A Few Words About A few words about...™ Jack Ryan: 5-Film Collection -- in 4k UHD Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Neil Middlemiss]

And FYI, Buster, I nearly lost a family member in the North Tower on 9/11, so I don't need a lecture on what is and isn't "horsebleep" regarding someone's refusal to recognize the world as it really was before and after that date.

Just saw that you added this. You aren’t the only one with personal connection to the tragedy that day, so I’m not sure what difference it was supposed to make here. And if you think you are being lectured - and not disagreed with - you might want to read the posts again.

 

[Jack P]

Oh please. Anyone who stoops to a cheap one word vulgarity for a response isn't engaging in mere "disagreeing". THAT is real "horsebleep."

 

[Mike Frezon]

And we'll end this back-and-forth here and now fellas.

You've each said your piece and we're going to move on and continue with our discussion of the subject at hand. We each know where you two stand on the particular aspect of Sum of All Fears and other ancillary points.

But that conversation is being called to a close so that other aspects of this release may be discussed.

You both know the rules. We don't talk AT each other and about the other's motivations. We keep discussions on topic and give our opinions.

Let's back away and take a breath and keep that in mind.

Thank you.

 

[RobertR]

I don’t think the changes work well, but you are wrong on why the change was made. It wasn’t out of ‘political correctness’. That’s nonsense. Director Phil Alden Robinson is on record saying the change, which was made before the September 11 attacks, was made because it didn’t seem plausible (to him) for Arab terrorists to pull off the sophisticated attack as written in the book.

It's a known fact that CAIR contacted him and objected to the Arab terrorist plotline, and he kowtowed to them with a letter proclaiming his sensitivity to their viewpoint, so I don't buy for a second that it's "nonsense".

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

It's a known fact that CAIR contacted him and objected to the Arab terrorist plotline, and he kowtowed to them with a letter proclaiming his sensitivity to their viewpoint, so I don't buy for a second that it's "nonsense".

That’s an inference you have drawn from CAIRS campaign, not from the stated positions of the director or writer.

“Perhaps the largest change were the original terrorists. In the novel, they were Arab nationalists, but in the film, they were changed to neo-fascists. A common misconception is that this was done as a reaction to the September 11, 2001 attacks, but the movie finished filming in June 2001.

On the "making-of" DVD extra, director Alden Robinson said that the change was purely for elements relating to the plot, because Arab terrorists would not be able to plausibly accomplish all that was necessary for the story to work. In addition, the terrorists in the book received significant aid from elements in East Germany, a country which had ceased to exist before the novel was even published. The group Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) did mount a two-year lobbying campaign that ended on January 26, 2001, against using "Muslim villains", as the original book version did.[10]

Screenwriter Dan Pyne claimed that the decision to not use Arab terrorists was "possibly because that has become a cliché. At the time that I started writing The Sum of All Fears, Jörg Haider was just starting to come into play in Austria. And simultaneous with that, I think, there was some neo-nationalist activity in Holland, and there was stuff going on in Spain and in Italy. So it seemed like a logical and lasting idea that would be universal."[11] It has also been noted that a larger percent of profits stems from international audiences, and American filmmakers work to avoid alienating large segments of this customer base.[11]”

As I said, I don’t think the changes work, but they were artistically incorrect choices, not fearful ones according to those who actually made the film and were there, in the rooms and meetings, on set and so on!

 

[RobertR]

That’s an inference you have drawn from CAIRS campaign, not from the stated positions of the director or writer.

Wrong.

"director Phil Alden Robinson settled on neo-Nazis, a perennial favorite, at which point he wrote the following in a letter to CAIR: "I hope you will be reassured that I have no intention of promoting negative images of Muslims or Arabs, and I wish you the best in your continuing efforts to combat discrimination." Ben Affleck, the new Jack Ryan, has applauded the decision, arguing that "the Arab terrorist thing has been done a million times in the movies." (As opposed to the neo-Nazi thing?) And the terror attacks only heightened concerns over ethnic insensitivity. In late September, Paramount chairman Sherry Lansing expressed sympathy for "these Afghan or Arab children in high schools who are getting picked on," suggesting that she'd steer clear of movies with Muslim villains."

Those are known facts. There is no "inference" involved.

 

[Robert Crawford]

It got a little heated in this thread so let's remain calm/cool and collected with our responses to each other. There is no reason for vulgarities to be used in our exchanges. We can do better than that.

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

I see it as an inference. It is possible to make an artistic choice to change the original villains (for the reasons the director and writer stated) and also recognize the ‘value’ of that choice in not furthering negative images. I’ve seen Alden’s written response to CAIR, and may have said the very same thing irrespective of the original reason for the change.

I’ll move on, but the exchange actually highlights the nuances of artistic decisions rather than the ‘kowtowingl for political correctness, but I don’t want to spend more energy on that battle here.

So, once again, we’ve read the same thing and come away with different interpretations.

 

[RobertR]

recognize the ‘value’ of that choice in not furthering negative images

That fits the definition of political correctness. Your own words contradict your previous characterization of my contention as "nonsense".

the exchange actually highlights the nuances of artistic decisions rather than the ‘kowtowingl for political correctness

Try as you might to have everyone believe that acting precisely in accordance with what CAIR demanded is sheer and utter coincidence, other people can see that his actions not only looked like a duck, swam like a duck, and quacked like a duck, they yelled "I'm a duck!"

 

[Sam Posten]

Who wants a vacation? You've been warned twice, cut it.

 

[Michael Osadciw]

For those Canadians who were wondering if the 5 film collection is available, I also picked it up at Best Buy for $69.99 Canadian bucks. Great deal! They were in the back and not on the shelf and the Best Buy website wasn't up to date on it yet. I'm not sure if there was an intentional hold on it, but they gave it to me anyway!

 

[Noel Aguirre]

iTunes $29.99 4K/UHD bundle it is for me 'cause I'm running out of shelf space!
Thank you Robert Crawford!

 

[Toronto Argonauts]

I have a lot to view this week.

 

[Chuck_Kahn]

The films arrived over a 24-year span, beginning in 1990 with The Hunt for Red October, followed in 1992 with Patriot Games, 1994 with Clear and Present Danger

I'm surprised you didn't call out how the exchange between Ritter/Clark in Clear and Present Danger echoes Allenby/Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia.

Clark: I want the money in my account before I move an inch.
Ritter: You got it.
Clark: I need a Comsat link.
Ritter: You got it.
Clark: An insertion team.
Ritter: You can have a brigade.

Lawrence: Two thousand small arms, not enough. I need five.
Allenby: Right.
Lawrence: Money. It'll have to be sovereigns. They don't like paper.
Allenby: Right.
Lawrence: Instructors for the Lewis guns.
Allenby: Right.
Lawrence: More money.
Allenby: How much more?
Lawrence: Twenty-five thousand now. A lot more later.
Allenby: Dryden?
Dryden: It can be done, sir.
Lawrence: A couple of armored cars.
Allenby: Right.
Lawrence: Field artillery.
Allenby: Right. I know to give you every blessed thing I can, Major Lawrence, because I know you'll use it. Congratulations and thank you.

 

[TonyD]

Watching the first one now.

It is super dark.
Bumped up backlight and contrast and now I can seem it.

Got the set for a smidge under $40 from Amazon on Black Friday.

 

[Tom St Jones]

Not to get political in any way, but thought this worth a mention:
Supposedly - not that Ive ever heard Mr. Clancy confirm anything to the effect, mind yu - the character of Jack Ryan was atleast semi-inspired by the military and intelligence (and eventual political) career of one George Herbert Walker Bush.

Again, have never heard anything from the author confirming such a rumor, but have heard it many times through the years. If true, it would make sense. I can think of few real-life people whose career mirrors the charcter of Ryan so closely.

(RIP George HW Bush 41)

 

[Nelson Au]

Hey guys- I’m interested in this set, but I do not have a 4K display yet, though my player is 4K capable.

Lat night, I watched the previous blu ray of Clear and Present Danger and while it looks good, I wondered if it was ever remastered. This is the 2008 blu ray and it made me wonder if it looked kind of old, perhaps the film stock. I did not get the same impression from The Hunt for Red October blu ray of the same era.

Then I discovered this set. So the question is, are the included blu ray versions made from an improved master used on the 4K disc, or is it the same 2008 discs? Thanks.

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

Hey guys- I’m interested in this set, but I do not have a 4K display yet, though my player is 4K capable.

Lat night, I watched the previous blu ray of Clear and Present Danger and while it looks good, I wondered if it was ever remastered. This is the 2008 blu ray and it made me wonder if it looked kind of old, perhaps the film stock. I did not get the same impression from The Hunt for Red October blu ray of the same era.

Then I discovered this set. So the question is, are the included blu ray versions made from an improved master used on the 4K disc, or is it the same 2008 discs? Thanks.

The included Blu-ray Discs are the same from the previous release (so not upgraded).

 

[Nelson Au]

Thanks Neil. I had a feeling that was the case. I wonder if the iTunes HD versions are improved transfers or simply from the same masters used on the old blu rays?

 

[Robert Harris]

Hey guys- I’m interested in this set, but I do not have a 4K display yet, though my player is 4K capable.

Lat night, I watched the previous blu ray of Clear and Present Danger and while it looks good, I wondered if it was ever remastered. This is the 2008 blu ray and it made me wonder if it looked kind of old, perhaps the film stock. I did not get the same impression from The Hunt for Red October blu ray of the same era.

Then I discovered this set. So the question is, are the included blu ray versions made from an improved master used on the 4K disc, or is it the same 2008 discs? Thanks.

If you have a 4k player, why not run through your current panel?