HTF REVIEW: "Back To The Future Trilogy" (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) (with screenshots) (1 Viewer)

[Brian-W]

On a separate note, I'm retiring my Hi-Vision collection of Back to the Future. The DVD surpasses the analog HD laser I have of this. Shocking, but the Hi-Vision disc is an earlier transfer.

 

[Dave H]

Has there been anymore announcements about the misframing? Has Gale said anything on the subject?

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Guys,

I am very limited in what I can say here at
the moment, but I will say that this situation
is under review.

 

[Geoff_D]

Got my set today - am I a happy bunny or what? I'm sooo glad I waited for the R1 release. And regarding the 'big question' about the dodgy framing, I quickly checked the scenes in question in BTTF2 (to see for myself) and they are framed differently. But it's not so bad it'll keep me awake at night or anything.
As for the whole movie being misframed, I think there would've been more noise from the R4 community already if that were the case. But I'll go through the dvds and compare them to my widescreen vhs boxset (never got the lasers), just to satisfy my own curiosity. College has broken up for winter, so I've plenty of time on my hands to check. I think I'll start with BTTF later today.

 

[James Reader]

Ron said:

I am very limited in what I can say here at
the moment, but I will say that this situation
is under review.

Considering the international release(s) have the same framing, I find it highly unlikely that this has only just come to the attention of the producers, especially as there was in-depth discussion on BTTF.com at the time.

 

[Adam_WM]

Whoa. Check this out. THis is heavy.
http://www.gluxx.de/zidznewsindex102...?20021027.html
Comparisons between VHS, WS Laserdisc, and the WS DVD. A few substantial differences in a few shots.

 

[Tony Scello]

Somebody please tell me that, after waiting close to forever for these movies, the framing on 2 out the 3 of them is not screwed up. I'm sure I'm overreacting, but I think I'm going to cry:frowning:

 

[Adam_WM]

I don't there is a problem with 3.

 

[Jeff*S*C*]

I was just about to post a link to that site with the comparison shots. I wanna see an official word on this from Bob Gale. Truely disturbing...:frowning:

 

[Brenton]

Somebody please tell me that, after waiting close to forever for these movies, the framing on 2 out the 3 of them is not screwed up. I'm sure I'm overreacting, but I think I'm going to cry

If this keeps you from crying, it seems that other than the couple shots in question, the rest of the movie is framed perfectly.

 

[Dave H]

Universal does have a history of botching big releases in one form or another, as we all know. Well, I think I am going to tell my sister to hold off from buying the set for me for Christmas until I know exactly what is happening with all of this.

 

[John Simon]

Don't worry, everybody. I bet the framing issue will be fixed in time for the inevitable 6-disc BTTF: Ultimate Edition that Universal will probably release in 2004. :rolleyes

 

[Seth_S]

Dave H.,

I think that's kind of foolish. If Universal is going to correct the problem, I'm sure they're going to make it available to all of those who bought the set at the cost of shipping. If they were to fix the problem but only make it available through rebuying the complete set, they would surely face the biggest PR disaster in recent years. The ET debacle wouldn't even begin to compare.

 

[Dave H]

Seth,

It's not foolish to pass up on this if I am not getting the original theatrical framing, which we may or not get. Time will tell. This issue is no different than OAR. Universal also botched the first pressing of Jurassic Park DTS. It just seems as if they have more problems over there than other studios. If Bob Gale comes out and says this is the way he now wants it, that is one thing. Letting this go as is, is another thing.

 

[Mark Booth]

I want this set more than any other DVD set released this year. And the improper framing may eventually be fixed with disc exchanges for those that have purchased the set. However, I am more inclined to just pass on this entirely until it IS fixed. My way of protesting.

The only problem with that is I'll be the only hold-out out of 13 jillion people. I don't think I'll make much of a dent.

Ron.... I hope there some news before Tuesday. I have a decision to make.

Mark

 

[Geoff_D]

BTTF problem thread, anyone? There is a definite problem with skin tones on the first movie, echoing the comments made in some reviews. Skin tones can appear orange, taking on a distracting two-tone effect. This is especially noticable in the scene where Biff gets knocked out late on in the movie. It's a pity, especially when you hear Bob Zemeckis say (in the Q&A session) that he supervised the transfer. He must've had his eyes closed for the last half hour of BTTF, then.
There is also a sound fault on BTTF as well. Listen to the english 5.1 track at just after the 96 minute mark, where Doc is atop the clock tower. A bolt of lightening is heard in the rear-left channel, along with a distinct 'crackle' that lasts for a second or so. It doesn't occur anywhere else in the movie. And it almost jolted me out of my seat because I haven't heard anything like that through my system for a long time. This is the R1 set I'm referring to here, just FYI.
As for the dodgy framing of the other movies, the only time that I have ever seen framing willfully changed like that is to cover unrepairable print damage. Unthinkable I know, but it's a reason at least.
Edit:
I just want to say 'Again!Comment to these Story deliver!' - you've gotta love that dodgy translation at Zidz.com!!

 

[Brian Harnish]

Yeeeaaahhh!! Only four more days left! Aggghhh...the withdrawal symptoms are starting. I actually got out the dusty old VCR and BTTF trilogy tapes and for want of an audio/video cable, the war was lost. Arrggghh.
Oh, well...I can wait 'till Tuesday. Unfortunately, it will become exceedingly difficult to do so...as my desire to see the films again will become increasingly great that I may resort to buying $30 cables so I can watch my disgusting VHS tapes and...well...you should know the rest! :frowning:
Gee, that was an exceedingly long run-on sentence wasn't it?

 

[Geoff_D]

Okay, I've just sat through Parts 2 and 3, and I have more bad news to report. I know it's a shitty thing to do, to report on faults when the overwhelming majority on this forum still can't get the set (for a few days anyway), but I feel I have to point this out.

On Part 2, there is a major flaw in the audio - basically, some horrendous distortion occurs in the music at certain points in the movie. For those who've got the set, check at 7:20 in Part 2. A music cue starts up and distorts so badly you'll think that your vcr is chewing up your crappy vhs copy of the movie. The worst is yet to come, though. Check the sequence where 'disguised' Marty follows Biff into the 'Enchantment under the Sea' dance, and listen to the band playing. At 76:24 they really do sound like they're under the sea, as the rasping sax is turned into sonic mush by the distortion.

You will cringe with embarassment when you hear it, I guarantee. Just for completeness' sake, I double-checked the French 5.1 track (listen to Biff asking for 'Pierre Cardin' rather than 'Calvin Klein' - classic!) and my rubbish vhs boxset, and there's no distortion to be found. Daddy Universal, you have messed up big. The movies themselves physically play fine, though, with no picture break-ups or audio drop-outs whatsoever.

And Part 3 is just dandy, with a lovely, well-balanced picture (difficult amongst all those dusty colours) and clean (if unadventurous) 5.1 audio. But the red-shift on Part 1 is entirely too noticable, as is the audio artefact described in my earlier post, and the music disortion on Part 2 is unforgivable.

And before people ask if it's the set-up, I have well over 300 discs - a mix of NTSC and PAL - whose transfers look and sound as good as they can do. Only two other discs in my collection exhibit the red-shift problem, so I see it as a mastering flaw on those discs, not a technical fault. Just as it appears to be on Part 1. And I'll tell you right now, I do not have another vhs tape, laserdisc or dvd with audio distortion like Part 2 has. Just for the record, I've got a Pioneer DV525 connected via optical to a Yamaha DSP-AX630, and via RGB SCART to a Sony KV-28WF1 16:9 28" set.

Once again, sorry for the bad news, people. Hopefully these problems will be ironed out on later batches (I may just have a dodgy pressing), but if you buy a set now...just don't expect too much. The extras are great, though, and the gag reels (especially on Part 1) are classic.

 

[Chris Shelly]

At first I did not think it was a big deal until checking out comparison shots at
http://www.gluxx.de/zidznewsindex102...?20021027.html
The first first film looks livable but the second looks horrible. It looks like it was framed way to high leaving out very critical information. This is really easy to do on 1.85:1 movies if they are not hard matted. The people who transfer these movies should know better Like the first film the third looks livable but correct.

 

[Geoff_D]

Chris, there are shots in Part 3 (not shown on the above site) that are framed too high as well. Like Marty coming out of the drive-in bathroom in his new 'western' outfit - his sneaker-clad feet (part of the joke) are now cropped entirely out of frame. Still, this is all 'livable' as you put it. It's the other problems that get my goat.