Official Digital Bits 4th annual "Bitsy Awards" discussion thread (1 Viewer)

[Chris Farmer]

I agree with Disney being highly undeserving of studio of the year. Sure they gave us Beauty and the Beast (of course, there were compression artifacts form trying to get it onto 2 discs), PH:VS, Monsters Inc, and WDT, but there were numerous P&S only releases and quite a few just plain bad transfers. they treat their good stuff well, but anything that's not one of their mega hits gets brushed aside (and even some of them, Signs should have been a 2 disc set no questions asked). They did some good stuff yes, but they did some really bad as well, and are definitely among the most inconsistent of studios. At their best they're phenominal, but on everything else it's decidedly lack-luster.

As for the rest, I agree with most of them. BTTF isn't the worst by any means, but I can certainly see where you're using your lout to get a point across, and I have no problems with that. Best Sound, not sure about, but Pearl Harbor did have a great mix, and the options were phenominal (aka Dolby Headphone).

And I defy anyone to argue with LotR as best DVD

 

[George_W_K]

Re-releases should be the worst trend if the first transfer is sub-par. Just give me the best video and audio quality the first time. Matrix Revisited I thought was a good way to supplement a movie instead of re-doing it. Although, I'd rather see those features included the first time too.

I liked the awards.

 

[Gavin K]

The whole Disney decision seems to have a flaw in logic.

If you are willing to cast aside all of the wonderful features on the BTTF set, not include it in any positive awards, and even call it worst video, simply to make a point to Universal - then shouldn't you toss out all of the wonderful things Disney has done to make a far more important point?

 

[TheLongshot]

For others, it's the butchery of anime films.

Acutally, the Ghibli films won't be butchered, mainly because Disney can't. It is in the deal that they can't make cuts. Also, we already made the point with Princess Mononoke that you can't sell us the film without the original Japanese language track.

HK films, on the other hand...

Also, we still don't have a copy of Mamoru Oshii's Avalon in any form (DVD or in the big screen) in this country. Miramax seems content to sit on it until the end of time, I think.

While you should give credit where credit is due, you should also critisize and deduct where appropriate. Disney has done a lot right, but they also continue to do a lot wrong as well.

Jason

 

[Patrick McCart]

Re-releases should be the worst trend if the first transfer is sub-par. Just give me the best video and audio quality the first time. Matrix Revisited I thought was a good way to supplement a movie instead of re-doing it. Although, I'd rather see those features included the first time too.

It's not a bad trend that we now have superb DVDs of Amadeus, Singin' In The Rain, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, A Hard Day's Night, Unforgiven, and the Star Trek films.

All of these films received passable DVDs in 1997 or 1998. But now, technology is improved. Warner didn't have restored versions of SITR, Amadeus, and Cuckoo's Nest in 1997. In fact, SITR got a laserdisc transfer with overly blue color (and ringing), Cuckoo's Nest got an unwatchable non-anamorphic transfer, and Amadeus got a flipper (which I know many detest).

Eighteen Charlie Chaplin films are being released in 2003 (TTT: EE has competition for best box set ) from newly restored versions... should the original Image DVDs (which came from the excellent 1992 LD editions) be looked down on for not using these restorations? Not at all. David Shepard didn't have access to any sort of film restoration elements (which were only recently made). The new DVDs allow better quality.

 

[George_W_K]

Patrick,

I stand corrected. I was leaning more toward the recent re-releases. For instance the many incarnations of Terminator 2. A few versions of MIB. The superbit versions of MIB, MIB II, XXX, and such. Predator coming out as a SE. But, when you cite the classics you did, I cannot find an argument.

 

[Eugene Esterly]

I disagree with Disney being called the Best studio. IMO, Disney brought out some good DVD's but their pan & scan titles outnumber their Widescreen DVD's (Disney brings out very little Widescreen versions)

 

[Lee Scoggins]

I think The Bitsys are always great. I really liked this year's list but I have to spend some money to pick up a few titles.

Is there a way to get a ranking of the very best video transfers (say Top 10) off the site?

I need some demo material for my friends...