What's new

Matt Hough

Reviewer
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2006
Messages
26,152
Location
Charlotte, NC
Real Name
Matt Hough
I don't know for sure and don't really care one way or other, but back then, didn't they re-release Best Picture winners to capitalized on Oscar wins? I suspect some of that final tally for Braveheart came not from its original release which was, as we all remember, thought a disappointment, but from extra money picked up after it won Best Picture. It used to be a Best Picture win would guarantee an extra $10 million. Maybe after the VHS revolution that wasn't true any more (it added to video sales and rentals instead), but it's just me thinking out loud (via keyboard).
 
  • Like
Reactions: PMF

Tino

Taken As Ballast
Premium
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 19, 1999
Messages
23,570
Location
Metro NYC
Real Name
Valentino
I don't know for sure and don't really care one way or other, but back then, didn't they re-release Best Picture winners to capitalized on Oscar wins? I suspect some of that final tally for Braveheart came not from its original release which was, as we all remember, thought a disappointment, but from extra money picked up after it won Best Picture. It used to be a Best Picture win would guarantee an extra $10 million. Maybe after the VHS revolution that wasn't true any more (it added to video sales and rentals instead), but it's just me thinking out loud (via keyboard).
If I recall correctly, Braveheart was released post Oscars win but did not significantly increase it’s boxoffice totals.
 

Colin Jacobson

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2000
Messages
13,328
Like you said. For that film at that time with the talent involved it was expected to do more. My point is it’s boxoffice was not as bad as was thought in 1995.

I didn't think the film was viewed as a bomb, but it definitely didn't sell a lot of tickets, and we agree that Gibson's presence meant more was expected.

Though I'm not sure how realistic that was - even with an "A"-list star, a three-hour period piece about an obscure (to Americans) historical figure sounded like a tough sell.

It's less a surprise the movie didn't sell lots of tickets and more a surprise anyone thought it would.

"Se7en"'s success comes as the bigger surprise, IMO. Yeah, Brad Pitt gave it star value, but still - that's an awfully dark film.

Sure, there's precedent for hits that're dark - "Exorcist", "Silence of the Lambs" - but it's still a surprise when it happens!
 

Colin Jacobson

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2000
Messages
13,328
If I recall correctly, Braveheart was released post Oscars win but did not significantly increase it’s boxoffice totals.

I looked at the "Braveheart" totals on BOM and it had a weird pattern.

For its 1st 2.5 months, it went through the normal declines - until the weekend of September 15, where it jumped massively.

Apparently it got a "re-release" - it went from 121 screens to 1700!

Not sure why they decided to do that, but it gave the movie more juice. It'd made $60m to that point but it added $6m more than next 3 weeks.

It then lost theaters rapidly and was out of theaters by the end of 1995 - until February 1996, when it went back into 792 screens as the Oscar nom push.

From 2/96 until it finally left screens, it added about $8 million.

So to recap: "Braveheart" made $60m in its "initial run" and added $7m in its fall re-release. A winter 1996 re-re-release threw another $8m on the pile.

This means it made 20% of its total during its "normal release" run - and that's where it'd probably ended up if 1995 video release patterns were the same as those in 2018. A May release is now out on Blu-ray by August!

Yeah, they'd have re-released it into theaters for the Oscars, but I doubt that would've added much. I could be wrong, but I suspect that the Oscar re-releases don't much benefit movies that're already available for home video...
 

Colin Jacobson

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2000
Messages
13,328
To me, that's like saying that The Sopranos and GoodFellas are the same because they both feature characters involved in the mafia.

No, it's not like that at all.

"GF" and "Casino" share the same director, the same writers, some of the same actors, and are very similar stylistically.

If you like "Casino", more power to you, but let's not act like it's a movie that differs greatly from "GoodFellas". It really is a semi-remake...
 

Bryan^H

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2005
Messages
9,515
I agree and years later I still find that Apollo 13 the superior film.

Me too. I like both films immensely, but Apollo 13 I think is slightly better. I just watched the UHD disc and fell in love with it all over again, such a great, inspiring movie.

I can't wait to see the 4K Transfer of Braveheart.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PMF

Lord Dalek

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2005
Messages
7,093
Real Name
Joel Henderson
No, it's not like that at all.

"GF" and "Casino" share the same director, the same writers, some of the same actors, and are very similar stylistically.

If you like "Casino", more power to you, but let's not act like it's a movie that differs greatly from "GoodFellas". It really is a semi-remake...

...that's like saying Goodfellas is a semiremake of Raging Bull though.
 

Colin Jacobson

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2000
Messages
13,328
...that's like saying Goodfellas is a semiremake of Raging Bull though.

<_<<_<<_<

No, not at all. Yes, they involved some of the same personnel, but the subject matter was different and the styles were very different.

Like I said earlier, if people like "Casino", that's great, but it really is very similar to "GoodFellas". It's not like I'm the only person who's ever made that claim...
 

PMF

Premium
Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 6, 2015
Messages
6,003
Real Name
Philip
...that's like saying Goodfellas is a semiremake of Raging Bull though.
No it isn't. Not once in did I ever hear Robert De Niro tell Sharon Stone to "kiss the boo-boo"
Ooops, wrong film, I was thinkin' "Casino".
 

PMF

Premium
Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 6, 2015
Messages
6,003
Real Name
Philip
I am of the understanding that there were two BD releases of "Gladiator"
One was the Sapphire Edition and purportedly a better or corrected one which followed.
Meanwhile, what is known of the BD that accompanies the 4K/UHD?
Is it the corrected transfer ported over, or is it on an even higher level?

I also wonder if anyone can clarify if the BD that accompanies the 4K/UHD of "Braveheart" is bested from the Sapphire edition, as well?
 

Douglas_H

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Nov 29, 2000
Messages
241
<_<<_<<_<

No, not at all. Yes, they involved some of the same personnel, but the subject matter was different and the styles were very different.

Like I said earlier, if people like "Casino", that's great, but it really is very similar to "GoodFellas". It's not like I'm the only person who's ever made that claim...

Huh?
Do you actually know what the 2 movies are about?
Goodfellas is the story of Henry Hill.
Casino is the story of Lefty Rosenthal.
 

Colin Jacobson

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2000
Messages
13,328
I am of the understanding that there were two BD releases of "Gladiator"
One was the Sapphire Edition and purportedly a better or corrected one which followed.
Meanwhile, what is known of the BD that accompanies the 4K/UHD?
Is it the corrected transfer ported over, or is it on an even higher level?

I also wonder if anyone can clarify if the BD that accompanies the 4K/UHD of "Braveheart" is bested from the Sapphire edition, as well?

Yes - the BD with the 4K is the "corrected" transfer...
 
  • Like
Reactions: PMF

Colin Jacobson

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2000
Messages
13,328
Huh?
Do you actually know what the 2 movies are about?
Goodfellas is the story of Henry Hill.
Casino is the story of Lefty Rosenthal.

Well, there you go - that convinces me that the two movies aren't vaguely alike. Totally different - nothing about "Casino" echoes/"remakes" "GoodFellas" at all! :rolleyes:
 

PMF

Premium
Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 6, 2015
Messages
6,003
Real Name
Philip
What's wrong with having a stock company of actors?
What's wrong with having a variation of a theme?
All of our supreme filmmakers have utilized both.

"Field of Dreams", "Bull Durham" and "For Love of the Game"
Does anyone have an issue with Kevin Costner electing to act in three baseball themed films?
Or, for that matter, James Stewart's foray into three films that involved aeronautics?

With this debate, one might just as well accuse Gene Kelly of using the same devices and techniques of storytelling within
"Singin' in the Rain" and "An American in Paris".
But, on the other hand, why would we want to? After all, both of these films are gold.

I could even give an argument and thesis on how Al Pacino's best portrayals;
be it on the right or wrong side of the law; is an exploration upon the same theme.
A theme, by the way, that I will let you all have the fun of figuring out on your own.

Each and every filmmaker, actor, writer and composers worth their salt will always have their themes;
albeit similar; and yet, altogether different.
IMHO, its not a matter of an auteurs re-visitations; it's simply a matter of how well the work is executed and conveyed.

And in the case of Martin Scorsese, his finest works are nothing short of being both brilliant and indelible.
 
Last edited:

old mole

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Dec 26, 2016
Messages
75
Real Name
George
Paramount continues to mine their back catalog, and that's a good thing.

Braveheart and Gladiator are two very different films, but share a common thread.

Freedom, personal as well as national.

In 4k, they appear quite different, with Braveheart appearing more film-like, presumably based upon the heavier load of digital work in Gladiator, which would have been at 2k.

With more production photography in Braveheart, we are allowed a more original appearing grain structure.

That noted, both look as they should. And for those with an need to compare to the original Gladiator Blu-ray, I advise that it isn't worth one's time to go there.

The point is that they both look like their final film versions, and are accurately represented.

Another big plus here, is the addition of height channels, DTS-X on Gladiator, and Dolby Atmos on Braveheart, which create far more impressive sound fields on both.

For those who do not yet have height channels, Braveheart is the obvious upgrade from standard Blu-ray, while Gladiator can wait until the system is in the house.

Image - 5

Audio - 5 - Gladiator (DTS-X)
Braveheart (Dolby Atmos)

Pass / Fail - Pass

Upgrade from Blu-ray - Gladiator - Yes
Braveheart - Absolutely!

Very Highly Recommended

RAH
 

old mole

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Dec 26, 2016
Messages
75
Real Name
George
On RAH's recommendation, among others, I purchased the new Braveheart 4K UHD., and while the quality of the transfer is crisp with respect to color and detail, the picture is REALLY dark, especially when compared to the Blu-Ray. Is this the way it's supposed to look, or is there something wrong with my equipment?
 

Dave H

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2000
Messages
6,152
On RAH's recommendation, among others, I purchased the new Braveheart 4K UHD., and while the quality of the transfer is crisp with respect to color and detail, the picture is REALLY dark, especially when compared to the Blu-Ray. Is this the way it's supposed to look, or is there something wrong with my equipment?

Potentially sounds like a tone mapping issue on the display.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Articles

Forum statistics

Threads
356,814
Messages
5,123,732
Members
144,184
Latest member
H-508
Recent bookmarks
0
Top