Gladiator Blu-ray - release date 09/01/2009 - Read before buying! (1 Viewer)

[Nick Graham]

Word is that Universal mastered Gladiator (they own the overseas distribution rights) while Paramount mastered Braveheart, and one looks great while the other looks not so much.

 

[LarryH]

Thanks for the heads-up on this. I have canceled my order. This is just inexcusable!

 

[Scott Merryfield]

This is very disappointing. I had planned on buying this, along with Braveheart. Instead, I will only be purchasing the latter title.

 

[Xylon]

I have seen the movie. The PQ is unacceptable. As soon as you get to see that unmolested extended scenes, you will just shake your head on how FUBAR the final product is. Excessive DNR and EE applied on the rest of the movie. Double whammy. Unless you belong to the "better than DVD" or "What's EE or DNR?" crowd this "Sapphire Series" title is going to be among the worst looking high definition title I have ever own.

The BEV broadcast is still the definitive best version PQ of this movie.




Braveheart however looks great. Unfiltered, no "force fields with no waxy picture.

 

[RDarrylR]

I'll accept that there are likely problems with this particular release but how many Blu-rays have you tagged as ruined and terrible and how many of those do you think that people actually were fine with when watching them in person?

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Originally Posted by RDarrylR

I'll accept that there are likely problems with this particular release but how many Blu-rays have you tagged as ruined and terrible and how many of those do you think that people actually were fine with when watching them in person?

So because some people are "fine" with it, we should ignore obvious flaws and pretend there's nothing wrong with it? Sorry, but some people hold their art to a higher standard than the masses; and that's a good thing that everyone benefits from, whether they know it or not.

 

[Josh Dial]

I won't be buying. Further, I will be advising all my friends (those who don't frequent this site) to follow suit.

Simply unacceptable.

 

[Brian Borst]

If Universal would've used the master for the extended edition for the entire movie, it wouldn't have looked so bad. I really hope Forrest Gump will turn out all right like Braveheart, but then again Paramount used older masters on the Star Trek movies too.
In any way, I'm definitely not buying Gladiator.

 

[Edwin-S]

I was looking forward to this title, but the examples here look awful. I looked at a close up Connie Nielson (Lucille) and parts of the image actually looked like it was suffering from "posterization". I'll be holding off on this one until they put out a decent transfer.

 

[Nick Martin]

Since I've never seen that kind of defect before, how do the sections of the image actually disappear? What causes that to happen?

 

[RobertR]

Originally Posted by Nicholas Martin

Since I've never seen that kind of defect before, how do the sections of the image actually disappear? What causes that to happen?

Overzealous dirt and scratch removal software that fails to distinguish between those things and parts of the picture.

 

[Ron-P]

I'll give it a rent first. Screen grabs aren't worth the time it takes to look at them, I need to see for myself. Those screen grabs look just fine to me. If the rental looks good, I'll buy. If it doesn't, I won't.

 

[Edwin-S]

To each their own; however, I can, in no way, figure out how chunks of spears being erased could actually be interpreted as looking fine.

 

[RobertR]

The thing is, I haven't read a single thing from people who have actually watched the disc that contradicts what the screen caps show. And it isn't just missing objects. It's smeared away detail and THICK EE halos. People sometimes look like they have a force field around them.

 

[Edwin-S]

I noticed that (EE) in some of the caps. I'm not one to say that screen captures are the be all and end all in determining the quality of a transfer. In fact, sometimes I have trouble seeing some of the issues that people spot in captures. I did not have that problem with the caps of this film. The transfer of this film has some pretty obvious problems that are clearly showing up in these particular captures. The problems are so apparent that I would find it hard to believe that people would not also see them if the picture was moving.

 

[hotwizz]

Are you guys watching movies either in microscope or with binoculars ?! Why should Fox dare to release any thing other than top notch quality transfer?

 

[Sergio]

Hello again,

From The Digital Bits http://www.thedigitalbits.com/#mytwocents
[COLOR= #000000]
[/COLOR]"In the end, Paramount has a big decision to make. The uneven video quality of these two titles really damages the launch and reputation of Paramount's new Sapphire Series, and it should never have happened that way. But a "premium" label on the cover of a Blu-ray Disc means nothing if the disc doesn't deliver the quality it should. Somehow, Gladiator slipped through the cracks. Again, it's not terrible. But compared to Braveheart especially, it's utterly disappointing. The real shame is, had the title simply been delayed for a few months, the studios could have prepared a new state-of-the-art HD transfer befitting both the Sapphire label and the film itself, and then released Gladiator has a 10th Anniversary Sapphire Edition early next year. As things are, Paramount is obviously going ahead with the release of both Gladiator and Braveheart on Tuesday. [COLOR= #0000ff]What I HOPE happens - what I STRONGLY encourage - is that the studio immediately runs a new HD transfer, and then either recalls the disc or makes it a running production change. Either way, they should arrange an exchange program for those fans who purchase the disc on Tuesday in the meantime. IF Paramount takes quick steps to correct the disc and make things right with fans who purchase it, that will go a very long way toward restoring confidence in the Sapphire line.[/COLOR] So that's what I HOPE the studio decides to do. With luck, we'll learn more next week.

In the meantime, forewarned is forearmed. Braveheart is spectacular and is well worth your money, in terms of video, audio and extras. The audio and extras for Gladiator are first rate, but the video quality is WELL below average for the Blu-ray format. Adjust your purchase plans accordingly."


Regards,

 

[Jeff Robertson]

Thank you! This is such a simple statement but one that has not been stressed enough. The new Bits article goes on again to say you can't judge the image quality of a disc by screenshots, and yet goes on to describe all the same problems with Gladiator that the screenshots have clearly showed! I'm not foolish enough to believe that *only* screenshots should be used to determine quality, but when the same people who post the screenshots have *also* watched the disc and have a reputation for providing accurate screen capturing methods, then I will most certainly put my trust in this method.

I don't have to waste money on renting or even more on buying to "see for myself" when somone was kind enough to provide all the information I need to know ahead of time.

Kudos to those review sites that help me make wise purchasing decisions.

Braveheart: Bought!

Gladiator: NOT!

Originally Posted by RobertR

The thing is, I haven't read a single thing from people who have actually watched the disc that contradicts what the screen caps show. And it isn't just missing objects. It's smeared away detail and THICK EE halos. People sometimes look like they have a force field around them.

 

[Brandon Conway]

Originally Posted by hotwizz /forum/thread/292119/gladiator-blu-ray-release-date-09-01-2009-do-not-buy/30#post_3600584

 

[Carlo_M]

Ugh, I want both Braveheart and Gladiator, and I want to take advantage of Best Buy's buy both and get $10 off. But I am torn between the savings and not wanting to reward such an obvious sub-par effort.

I think I will buy both, and then hope that Paramount (with pressure from The Bits, HTF and maybe even people involved with Scott Free Productions - Charlie D. are you reading this? Would you mind lending your voice of displeasure to ours with your industry contacts?) issues a correction a la Sony's Fifth Element BD. Then I'll be more than happy to mail my copy in for a quality presentation.

We're already several years into the Blu Ray era...this sort of thing, especially on a flagship title from one of the big studios, should not be happening.