UHD Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ - The Fugitive (1993) -- in 4k UHD (2 Viewers)

[Konstantinos]

Are there any screenshots anywhere on the internet?
I was going to buy this, but now I'm concerned about the revisionist colors.
I'm not a fan of revisionism.

 

[Kyle_D]

A few other things to note: Davis and the film's cinematographer, Michael Chapman, famously clashed on the set of the film and did not get along. Chapman died in 2020 and so had no input on this release. Also, the colorist for this remaster, Jan Yarbrough, is the same colorist behind the controversial Godfather and Grease 4K remasters.

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

We watched it last night. This is a stunning looking release. Top notch.

 

[Robert Harris]

A few other things to note: Davis and the film's cinematographer, Michael Chapman, famously clashed on the set of the film and did not get along. Chapman died in 2020 and so had no input on this release. Also, the colorist for this remaster, Jan Yarbrough, is the same colorist behind the controversial Godfather and Grease 4K remasters.

Speaking up for Mr. Yarbrough here. He’s a superb colorist, and does as the client desires.

 

[Worth]

Are there any screenshots anywhere on the internet?
I was going to buy this, but now I'm concerned about the revisionist colors.
I'm not a fan of revisionism.

I don't have the disc, but I do have it on iTunes and had a quick look at some scenes last night. I'm not seeing anything that smacks of revisionism. The colour still looks natural, if maybe a little bit more saturated than before, grain is minimal but hasn't been wiped out, and nothing's been done to obviously 'modernize' the image. Does it look exactly like a release print from 1993. Probably not, but that's true of pretty much every 4K transfer.

 

[sbjork]

Again, even assuming that there's been some minor revisionism relative to the original theatrical release prints (and the quality of prints still isn't necessarily a benchmark for what directors and cinematographers may have wanted), most people are basing their complaints off of screen shot comparisons to the 2013 Blu-ray, and as RAH already asked, who can prove that those are "correct"?

Ultimately, the most important question is how that this 4K looks, now how it looks compared to the Blu-ray or to people's memories. And it looks sensational.

 

[Sam Favate]

I watched this today, with the kids. I thought it looked great, best I have seen it look since 1993 in the theater. The kids loved it, one of them even said it was "great," which is high praise from a teenager who doesn't like to show excitement about anything (and who was mad we were watching this and not Oppenheimer).

Glad I sprung for the steelbook. This is pretty much a perfect movie. There's nothing to improve.

 

[Muad'Dib]

I’m seeing lots of compression artifacts on this disc, just like with Condor, but everyone else seems to be happy with it. Assuming something may be wrong with my (admittedly aging) Sony UBP-X700 disc player?

 

[sbjork]

I’m seeing lots of compression artifacts on this disc, just like with Condor, but everyone else seems to be happy with it. Assuming something may be wrong with my (admittedly aging) Sony UBP-X700 disc player?

I've only had time to spot-check my disc, but I didn't notice anything. WB definitely isn't aggressive with bitrates, but they're not usually bad enough to cause major artifacts. Minor ones, maybe.

 

[Kyle_D]

I noticed no compression artifacts here. Warner pressed this on a triple layer disc, and the average video bitrate is a healthy 67.3 Mb/s.

Spoiler: The Fugitive Metadata

Video​
ID :	1
ID in the original source medium :	4113 (0x1011)
Format :	HEVC
Format/Info :	High Efficiency Video Coding
Format profile :	Main [email protected]@High
HDR format :	SMPTE ST 2086, HDR10 compatible
Codec ID :	V_MPEGH/ISO/HEVC
Duration :	2 h 10 min
Bit rate :	67.3 Mb/s
Width :	3 840 pixels
Height :	2 160 pixels
Display aspect ratio :	16:9
Frame rate mode :	Constant
Frame rate :	23.976 (24000/1001) FPS
Color space :	YUV
Chroma subsampling :	4:2:0 (Type 2)
Bit depth :	10 bits
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) :	0.338
Stream size :	61.2 GiB
Writing library :	ATEME Titan File 3.9.12 (4.9.12.4)
Language :	English
Default :	No
Forced :	No
Color range :	Limited
Color primaries :	BT.2020
Transfer characteristics :	PQ
Matrix coefficients :	BT.2020 non-constant
Mastering display color primaries :	Display P3
Mastering display luminance :	min: 0.0050 cd/m2, max: 4000 cd/m2
Maximum Content Light Level :	3431 cd/m2
Maximum Frame-Average Light Level :	347 cd/m2
Original source medium :	Blu-ray

Audio #1​
ID :	2
ID in the original source medium :	4352 (0x1100)
Format :	MLP FBA 16-ch
Format/Info :	Meridian Lossless Packing FBA with 16-channel presentation
Commercial name :	Dolby TrueHD with Dolby Atmos
Codec ID :	A_TRUEHD
Duration :	2 h 10 min
Bit rate mode :	Variable
Bit rate :	2 935 kb/s
Maximum bit rate :	4 290 kb/s
Channel(s) :	8 channels
Channel layout :	L R C LFE Ls Rs Lb Rb
Sampling rate :	48.0 kHz
Frame rate :	1 200.000 FPS (40 SPF)
Bit depth :	24 bits
Compression mode :	Lossless
Stream size :	2.67 GiB
Title :	Surround 7.1
Language :	English
Default :	Yes
Forced :	No
Original source medium :	Blu-ray
Number of dynamic objects :	11
Bed channel count :	1 channel
Bed channel configuration :	LFE

 

[PMF]

Deleted.

 

[PMF]

[…This new 4k is a magnificent re-mastering from the OCN, and there's nothing there of which to be ashamed. Color timing is meticulous and beautiful. Grain structure shines.[…]

Definite purchase.

 

[PMF]

Speaking up for Mr. Yarbrough here. He’s a superb colorist, and does as the client desires.

This is a distinction of crucial importance in regards to Post #22; and to which I also just learned. Fascinating, actually.

I’m still not happy about the 4K/UHD of The Godfather I & Ii; but can certainly feel worlds better - if not relieved - about the expertise of Jan Yarborough.

Looking forward to seeing the 4K/UHD of The Fugitive.

 

[Dave Moritz]

I know I had this film on DVD but like many of my DVD's that where upgraded to Blu-ray at the time before 4K Blu-ray. I had a big purge of DVD's which I actually took to a local record store that also sells used records and movies. But I do still have my 2013 Blu-ray of The Fugitive. My initial viewing of the 4K disc was not a full viewing but the first part of the movie up to where Richard Kimble is on the run and where US Marshal Samuel Gerard takes over. The image to me looks very good but I will compare some scenes to the 2013 Blu-ray. During the dark train wreck and following scene with law enforcement and the US Marshal Deputies on scene. I was just thinking there should have been more film grain in the scene but maybe someone here knows for sure. Just wondering if this transfer had grain removed? Overall from what I have seen I am happy with the transfer overall.

 

[Wes Candela]

Andrew Davis' The Fugitive is coming up on its third decade, and has been released by WB as a 4k UHD disc.

And that release magnificently reproduces Michael Chapman's cinematography in every nuance and detail.

Everything is perfect. There are zero problems. And the new Dolby Atmos track grabs this modern classic by its bootstraps, and pulls it into the 21st century.

Don't know Mr. Chapman's work?

Credits as DP include Taxi Driver, The Front, Raging Bull, The Lost Boys et al. As Camera Operator, The Godfather, Klute, Jaws et al. Connections should begin to make sense.

The Fugitive is a film that not only stands the test of time, but in certain ways, gives meaning to the phrase. Viewing it again, I'm reminded of a tip of the hat to Hitchcock, as well as certain textures of In the Line of Fire.

I do have a single nit to pick, and that is the use of the word "restoration" in the marketing materials. The use of that word points fingers at those who handled the original negative at the lab, as well as those caretakers in the WB vaults, and infers that someone did something that damaged the elements to a point at which they needed restoration.

I don't believe this for a moment.

This new 4k is a magnificent re-mastering from the OCN, and there's nothing there of which to be ashamed. Color timing is meticulous and beautiful. Grain structure shines.

The re-mix of the tremendous tracks to Dolby Atmos add another layer of quality to this film which never seems to slow down for all of its 130 minutes.

Preceded by two TV series.

Packaging is a simple, yet elegant slipcover which duplicates what is held within, with certain attributes printed in gold, and a reflective background used to create a shell worth keeping on one's shelf.

Image – 5 (HDR10)

Audio – 5 (Dolby Atmos)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Makes use of and works well in 4k - 7

Upgrade from Blu-ray - Absolutely!

Worth your attention - 10

Slipcover rating - 3

Very Highly Recommended

RAH


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I am watching now Mr. Harris
It took about 45 seconds for me to realize this is going to be phenomenal

From the titles alone, it looks beautiful

Then the Atmos track kicked in during the train scene

Phenomenal, phenomenal phenomenal

 

[John Lloyd]

The 4K picture looks great, definitely better than the older bluray. Unfortunately I am also seeing the picture is shifted down about 1/2” on my projector screen. Not really distracting but it is noticeable.