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Worth

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The first three films are screening theatrically next month in my neck of the woods. I hope the DCPs are based on the new masters.
 

Kaskade1309

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The 1999 THX DVD looks good on my TV but still looks soft. I think since the disc has both the widescreen and pan and scan versions on the one disc they suffer in quality a bit. I do have other DVD's that look sharper. However it's still my favorite version.
Yeah, it definitely looks soft -- especially after years of consuming 1080p and now 2160p content. And, yes, this Anchor Bay release had both widescreen and full screen versions on one disc (it wasn't a flipper, like the original DVD release was I THINK) which ate up bitrate, along with the surround mix.

I used to watch the pan-and-scan version when I first got this because I was running a small 4:3 Sony tube TV and the full screen editions were made for these displays; of course, I wasn't seeing Carpenter's full anamorphic vison...

Still -- the PQ doesn't bother me, even with the softness, aside from some aliasing issues along the chrome trims of cars and such, but if the Scream Factory release in 4K ends up being the be-all, end-all variant of the title, I may upgrade.
I don't really like the 2007 transfer but at least it has an Autumn look in the daytime and is nice and sharp.
Are you talking about the Starz/Anchor Bay release? Because if so, I don't find the outdoor sequences to look autumn-like at all; in fact, I believe the master for that transfer was taken from the inaccurate DiviMax DVD that AB put out after the THX cut.

This is the BD I have:

71kPJlRz-LL._SL1500_.jpg


There's absolutely NOTHING special about it, at all, IMO; it was a mere cash-grab for the Bay, being able to say they put the classic on Blu-ray (some other AB titles came out on BD debuts about this time, too, such as Dawn of the Dead).
The Lionsgate 4K is very undersaturated and dark in the daytime scenes. The opening credits look strange to me. The pumpkin is very undersaturated. I always watch the whole movie including the opening credits and I can't even look at them on the Lionsgate 4K. It's one of many reasons I don't watch it. I only paid $8 for it with shipping but you aren't missing anything not having it.
Good to know, but disappointing to fans who immediately upgraded; I had a suspicion that the Lionsgate UHD disc wasn't going to look all that great, because it reminded me of the way the aforementioned original BD was released.
I always liked the 5.1 mix even though a lot of 'fans' say it lacks punch. I agree with you that it has punchy bass and subtle surround work.
Definitely -- crank up the opening title sequence enough, and you'll hear deep bass notes penetrate Carpenter's relentless piano score. It sounds rich, full and superior to the original mono IMO.

The only issue with that DD 5.1 remix is that the overall mastering volume is pretty weak -- you REALLY gotta crank it up to get immersed in it. The same thing can be said about the original Anchor Bay Blu-ray's uncompressed PCM track (they sound about the same).
BTW, I have the Blockbuster VHS too. I have a copy I watched and 2 additional copies still in shrink wrap I had as backups.
Wow...how cool!

I don't have that tape anymore, it's long gone over a number of moves, including a cross-country one, but I remember throwing it in the VCR for horror film parties I used to host on the 31st (when I was younger). Good times I wish I could go back to....:(
 

Kaskade1309

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The first three films are screening theatrically next month in my neck of the woods. I hope the DCPs are based on the new masters.
That's AWESOME! I wish they would come to my area....I'd LOVE to see the first three theatrically, especially the original and Season of the Witch. I was only five when the original came out...:eek::blink::unsure:

Where are you located?
 

TravisR

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The first three films are screening theatrically next month in my neck of the woods. I hope the DCPs are based on the new masters.
I've got an independent theater near me playing the first one each Saturday and Sunday night for the three weekends around Halloween. Their site only says "Restored and Remastered" so I'm hopeful that it's the new 4K.

Another independent theater near me is playing Halloween 4, 5, and 6 one night in October. With the fourth and fifth ones in 35mm and they're trying to get 6 in 35mm too but I think at this point, it'll end up being digital.
 

Kaskade1309

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Man....I'm jealous of all you blokes! Gonna have to see if my neck of the U.S. is planning on bringing them.
 

crowe-t

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Michael
Yeah, it definitely looks soft -- especially after years of consuming 1080p and now 2160p content. And, yes, this Anchor Bay release had both widescreen and full screen versions on one disc (it wasn't a flipper, like the original DVD release was I THINK) which ate up bitrate, along with the surround mix.

I used to watch the pan-and-scan version when I first got this because I was running a small 4:3 Sony tube TV and the full screen editions were made for these displays; of course, I wasn't seeing Carpenter's full anamorphic vison...

Still -- the PQ doesn't bother me, even with the softness, aside from some aliasing issues along the chrome trims of cars and such, but if the Scream Factory release in 4K ends up being the be-all, end-all variant of the title, I may upgrade.

Are you talking about the Starz/Anchor Bay release? Because if so, I don't find the outdoor sequences to look autumn-like at all; in fact, I believe the master for that transfer was taken from the inaccurate DiviMax DVD that AB put out after the THX cut.

This is the BD I have:

71kPJlRz-LL._SL1500_.jpg


There's absolutely NOTHING special about it, at all, IMO; it was a mere cash-grab for the Bay, being able to say they put the classic on Blu-ray (some other AB titles came out on BD debuts about this time, too, such as Dawn of the Dead).

Good to know, but disappointing to fans who immediately upgraded; I had a suspicion that the Lionsgate UHD disc wasn't going to look all that great, because it reminded me of the way the aforementioned original BD was released.

Definitely -- crank up the opening title sequence enough, and you'll hear deep bass notes penetrate Carpenter's relentless piano score. It sounds rich, full and superior to the original mono IMO.

The only issue with that DD 5.1 remix is that the overall mastering volume is pretty weak -- you REALLY gotta crank it up to get immersed in it. The same thing can be said about the original Anchor Bay Blu-ray's uncompressed PCM track (they sound about the same).

Wow...how cool!

I don't have that tape anymore, it's long gone over a number of moves, including a cross-country one, but I remember throwing it in the VCR for horror film parties I used to host on the 31st (when I was younger). Good times I wish I could go back to....:(
The Blu-Ray I have is the one that came with the Lionsgate 4K. It says Starz/Anchor Bay before the movie starts. It's the 2007 release which I believe is the one you have. In the outdoor scenes, especially the scene when Laurie sees Michael behind the bush the leaves on the trees look yellow-ish. It seems more like Autumn than the Lionsgate 4K which is darker in the outside scenes and has dark green leaves on the trees.
 

yamato72

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To me, the definitive version of this absolute classic -- taking raw resolution out of the equation -- will always be Anchor Bay's THX DVD...

41CJBZZSQFL.jpg
I was fortunate to be given this disc years ago by a friend and after immersing myself in the color timing debate when the BD first came out, I decided to hold onto it all this time. I have also bought this too many times, and got the original 4K release a couple years ago. I will pickup this new version, too.
 

Bryan^H

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I found the link. This is an interview from October 2017 (which is incidentally after the "supervised and approved by director John Carpenter and director of photography Dean Cundey" Arrow Blu-ray of The Thing was completed and in the pipeline for release):


Is it true you never watch your old films?

Oh God, no. Don’t ever make me do that.

But your films are widely viewed as all-time classics, John.

I don’t want to see them again. I see the mistakes. That’s all I can see. It’d be torture. Are you kidding? I don’t want anything to do with them after I’m done.
I know he made the film but imagine never revisiting "Halloween" again.
:(
 

Kaskade1309

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The Blu-Ray I have is the one that came with the Lionsgate 4K. It says Starz/Anchor Bay before the movie starts. It's the 2007 release which I believe is the one you have. In the outdoor scenes, especially the scene when Laurie sees Michael behind the bush the leaves on the trees look yellow-ish. It seems more like Autumn than the Lionsgate 4K which is darker in the outside scenes and has dark green leaves on the trees.
It must be the one I have, then.

Here are some shots from that disc; I don't really think they look like fall in Illinois, but it could just be interpretation:

5RyemXZ72BP1-ZCHcda7Y0btU84CmTsJOU3eQmdTy3JzQ1tsoIyM7AHWTEIc70m5OSQrdbhuLV4mPOZeyikObU6GrmTckbFPaIoXZeNW04oLJlU50GgFuQa85QLN-ZhesZM5NXqj-7iy6ZpKrp8ndaO9NmTi


Now, you could be somewhat right with regard to the shot of Michael behind the hedges, as seen below, but I still think this looks far too greenish and bright for autumn in the midwest:

9lcTVrRpShjaxkEB8p9BXllZSrVofoc2d1OAo9OWtGJ_ITZfQn-EyS-Gr6YTR9mLBZ8N4X5DHI250oEnJI1UNbBomlCjcCE4e0i8toYk1ExDKlSqSA6MlI_rsvwgG_9qHqzTOplwosketpzB1IK7Hovou9DRSSpN87sRPvniE_4


I see the red in the trees and in the leaves, but the foliage in general looks too "punchy green" for my liking.

Here is an approximation of what the THX DVD looked like in that scene compared to other releases, including the 35th Anniversary (the picture I'm used to is the bottom one):

De0f9YR.jpg
 

Kaskade1309

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I was fortunate to be given this disc years ago by a friend and after immersing myself in the color timing debate when the BD first came out, I decided to hold onto it all this time. I have also bought this too many times, and got the original 4K release a couple years ago. I will pickup this new version, too.
Yeah, no matter what, I'm never getting rid of that DVD version. It will always be available should I want to go back to it. :)
 

Dave H

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I too had that Blockbuster VHS. I remember buying at watching it with my older sister (who actually saw the film when it originally hit theaters). I think I have owned every version of the movie started with the THX DVD.
My favorite look for the original Halloween is the 1999 THX DVD. It has the feeling of Autumn. However on a 4K TV it just doesn't pop like HD or 4K. I picked up the Lionsgate 4K disc when it came out and I never liked it. The pumpkin in the opening credits is so desaturated it looks almost gray not to mention the whole movie lacks any real color and is way too dark in my opinion. The last few years I've been watching the 2007 Blu-Ray that came with the Lionsgate 4K because it has more color and is brighter. I'm not happy with it but until this year I didn't have too much of a choice.

I can't wait till my copies of Shouts H1 - H5 arrive. The screenshots I've seen of H1 look great! H1 doesn't have the mono from the Criterion Laserdisc but that's OK. I have a surround system and would rather watch it with the new ATMOS anyway.

At that time, the 1999 THX DVD rocked. It was one of my favorite discs with the holographic cover.
 

Dave Moritz

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Mmmm if the improvement is really that good I will want the new transfer for if I can upgrade to projection in my home theater. Who lets a 4 year old watch this movie? I know I will be purchasing the other Halloween movies 2 - 5 4K discs when they come out. Welcome input from other forum members.

Halloween 4K.jpg



Video
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Audio
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital Mono
 

Kaskade1309

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I too had that Blockbuster VHS. I remember buying at watching it with my older sister (who actually saw the film when it originally hit theaters). I think I have owned every version of the movie started with the THX DVD.
That's awesome; I was only five when Carpenter's classic debuted theatrically....:blink::eek:
At that time, the 1999 THX DVD rocked.
It still does, if you have the right equipment...;)
 

Tommy R

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Somehow I got away with only ever buying the first film ONCE on DVD. Anyone know how this edition rates among all the different “color-timings”? Lol!
933EC633-FC32-4078-957E-6CDEAF0814EB.jpeg


I went ahead and pre-ordered the first and second 4K discs. Halloween II is probably the best horror sequel of all time, IMO. I still have never seen 3 all the way through. I remember watching maybe a half hour of it on tv years ago (and I still remember the silver shamrock song). 4 is kind of a guilty pleasure for me, but not something I’d buy on 4K. 5 wasn’t very good at all, but worse sequels came later…
 

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