A Few Words About A few words about...™ Dirty Harry & The Dead Pool -- in Blu-Ray (1 Viewer)

I wanted to get something posted concerning the new Blu-ray boxed set of five Clint Eastwood / Dirty Harry films. I received product on saturday, and only had the capability to preview the first (Dirty Harry - 1971) and last (The Dead Pool - 1988).

How do they look?

As the bank-robber asks in Dirty Harry... "I got's to know."

I couldn't be more pleased to see Blu-ray back on track.

Dirty Harry looks precisely as it should as a 1971 Eastman 5254 production.

A good touch of crisp grain, creating a overall gritty look is the basis of the cinematography.

The Dead Pool, produced at a time when one could select the speed and relative grain structure of the film that one was shooting also looks correct.

So brief and to the point.

Both films (I'll get to the others at a later date) look very much like original prints of the film.

Color, densities, black levels and grain all look correct.

I would call Dirty Harry and The Dead Pool perfectly produced Blu-ray discs, as they properly replicate the original cinema experience.

Thank you Warner Home Video. I couldn't be more thrilled.

You've hit your target dead on.

Very Highly Recommended.

RAH

Thank you for your comments as they confirm my posted opinion about the quality of this boxset. However, I found it strange that you would watch "The Dead Pool" over "Magnum Force" or "The Enforcer" who are in my opinion, better films.

I bought the stand-alone 'Dirty Harry' title, and was likewise very pleased. My expectations were surpassed. Another dependable job by Warner.

It's great to have my humble opinion confirmed.

In a semi-related vein, I actually found a little more respect for Sudden Impact after listening to Richard Schickel's commentary on it. It's not a great movie but, like I said, I have some more respect for it now.

Great news. It's so good to hear when a studio does it right.

This is getting really tempting...

As I posted in the official review thread, I'm still in two minds on this. I have the previous SD boxset, I want o to avoid double-dipping as much as possible aside from the absolute favourites, e.g. Star Wars (if and when it comes out). Much as I like Dirty Harry, it's not quite up there.

An additional question: Is there anything missing from the BD versions that is on the SD versions? As far as I can tell, no, unlike the Rambo collection where the SD version had another disc of extras. And is everything from the old set ported over as well?

I cannot comment on the extras as I am not that interested in them nor do I own previous versions but the picture quality is such a big upgrade over the DVDs that you will not regret to double-dip. It is really like watching film most of the time and I was already wondering why RAH did not comment on it before

I have both boxset releases so in the next couple of days, I'll try to do a comparison. I do know that Dirty Harry BRD has everything, plus at least one new featurette on it compared to the SD DVD.





Crawdaddy

Robert,

I was watching the films for technical reasons as opposed to content -- looking at the way that the different film stocks, dupes, etc. were handled in the process to Blu-ray.

I was ribbing you about that choice more than anything else.





Crawdaddy

I totally agree. I had never seen Sudden Impact letterboxed before, either, and that also increased my appreciation of the movie.

The only things missing from the 2001 "The Dirty Harry Series" that's not on any of the discs in this BR "Dirty Harry Ultimate Collector's Edition" are the following:

• Cast and Crew (1 Slide)
• Behind the Scenes (1-2 Slides)
• On Location (1-2 Slides)
• Memorable Lines (1 Slide)

However, the following are not included in the SD DVD boxset, but are on this BR release that are new and most of the featurettes are presented in HD.

Dirty Harry

• Richard Schickel Commentary
• Long Shadow of Dirty Harry
• Clint Eastwood Out of the Shadows
• Clint Eastwood Man from Malpaso

Magnum Force

• John Milius Commentary
• A Moral Right: The Politics of Dirty Harry

The Enforcer

• James Fargo Commentary
• The Business End: Violence in Cinema

Sudden Impact

• Richard Schickel Commentary
• The Evolution of Clint Eastwood

The Dead Pool

• Jack N. Green/David Valdes Commentary
• The Craft of Dirty Harry

Many thanks Crawdaddy, I think I'm sold on this now...

Anybody else check out the double feature releases of the Dirty Harry movies? I was very pleased with the Dirty Harry/Magnum Force Action Double Feature Blu that I picked up at Walmart for $20, and have my eyes out for the Enforcer/Sudden Impact Action Double Feature Blu.

I love how all the Dirty Harry releases from the set contain the original WB's opening logos. It makes watching them all the more enjoyable. I know it is a small thing but is it part of the history of the film.

Just to point out ... the double feature discs are the same (extras, etc.) as those in the collected box set. So if you prefer a particular title or want to save some overall change....