Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
08-30-09, 07:02 PM
#351
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Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
This is just a rumor right now, but it might make your decision whether to pick up or pass on the BB deal a little harder. Some posters over at High Def Digest are saying that both Gladiator and Braveheart have $10 upgrade rebates in them. That would make them $8 a piece ($36 - $20 in rebates), if you still have your DVD copies.
The picture quality on Gladiator is already looking better!
08-30-09, 10:18 PM
#352
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Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
Ugh that's some horrible news, I was looking forward to picking up Braveheart and Gladiator at Best Buy's sale this week ... now I'll just wait for a better release and another sale.
08-30-09, 10:46 PM
#353
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Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
08-31-09, 09:22 AM
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Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
I watched most of Braveheart and Gladiator last night. Braveheart has fantastic PQ, while Gladiator has noticeable DNR and EE. Braveheart clearly looked better than Gladiator on my 50" 1080i set. In the case of Gladiator, people who aren't videophiles (in other words, people who don't know what DNR or EE are) probably aren't going to notice. If you look for halos in the picture, you're going to find them, but most people don't do that. Even so, it's disappointing since Gladiator could have been so much better.
One other thought, Bill Hunt mentions hoping that the studio recalls the Gladiator Blu-Ray and allows for some sort of exchange option. I know I've read things about recalls on these forums before, but often glanced by them not necessarily caring about the film in question. So I've never heard whether these type of recalls actually occur or if that's just wishful thinking.
May be stupid, but Gladiator is one of my favorite films and am still thinking of taking a chance and seeing what it's like (since everything really is in the eyes of the beholder) with the possible $10 rebate also available. So that's where I'm coming from with these questions.
Last edited by sbelli; 08-31-09 at 09:47 AM.
08-31-09, 09:36 AM
#355
Moderator
Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
08-31-09, 10:12 AM
#356
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
[off topic]How do you like your DLP/LED display? What brand is it? (My current display is a power hog and I would like to upgrade to something with LEDs someday.)[/off topic]
08-31-09, 10:45 AM
#357
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Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
Love it! Big, sufficiently bright, and uses very little energy. When calibrated, jaw-droppingly beautiful!
And no bulb replacement!
08-31-09, 10:45 AM
#358
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Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
Overall, would you say the picture on Gladiator was worse than watching the DVD upscaled?
One other thought, Bill Hunt mentions hoping that the studio recalls the Gladiator Blu-Ray and allows for some sort of exchange option. I know I've read things about recalls on these forums before, but often glanced by them not necessarily caring about the film in question. So I've never heard whether these type of recalls actually occur or if that's just wishful thinking.
May be stupid, but Gladiator is one of my favorite films and am still thinking of taking a chance and seeing what it's like (since everything really is in the eyes of the beholder) with the possible $10 rebate also available. So that's where I'm coming from with these questions.
One other thought, Bill Hunt mentions hoping that the studio recalls the Gladiator Blu-Ray and allows for some sort of exchange option. I know I've read things about recalls on these forums before, but often glanced by them not necessarily caring about the film in question. So I've never heard whether these type of recalls actually occur or if that's just wishful thinking.
May be stupid, but Gladiator is one of my favorite films and am still thinking of taking a chance and seeing what it's like (since everything really is in the eyes of the beholder) with the possible $10 rebate also available. So that's where I'm coming from with these questions.
But yes, comparing the footage from the Extended Cut to the Theatrical footage was like night and day: the Extended footage looked pretty stunning (especially the scene where Commodus has two of his soldiers executed) and the Theatrical footage looked drained and "digital."
And as everyone has already said, Braveheart looks and sounds fantastic (though oddly, it doesn't replicate many of the special features from either previous DVD set...it leaves out the featurette from the original DVD [which is fine, the content is sort of replicated within the timelines] and some content from the more recent 2-disc set).
I'm still happy to have both on BD...though I wouldn't object to a replacement program/running fix for Gladiator.
08-31-09, 12:52 PM
#359
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
Not that big of a concern to me. I only paid $5 for the Extended cut and got $13 for it. That, plus the combined price at Best Buy, plus a potential MIR for $10 makes it well worth it to me. Just have to hope they offer a corrected replacement disc down the road.
08-31-09, 03:22 PM
#360
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
And as everyone has already said, Braveheart looks and sounds fantastic (though oddly, it doesn't replicate many of the special features from either previous DVD set...it leaves out the featurette from the original DVD [which is fine, the content is sort of replicated within the timelines] and some content from the more recent 2-disc set).
08-31-09, 03:30 PM
#361
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Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
I don't own the 2-disc, but it seems like the Interviews are missing (again, might be repurposed elsewhere) and, according to DVD Beaver, the 2-disc had a 49-minute documentary with a different title and this one has a 1-hour documentary. But what is on the BD is well done...
08-31-09, 03:56 PM
#362
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
Some mouseover comparisons from Caps-a-Holic.
Gladiator
Braveheart (to the first DVD release though)
Gladiator
Braveheart (to the first DVD release though)
08-31-09, 07:22 PM
#363
DVD Talk Reviewer
Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
Some mouseover comparisons from Caps-a-Holic.
Gladiator
Braveheart (to the first DVD release though)
Gladiator
Braveheart (to the first DVD release though)
08-31-09, 08:03 PM
#364
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
Braveheart looks much much better. About time!
I'm going to make a prediction on Gladiator based on my memories of watching the dvd release when it first came out. (To be honest, I'm not a fan of the movie.) The daylight scenes, specifically the ones with in the arena, are going to look fantastic. The dark scenes are probably going to look very similiar.
I'm going to make a prediction on Gladiator based on my memories of watching the dvd release when it first came out. (To be honest, I'm not a fan of the movie.) The daylight scenes, specifically the ones with in the arena, are going to look fantastic. The dark scenes are probably going to look very similiar.
08-31-09, 08:41 PM
#365
DVD Talk Reviewer
Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
When I said 'those screen grabs', I should have mentioned Gladiator. Braveheart, indeed looks fantastic.
The daylight scene grabs from Gladiator don't even look that much better though either. *sighs*
The daylight scene grabs from Gladiator don't even look that much better though either. *sighs*
08-31-09, 09:05 PM
#366
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Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
It still looks superior to the DVD. With Best Buy and a $10.00 rebate I think it is a purchase for me as much as I hate to support shoddy work.
08-31-09, 09:11 PM
#367
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
08-31-09, 09:24 PM
#368
DVD Talk Reviewer
Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
Yeah, with the $10 rebate this only really ends up being about 12.99 with the Best Buy deal. For the shoddy quality work here, I guess that pans out. But man, Gladiator is really one of the main reasons I was excited about the high-def format to begin with back in the day. And THIS is what we get? Grrrr...
09-01-09, 12:42 AM
#369
DVD Talk Legend
09-01-09, 01:07 AM
#371
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Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
09-01-09, 08:38 AM
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Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
June 30 2010
edit: here, don't take my word for it
Unfortunately I can't find a UPC anywhere on my Gladiator 3-disc EE.
edit: here, don't take my word for it
Unfortunately I can't find a UPC anywhere on my Gladiator 3-disc EE.
Last edited by doctorthodt; 09-01-09 at 08:42 AM.
09-01-09, 08:38 AM
#374
Moderator
Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
Some mouseover comparisons from Caps-a-Holic.
Gladiator
Braveheart (to the first DVD release though)
Gladiator
Braveheart (to the first DVD release though)
Scott Free Productions
614 N La Peer Drive
Los Angeles, California 90069
Telephone: 310 360 2250
Fax: 310 360 2251
Paramount is at:
[email protected]
323-956-5000
09-01-09, 08:54 AM
#375
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Re: Paramount Announces Sapphire Series (BD) -- Braveheart, Gladiator, Forrest Gump
in the Gladiator screen comparisons someone provided this info to complain to:
Scott Free Productions
614 N La Peer Drive
Los Angeles, California 90069
Telephone: 310 360 2250
Fax: 310 360 2251
Paramount is at:
[email protected]
323-956-5000
Scott Free Productions
614 N La Peer Drive
Los Angeles, California 90069
Telephone: 310 360 2250
Fax: 310 360 2251
Paramount is at:
[email protected]
323-956-5000
9/1/09
To whom it may concern,
Hi, I'm a huge fan of Paramount Pictures and was extremely excited to hear you were bringing Gladiator and Braveheart as the flagship titles to your new 'Sapphire Series' collection of Blu-Rays. In fact I was so excited that I went to Wal-Mart at midnight of the release date so I could get the Blu-Rays as soon as possible. When I got home I popped Gladiator into my Blu-Ray player and was very dismayed to find that the picture quality was extremely lacking. All of the detail was washed out - I felt that the picture quality was barely a step above an upscaled DVD. It was as if all the life had been sucked out of the film. At first I thought maybe there was something wrong with my Blu-Ray player, so I played Braveheart to see if the same thing happened. But the picture on Braveheart was GORGEOUS - very crisp and detailed. It was the opposite of Gladiator; as if new life had been breathed into the film.
So I'm wondering whether maybe I received a defective disc? I know something is wrong, because there's no way the picture is supposed to look like this. I would appreciate any light you could shed on this matter for me, and if I have in fact received a defective disc, I hope there's some way I can trade it in for a proper one.
Regards,
~