The Last Emperor (limited 4K release from Arrow - UK) (1 Viewer)

[cda1143]

I’ve used Rarewaves many times, either direct or through Amazon UK. For this disc on Amazon UK another seller was over $15 cheaper, so I tried them: Music Magpie. Disc arrived exactly two weeks after order. Quite good speed, and very well packaged.

 

[DanH1972]

I would assume Criterion will be distributing the 4k disc in the states unless Shout! or Arrow U.S. picked up the local 4k deal. Whether they just port the Turbine restoration or do their own tweaking to the raw 4k files is anyone's guess.

 

[Peter Neski]

I would assume Criterion will be distributing the 4k disc in the states unless Shout! or Arrow U.S. picked up the local 4k deal. Whether they just port the Turbine restoration or do their own tweaking to the raw 4k files is anyone's guess.

I don't think arrow US should do it after messing up the UK version, If Criterion does it will it be that awful Storaro approved crop job.

 

[compson]

A review from a UK site called Arrow’s 4K disc “stunning” and “absolutely beautiful”: https://www.avforums.com/reviews/the-last-emperor-4k-blu-ray-review.20602/

 

[titch]

I don't think arrow US should do it after messing up the UK version, If Criterion does it will it be that awful Storaro approved crop job.

Have no idea why you are saying Arrow has "messed up" the transfer and that the picture is "too dark". Sorry, but if you looked at the screenshots I posted right at the start, the Arrow and Criterion are graded very similarly, but the Arrow has a far superior scan, colour gamut and resolution.

Other review sites, which provide details of projection as a way of assessing picture quality, support that this is a reference quality disc. Maybe you need to get your system calibrated?

The Last Emperor 4K Blu-ray Review

Review of Bernardo Bertolucci’s Oscar winning, sumptuous epic, The Last Emperor now available on 4K Blu-ray with Dolby Vision

www.avforums.com

 

[Peter Neski]

Have no idea why you are saying Arrow has "messed up" the transfer and that the picture is "too dark". Sorry, but if you looked at the screenshots I posted right at the start, the Arrow and Criterion are graded very similarly, but the Arrow has a far superior scan, colour gamut and resolution.

Other review sites, which provide details of projection as a way of assessing picture quality, support that this is a reference quality disc. Maybe you need to get your system calibrated?

The Last Emperor 4K Blu-ray Review

Review of Bernardo Bertolucci’s Oscar winning, sumptuous epic, The Last Emperor now available on 4K Blu-ray with Dolby Vision

www.avforums.com

I don't think you understand. I am saying the Arrow 4k disc is too dark compared with The Japanese Universal Blu Ray
I didn't compare it to the Criterion Blu Ray, which while is cropped., it is the only version that was done by Storaro

"Other review sites, which provide details of projection as a way of assessing picture quality, support that this is a reference quality disc. Maybe you need to get your system calibrated?"

IF you don't have the Japanese Universal Version, you would think The Arrow version is great!, I did, till I compared the two.

 

[JoshZ]

I don't think you understand. I am saying the Arrow 4k disc is too dark compared with The Japanese Universal Blu Ray
I didn't compare it to the Criterion Blu Ray, which while is cropped., it is the only version that was done by Storaro

"Other review sites, which provide details of projection as a way of assessing picture quality, support that this is a reference quality disc. Maybe you need to get your system calibrated?"

IF you don't have the Japanese Universal Version, you would think The Arrow version is great!, I did, till I compared the two.

Is it not possible that the Japanese disc is too bright? It's hard to tell anything from those microscopic photos you posted earlier, but that seems a possibility.

 

[Peter Neski]

Is it not possible that the Japanese disc is too bright? It's hard to tell anything from those microscopic photos you posted earlier, but that seems a possibility.

Those are pretty useless, sorry no the Japanese disc isn't too bright colors are missing in Arrow version. I compared one scene from Japanese version with the Arrow one that looked too dark ,then with Criterion version and still from Storaros book, The Arrow version is the only one that's that dark.

 

[david hare]

Peter, a few things. The film was shot by Storaro in a number of distinctive lighting setups, including several exteriors shot in Magic Hour, and a large number of interiors which are only lit to highlight details of the interior design, often overwhelming the actors who appear to disappear into the shadows. These were all aesthetic decisions made by Berto and his DP.. with all respect Peter screens based on camera phones etc are totally meaningless, and even screens extracted digitally from a ripped disc won’t look “right: because virtually nobody is viewing them on an HDR capable screen.

FWIW I saw this in Sydney in 1988 opening week, in a 70mm blowup form (in 2.35 AR). That was stunning and memorable. the Arrow disc actually beats it, both in projection with HDR10, or the 75 inch TV with DV.

 

[Peter Neski]

Sorry you will just have to see someones real captures to see it for yourself,I saw the movie many times in the Theatre and know what it looks like,
The Japanese Blu ray is hard to get now,Dvd Beaver is the the place
to go ,but he hasn’t got the Arrow version yet.
the arrow disc is very sharp and like I said unless you compare it,it seems super.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Okay, we're going around in circles now. Peter has his opinion while others disagree with it. If the 4K disc looks great on my OLEDs then I'm going to be a happy camper.

 

[cda1143]

This was the first time I even heard about the Japanese 2.35 Blu. Peter seems to feel the Arrow UHD is excellent, but a bit dark compared to the Japanese Blu. It's common for UHDs to be graded darker than the same transfer on Blu-ray. Unfortunately he can't compare the new Arrow Blu-ray because it's not included in the UHD edition.

For anyone who loves this film and is not particularly interested in 4K, Arrow UK does have a Blu-ray edition of this new scan. It's much cheaper than the UHD. A Blu-ray of this new scan should also look spectacular, and of course it's 2.35

 

[Nick*Z]

Have no idea why you are saying Arrow has "messed up" the transfer and that the picture is "too dark". Sorry, but if you looked at the screenshots I posted right at the start, the Arrow and Criterion are graded very similarly, but the Arrow has a far superior scan, colour gamut and resolution.

Other review sites, which provide details of projection as a way of assessing picture quality, support that this is a reference quality disc. Maybe you need to get your system calibrated?

The Last Emperor 4K Blu-ray Review

Review of Bernardo Bertolucci’s Oscar winning, sumptuous epic, The Last Emperor now available on 4K Blu-ray with Dolby Vision

www.avforums.com

The Arrow in 4K produced an absolutely sumptuous visual experience. It's NOT dark and color saturation is extraordinary. It's also in the proper aspect ratio as seen theatrically. So, plus-plus-plus.

If this looks too dark on your display, it's your display that needs calibration - not the disc!

 

[Nick*Z]

This was the first time I even heard about the Japanese 2.35 Blu. Peter seems to feel the Arrow UHD is excellent, but a bit dark compared to the Japanese Blu. It's common for UHDs to be graded darker than the same transfer on Blu-ray. Unfortunately he can't compare the new Arrow Blu-ray because it's not included in the UHD edition.

For anyone who loves this film and is not particularly interested in 4K, Arrow UK does have a Blu-ray edition of this new scan. It's much cheaper than the UHD. A Blu-ray of this new scan should also look spectacular, and of course it's 2.35

Bear in mind, the Blu-ray's are 'region B' locked. They WILL NOT play in most North American players. Just saying.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Have the 4k disc and did a quick a/b comparison to the Criterion Blu-ray and the image quality on the 4K disc looks great with deep colors and more picture info on all four sides. The image did not look too dark to me but on my tv i do have the gamma setting up a little more to make the picture brighter. Great box set and will watch the whole movie over the weekend.

 

[willyTass]

Got mine from Arrow UK direct to Australia

No wonder this looks so good, compression done by David Mackenzie @FIM

Reverse cover shown . Makes the Criterion Blu ray look like a DVD

In some scenes bit rates reached 95mbps

Extended and theatrical versions on 2 separate discs.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

I wish Criterion would do more box sets like this Arrow release.

 

[Konstantinos]

I wish Criterion would do more box sets like this Arrow release.

Ι hope not. If Criterion had done this, we would have subpar encoding.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Ι hope not. If Criterion had done this, we would have subpar encoding.

Well, Criterion could just be doing it for North American market though (while Arrow only does the UK/Euro market as very often the case). Then, you'd have a choice between them.

Certainly helps that there's no (significant/meaningful) region code for 4K... although the extended cut BD is still region coded (while most of us who'd bother importing such a title are likely capable of handling that)...

_Man_

 

[trajan007]

Just finished watch it. This might just be the best looking 4K disc I have ever seen. Detail---colors---black levels are all outstanding.