Universal Catalog Titles on Blu

[EddieLarkin]

Beaver on Touch of Evil.

A bigger upgrade than Double Indemnity, owing more I think to the fact the MoC transfer always looked a bit too "DVD-era" to me (despite being more recent transfers than what was used on DI). Interestingly, there's now quite a bit more headroom in the widescreen framing, owing largely to a shift in the placement of the matte.

[Drucker]

Looking at both of the Double Indemnity and ToE releases, they both seem great, and I'd be happy to double dip one day in the future, especially when I get a better set-up. With that said, does anyone else feel like the Universal's just a bit softer and less crisp with both releases? Look at the wallpaper behind Dietrich. Look at the picture of the house in Double Indemnity, the whites look almost blown out in the Universal, whereas the MOC looks crisp and detailed.

This is my totally non-professional, just looking at screencaps two cents. The Universals certainly seem great and it's awesome to have these available in R1, but just wanted to point out what I'm seeing. Also, these I would imagine come from the same source (1998 reconstruction), but while in this scene on the MOC doesn't have a line over Leigh's face, there does appear to be some damage mark on the new Universal release.

[EddieLarkin]

These are both new 4K scans, so I wouldn't be surprised if they've spared no expense and gone back to the OCN.

As for the wallpaper, all I see is an absence of the chunky noise like grain (replaced with finer, seemingly more film like grain). I agree with you about the whites on the DI caps though.

[Gregory]

Judging from Gary's comparisons, neither this nor Double Indemnity looks like an improvement over the transfers MoC released. I had no complaints at all about the contrast of either MoC release, and I don't think increasing the contrast is always better or that it equals "improved contrast," though that's a bias I see quite regularly in his reviews. I see no real improvement in detail in either Universal release. The only set of DI caps where the Universal seems to show more detail is that it looks like the pattern of E. G. Robinson's vest is slightly easier to make out on the Universal.

I don't really follow Gary when he says about TOE, "Aside from the cropping, I suspect the MoC is the most authentic in appearance." How does he know which framing choice is more "authentic"? That seems to be another Tooze bias you can usually count on: Showing slightly more information at the edges is said or implied to be a good thing virtually every time. I certainly understand the preference, but it doesn't necessarily mean the transfer with slightly more is more authentic or correct.
I also don't see how heavier grain is less filmlike than finer, less visible grain. If anything, the MoC release of Double Indemnity seems to show that you don't have to work from an original negative to get a top-notch transfer.

[EddieLarkin]

Since the 1.37:1 version is more popular here anyway, debating which widescreen transfer is more "accurate" seems pointless. There are a lot less cropped heads in the new disc though.

Grain I feel is more film like the finer it is. Though it shouldn't be absent of course. The Arrow James White transfers are the gold standard: tons of grain, albeit of the ultra fine variety. The MoC disc grain, especially on Touch of Evil, is more plentiful but looks comparatively chunky, blocky, noisy etc. The grain on the Universal discs seem more like what you would find on a James White transfer; ultra fine, though in these cases less prominent. Why is this? Could be grain management, could be simply a result of the much larger scanning resolution Universal are using (all JW transfer have been 2K, rather than 4). I don't know. My understanding of the whole science behind digitizing a film element is that the higher resolution you use to scan, and the closer you are to the OCN, the more fine and less intrusive the grain becomes.

[swo17]

Since the 1.37:1 version is more popular here anyway

Among people who are wrong :-"

[EddieLarkin]

Since the 1.37:1 version is more popular here anyway

Among people who are wrong :-"

There's an idiom, the particulars of which escape me right now, that applies here. Something to do with choirs and preaching, I think.

[manicsounds]

If you look carefully, and DVDBeaver says there is more headroom on the new Universal Touch Of Evil BD, the same headroom is there for the 50th Anniversary DVD edition.

[Altair]

It's a shame Universal fall short of putting out a package to rival the MoC in completeness by offering the alternate Academy ratios; so despite the finer grain field, my Touch of Evil won't be getting upgraded. However, their blu of Double Indemnity looks like the definitive release now.

[tenia]

What's surprising to me for Double Indemnity, is that everyone's speaking of cropping but some caps show more picture on the Universal disc (Robinson's watch), while others show more picture on the MoC disc (Stanwyck's hat).

My understanding of the whole science behind digitizing a film element is that the higher resolution you use to scan, and the closer you are to the OCN, the more fine and less intrusive the grain becomes.

That's also my understanding, but I always understood it also works in reverse for the elements you're using : maybe the MoC transfer is based on a scan done one generation away from the OCN.

[EddieLarkin]

The booklet says the older Universal transfer on the MoC disc is from a dupe negative, which would be at least two generations from the OCN I believe. Touch of Evil was from a fine grain composite, which would also be two generations away typically (help, experts?). Of course, we don't actually know that Universal went back to the OCN for these new transfers.

[Drucker]

Touch Of Evil bluray.com
Double Indemnity bluray.com

These both look like knockouts quite frankly.

[captveg]

7/1/14

Bring It On (2000)
Cry-Baby (1990)
Kindergarten Cop (1990)
The Little Rascals (1994)

Final nail in the coffin for the Kindergarten Cop Criterion

[Brian C]

Not so fast, says TRAFFIC.

[domino harvey]

I literally bought one of those titles on DVD less than twelve hours ago. Shame stops me from admitting which

[Feego]

I literally bought one of those titles on DVD less than twelve hours ago. Shame stops me from admitting which

No shame in Cry-Baby, nor to a lesser extent in Bring It On (it has its charms), so I'm gonna guess you bought Kindergarten Cop, since you seem like the type who enjoys seeing Carroll Baker firing shots at Arnie. But then aren't we all that type?

[Drucker]

I literally bought one of those titles on DVD less than twelve hours ago. Shame stops me from admitting which

No shame in Cry-Baby, nor to a lesser extent in Bring It On (it has its charms), so I'm gonna guess you bought Kindergarten Cop, since you seem like the type who enjoys seeing Carroll Baker firing shots at Arnie. But then aren't we all that type?

Was just watching the Travolta-version Hairspray the other day briefly on TV, and even my wife who loves John Waters doesn't care for Cry Baby.

Also, I can't think of a single charm in Bring It On, which I find unwatchable, and the cool punk/Clash t-shirt wearing older brother is so cringe-worthy.

[manicsounds]

Cry-Baby is the theatrical cut only, sadly.

[flyonthewall2983]

I literally bought one of those titles on DVD less than twelve hours ago. Shame stops me from admitting which

I'd bet the house on either Bring It On or Little Rascals.

[PfR73]

Cry-Baby is the theatrical cut only, sadly.

Was the theatrical cut ever released on DVD? I can only seem to find information about the release of the director's cut. The blu-ray.com article says Cry-Baby will have director's commentary, but I'd presume that commentary comes from the Director's Cut DVD. Will Universal be editing the commentary, not actually including it, or might the Blu-Ray actually contain the director's cut?

[manicsounds]

Theatrical cut was released on DVD

Both directors cuts and theatrical cuts DVDs had the director's commentary (just edited to fit the shorter cut, I believe)

[captveg]

8/19/14

The Flintstones (1994)

[domino harvey]

Universal is releasing an eight-disc Clint Eastwood Blu-ray box in the UK in August

Coogan's Bluff (1968)
Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970)
The Beguiled (1971)
Play Misty for Me (1971)
Joe Kidd (1972)
High Plains Drifter (1973)
Breezy (1973)
The Eiger Sanction (1975)

[warren oates]

They've released a number of these titles individually already. There's no way I'm buying that whole set just for The Beguiled, but I'd sure be happy for a stand alone issue of that title.

[chatterjees]

I am eagerly waiting to find out what else is included in that shoebox?