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

[JoshZ]

FIM was created by David, he’s also engaged in every aspect of the mastering.

You sure about that? There's a difference between creating a video master and encoding it or authoring a disc. The FIM web site says nothing about doing color grading, and I doubt that the content owners (much less the filmmakers, when still involved) would want an authoring house to mess around with the colors and fundamental look of their product.

The encoder's job is to take a video master provided to them by the content owners or distributor and faithfully replicate it onto disc or streaming or whatever other media it's supposed to go onto. They should not be making artistic decisions about the look of the film.

The Last Emperor 4K restoration was performed for Turbine. They'd be the ones doing the film scan and color grading to create the master, not Fidelity in Motion.

 

[david hare]

Why don’t you ask him? Your knowledge of these things is clearly far superior to mine. First credits page is the Turbine crew who are the copyright owners. Second page are some tech credits including James White for Arrow and Dave for FIM authoring.

my point simply is anything handled at end stage by Dave is a guarantee of highest quality.

 

[JoshZ]

Why don’t you ask him? Your knowledge of these things is clearly far superior to mine. First credits page is the Turbine crew who are the copyright owners. Second page are some tech credits including James White for Arrow and Dave for FIM authoring.

my point simply is anything handled at end stage by Dave is a guarantee of highest quality.

I'm not trying to be argumentative. I just think if you like the look of the color grade, you should credit the people actually responsible for the restoration - which in this case would be Turbine (per the notes in the booklet).

Fidelity in Motion is an authoring house. Their job is to take the video master provided to them and encode it onto the new media (disc or streaming). They also create things like disc menus, chapter stops, and so forth. All of that can be difficult work, and it's important that they do it well, but they don't scan or color grade anything themselves. That's not their job.

 

[Claus Nielsen]

Here is an interview with David Mackenzie from a few months ago.

 

[Peter Neski]

I'm not trying to be argumentative. I just think if you like the look of the color grade, you should credit the people actually responsible for the restoration - which in this case would be Turbine (per the notes in the booklet).

Fidelity in Motion is an authoring house. Their job is to take the video master provided to them and encode it onto the new media (disc or streaming). They also create things like disc menus, chapter stops, and so forth. All of that can be difficult work, and it's important that they do it well, but they don't scan or color grade anything themselves. That's not their job.

or Blame them for getting it wrong

 

[JoshZ]

Here is an interview with David Mackenzie from a few months ago.

I don't have time to watch an hour and a half long video right now. Anything relevant to this conversation? I skipped around a bit and all I heard him talk about is compression.

Back to The Last Emperor, I ordered the disc from Deep Discount yesterday. Hope to take a look at it soon.

 

[RolandL]

Shown on TCM last night. From Criterion edition with 2:1 AR and 163 minutes.

 

[Robert Harris]

I’ve not yet seen this, but will ask those who have - what is occurring with dirt, gate hairs et al at edge of frame. From the verbiage provided, someone (I believe) at Turbine, feels that it’s part of the image, and should be exposed.

Has anyone who has seen this noted garbage that should have been protected by projection aperture?

 

[willyTass]

I didn’t notice any hairs Etc in my viewing. Might have been there and slipped my attention. Happy to recheck if anyone has a time stamp.

ah yes found one on quick scanning

at 1 hour 34 mins 58 seconds when the mistress tells the Emperor , “ I want a divorce”. I guess a request like that is bound to raise a few eyebrows .

 

[Peter Neski]

I’ve not yet seen this, but will ask those who have - what is occurring with dirt, gate hairs et al at edge of frame. From the verbiage provided, someone (I believe) at Turbine, feels that it’s part of the image, and should be exposed.

Has anyone who has seen this noted garbage that should have been protected by projection aperture?

While The Universal Japanese version is best, it could be better While the Arrow 4k version is way too dark, covering up colors in darkness, but giving the impression of a very fine transfer. Dirt and gate hairs aren't a problem with either.

 

[Robert Harris]

While The Universal Japanese version is best, it could be better While the Arrow 4k version is way too dark, covering up colors in darkness, but giving the impression of a very fine transfer. Dirt and gate hairs aren't a problem with either.

Not a problem, or not in the image?

 

[Peter Neski]

Not a problem, or not in the image?

You mean like in Let it be? no.

 

[KeithDA]

not in the image?

Yes - as Willy Tass illustrated, that hair is in the 4K Arrow image.
Even in Univisium, I think this part of the bottom left hand side of the frame would still be visible....

 

[Robert Harris]

Yes - as Willy Tass illustrated, that hair is in the 4K Arrow image.
Even in Univisium, I think this part of the bottom left hand side of the frame would still be visible....

Interesting. If it’s still exposed AFTER nominal projection cut-off, it’s proper.