LeperMessiah117

Hey sidshady. If you’re still around, can I get a link to the updated edit?

Thanks for the comment. I’ll keep that one in mind in the future.

Hey, big shout-out here to WXM for all the help he’s been willing to lend me. You put me back on track for my project in a big way, so thank you very much!!

Now I shall convey how little I understand.

I felt falsely secure earlier with the first portion of the VOB files seeming to work perfectly in my editor, only to find the other portions of the VOB not working the same way. I know VOB files are not your average user-friendly files and I guess I don’t really know the first thing about using them correctly. Loading them into the editor nor attempting to use Handbrake to convert to a different format is yielding no results. Any recommendations on how I should proceed?

As is, more or less. My editor seems to work well with the VOBs as they are. Although, I will likely have to alter the first batch of rips slightly just so the files match up with the edits I’ve already made on the first 11 volumes of the project, which will be accomplished through the editor itself. But yeah, the rips I’m making through Mode>IFO seem to work adequately well for the project.

Apologies if I misunderstand some of this technical stuff, I’m not super well-versed.

Oh, just a few trims to that third act showdown. I find it important to the catharsis of Tinky-Winky’s character at this point.

lol, nah. What I’m making is a manga accurate cut of Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, a project that’s been a long time coming. I don’t know if it’s weird to care this much about the visual and audio fidelity of such an old anime like this, but I put so much time and effort into it, I want it to be as perfect as possible by the end of it all.

Oh wow, I forgot all about DVD Decrypter. It’s no longer being supported, so that’s probably why I couldn’t find it in searches earlier. But it seems to be working great, so awesome! Thanks for reminding me that this exists. Now, I just have 24 more disks to rip (for the 3rd time), then replace my old rips with the new ones in my projects and hopefully I should be golden!

This project has been an enormous pain. I spent basically all of 2022 squashing technical issue after technical issue. I was hoping to be at least halfway done by now, but now this may help me to get back to actually editing. So again, thank you very much!

I really need some recommendations on what DVD ripping software I should be using. I’m working on project right now (a project that’s been in the works for longer than I’d like to admit) and the DVD ripping software I’ve been using isn’t cutting it. I’ve used MakeMKV at first, which seems to rip blu-rays near perfectly, but presents video stuttering issues when ripping DVDs, so it’s just didn’t work out. After MakeMKV fell through, I started using Handbrake’s disk ripper only to find that it created jagged edges on the lines and gives the audio a harsh ‘glassy’ quality with ‘S’ sounds, even when I set the audio to a reasonably high bitrate.

I’m about a year into the project’s current incarnation, edited together about 22 hours worth of content, but I’m willing to jettison all that work (again…) if I can make it better from a video/audio quality standpoint. Obviously, I want the output files to be near perfect recreations of what’s on the disk. Also obviously, I would like to spend the least amount to get this software if possible. It should also probably go without saying that the ripper should bypass copy-protection. The disks I am ripping are very much protected, so that feature is a must.

If anyone can help, I’d be very grateful.

Just finished Andrei Rublev on the Criterion Channel today. I hate to say, this film I think went above me. I don’t believe I was able to fully be taken in by the plot of the film. Obviously, it’s technically marvelous. Top notch camerawork as always from Tarkovsky and the city sacking sequence was quite impressive. The acting fantastic, writing quite good, but I really had a hard time getting myself invested in the plot and characters. Whenever I trying watching the film, within about 20 minutes my eyelids try to slam shut, even though I am trying so hard to engross myself in what’s happening. Maybe I’ll try another viewing again in the future, but I’m not so sure this is my kind of film.

Now, before my CC subscription expires, I intend to view the 7 hour Hungarian film Sátántangó from director Béla Tarr. We’ll see how that goes.

Pissed oooooooooofff!!! (Xbox-boy here)

Seriously though, this reveal confirmation makes me excited. The idea of canonizing Revan’s story is extremely appealing to me. KotOR is not only probably one of the easiest of the Legends canon to fold back into the Disney canon (as it’s so far removed from the timeline of the vast majority of content released by them so far), it’s also one of the best and most revered of all Star Wars stories in the franchise, revered by me especially. This remake is a no-brainer. And I’m very interested to see how they handle it all (story, characters, gameplay and RPG elements) with a modern sensibility.

Just slightly annoyed I gotta wait longer to experience it. But, if the PC version get released first (alongside PS5) I may just go with that.

I hate Sony.

Stardust1138 said:

LeperMessiah117 said:

Alright, then! And here’s my thoughts on Stalker!

I can describe Stalker in a few terms; labyrinthian, enigmatic, despairing. These terms apply not only to The Zone within the film, but the film itself.

Even though a good hour and a half of this film is set in essentially one location (the building in which houses The Room and the surrounding area just outside), the film makes a dream-like and confused journey of it, with characters disappearing from frame on one side and reappearing again on the other as the camera pans over, or characters getting left behind only show up again as the others press on ahead. The masterful camerawork shows us so much, each shot perfectly framed, and yet, we are never convinced that we are being guided through anything less than a open spaced maze. The viewer is never sure where they are going, where they are or where they have been and through it all, likely left feeling as lost as the Writer and Professor must have felt as they follow the Stalker’s lead though the enigma they know as The Zone.

The Zone is utterly confounding. One is never at any point sure what is possible in this place or of what it’s capable. We know that many have disappeared here or otherwise met their demises, but we never see by what means their fates have been met. Tanks and various vehicles lie desolate, a pair a skeletons lay forgotten in a final, eternal embrace. We are told The Porcupine’s brother was killed during a venture to The Room, but otherwise we have little to go on as to what happens to those who evoke The Zone’s punishment. And what is it that’s behind The Zone? Aliens? God? Something unfathomable perhaps. Is it even something with consciousness? Perhaps it’s an unimportant question, really. What we know is that The Zone and the consequences for “disrespecting” it are real.

And The Room with it’s promise of granting one’s innermost, secret desire is real, as evidence by the unseen Porcupine character, who committed suicide one week after returning The Room. The Room is a deeply troubling concept, and it’s function seems to be, rather than the bland “your wish has been granted” type miracle that some a who have ventured to that place presumed it would be, but rather a journey to meet oneself, one’s true inner self, which can be soul-crushing and traumatizing, as your secret, unconscious desire is laid bare to be reckoned with. Porcupine, in his conscience mind, thought to bring his brother back from the dead, only to be rewarded with a big pile of money once he returned home. Most of us consider ourselves good, well-intentioned people, but how many of us would also find a pile of cash once we got home? Even if consciously we set out to fulfill a desire of noble intent? The Room, in a way, is a mirror for looking into one’s own ‘soul’, which I think would break many of us. And in the end, the Stalker’s clients wisely chose not to enter. I think that only those who have pure hearts, either pure goodness or evil, could theoretically use The Room with satisfaction. But it begs the question if anybody like that actually exists. The Professor sets out with the intention of destroying The Room, lest it fall into the hands of an evil sort, but who knows if somebody as such could even make it that far into The Zone? Either way, The Room is not what you’d imagine it would be at first based on a simple one sentence description of it.

A few more things about movie; This is a near perfect film, I’d say. Given the time and place (and production setbacks as well), one can easily forgive the very few technical imperfections and Stalker is about as perfect as one could possibly hope for it to be. As I said, the camerawork is masterful. Every shot in the film can be used as a desktop background. I love the use of sepia-tone in this film. It somehow feels more colourless than black & white. To me, I interpret the colour change shifts to reflect The Stalker character’s hope, as all parts of the film that are in full colour are in The Zone or focused on his daughter (I love that colour shot that starts off appearing as if his daughter is walking on her own, implying the wishes he holds for her future.)

The best films have the least amount of editing and the editing very restrained (I doubt Tarkovsky shot much coverage at all). Because shots last so long (and not without purpose) there are many, many, many shots that will stick with you long after you’ve seen it. The sound design is on point. The acting is wonderfully restrained at most times, but when the actors are required to give strong emotional performances, they deliver splendidly. The music, also restrained, provides so much whenever it is used, adding to the strange atmosphere. Perhaps what I enjoy the most is the film’s atmosphere. The desolate, quiet and lonely nature of the world, as we see it, really speaks to me and reminds me alot of Eraserhead in a sense. It sounds weird, but I kinda want to visit the areas as portrayed in this film.

I would probably give the film a 9/10 overall. Very close to a 10 out of 10. I will, likely, never fully understand this film, and I’m fine with that. Stalker will be a film I’ll keep returning to and maybe I can grasp a little more of it’s truth (and perhaps my own) with each subsequent viewing.

TD;DR - Stalker is a masterpiece.

Apologies for not getting back to you sooner. I’m really glad you had such impactful viewings of Stalker. I’m not sure what else to add at the moment but I really enjoyed reading your thoughts. I think I need to revisit The Zone as I truly wonder how my prospective will change with another viewing. I just know from my first viewing it’s left me scarred after all these years and I can see the difference between my perception of life before and after that fateful experience.

Now, I need to start considering the next Tarkovsky film for a viewing. Not sure where to go next after Stalker and Solaris.

Fang Zei said:

Not sure if anyone heard the news yesterday, but Criterion is finally going 4k:

https://thedigitalbits.com/columns/my-two-cents/081121-1200

I think I’m going to blind buy Citizen Kane. No, I’ve never seen it… heard good things, though!

Alright, then! And here’s my thoughts on Stalker!

I can describe Stalker in a few terms; labyrinthian, enigmatic, despairing. These terms apply not only to The Zone within the film, but the film itself.

Even though a good hour and a half of this film is set in essentially one location (the building in which houses The Room and the surrounding area just outside), the film makes a dream-like and confused journey of it, with characters disappearing from frame on one side and reappearing again on the other as the camera pans over, or characters getting left behind only show up again as the others press on ahead. The masterful camerawork shows us so much, each shot perfectly framed, and yet, we are never convinced that we are being guided through anything less than a open spaced maze. The viewer is never sure where they are going, where they are or where they have been and through it all, likely left feeling as lost as the Writer and Professor must have felt as they follow the Stalker’s lead though the enigma they know as The Zone.

The Zone is utterly confounding. One is never at any point sure what is possible in this place or of what it’s capable. We know that many have disappeared here or otherwise met their demises, but we never see by what means their fates have been met. Tanks and various vehicles lie desolate, a pair a skeletons lay forgotten in a final, eternal embrace. We are told The Porcupine’s brother was killed during a venture to The Room, but otherwise we have little to go on as to what happens to those who evoke The Zone’s punishment. And what is it that’s behind The Zone? Aliens? God? Something unfathomable perhaps. Is it even something with consciousness? Perhaps it’s an unimportant question, really. What we know is that The Zone and the consequences for “disrespecting” it are real.

And The Room with it’s promise of granting one’s innermost, secret desire is real, as evidence by the unseen Porcupine character, who committed suicide one week after returning The Room. The Room is a deeply troubling concept, and it’s function seems to be, rather than the bland “your wish has been granted” type miracle that some a who have ventured to that place presumed it would be, but rather a journey to meet oneself, one’s true inner self, which can be soul-crushing and traumatizing, as your secret, unconscious desire is laid bare to be reckoned with. Porcupine, in his conscience mind, thought to bring his brother back from the dead, only to be rewarded with a big pile of money once he returned home. Most of us consider ourselves good, well-intentioned people, but how many of us would also find a pile of cash once we got home? Even if consciously we set out to fulfill a desire of noble intent? The Room, in a way, is a mirror for looking into one’s own ‘soul’, which I think would break many of us. And in the end, the Stalker’s clients wisely chose not to enter. I think that only those who have pure hearts, either pure goodness or evil, could theoretically use The Room with satisfaction. But it begs the question if anybody like that actually exists. The Professor sets out with the intention of destroying The Room, lest it fall into the hands of an evil sort, but who knows if somebody as such could even make it that far into The Zone? Either way, The Room is not what you’d imagine it would be at first based on a simple one sentence description of it.

A few more things about movie; This is a near perfect film, I’d say. Given the time and place (and production setbacks as well), one can easily forgive the very few technical imperfections and Stalker is about as perfect as one could possibly hope for it to be. As I said, the camerawork is masterful. Every shot in the film can be used as a desktop background. I love the use of sepia-tone in this film. It somehow feels more colourless than black & white. To me, I interpret the colour change shifts to reflect The Stalker character’s hope, as all parts of the film that are in full colour are in The Zone or focused on his daughter (I love that colour shot that starts off appearing as if his daughter is walking on her own, implying the wishes he holds for her future.)

The best films have the least amount of editing and the editing very restrained (I doubt Tarkovsky shot much coverage at all). Because shots last so long (and not without purpose) there are many, many, many shots that will stick with you long after you’ve seen it. The sound design is on point. The acting is wonderfully restrained at most times, but when the actors are required to give strong emotional performances, they deliver splendidly. The music, also restrained, provides so much whenever it is used, adding to the strange atmosphere. Perhaps what I enjoy the most is the film’s atmosphere. The desolate, quiet and lonely nature of the world, as we see it, really speaks to me and reminds me alot of Eraserhead in a sense. It sounds weird, but I kinda want to visit the areas as portrayed in this film.

I would probably give the film a 9/10 overall. Very close to a 10 out of 10. I will, likely, never fully understand this film, and I’m fine with that. Stalker will be a film I’ll keep returning to and maybe I can grasp a little more of it’s truth (and perhaps my own) with each subsequent viewing.

TD;DR - Stalker is a masterpiece.

Stardust1138 said:

Great choices. I long await your thoughts on Stalker.

Ah yes! That’s right, I was to post my full thoughts on Stalker once I had finished my 2nd viewing! Well, those thoughts will be incoming soon enough. Gonna have a ‘projector room’ screening for this one (as soon as I receive my blu-ray, that is).

Added before the end of the sale:

Stalker
Memories of Murder
Carnival of Souls

Stardust1138 said:

Added:

The Complete Films of Agnès Varda

My last sale item. I’m really looking forward to exploring her art. It looks so playfully fun yet with lots of deeper meanings.

The Irishman should be good. I really need to get into Martin Scorsese’s films. The Age of Innocence is on my wish list for future sales.

Martin Scorsese is a director of whose filmography I need to do a deeper dive. I have seen Goodfellas, Casino, The Departed, Shutter Island and The Irishman. He’s mostly known for his Italian mobster films and Goodfellas and Casino are awesome, but he seems much more diverse than that and I definitely need to explore his other works.

I picked up

The Killing
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
Night of the Living Dead
Parasite
The Irishman

Gonna see about picking up Stalker and Memories of Murder before the sale ends.

Anakin Starkiller said:

Why not go all the way and remake Sonic Adventure 1 and 2. Release that plus a remake of Sonic '06 as the Sonic Adventure Trilogy (because let’s face it, '06 is Sonic Adventure 3).

Anyway, I hear the Sonic '06 fan remake in the Generations engine is quite good.

Only if they reuse the original voiceover work and music.

Bluto said:

I’ve only seen Skull once (at the cinema) and my rather vague recollection is “meh”.

It’s worse than you remember. Saw it for the first time in a decade about a month ago (a fanedit) and hoped I would get something out of it in spite of it’s flaws. I, too, would have given it a 6 based on memory, but I honestly think it doesn’t deserve higher than a 3.

The Empire Strikes Back
The Last Jedi
Evil Dead 2
Twin Peaks: The Return
John Wick Chapter 2
The Raid 2: Berandal

In terms of remakes for which I have seen both the original and remake, the only thing I can come up with is Suspiria. I would say The Thing, but I haven’t seen The Thing From Another World.

Thepostersandnothingbut said:

Just curious what titles people will come up with.

For example, though at first it pissed me off to even hear it was being made, I ended up enjoying NBC’s Hannibal more than the movies and the books.

I would like to continue watching this one day. I’m just always discouraged when I know it ended before it’s time, but then if I hadn’t started watching Twin Peaks, even though I knew it had no solid ending, I wouldn’t have found one of my favorite shows.

My order would be

Temple of Doom (9/10)
The Last Crusade (8/10)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (8/10)
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (3/10)

If anybody was wondering, this is the correct order of quality for the films. I know there’s alot of misinformation floating around this thread, so I thought some clarity was sorely needed.

To me, nothing else counts unless it’s found within Toriyama’s original manga. Not Even Dragon Ball Super, but especially not GT even though I don’t hate it as much as other fans of the franchise.

OGSpark said:

LeperMessiah117 said:

I see I’m not the only one who put Journey to the Center of the Mind at the end of Army of Darkness.

Ummm… I’m open to checking out your edit, but I’ll wait until V2 because I am opposed to viewing AoD international cut again. I HATE what they did to the Tiny Ashes scene. Butcher’s work if there ever was.

I’m totally with you on the issues with the International cut. There are so many scenes with jarring cuts in this version, that I was wanting to use theatrical instead, but it won’t matter much when the UHD is released.

I’ll come back here once that 4K version is released, as I am watching out for the 4K Scream Factory blu-ray. I am quite interested in an edit of this kind, as I made one myself… over 15 years ago using a VCR and DVD copies of the movies. My first fanedit, actually! Probably still have that tape lying around somewhere.

I see I’m not the only one who put Journey to the Center of the Mind at the end of Army of Darkness.

Ummm… I’m open to checking out your edit, but I’ll wait until V2 because I am opposed to viewing AoD international cut again. I HATE what they did to the Tiny Ashes scene. Butcher’s work if there ever was.

At the moment I have a top 4 favorite directors. There are many directors that I like, such as Paul Thomas Anderson and Andrei Tarkovski for example, who have made films that I would consider 10/10 quality, but have either released other films I’m not so crazy about and/or haven’t seen enough from them to give them a place on my list of favorite directors (YET!) Only time will tell how my list will expand. The list is short, for now it would be (in particular no order):

Stanley Kubrick
David Lynch
Quentin Tarantino
Park Chan-Wook

Other directors that I really admire who may wind up on the list someday, but wouldn’t put on the list just yet:

Andrei Tarkovsky (after only seeing two films, mind you)
Paul Thomas Anderson
Sam Raimi
Terry Gilliam
John Carpenter
Bong Joon-ho
Joel & Ethan Coen
Martin Scorsese
Sergio Leone
Mike Flanagan
Robert Eggers
Vince Gilligan
Rian Johnson

I don’t even dislike Captain Marvel, per se. I may sound like a chud, but there isn’t an MCU film that I actively dislike, yet. I think the worst of them are watchable, at least in the context of the rest of the series. But I understand and agree with your assessment. Captain Marvel really hamfisted the “girl-power” thing in to the point where Carol Danvers was pretty annoying at several points in the film.