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

[Lord Dalek]

Seems to me there are two kinds of obsessive-compulsive here: Those who obsessively tinker with their own work toward some unattainable goal of perfection, and those who obsessively catalog said changes in nostalgic lament of the "original theatrical experience."

I take it you're unaware of the foul hives that are Movie-censorship and Original Trilogy then.

 

[JoshZ]

Seems to me there are two kinds of obsessive-compulsive here: Those who obsessively tinker with their own work toward some unattainable goal of perfection, and those who obsessively catalog said changes in nostalgic lament of the "original theatrical experience."

Okay, fair enough. Still, there's no reason directors like Fincher can't make both versions of their movies available - the original theatrical release and the new radically revised version. As it is, he (and his cohorts like Michael Mann, James Cameron, etc.) try to slip the changes under the radar, hoping nobody will notice anything different, and act like this is what the movie has always been all along. That doesn't sit well with me.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Okay, fair enough. Still, there's no reason directors like Fincher can't make both versions of their movies available - the original theatrical release and the new radically revised version. As it is, he (and his cohorts like Michael Mann, James Cameron, etc.) try to slip the changes under the radar, hoping nobody will notice anything different, and act like this is what the movie has always been all along. That doesn't sit well with me.

Frankly, I don’t think those directors give much thought or concern what others noticed about their revised films. It’s their vision, if you don’t like it then tough cookies.

 

[MarkantonyII]

Okay, fair enough. Still, there's no reason directors like Fincher can't make both versions of their movies available - the original theatrical release and the new radically revised version. As it is, he (and his cohorts like Michael Mann, James Cameron, etc.) try to slip the changes under the radar, hoping nobody will notice anything different, and act like this is what the movie has always been all along. That doesn't sit well with me.

The reason an alternate, original, version often isn’t made available is because the director, in these cases, has total approval of what gets released. There is also so little profit in the majority of home video releases that adding another disc means more cost which can be risky.

I don’t believe in any of the cases you’ve highlighted could the director be accused of slipping the changes under the radar. All 3 have given interviews, mentioned it in commentaries, press releases etc stating about changes - or it’s even mentioned on the package.

This is hardly on the same level of change as Godfather 50, Star Wars SE or Disney’s practically redrawn past animated releases pre-UHD.

Also saying things like “ridiculous alterations” and “radically revised” in the case of Se7en, where you would have to compare the two to even notice the change in virtually all cases, makes you seem unhinged!

Home video especially in UHD is often not an original 35mm print, if you don’t like it, don’t buy it - buy a projector and the prints instead. In the case of Se7en is it a silver retention print or not, if not then that’s not what several people saw either.

 

[FincherFan]

. . . still waiting for the links to any interview in which Mr. Fincher states he made a number of “ruinous” changes to this film . . .

also, of the few reviews i’ve read so far, the only mention of any change is some sharpening of the image, but strangely enough, no mention of doors being added or removed or windows magically having an over-exposed view of the outside visible (although most of the film is set at night) or none of Jodie’s annyoing hair being erased.

hmm . . .

 

[SD_Brian]

I take it you're unaware of the foul hives that are Movie-censorship and Original Trilogy then.

Oh, I'm aware. Painfully aware.

 

[JohnRice]

Whenever I feel I'm descending into the abyss of OCD over some random thing, I peruse a thread like this, and realize I actually handle reality rather well.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

I take it you're unaware of the foul hives that are Movie-censorship and Original Trilogy then.

Fun fact: Original Trilogy was how I got into online forums. Made some good friends there, most of whom left the site and we still maintain contact.

 

[JohnRice]

FWIW, this thread did prompt me to take the 13 year old BR of Seven off the old disc heap and put it back next to my UHD set, just because I might as well keep it.

 

[Wayne Klein]

Of course I know that. I was simply making a joke about what might have occurred in 1968 with the people who take the decision of a filmmaker to revise his/her work as an existential threat.

Well said!

Yes but the comparison wasn’t appropriate. Tinkering with a project shortly after release is somewhat like test screenings not happening years or decades later.

 

[AlexNH]

g

I never owned the original Edison cylinder release. Can you comment on how this compares to the more recent IBM punch card transfer?

 

[Richard Kaufman]

And made it a far superior film.

Mr. Harris, this implies that you saw the original cut of "2001." Were the trims whole scenes or just general tightening?

 

[TravisR]

And even then, there's one movie of his he'll NEVER fix.

You can't polish a turd.

 

[Robert Crawford]

You can't polish a turd.

Which film is that?

 

[TravisR]

Which film is that?

I assumed that Joel is referencing Alien 3. If not, it's the one I'm talking about.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I assumed that Joel is referencing Alien 3. If not, it's the one I'm talking about.

Wow, it’s my third favorite movie of that franchise.

 

[SD_Brian]

Wow, it’s my third favorite movie of that franchise.

Mine too, though that's kind of damning with faint praise, considering some of the follow-ups.

Seriously, though, Alien3 made me a Fincher fan. It was a long wait until he was finally let out of Movie Jail and allowed to make a follow-up.

 

[TravisR]

Seriously, though, Alien3 made me a Fincher fan. It was a long wait until he was finally let out of Movie Jail and allowed to make a follow-up.

Fincher is a legitimate artistic genius but Alien 3 is the only one of his movies that I don't like.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Fincher is a legitimate artistic genius but Alien 3 is the only one of his movies that I don't like.

The subjectivity of film appreciation. Furthermore, for a 30-year-old directing his first movie, I thought he did pretty good compared to most other great directors in their first movie.

 

[Robert Harris]

Mr. Harris, this implies that you saw the original cut of "2001." Were the trims whole scenes or just general tightening?

General tightening. Plus addition of new material. As I recall more shots of astronauts in space. Explanatory titles were added.

Original version survives.