The Princess (Priceless?) Bride - 4K UHD - Dolby Vision (1 Viewer)

[Robert George]

Released in Germany by Turbine Media. I would post some comments after sampling this disc, but I can't stand it any longer. I'm warming the Whirly Pop and preparing to watch this completely.

Will be curious to read other's comments. At the moment, I am nearly speechless.

Nearly.

Although I dearly love watching a good movie transferred to a good UHD disc, few leave me as stunned as this one did a few minutes ago. Of course, I put this in the context of previous iterations of this rather perfect film on video, and how much I have enjoyed this film time after time. Right now, I can say without reservation that the next couple of hours will be the highlight of my weekend.

 

[TonyD]

Hmm
This Robert George fellow seems familiar.

 

[titch]

Not surprisingly, the grain looks like it is resolved better. Wider colour gamut too.

The Princess Bride

caps-a-holic.com

Amazon.de are not currently shipping overseas.

See on Amazon

 

[Robert George]

Hmm
This Robert George fellow seems familiar.

 

[Bryan^H]

Released in Germany by Turbine Media. I would post some comments after sampling this disc, but I can't stand it any longer. I'm warming the Whirly Pop and preparing to watch this completely.

Will be curious to read other's comments. At the moment, I am nearly speechless.

Nearly.

Although I dearly love watching a good movie transferred to a good UHD disc, few leave me as stunned as this one did a few minutes ago. Of course, I put this in the context of previous iterations of this rather perfect film on video, and how much I have enjoyed this film time after time. Right now, I can say without reservation that the next couple of hours will be the highlight of my weekend.

I received my copy yesterday and watched it. Love the disc, and Dolby Vision. Beautiful.
I really wish it had an Atmos track, but the 5.1 is great, and my receiver has a fake Atmos setting that sends the surrounds to the additional height speakers.
So it almost feels like a true Atmos sound field.

 

[titch]

I just purchased the less expensive 4K UHD from Amazon.de, after Bill Hunt reviewed it. The picture quality projected onto a 130 inch screen is indeed much better than the one from the Criterion blu-ray.

See on Amazon

 

[Robert Harris]

I just purchased the less expensive 4K UHD from Amazon.de, after Bill Hunt reviewed it. The picture quality projected onto a 130 inch screen is indeed much better than the one from the Criterion blu-ray.

See on Amazon

Are you surprised to find 4k more highly resolved than HD?

 

[titch]

Are you surprised to find 4k more highly resolved than HD?

I do find that the native 4K UHD discs are more highly resolved than HD discs - but when I mentioned picture quality, I was referring to the overall picture quality - 4K UHD discs don't always look this good on my set-up, when projected. This is a really lovely, film-like picture, from a 35 mm negative. Yet another missed opportunity from Criterion.

 

[TonyD]

Yet another missed opportunity from Criterion.

In what way is this a issued opportunity?

If you’re saying they should release 4K discs then maybe sure but since they don’t release 4K discs then not sure it’s a missed opportunity at all.

 

[titch]

In what way is this a issued opportunity?

If you’re saying they should release 4K discs then maybe sure but since they don’t release 4K discs then not sure it’s a missed opportunity at all.

I think they should release 4K UHD on selected titles, as Arrow and Kino are doing.

 

[Brian Husar]

Is there a reason why Criterion is not releasing 4K UHD? It doesn't have to be on everyone, like the previous poster said, on select titles. Arrow is releasing some great stuff and collector sets, Kino is now back and Shout Factory. I don't think The Princess Bride would have been good, but The Irishman, Roma, and Parasite, all shot 4k, or in the case of Roma and Parasite in large format Arri Alexa 65, those would have been prime ones.

 

[titch]

Is there a reason why Criterion is not releasing 4K UHD? It doesn't have to be on everyone, like the previous poster said, on select titles. Arrow is releasing some great stuff and collector sets, Kino is now back and Shout Factory. I don't think The Princess Bride would have been good, but The Irishman, Roma, and Parasite, all shot 4k, or in the case of Roma and Parasite in large format Arri Alexa 65, those would have been prime ones.

The difference in picture quality between 4K UHD and blu-ray is not just limited to the increased resolution - although the large format movies most definitely gain from this as well. There are noticeable improvements in the colour gamut; in The Princess Bride, the difference is striking.

Ultimately, Arrow Video has realised the sales potential for niche and cult titles in 4K UHD. Their expensive limited edition box sets of Django, Donnie Darko and Battle Royale sold out so fast, Amazon.uk weren't able to obtain copies. Other European publishers, such as StudioCanal and several German companies are also releasing quite a few titles.

It takes good knowledge of the home video market to find the titles that will sell well. Arrow are now the market leaders in cult films - which collectors snap up voraciously. A 4K UHD will not automatically sell in large volumes. Many members on this forum - which is a forum of film enthusiasts - do not have 4K players, five years after the format was introduced. And the ones who do have 4K players are quite selective in their tastes. Kino found that out when their Hannibal 4K UHD did not sell as well as their The Good, The Bad & The Ugly 4K UHD. But good for them for trying again, when their first effort wasn't a sell.out. Ultimately, Criterion will never know whether a 4K UHD of The Princess Bride would have been a big seller, or not. It wouldn't have hurt them to test the waters with one title.

 

[Brian Husar]

The difference in picture quality between 4K UHD and blu-ray is not just limited to the increased resolution - although the large format movies most definitely gain from this as well. There are noticeable improvements in the colour gamut; in The Princess Bride, the difference is striking.

Ultimately, Arrow Video has realised the sales potential for niche and cult titles in 4K UHD. Their expensive limited edition box sets of Django, Donnie Darko and Battle Royale sold out so fast, Amazon.uk weren't able to obtain copies. Other European publishers, such as StudioCanal and several German companies are also releasing quite a few titles.

It takes good knowledge of the home video market to find the titles that will sell well. Arrow are now the market leaders in cult films - which collectors snap up voraciously. A 4K UHD will not automatically sell in large volumes. Many members on this forum - which is a forum of film enthusiasts - do not have 4K players, five years after the format was introduced. And the ones who do have 4K players are quite selective in their tastes. Kino found that out when their Hannibal 4K UHD did not sell as well as their The Good, The Bad & The Ugly 4K UHD. But good for them for trying again, when their first effort wasn't a sell.out. Ultimately, Criterion will never know whether a 4K UHD of The Princess Bride would have been a big seller, or not. It wouldn't have hurt them to test the waters with one title.

Correction. That should say I do think Princess Bride would have been good for Criterion to release on 4K UHD disc

 

[Bryan^H]

I was surprised how much the HDR improved the image over the Criterion. Night, and day comparison, and I honestly did not expect that.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

Now to hunt down a copy of that 4K Princess Bride. It will be a grand quest indeed.

 

[titch]

Now to hunt down a copy of that 4K Princess Bride. It will be a grand quest indeed.

Well, try searching for Die Braut des Prinzen Turbine Medien and you're halfway there!

 

[Bryan^H]

Well, finally a review for this disc. Not sure why it took a year, but here it is:

The Princess Bride - 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray [German Import] Ultra HD Review | High Def Digest

'The latest news on all things 4k Ultra HD, Blu-ray and Gear'

ultrahd.highdefdigest.com

Pretty much what everyone has been saying all along, that the video quality is stellar, but I'm not sure why they are posting screencap comparisons to the Criterion. HDR doesn't do well in caps, even on a 4K monitor.

 

[titch]

Well, finally a review for this disc. Not sure why it took a year, but here it is:

The Princess Bride - 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray [German Import] Ultra HD Review | High Def Digest

'The latest news on all things 4k Ultra HD, Blu-ray and Gear'

ultrahd.highdefdigest.com

Pretty much what everyone has been saying all along, that the video quality is stellar, but I'm not sure why they are posting screencap comparisons to the Criterion. HDR doesn't do well in caps, even on a 4K monitor.

I wrote that Bill Hunt reviewed it on The Digital Bits 25th May. The reason why reviewers in the USA are only just reviewing it now is because Amazon.de was not shipping overseas for a long time because of the COVID pandemic.