UHD Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ Platoon -- in 4k UHD Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Sam Favate]

As the two blu-rays appear to be different, with so far the MGM being reported as superior, it would be helpful for this discussion if everyone could specify which blu-ray they are referring to.

I was referring to the MGM Blu-ray.

 

[cda1143]

I was referring to the MGM Blu-ray.

Thank you. Another plus in the MGM column.

 

[cda1143]

Caps-a-holic seems to support the MGM preference. Shout looks like it should be named wax factory. I own the MGM and iTunes 4K. I'll have to take a look.

 

[Sam Favate]

The thing is I would’ve gotten the Shout Blu-ray if I hadn’t had the MGM one. I think Shout usually does an excellent job.

 

[madfloyd]

Floyd and Sam: As the two blu-rays appear to be different, with so far the MGM being reported as superior, it would be helpful for this discussion if everyone could specify which blu-ray they are referring to.

I was referring to the 2011 MGM version.

 

[Bartman]

I'm hearing similar comments about several 80s films transferred to 4K. Fatal Attraction appears to suffer the same fate as Platoon. Has anyone discerned a pattern and causation?
The 2011 MGM Blu-ray doesn't get great reviews here, was a better job done later or for other regions?

 

[Robert Crawford]

I'm hearing similar comments about several 80s films transferred to 4K. Fatal Attraction appears to suffer the same fate as Platoon. Has anyone discerned a pattern and causation?
The 2011 MGM Blu-ray doesn't get great reviews here, was a better job done later or for other regions?

RAH has given Fatal Attraction 4K disc a Highly Recommended.

 

[Bartman]

RAH has given Fatal Attraction 4K disc a Highly Recommended.

Other reviewers mentioned the grain comes & goes, similar comments to Platoon.

 

[Chewbabka]

Other reviewers mentioned the grain comes & goes, similar comments to Platoon.

Platoon isn't just lacking in grain, it's lacking in detail. The image is severely compromised by the processing applied.

 

[Bartman]

Platoon isn't just lacking in grain, it's lacking in detail. The image is severely compromised by the processing applied.

Thanks for the clarification. What is your preferred Platoon Blu-ray?

 

[Chewbabka]

Thanks for the clarification. What is your preferred Platoon Blu-ray?

Haven’t actually watched the 2011 disc yet, but I was disappointed with the Shout edition. The old disc is in my watch pile.

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

My memory of the Shout BD is that it has the same pitfalls you describe for the 4K. Maybe the new 4K edition amplifies those pitfalls, but I think it’s the same, supposedly Stone-approved master. Perhaps the original MGM disc is the way to go.

I doubt it amplifies the pitfalls, but it definitely asks you to pay a small premium for them compared to the blu-ray.

 

[Noel Aguirre]

I have an overriding belief that when a 4k release arrives, allowing certain hiccups for early scans and releases before HDR application was understood, that any new 4k release should blow everything that came before out of the water.

Any new 4k should look precisely akin to its analogue film or digital roots. Which is why seeing things like Platoon, Godfather, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence and a handful of others are totally unnecessary and wasteful of one’s time, funds and the environment.

If a new 4k release isn‘t special, it has no reason to be, except as a money grab.

Well if the 4K of The Godfather was personally overseen and signed off by director Francis Coppola what are we saying here? I’ve read nothing but exemplary reviews elsewhere and viewed it myself. If Coppola felt the need to slightly reduce grain in order for Gordon Willis’ cinematography which by its nature of the technology of the time was overloaded with it so it could shine now so be it. But to lump that in with travesties like this and TMWSLV seems a little of a mismatch. This reads like it’s not worth the release. Sorry if this has been discussed/ explained before or if I’m misinterpreting above. .

 

[JoshZ]

Well if the 4K of The Godfather was personally overseen and signed off by director Francis Coppola what are we saying here? I’ve read nothing but exemplary reviews elsewhere and viewed it myself. If Coppola felt the need to slightly reduce grain in order for Gordon Willis’ cinematography which by its nature of the technology of the time was overloaded with it so it could shine now so be it. But to lump that in with travesties like this and TMWSLV seems a little of a mismatch. This reads like it’s not worth the release. Sorry if this has been discussed/ explained before or if I’m misinterpreting above. .

There's a lengthy thread about The Godfather 4K controversy here:

UHD Review - A Few Words About - A few words about...™ -The Godfather(s) 50th Anniversary Restoration -- in 4k UHD

30 March 2022 Updating these words, based upon what I perceive as a bit of confusion at either the studio or replication level. Comments from two members of the studio team tell us that this is a definitive restoration, using the 2007 Digital Cinema Package as a basis of color, density, black...

www.hometheaterforum.com

 

[Bryan Tuck]

Haven't seen the Shout Blu or 4K, but I think I read that Oliver Stone supervised the 4K remastering, so presumably he's the one who wanted it this way. Shout has had their hiccups, but I don't think this one is their fault. They probably had to use what was given to them by the licensor.

 

[Worth]

I have the original MGM disc and the Shout remaster. I don’t have the new 4K disc, but I do have it on iTunes. I compared them all and the MGM is clearly the best. I don’t claim to remember exactly what the release prints looked like in 1986, but nothing about the MGM looks “off” to me.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I have the original MGM disc and the Shout remaster. I don’t have the new 4K disc, but I do have it on iTunes. I compared them all and the MGM is clearly the best. I don’t claim to remember exactly what the release prints looked like in 1986, but nothing about the MGM looks “off” to me.

Best as far as what parameters?

 

[Robert Harris]

The word “supervised” has many levels of meaning.

 

[Worth]

Best as far as what parameters?

The MGM disc looks the most like film. The colour isn’t muted or boosted, it isn’t overly dark or blown out, there’s no excessive noise reduction - the image just looks natural.

 

[Chewbabka]

What gets me is how they took the The Green Mile, almost totally degrained it for 4K, and while it might not be what I’d have preferred, the detail is fantastic and it just looks amazing. Yet so many other releases look like wax. Why is that? Does Warner have some kind of secret sauce?