Saving Private Ryan - picture anomalies? (1 Viewer)

[Sebastian_M]

I was revisting this disk tonight and during the beach landing scene I noticed that some of the fires had orange-red haze above them, almost like a full shadow coming off them. And then throughout the film on occasion there would be random white areas popping up on the screen, fading in and out. I think this may be what is called ghosting but have no idea if I'm talking about another problem. On top of that, the transfer was not that great. There was a lot of grain and artifacts all over the pictue at all times.
This is the first time I watched on my RPTV, so I'm noticing the problems now. Anyone else experience this?
Thanks,
Seb
------------------
"You know what the difference between you and me is? I make this look good."

 

[Chris Maynard]

This has come up before in the past.
It looks that way by design. ie: Filmakers intent.
Like Three Kings the DOP and/or Director used lighting, filters and special film stock in order to achieve a certain "look" the desired.

 

[Sebastian_M]

Hmmmm...Spielburg wanted white patches on the screen at certain parts of the movie? I can understand the grain to add to the general effect of the film, but I can't see what the white patches add.
------------------
"You know what the difference between you and me is? I make this look good."

 

[Ken Seeber]

Sebastian,
Yes, Spielberg wanted this effect, and both he and cinematographer Janusz Kaminski won Oscars fro their efforts.
This has been discussed to death here, but basically they "damaged" some of the camera equipment in order to mimic the look of actual World War II battlefield footage, which was frequently shot with damaged cameras and the wrong film type.

 

[Bill McCamy]

The film echoes the look of some of the famous D-Day photos that were overbaked in the developing process. Only a few survived to ever be seen.

 

[Steve Tannehill]

Yes, Spielberg and his cinematographer intended the movie to look exactly that way.
- Steve

 

[Martin Belair]

Oh no. Not again.
Anyways, I would like to congratulate Mr. Steve Tannehill because he did not snap when he saw this thread.

Sorry if I snapped.
Ciao!
Mart

 

[Hendrik]

...while we're on the subject, perhaps we should forewarn Sebastian about the greenish color cast on certain sequences of "The Matrix"!?!...
!

!
------------------

 

[Oswald Pascual]

Besides "The Matrix" we also have "Pitch Black", and "Three Kings", but I guess "Three Kings comes with a warning anyway.
Ozzie

 

[Sebastian_M]

Alright thanks guys. I knew that the grain was intended but didn't know that they went so far as to damage equipment to get the proper effect.
Seb
------------------
"You know what the difference between you and me is? I make this look good."

 

[brentl]

Don't forget the blood on the camera either...lots of extras died for that!!
Brent L
------------------
Closing in quickly on 2000...Posts that is

 

[Craig Crane]

Wow, normally a thread like this would incite sudden death from the "know alls" of the HTF. Well done everyone for being so "normal".
Now this has been answered, why not close the thread, so as to not give the "know all's" the chance to turn this small thread into an annoying 5 page Copy and paste of AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER.
------------------
Link Removed

 

[Tim Raffey]

Craig,
How about just a link?

The Last Great War

 

[Greg W]

Okay, let's back up just a second here. I understand why certain effects were used to give a better sense of how actual footage may have appeared appropriate to the period, but I just watched SPR for the first time on my Sony S360 and there are a few glitches/anomalies in the picture that are clearly NOT the result of any attempt to give the presentation a more "historic" appearance.
First off, I'm new to home theater and DVD players, having just bought my first player, the aforementioned Sony S360, less than a week ago. So the following problem is a bit disconcerting to say the least.
When I watched Saving Private Ryan, the part that Sebastian talks about after the initial beachhead is established, specifically the point where the two GIs mock the two surrendering Germans and then shoot them, the fires in the background have what I assume to be vertical barring. Orange streaks appear from above the fires all the way to the top of the picture. It very briefly occurs again towards the end of the final battle scene. I originally saw SPR in the theater and again on VHS and there is no way that what I experienced with the DVD is "just part of the movie". I don't know if it is a problem with my software, my player, or just an incompatibility between the two. Does anyone have any previous experience with this, thoughts regarding it, or possibly suggestions on how to correct it? I'm thinking about going back to Circuit City to see if the SPR DVD does this on their demo S360 as well.

 

[Scott Calvert]

Greg, the streaks in the fire are intentional. SPR is not meant to look pretty like, say, Legends of the Fall. I think SPR's cinematography is best described as unconventionally creative.

 

[Ryan Peter]

And Magnolia the songs are meant to be loud and go over the dialogue, and some scenes in the Straight Story are suppposed to be far away and hard to hear.

 

[Rob Gillespie]

Greg - do you wear specs?
If you did, you'd know how brightly lit objects can look if you don't clean the lenses for a few days. I think that was the effect they were trying to get over.
But, yes, it is intentional.
------------------

"You're a big man but you're in bad shape. With me it's a full time job."

 

[Ken Seeber]

I originally saw SPR in the theater and again on VHS and there is no way that what I experienced with the DVD is "just part of the movie".

Greg, go rent a copy of "Saving Private Ryan" on VHS and cue up the scene you're talking about. Then come back here and tell us what you saw.
I saw this film four times in the theater, and those orange streaks were there. I saw the movie twice on VHS before the DVD was released, and those orange streaks were there. I bought the DVD the day it came out, and you know what? Those orange streaks were there.
If you rent the tape, well they'll be there too, despite the fact that you missed them the first time.

 

[David_Orton]

I agree with Ken. The streaks are meant to be there. To me, the streaks represented the surreal moments in the film. Following very traumatic experiences (major battle in the beginning and end). This reminds me of Kubrick with the way bright lights look 'hazy' in some of his films. I guess Greg is going to tell me Kubrick screwed up his prints too now.

-Dave

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

Quote:

Everyone who own SPR has previous experience, as the effect is intended. There is no was to "correct" it, as it is not incorrect. I would say when you go to Circuit City, you can try it out on all tehir players and you'll find the same thing, and come back and let us know.
Maybe someone can post a screen capture so everyone knows they're seeing the same thing!
-Vince
------------------
http://www.musicianassist.com
ICQ: 95789543 AIM: VinceMaskeeper
Want to join our Ohio Hometheater Club? Click Here .
I'm giving away my CDs! Click Here .