International BLU-RAY DISCS FROM GERMANY (1 Viewer)

[john a hunter]

You should certainly be happy with Night Passage Josh. First rate transfer.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I was pretty happy with it.

There were only two minor quibbles that I had: Night Passage was shot in Technirama, so it's a large format film. The transfer on the disc appeared to be from a reduction element and not the original large format negative. I think this transfer looked fine but that it could have looked even better. The other minor quibble is that the disc appears to be a BD-25, but has multiple lossless audio tracks. I think it looks slightly over compressed and that a BD-50 disc would have given it more room to breathe.

But it seems unlikely to get a BD release in the U.S. at all, much less a new scan of the original camera negative (if it even exists anymore). If this is the best we'll ever get on this title, I can be happy with it.

 

[AshJW]

Explosive-Media is an excellent label releasing popular movies that no one else seems bothered about ..

Besides Koch Media.

 

[OliverK]

I was pretty happy with it.

There were only two minor quibbles that I had: Night Passage was shot in Technirama, so it's a large format film. The transfer on the disc appeared to be from a reduction element and not the original large format negative. I think this transfer looked fine but that it could have looked even better. The other minor quibble is that the disc appears to be a BD-25, but has multiple lossless audio tracks. I think it looks slightly over compressed and that a BD-50 disc would have given it more room to breathe.

But it seems unlikely to get a BD release in the U.S. at all, much less a new scan of the original camera negative (if it even exists anymore). If this is the best we'll ever get on this title, I can be happy with it.

Looking at Technirama movies that were treated properly one cannot help but feel disappointed about the quality of Night Passage.

I recommend looking at Auntie Mame, King of Kings, 55 Days in Peking or Circus World to see what the process is capable of looking like on Blu-ray even on a much lower budget than what was available for Spartacus. But then I agree that it seems that Night Passage is just another large format production that generates little interest these days so it is almost surprising that we have it at all as it is still a lot better than the DVD.

As for the BD25: The video bitrate isn't too bad as this is a rather short movie and it only uses about 75% of the frame due to its aspect ratio plus the detail and film grain that would need slightly higher bitrates just isn't there most of the time with sharpening and grain reduction probably already part of the master. By the way: An average bitrate of 25 Mbps and more is easily possible on a single layer BD for a 90 minute movie which is quite respectable and about 10% more than the biitrate for the Lawrence of Arabia Blu-ray so that should do in most cases.

 

[john a hunter]

On my 8ft wide screen Night Passage looked good especially as was not expecting a "Spartacus type" restoration and given how a lot of Technirama fares.
How does it stack up against Legend of the Lost which also is of doubtful pedigree.

 

[OliverK]

Legend of the Lost looks better - less edge enhancement, more textures. I can imagine that Night Passage might have looked similar before Universal overdid it with the digital manipulation.

I agree that curbing expectations helps a lot with Night Passage, it is after all the best the movie may look for a long while and I will also say that most people will have no problems as they will be happy with color and contrast and the uptick in detail while artefacts that are visible with closer viewing distances and bigger screens may not really register with them.

 

[john a hunter]

I see what with Legend and Mame, it is time to top up my Techniramas

 

[RMajidi]

Excited to see that Alive is releasing Ulysses on Blu-ray on 23 Feb:

https://www.amazon.de/Die-Fahrten-Odysseus-Ulysses-Blu-ray/dp/B0778YCTFF

Unlike the Japanese release of last year, this one lists English language among the audio options, but only German subtitles.

The aspect ratio is listed as 1.37:1, whereas the original was 1.66:1 according to IMDB.


The following is the product description via Google Translate:

Summary

Short version digitally remastered: 100 minutes running time

Unabridged version digitally reamasterd: 109 minutes running time


One of the most powerful adventures of antiquity, masterfully filmed by Mario Camerini.


The trick with the wooden horse has brought down the city of Troy. But the gods are angry with the cunning Odysseus. He and his companions are condemned to stray across the oceans.

They fight against a one-eyed Cyclops, resisting the magic of the Zirze and the bewitching song of the sirens. Odysseus descends to the underworld before he is allowed to return to his native Ithaca. And again he contrives a trick: Disguised as a beggar, he goes to the palace.

Penelope organizes an archery competition among the suitors. Your love should belong to one who manages to stretch the bow and shoot an arrow through the ears of 12 axes. Odysseus is the only one who succeeds in herculean strength ...


The original negative was restored very elaborately in 2017 to preserve the opulent history film in unprecedented quality. In addition to the theatrical version, this edition contains extensive bonus material and as a special extra that was discarded before its publication in 1955,

extended version on an additional DVD.

In 1954, the negative with the original version (running time: approx. 109 min.) Was cut to a running time of approx. 100 min. The original version only exists on an old cinema copy (35 mm).

The original negative with the cut version (about 100 min. Runtime) was resampled in brilliant 4K resolution.

The present Blu-ray Edition includes both this resampled short version of the film, as well as an extended version of the scenes from the old 35mm movie (not re-sampled).


So the Blu-ray Edition contains both versions of the movie classic:

Blu-ray: Main movie - resampled in 4K from the negative of the short version (running time approx. 105 min.)

DVD: main movie - resampled by the negative of the short version, extended by the cut out scenes (running time approx. 109 min.)​

 

[Alan Tully]

Stanley Kramer's The Defiant Ones 1958 staring Sidney Poitier & Tony Curtis, is released on February 22.

https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B0...JS&ascsubtag=106891017e946315f31e94b066458f68

 

[Douglas R]

Deleted. Wrong thread.

 

[RICK BOND]

I ordered ... Man Without a Star (1955) from Amazon UK Last week. A German bluray. I like the movie, and saw the review and photos on DVD Beaver. It looks NICE ! Anyone here have this bluray ? I can't wait for Universal here to release it. Who knows when ? 2030 ?

 

[RMajidi]

I ordered ... Man Without a Star (1955) from Amazon UK Last week. A German bluray. I like the movie, and saw the review and photos on DVD Beaver. It looks NICE ! Anyone here have this bluray ? I can't wait for Universal here to release it. Who knows when ? 2030 ?

I do have Man Without a Star on Blu-ray, although it’s been a while since I last watched it.

It was a serviceable transfer with warts, specs, burns ‘n all. Enjoyable all the same, and I found that with Kirk Douglas, Jeanne Crain, Claire Trevor, Richard Boone, etc. I was drawn in by the performances and didn’t dwell on the less than pristine presentation.

You mentioned that you bought it via Amazon UK. Would it not be cheaper to buy directly from Amazon.de?

Hope you enjoy it.

 

[OliverK]

I ordered ... Man Without a Star (1955) from Amazon UK Last week. A German bluray. I like the movie, and saw the review and photos on DVD Beaver. It looks NICE ! Anyone here have this bluray ? I can't wait for Universal here to release it. Who knows when ? 2030 ?

You will certainly enjoy not only the movie but also the presentation. It looks decent with not too many blemishes unless you hold it to standards of perfection that are not really necessary for something to give a filmlike presentation. This being Universal I was very happy to see that it did not have the glazed over look that titles like Night Passage have - it actually still looks like film.
As for Universal releasing it here I would not expect that double-dipping makes much sense unless Universal creates new digital assets.

 

[Robert Crawford]

You will certainly enjoy not only the moivie but also the presentation. It looks decent with not too many blemishes unless you hold it to standards of perfection that are not really necessary for something to give a filmlike presentation. This being Universal I was very happy to see that it did not have the glazed over look that titles like Night Passage have - it actually still looks like film.
As for Universal releasign it here I would not expect that double-dipping makes much sense unless Universal creates new digital assets.

I understand that term, but I have to admit that when I'm watching a movie, I don't even think about whether it looks like film.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I ordered ... Man Without a Star (1955) from Amazon UK Last week. A German bluray. I like the movie, and saw the review and photos on DVD Beaver. It looks NICE ! Anyone here have this bluray ? I can't wait for Universal here to release it. Who knows when ? 2030 ?

It's a good presentation and with the proper aspect ratio.

 

[RMajidi]

You will certainly enjoy not only the moivie but also the presentation

...or else!? <smilingly>

 

[Richard V]

...or else!? <smilingly>

Vee have VAYS of making you ENJOY!!

 

[commander richardson]

It's a good presentation and with the proper aspect ratio.

and note that it is being advertised as having English sub-titles on Amazon / .Germany .......I can confirm it has none............

 

[OliverK]

I understand that term, but I have to admit that when I'm watching a movie, I don't even think about whether it looks like film.

Me neither, I only really notice it when something doesn't look like it was shot on film which is luckily not happening that often these days. We can consider ourselves lucky with so many older titles available in decent to very good quality.

 

[Brent Reid]

In case anyone's missed it, I've just started this thread to list all the many German and French BDs still unreleased in the US or UK. This happens to be the 1,000th post here and I should think few have the inclination to wade through all of them to find exclusives – though I intend to! In addition, many BDs posted here have since seen US/UK release, so those that haven't could do with rounding up elsewhere.