"Warning, you are about to watch a crappy transfer."
#1
DVD Talk Hero
Thread Starter
"Warning, you are about to watch a crappy transfer."
Yesterday evening, I pop in my Christal Film copy of 'Z' (Costa-Gavras) in the DVD player and after pressing 'FILM' from the menu, the first thing that shows up, in large red letters, is:
AVERTISSEMENT
"Comme vous le constaterez, la qualité du son et des images peut s'être détériorée avec le temps. Nous espérons que vous n'en aurez pas moins de plaisir à regarder ce classique du cinéma."
Translation:
WARNING
"As you will notice, the sound and image quality might have deteriorated with time. Nevertheless, we hope that watching this movie classic will still be a pleasurable experience."
I went wtf?
Actually the anamorphic transfer wasn't too bad. A bit grainy with occasional dirt and scratches and two instances of severe macro blocking, but overall watchable. Anyway, i'd never seen such a warning on any disc before.
AVERTISSEMENT
"Comme vous le constaterez, la qualité du son et des images peut s'être détériorée avec le temps. Nous espérons que vous n'en aurez pas moins de plaisir à regarder ce classique du cinéma."
Translation:
WARNING
"As you will notice, the sound and image quality might have deteriorated with time. Nevertheless, we hope that watching this movie classic will still be a pleasurable experience."
I went wtf?
Actually the anamorphic transfer wasn't too bad. A bit grainy with occasional dirt and scratches and two instances of severe macro blocking, but overall watchable. Anyway, i'd never seen such a warning on any disc before.
#2
DVD Talk Legend
Not exactly the same, but on the Mallrats extended version, Smith warns us beforehand that there are some "jumps" where some frames were lost from the original negative.
#3
DVD Talk Hero
Originally Posted by milo bloom
Not exactly the same, but on the Mallrats extended version, Smith warns us beforehand that there are some "jumps" where some frames were lost from the original negative.
#6
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Anchor Bay has recently done the same thing on their release of George A Romero's "Season Of the Witch/There's Always Vanilla". A warning comes up about the poor quality of the print they had.
Which, I'm ok with.
The fact that the DVD case and specs list it as "16x9 Enhanced for Widescreen TVs" when in fact it is NOT an anamorphic transfer - THAT I'm pissed about.
Which, I'm ok with.
The fact that the DVD case and specs list it as "16x9 Enhanced for Widescreen TVs" when in fact it is NOT an anamorphic transfer - THAT I'm pissed about.
#7
DVD Talk Legend
Before Three Kings: "The makers of 'Three Kings' used visual distortion and unusual colors in some scenes of this film. They intentionally used these unconventional techniques to enhance the emotional intensity of the story line."
#8
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Blue Underground also has a warning before Django. It's the only release where they've gone back to the original camera negative, but it has still deteriorated so much that a simple restoration job wouldn't do. Still watchable though.
#9
Originally Posted by Yocke
Blue Underground also has a warning before Django. It's the only release where they've gone back to the original camera negative, but it has still deteriorated so much that a simple restoration job wouldn't do. Still watchable though.
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Unleashed also has that warning if you choose the extended cut. I chose to watch the unedited cut instead so I can't comment on the video quality of the replaced scenes.
All of this is just more reason to cherish the loverly LOTR EE's.
All of this is just more reason to cherish the loverly LOTR EE's.
#13
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Originally Posted by Yocke
Blue Underground also has a warning before Django. It's the only release where they've gone back to the original camera negative, but it has still deteriorated so much that a simple restoration job wouldn't do. Still watchable though.
#15
DVD Talk Legend
There's a pretty similar disclaimer at the beginning of The Lathe of Heaven that explains in pretty good detail why the quality will be compromised. Actually, I thought it looked pretty good, considering.
I've seen this quite a few other times too -- but I also watch a lot of older/silent films.
I've seen this quite a few other times too -- but I also watch a lot of older/silent films.
#16
Originally Posted by RocShemp
A similar warning is issued in a video intro preceding the director's cut of The Chronicles Of Riddick.
#18
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Originally Posted by Fincher Fan
There should often be warnings that the viewer is about to watch a crappy movie as well.
There's no warning at the beginning of The Quiet Man... but there should be (transfer, not movie).
#22
DVD Talk Hero
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by bboisvert
There's a pretty similar disclaimer at the beginning of The Lathe of Heaven that explains in pretty good detail why the quality will be compromised. Actually, I thought it looked pretty good, considering.
#23
DVD Talk Special Edition
I'm sure there is a disclaimer from HVE as well for one of the features in their Hanzo Razor Boxset about damage to the original negative and therefore a missed frame or two etc?
Although, barring this the transfers are superb.
Although, barring this the transfers are superb.