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UHD Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ - Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) -- in 4k UHD (1 Viewer)

Robert Harris

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The Good the Bad and the Ugly...

It's all here, wrapped up in Kino's new 4k UHD release of Don Siegel's Invasion of the Body Snatchers - about a classic horror/sci-fi film that one can find.

The film is offered in both the 2:1 Superscope ratio as well as 1.85, which seems to work better. I'd prefer to see it in 1.37, but I won't go there, as I don't know what elements survive.

I didn't have the heart to compare the two ratios, as both are presumably dupes. And this raises the age-old query...

I ordered my new 4k release of... and I can't get it delivered.

Here's your answer. A film that has absolutely no need to be released in 4k, because the image doesn't hold 2k information.

As to the good, it still looks quite decent, with a nice gray scale. Grain is obvious.

And so is our old friend, Mr. Magnetic Field. He's all over the mid-tones and backgrounds, which leads me to believe that this a transfer that's being doing some shelf-sitting. This is not the recent quality of work coming from the studio.

Regardless - wonderful film, great extras. I just wish it was a new image harvest. Audio is fine.

Image - (Dolby Vision)

Forensic - 3
NSD - 7.5

Audio – 9 (DTS-HD MA 2.0)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Makes use of and works well in 4k - 2

Upgrade from Blu-ray - No

Worth your attention - 10

Slipcover rating - 1

Very Highly Recommended - for content

RAH
 

titch

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So - again - this will be the same quality as the Olive Films Signature Edition blu-ray, as was the case with High Noon. No reason to upgrade.
 

Konstantinos

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Yeah, I don't agree either.
DVDbeaver has a comparison between the Olive Signarute edition and the new 4k, and I think it looks better (the 4k I mean).

Forensic 3? Out of 10?
And the Cameron 4ks got 10?
I wish then they had the same picture quality as this 3!
(based on the screenshots alone I see)
 
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Robert Harris

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Robert Harris

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I'm sorry. What does this mean?
When someone walks across the screen, most noticeably against a plain background, the particles of grain seem pushed out of the way by forward motion and reestablish themselves on the other side of the action. I prefer pug puppies.

Remember those toys with steel particles, magnets and pens? Same idea.

This release has beautiful examples.
 

Stephen_J_H

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When someone walks across the screen, most noticeably against a plain background, the particles of grain seem pushed out of the way by forward motion and reestablish themselves on the other side of the action. I prefer pug puppies.

Remember those toys with steel particles, magnets and pens? Same idea.

This release has beautiful examples.
Why does this sound like the artefact of some automatic grain reduction tool?
 

sbjork

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Screen shots are definitely meaningless compared to seeing things in motion, although in this case, even the screenshots that Gary posted show signs of digital tinkering like ringing (check the shot of them examining the body). I don't doubt that there's clumpy grain to go along with it. It's doubtless an older master, and even the extant dupe elements could probably yield better results with a fresh scan and a delicate touch with the tools.

My copy just shipped and I haven't received it yet, but I'm guessing that I'll still be happy with the improvements over 1080p however minor that they may be. This was never going to be a demo disc.
 

sbjork

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The entire element is a dupe, so opticals would be yet another generation.
I'm aware of the fact that the only extant elements are dupe elements, which is why mentioned that a fresh scan would be of the extant dupe elements. It's all in my original sentence. The point being, there's no negative available, but a fresh scan of what we have could still improve things compared to what we have now, though it could only take things so far.

Generational loss from opticals is par for the course with or without the negative still being available. I'd still take whatever opticals may be in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (and if memory serves, there aren't a ton of them) over the second-generation opticals in Giant. Sometimes, opticals just stink regardless of what generation that they may be.
 

Dick

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I'd be interested in this for no other reasons than two additional commentaries and a few featurettes.
 

Tom St Jones

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So if I read RAH's words correctly (some of them were a bit confusing), the master used for this is brand New, but the 4k scan --- of low/medium--quality (but the best available) elements --- from which said master was derived is possibly of several+ years' vintage?
 
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David Weicker

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So
I didn't have the heart to compare the two ratios, as both are presumably dupes. And this raises the age-old query...
So, did you actually watch both versions? Or did form your opinion from a single viewing?

My understanding is the 1:85 is a different source (and therefore possibly a different scan)
 

Robert Harris

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So

So, did you actually watch both versions? Or did form your opinion from a single viewing?

My understanding is the 1:85 is a different source (and therefore possibly a different scan)
I did.

Great New Shape!

Same Great Story!

Same sharpening and Mag grain your kids have loved for generations!

Pretty much dissipated at NSD, which may confuse the kids.

”Gee, Mom, why are the faces bigger when I stand right in front of the TV?”

”Well, Billy, it’s all about visual perception.”
 

Bryan Tuck

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From what I understand, the movie was originally shot and intended for 1.85, but the release prints were cropped (I guess by the distributor?) to promote the "SuperScope" presentation.
 

cineMANIAC

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I keep dreaming of a truly high-quality transfer and release of this film.

Maybe a label that doesn't crank out so much product and can take their time using remaining resources to their best of their ability should take a crack at it. It looks like this film needs a little more TLC than what a very busy label can offer. Maybe what this needs a good old fashioned photochemical resto?
 

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