- Post
- #1587606
- Topic
- "Weird Al" Yankovic - Just Stupid Enough (Complete Videography) [WIP]
- Link
- https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/1587606/action/topic#1587606
- Time
First Al-TV special now available via PM.
First Al-TV special now available via PM.
Working on this again, specifically the Al-TV and Al-Music specials as they are in my eyes the most important part of this project (these are being mastered in HD rather than 4K). I would use AI for everything, but its just not feasible with my schedule, so only the host segments and Al’s videos themselves are being upscaled for the specials. I decided to go the overkill route and rebuild each special from the ground up. For the first Al-TV, the host segments were taken from the master tape leak (only the first special has this) and upscaled in Topaz AI, a good amount of the videos were official HD versions with further enhancement by me, others were bootlegs of varying quality, some very poor that I did the absolute best I could without AI. I should note that some versions of the videos in my remasters may differ from the broadcast versions. In some cases, the audio had to be replaced from the album versions of songs. Several videos have transitions between them, which are harder to recreate than you’d expect. Finally, the original titles at the beginning and end of each video were remade digitally and timed exactly like the original. The entire thing was based on the only known complete recording of the original broadcast. I want it to be as if the original master were leaked in it’s entirety, not just the host segments. Doing just the first special took almost a day not counting the upscaling. This same formula will be used for the other specials. I’ll upload Al-TV #1 later tonight.
After so many delays, it’s finally ready! Version 2 (technically 3 since we skipped over version 2) is uploading now. PM me for a copy.
Work is resuming on this project. Dialed it back a bit with less intrusive upscales and HD masters instead of 4K. I’ve also decided to NOT use any of the official HD remasters as I don’t want to use as few sources as possible.
In the original theatrical release of Dracula, there was a post end card scene where Professor Van Helsing addresses the audience directly. He appears on a stage with a movie screen behind him and says:
“Just a moment, ladies and gentlemen! A word before you go. We hope the memories of Dracula and Renfield won’t give you bad dreams, so just a word of reassurance. When you get home tonight, and the lights have been turned out, and you are afraid to look behind the curtains — and you dread to see a face appear at the window — why, just pull yourself together and remember that after all, there are such things as vampires!”
Outside of a few stills and a brief clip from the Road To Dracula documentary, I have yet to see a release with this scene intact. I don’t have the 4K release, and I’m quite sure it’s not there either, but I’m inclined to believe there are prints out there with it. In fact, my parents attended a double feature screening of both Dracula and Frankenstein in the early 80s and both recall this scene. In fact, they were surprised to hear that it has never made it to a home video release.
Does anyone know of any collectors who may have a 35MM print of the film so we can see if this scene is included? I would love to know.
Here’s a page on the scene from the Lost Media wiki.
https://lostmediawiki.com/Dracula_(partially_found_epilogue_scene_of_Universal_horror_film;_1931)
Bringing this project back from the dead. See first post for update.
UPDATE: Decided to dial it back a bit to just HD upscales. 4K is kinda worthless without HDR. They’re still look better than the official versions.
When I was in elementary school, I spent many weekdays watching “The Stooges Slap Happy Hour” on SpikeTV. Still remember the catchy bumper all these years later. Of course nowadays, most people just watch Stooges on MeTV., So after wanting it for years, I decided to buy the complete DVD box set of all the Columbia Pictures “Stooge” shorts, only to learn that they were just released in HD for free on multiple platforms.
“I’m a victim of coycumstance! Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk…”
However, there’s only one place to watch them in 1080p (LocalNow), but the 720p versions on Tubi are slightly better quality. So utilizing the Tubi versions, I’m in the process of “upscaling” all the shorts from 1934 to 1959 in 4K. I don’t need to use AI for this project, as the sources are already pretty good, so just a little denoising, contrast correction, sharpening and regrain should work just fine, all mastered in 4K. I should note that I’m using real 4K film grain, with just a hint of digital to make it really look good. This project is much easier then the others I’ve done, so hopefully I’ll actually be able to get it done.
Release will be 4K MKV files separated in folders by year of release.
Here’s the famous title card from the first four shorts in glorious 4K.
I’ve been really manic the past few days. I’m worried something horrible is gonna happen but I don’t even know what. I feel like people are mad at me, but when I ask they say I’m paranoid. Not having a therapist is really wearing me out. I feel like Sarah Conner in Terminator 2, like I have something important to say but nobody is listening. I’ve been so bad today I’m having thoughts of self harm. Everyone is getting all excited for new years, but I feel like everything is about to collapse.
The Museum Of Modern Art is going to screen new restorations of numerous Devo videos in January, along with sneak peaks at upcoming restorations. It’s happening. My project might finally be put to rest.
Please, whatever you do, don’t make it 60 fps like every other MJ fan remaster…
I wouldn’t dream of it. They’re all at either 23 fps or 29 fps depending on what they were shot on.
Very little AI is being used, only one pass per video with fairly low settings. These screenshots are not final, so they may differ a little from what will be released.
While I agree AI is not ideal, its the only thing that can somewhat save such low quality videos. None of these are ever going to look absolutely perfect. Just trying my best with whats available.
This is a project I’ve been wanting to do since AI upscaling was first introduced several years ago. The project will have virtually every MJ video released during his career, as well as some bonus features like Making Of’s, Interviews, etc. Obvoiusly, Beat It and Thriller have been officially released in 4K, but I wasn’t too keen on the color correction on either one. Beat It was a little too warm, and Thriller has a strong blue tint that was never present before. Also not a fan of the remastered audio for either as they have a bit of a loudness war thing going on.
All videos will be sourced from numerous DVD and Blu-ray releases, and will include original uncut versions as well as alternate cuts and shortened versions. Below is a list of everything that will be included in the initial release. The bonus features will be done at a later date, but I’m hoping to get the first version out by Christmas.
“Off The Wall” Era:
“Thriller” Era:
“Bad” Era:
“Dangerous” Era:
“HIStory” Era
“Invincible” Era:
All videos will be released in 4K and HD.
Screenshots:
Don’t Stop 'Til You Get Enough:
Rock With You:
She’s Out Of My Life:
Billie Jean:
Bad:
Sorry for the delay. PM me for a link to both 4K and HD MOV copies. Blu-ray ISO will be made at a later date.
I’m working on a 4K AI upscale of Michael Jackson’s Ghosts, a rarely seen short film from the king of pop from 1997. This film has pretty much never had a home video release in the US and just barely had a VHS and Laserdisc in other parts of the world, both of which are pretty rare. There was a VCD release in the US, but that hardly counts in my eyes as VCD is one of the worst formats in history.
2 years ago, the MJ Estate released an HD version on youtube, only to take it down almost immediately after. They put it back up again for the Halloween season, but I bet it’ll just be taken down again. It’s not that good an HD version anyway. It’s sourced from a video master, causing some problems with the black and white segments, its got an atrocious blue tint that is NOT present on a 35MM print that aired on WOWOW TV in Japan, and worst of all, it’s missing the original Kingdom Entertainment logo at the beginning. Still, its the best source currently available, so it is the main source for this upscale. I’m also including HD (not 4K) upscales of the VH1 “Making Of Ghosts” documentary, and the 1993 rough cut (titled “Is It Scary?”) taken from an early version of “The Addams Family Values”. The segment was originally meant to be included in that film, but was scrapped after the 1993 allegations went public. MJ reshot much of the film and completed it in 1997.
The release of my upscale will be October 31st 2023 (of course!) and will be available as both the raw MOV exports and a blu-ray with custom artwork.
Since official restorations seem to be on the way, I decided I should dial back the project a bit. I still want to release something, so I’ve decided to just do what I was going to do in the first place. Preserve the three classic compilation films without the use of AI upscaling.
The original 1993 cut of The Complete Truth About De-Evolution is exporting now, transferred and enhanced in HD from a recording of the original laserdisc (sans bonus features for the initial release, though they may be done some other time). Audio is from the 2003 DVD, except for R U Experienced which is take from the LD. Extensive work has been done to color correct and denoise while retaining original detail. No AI was used. Next I’ll finish up We’re All DEVO from a recording of the 1984 LD with audio taken from a VHS recording found on Internet Archive since my disc is a little rotted, and Devovision from a recording of the 1989 VHS re-release.
I’m kinda sad this is ending not only abruptly, but not as extravagant as I had hoped, but I am very optimistic that official remasters are on the way. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Devo after all, and theres been several hints about them dropped. Everything will be up later today as both raw MOV files and blu-ray ISOs with artwork.
~ Mango
So uh, I got a boyfriend. 😃
“An American Werewolf In Paris” is just as good as “An American Werewolf In London”.
One of my friends who is close to my age doesn’t know what a Tamagotchi is. I’m 26, he’s 22. Am I really that much older?
The official upscale is DNR’d into oblivion. Yours is way better.
Comments like this keep me going. Thank you. ❤️
The left image is the official upscale currently on iTunes and Youtube. The right image is my upscale minus color/contrast correction.
I’ve been looking at the new HD versions closely. They’re terrible! I’m not even going to bother to use them as a base. They’re unusable, except maybe Eat It.
Are they also upscales or actual HD scans?
They are upscales, and on closer inspection, not even very good ones. I’ve been working on video upscaling without the use of AI and have gotten some fair results. I’ll keep working on this in the background and see what I can do.
Vevo just updated all the youtube versions to HD remasters. This project may be kaput.
I feel like my dad has been disappointed in me since I came out as bi a few years ago. I didn’t think that would make him change his entire perspective of me, but it’s starting to drive me insane.