A Few Words About A few words about...™ Sixteen Candles -- in Blu-ray (3 Viewers)

[Robert Harris]

John Hughes' wonderful Sixteen Candles (1984) with Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall, has been released on Blu-ray by Universal, and "it's never looked better on home video."

Unfortunately, "it's never looked better," is one of the more useless terms found on review websites. OMG! It looks better than my ten year old DVD!

Worthless drivel.

This is a fun film about the pain of growing up, that's apparently from an old master. While it appears better than an up conversion, we have the normal Universal force fields and contrast lines.

And it's not a pretty picture. Mastering has become so inexpensive, especially if derived from a clean IP, that there really isn't any reason to be putting things like this out in the marketplace in 2012. That said, the entire concept of mastering at Universal seems to have been upgraded in the past year, so this is probably old news.

A delightful film.

Image - 2

Audio - 4.5

RAH

 

[Moe Dickstein]

My "favorite" was watching how the letters in the opening credits seemed to dance or twitch somehow.
I've always thought this a better film than The Breakfast Club which seems to get all the attention, certainly more of a personal favorite. Owing to the stepchild status of this film I doubt we'll see it revisited.
to paraphrase:
I can't believe it. They fucking forgot to do a new transfer.

 

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by Moe Dickstein /t/323528/a-few-words-about-sixteen-candles-in-blu-ray#post_3970865
My "favorite" was watching how the letters in the opening credits seemed to dance or twitch somehow.
I've always thought this a better film than The Breakfast Club which seems to get all the attention, certainly more of a personal favorite. Owing to the stepchild status of this film I doubt we'll see it revisited.
to paraphrase:
I can't believe it. They fucking forgot to do a new transfer.

I had actually forgotten to mention the dancing letters.

The transfer must have been through layers of DNR, sharpening, more DNR and a bit more sharpening, to achieve something as wonderful as what those letters are doing on-screen.

Possibly they were animated.

RAH

 

[Russell G]

Looks like a pass. Shame, i've always liked this one too.

 

[Moe Dickstein]

I had actually forgotten to mention the dancing letters.
The transfer must have been through layers of DNR, sharpening, more DNR and a bit more sharpening, to achieve something as wonderful as what those letters are doing on-screen.
Possibly they were animated.
RAH

I think we may have just discovered what the wonderful people at Universal's Lantz studio have been up to lately...

 

[Bryan^H]

One of my favorite 80's films. It's hard for me to pass this up, so I'll bite. Maybe if enough units are sold, it will warrant yet another (proper) release on Blu-Ray.

 

[dpippel]

I see no point in rewarding careless, shoddy, substandard work with a sale. Doing so will just encourage more of the same IMO. Too bad, because this is also one of my favorite 80's films. I'll pass. Thanks for the evaluation Mr. Harris.

 

[rsmithjr]

I have it on LD and that will remain my holding on the title.
Perhaps I can put it in the S section of my LD's right next to my Criterion edition of Spartacus.

 

[Moe Dickstein]

I have it on LD and that will remain my holding on the title.
Perhaps I can put it in the S section of my LD's right next to my Criterion edition of Spartacus.

As poor as this is, it does look better than the DVD, and for this title, your LD is actually made with replacement music. So that's at least one reason to upgrade (sidegrade?) if that's a factor for you. Also - that LD is not 1.85, is it?

 

[Robert Harris]

As poor as this is, it does look better than the DVD, and for this title, your LD is actually made with replacement music. So that's at least one reason to upgrade (sidegrade?) if that's a factor for you. Also - that LD is not 1.85, is it?

I was actually waiting for you to make that comment. Your dark humor precedes you.

 

[rsmithjr]

As poor as this is, it does look better than the DVD, and for this title, your LD is actually made with replacement music. So that's at least one reason to upgrade (sidegrade?) if that's a factor for you. Also - that LD is not 1.85, is it?

The LD is 133, but I haven't checked to see if it was soft matte or if there is missing information on the sides due to P&S. The picture plays fine with the existing AR.
I have such great respect for what Blu-ray can accomplish that I have not been upgrading unless the Blu-ray is really well done. Universal is certainly doing better but they have some fixin' to do on some titles.

 

[Bryan^H]

Unfortunately, "it's never looked better," is one of the more useless terms found on review websites. OMG!  It looks better than my ten year old DVD!
Worthless drivel.

By the way Robert, I forgot to metion that your words can make me smile. Funny, and true. Great stuff.

 

[Moe Dickstein]

I was actually waiting for you to make that comment. Your dark humor precedes you.

Curses, I've become a foregone conclusion.

 

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by Moe Dickstein /t/323528/a-few-words-about-sixteen-candles-in-blu-ray#post_3971022
Curses, I've become a foregone conclusion.

Not really. It is recognized that you have a funny sense of fun.

 

[Matt Hough]

Sixteen Candles is my favorite Hughes film, so this is especially disappointing to read. Alas!

 

[David Deeb]

This is on my list to pick up this weekend as I love all the Hughes movies. This is sad news. On one hand, I want to pick it up. But the lack of attention to it does not deserve rewarding. I guess I'll wait to find a used copy someday.

Mastering has become so inexpensive, especially if derived from a clean IP, that there really isn't any reason to be putting things like this out in the marketplace in 2012.

There could be an entire thread just on this subject. In addition to what you mention, consumers are well informed of their Blu-ray choices: prices, reviews, picture quality, encoding, etc. Are the studios unaware that HTF and other forums even exist? Can't someone at the studio articulate the value of mastering & authoring correctly to management so that positive word of mouth will result in more sales?
Working for a professional Blu-ray authoring house, we can only wish for the chance to work on titles like this and it saddens me to think what could have been.

 

[Wayne_j]

I just watched the recent Arrow release, it looked and sounded wonderful projected with my Benq projector. I didn't see a thread for that release.

 

[Jeffrey D]

I need to order the Arrow release- one of my favorite comedies.

 

[Wayne_j]

I need to order the Arrow release- one of my favorite comedies.

It is easy enough to get, I ordered it from Amazon 2 days ago.