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

[Robert Harris]

Difficult to believe, but I had never seen the original Starship Troopers, although it's a DVD that sat on my shelf for a decade.

As an initial exposure, Columbia's new 4k UHD with HDR, is a mind-boggling affair.

With an image harvest from the original camera negative, and 4k from beginning to end of process, this is yet another poster child for the new format.

Portions of the film have more obvious grain than others, and 4k along with the added contrast of HDR, brings that look to the fore.

Nothing wrong here. That's what the film looks like.

There are two roads that can be travelled here.

Either publish the disc with full grain and (in this case) magnificent resolution, as it appears on the camera negative, that is something that no one ever sees...

Or allow it the appearance of an original neg print, or IP, which would very slightly soften the grain structure, creating a slightly more velvety look, while losing a bit or overall resolution.

Different opinions in the trade.

What's astounding with Starship Troopers, is that in 4k, it's so sharp, and highly resolved, one could virtually slice their screen with it.

There are some who have seen this film, and continue to love it, although it does perpetuate a certain hate and violence toward insects, but it's a fun ride for 129 minutes.

Image - 5

Audio - 5 (Dolby Atmos)

4k - 5

Pass / Fail - Pass

Upgrade - Without a doubt

Highly Recommended

RAH

 

[Robert George]

Stunning piece of video, Bob. How far we've come since the days of laserdisc. In some ways, though, full circle. I recall many laserdisc purchases for no other reason than how good it may have looked and/or sounded compared to the dreaded VHS (not to mention scope shows in letterbox for the first time on a video screen). Now, I have to sheepishly admit to making more than one UHD acquisition for the same reasons.

BTW, I don't count Starship Troopers as one of those questionable buys. Definite "guilty pleasure" territory for me.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I need to watch this 4K disc this week along with Bram Stoker's Dracula and the Blu-ray of The Hidden, another guilty pleasure of mine.

 

[Robert Harris]

Stunning piece of video, Bob. How far we've come since the days of laserdisc. In some ways, though, full circle. I recall many laserdisc purchases for no other reason than how good it may have looked and/or sounded compared to the dreaded VHS (not to mention scope shows in letterbox for the first time on a video screen). Now, I have to sheepishly admit to making more than one UHD acquisition for the same reasons.

BTW, I don't count Starship Troopers as one of those questionable buys. Definite "guilty pleasure" territory for me.

Technology, for technology’s sake.

I recall picking up the first laserdisc with true digital track. Was it AC-3?

A disc that I would not have normally added to my library.

 

[DavidMiller]

I agree 100%! It was a great disc.

 

[Mark-P]

Technology, for technology’s sake.

I recall picking up the first laserdisc with true digital track. Was it AC-3?

A disc that I would not have normally added to my library.

January 1995. It was Clear and Present Danger, the first Laserdisc released with Dolby Digital AC-3 sound. I remember it well. I don't recall the first Laserdisc to use DTS. However digital sound (PCM 2 channel) first came to Laserdisc in the mid to late 1980s.

 

[titch]

January 1995. It was Clear and Present Danger, the first Laserdisc released with Dolby Digital AC-3 sound. I remember it well. I don't recall the first Laserdisc to use DTS. However digital sound (PCM 2 channel) first came to Laserdisc in the mid to late 1980s.

Apart from a video demo disc, the first Laserdisc to use DTS was, appropriately enough, Jurassic Park (which also was the first theatrical film release with DTS). Released January 15th 1997. Ah - software state of the art 20 years ago.....retail price $49.99, three sides, so the film had two breaks while you had to go and flip the disc, 425 lines of resolution. I had to wait three months to save up and purchase a new Laserdisc player and receiver to be able to play it. My friends and I had a DTS party to showcase the new format a year later during Easter 1998 and watched Jurassic Park, The Shadow and....um....Casper. Yes, Casper - purchased because of the DTS track and viewed on a 29 inch CRT TV screen. That Easter we also showcased the new format of DVD - my friend had purchased a DVD player. The first DVD we saw? Blade Runner. We did A/B comparisons with my Criterion Laserdisc and I quickly realised then that my whole Laserdisc collection, purchased during the previous ten years, was obsolete. Starship Troopers was one of the last Laserdiscs I purchased.

So look how far we've come with the Starship Troopers 4K and Blade Runner 4K discs 20 years later! It will be fascinating to see where home theatre will be in 20 years' time - hope I'll still be entertaining guests at regular movie nights. In case anyone is wondering, I did not purchase the first 4K disc release The Smurfs 2 for a 4K showcase party....

 

[Michel_Hafner]

The BD was one of the early demo discs. Especially the space scenes never failed to impress. Can't wait to see the UHD version with HDR. I'm doing my part to meet sales goals.

 

[Robert Harris]

January 1995. It was Clear and Present Danger, the first Laserdisc released with Dolby Digital AC-3 sound. I remember it well. I don't recall the first Laserdisc to use DTS. However digital sound (PCM 2 channel) first came to Laserdisc in the mid to late 1980s.

I was probably thinking of PCM, and Miami Vice.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I viewed this disc today and thought the second hour of the film looked better than the first hour on this disc. I was laughing throughout this film just like I did back when during my theatrical viewing of it. Fun film! Outstanding disc!

 

[Stephen_J_H]

January 1995. It was Clear and Present Danger, the first Laserdisc released with Dolby Digital AC-3 sound. I remember it well. I don't recall the first Laserdisc to use DTS. However digital sound (PCM 2 channel) first came to Laserdisc in the mid to late 1980s.

Correct, and with it, the short-lived CD-V format [not to be confused with Video CD].

 

[bgart13]

How well does the CGI translate to 4k? Any limitations exposed?

 

[Robert Harris]

How well does the CGI translate to 4k? Any limitations exposed?

CGI? What CGI?

 

[dpippel]

 

[Steen DK]

There are some who have seen this film, and continue to love it, although it does perpetuate a certain hate and violence toward insects

Well played.

I need to watch this 4K disc this week along with Bram Stoker's Dracula and the Blu-ray of The Hidden, another guilty pleasure of mine.

There is absolutely no reason to feel guilty about taking pleasure in The Hidden! It is quite simply amazing.

 

[Nathan_H]

Agreed, this disk is amazing. Brilliant use of scanning a film at 4k and using HDR and WCG to capture what is on the original negative, without artificially enhancing or softening things.

 

[Nathan_H]

(And the biting sarcasm / satire about fascism is strangely prescient in a very uncomfortable way.)

 

[Robert Crawford]

(And the biting sarcasm / satire about fascism is strangely prescient in a very uncomfortable way.)

Not a topic for this forum!

 

[Jeff Cooper]

Not a topic for this forum!

Not a topic for this thread, because it's about the disc, or not a topic for the entire forum? I thought that type of discussion was allowed if it pertains to the movie being discussed.

Not trying to stir the pot or anything, just genuinely confused.

 

[Lord Dalek]

I recall picking up the first laserdisc with true digital track. Was it AC-3?

Technically AC-3 wasn't digital on laserdisc.