A Few Words About A few words about...™ It's a Wonderful Life (Corrected)-- in 4k UHD Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

Bring it on!

Did you see it back in 81-82?

 

[Jim*Tod]

I saw NAPOLEON at the Kennedy Center with Carmine Coppola conducting a huge orchestra. A one of a kind experience.

What is happening with the American release (and restoration) of NAPOLEON? I had thought it would have been released by now. Any news?

 

[Robert Harris]

I saw NAPOLEON at the Kennedy Center with Carmine Coppola conducting a huge orchestra. A one of a kind experience.

What is happening with the American release (and restoration) of NAPOLEON? I had thought it would have been released by now. Any news?

Still in the works.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

I saw it in Melbourne in the early 1980s, in the big-screen version with the Carl Davis score. And talking of score, I scored the screening's foyer lifesize poster of Napoleon.
I don't think the Carmine Coppola score was ever used here; only the Davis.

 

[Robert Harris]

I saw it in Melbourne in the early 1980s, in the big-screen version with the Carl Davis score. And talking of score, I scored the screening's foyer lifesize poster of Napoleon.
I don't think the Carmine Coppola score was ever used here; only the Davis.

The Australian screenings were all Carmine Coppola’s score.

 

[Paul Penna]

The Australian screenings were all Carmine Coppola’s score.

As was the one I saw in the 1980s at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, with Coppola conducting.

 

[OliverK]

He said that with DV engaged the Panasonic and Oppo were the same. So there’s nothing wrong with Oppo’s ability except that you can’t turn off DV/HDR. But the disc is still not “correct” even with DV/HDR turned off. I say keep your Oppos and chuck the disc.

As this has been brought up a few times I would like to mention that it is indeed possible to switch off Dolby Vision with the OPPO UHD players. To accomplish this the OPPO has to be set to HDR forced, and power cycled in energy efficient mode.

This FAQ goes into more detail a bit less than half way down the page:
http://watershade.net/wmcclain/UDP-203-faq.html#can-external-subtitles-be-added-to-disc-playback

Works very well and I am also quoting the procedure here:

How do I force HDR10 from a Dolby Vision disc?
This happens automatically if your display chain supports HDR but not Dolby Vision. Similarly, if you do not have HDR at all, the Dolby Vision is converted to the older SDR standard.

But what if you have Dolby Vision and want to compare it with the HDR10 base?

Normally Dolby Vision discs do not have this option. If you have a Dolby Vision display chain then the disc will insist on producing Dolby Vision and not HDR10.

There is a workaround that involves restarting the player:

• Stop any content that might be playing.
• Set Setup -> Video Setup -> HDR Setting -> HDR to "Forced".
• Set Setup -> Device Setup -> Standby Mode to "Energy Efficient".
• Turn the player off and on again.

To return to normal Dolby Vision output:

• Stop any content that might be playing.
• Set Setup -> Video Setup -> HDR Setting -> HDR to "Auto" (or whatever you normally use).
• Set Setup -> Device Setup -> Standby Mode to "Energy Efficient".
• Turn the player off and on again.

 

[Robert Harris]

As this has been brought up a few times I would like to mention that it is indeed possible to switch off Dolby Vision with the OPPO UHD players. To accomplish this the OPPO has to be set to HDR forced, and power cycled in energy efficient mode.

This FAQ goes into more detail a bit less than half way down the page:
http://watershade.net/wmcclain/UDP-203-faq.html#can-external-subtitles-be-added-to-disc-playback

Works very well and I am also quoting the procedure here:

How do I force HDR10 from a Dolby Vision disc?
This happens automatically if your display chain supports HDR but not Dolby Vision. Similarly, if you do not have HDR at all, the Dolby Vision is converted to the older SDR standard.

But what if you have Dolby Vision and want to compare it with the HDR10 base?

Normally Dolby Vision discs do not have this option. If you have a Dolby Vision display chain then the disc will insist on producing Dolby Vision and not HDR10.

There is a workaround that involves restarting the player:

• Stop any content that might be playing.
• Set Setup -> Video Setup -> HDR Setting -> HDR to "Forced".
• Set Setup -> Device Setup -> Standby Mode to "Energy Efficient".
• Turn the player off and on again.

To return to normal Dolby Vision output:

• Stop any content that might be playing.
• Set Setup -> Video Setup -> HDR Setting -> HDR to "Auto" (or whatever you normally use).
• Set Setup -> Device Setup -> Standby Mode to "Energy Efficient".
• Turn the player off and on again.

Info is appreciated, but my position is that a viewer shouldn’t be forced to do this.

I’m thinking that this particular IaWL was possibly produced to show of an attribute that was never needed. Like the colorized version of the film, it’s just one more wonderful way to watch a film as the filmmakers never intended.

4k adds little to this film, and any HDR process doesn’t seem helpful. The film, based upon the most recent scan, would make a beautiful Blu-ray release, if properly handled. I’ve not yet seen any such release.

 

[Robert Crawford]

As this has been brought up a few times I would like to mention that it is indeed possible to switch off Dolby Vision with the OPPO UHD players. To accomplish this the OPPO has to be set to HDR forced, and power cycled in energy efficient mode.

This FAQ goes into more detail a bit less than half way down the page:
http://watershade.net/wmcclain/UDP-203-faq.html#can-external-subtitles-be-added-to-disc-playback

Works very well and I am also quoting the procedure here:

How do I force HDR10 from a Dolby Vision disc?
This happens automatically if your display chain supports HDR but not Dolby Vision. Similarly, if you do not have HDR at all, the Dolby Vision is converted to the older SDR standard.

But what if you have Dolby Vision and want to compare it with the HDR10 base?

Normally Dolby Vision discs do not have this option. If you have a Dolby Vision display chain then the disc will insist on producing Dolby Vision and not HDR10.

There is a workaround that involves restarting the player:

• Stop any content that might be playing.
• Set Setup -> Video Setup -> HDR Setting -> HDR to "Forced".
• Set Setup -> Device Setup -> Standby Mode to "Energy Efficient".
• Turn the player off and on again.

To return to normal Dolby Vision output:

• Stop any content that might be playing.
• Set Setup -> Video Setup -> HDR Setting -> HDR to "Auto" (or whatever you normally use).
• Set Setup -> Device Setup -> Standby Mode to "Energy Efficient".
• Turn the player off and on again.

That's correct! I remember reading those instructions beforehand, but, never did it because I had no reason to do so. As to "It's a Wonderful Life" I stand by my earlier comments that it looks beautiful on my OLED displays.

 

[OliverK]

Info is appreciated, but my position is that a viewer shouldn’t be forced to do this.

I’m thinking that this particular IaWL was possibly produced to show of an attribute that was never needed. Like the colorized version of the film, it’s just one more wonderful way to watch a film as the filmmakers never intended.

4k adds little to this film, and any HDR process doesn’t seem helpful. The film, based upon the most recent scan, would make a beautiful Blu-ray release, if properly handled. I’ve not yet seen any such release.

Agreed, it should not be necessary to do anything but enjoy the movie in a properly calibrated setup. Wonder what went wrong where and if the people who did the HDR version were aware how IAWL used to look on film.

Apparently the new look is quite pleasing but if there was a desire to create something new I would have suggested to add the "reinvention" as an extra and not as the main course.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I decided to take the safer route and purchased the new BD release, and then redeemed the digital code on iTunes to get the 4K/HDR version, as well. I will not have time to compare the two for awhile, but at least I have both versions... and if Paramount ever issues a fix for the 4K/HDR version, there's a chance that Apple will upgrade the version on iTunes.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

Carmine Coppola in aus? My memory has become so bad! I do remember it was at the St Kilda Palais ballroom but everything else is a total blank now .. .except how overwhelming the movie was!

 

[Robert Harris]

Carmine Coppola in aus? My memory has become so bad! I do remember it was at the St Kilda Palais ballroom but everything else is a total blank now .. .except how overwhelming the movie was!

Carmine’s score. May have been Paul Bogaev conducting.

 

[OliverK]

OK, so I finally checked out it's a Wonderful Life and it is VERY dark both in Dolby Vision and HDR 10, the effect is quite pronounced and very much unlike all other presentations of the movie that I have seen.

Those who can brighten up the HDR presentation by some kind of EOTF adjustment may want to make use of that feature for this one unless it introduces other artefacts. Of course such adjustments should not be necessary but I would rather make them than being annoyed by the movie being too dark for most of its duration!

 

[Robert Harris]

OK, so I finally checked out it's a Wonderful Life and it is VERY dark both in Dolby Vision and HDR 10, the effect is quite pronounced and very much unlike all other presentations of the movie that I have seen.

Those who can brighten up the HDR presentation by some kind of EOTF adjustment may want to make use of that feature for this one unless it introduces other artefacts. Of course such adjustments should not be necessary but I would rather make them than being annoyed by the movie being too dark for most of its duration!

I recently had the opportunity to view part of the master, and it appeared quite lovely. So, something seems to have entered the process between master and final pressed discs.

 

[OliverK]

I recently had the opportunity to view part of the master, and it appeared quite lovely. So, something seems to have entered the process between master and final pressed discs.

Indeed, I wonder if it was something like a glitch or something like a difference of opinion as to how to apply HDR to classic / pre-HDR era releases.

 

[PMF]

I’ve always admired the disc replacement program that Warner Archives established for those rarest of transfer issues that had originated from their end. Hopefully; when after our more immediate world situation has been resolved; Paramount could follow WAC’s lead by beginning with “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Having purchased and supported both the 4K and latest Blu Ray pressings, I sure would love to have a fair shot at seeing the actual restoration as it was meant to be seen.

 

[Robert Harris]

Review updated with corrections!

 

[Robert Crawford]

Review updated with corrections!

I never had an issue with DV on my LG OLED displays.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Finally, I went into the "expert" menu, and located additional controls, which allow further control of gamma, black levels, etc, and finally, the image is proper.

This is as stupid question, but the expert menu is on the TV, right? I recently rented Underwater and bought Jumanji 2 via iTunes and had to return both because the pic would go from very good to very bad. Blooming blues for sure on Underwater, may have been the same thing for Jumanji. Watching via ATV. Both movies were DV.