What do we know about the new edition of Dead Ringers on June 7th? (1 Viewer)

[Zane Charron]

There is a new edition of Dead Ringers coming from Warner Brothers on June 7th. Anyone know anything about it, such as the transfer that will be used? I see there will be a commentary by Jeremy Irons as well as a few other special features.

 

[PaulP]

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...30#post2622830

 

[John Hodson]

...and the official news from WHV courtesy of DVD Times is here

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

Any reviews up yet aside from the one DVDTalk did?

In particular, any solid comparissons between the anamorphic transfer and overall a/v quality of this new Warner disc in contrast to the previous Criterion and more recent Canadian-exclusive 15th Anniversary Edition which ported over the previous transfer?

Before picking this up, I want to confirm 100% that the image quality has been significantly approved upon and that there are no misses with the framing and other similar issues.

Can anyone attest?

I'd really like to read a review which cites specific aspects of each past edition in comprehensively comparing the releases and perhaps offering some screen captions as well to see.

I've wanted to own this movie on DVD for so many years - first missing out on the Criterion run, than delighted by the news of the Canadian issue which I decided to pass on because of this new Warner release boasting a brand new image transfer.

Any confirmation on overall quality yet?

 

[PaulP]

Marco, the extras are entirely different. I have the Canadian 15th Anniversary and it has all the content of the Criterion disc. Even down to Criterion's menus. I bet the only differences between the Criterion and the 15th Anniversary editions are physical: the cover and the disc label. So I'm keeping the Canadian reissue and adding the WB version, so it'll be like having a 2-disc set (in fact I have these transparent single-width two-disc cases, so I'll just convert the two editions into one...).

 

[Rich Malloy]

I'm also hoping for another review to supplement the DVD Talk one, which really wasn't very informative at all. Despite some allusions to the Criterion/Canadian edition, that review didn't compare print quality/transfer quality/aspect ratio decisions/color timing and all the other little details that we're dying to obsess over!

 

[PaulP]

DVD Beaver should have a comparison soon, I think.

 

[Felix Martinez]

Sorry for the quick post, but I feel for you and will try to give my $.02 on the image...

I have the Criterion and the new release is most definitely a new transfer, probably from the same print, b/c there's the same bob & weave in the gate which contributes to a slightly unsteady image.

However, resolution, clarity, and shadow detail are markedly improved over the Criterion. Colors are close, but some scenes shift a bit to the cool, some to the warm...but still pleasing and balanced. The detail really is an improvement. The 1.85:1 framing (controversially changed from Cronenberg's preferred 1.66:1) surprisingly provides more info on the sides and crops a bit at the top and bottom (the latter result was expected). I prefer the 1.66 framing, but the benefits in other areas outweigh it, IMHO. I also saw this in the theater in 1.85 (or whatever the masking was in that auditorium), so I don't have a big beef with the aspect ratio change. There is, however, a bit more image on the left, it seems.

Mosquito noise and haloing is visible during the opening credits, but no banding (or reduced - I didn't notice it) in the red background in the credits (as seen in the Criterion). Didn't notice these anomalies elsewhere. Overall cleaner image, although the sharper detail reveals more grain (a good thing - I despise high-freq filtering). Also - highlights are much more smooth. The whites in the Criterion tended to bloom.

I'll watch it from start to finish tonite and post additional comments if i feel my initial observation is off-mark when taking the entire film in.

Quick note on B&M availability: not one Best Buy in South Florida has it in stock. It's also MIA in Circuit City. Picked it up on sale at Border's for $14.99.

Hope this helps!

 

[Mark Cappelletty]

I thought that the picture looked very smooth and that the audio is MUCH improved. The score sounds natural and not compressed or peaking like it did on the Criterion version (I have the LD). The Jeremy Irons commentary (from what I've heard) is informative but the remaining extras are pretty sketchy, mostly old archival publicity clips. A bizarre Dead Ringers doctor's quiz is maybe the dumbest extra I've seen on a DVD since the "rave" featurette on PITCH BLACK.

Definitely worth a purchase if you're a fan.

 

[Rich Malloy]

Thanks Felix and Mark - excellent reviews!

 

[richardWI]

i couldnt find it at my Best Buy either.. 2 Best buys in town and neither one had "Fury" either. what's up with that?

 

[Rich Malloy]

Best Buy has a really shitty selection.

 

[Felix Martinez]

Fidelity-wise, the 5.1 re-mix audio quality is in fact much improved, compared to the 2.0 mix. Even the music over the opening credits is smooth and apparently discrete multi-channel (I recall stereo strings in the rears).

However, I was dismayed to find that there was some processing done, where the highs are thrown into the rear speakers. When characters speak, you hear the slight sibilance in the rears. I found it very distracting and actually prefer the 2.0 option - which I believe is the original Dolby Surround mix.

Folks with larger screens will notice some vertical haloing throughout the film - at first I thought only the opening credits were affected. The new transfer also resolves the "twinning" optical effects more clearly. The effects, while impressive, are a product of their time. The best effect in the film is Irons' performance, which I feel ranks as one of best pieces of acting ever put on film. Bujold is fantastic as well.

A crucial line from the film that completely slipped under my radar all these years is: "pain creates character distortion." Along this line, one can say the same about pleasure. IMHO, this is the characters' Achilles Heel. When they artificially (via drugs, identity swapping, or other self-destructive behavior) try to dull the former and/or amplify the latter, the ground starts to give way to reveal the abyss.

I'm very glad to own both versions (Criterion and this one), but will watch the new release with the 2.0 track from now on and refer to the Criterion for the Cronenberg commentary and the other extras.

 

[Rich Malloy]

There are two new reviews collated at DVD-Basen today (CHUD and IGN, as I recall), and one of them noted some issues with the 5.1 track, as well. Fortunately this disc includes the original Dolby Stereo track so no big problem, but considering that many discs default to the 5.1 mix (even when it's not the original mix), this is a good heads-up. I can think of several times when I'm halfway through a movie, becoming really jacked-off about a crummy 5.1 remix, and then discovering that a much more pleasant 2.0 track is also included. It'll be interesting to compare these two tracks, but in every review that's bothered to compare them (you know, all two of 'em!), it seems the original mix is on-balance the preferred one.

Felix, do you recall if the opening music sounds a bit peaky/distorted on the 2.0 track (as it does on the Criterion disc)? You noted that the 5.1 track cleaned this up somewhat - this may sound truly anal, but it might be most ideal to watch those great opening credits with the 5.1 track and then switch to the 2.0 when the film starts.

 

[Felix Martinez]

Yes, the 2.0 track (which I haven't A-B'd with the Criterion, but I think is the same) has that same "sound" over the credits that so many nit-picky fans (like us) have noticed over the years.

The 5.1 improvement over the credits is *dramatic*, and I actually did what you said!