Blade Runner 30th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray available for preorder (1 Viewer)

[ijthompson]

It's looking like no one (including myself) wants to buy this!
Like many of you, I've got the blu-ray 5-disc set, and the dvd briefcase... that'll do for me! I'd like to have the image gallery and the booklet, but not for that price (and who cares about the toys). Without the extras in HD, I'll not be buying this unless WB can get me a date with Sean Young!

 

[Scott Calvert]

Higher bit rates wouldn't do much for this or almost any other film. When it needs it, the bit rate jumps up around 28mbps. Also almost a1/3 of the image area is taken up by the black bars, and large areas of the film frame are actually black with no detail through out much of the film. Add to that it was encoded in the VC-1 codec which is somewhat more efficient than AVC.
For the vast majority of visual material, an average bit rate above 20mbps is over kill and a waste of space.
Doug

Ahh, Doug Monce, HTF's perennial advocate for compromised quality. I'll never understand it.
Blade Runner can definitely benefit from utilizing the space that is available on BD and the higher average bitrate that would follow. Especially in reproducing the grain structure and reducing compression artifacts in some of the darker scenes.
Not just Blade Runner either, but any number of Warner titles, especially those that use the same encodes of their HD-DVD counterparts. The original BD's of the Superman movies have plenty of compression artifacts. So does The Exorcist. Just because you don't see them doesn't mean others can't. Do you have something against utilizing available space or something?

 

[Douglas Monce]

Ahh, Doug Monce, HTF's perennial advocate for compromised quality. I'll never understand it.
Blade Runner can definitely benefit from utilizing the space that is available on BD and the higher average bitrate that would follow. Especially in reproducing the grain structure and reducing compression artifacts in some of the darker scenes.
Not just Blade Runner either, but any number of Warner titles, especially those that use the same encodes of their HD-DVD counterparts. The original BD's of the Superman movies have plenty of compression artifacts. So does The Exorcist. Just because you don't see them doesn't mean others can't. Do you have something against utilizing available space or something?

Quality isn't compromised when bumping up the bit rate will do nothing to improve the image. Of course there are some moments in a film when the images will need higher bit rates, hence the variable bit rate used on blu-ray. The vast majority of visual material will see no significant improvement by increasing the bit rate above about 20 to 25 mbps. Yes I have seen some films on blu-ray that were badly encoded and artifacts are visible. Blade Runner isn't one of them. If you are seeing compression artifacts in the black areas of the image, then you need to have your TV properly calibrated.
I have nothing against utilizing the space, if its needed. Most movies 2 hours and under don't need it, and shouldn't need a second disc for extras because the bit rate has been needlessly cranked up to satisfy meter watchers.
Doug

 

[MattAlbie60]

As much as I want to buy this for completionist's sake, I'll probably end up passing. Besides - let's not pretend this won't get rereleased again when Scott's BLADE RUNNER sequel hits theaters/home video in a few years

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I am quite satisfied with the current BD release, so put me in the camp of those who will not be double-dipping on this one.

 

[Doctorossi]

Blade Runner is my favorite film and I've dreamed of a revision of the five-disc set that would correct its mistakes and make technical improvements where possible. Sadly, from everything I've been reading, this does not appear to be it. I'm going to keep an eye on it and find out if the encodes are the same, etc. I'll snap it up if they even give me a quarter of a reason, but I'm losing hope.

 

[Adam Gregorich]

Originally Posted by Doctorossi /t/321110/blade-runner-30th-anniversary-edition-blu-ray-available-for-preorder#post_3932593
Blade Runner is my favorite film and I've dreamed of a revision of the five-disc set that would correct its mistakes and make technical improvements where possible. Sadly, from everything I've been reading, this does not appear to be it. I'm going to keep an eye on it and find out if the encodes are the same, etc. I'll snap it up if they even give me a quarter of a reason, but I'm losing hope.

Dr.-
What are some of the mistakes you feel they maid on the five disc set, and what technical improvements would you like to see?

 

[Ruz-El]

Originally Posted by Adam Gregorich /t/321110/blade-runner-30th-anniversary-edition-blu-ray-available-for-preorder#post_3932682
Dr.-
What are some of the mistakes you feel they maid on the five disc set, and what technical improvements would you like to see?

I'm wondering the same thing. I haven't looked it up, but I seem to recall the previous blu getting universal praise as a reference disc and representative of how the film should look. I'm not sure how it became such a flawed pressing full of artifacts and what not since. Do they age badly when sat on a a shelf for a few years or something?

 

[Vincent_P]

I had heard that the soundtrack for the 1992 "Director's Cut" has some errors, but can't recall exactly what they are, and since I have no interest in watching that cut of the film it never bothered me but I can understand why completists would want it corrected.
Also to Doug- I thought it was pretty well established that at the time, WB was doing some pre-filtering of high-frequency detail on their HD titles to make them more compression-friendly. The newer CASABLANCA Blu-ray compared to the original release seems to bear this out. An unfiltered BLADE RUNNER with a new encode would entice me to buy this, but not if it's the same old encodes dumped onto new discs. So, this isn't just about me watching my bit-rate meter as you suggest.
Vincent

 

[Michel_Hafner]

Higher bit rates wouldn't do much for this or almost any other film. When it needs it, the bit rate jumps up around 28mbps. Also almost a1/3 of the image area is taken up by the black bars, and large areas of the film frame are actually black with no detail through out much of the film. Add to that it was encoded in the VC-1 codec which is somewhat more efficient than AVC.
For the vast majority of visual material, an average bit rate above 20mbps is over kill and a waste of space.
Doug

Pretty much any 35mm film profits from bit rates into the 30s. An average bit rate below 20 Mbit/s is nowhere near visually lossless or optimal for Blade Runner. When peaks go up to 28 valleys go down to below 15 or even 10. There is no going around the average which is insufficient in this case. And VC-1 is not more efficient than AVC is now. Blade Runner looks overcompressed, smoothed and lacks fine HF detail.

 

[Zack Gibbs]

I'm wondering the same thing. I haven't looked it up, but I seem to recall the previous blu getting universal praise as a reference disc and representative of how the film should look. I'm not sure how it became such a flawed pressing full of artifacts and what not since. Do they age badly when sat on a a shelf for a few years or something?

If you go look at some of the early praised DVD releases and see how they hold up to later ones, you'll see the same thing. Blade Runner was great in its day, and no one is saying it looks awful now. But the technology has gotten better over the years, and that makes Blade Runner's flaws more apparent. It's just like any other technology. You can't be top tier forever.

 

[PhilipG]

Well, I am looking forward to buying this... if there's a Region Free/B version. I got into Blu-Ray late and the only Blade Runner that seems available to me here in Europe is the 'Final' cut. I personally prefer the 1992 cut and that's the one I want to see in HD.

 

[Chuck Anstey]

I didn't realize that the 5 disc BD was out of print.  I was eventually planning on doing the red2blu and trade in my HD DVD for the BD.  So much for that idea.

Is the red2blu program still available? I did not take advantage of it but I might reconsider on a the Harry Potter movies and maybe a few others.

 

[rayman1701]

Originally Posted by Chuck Anstey /t/321110/blade-runner-30th-anniversary-edition-blu-ray-available-for-preorder/30#post_3932777
Is the red2blu program still available? I did not take advantage of it but I might reconsider on a the Harry Potter movies and maybe a few others.

I don't think so, when I use the link now (just tried again to see) it goes to the DVD2BLU page, so I think that ship has finally sailed. Here's the link in case anyone wants it: Red2Blu - Upgrade Your Warner Bros. HD-DVDs for New Blu-Ray Discs - Product Listing

 

[Doctorossi]

Adam,
In "completely-reasonable-but-I've-learned-not-to-hold-my-breath-land", I'd like a new encode of the final cut, the supplements (Dangerous Days, in particular) that were intended for HD to be in HD, lossless audio on the additional cuts and consolidation onto fewer discs.
In "utter-pie-in-the-sky-land", I'd like new, cleaned-up transfers of the additional cuts.
Also, I'm not excited about this set being another trinket-fest. Digibook? Yes. Toy car? No, thanks.

 

[Douglas Monce]

.
Also to Doug- I thought it was pretty well established that at the time, WB was doing some pre-filtering of high-frequency detail on their HD titles to make them more compression-friendly. The newer CASABLANCA Blu-ray compared to the original release seems to bear this out. An unfiltered BLADE RUNNER with a new encode would entice me to buy this, but not if it's the same old encodes dumped onto new discs. So, this isn't just about me watching my bit-rate meter as you suggest.
Vincent

Quite possibly true, but boosting the bit rate would have no effect on this.
Doug

 

[Douglas Monce]

Pretty much any 35mm film profits from bit rates into the 30s. An average bit rate below 20 Mbit/s is nowhere near visually lossless or optimal for Blade Runner. When peaks go up to 28 valleys go down to below 15 or even 10. There is no going around the average which is insufficient in this case. And VC-1 is not more efficient than AVC is now. Blade Runner looks overcompressed, smoothed and lacks fine HF detail.

A highly debatable point with which I don't agree.
Doug

 

[Adam Gregorich]

I don't think so, when I use the link now (just tried again to see) it goes to the DVD2BLU page, so I think that ship has finally sailed. Here's the link in case anyone wants it: Red2Blu - Upgrade Your Warner Bros. HD-DVDs for New Blu-Ray Discs - Product Listing

I guess that ship has sailed. Oh well. procrastination strikes again. I have enough older DVDs were I could trade in for some of the Blu-rays. Ultimately I would like to have one format. I have been focusing more on upgrading DVDs, but if I see a great price on a BD I'll take the plunge. Especially on some of the new triple packs.

 

[Scott Calvert]

Quite possibly true, but boosting the bit rate would have no effect on this.
Doug

Did you actually have a straight face when you typed this? Because I can't imagine how.
What exactly is your point? That boosting the bitrate on a pre-filtered title won't bring about more detail? Well, duh. The point is, filtering to make compression easier becomes less of an issue the more space you have to work with. So why limit yourself when the space is there? I'll ask again, do you like compression artifacts or something? Or is it a case of "I can't see them, so the complainers can go to hell?"

 

[Dave H]

I do think a less filtered, higher bit rate re-encode would lead to a slight, but noticeable improvement. We've seen this proven with some of Universal's titles (Miami Vice, The Breakfast Club, and a few others) when comparing the HD DVD to the BD. In addition, today's abilities are just more advanced compared to 2007 in terms of authoring and compressing.