A Few Words About A few words about...™ The Longest Day -- in Blu-Ray (1 Viewer)

[Professor_Echo]

The question of subtitle placement reminds me of when this film was shown on ABC in the 70's and was framed so badly the second line of a subtitle could not be seen on the TV screen. This led to one of my favorite newspaper headlines from a TV critic the next day: "Subtitles In The Carpet!"

 

[Geoff_D]

I'm on the fence with this one. I love The Longest Day but I hate grain reduction. And yet I own Face/Off, The Untouchables, Top Gun et al simply because I like the films so much that I can't spurn the HD versions, despite their shortcomings.

The Longest Day looks horribly soft and indistinct on DVD (even the most recent 2-discer), and although the Beaver's screen caps aren't the greatest, being shots of a screen rather than direct captures, they've convinced me as to the sheer vibrancy of the HD presentation.

RAH, I think you've persuaded me to shell out yet again for this classic movie (although it helps that the extras from the DVD are present, which is amazing coming from Fox).

 

[JPCinema]

I think what I like about the BD transfer of TLD is that (although it was not shot in 70MM granted) but it looks like one...as 70mm had very little grain.
In the late 60's and early 70's I worked at a Cinerama thater in San Diego.
We played true 70mm films (Patton/ 2001/ Grand Prix/ Ryan's Daughter) to blow up 70mm film (Camelot/ Goodbye Mr Chips and Darling Lili). I loved the pristine clarity and depth of the true 70mm films. Upon watching TLD it reminded me of those true 70mm films. Watching on my 60 inch screen I feel like I'm seeing a true roadshow film.

 

[john a hunter]

I haven't seen TLD yet-still waiting on Amazon, but if the faces look as though everyone has been airbrushed and there is no texture, I can't see how it can look like proper 70mm. 70mm from a 65 mm neg excelled at that type of thing which blow-ups just couldn't manage.

 

[Michel_Hafner]

Rent it, borrow it. Must you own?

 

[Danny_N]

Renting is not an option because as far as I know I can't yet rent BDs in my country (The Netherlands), and even if I could, The Longest Day is not getting a release here. Borrowing isn't an option either since I don't know anybody else in real life who owns a BD player.
So if I don't buy it I'll be stuck with the SD until the end of times and the SD is so bad that I'll gladly take the BD despite the DNR.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Sounds like this is still a fair improvement over the 2-disc DVD edition. True? I need to upgrade my old non-anamorphic disc (and if Fox decided to include the existing extras, then I definitely want to support that decision by purchasing this, which I almost certainly wouldn't do had they left 'em off).

EDIT: Whichever method Gary used to get those screen caps, the BD is very clearly an enormous upgrade from the earlier editions. And all those nice extras are there. Thank you, Fox!

 

[Robert Crawford]

It's not good to tell others how to spend their money. I can't tell you how many times I had to bite my tongue because, who am I, to tell another person what they should do with their monies.






Crawdaddy

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I thought it was a reasonable suggestion (and a reasonable answer). At least he wasn't rude about it.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yes, it was reasonable, but so were my comments against Fox's pricing structure, but in the end, how others spend their money is a personal matter that should be respected as such by me and others.

 

[Michel_Hafner]

I don't intend to tell anyone what to do. It's silly to even try, assuming you have power over any strangers. I'm giving advice and speak up about what I (don't) believe in. My income does not depend on the good will of studios so I can do that. I do so in my own best interest since I depend on what is supplied, like anyone else. And the supply is shaped by the demand.

 

[Robert Crawford]

None of us, who don't work in the industry depends on the good will of the studios for our income. If the supply is shaped by demand then why would the studios release titles that are not selling which would be your alternative because you're unhappy with the DNR applied to this release? By the way, you're not the only one unhappy about this issue, but "cutting off your nose to spite your face" is not the alternative I'm going to choose in this situation.

 

[Jari K]

I´ll get this for sure, I have some great memories of this one (saw it first time when I was just a kid). No review will stop me.

I *might* wait for the upcoming (I´m sure that they´re coming..) "Xmas sales" (or before that, of course) from Amazon, etc. We´ll see.

Btw. I agree with Robert C., that these "people, don´t buy this release because of this-and-that" is just childish.

 

[Jesse Blacklow]

The screenshots (even at low rez) I've seen show easily notable improvement over the DVD, with none of the poorly-done reduction of, say, "Face/Off". No preorder cancellation here.

 

[Michel_Hafner]

Huh? You assume it won't sell because it has DNR? Or because it does not have DNR?
My point is if you don't want DNR to become the standard your only hope to achieve that is not buying it yourself and educate as many as you can about the issue, and hope others do the same. Either that or let things fall in place wherever that may be while sitting around with a calm Buddha smile on your face. No guarantee whatsoever it goes your way with either way you may chose.
We are early in the game with HD media and studios are trying different things to see how people react. The public's preference for DNR so far is not clearly established, neither is the opposite. The reviewers are a mixed bunch as well with some deducting points at every hint of 'noise'/grain while others discriminate more. If there is a time to argue against DNR with words and your wallet it is now, as things are in flux and 'good practices' and workflows are experimented with. As are the types of films released.
I'm not too pessimistic. Film like transfers will come regularly from film makers and labels who care. The trend for new films is low grain and digital origination. Both should not require (much) DNR even for picky grain haters.
What exactly was your point again? I should leave Gasim in the desert?

 

[Danny_N]

I hate DNR and I agree with you but to a point. If I don't buy The Longest Day what message do I send out to Fox? That I don't like DNR or that I don't like classic movies in b/w?
There are so few releases that I'm interested in (mainly classics) that at this point I'll take what I can get, even if it has a little DNR. I want the studios to know that there is a market for classics out there.

 

[Robert Harris]

One can also take the position of allowing their thoughts to be heard, as the studios do monitor these forums, and make the purchase in support of classic or "catalog" cinema.

Regardless of which side of the DNR fence one falls, it is undeniable that effort and expense has gone into these releases.

RAH

 

[Robert Crawford]

My point is the studios won't make the connection that the reason why catalog titles are not selling is because of the overuse of DNR. In short, they'll think people are just not interested in seeing catalog films on Blu-ray. Right now, the studios are already antsy about releasing films from the Golden Age of film onto Blu-ray. If it wasn't for Warner and Sony, we wouldn't have any of those films from that era on Blu-ray. What is said on this site and others like it don't carry the weight it once did with the studios. I really don't think that those in charge are aware there is a problem because we've been screaming about excessive DNR for years and nothing appears to have changed from SD DVD to Blu-ray.

What you do with your money is your business, but I'm going to continue to buy BR catalog releases as long as the overuse of DNR doesn't make the picture unbearable for me to watch.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Exactly! I have arguments everyday about whether Blu-ray offers any benefit to classic titles and I'm sure the same arguments might be happening at the studios or to the very least, an argument that a market for Blu-ray classics doesn't exist because enough units aren't selling.




Crawdaddy

 

[Robert Crawford]

RAH,
I honestly don't think the studios care about this DNR issue. We've been screaming about it for years on this forum and it's been noted on other internet sites. The overall response from this forum and one I totally agree with is that the studios need to stop the excessive usage of DNR because of reasons well noted on this forum.