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A few words about...™ Waterworld -- in HD

post #1 of 13
11/19/06 at 8:52am
Thread Starter 
When Waterworld hit screens eleven years ago, there seemed to be more discussion about it's two hundred million dollar budget than about the film itself.

While neither the most brilliantly written nor directed film of the era, Mr. Costner makes the character his own, and with great action sequences by director Kevin Reynolds, the film is a wonderful place to spend two hours with one's suspension of disbelief in the on mode.

Above all else, this is a fun film, with great setpieces. It becomes rather obvious where the budget went. It's all up there to be seen.

As an HD disc, the film looks much as it did on film, with occasional bits of plus or minus density intact, especially in effects scenes, with superb accurate grain structure, color and resolution.

Produced in the earlyish days of digital effects, the film is a wonderful amalgam of both digital and photo-optical work, that looks terrific on screen.

Universal has done a beautiful job porting Waterworld to HD, and the disc, along with the film, receives a Recommendation from these quarters.

RAH
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Waterworld [HD DVD]
post #2 of 13
11/19/06 at 2:04pm

Re: A few words about...™ Waterworld -- in HD

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Harris
Universal has done a beautiful job porting Waterworld to HD, and the disc, along with the film, receives a Recommendation from these quarters.

RAH

I have just completed viewing Waterworld and must agree, this is not only a very good port, but the source seems to be in extremely good shape. I had forgotten how good this filmed actually looked, and am not ashamed to admit that I have always enjoyed this movie and found it to be a good diversion.

The consistant quality of releases we are beginning to see from Universal are a pleasure indeed.
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post #3 of 13
11/20/06 at 2:58pm

Re: A few words about...™ Waterworld -- in HD

Thomas,
Agree on all other points . However , I can't help feeling that as a 'HD-Dvd only supporter' Universal aren't really doing enough to help the format . Dolby True should be standard rather than the feeling that the Dolby+ soundtracks are just stopgaps on the way to yet another re-release cycle ( Scarface anyone ?

Great mid-term report on PQ but could do better on SQ ..........................

~M~
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post #4 of 13
11/20/06 at 3:09pm

Re: A few words about...™ Waterworld -- in HD

RAH's a "Waterworld" fan?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
BRING ON THE POPCORN!!!
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post #5 of 13
11/20/06 at 10:51pm

Re: A few words about...™ Waterworld -- in HD

I really wish Universal would release a reconstructed extended version (as seen on TV). It radically improves the theatrical version (think the extended Alien 3).

Maybe next release.
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post #6 of 13
11/21/06 at 3:41am

Re: A few words about...™ Waterworld -- in HD

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cavan.B
I really wish Universal would release a reconstructed extended version (as seen on TV). It radically improves the theatrical version (think the extended Alien 3).

Maybe next release.

I prefer the original. BTW, Alien 2 was extended, with originally cut scenes added back in, Alien3 was re-envisioned; reedited by the director, with major changes to the story line.
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post #7 of 13
11/21/06 at 6:23am

Re: A few words about...™ Waterworld -- in HD

David Fincher didn't have anything to do with the Alien 3 special edition.
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post #8 of 13
11/21/06 at 1:14pm

Re: A few words about...™ Waterworld -- in HD

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Harris
....with superb accurate grain structure, color and resolution......

Just spot-checked "Waterworld" and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and I am sorry to say that I did NOT like Universal's latest HD-DVD releases too much.

My personal opinion: There is superb detail in many scenes, agreed, but it is the "grain structure" which I think is absolutely NOT accurate.

There is hardly any grain visible at all - and that's the bad thing. Whatever digital means Universal used to produce these transfers, I am sure they eliminated the film grain with excessive use of noise reduction systems.

The wonderful "film-like" look of "Backdraft", "Apollo 13", "Spartacus", "The Thing", "Chronicles of Riddick", "Van Helsing", "Red Dragon" or "Bone Collector".... with their accurate, almost noise-free grainy film look is COMPLETELY gone. The result is a more "video-like", almost "flat" look, especially with "The Grinch" which seems to be filtered to death.

This is what I was afraid of since the beginning of the "HD-DVD era" this spring, that the studios would start to eliminate the grain to accommodate the taste of the "average" consumer. I love film grain, as long as it is artifact free. Can't have enough of it. :-)

BAD, Universal, please stop filtering your transfers and bring back the grain.

My personal recommendation for today is Warner's "Forbidden Planet". A really amazing transfer with superb resolution and -in my opinion- accurate grain structure.
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post #9 of 13
11/21/06 at 1:28pm

Re: A few words about...™ Waterworld -- in HD

Here we are about 10 years after the introduction of the dvd format and we still have disagreement about film grain presence on video presentations without any regard to film knowledge or video format.




Crawdaddy
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post #10 of 13
11/21/06 at 2:15pm

Re: A few words about...™ Waterworld -- in HD

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Crawford
Here we are about 10 years after the introduction of the dvd format and we still have disagreement about film grain presence on video presentations without any regard to film knowledge or video format.




Crawdaddy


With the introduction of consumer high definition formats, for the first time now there is the technical ability to reproduce film accurately on a video medium.

Standard definition formats never could resolve "film" in its entirety down to the inherent grain structure. Neither resolution nor compression could handle grainy material without artifacting. HD resolution can and it proved with glorious transfers.

It is very saddening for me to observe elimination of grain by means of DVNR. You may agree or disagree, but I personally pray and hope we will see more transfers like "Apollo 13" and less like "Waterworld" or "Grinch" in the near future.
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post #11 of 13
11/21/06 at 2:20pm
Thread Starter 

Re: A few words about...™ Waterworld -- in HD

Films in this era were photographed on the earlier Eastman T grain stocks, with very fine grain structure, which became even less obvious when duped to intermediates.

RAH
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post #12 of 13
11/21/06 at 2:51pm

Re: A few words about...™ Waterworld -- in HD

Quote:
Originally Posted by TravisR
David Fincher didn't have anything to do with the Alien 3 special edition.

Should have stated it better. The Special Edition was an attempt to mirror Fincher's original work print. While he was not directly involved with the Special Edition, he certainly had an indirect role in it. I personally think it made it a much better film. Alternate Version]
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post #13 of 13
11/21/06 at 8:33pm

Re: A few words about...™ Waterworld -- in HD

I still found "Waterworld" marred by excessive dirt in many scenes to the point of it being rather distracting. I'm only a cheerleader for HD DVD when the image impresses me and this time I wasn't overwhelmed.
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Waterworld [HD DVD]