Blu-ray Review HTF Blu-ray Review: HEAT (1 Viewer)

[Walter Kittel]

Couldn't really say Dave, re: black level. Certainly nothing jumped out at me. Of course I'm using an LCD FP so I'm not really the one to ask.

Just wanted to check back into the thread to re-iterate the point regarding the expansive scenes that are captured in this film. The extra resolution of Blu-ray really breathes life into these scenes. I focused more on this aspect of the film on this last viewing and it really enriched my experience.

- Walter.

 

[Dan Keliikoa]

Michael, this was a fittingly epic and outstanding review! Thank you. I bought the Blu on day 1 and was able to watch it late the other night up until the end of the shootout scene in the streets.

Of course, I've about worn out my DVD copy, as this film is my favorite film of all time. #1. IMO, I think it's perfect. I can't seen improving any of it, the acting, the cast, the dialog, cinematography, the amazing score, sound, lighting...it's all just amazing.

Thanks again for a review that does the Bluray and this film, justice.

 

[Carlo_M]

Went through the extras and was interested in how much trouble they went through to CGI in Pacino and De Niro together on the featurette "Pacino and De Niro: The Conversation" just to make it seem like they really were on set together. Wonder how much ILM charged for that...

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Originally Posted by Carlo Medina

_Man_

 

[TonyD]

Originally Posted by Dave H /forum/thread/294622/htf-blu-ray-review-heat#post_3629579

 

[JonZ]

Black levels looked fine on my CRT Sony. Pretty great actually. This film certainly looks different than we've seen it look on home video before.

Anyone else notice the small bits of missing dialogue?

 

[TonyD]

Michael mentioned the missing stuff right in the review, didn't he?

 

[Vincent_P]

For the night scenes in HEAT, they used 500-speed Kodak filmstock and also pushed the stock. Push-processing tends to make blacks go a bit milky or grey, so that's probably what you're seeing.

Vincent

Originally Posted by Dave H

I watched this last night and thought it was a solid, film-like transfer.

However, did anyone think the black levels in many of the darker scenes looked a bit washed out or almost hazy dark gray?

 

[DaveF]

Originally Posted by Steve Christou /forum/thread/294622/htf-blu-ray-review-heat#post_3625283

Stockholm Syndrome. With therapy, you can be righted

Good review though; it makes me curious to rewatch Heat and see how it plays 15 year after first seeing it.

 

[Edwin-S]

I haven't been able to watch the whole film yet, but I have watched about 1/2 of it. Frankly, I'm not impressed with the audio track on this disc. I have my volume set at -30 for this disc. Normally, that would be loud enough for most films, but on this disc the dialogue track is so low at certain points that I couldn't make out what was being said. Cranking it to make the dialogue more audible will make sound effects such as gun shots overly loud. I don't think the audio on this disc is all that well balanced. I've never had so much trouble hearing dialogue on a film as I have had on this one.

Other than the sound, the film is pretty decent.
Edit: I should clarify that I am listening to the lossy DD track, since I'm still using a receiver that doesn't decode lossless codecs. The DolbyTrueHD track may actually be better balanced; however, I'm not able to tell. In spots, the lossy DD track does sound like the dialogue is too low.

 

[Nick Martin]

Originally Posted by Edwin-S

Normally, that would be loud enough for most films, but on this disc the dialogue track is so low at certain points that I couldn't make out what was being said. Cranking it to make the dialogue more audible will make sound effects such as gun shots overly loud. I don't think the audio on this disc is all that well balanced. I've never had so much trouble hearing dialogue on a film as I have had on this one.

Edit: I should clarify that I am listening to the lossy DD track, since I'm still using a receiver that doesn't decode lossless codecs. The DolbyTrueHD track may actually be better balanced; however, I'm not able to tell. In spots, the lossy DD track does sound like the dialogue is too low.

It doesn't matter which audio track you're listening to, because the dialogue levels in the film have been that way since the VHS release, exactly as you describe even back then. Both DVD releases had the issue as well, so it's definitely the film's sound mix itself.

 

[TravisR]

Originally Posted by Edwin-S

Cranking it to make the dialogue more audible will make sound effects such as gun shots overly loud. I don't think the audio on this disc is all that well balanced. I've never had so much trouble hearing dialogue on a film as I have had on this one.

I hate going off of memory but I saw Heat in the theater and the gun shot sound effects were so loud that my ears literally hurt the next day. It was like I had been at a concert. I haven't heard this disc but from what you're saying, it seems like it matches the theatrical experience.