International German Blu-ray Of COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT (1970) (1 Viewer)

[Dick]

Once again Universal -- denying the U.S. a counterpart -- gives Germany an upgrade of one of its classic sci-fi films, this time through a company called Ostalgica. Over the past few years, the studio has already licensed a half-dozen sci-fi titles in HD to Europe. Like THIS ISLAND EARTH before it, COLOSSUS is not flawless, but looks pleasing to me after the botched domestic DVD (2.35:1 cropped to 1.33) of some years ago.

Yes, the film can now be seen in OAR, and it's very sharp, some grain is visible (although I would say some DNR has been applied) and all the horrible aliasing that dates back to the letterboxed laser disc release is gone. The colors seem a bit muted and flesh tones occasionally brownish, but, hey, it's a big step-up.

The technology depicted in the film is necessarily anachronistic: a massive, probably multi-billion-dollar computer (meant to take potentially flawed nuclear defense decisions out of the hands of mortals) located under a mountain has monitored terminals on the outside and actually displays its messages in DOS! But, of course, this was 1970. Just badly dates the film, is all. But the story (screenplay by James L. Bridges) and acting are so intense and entertaining that it is well worth a purchase. I'm thinking it has attained the status of "Cult Classic."

The sound is what you would expect -- mono, and not terribly dynamic, but dialog comes through well.

Extras include a straight trailer, plus the Trailers From Hell presentation introduced by John Landis, and a few other minor tidbits. The director commentary (by Joseph Sargent) found on a German DVD from another company did not make its way to this one. The COLOSSUS Blu-ray is Region B locked.

I saw COLOSSUS theatrically when first released, and this is as close as we're likely to get to what I saw that day on the big screen.

 

[Walter Kittel]

Thanks for the comments on this neglected (well, domestically anyway) film. It is a film I've always enjoyed since seeing it on television so many years ago and it certainly fits the bill as a 'cult classic' in my estimation.

- Walter.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

I also have the blu-ray and happy with the image. I do not know what Universal was thinking when it released a pan & scan region 1 dvd a few years ago but i did throw that away when i purchased the blu-ray. Thank heaven for all region players!

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Yes, this is easily the best this film has ever looked for home viewing and watching it on this blu-ray was. to me at least, a wonderful experience. I feel like I have finally seen the film.

 

[Mark-P]

Are you guys looking at the same disk that was reviewed at DVD Beaver? He said:

The transfer is flawed - a very low bitrate, - only marginally higher than SD - thin, frail and plenty of compression artifacts and edge-enhancement are noticeable in the visuals. This Blu-ray is either trying to mask a poor source or has been authored as an error. It may even be a straight 720 bump.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Are you guys looking at the same disk that was reviewed at DVD Beaver? He said:

I saw the Beaver review but compared to my region 2 dvd released by Medium Rare a few years ago it is a big improvement. Not perfect but still a good Blu-ray release and happy with the purchase.

 

[Steen DK]

Are you guys looking at the same disk that was reviewed at DVD Beaver? He said:

Also check out Caps-a-holic. The sharpness is entirely artificial - just a healthy dose of edge enhancement - and it has clearly been massively DNRed. Compared to the almost VHS-like DVD it may look good, but otherwise it's typical old Universal-tripe, not unlike Tremors.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

I am not going by what the guy at DVDBEAVER saw. I am going strictly by my experience seeing this film a long time ago on television and on a horrible cropped DVD. In this regard this blu-ray was a massive step up...and I do mean massive.

I've never seen this in a theater and likely never will so until somebody else produces a blu-ray that improves on this one this is obviously as good as it gets.