at bay. Thanks for the review and thanks to Sony for doing this release right!
DVD & Blu-ray - It's all about the movies!
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06-12-2008, 10:11 AM
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#8 of 55
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Member
Location: Billerica MA
Join Date: Dec 1969
Local Time: 03:40 AM
Local Date: 11-19-2008
Posts: 1,057
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Re: A few words about...™ The Professionals -- in Blu-Ray
Can't resist - another must-buy!
Disappointed to say I can't find it at either DeepDiscount or DVDplanet, who are having their 20% off sales. |
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06-12-2008, 01:43 PM
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#9 of 55
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Member
Join Date: Aug 1998
Local Time: 12:40 AM
Local Date: 11-19-2008
Posts: 1,922
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Re: A few words about...™ The Professionals -- in Blu-Ray
Thanks for the words Mr. Harris.
Because of them, "The Professionals" has been ordered. 
Paul
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06-12-2008, 04:56 PM
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#10 of 55
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Paul
Member
Location: St. Hubert, Quebec
Join Date: Feb 2004
Local Time: 03:40 AM
Local Date: 11-19-2008
Posts: 1,675
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Re: A few words about...™ The Professionals -- in Blu-Ray
Damn. Now I have to add another title to my "blu" list. And I don't even have a player yet.
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes time, and it annoys the pig.
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06-12-2008, 09:29 PM
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#11 of 55
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Crawdaddy
Administrator
Location: Michigan
Join Date: Dec 1998
Local Time: 03:40 AM
Local Date: 11-19-2008
Posts: 18,319
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Re: A few words about...™ The Professionals -- in Blu-Ray
So it only took RAH's seal of approval before others decided to buy this great film on Blu-ray? 
Crawdaddy
G.W. McLintock: Camille, you're on your own.
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