Anyone get "All That Jazz" yet...?? (1 Viewer)

[Dave Mack]

How's it look...?!?!?!?!?


D

 

[Robert Harris]

All That Jazz is a beautiful transfer of a fine film.

I cannot believe that this is streeting for under ten dollars.

Highly recommended.

RAH

 

[BruceKimmel]

I've had the region 2 DVD of this film and I was quite concerned that they'd simply use that transfer - it was enhanced for widescreen but looked like crap - grainy, murky, and grimy-looking. So, I was thrilled with the US DVD - it's 100% better - just a perfect rendition of what this film looked like theatrically. So, to concur with Mr. Harris - GET IT!

 

[Jon Robertson]

The R2 disc doesn't look like crap in the slightest - I'd give it around 8/10. I'd bet they're both taken from the same high-def master anyway.

 

[BruceKimmel]

Well, you would be very wrong. I have them both and it's night and day. Of course, I'd bet you never saw the film in the theater - a guess anyway. The region 2 is brownish and murky compared to the perfectly perfect US version, which has wonderful color and none of the murkiness. They are NOT taken from the same transfer. Of course, only people who have actually SEEN both DVDs can possibly know from whence they speak, eh?

 

[Jon Robertson]

Indeed I have seen it at the cinema, and even if the R1 looks better (which I would find extremely surprising), the R2 is still more than acceptable - when I watch it, I see sharp detail, clearly defined colours and good grain structure. As for the supposedly incorrect "brownish" look of the R2, the film's primary colour scheme is brown! If you look at the screenshots in this review (links are under the image of Roy Scheider on the left) or Ron's review of the recently released R1 disc, nearly all have pretty strong hues of brown to my eyes and appear just like the clear, crisp image I've watched on my R2 disc many times.

The only possible reason I could imagine for you seeing a poorer picture on the R2 is if you're based in the USA, Canada or anywhere else with an NTSC standard and are seeing artifacts introduced through a less-than-perfect PAL to NTSC conversion (I'm not trying to accuse you of having cheap equipment, by the way!)

 

[Jeff_HR]

I've had the R2 for a year & I agree with Jon's assessment. I saw it in the theatre too.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

BruceKimmel,

How are you viewing the R2 version? PAL-NTSC converted or native PAL? What equipment?

thanks!

dave

 

[Ted Todorov]

Anyway, I just saw the R1 last night and it looks absolutely fantastic! One of the best transfers on non-brand new film I have every seen. For $10 street price, this one is the steal of the century.

And what a great film! From the initial lights to the Ethel Merman rendition of no business like show business, it doesn't miss a beat. Just as wonderful now as it was when I saw it again and again in the theater back when it opened.

What is surprising to me how little movie work the outstanding cast ended up doing: neither Leland Palmer nor Erzsebet Foldi, the actresses who played Joe Gideon's wife and daughter ever did another film...

Ted

 

[Paul Anthony]

It's a great transfer, too bad it has a monophonic track. The box lists the track as "Dolby Surround" but it is not, I heard the music only through the center speaker. :frowning:

 

[Ted Todorov]

It's a great transfer, too bad it has a monophonic track. The box lists the track as "Dolby Surround" but it is not, I heard the music only through the center speaker.

I wasn't paying much attention, but I distinctly remember a horn solo towards the end of the film coming from my left speaker.

Was the original soundtrack stereo or mono?

Ted

 

[Joel C]

You can really tell this disc has been gathering dust in the Fox vaults for a few years, what with the old "Welcome to Fox DVD video" promo and a "Fox Flix" trailer gallery (Marilyn Monroe Diamond Collection coming soon!).

But it still looks great, and wouldn't have been $10 a few years ago.

 

[BruceKimmel]

Pal to NTSC. BUT, on anamorphically enhanced discs I get no artifacts. On non-enhanced discs, different story. I am playing the DVD on a top of the line JVC region-free progressive scan player. I am viewing it on a 56" Mitsubishi widescreen TV. I am here to tell you that the screen shots presented here months ago are not a fair representation of the transfer on this disc. Finally, I have two eyes and a brain and comparing the two discs there is a WORLD of difference. As I said, I seem to be the ONLY person here who has actually seen the two discs side by side, so I'm afraid I'm the only one who can speak with some authority. Others can speak with authority when they've done as I have. They can take exception to my opinion then - they can agree or not. The US transfer is miles ahead of the region 2 transfer. The End.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Actually, the correct term is "End of Story".





Crawdaddy

 

[Stas T]

Anyone experience/notice a several-frame glitch on this disc at 62:07, near the end of the "Everything Old Is New Again" number?

On freeze-frame, there's a distortion/jump across the upper third of the frame, somewhat similar to a bad splice jumping in a projector gate, except this isn't at an edit in the film, it's during one shot.

Just wondering if this is common to all the discs, or just mine, in which case, I'd need to exchange it.

Otherwise, a great transfer of a great movie. I only wish there was more footage of Bob Fosse on set.

And as Ted pointed out several posts up, it's disappointing that neither Leland Palmer nor Erzsebet Foldi did any film work post-All That Jazz, at least according to IMDB. How can this be?

 

[Jon Robertson]

Yes - that's certainly present on the R2 disc. Are you watching the R1?

 

[Ted Todorov]

Pal to NTSC. ... The US transfer is miles ahead of the region 2 transfer. The End.

Bruce, no offence but the difference between native PAL and PAL to NTSC conversion, no matter how good, is night and day. I have a multi-standard 16:9 TV, and I have done a comparison of a DVD in native PAL vs what it looks like when converted to NTSC by my Malata 996, and the contrast is vast.

Also, keep in mind that all things being equal, a PAL DVD, natively viewed, will look better than a NTSC DVD due to PAL's higher resolution.

The NTSC All That Jazz DVD is fantastic. I have no doubt that the same is true of the PAL disc. Maybe Gary Tooze's DVD Beaver can do a comparison.

Ted

 

[DaViD Boulet]

BruceKimmel,

maybe we can get the dvdbeaver site to post a DVD comparison. Should be very revealing (and valuable) given these differences.

dave

 

[andrew markworthy]

I've got the R2 disc, and I've got to say that on my PAL set-up it looks acceptable but not demonstration quality. However, I won't be rushing out to get the R1 version because I don't like the movie all that much (sorry, fans of Fosse!).

 

[JeffMc]

I watched the region 1 disc last night and also noticed the tiny glitch near the top of the screen. So I guess it's present on both region 1 and 2. Nothing awful, but it's definitely noticeable.