CloakedDragon97

Merry Christmas to everyone.

Mango said:

I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do with my life anymore. I’m only 25 and I feel like my life is falling apart. I almost died 3 times this year due to complications of my heart disease, I keep gaining weight, I’m having trouble taking care of myself, I have nightmares every time I sleep, and I’ve been fighting with my best friend all year. I just want to hide in my room and listen to sad music until I fall asleep.

I’m so sorry. I hope things get better for you.

Also curious about the progress.

Any progress?

Whisper of the Heart is an absolute masterpiece and should be regarded as such along with the other Ghibli films. Also I found Earthsea okay and not the terrible movie people make it out to be.

Which one are you doing next?

I understand.

I just watched A Whisker Away after a year and a half of it being out. As a lifelong Ghibli fan, I was very hyped. It was even better than what I was expecting. It was an emotional, creative, beautiful and comedic film with so much charm and memorable characters. It was basically everything I can ask for in an animated film. I can’t recommend it enough if you’re an animation fan.

TheTrueSpottedfeather said:

I have decided to watch the Abyss after a long time. I’ve found two versions online…one is the theatrical edition at 2:35.1 and the other is the special edition at what looks like 1:78.1.

What is the proper ratio ?

The true ratio is 1.33.

TonyWDA said:

The differences between the 2003 DVD and the 2015 Signature Edition are most evident during scenes that originally looked much cooler. The latter release is dimmer, particularly and especially during those night scenes, and has a noticeably warmer (albeit very rich) palette throughout.

Top: 2003 DVD
Bottom: 2015 Regrade

What’s important to keep in mind is that neither version is “right” or “wrong.” The 2003 DVD is exactly what the movie looked like on 35mm, and the go-to for purists. However, Brad Bird himself supervised and approved the Signature Edition transfer, so in the end, it all comes down to which grading you most prefer, and I tend to be split between them myself. While I mostly prefer the original color timing, tons of individual shots— sometimes entire scenes in the Signature Edition look like they were sourced from an (of course, nonexistent) IB Technicolor print.

I prefer the SE in terms of colors. They feel a lot more cinematic at times. Although I prefer the 2003 version for snow scenes.

SpacemanDoug said:

TonyWDA said:

FWIW, I attended the same 35mm screening at the SVA Theatre that @bslatky brought up some time ago. Before I move forward, I want you to strongly consider the source: I’ve watched and rewatched this movie on DVD with reckless abandon when I was a kid— lines of dialogue, the character’s inflections, incidental music and, yes, even the color timing are practically burned into my psyche. Subsequent viewings as I got older did little to help. So I went into that screening well prepared to point out any (IF any) differences between an original 2004 35mm print and the digitally-sourced home video releases I’d involuntarily committed to memory.

I remember my first and final impressions as if the screening took place merely yesterday, and it can’t be stressed enough: the movie looks no different on 35mm than it does on home video. At least, on this print it didn’t. Frankly, it felt like watching a blown-up version of the DVD/Blu-ray transfer with occasional scratches and dirt marks peppered throughout. Color wise, I couldn’t think back to one instance after the screening where the print didn’t match what was already on home video. I had an identical reaction after a screening of an original 35mm “Iron Giant” print at the MoMA in 2009: point blank, what’s on 35mm is what’s on the pre-Signature-Edition DVDs. So, while I generally admire and fully appreciate the effort to restore/preserve the 35mm film aesthetic where it’s sorely missing, I question exactly what this particular project aims to “restore” to The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie that wasn’t already there in the first place. Trailers aren’t always, if ever, a good reference source because the presented color timing was either not final or adjusted during editing to achieve a desired, albeit temporary look. A theatrical camrip isn’t dependable, either. In the theater, where you sit, how bright the projected image is, the condition and color of the screen that the image is projected onto, and the bulb used in the projector all factor into how you see the displayed image. Add to this equation a consumer grade video camera that likely didn’t faithfully capture just what the film looked like on the screen, and you have the least reliable visual reference for a full-fledged restoration project.

Please don’t misunderstand: I’m not poo-pooing your project. I think it’s pretty cool, actually. I simply believe that a different use of terminology would better suit what you’re aiming for here, which is more of a regrade of the approved color timing than a “restoration” in the traditional sense. Strictly in the interest of regrading, any trailers and publicity photos that are to your liking are perfect references for a regrade, and I can’t recommend the color matching tool created by OT’s very own Dr. Dre enough for a project like this. If you use it well, your regrade will look almost dead accurate to whatever reference(s) you choose; provided the colors in both the source and target images aren’t too different from each other, and even then the accuracy of the tool can surprise you. I’ve used it several times for personal restoration/regrade tests and projects. It works like a charm.

Godspeed.

Does the Iron Giant BD have a changed look or somethin?

It appears so, but only slightly. Here’s a comparison: https://caps-a-holic.com/c_list.php?c=3553

Swazzy said:

This question likely comes from a lack of understanding of the technology, but could this same mechanic be used as a means of super sampling/upscaling?

For example, say you used a GOUT frame as a source and a 70mm frame as a reference (both would be the same frame of course). Could you theoretically use an algorithm to create an upscaling script that would match the detail and idiosyncracies of the higher quality source as best as possible?

I’ve always wondered this. In theory this could be the best upscaling software out there.

Honestly The Godfather III isn’t that bad.

Agreed.

stretch009 said:

CloakedDragon97 said:

As far as I know, The Devil’s Rejects theatrical version isn’t available in HD. The BD is only the unrated cut.

Available at Itunes and Amazon.

I didn’t know that. Thanks.

I would also love a link too.

As far as I know, The Devil’s Rejects theatrical version isn’t available in HD. The BD is only the unrated cut.

Sounds like a fun project.

The purpose of this thread is for members to review 4K releases of various films. State whether or not you think it’s a good remaster or not and why. Compare with previous releases. State what movies you want to get 4K releases.

I see. Thanks for the update.

SHM said:

I am thinking about making a regrade of the new UHD Transfers of LOTR, so they look like the DVDs, in terms of sharpness and definition would it be worth it or should i stick to this version?

I would go with the UHD versions. They are definitely improvements.

This project is an attempt at fixing the color timing of the original Blu-ray master of Full Metal Jacket. I wanted it to feel more cinematic and colors, especially skin tones, to look more natural. Note that this is a work in progress and not final. When I have finished this regrade, PM me for links.
https://imgsli.com/ODMzMTA

What software did you use to clean up the shots?

You can find it over at TheStarWarsTrilogy.com along with a lot of other projects.

It’s been a while. Got any updates?