- Joined
- Feb 8, 1999
- Messages
- 18,407
- Real Name
- Robert Harris
On several occasions, I've equated home video software as being akin to a paperback version of hardcover book, or worse, a photocopied replication of a beautifully hand-crafted illuminated manuscript. Not terribly up-lifting.
In a general sense, home video still fits very neatly into this concept.
It has only been with the inception of High Definition DVD, as well as the niche the shot-lived HD-VHS format, that a true representation of quality motion picture image and, to a lesser extent, audio were possible -- but certainly not guaranteed.
Universal's new HD-DVD release of Sydney Pollack's political thriller, The Interpreter, like a handful of other HD releases to hit stores shelves thus far from Universal, Paramount and Warner, is precisely what has been in the pre-HD era, an impossibility.
The Interpreter is neither a bland photocopy nor something cheapened in its reduction in size.
Like Batman Begins, and Phantom of the Opera, Van Helsing, Unforgiven, Sleepy Hollow and Ray, The Searchers, "good night, and good luck" and Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Interpreter is finally not something that is less in any way than its original.
It is simply a miniaturized, jewel-like version of the fifty or sixty pound stack of 35mm reels that must be run through heavy equipment to find its way to a motion picture screen.
Will this HD-DVD transliteration of The Interpreter look nearly as good as the real version if projected on a theatre screen.
Certainly not.
But on a home theater screen of a diagonal measurement even in excess of 100 inches, it looks not only superb, but just as good as what we viewed in a theatre.
Only smaller.
We now have over 80 HD-DVDs in release, plus an additional 60+ BD discs. By the end of October we'll hit almost 100 in HD-DVD, with yet another 17 BD thus far planned just in October.
Although back in the late spring there were murmurs of scant releases before the end of the year , with opinions voicing a warning that 100 titles would never be hit, we're going to be far past that point.
With quality classics, as well an new releases in both HD and BD, which seem by all accounts will be of equal quality once the bugs are out of the BD system, the High Definition DVD world will be moving much more quickly than many imagined.
For those still sitting on the sidelines, the time has come to take a good look at the films being offered. Prices will certainly be coming down in 2007 as players are produced in higher numbers, and as the software is ramped up for higher production.
But the outstanding quality of these discs is now proven.
Mr. Pollack's The Interpreter is simply one more example of how absolutely superb 35mm film can look in HD.
I personally enjoyed Mr. Pollack's work, as I always do. It harkened back to his work on Three Days of the Condor. While reviews were not stellar, they were good, and this is one extremely intelligent motion picture.
What can be taken away from this particular "few words" are two points.
I enjoyed The Interpreter and give it a Recommended as a film, and an Extremely Recommended as HD software. Universal has done a superb job.
But for HD-DVD in general, inclusive of properly produced BD...
Absolutely Incredible.
RAH
In a general sense, home video still fits very neatly into this concept.
It has only been with the inception of High Definition DVD, as well as the niche the shot-lived HD-VHS format, that a true representation of quality motion picture image and, to a lesser extent, audio were possible -- but certainly not guaranteed.
Universal's new HD-DVD release of Sydney Pollack's political thriller, The Interpreter, like a handful of other HD releases to hit stores shelves thus far from Universal, Paramount and Warner, is precisely what has been in the pre-HD era, an impossibility.
The Interpreter is neither a bland photocopy nor something cheapened in its reduction in size.
Like Batman Begins, and Phantom of the Opera, Van Helsing, Unforgiven, Sleepy Hollow and Ray, The Searchers, "good night, and good luck" and Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Interpreter is finally not something that is less in any way than its original.
It is simply a miniaturized, jewel-like version of the fifty or sixty pound stack of 35mm reels that must be run through heavy equipment to find its way to a motion picture screen.
Will this HD-DVD transliteration of The Interpreter look nearly as good as the real version if projected on a theatre screen.
Certainly not.
But on a home theater screen of a diagonal measurement even in excess of 100 inches, it looks not only superb, but just as good as what we viewed in a theatre.
Only smaller.
We now have over 80 HD-DVDs in release, plus an additional 60+ BD discs. By the end of October we'll hit almost 100 in HD-DVD, with yet another 17 BD thus far planned just in October.
Although back in the late spring there were murmurs of scant releases before the end of the year , with opinions voicing a warning that 100 titles would never be hit, we're going to be far past that point.
With quality classics, as well an new releases in both HD and BD, which seem by all accounts will be of equal quality once the bugs are out of the BD system, the High Definition DVD world will be moving much more quickly than many imagined.
For those still sitting on the sidelines, the time has come to take a good look at the films being offered. Prices will certainly be coming down in 2007 as players are produced in higher numbers, and as the software is ramped up for higher production.
But the outstanding quality of these discs is now proven.
Mr. Pollack's The Interpreter is simply one more example of how absolutely superb 35mm film can look in HD.
I personally enjoyed Mr. Pollack's work, as I always do. It harkened back to his work on Three Days of the Condor. While reviews were not stellar, they were good, and this is one extremely intelligent motion picture.
What can be taken away from this particular "few words" are two points.
I enjoyed The Interpreter and give it a Recommended as a film, and an Extremely Recommended as HD software. Universal has done a superb job.
But for HD-DVD in general, inclusive of properly produced BD...
Absolutely Incredible.
RAH
