UHD Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ - Columbia Classics Volume 4 -- in 4k UHD (1 Viewer)

[Dave H]

just fyi...this set (Paramount horror) is now down to $74.99 on Amz...$15 per movie.

I never complain about the prices charged for 4K discs...if that is what it takes for the studios to be able to keep releasing films on physical disc in such amazing quality then great.

It is also nice to know I will never have to buy the movie again as this may be the best quality we will ever see on disc.

Besides, I remember paying $25- $30 regularly for DVD's at Tower records when that format released and nobody complained back then.

The problem is, I don't want those other movies even at an average of $15 a title. I don't want most of them for $1. I have zero interest in most of them.

Sure, I could sell them off and make money on eBay, but I have no interest in dealing with that.

It's nice knowing I will never have to buy a movie again - that I actual want having a choice in the matter.

But like I said, Sony (and Paramount in that case) are simply doing (what they think anyway) is most profitable for them. And I understand it.

 

[Blu_rayfan66]

The problem is, I don't want those other movies even at an average of $15 a title. I don't want most of them for $1. I have zero interest in most of them.

Sure, I could sell them off and make money on eBay, but I have no interest in dealing with that.

It's nice knowing I will never have to buy a movie again - that I actual want having a choice in the matter.

But like I said, Sony (and Paramount in that case) are simply doing (what they think anyway) is most profitable for them. And I understand it.

I understand what you are saying and I would not want to buy any movies I had zero interest in too.

I imagine any exclusive titles released in these various boxsets will get individual releases eventually....

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

I rarely ever actually complain about the pricing of 4K discs. I just roll w/ it as best I can (as usual) w/ my own budget and other criteria (probably much like most others around here)... Yeah, like some others here, I could certainly afford to pay/spend more if I prioritize accordingly, but I do have plenty other interests to also prioritize, so it is what it is... just as the studios, et al need to prioritize according to their best needs/interests/etc...

Afterall, an excellent BD is usually plenty good enough, particularly for my FP setup (or likely most any future upgraded FP setup I'd have) from a reasonable viewing distance anyway -- there are definite diminishing returns w/ 4K, especially for the available/surviving elements of many catalog titles that really don't have much more than 2K worth of details, if even that much in some cases, even w/ the large viewing angle I use, especially as my eyes age, heh...

But sure, I'd certainly love to have more great films in top notch 4K quality, but IMHO, tis all just a (very) first world "problem" AFAIC, heh...

_Man_

 

[Blu_rayfan66]

I rarely ever actually complain about the pricing of 4K discs. I just roll w/ it as best I can (as usual) w/ my own budget and other criteria (probably much like most others around here)... Yeah, like some others here, I could certainly afford to pay/spend more if I prioritize accordingly, but I do have plenty other interests to also prioritize, so it is what it is... just as the studios, et al need to prioritize according to their best needs/interests/etc...

Afterall, an excellent BD is usually plenty good enough, particularly for my FP setup (or likely most any future upgraded FP setup I'd have) from a reasonable viewing distance anyway -- there are definite diminishing returns w/ 4K, especially for the available/surviving elements of many catalog titles that really don't have much more than 2K worth of details, if even that much in some cases, even w/ the large viewing angle I use, especially as my eyes age, heh...

But sure, I'd certainly love to have more great films in top notch 4K quality, but IMHO, tis all just a (very) first world "problem" AFAIC, heh...

_Man_

I agree with what you say about standard bluray quality- recent ones I have watched on my 75" display that blew me away with their great video quality are 'The Master', 'The Hateful Eight' and 'Sound Of Freedom'.

I am a huge Steven Soderbergh fan and love his film 'Contagion' but I have a feeling the bluray PQ is good enough already vs. the new 4K...which I am sure is an improvement. But I will save my pennies for more worthwhile upgrades. This title may make for an interesting comparison tho as I think the bluray is a single layer BD-25 disc only.

I am still on the fence about this Columbia Classics Vol.4- whether to purchase it or not. I have Vol.1, 2 and 3 so feel I need to add it but I am not a huge fan of any of the films...maybe if the price drops to around 100 Euros here in Spain I may bite.

I would love to hear which 6 titles Mr. Harris would like to see included in a possible Vol. 5.

 

[Robert Harris]

I agree with what you say about standard bluray quality- recent ones I have watched on my 75" display that blew me away with their great video quality are 'The Master', 'The Hateful Eight' and 'Sound Of Freedom'.

I am a huge Steven Soderbergh fan and love his film 'Contagion' but I have a feeling the bluray PQ is good enough already vs. the new 4K...which I am sure is an improvement. But I will save my pennies for more worthwhile upgrades. This title may make for an interesting comparison tho as I think the bluray is a single layer BD-25 disc only.

I am still on the fence about this Columbia Classics Vol.4- whether to purchase it or not. I have Vol.1, 2 and 3 so feel I need to add it but I am not a huge fan of any of the films...maybe if the price drops to around 100 Euros here in Spain I may bite.

I would love to hear which 6 titles Mr. Harris would like to see included in a possible Vol. 5.

Contagion was a 4k finish, and was run in IMAX. Haven’t yet had a chance to rake a peek at mt copy, but will do so.

 

[Blu_rayfan66]

Contagion was a 4k finish, and was run in IMAX. Haven’t yet had a chance to rake a peek at mt copy, but will do so.

Thank you. I would be very interested to hear your thoughts as your 'few words' are always a big factor in me deciding to buy a title or not...

...and also a reason why CC Vol.4 is still in my thoughts- even though I had originally ruled out a purchase.

 

[schugh]

Since there's so much talk about price, just though I'd mention I snagged Vol. 3 for $65 Canadian a few months ago from Amazon Canada. That was pretty cool.

 

[Mark Mayes]

I swore I would not get this one if it didn't contain "Funny Girl,"--especially since "The Front Page" wasn't included as on the Criterion disc of "His Girl Friday.".... But I'm a completist and grabbed it at $150. I have no regrets since beginning with "Dinner" last night (with a friend who'd never seen it and LOVED it.)
I am glad I got it.

But, honestly, "Funny Girl" is on 4K on all streamers . Guess I'll hope for a single release...like "The Way We Were"...and maybe she'll put the "Swan Lake" excisions back.

 

[Dennis Gallagher]

Price is down to $143.94 now. (Thankfully I pushed back my delivery date until this week and still had my Camelcamelcamel notification alert active; quickly canceled and reordered for this week.)

 

[PMF]

I swore I would not get this one if it didn't contain "Funny Girl,"--especially since "The Front Page" wasn't included as on the Criterion disc of "His Girl Friday.".... But I'm a completist and grabbed it at $150. I have no regrets since beginning with "Dinner" last night (with a friend who'd never seen it and LOVED it.)
I am glad I got it.

But, honestly, "Funny Girl" is on 4K on all streamers . Guess I'll hope for a single release...like "The Way We Were"...and maybe she'll put the "Swan Lake" excisions back.

Congratulations, Mark !!!

FILE UNDER: His Girl Funny

 

[Blu_rayfan66]

Since there's so much talk about price, just though I'd mention I snagged Vol. 3 for $65 Canadian a few months ago from Amazon Canada. That was pretty cool.

'The Last Picture Show' is a beautiful movie- very touching and a wonderful performance by Timothy Bottoms.

 

[davidmatychuk]

Progress report: picked up Volume 4 on February 23, watched "His.Girl Friday" immediately with Danielle (who loved it), "Punch-Drunk Love" late the next night by myself (hadn't seen it since it came out on DVD and really enjoyed it), "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" with Danielle (who had never seen it and loved it) a couple of nights later, "Sleepless In Seattle" with Danielle (who loved it after only liking it previously) last Friday, and then my friends who dropped by after a concert on Saturday were thrilled to see that "Starman" was part of the box set so we watched it (and loved it). I had a quick look at "Kramer Vs. Kramer", which looked and sounded marvelous like the others, and I sampled extras on all of them. Now, I know some people didn't care much for the selections in this box set, but it sure has been popular at my place. I still haven't watched every title in the other (spectacular!) boxes, which now somehow seem a little bit less made for sharing with others.

 

[Malcolm R]

Deep Discount currently has a 10% off coupon code, which seems to bring their price down around $125, though I'm not sure if the shipping charges would wipe out that savings.

 

[dpippel]

Deep Discount currently has a 10% off coupon code, which seems to bring their price down around $125, though I'm not sure if the shipping charges would wipe out that savings.

DD charges a $3.99 "special shipping" fee for this release, so the 10% coupon won't quite cover that fee + sales tax for most buyers.

 

[PMF]

Progress report: picked up Volume 4 on February 23 […]Now, I know some people didn't care much for the selections in this box set, but it sure has been popular at my place.[…]

‘Tis an excellent set, indeed, good David.

As a matter of fact, I have not read of a single 4K/UHD compliant by those who own it; but, rather, only by those who do not.

Volume 5, please.

 

[Blu_rayfan66]

Just fyi, Volume 3 available from Amazon Canada at the moment for only $69.

 

[cineMANIAC]

Deep Discount currently has a 10% off coupon code, which seems to bring their price down around $125, though I'm not sure if the shipping charges would wipe out that savings.

Do they charge tax? If the shipping doesn't kill a discount, the tax(es) will.

On the subject of Blu-rays that are "good enough", if one has a higher end or even a mid-level player that does a great job of upscaling, decisions of whether to upgrade to a 4K version will be harder. My Panny UB820 does an awesome job of making Blu-rays shine. I've been going through some of my older Warner BDs, which look a little ropey nowadays, and the uptick is noticeable. It's an excellent player (and upscaler).

 

[sbjork]

I finally got my set yesterday, and watched His Girl Friday tonight. It's truly gorgeous. The only other one that I at least checked out was Starman, and ye gods is that stunning. As far as John Carpenter films go, it's every bit as perfectly rendered as Sony's 4K of Christine was. I've got all of the 4K versions of his films that are currently available, and the two Sony discs beat all the rest -- and there's nothing wrong with any of the rest!

 

[Blu_rayfan66]

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[Blu_rayfan66]

Apologies for previous post...cannot seem to delete it...anyways...

Just noticed Vol.3 is available for $72.49 from Please Rewind (Sony) w/$10 off code MOVIES10OFF75. In my opinion, a better selection of films compared to Vol.4....