Blu-ray Review Citizen Kane: 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

[kevin_y]

Has anyone seen the Ambersons disc and how is the quality and what are the specs: subtitles, special features?

 

[mattCR]

I was going to go through the Ambersons over the weekend. Looking forward to it, but too much over the week. That's a title I've always looked forward to, it was good to see it bundled in.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Has anyone experienced any problems with the audio on Kane? I was unable to get any audio when playing the DTS-HD audio track on my setup using my normal settings -- using bitstream to send the audio stream to the receiver for decoding. I had to change my player to PCM so that it decoded the DTS-HD track. The commentary tracks, which are not DTS-HD, all played fine with the bitstream setting.
I have a Panasonic BDT-210 Blu-Ray player and Pioneer Elite 94TXH receiver.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Originally Posted by ManW_TheUncool /t/314673/citizen-kane-70th-anniversary-ultimate-collector-s-edition-blu-ray-review#post_3849967
So here's my question then. This set doesn't look quite like the usual, super premium priced, Warner box-o-junk SE -- the extras actually seem like they *might* be worthwhile owning (at a small premium). But is it really worth the current going rate for me to finally pick up such a premium priced set?

I do have the SE 2-disc DVD (from a long while ago), which I still have not gotten around to watching yet -- yes, I'm one of those philistines or "lucky few", whichever you prefer, I'm just wondering how long I should wait for a good deal before I do the "blind" upgrade (or whether I should just watch the DVD first) -- seems like there might be a reasonable chance for me to get it for under $30 in a couple days when B&N is rumored to be putting out a members-only 30%-off coupon right at the end of their 40%-off sale. I also wonder if I should bother to sell the old DVD set at all (unless I can actually get a good return for it).

Alrighty, the rumored 30%-off coupon came thru and is currently active for the end of B&N's current 40%-off sale, and this CK set beckoned me just enough for me to just bite the bullet and splurge a bit on the premium pricing and order it now rather than wait indefinitely -- came out to ~$27.30+tax (or just under $30 shipped). I also went thru BB's Reward Zone's Online Mall portal for double points in their program.

For anyone interested in this deal, the coupon is for B&N members only, and the code can be found at the following location as usual:

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/dvd-bargains/533548-barnes-noble-coupon-thread-part-2-a.html

You'll have to act fast before B&N flips their sale price for it some time overnight, and you'll need to use a MasterCard for the order.


Anyway, looks like I'll finally watch CK for the first time and do so on BD (when it arrives)...

_Man_

 

[TheKGun]

I have the same problem. The audio is muted on the DTS HD track, but the others play fine.
I have a Denon DVD 3800BDCI Blu-ray player.

 

[David_B_K]

I have the same problem. The audio is muted on the DTS HD track, but the others play fine.
I have a Denon DVD 3800BDCI Blu-ray player.

I tested it on a Panasonic BD-60 and an Oppo BDP-93. Both players are set to Bitstream and both played the DTS HD mono audio with no problems.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I have the same problem. The audio is muted on the DTS HD track, but the others play fine.
I have a Denon DVD 3800BDCI Blu-ray player.

What model receiver do you own, Charles? I did some more research, and I believe my problem may be a bug with my Pioneer Elite 94TXH receiver. There is a firmware update available to fix some problems with DTS-HD MA decoding. The bug is also present in the 92TXH model. Unfortunately, the firmware update can only be performed by a Pioneer repair center, and cannot be performed at home. So, I may just live with decoding via my player instead of the receiver. Otherwise, I will need to disconnect the receiver, take it to the dealer (about 45 minutes away), be without the receiver for about a week, and then reconfigure the receiver when I get it back (it loses all settings when the firmware update is applied). The vast majority of DTS-HD MA titles play fine, but I have experienced random static "pops" on a few titles. My research indicates this is a symptom of the bug.
My lesson here -- never buy another receiver that does not support user-applied firmware updates.

 

[Charles Smith]

No kidding. I love the performance quality of my Pioneer, and I'm just fortunate I haven't needed one of those week-long firmware updates. Yet. Have they come around to supporting user-applied firmware on newer models?

 

[TheKGun]

Well, its a Denon AVR 5803. But I'm running analog out of the 3800BDCI to the Denon receiver ext. in. The problem is with the Denon Blu-ray player.
This is the first disc in over 600 where I've experienced ANY problem with an audio codec.
-Chuck

 

[Peter Neski]

haven't looked at the disc yet,but was surprised to find only One Blue Ray and two dvds(3 if you count Ambersons) Whats with the dvds???? are they unsold dvds thrown in??
Why not Blue Rays???

 

[Citizen87645]

It's not unusual for them to do that (e.g. the Lord of the Rings extended editions used DVD re-pressings of the special features discs). I assume it's ultimately a cost decision as I'm sure it's cheaper to re-press an existing DVD master than author a completely new Blu-ray disc.

 

I love this disc, but have a question. What do the studios use to determine the framing? I am asking because the U.S. blu ray is cropped differently that the U.K. and I wonder which is more correct, and what tools are used to determine cropping. Look at the shot of Kane's newspaper heading during News on the March. The U.K. version has a sub-heading that states "End Comes For Xanadu Edtior At His Xanadu Estate Following Months Of Illness." The U.S. version looks like "Following Month Of Illness." Kinda changes the meaning of the headline by a few months! I was just wondering what consideration is made when cropping a film like this. I hope much consideration was taken as to what the available materials show and what was intended.

 

[DeeF]

I have a brand new Panasonic player, the 220, and was hoping it would correct the audio problems I have experienced with this disk set (the DTS Master Audio will not play correctly).
Nope. Still the same problem.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by DeeF /t/314673/citizen-kane-70th-anniversary-ultimate-collectors-edition-blu-ray-review/30#post_4002220
I have a brand new Panasonic player, the 220, and was hoping it would correct the audio problems I have experienced with this disk set (the DTS Master Audio will not play correctly).
Nope. Still the same problem.

What do you mean it won't play correctly? Is it dropping out?





Crawdaddy

 

[Yorkshire]

This is out soon in the UK from Universal.
Does anyone have any information as to whether they'll be using the same image as the US Warner release?
Cheers.
Steve W

 

[DeeF]

The DTS Master Audio track can be heard, but it is filled with digital noise, crackling, and break-up. You have to turn on PCM to actually hear the track. I don't know if this is my system or what, but I've never experienced this with another disk, only this one.

 

[Dukelow]

This is out soon in the UK from Universal.
Does anyone have any information as to whether they'll be using the same image as the US Warner release?
Cheers.
Steve W

Hi I was going to buy the UK release and from what I have heard from delving on the web this UK version is inferior to the US version. Apparently they have used a completely different source which is from the BFi vaults and I've heard the results are poor in comparison. I'm in the UK too so will probably order one of these version which at the moment work out at around £20 on Standard International Shipping.
http://www.amazon.com/Citizen-Anniversary-Ultimate-Collectors-Blu-ray/dp/B0050G3NWG/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1353807961&sr=1-2&keywords=citizen+kane+70th+anniversary+ultimate+collector%27s+edition
http://www.amazon.com/Citizen-Kane-70th-Anniversary-Blu-ray/dp/B006CEKZ4Y/ref=sr_1_6?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1353807961&sr=1-6&keywords=citizen+kane+70th+anniversary+ultimate+collector%27s+edition
Only thing is I'm pretty sure the bluray is region free. Does anyone know if the enclosed dvds are region free?

 

[KeithDA]

Hi I was going to buy the UK release and from what I have heard from delving on the web this UK version is inferior to the US version. Apparently they have used a completely different source which is from the BFi vaults and I've heard the results are poor in comparison. I'm in the UK too so will probably order one of these version which at the moment work out at around £20 on Standard International Shipping.
http://www.amazon.com/Citizen-Anniv...70th+anniversary+ultimate+collector's+edition
http://www.amazon.com/Citizen-Kane-...70th+anniversary+ultimate+collector's+edition
Only thing is I'm pretty sure the bluray is region free. Does anyone know if the enclosed dvds are region free?

Well the UK finally has this same quality pressing in a 75th Anniversary edition - it looks great compared to the awful BFI released one from 2012. We don't get the 2 DVDs like you did for the 70th (although he slip case containing the disc wrongly includes the credits to these missing two films - whoops!) I wonder why we weren't able to have them..?

 

[Angelo Colombus]

That is strange and i guess what is missing is the documentary "The Battle over Citizen Kane" and "RKO 281". When i bought mine here it also included "The Magnificent Ambersons" as a Amazon exclusive so to have only Citizen Kane on the 75th anniversary edition is kinda short changed. I am hoping Ambersons will show up on blu-ray soon and there is talk that Criterion might released it since they did release it on laserdisc many years ago with a great commentary.

 

[KeithDA]

We do tend to get fewer extras with our sets over here - a smaller market perhaps? Really annoying when you consider we share the same language!