Panic Room - Is it Truely Superbit (1 Viewer)

[Randy Schissler]

What do you think of the fancy cardboard case it comes in?

--Randy Schissler

 

[Alex Spindler]

Fancy as in "Fancy Ketchup"?

I like the release, but I also loved the film. I'll be dropping it as soon as the special edition comes out, but it will work for now.

I also concur that this was not a Superbit title till someone put it on the cover of the case.

 

[Lyle_JP]

I say it's not Superbit (despite the packaging to the contrary) because it breaks one of the most important rules of a Superbit disc: Having only one Dolby Digital and one DTS track to leave plenty of space for video bitrate peaking! The Panic Room disc contains an additional 2.0 Dolby Surround track and a French 5.1 track. This should disqualify it as a true "Superbit" title under Sony's own definition of what a Superbit disc is supposed to be (I won't even go into the presence of the trailer on the disc). That and the inexcusable fact that they did not maximize all available space on the disc.
-Lyle J.P.

 

[Michael Caicedo]

Man, I almost pulled the trigger on this one too. Alas, I'll wait for the SE too.

 

[Randy Schissler]

Fancy as in "El Cheapo"! It makes a snap case look good.

--Randy Schissler

 

[Ryan Peter]

Another special edition is coming? Can this be verified? Where are you guys getting it from?

 

[Martin Fontaine]

I don't know about Panic Room, but I did find some interesting facts about Columbia Bit-Rates...

Charlie's Angels, The 6th Day and Crouching Tiger (The non-super-bits) don't use the whole disk and have an average bitrate of only 4 or so MBPS... So why did they purposely set the bitrate lower than it can be? Usually, they decide what extras they need, the sound tracks they'll put and so on and then depending on the space left, put the video bitrate as high as possible.

I suspect this is to increase the difference in quality between standard and Superbits... I compared them, Crouching Tiger Std vs SB I can notice the difference even on my rather low end equipement... The 5th Element look good too...

 

[Dave H]

I'll have to watch Panic Room this weekend - mine just came in the mail from Best Buy.com. (They are always late for me.)

Considering I ordered this for $14.99 plus tax, I can't complain and I am not interested in a SE. Extras mean little to me and I actually rather pay $5.00 less and get no extras if I have the choice.

 

[James Reader]

Lyle, one of the reasons the 'non-superbit' movies may not take up all of the remaining disc space after the supplements have been added is because the studio is budgeting the bit-rate so that any potential re-issues of the disc have enough room for additional features while making use of the exact same transfer/compression/encoding.
That way they can release an 'upgrade' disc at minimal authoring cost. Just an idea.

 

[Dave Morton]

Dave H,

I'm with you! I watch extras once. I'd rather just have the movie in DTS.

 

[Ryan Peter]

bump

Another special edition is coming? Can this be verified? Where are you guys getting it from?

 

[Ruz-El]

I'm presuming that a special edition is coming because the title was originally announced as a 2 disk special edition. Part of that announcement included talk of content being produced at the time of filming for the dvd. Then they "upgraded" (a term I use very lightly in reference to superbit) the release to Superbit. The belief then was that it would be a 2 disk set, with a superbit disk one, which would make everyone happy. Then it was announced to be the edition that is currently out.

Seeing as there was content created, it only makes since that down the road they will release this. If I remember correctly, someone on this forum posted that the official word is that no other editions will come out, a threat we've all heard before.

Just to note, I'm not a fan of superbit titles in the first place, but I by no means knock anyone who likes them. I know I'm in the minority in this opinion.

 

[James Reader]

And all the features were also announced on the upcoming R2 UK version (now pulled). However, they were listed in such detail with such specific titles, I'm inclined to believe that they were completed; or at least substantial work had been completed on each.

Somebody had a *very* specific vision for the content of the discs in mind - probably Fincher himself.

 

[Dan Brecher]

And let's not forget that our friends at Sony like to put out multiple versions of... well, every film in their catalogue. Coupled with the above regarding those indeed, very specific originaly announced supplements, it's not too foolish to be expecting a forthcoming 2 disc.
Dan

 

[MatS]

it's not too foolish to be expecting a forthcoming 2 disc.

I'm pretty sure it's locked in the Panic Room right now

 

[Scott Wong]

Uhhhh.... so can we do anything about this? That's bullshit. No wonder Best Buy had it on sale for $15.99 I think the studio/Sony/Superbit/blah blah blah should be held accountable for this oversight.

Scott.

 

[Bryant Trew]

This website should be raising holy hell about this! Why are we being so passive?
Real Bitrates

 

[Jeff Kleist]

I'd like an independant confirmation of that, methinks you're measuring the stereo track

 

[Dave H]

I just finsihed watching Panic Room and there is NO WAY this is a real Superbit. This is a soft, mediocre transfer and the menus, nor the DVD label, even say Superbit. Obviously, this was just a way to sell more discs before the two-disc version arrives.

 

[Jon Sheedy]

This was my first Superbit title (since I either already owned or didn't want the other titles given the Superbit treatment), and I was very excited...both because I'd never seen the film and to experience a Superbit DVD.
Film
DVD
The film was lame (for Fincher especially)...I just found it unexciting on involving, and predictable.
I was amazed by the opening sequence, beautifully realized and very impressive. But once we entered that building....way, way, WAY too dark. Yeah, this is Fincher, but come on! What was the deal? I had to crank up the brightness about midway through because I couldn't see crap. Somebody screwed the pooch bigtime here...I see others have mentioned that the film wasn't this dark in the theater (and I honestly cannot imagine Fincher wanting the film THIS DARK), so I guess the blame must go those making the DVD transfer.
Next stop, Ebay.