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The Keep - UK HDTV airing (Released)

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 (Edited)

Given the appreciation for this film amongst many members, I recorded the recent airing on Channel 4 HD because it’s a place where you can often get good results for HD offerings of films that have either received inferior home video releases or none at all.

This was broadcast in 1080i but is clearly not sourced from an HD master. The print is in bad shape and the picture quality is poor, even for SD - most of my DVDs would beat this hands down. It looks closer to some of my early 80s LDs.

The screen grabs look deceptively passable at this small size so here’s the album URL in order for you to judge them properly:

http://imgur.com/a/pitHt

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“Logic is the battlefield of adulthood.”

  • Howard Berk
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Does look bad… Is that mist or just terrible contrast / gamma

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Those grabs were taken directly from the .TS file itself. Believe it or not, they were the better looking ones…

“Logic is the battlefield of adulthood.”

  • Howard Berk
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Is it possible they have upscaled the Laserdisc master?

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Where were you in '77?

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SilverWook said:

Is it possible they have upscaled the Laserdisc master?

I think you’re onto something there as it certainly seems that way. During particular scenes, the video image looks like it’s covered in composite video noise. I could upload a sample, if your eyeballs can withstand the ordeal…

“Logic is the battlefield of adulthood.”

  • Howard Berk
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 (Edited)

This is the master that’s been used on Netflix and on TV airings for awhile now. It is smeary as hell. (Amongst a myriad of other problems.) I would also guess it’s sourced from an old laserdisc master. There’s a logo free version from an Australian channel that’s on Myspleen (Chewtobacca fixed up the frame rate).

I would love a new transfer of this film. It looks ludicrously awful in its current state.

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There is a 35mm print out there, it recently screened at the Castro here in SF but it was too late a showing for me or something, so I didn’t see it.

Hopefully, it or another print will screen in some other city some time in the future. Check your local revival house’s schedule…

As for an official release, the fact that it’s been disowned by Michael Mann doesn’t bode well for it. Mann is one of those filmmakers who has enough clout to get what he wants, without actually owning the rights to his movies…