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The Shadow (NTSC Widescreen Preservation) (* unfinished project *)

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Hi all,

After waiting for years on end, I’ve given up hope on getting a Region 1 ntsc widescreen version of The Shadow. The existing DVDs (DTS and Dolby Digital) are both pan and scan, so I’m experiementing with my copy of the widescreen laserdisc to create an archived version of the movie.

I am experimenting with Adobe Premiere to capture DV output from a Canopus ADVC-110 and a Pioneer DVL-700 laserdisc player. My first trial also uses TMPGEnc to encode the video stream and the results aren’t too bad. One problem I’ve found is that Premiere loses the firewire connection after about 10 minutes of capping, so I’m still debugging that problem (might have to do with my dual processor setup).

I’ve created a tiny DVD of the bridge sequence from the movie with a basic still image menu and it looks promising.

Any suggestions for possible bonus material, encoders, or capturing programs would be most welcome. I haven’t tried deinterlacing or anything like that and I’ve kept it as non-anamorphic.

Cheers!

mgaribaldi83

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why not get the R2 UK DVD? That's widescreen and anamorphic

have a look at www.dvdcompare.net for more info

Join the dark side… and get a free cookie!

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MeBe has a good point, but just as a general pointer, a better program for straight firewire DV ripping like you're trying to do is the very small application WinDV.

I used to be very active on this forum. I’m not really anymore. Sometimes, people still want to get in touch with me about something, and that is great! If that describes you, please email me at [my username]ATgmailDOTcom.

Hi everybody. You’re all awesome. Keep up the good work.

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Originally posted by: bigrob
why not get the R2 UK DVD? That's widescreen and anamorphic


Thank you for the suggestion, but I'm interested in an NTSC widescreen verison of the film, not a PAL version.

Cheers!

mgaribaldi83
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"MeBe has a good point"

Right avatar, wrong username.

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: Sadly, I believe the prequels are beyond repair.
<span class=“Bold”>JediRandy: They’re certainly beyond any repair you’re capable of making.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>MeBeJedi: You aren’t one of us.
<span class=“Bold”>Go-Mer-Tonic: I can’t say I find that very disappointing.</span></span>

<span class=“Italics”>JediRandy: I won’t suck as much as a fan edit.</span>

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Damn that avatar and its confusing nature!

I used to be very active on this forum. I’m not really anymore. Sometimes, people still want to get in touch with me about something, and that is great! If that describes you, please email me at [my username]ATgmailDOTcom.

Hi everybody. You’re all awesome. Keep up the good work.

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Originally posted by: mgaribaldi83
Originally posted by: bigrob
why not get the R2 UK DVD? That's widescreen and anamorphic


Thank you for the suggestion, but I'm interested in an NTSC widescreen verison of the film, not a PAL version.

Cheers!

mgaribaldi83


You can use some programs to interpolate PAL into NTSC with progressive 24fps video. You'll get excellent quality without ghosting or interlacing (or speedup, even) while keeping it 24fps. Not to mention it would be 16x9 enhanced. You might even be able to add the NTSC version's DTS track and sync it up to the PAL conversion. A lot better than having to settle for laserdisc which will be much lower quality and non-anamorphic. Best of all, it would be 100% digital and you won't have to work with analog video.
"I was a perfect idiot to listen to you!"
"Listen here, there ain't nothing in this world that's perfect!"

- from The Bank Dick
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Are you planning to include the DTS track? I would love to see a widescreen version of the Shadow with a DTS track.
As far as extras go, I don't know of much except stuff like the soundtrack CD, old Shadow radio shows as MP3's, and pulp novels. I have a trailer as a quicktime on my computer, but I don't think that it would come out to be any sort of quality. I've seen a TV show recently that talked about several movies and how they did things that had a segement on the Shadow. It talked about the making of the tulku's temple at the beginning of the movie. I have no idea the name of the program or anything.
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The Shadow is Open Matte, not P&S. Simply zooming the DVD will result in better quality than transfering a matted laserdisc.
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Originally posted by: Mentor
The Shadow is Open Matte, not P&S. Simply zooming the DVD will result in better quality than transfering a matted laserdisc.


No it's not. The regular shots are cropped a bit and the effect shots are heavily cropped:

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare/shadow.htm
"I was a perfect idiot to listen to you!"
"Listen here, there ain't nothing in this world that's perfect!"

- from The Bank Dick
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Originally posted by: OgOggilby
Originally posted by: mgaribaldi83
Originally posted by: bigrob
why not get the R2 UK DVD? That's widescreen and anamorphic


Thank you for the suggestion, but I'm interested in an NTSC widescreen verison of the film, not a PAL version.

Cheers!

mgaribaldi83


You can use some programs to interpolate PAL into NTSC with progressive 24fps video. You'll get excellent quality without ghosting or interlacing (or speedup, even) while keeping it 24fps. Not to mention it would be 16x9 enhanced.


Any suggestions on which programs are best to do this? I'm assuming TMPGenc?
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Originally posted by: OgOggilby
Originally posted by: Mentor
The Shadow is Open Matte, not P&S. Simply zooming the DVD will result in better quality than transfering a matted laserdisc.


No it's not. The regular shots are cropped a bit and the effect shots are heavily cropped:

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare/shadow.htm


Ah... So not only is the pan and scan R1 not worth matting, the R2 has a coloring problem with it... Maybe it is worth it to continue with this project. Thanks for the info!
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Well if you need the Goldsmith CD for an isolated score or bonus I can send a copy.
There's good in the Original Trilogy, and it's worth fighting for.
"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."
http://www.myspace.com/harlock415
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Originally posted by: mgaribaldi83
Originally posted by: OgOggilby
Originally posted by: Mentor
The Shadow is Open Matte, not P&S. Simply zooming the DVD will result in better quality than transfering a matted laserdisc.


No it's not. The regular shots are cropped a bit and the effect shots are heavily cropped:

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare/shadow.htm


Ah... So not only is the pan and scan R1 not worth matting, the R2 has a coloring problem with it... Maybe it is worth it to continue with this project. Thanks for the info!


Actually, I'm pretty certain the R2 DVD has the right color. I saw The Shadow when it was originally released and I remember it having a subdued, but amber tone to the look. DVD Beaver can be a little too literal on color timing (they swing towards what looks "natural" even if that's now how it's supposed to look). The R1 pan & scan DVD is way too pale (a lot of Universal's early DVD's are like this).
"I was a perfect idiot to listen to you!"
"Listen here, there ain't nothing in this world that's perfect!"

- from The Bank Dick
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When I worked at Goodguys, I used the Shadow as a demo disc a lot in the theater room. NOt quite the best pic, but good sound.
There's good in the Original Trilogy, and it's worth fighting for.
"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."
http://www.myspace.com/harlock415
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I thought this movie was pretty good, even though I know most people didn't. I will also say that the DTS track has great sound.