UHD Review The Wages of Fear – Criterion UHD Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

[t1g3r5fan]

Let’s look at The Wages of Fear.
After escaping from a lifetime ban on filmmaking in 1947 for making the then polarizing – now highly acclaimed – thriller Le Corbeau (1943), Henri-Georges Clouzot resumed his directorial career with the police procedural Quai des Orfèvres (1947), which helped to re-establish his reputation in France. After directing Manon (1949) and Miquette (1950), Clouzot would begin work on what would become his international breakthrough: The Wages of Fear. Previously released on DVD and Blu-ray by Criterion, the label has given the movie its UHD Blu-ray debut.



The Wages of Fear (1953)



Released: 16 Feb 1955
Rated: Not Rated
Runtime: 156 min




Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Thriller



Cast: Yves Montand, Charles Vanel...

Continue reading...

 

[titch]

I reacted negatively to the pronounced grain and contrast, when viewing the projected image with HDR 10, on my setup from the BFI 4K UHD last year. I'm very satisfied with Criterion's decision not to apply HDR.

As Stephen Bjork wrote in his review on The Digital Bits: "It’s important to note that the HDR grades that the BFI has been offering on titles like The Wages of Fear, The Seventh Seal, and Seven Samurai were created by them and not a part of the original restorations. While it’s still possible to strengthen the contrast and deepen the black levels that way, it also tends to exaggerate the grain, and it’s arguable that Criterion’s non-HDR versions are more accurate to how the original theatrical prints would have looked—which means that they’re also more accurate to the intentions of the filmmakers. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference. Many people will prefer the stronger contrast that the BFI’s HDR grades can offer, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but don’t automatically assume that HDR=better. As with most things in life, reality is a bit more nuanced than that."

Even when I turn off HDR processing on my projector, the Criterion image still looks less grainy and the blue tint is less pronounced, than on the BFI.

Watching the supplement about the restoration performed by Hiventy on the Criterion set, it seems wrong to go and put HDR on the film. The restorers have spent enormous amounts of time and effort grading the film for density and contrast and then someone else just sits down on a computer with a perfect master and degrades it!

I still like the additional supplements of the BFI version but the Criterion is the only one I'll watch for the film!

Criterion 4K

BFI 4K

BFI 4K with HDR 10 activated on my projector

Criterion 4K

 

[tenia]

I'm surprised by the blue tint on the BFI disc, as I haven't read any review or seen any capture leading me to think the BFI disc isn't pure B&W.
As for the HDR grade : a more contrasted look tend indeed to strengthen the impression of delineation but also grain, because it makes high frequencies easier to catch. I'm not particularly bothered by the practice, providing it's not turning a SDR restoration into a Christmas tree, but if people have issues with the practice per se, the cases are more numerous than one might think spontaneously...
Also : Hiventy just approved a HDR grade for their SDR restoration of The Rules of the Game, so it doesn't have to be that much of a problem to them.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I reacted negatively to the pronounced grain and contrast, when viewing the projected image with HDR 10, on my setup from the BFI 4K UHD last year. I'm very satisfied with Criterion's decision not to apply HDR.

As Stephen Bjork wrote in his review on The Digital Bits: "It’s important to note that the HDR grades that the BFI has been offering on titles like The Wages of Fear, The Seventh Seal, and Seven Samurai were created by them and not a part of the original restorations. While it’s still possible to strengthen the contrast and deepen the black levels that way, it also tends to exaggerate the grain, and it’s arguable that Criterion’s non-HDR versions are more accurate to how the original theatrical prints would have looked—which means that they’re also more accurate to the intentions of the filmmakers. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference. Many people will prefer the stronger contrast that the BFI’s HDR grades can offer, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but don’t automatically assume that HDR=better. As with most things in life, reality is a bit more nuanced than that."

Even when I turn off HDR processing on my projector, the Criterion image still looks less grainy and the blue tint is less pronounced, than on the BFI.

Watching the supplement about the restoration performed by Hiventy on the Criterion set, it seems wrong to go and put HDR on the film. The restorers have spent enormous amounts of time and effort grading the film for density and contrast and then someone else just sits down on a computer with a perfect master and degrades it!

I still like the additional supplements of the BFI version but the Criterion is the only one I'll watch for the film!

Criterion 4K
View attachment 249813

BFI 4K
View attachment 249814

BFI 4K with HDR 10 activated on my projector
View attachment 249815

Criterion 4K
View attachment 249816

I just received the Criterion 4K/UHD this past week. In the near future, I'll try to watch both 4K/UHD releases in their entirety to determine which release I prefer on my OLED.

 

[titch]

I'm surprised by the blue tint on the BFI disc, as I haven't read any review or seen any capture leading me to think the BFI disc isn't pure B&W.

I believe that's just how some black and white 4K UHD discs decode from my Oppo and are exported directly from my player to my projector. I don't think everyone else would see the same. It is something I notice with 4K UHD black and white films, embedded with HDR. Even when I turn off HDR on the Oppo, there still is a more blue tint on the BFI titles (which have HDR), compared to the Criterions (which don't).

I'm wanting to replace my DLP 4K Optima projector with a laser projector, so I'm saving up for it!

 

[titch]

One of the first LaserDiscs I purchased - way back in 1991! It was the restored 149 minute version, which Kino Lorber organised. Back then I was discovering a world of incredibly exciting old black and white foreign movies, which were never available theatrically!

 

[JoshZ]

I believe that's just how some black and white 4K UHD discs decode from my Oppo and are exported directly from my player to my projector. I don't think everyone else would see the same. It is something I notice with 4K UHD black and white films, embedded with HDR. Even when I turn off HDR on the Oppo, there still is a more blue tint on the BFI titles (which have HDR), compared to the Criterions (which don't).

The photos you posted above make it look like your display's color temp is set for "Cool." Is it possible the projector is lapsing into that as a default when it detects HDR?

Even the Criterion SDR photos still look like the grayscale is off there, though less so.