- Joined
- Feb 8, 1999
- Messages
- 17,454
- Real Name
- Robert Harris
Back in November of 2001, when the newly anointed young thespians who made up the lead students in the series, had not yet hit their teens, the series of books, which first appeared in 1997, arrived at your local cinemas, courtesy of Warner Bros.
That original tome, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, was followed by six more, which Warner's, with divine wisdom, turned into seven films.
Shot on film (S35), and presented in that manner, back in the dark ages, before DCPs, Sorcerer's Stone is a magnificently mounted production.
As the books continued, and more films were cranked out, the home video world was hit by an onslaught of releases -- by last count over 147,000 different discs, and disc sets, combining and re-combining, in every possible permutation and combination.
While many that the big box of discs and stuff might have been the ne plus ultra, it is now difficult to keep track of the various extended cuts, and 3D versions.
Back in March of 2017, Warner Home Video released the last four films in the series, in 4k, and is now following those up with the first four, both singly, and as an eight film set - which, for those who have not already added the last four films to their libraries in 4k, is the way to acquire the eight films, especially at a $145 street price.
Comparing the Blu-ray, packaged with the new 4k of Sorcerer's Stone, I had expected more of the Blu-ray, but the 2007 release is showing it's age -- or perhaps it was never really high quality.
This makes the 4k appear even more exceptional. A beautiful, highly resolved image, with good grain, and superb color, Harry Potter is glorious, and almost a pleasure to watch.
My only problem is the application of HDR, which, at least on this first film in the series, seems quite heavy-handed.
Where black robes, especially in darker interior scenes, used to have shadow detail, that's virtually gone, with only minor layering of heavy black.
I viewed initially via projection, and later tested on a Sony OLED. While the OLED did create a better image, I can't agree that the HDR, as offered here is as good as it might be.
Possibly we need a low-HDR version.
That niggling problem aside, the first film in the series, is a stand-out, making all of those earlier DVDs and Blu-rays that you've purchased, a step above industrial waste.
The difference is that great, especially taking into account that this is a new scan of the original film elements, and not a 2k to 4 uprez, as with the later productions.
Audio is likewise superb, with the added dimension of height channels, via DTS:X.
The extended version is offered on the Blu-ray, along with the theatrical, and a third disc serves to contain extras.
Image - 4.5
Audio - 5 (DTS:X)
4k - 5
Pass / Fail - Pass
Upgrade from Blu-ray - Yes
Highly Recommended
RAH
That original tome, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, was followed by six more, which Warner's, with divine wisdom, turned into seven films.
Shot on film (S35), and presented in that manner, back in the dark ages, before DCPs, Sorcerer's Stone is a magnificently mounted production.
As the books continued, and more films were cranked out, the home video world was hit by an onslaught of releases -- by last count over 147,000 different discs, and disc sets, combining and re-combining, in every possible permutation and combination.
While many that the big box of discs and stuff might have been the ne plus ultra, it is now difficult to keep track of the various extended cuts, and 3D versions.
Back in March of 2017, Warner Home Video released the last four films in the series, in 4k, and is now following those up with the first four, both singly, and as an eight film set - which, for those who have not already added the last four films to their libraries in 4k, is the way to acquire the eight films, especially at a $145 street price.
Comparing the Blu-ray, packaged with the new 4k of Sorcerer's Stone, I had expected more of the Blu-ray, but the 2007 release is showing it's age -- or perhaps it was never really high quality.
This makes the 4k appear even more exceptional. A beautiful, highly resolved image, with good grain, and superb color, Harry Potter is glorious, and almost a pleasure to watch.
My only problem is the application of HDR, which, at least on this first film in the series, seems quite heavy-handed.
Where black robes, especially in darker interior scenes, used to have shadow detail, that's virtually gone, with only minor layering of heavy black.
I viewed initially via projection, and later tested on a Sony OLED. While the OLED did create a better image, I can't agree that the HDR, as offered here is as good as it might be.
Possibly we need a low-HDR version.
That niggling problem aside, the first film in the series, is a stand-out, making all of those earlier DVDs and Blu-rays that you've purchased, a step above industrial waste.
The difference is that great, especially taking into account that this is a new scan of the original film elements, and not a 2k to 4 uprez, as with the later productions.
Audio is likewise superb, with the added dimension of height channels, via DTS:X.
The extended version is offered on the Blu-ray, along with the theatrical, and a third disc serves to contain extras.
Image - 4.5
Audio - 5 (DTS:X)
4k - 5
Pass / Fail - Pass
Upgrade from Blu-ray - Yes
Highly Recommended
RAH
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