- Joined
- Jul 3, 1997
- Messages
- 66,794
- Real Name
- Ronald Epstein
Link Removed VS.
Bram Stoker's Dracula
As far as I am concerned, the jury is still
out on this entire Superbits line of
DVDs recently introduced by Columbia/Tristar.
You can go from one review to another of the
same Superbits title and some will see
and hear a slight to remarkable difference while
others will notice no improvement whatsoever.
While my HTF REVIEW of the first batch of
Superbit titles found no improvement to
a slight improvement in video quality, I was
impressed with the improvement on the DTS audio
tracks. For that reason, I was a bit upbeat with
this new line of DVDs and was anxiously awaiting
the release of the next title, Bram Stoker's
Dracula.
While there have been countless movies made about
the legendary Transylvanian resident, none have
been as favored as much as this 1992 version based
more on Bram Stoker's classic novel of the same
name. Winning Oscars for costumes and makeup,
this film is craftily directed by Francis Ford
Coppola, with gorgeous photography and a stellar
cast that includes Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder,
Anthony Hopkins and Keanu Reeves. To this day,
Bram Stoker's Dracula remains the most
vivid, seductive and visually horrific tale about
Count Dracula ever brought to the screen.
Comparing the original 1997 DVD release and this
new Superbits release was a little
difficult. Though I have multiple DVD players,
I wanted these discs played from the same hardware
source. To do this, I hate to constantly load and
reload each disc to compare scenes, never quite
giving me an exact split screen eye on any specific
differences there might be. Nonetheless, I believe
I was able to do an adequate comparison.
First of all, it is apparent that the Superbit
release comes from the same master as the 1997
release. You can clearly see the same black splotches
across the Columbia Pictures logo on both transfers.
Starting with Chapter 2 (ST)/Chapter 1 (SB), I
studied the very first scene of the film where
Anthony Hopkins tells of the invading Muslim Turks.
This scene was photographed very soft and almost
with a muddy look. For that reason, there was grain
evident on both versions. The scene goes on to
Dracula (Oldman) leaving his bride, Elizabeth (Ryder)
to fight the war. The first time I watched the
first 10 minutes of this chapter on both discs,
I could not find any difference in video quality.
Upon studying further, I found that instead of an
overall improvement in picture quality, I found
little pieces of improvements. The armored hand
that raises a sword looks more 3-D like against the
map of Transylvania and Turkey. The images of
Dracula bidding his bride goodbye are ever so
slightly brighter and distinct.
The review becomes more difficult as I find that
chapters have been realigned and separated at
different points in this new Superbits version.
Chapter 8 (ST)/ Chapter 3 (SB) starts with a
red waxed seal on an envelope. Jonathan (Reeves)
is finalizing a document with the elderly count.
Both versions showed vivid red detail in the count's
long robe. Although again I could notice very
little difference in the picture quality between
the two discs, I did see a slight improvement in
the flesh tone of Keanu Reeve's face. Still, a
slight improvement.
Chapter 10 (ST)/ Chapter 3 (SB) starts with a
harp playing. We meet Lucy's (Sadie Frost) beau,
Quincy (Bill Campbell). Here, I actually did notice
a slight improvement in picture quality. On the
standard edition, the faces of the two beautiful
girls are less distinct compared to the Superbits
version where faces are cleaner, more distinctive,
and with more pronounced flesh tones. The color
of Quincy's light brown overcoat also stands out
more in the Superbits version.
Lastly, I jumped ahead to chapter 48 (ST)/ Chapter 23
(SB) where a carriage carrying Van Helsing (Hopkins)
and Mina (Ryder) through the snowy outskirts of the
castle. Again, I was hard pressed to find any great
differences in overall picture quality here except
for a slightly cleaner picture of the passengers
riding through the snow to the castle and its open
gates. Looking at Winona Ryder's face as she hastens
the horses to move forward, I could see slightly more
detail in her face on the Superbits version.
Audio Quality....
The original 1997 DVD release contained a 5.1
Dolby Digital Track while the Superbits
version adds a 5.1 DTS track.
The DTS track is recorded at a lower volume
than the Dolby Digital track. I had to turn
up the volume considerably when listening to the
DTS version. However, when I did, I found the
audio to sounder cleaner than its DD counterpart.
Though I didn't notice any addition or subtraction
of effects from either audio soundtrack, I did
immediately find that sounds are more effectively
divided amongst the channels in the DTS version.
Anthony Hopkin's narrative sounds more squarely
in the center, where it should be. Turning up
the volume did not distort any of the audio on
the DTS version and the overall result was a more
cleaner, natural surround environment.
Final Thoughts....
Whether there is a substantial improvement in
the picture quality of Superbits over its
standard counterpart, will not be something easily
agreed upon.
Show the discs back to back to someone off the
street and they will be hard pressed to notice any
changes.
Most of us on this forum with average Home Theater
systems will really have to study both discs scene
by scene to notice the slight improvements in picture
quality. It's more or less little things that are
brought out in the picture more than an overall
improvement in clarity.
High-end enthusiasts with front projection systems
are usually the ones who notice improvement. I wish
I had the chance to compare these discs on such
equipment, and look forward to hearing remarks from
those individuals.
The DTS audio would be the only substantial reason
to upgrade to the Superbits version. I found
it to be cleaner with more distinctive channel
placement.
Finally, the menu system is actually IMPROVED
in the Superbits version, as the standard
release was one of Columbia's earliest DVD titles
and suffers from a lackluster chapter selection.
The Superbits contains pictures from each
scene to get you where you want to go, compared to
plain text on the standard edition.
All in all, I think the DVD world could clearly
survive without Superbits. I have seen too
many recent releases from all the studios that use
up more bandwidth with extras and still boast a
picture quality that rivals anything put out on
the Superbits label.
Release Date: December 11th
Bram Stoker's Dracula
As far as I am concerned, the jury is still
out on this entire Superbits line of
DVDs recently introduced by Columbia/Tristar.
You can go from one review to another of the
same Superbits title and some will see
and hear a slight to remarkable difference while
others will notice no improvement whatsoever.
While my HTF REVIEW of the first batch of
Superbit titles found no improvement to
a slight improvement in video quality, I was
impressed with the improvement on the DTS audio
tracks. For that reason, I was a bit upbeat with
this new line of DVDs and was anxiously awaiting
the release of the next title, Bram Stoker's
Dracula.
While there have been countless movies made about
the legendary Transylvanian resident, none have
been as favored as much as this 1992 version based
more on Bram Stoker's classic novel of the same
name. Winning Oscars for costumes and makeup,
this film is craftily directed by Francis Ford
Coppola, with gorgeous photography and a stellar
cast that includes Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder,
Anthony Hopkins and Keanu Reeves. To this day,
Bram Stoker's Dracula remains the most
vivid, seductive and visually horrific tale about
Count Dracula ever brought to the screen.
Comparing the original 1997 DVD release and this
new Superbits release was a little
difficult. Though I have multiple DVD players,
I wanted these discs played from the same hardware
source. To do this, I hate to constantly load and
reload each disc to compare scenes, never quite
giving me an exact split screen eye on any specific
differences there might be. Nonetheless, I believe
I was able to do an adequate comparison.
First of all, it is apparent that the Superbit
release comes from the same master as the 1997
release. You can clearly see the same black splotches
across the Columbia Pictures logo on both transfers.
Starting with Chapter 2 (ST)/Chapter 1 (SB), I
studied the very first scene of the film where
Anthony Hopkins tells of the invading Muslim Turks.
This scene was photographed very soft and almost
with a muddy look. For that reason, there was grain
evident on both versions. The scene goes on to
Dracula (Oldman) leaving his bride, Elizabeth (Ryder)
to fight the war. The first time I watched the
first 10 minutes of this chapter on both discs,
I could not find any difference in video quality.
Upon studying further, I found that instead of an
overall improvement in picture quality, I found
little pieces of improvements. The armored hand
that raises a sword looks more 3-D like against the
map of Transylvania and Turkey. The images of
Dracula bidding his bride goodbye are ever so
slightly brighter and distinct.
The review becomes more difficult as I find that
chapters have been realigned and separated at
different points in this new Superbits version.
Chapter 8 (ST)/ Chapter 3 (SB) starts with a
red waxed seal on an envelope. Jonathan (Reeves)
is finalizing a document with the elderly count.
Both versions showed vivid red detail in the count's
long robe. Although again I could notice very
little difference in the picture quality between
the two discs, I did see a slight improvement in
the flesh tone of Keanu Reeve's face. Still, a
slight improvement.
Chapter 10 (ST)/ Chapter 3 (SB) starts with a
harp playing. We meet Lucy's (Sadie Frost) beau,
Quincy (Bill Campbell). Here, I actually did notice
a slight improvement in picture quality. On the
standard edition, the faces of the two beautiful
girls are less distinct compared to the Superbits
version where faces are cleaner, more distinctive,
and with more pronounced flesh tones. The color
of Quincy's light brown overcoat also stands out
more in the Superbits version.
Lastly, I jumped ahead to chapter 48 (ST)/ Chapter 23
(SB) where a carriage carrying Van Helsing (Hopkins)
and Mina (Ryder) through the snowy outskirts of the
castle. Again, I was hard pressed to find any great
differences in overall picture quality here except
for a slightly cleaner picture of the passengers
riding through the snow to the castle and its open
gates. Looking at Winona Ryder's face as she hastens
the horses to move forward, I could see slightly more
detail in her face on the Superbits version.
Audio Quality....
The original 1997 DVD release contained a 5.1
Dolby Digital Track while the Superbits
version adds a 5.1 DTS track.
The DTS track is recorded at a lower volume
than the Dolby Digital track. I had to turn
up the volume considerably when listening to the
DTS version. However, when I did, I found the
audio to sounder cleaner than its DD counterpart.
Though I didn't notice any addition or subtraction
of effects from either audio soundtrack, I did
immediately find that sounds are more effectively
divided amongst the channels in the DTS version.
Anthony Hopkin's narrative sounds more squarely
in the center, where it should be. Turning up
the volume did not distort any of the audio on
the DTS version and the overall result was a more
cleaner, natural surround environment.
Final Thoughts....
Whether there is a substantial improvement in
the picture quality of Superbits over its
standard counterpart, will not be something easily
agreed upon.
Show the discs back to back to someone off the
street and they will be hard pressed to notice any
changes.
Most of us on this forum with average Home Theater
systems will really have to study both discs scene
by scene to notice the slight improvements in picture
quality. It's more or less little things that are
brought out in the picture more than an overall
improvement in clarity.
High-end enthusiasts with front projection systems
are usually the ones who notice improvement. I wish
I had the chance to compare these discs on such
equipment, and look forward to hearing remarks from
those individuals.
The DTS audio would be the only substantial reason
to upgrade to the Superbits version. I found
it to be cleaner with more distinctive channel
placement.
Finally, the menu system is actually IMPROVED
in the Superbits version, as the standard
release was one of Columbia's earliest DVD titles
and suffers from a lackluster chapter selection.
The Superbits contains pictures from each
scene to get you where you want to go, compared to
plain text on the standard edition.
All in all, I think the DVD world could clearly
survive without Superbits. I have seen too
many recent releases from all the studios that use
up more bandwidth with extras and still boast a
picture quality that rivals anything put out on
the Superbits label.
Release Date: December 11th
