Press Release PHE Press Release: War of the Worlds (1953) (4k UHD) / When Worlds Collide (1951) (Blu-ray) Limited Edition (1 Viewer)

[Richard Kaufman]

Hi Robert: we still have to have a chat about Tony Sarg one day! Good to see you here.

 

[Nelson Au]

I recall after an error was discovered in the Star Trek 2 blu ray, where a scene was erroneously placed, after a short period, Paramount relented and issued a corrected disc.

It’s not over yet where Mars is concerned. It does appear to be hubris at this point, but I’m hoping there might be a small possibility the studio will fix the color of Mars. But perhaps the backlash from the large Star Trek community was more intimidating then the War of the Worlds fans.

 

[Museum Pieces]

There are problems with this release far worse than the color of Mars. Banding out the ying yang for one thing. But I'm beating a dead horse at this point.

 

[RobertMG]

Hi Robert: we still have to have a chat about Tony Sarg one day! Good to see you here.

Hopefully soon as I get better

 

[Nelson Au]

I recall when the 4K stream first came out, one member on this forum was particularly annoyed at the banding in this release. Particularly in one scene where the army and tanks are out in a field and the dark sky was quite bandy.

 

[Worth]

With respect, I don’t think it’s as simple as “Paramount doesn’t want to spend the money to correct the disc.”

They released this 4K digital master in 2018 and the color has been incorrect and in public view for four years now. They have declined to correct it at any point over the past four years.

I don’t think this is a money issue.

I think this is an issue of, they believe they are correct. It doesn’t matter if they are not correct, or if we believe they are not correct, because they believe the version they have is correct. And since they believe it to be correct, they will not change it.

I think it’s as simple as that.

I suspect it's a bit of both. The cost to fix such an error could well mean the difference between making a profit on the disc or not. As it's a relatively minor mistake, Paramount is simply choosing to claim that that's the way it's supposed to look.

 

[RobertMG]

The negatives were destroyed.

Sad ---- so sad

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I suspect it's a bit of both. The cost to fix such an error could well mean the difference between making a profit on the disc or not. As it's a relatively minor mistake, Paramount is simply choosing to claim that that's the way it's supposed to look.

True, but they could have fixed the error anytime between 2018 and now, and have not. The incorrect color of Mars also drew notice when the master was first released digitally back then. Given that Criterion did correct it when this master was licensed to them several years ago, after the error had been widely panned in the streaming version, I personally find it hard to believe that Paramount is not aware or weren’t aware. I’d be more likely to give them the benefit of the doubt if it was an isolated incident, but there have been mastering issues with an above average number of titles coming out of their facilities in recent years.

For whatever reason, they genuinely seem to believe that these choices they’re making are not mistakes or errors.

 

[RobertMG]

I suspect it's a bit of both. The cost to fix such an error could well mean the difference between making a profit on the disc or not. As it's a relatively minor mistake, Paramount is simply choosing to claim that that's the way it's supposed to look.

WB to their credit correcting some discs as Mr F explained yet the Bishops Wife was botched and never really re-issued corrected. VCI gets knocked about sometimes but they corrected their White Zombie. Who knows what makes their decision to correct or not. Look how fast KINO corrected Blue Skies!

 

[Robert Crawford]

True, but they could have fixed the error anytime between 2018 and now, and have not. The incorrect color of Mars also drew notice when the master was first released digitally back then. Given that Criterion did correct it when this master was licensed to them several years ago, after the error had been widely panned in the streaming version, I personally find it hard to believe that Paramount is not aware or weren’t aware. I’d be more likely to give them the benefit of the doubt if it was an isolated incident, but there have been mastering issues with an above average number of titles coming out of their facilities in recent years.

For whatever reason, they genuinely seem to believe that these choices they’re making are not mistakes or errors.

Yup, I pointed that out in an earlier post. The color issue of Mars isn't something they weren't aware of before this 4K disc release.

 

[B-ROLL]

Yup, I pointed that out in an earlier post. The color issue of Mars isn't something they weren't aware of before this 4K disc release.

I only saw this in the 1970s at a Scienty-Fiction convention in a beat-up 16mm print that had most of the red/magenta gone and Mars was um teal. At that points fans said that was supposed to be Earth. If Paramount has such a reference print - perhaps they came to the same confusion.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I only saw this in the 1970s at a Scienty-Fiction convention in a beat-up 16mm print that had most of the red/magenta gone and Mars was um teal. At that points fans said that was supposed to be Earth. If Paramount has such a reference print - perhaps they came to the same confusion.

With so many "War of the Worlds" film experts at their disposal, I have a hard time believing that possibility. This was a well known film that had much written about it.

 

[Worth]

…Even the widely acclaimed new Star Trek remasters - they’re much better than what we had previously but I’m not convinced they’re perfectly representative of what they looked like on opening night.

That‘s true of most digital masters these days, unfortunately. I remember seeing a pristine 35mm print of Jaws just a couple of months before the 4K remaster was released, and for all the praise the digital version gets, it looks nothing like that print. It’s a different animal.

Stumbled across this article recently. It’s not new, but its still interesting:

With 35mm Film Dead, Will Classic Movies Ever Look the Same Again?

Beloved 20th-century movies—and their distinct aesthetic—could be in danger.

www.theatlantic.com

 

[Capt D McMars]

That‘s true of most digital masters these days, unfortunately. I remember seeing a pristine 35mm print of Jaws just a couple of months before the 4K remaster was released, and for all the praise the digital version gets, it looks nothing like that print. It’s a different animal.

Stumbled across this article recently. It’s not new, but its still interesting:

With 35mm Film Dead, Will Classic Movies Ever Look the Same Again?

Beloved 20th-century movies—and their distinct aesthetic—could be in danger.

www.theatlantic.com

A sad but informative read, thanks Nick!!