EL CID: UK v Germany (1 Viewer)

[john a hunter]

Given the very reasonable price being asked for the Anchor Bay UK release, I ordered it and have just checked it out with its German counterpart. That release is a bit of a problem for non German viewers defaulting to the German track and sometimes not locking on the English one when you moved tracks. The master is obviously the same and I did not expect any different but there some surprises, especially the PQ. To my eyes it looks a little sharper but with no added DNR perhaps due to a higher bit rate, cleaner and the reds not so orange looking. Sound is at a much higher level but otherwise much the same. It could be a bit richer. It was difficult to match levels exactly. 24 chapters instead of 16 but the default track is stereo not DTS Master HD. So it is not a silk purse from a sow's ear but I think a good buy for the price. The DVD was unwatchable and made me query why I thought this was one of the best epics that have ben made. The BD gives you many glimpses of what made it remarkable -the pq getting better as the film progresses. Until Du Pont gets over its antagonism to Bronston and puts some money into saving this and his other classics, this BD is by far and away the version to watch.

 

[David_B_K]

I have the German single disc version as well as the Anchor Bay. I think the better color palette to the Anchor Bay just makes it look better.

 

[john a hunter]

I have the German single disc version as well as the Anchor Bay. I think the better color palette to the Anchor Bay just makes it look better.

thanks for that David. Haven't watched it all the way through yet but the colour is certainly better and also I still think just a bit sharper.

 

[Simon Lewis]

Based on this thread, I've just ordered the UK Blu-Ray. Its really annoying to be replacing my German disc when I've only had it 6 months, but I hate the colour palette, it just doesnt look right. Has anybody got the UK Blu-Ray of "The Fall Of The Roman Empire" ? The German disc looked similar to El Cid, i.e. brown/orange tint.

 

[john a hunter]

You will find the colour balance better. I stayed away from Empire as the overture is cut.

 

[OliverK]

Maybe someone can put up some comparison caps, the colors on the German El Cid indeed look very much off, FOTRE is a bit better in that regard. John, I cannot believe Anchor Bay cut the overture from FOTRE, that's barbaric!

 

[john a hunter]

Maybe someone can put up some comparison caps, the colors on the German El Cid indeed look very much off, FOTRE is a bit better in that regard. John, I cannot believe Anchor Bay cut the overture from FOTRE, that's barbaric!

Well, yes Oliver. After the barbarians finally defeated Rome, they moved on and are still alive and well at Anchor Bay.

 

[OliverK]

Well, yes Oliver. After the barbarians finally defeated Rome, they moved on and are still alive and well at Anchor Bay.

You crack me up John! I got my El Cid Blu-Ray today as I was curious with regard to the improvements over the German Blu-Ray. As you pointed out unfortunately but not surprisingly this is from the same source as the German Blu-Ray but one gets slightly better colors with most of all red being red and not orange although this creates its own problems sometimes. There is a bit more definition, too but it seems to be merely due to some additional sharpening not present on the German Blu-Ray. This is very little sharpening we are talking about though so I would think that this is not objectionable for just about everybody. Overall still a rather weak release but certainly the best version currently available, thanks for mentioning it!

 

[john a hunter]

Pleasure Oliver. Trust the exchange rate wasn't too bad.For us here in Australia it's quite a bargain.

 

[OliverK]

Unfortunately there are no more bargains to be had due to the Euro crisis