A few words about...™ U-571 -- in Blu-ray

Roger Ebert usually says it best, and when his words are available and I can't say it better...

"This is a movie for action-oriented kids. "Das Boot" and "The Hunt for Red October" were about military professionals whose personalities were crucial to the plot. The story of "U-571" is the flimsiest excuse for a fabricated action payoff. Submarine service veterans in the audience are going to be laughing their heads off."

But what does it look and sound like?

It appears that Universal decided to take their time with Blu-ray, and rather than jumping into uncharted technical waters after dropping HD, re-grouped and figured out how to release the best product possible.

While I truly hope this is correct, the release of U-571 adds credence to that mindset, as this Blu-ray, part of their second series of releases, is right up there with the best of them when it comes to transfer. Audio, available via the DTS-HD Master format is also spot on.

As Mr. Ebert noted, this is not a serious submarine drama. It also has very little to do with the real history of WWII, but those who appreciate a good action film might just like U-571.

Technically Recommended, which is the important message here, as it gives Universal a solid string of BD releases, all of superior quality.

Edit: 8/25/08 -- one of the learned review staff of HTF, who has studiously followed the various home video incarnations of 571 from D-Theater onward has brought it to our collective attentions that grain has been reduced. This is acknowledged, but the overall qualty of the release goes undiminished.

There are certain situations which should call for stricter adherence to the original grain concept for Blu-ray. Academy Award winning films and nominees... films for which the cinematographic effort should be reproduced as closely to film as possible.

It would be nice that if after things calm from the DNR / grain reduction discussions, that we have that for all titles.

RAH

Re: A few words about...™ U-571 -- in Blu-ray

I re-visited 571 late last night.

This appears to be one of those cases for which light reduction has been applied, but does not appear to do any harm.

What we need to realize in a general sense is that there is now, or certainly has been, an effort at the studio and / or post level to provide Blu-ray aficionados (an inherently clean people) with clean images to suit their taste.

While grain has been reduced, the image still looks filmic. Not plastic. Not video.

And right now, especially in a time of what may be DNR turmoil on a tech level, I'm happy with a slightly de-grained image that yields an undistorted final result.

On that level, I do not find 571 problematic. The tech points are the least of its problems.

Unnecessary DNR and grain reduction will hopefully disappear, but attacking releases already in the pipeline isn't going to be helpful, especially on the level of 571.

If the changes made to the image are apparent only to those who know the film in question inside out, and those changes haven not infected the image, turning it to either video or plastic, we need to provide a bit of breathing room for the disc purveyors, and allow them to get their wares out into the marketplace without continual confrontations, while they find their way toward determining what it is that the consumer really desires.

Posting comparative frame grabs in the current atmosphere isn't going to be helpful.

RAH

Re: A few words about...™ U-571 -- in Blu-ray

As I noted, decisions made for this release could easily go back six months or more. Had I my druthers, the original grain would be represented. My point, however, is that this isn't a problematic release. It most likely represents the corporate mindset c. January 2008 or earlier.

The Blu-ray community is going to have to give the DNR / grain reduction situation into 2009 to be ironed out.

In the meantime, while I believe that "plasticized" or mummified releases should be brought to the attention of the purchasing public, those with a bit of massaging of the image are best given a pass.

Re: A few words about...™ U-571 -- in Blu-ray

Xylon goes to great trouble to select, harvest and post frames for comparison, and his postings are appreciated.

In most cases those frames are helpful in making points, and illuminating discussion.

But it is important to keep in mind that they are tools, and that as such they are a piece of the puzzle.

In extreme cases, and titles need not be mentioned again, the poor use of tech tools sits right out in the open.

In other cases, and 571 is one of them, viewing frame grabs, with obviously diminished grain, tells a part of the tale, but leaves to the viewer to determine precisely how different the final moving image will appear on one's home theater screen.

With Blu-ray's throughput and ability to reproduce the look of cinema simple is better.

Leave the grain.

Take the cannoli.