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Lord of the Rings Theatrical Blu Ray Trilogy ruined By DVNR.

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Even before it is released.

I saw some screenshots on the official blu ray site and the faces of the actors look waxy, and the grain looks like it has been all removed.

Not buying period.

“Always loved Vader’s wordless self sacrifice. Another shitty, clueless, revision like Greedo and young Anakin’s ghost. What a fucking shame.” -Simon Pegg.

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http://www.thedigitalbits.com/reviewshd/bdreviews032310.html#lor

The third thing you should know about this Blu-ray release, is that the A/V presentation quality is very, very good. The films are presented in full 1080p video (using the VC-1 codec), in the original 2.35:1 scope aspect ratio. To my eye, Fellowship isn't quite as crisp and detailed looking as the other two films, though I suspect this is less a BD mastering issue and has more to do with the film's actual post-production. Fellowship was completed first, on a tighter budget, and I recall from the theatres that there were shots here and there that looked a little more digital than the rest. The transfer is still very good - fear not. It's just that Two Towers and Return of the King are absolutely fantastic, with abundant detail and crisp, refined textures. Color and contrast is outstanding on all three. There's a little tiny bit of DNR applied here and there, as there is on almost every film these days, but I don't find it to be an issue quality-wise.

Hmm...

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Bill Hunt on the 2004 Star Wars DVDs:

The color palette here is more lush and accurate than ever before. You're going to be blown away by everything from subtle flesh tones to the vibrant gold plating on C-3PO's chest to the bright orange flightsuits of the Rebel pilots. Contrast is also spectacular, with deep detailed blacks and clear, accurate whites.

Hmm...

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Oops.

Your point is well made (and mine is withdrawn).

Still waiting for the EE regardless.

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adywan said:

It's a sad day when the HDTV broadcast is better quality than the retail Blu-Ray

Blu-Ray

HDTV

Just looks how much more detail can be seen in the HDTV version while you can clearly see the DNR on the Blu-Ray version.

Supposedly the blu ray uses the same HD master as the HDTV broadcasts, except some moron turned the dnr dial up to 11.

All based on hearsay of course, no official word from the studio.  Though they had bluray site remove the screenshots, some say it was damage control.

So they did not bother to go back to the original master whether it be a DI, or the original negative.  Someone on AVS forum said the master for the films was only done in 1k, if that is the case.  Then unless they go back to the original film and redo the effects in 4k or higher you are stuck with crap.

I hope that is not true because it would mean Lord of the Rings was rendered around the same res as phantom menace, but not close to the res of star wars special edition which was done in 2k.

Would not be the first time going digital has bit a studio in the ass when it came to release the film on blu ray.

“Always loved Vader’s wordless self sacrifice. Another shitty, clueless, revision like Greedo and young Anakin’s ghost. What a fucking shame.” -Simon Pegg.

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I was gonna take this as usual Skyjedi fanwanking until I saw Ady's comparison shots. A significant amount of grain is lost on the blu-ray edition... oh well. Still looks better'n Star Wars.

A Goon in a Gaggle of 'em

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bkev said:

...Skyjedi fanwanking...

That would make a great username.

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Maybe someone should make that name into, um, hosiery of some kind?  What's the word I'm looking for...?  It goes on your feet...  Hmm, never mind.  Forget it.

There is no lingerie in space…

C3PX said: Gaffer is like that hot girl in high school that you think you have a chance with even though she is way out of your league because she is sweet and not a stuck up bitch who pretends you don’t exist… then one day you spot her making out with some skinny twerp, only on second glance you realize it is the goth girl who always sits in the back of class; at that moment it dawns on you why she is never seen hanging off the arm of any of the jocks… and you realize, damn, she really is unobtainable after all. Not that that is going to stop you from dreaming… Only in this case, Gaffer is actually a guy.

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Gaffer Tape said:

Maybe someone should make that name into, um, hosiery of some kind?  What's the word I'm looking for...?  It goes on your feet...  Hmm, never mind.  Forget it.

Stockings?

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Hmm.  Close, but I don't think that was it either...  It's on the tip of my tongue too!

There is no lingerie in space…

C3PX said: Gaffer is like that hot girl in high school that you think you have a chance with even though she is way out of your league because she is sweet and not a stuck up bitch who pretends you don’t exist… then one day you spot her making out with some skinny twerp, only on second glance you realize it is the goth girl who always sits in the back of class; at that moment it dawns on you why she is never seen hanging off the arm of any of the jocks… and you realize, damn, she really is unobtainable after all. Not that that is going to stop you from dreaming… Only in this case, Gaffer is actually a guy.

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Gaffer Tape said:

Maybe someone should make that name into, um, hosiery of some kind?  What's the word I'm looking for...?  It goes on your feet...  Hmm, never mind.  Forget it.

Gaffer Tape said:

Hmm.  Close, but I don't think that was it either...  It's on the tip of my tongue too!

Wow....a foot fetish - Kool.

:D

Star Wars Episode XXX: Erica Strikes Back

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          If you want Nice, go to France

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sky-

Were you planning on buying this release? Are you a fan of the films? Because I'm afraid that it's probably going to be this or nothing.

I've seen the side-by-sides of all of these grain vs. no grain, and I agree. The industry standard releases are too fake, too plastic, too unreal. But they're not releasing these for the aficionados - these exist for the masses who just don't put that much thought into the look of the thing.

I guess if you're a fan of the movie, buy it and wait for a quality fan preservation so your copy is legal.

Want to book yourself or a guest on THE VFP Show? PM me!

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Is there any possibility the EE won't suffer the same problem?  Doesn't seem likely...

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bkev said:

I was gonna take this as usual Skyjedi fanwanking until I saw Ady's comparison shots. A significant amount of grain is lost on the blu-ray edition... oh well. Still looks better'n Star Wars.

That you Jedikev?

“Always loved Vader’s wordless self sacrifice. Another shitty, clueless, revision like Greedo and young Anakin’s ghost. What a fucking shame.” -Simon Pegg.

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TV's Frink said:

Is there any possibility the EE won't suffer the same problem?  Doesn't seem likely...

I'm holding out for the EE's anyway.  I hope they are better quality, or I might as well stick to my DVD's.  Did I ever tell you that I went to Lord of the Rings day?  The day before Return of the King came out they actually had copies of the EE's for the first two movies printed to film, and we watched both EE's and the premiere of RotK all in a row.  That was a long day.

But they could scan those copies in if they really wanted to, to get the grain back.

Does anybody have those screens from the DVD for comparisons sake?

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skyjedi2005 said:

bkev said:

I was gonna take this as usual Skyjedi fanwanking until I saw Ady's comparison shots. A significant amount of grain is lost on the blu-ray edition... oh well. Still looks better'n Star Wars.

That you Jedikev?

skyjedi2005 said on October 22, 2008:

Thanks for playing the part of Ahsoka Tano, JediKev, ooops i mean BKev.

?

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Time for me to eat a little more crow...

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/2313/lordringstrilogy.html

'The Fellowship of the Ring' is a peculiar piece, as it is sporadic, random, intermittently brilliant and tragic...and yes, we're still talking about the video, here. Detail is far from consistent, as from shot to shot in any scene, it's almost like watching the film from multiple grade sources culled together. There are moments were distance shots boast brilliant clarity and the finest of minute detail, then a close up will follow that's muddled beyond belief. While I cannot say what created this issue, I can say that DNR (yes, Digital Noise Reduction) played a large part. There are numerous excessively smoothed and muddy moments, and they're hardly difficult to spot.

Review says that the sequels are better but still have problems.  From the review of ROTK:

DNR? Yes, it's still there, no matter how improved the picture looks, there is still the occasional smear and loss in detail. Motion can at times make it obvious, though close ups are often the most affected and notable victims. It became a game, really, watching hair and seeing if it gets smudged and blurred. And then, something occurred to me. Fans of the film can gather 'round this collection and have one hell of a drinking game: whenever someone notices DNR, take a shot. Alcohol poisoning is sure to ensue.

 

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Bill Hunt updated his review...

[Editor's Note: Much is made online of the evils of DNR on Blu-ray and other HD presentations. Sometimes that's absolutely justified (Patton, Pan's Labyrinth) and sometimes it's less so. It's important to note that with the Digital Interpositive (D.I.) process used in the post production of so many films these days, DNR is just one more tool in the post production toolbox, not unlike color timing. Just because there's DNR visible on a Blu-ray, that doesn't automatically mean it was done specifically in the BD mastering process. It's often applied by the filmmakers in post production as well, prior to the film's appearance in theatres. DNR is a tool, and like any tool it can be used to both positive and negative effect. So the issue of DNR is far more complicated - particularly with regard to new and recent films - than you'd think based on some of the online discussions of the subject.]

Just covering his ass?  It seems unlikely this was done to the movie prior to the Blu-ray, doesn't it?

(btw, anyone know how to get rid of the ugly yellow font?)

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Yes, DNR is a post-prod tool, but we have evidence from showings on HD channels that this is specific to the BR.

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Are you sure, five?  To me, it's all relative.  Maybe the HD broadcasts used some other digital processing to counteract the DNR that was native to the film as it arrived to them.  Without knowing both sides of the story it's hard to say who's at fault.

My outlook on life - we’re all on the Hindenburg anyway…no point fighting over the window seat.

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Moth3r said:

Last edited on March 30, 2010 at 9:17 AM by Moth3r (Reason: getting rid of the ugly yellow font)

Hey, cool!  Thanks.

(btw, anyone know how to give me the power to ban users at will?)

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Ziz said:

Are you sure, five?  To me, it's all relative.  Maybe the HD broadcasts used some other digital processing to counteract the DNR that was native to the film as it arrived to them.  Without knowing both sides of the story it's hard to say who's at fault.

It doesn't really work that way.  If they received a copy that was DNR'd, they (networks) can't just add detail back where detail was lost.  They would have to have access to a copy that was intact.

There is no lingerie in space…

C3PX said: Gaffer is like that hot girl in high school that you think you have a chance with even though she is way out of your league because she is sweet and not a stuck up bitch who pretends you don’t exist… then one day you spot her making out with some skinny twerp, only on second glance you realize it is the goth girl who always sits in the back of class; at that moment it dawns on you why she is never seen hanging off the arm of any of the jocks… and you realize, damn, she really is unobtainable after all. Not that that is going to stop you from dreaming… Only in this case, Gaffer is actually a guy.