UHD Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ - Night Moves -- in 4k UHD (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

There's a certain sadness that goes along with reviewing a new 4k UHD release of a Gene Hackman film these days.

Superb actor. Terrific human being.

Night Moves puts him together with is Bonnie & Clyde director, Arthur Penn, and between the two, with an assist from a great supporting cast, along with Bruce Surtees behind the camera and Dede Allen as cutter, and you've got a very special film.

I've seen some comments on line about the film being horribly mangled with layers of teal (and orange?), but my eyes are telling me that it looks beautiful. A slight nod toward cyan, but that's what DP Surtees ordered, as has been confirmed by an approved dye transfer print from the studio archive.

It's a dark film, and UHD and Dolby Vision / HDR helps measurably with this.

Audio is clean and clear.

Image (Dolby Vision)

Forensic - 10
NSD - 10

Audio – 10 (Monaural)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Makes use of and works well in 4k - 7.5

Upgrade from Blu-ray - Yes

Worth your attention - Absolutely

Slipcover rating - n/a

Looks like Film - 10

Very Highly Recommended


RAH



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[Jeffrey D]

I watched this yesterday (the first time I’ve seen the film)- I didn’t notice any weird coloring, but thought the video was a bit soft in contrasts- likely due to the film stock. Good film, and Hackman was superb in changing from a jaded PI that never got involved with the issues of his subjects to a guy that actively wanted to know about what happened to the young girl.

 

[Patrick McCart]

Excellent film and I'm looking forward to Criterion's 4K, despite having the Warner Archive disc.

 

[JoeDoakes]

I thought it was interesting that it was released so close to Chinatown. The moral of both films suggests it may be best not to solve the mystery.

 

[mskaye]

I thought it was interesting that it was released so close to Chinatown. The moral of both films suggests it may be best not to solve the mystery.

That's the overall moral of so many 60s-70s movies - Planet of the Apes and The Parallax View to name two that popped into my head.

 

[B-ROLL]

That's the overall moral of so many 60s-70s movies - Planet of the Apes and The Parallax View to name two that popped into my head.

Star Trek V ...

 

[sbjork]

I thought it was interesting that it was released so close to Chinatown. The moral of both films suggests it may be best not to solve the mystery.

I don't know that I quite agree with that. Oh, it's unquestionably true of Chinatown, but the real moral of Night Moves is don't play chess with people who can see four moves ahead of you. That includes all three women in the film -- his wife Ellen, Delly, and even Paula. He was checkmated before he even started playing, but too blind to see it. It's not that it may be best not to solve the mystery, but rather that he needed to solve it before he lost the game. Instead, he gets to live with Bruno Mortiz's regrets over not looking far enough ahead, for the rest of his life.

 

[Jeffrey D]

I don't know that I quite agree with that. Oh, it's unquestionably true of Chinatown, but the real moral of Night Moves is don't play chess with people who can see four moves ahead of you. That includes all three women in the film -- his wife Ellen, Delly, and even Paula. He was checkmated before he even started playing, but too blind to see it. It's not that it may be best not to solve the mystery, but rather that he needed to solve it before he lost the game. Instead, he gets to live with Bruno Mortiz's regrets over not looking far enough ahead, for the rest of his life.

Interesting points. I didn’t view the film in this way, but can see where you’re coming from.

 

[bobclampett]

Not sure why Criterion felt the need to do a “restoration”. The Warner Blu Ray is excellent so don’t see any reason to “upgrade”. Looked at some screen caps at DVD Beaver of Criterion’s restoration and it looks like the movie was shot in Cleveland instead of Florida. Way too dark in addition to the “correct” skewed color pallet. Must have been a screwup at the Technicolor lab the day that print was struck. Mistakes happen.

 

[Robert Harris]

Not sure why Criterion felt the need to do a “restoration”. The Warner Blu Ray is excellent so don’t see any reason to “upgrade”. Looked at some screen caps at DVD Beaver of Criterion’s restoration and it looks like the movie was shot in Cleveland instead of Florida. Way too dark in addition to the “correct” skewed color pallet. Must have been a screwup at the Technicolor lab the day that print was struck. Mistakes happen.

A distinct possibility. However, reportedly, the DP signed off on it.

 

[JoshZ]

A distinct possibility. However, reportedly, the DP signed off on it.

That's a pretty impressive feat Criterion pulled off, getting approval from a cinematographer who's been dead for 13 years.

 

[Robert Harris]

That's a pretty impressive feat Criterion pulled off, getting approval from a cinematographer who's been dead for 13 years.

The DP apparently signed off on the dye transfer print used as reference. This is SOP.

 

[sbjork]

The DP in this case being Bruce Surtees, and however much anyone may think that Florida should always look bright and shiny, in this case we're seeing it through his distinctive lens and lighting style. And Night Moves is a neo-noir film, so Arthur Penn doubtless chose Surtees for a damned good reason. There's an irony in complaining that one of his films is "too dark" on home video.

For the record, the colors and overall look of Criterion's new UHD are closer to that of the Warner Bros. DVD from 2005, and yes, that had a similar blue-teal bias compared to the Warner Archive Blu-ray. So it's really the Blu-ray that's the odd man out. Unless you have an IB Tech print of your own for comparison purposes (also signed off on by Surtees), then there's not much choice here but to take Criterion at their word that this is closer to the print that they had in their possession.

 

[Robert Harris]

The DP in this case being Bruce Surtees, and however much anyone may think that Florida should always look bright and shiny, in this case we're seeing it through his distinctive lens and lighting style. And Night Moves is a neo-noir film, so Arthur Penn doubtless chose Surtees for a damned good reason. There's an irony in complaining that one of his films is "too dark" on home video.

For the record, the colors and overall look of Criterion's new UHD are closer to that of the Warner Bros. DVD from 2005, and yes, that had a similar blue-teal bias compared to the Warner Archive Blu-ray. So it's really the Blu-ray that's the odd man out. Unless you have an IB Tech print of your own for comparison purposes (also signed off on by Surtees), then there's not much choice here but to take Criterion at their word that this is closer to the print that they had in their possession.

The interesting point here, is that what I’m seeing on screen via the Criterion disc looks nothing akin to the majority of frame grabs, on which I also base my decisions.

 

[sbjork]

The interesting point here, is that what I’m seeing on screen via the Criterion disc looks nothing akin to the majority of frame grabs, on which I also base my decisions.

It's not apples-to-apples anyway. Normally, 4K screenshots are downconverted from HDR to SDR, which rarely gives an accurate impression of how a film looks on an HDR display, let alone in motion. But in this case, DVDBeaver couldn't crack the UHD and posted screenshots from the included Blu-ray instead, so it definitely won't look like how the UHD actually looks. People really, really need to stop putting faith in screenshots.

 

[mskaye]

None of this back and forth diminishes the power and importance of this fascinating and great film. It's one of the great neo-noirs, and quintessentially 1970's with its healthy dose of bleak post-Watergate moral decay. It also has a top ten Gene Hackman performance, great editing and cinematography and just a brilliant take on the material by director Arthur Penn. Easily in the same exalted company as The Parallax View, Chinatown, The Conversation, The Long Goodbye, All the Presidents Men, Three Days of the Condor, Shampoo..

 

[bobclampett]

It's not apples-to-apples anyway. Normally, 4K screenshots are downconverted from HDR to SDR, which rarely gives an accurate impression of how a film looks on an HDR display, let alone in motion. But in this case, DVDBeaver couldn't crack the UHD and posted screenshots from the included Blu-ray instead, so it definitely won't look like how the UHD actually looks. People really, really need to stop putting faith in screenshots.

The skewed color has been reported by multiple reviewers who watched the UHD Blu Ray including the DVD Beaver who uses screen caps to illustrate his comment after watching the UHD. You are correct about watching the UHD is different than looking at screen caps but the reason I rely on this forum and others is to get a sense of the audio visual presentation and given my limited budget is it worth a purchase or upgrade. Criterion releases are very expensive in Canada so if anyone is on a limited budget you will not be disappointed with the Warner Archive Blu Ray. It’s an excellent movie.

 

[mskaye]

None of this back and forth diminishes the power and importance of this fascinating and great film. It's one of the great neo-noirs, and quintessentially 1970's with its healthy dose of bleak post-Watergate moral decay. It also has a top ten Gene Hackman performance, great editing and cinematography and just a brilliant take on the material by director Arthur Penn. Easily in the same exalted company as The Parallax View, Chinatown, The Conversation, The Long Goodbye, All the Presidents Men, Three Days of the Condor, Shampoo..

I’ll add Prime Cut to that list to give Gene H a hat trick.

 

[sbjork]

I’ll add Prime Cut to that list to give Gene H a hat trick.

My favorite Michael Ritchie!

 

[Robert Harris]

The skewed color has been reported by multiple reviewers who watched the UHD Blu Ray including the DVD Beaver who uses screen caps to illustrate his comment after watching the UHD. You are correct about watching the UHD is different than looking at screen caps but the reason I rely on this forum and others is to get a sense of the audio visual presentation and given my limited budget is it worth a purchase or upgrade. Criterion releases are very expensive in Canada so if anyone is on a limited budget you will not be disappointed with the Warner Archive Blu Ray. It’s an excellent movie.

Problem here is that the color is not what viewers will expect as the norm for sunny Florida, which may be a part of the problem.