Info: Mad Max Rarities/Road Warrior Japanese DVD — Page 5

The best evidence was provided by the original cinematographer on the commentary track IIRC. He talked of having to go to the film lab multiple times to push the colors to get that more saturated look of the desert. That is the intended look reflected on the 35mm theatrical prints, the VHS, LD and DVD issue from a print sourced master. That used a US print under the RW title and slightly edited. The BD uses what is presumably a fresh HD scan of the Australian master, hence the uncut film and MM2 title card. It also is the master so it lacks the intended color timing, making it yet another film misrepresented in HD due to using camera negatives and not replicating theatrical color timing.

It's that simple, people don't do their homework, nor do they care to. The BD version looks horridly wrong, I had hoped the revisit would address it, but it didn't. Even Thunderdome got it right!

Interesting about the AFI print screening. It would be nice to know if the print shown of MM was US edited or the Auzzie original. The only downside of the first film's BD transfer is that it lacks a lossless Australian mono track. That has never been released anywhere in higher quality, and would have to be sourced off of a print for us.

Stamper said:

Original DVD release was Road Warrior print woldwide. It's sightly cut (actually it's the US theatrical cut).

New version on Blu-ray is Mad Max 2. Longer cut with extended violence, but it lacks some of Papagallo dialogue in the first part of the film.

I would like to get a script which can combine the colors of the DVD to the Blu-ray picture. Fixing the missing parts should be easy, they are only a couple of seconds.

This can be done using Elastix. It is a slow slow process, but it does a perfect job.

I wonder if anyone here won the 35mm reel of the Australian release?

http://www.madmaxmovies.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=3&sid=548349fbc2e7e680d1f4d6b9580a7ee3

OK gentlemen, this one needs to get back on the radar because it's too good a film to overlook...

The theatrical color timing is clearly quite different from the Blu-ray presentation and makes for a different experience altogether.  It deserves a preservation.

My ears were burning, now I know why... (^^,)

Here you are my first attempt - top DVD, middle ColourMatch, bottom BD:

That's more like it... very nice color indeed.  This is going to be the one I look forward to this year.  Thanks, Andrea.  Always loved this film and it will be great to see those vibrant hues and desert vistas once again in a proper presentation.  That ColourMatch frame actually looks gorgeous and since the source is the MM2 uncut international BD version, it's the best of all worlds.  The U.S. DVD was the slightly edited version of course.  Should be a great project and the fans will be very pleased.  Great stuff!

Wow, thanks, I wasn't sure there were so many Mad Max fans around that wanted a regraded version, but now I'm sure, of course!

Jonno, I have the laserdisc letterbox edition; IIRC is a remastered one, so *maybe* the track is better than your P&S version; or not?!?

MM3... mmh, I think it could benefit of a color grading, too; but what about MM1? It seems the BD has too much green for my tastes... caps-a-holic

I will use the most extended version - the one included in the Mad Max trilogy, am I right?

PDB said:

Is it possible to add back the old Saul Bass Warner logo?

 And you ask it?!? (^^,) Of course!

@Jonno: waiting to know your track comparison...