Escape From New York [spoRv] *BD-25 RELEASED*

_,,,^..^,,,_ presents Escape from New York [spoRv] - special preserved or Restored version

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Mission: to restore John Carpenter's Escape from New York widest image, plus original soundtrack and commentary.

Video sources: HDTV broadcast.

Audio sources: uncompressed PCM original soundtrack, captured directly from Collector's Edition laserdisc, along with commentary; other soundtracks from BD and DVD.

Subtitles sources: to reflect soundtracks.

Project info:

Personally, "Escape from New York" is one of my favourite movies; after I discovered that the EU Blu-ray is really bad, and the US Blu-ray is very dark, I began to search a better alternative; I found that the HDTV version broadcasted by HDNet is maybe the best compromise. The HDTV will be used as video source.

Plus, the Collector's Edition laserdisc will be used to add the original soundtrack and the commentary.

Source Material

Video:

• Escape from New York - HDTV HDNet

Audio:

• Escape from New York - Collector's edition Laserdisc - PCM Dolby Surround
• Escape from New York - Collector's edition Laserdisc - Commentary
• Escape from New York - PAL German laserdisc [dl link]
• Escape from New york - various BD and DVD.

Subtitles:

• English, French, German, Italian, Spanish.

Final format: BD-25

Video:

• x264 1920x1080, 23.976fps, 26mbps

Audio:

• English DTS-HD MA 1509kbps 5.1 16bit 48kHz - from Blu-ray
• English AC3 384kbps 5.1 16bit 48kHz - from HDTV
• English PCM 1536kbps 2.0 16bit 48kHz Dolby Surround - from PCM LD
• French AC3 192kbps 2.0 16bit 48kHz Dolby Surround - from DVD
• German AC3 192kbps 2.0 16bit 48kHz Dolby Surround - from PCM LD
• Italian AC3 192kbps 2.0 16bit 48kHz Dolby Surround - from DVD
• Spanish AC3 192kbps 2.0 16bit 48kHz Dolby Surround - from DVD
• English AC3 192kbps 2.0 16bit 48kHz commentary - from DVD; originally from LD
• English AC3 192kbps 2.0 16bit 48kHz commentary - from DVD

Subtitles:

• English
• French
• German
• Italian
• Spanish

Notes:

• Main animated menu, static soundtrack and subtitle settings menu, static chapters menu
• Blu-ray custom made outside and inside covers, plus disc label; 32 chapters; restored theatrical trailer
• Tested on Playstation 3 (two different models)

"Partner in crime":

• TheAluminumFalcon to provide me .torrent link for a video source
• Stamper for the french soundtrack and the english, french and spanish subs
• anonymous for the english and german laserdisc soundtracks
• CatBus, for help about subtitles

Additional credits:

• THE LAST JOHNY ON THE LEFT for the animated video used for BD menu

ATTENTION: The following is an explanation of the "slice technique" I intended to use for this project; however, after a lot of tests, I decided to NOT use it, because it's really difficult and time consuming to do it - albeit not impossible...

I add some quoted test here to let latest visitors to understand something more:

From the first post (deleted now):

Then, I realized that there are slight differences in cropping between the HDTV and the Blu-ray; one has more details on one side, while less on the other side, and vice versa. So I thought to join them together, to obtain the widest image possible. Indeed, it's only a mere 3% wider than any version, but I much prefer a 100% wide image Vs a "mere" 97%... (^^,)

The HDTV will be used as main source; the BD will be color regraded to match the HDTV version, then a "slice" will be joined to the HDTV video.

...but, as I was not sure, I included also this (deleted as well, as there is no reason to leave it there):

ATTENTION! This is my first attemp to this kind of things, so I'm not sure of the final result! If it will not work well, only the "plain" HDTV video will be used as source.

Screenshot of the first test clip could be found into this post - test clip could be downloaded here.

From post #41:

I regret to inform you that I decided to NOT use the "slice technique"; despite the fact the technique itself is working - and I showed it in this very thread - it's really hard and time-consuming to reach a perfect color and position matching; I discovered that in many shots, the first one or two frames in the HDTV wobbling, with variable spacial width and direction, and small color variations, making almost impossible to find out proper spacial and color settings to do a perfect match... I'm really sorry, because first tests were quite good!

EXAMPLE:

I need german and french soundtracks - PCM from laserdisc will be perfect, but from DVD or BD will do as well; I have the english, italian and spanish ones. Also, subtitles in all the five main languages will be very appreciated!

First tests will begin next week, maybe just tomorrow.

Well, thank you very much to all!

Stamper, I'm waiting for your french soundtrack.

JetrellFo... could I hope in a DTS Cinema soundtrack? Please... (^^,) was joking, I know there were no DTS at the time...

I was at my buddy's new house last night and he just got Direct TV.  He has HDNet Movies and my cable system got in a fight with Mark Cuban years ago and dropped that channel.  It really gets me that we can no longer get it.  HDNet is a great movie channel.  I have MGM HD and that's pretty good too for rare films not on Blu-ray.  Escape From New York on HDNet was great because it had the right balance of color and brightness without going too far on either front.  The US BD is just too dark and you have to turn up your display's brightness to see all the information in the frame.  The color is actually pretty good, but I always dug that HDNet broadcast of the film.  This is going to be great to have the best presentation possible of EFNY.  Really looking forward to this one!

FIRST TEST CLIP

comparison between the BD and the [spoRv] version; 120MB, 1920x1080, AC3 5.1, 8000kbps

http://www.sendspace.com/file/nn318f

Here you are the comparison screenshots:

Both BD and HDTV colors, brightness and contrast are untouched. I much prefer HDTV both for colors and overall image; even if it's more grainy, well, it's more... grainy? You know what I mean, right? (^^,)

I'm waiting for your comments!

Thank you all very much!

I tested further; second test clip needed different settings for different shots; just four settings works for the whole test, but I'm quite sure I have to find several other settings that will work for the whole movie... nevertheless, first results are promising:

(OK, here sky is violet instead of blue... but for the final release it will also be possible to invert color grading, mantaining the wider picture.)

Stamper said:

It looks like there's more image at the bottom in some shots on the Blu-ray. Will you adjust that too?

Is not possible to use it, as the small "slice" on the bottom of the HDTV is missing... like the following example:

see the missing piece in the bottom right? Unless there is some method to "invent" the missing piece using surrounding images...

How about using the Blu-ray as the main source and just adjusting the colors, instead of using the HDTV?

ColourMatch is good, but not perfect; so, it's better to use the untouched HDTV for 97% and the ColourMatch'ed BD for the 3% slice than using the ColourMatch'ed BD for the 97% of the whole image and HDTV for the 3% slice... got the point?