What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

I'm thinking of crummy quality DVDs, movies never released on DVD, and/or letterboxed DVDs that get released on Blu-ray....

Here's the list that I can come up with:

HEAT (USA Blu Ray)
ROAD WARRIOR: MAD MAX 2 (USA Blu Ray)
BOYS FROM BRAZIL (USA Blu Ray)
TANGO & CASH (USA Blu Ray)
ARMAGEDDON (coming soon) (USA Blu Ray)
THE ABYSS (coming soon) (USA Blu Ray)
JODHAA AKBAR (India Blu Ray)
THE KILLER (coming soon) (USA Blu Ray)
BOUND (Japan or France Blu Ray)


I'm not sure about the following, because weren't their last DVD versions pretty good or would you say that a Blu-ray upgrade is essential for the following movies?

ROBOCOP (USA Blu Ray)
ARMY OF DARKNESS (USA Blu Ray)
ONCE UPON A TIME IN CHINA 2 (HK Blu Ray)
TIME BANDITS (UK or German Blu Ray)
LAST ACTION HERO (USA Blu Ray)
BUGSY MALONE (UK Blu Ray)
DANCES WITH WOLVES (German Blu Ray)
LA FEMME NIKITA (USA Blu Ray)
WATERWORLD (USA Blu Ray)






I would love to see 1492 released on Blu-ray. Any word of an import blu-ray of that film?

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

The latest Gangs of NY.

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

Roxanne, Spies like us, Funny Farm, Halloween triple feature (CA), The Rock, Weeds season 1

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

The African Queen

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

I thought that the new Blu Ray of GANGS OF NY was fixing a previous problamatic Blu Ray. What was wrong with the DVD? I remember that DVD being pretty sweet, with DTS and a lot of extras...Was there something wrong with the video quality? (I haven't watched it in ages)


The Rock? The Criterion DVD is pretty amazing...you mean that it's just a movie that's worth the upgrade? I do love that movie.

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

for some reason i thought the criterion was non-anamorphic.

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

The Rock blu-ray has all the extras of the Criterion dvd.

The Canadian blu-ray release of From Dusk to Dawn has a decent transfer for a blu-ray, but it absolutely obliterates the DVD which isn't even anamorphic. Unfortunately, the blu-ray has no extas.

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

Maybe you were thinking of the ARMAGEDDON non-anamorphic Criterion?

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

There is an extended cut of Army of Darkness only available on R3 DVD that a lot of us would love to have on a US disc (DVD or Blu). From what I understand, it's far closer to the cut that was shown on the SciFi channel years ago that I was expecting to get on my 2 disc Anchor Bay LE and was somewhat disappointed when it wasn't.

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

Grumpy Old Men/Grumpier Old Men

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

For Army of Darkness, I prefer the regular Theatrical Cut (I'm not crazy about the Director's/Extended cuts of this film). And I have the DVD from the HD-DVD/DVD combo, which I hear is better quality than the newer Screwhead DVD edition. So I'm thinking which one has the better video quality if I like the Theatrical version:
the remastered DVD from the HD-DVD/DVD combo or the Blu Ray Screwhead edition? (or the quality difference is small and not worth the upgrade?)

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

I've heard this is pretty awful.

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

I've said it before and I will say it again here in this thread:

DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE - the DVD looks absolutely awful, and the BD is a revelation in comparison...

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

You're thinking of Armageddon.

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

Broken Arrow: the DVD was non-anamorphic and the blu is an improvement.

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

Another one: Hard Rain. DVD was letterboxed

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

Yep, non-anamorphic to BD is a no-brainer. Some others I picked up:

Mimic (Canada)
The Faculty (Canada)

Can't wait for Marked For Death in May!

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

Monsoon Wedding was previously available in a non-16x9 DVD, then was released on DVD/Blu-ray.

Same for 10 Things I Hate About You.

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

Frantic (DVD was Fullscreen)

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

The GONY dvd has a mediocre transfer full of edge enhancement and DNR. These problems were just magnified on the original Blu-ray. Disney/Miramax put out a string of rough transfers during this time, supposedly sharpening their films for a non-discerning audience. Cold Mountain was another such mediocre transfer.

The Criterion The Rock is sweet and has a nice anamorphic transfer, though the Blu-ray looks great apparently.

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

The Bonnie and Clyde DVD was pan & scan, too.

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

The recent releases of Frantic and Spies Like Us were good starts. I have a couple on my list that have never had a decent release.

Honeymoon in Vegas FF only
Memphis Belle non-anamorphic only
Arthur FF only
Poseidon Adventure non-anamorphic only
While You were Sleeping non-anamorphic only
True Lies non-anamorphic wasn't it?


Several family/kids movies have only had FF releases

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

Do you mean the 1972 version? If you do, the special edition is anamorphic.

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

I stand corrected, never noticed there was an SE

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

I think that the movie with the biggest change from a crappy bare bones,bad transfer, non anamorphic dvd to a blu ray with a great transfer, filled to the brim with extras(not to mention different versions of the movie) would be Bladerunner. It went from one of the worst dvd's to one of the best blu rays

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

Rambo 3 BD fixed the missing subtitle problem from it's last few DVD releases.

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

I haven't upgraded my 2 disc LE yet since I'll be waiting for the longer cut. There's just so much footage that's otherwise missing (esp the windmill scene) that I can live with the DVD for now.

The old BR was anamorphic, but it was a terrible transfer (some folks believe it was an upconverted laserdisc transfer, which sucks of course, but at least it would automatically scale to the sides on a widescreen set). But otherwise, an incredible upgrade (and I only have the SD version).

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

Should we even count titles that got simultaneous DVD upgrades? BR is great on BD, but it also got a corresponding DVD edition derived from the same transfers and containing the same bonus material. Some people newer to BD may have bought it at the time.

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

Grumpy Old Men & Grumpier Old Men were both released in Full Screen on DVD, but got proper widescreen release on Blu. Presumed Innocent was non-anamorphic on DVD.

Austin Powers IMOM was released in 2:00:1 on DVD, but the Blu-ray got the original 2:35:1 theatrical ratio.

Primal Fear was non-anamorphic on DVD, but was replaced with a new anamorphic DVD the same day as the Blu came out. Same thing with Nixon.

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

The Arrival (non-anamorphic DVD previously)
Waiting (the DVD transfer sucked as it didn't even take up 3GB, BD is dual-layered; enough said).

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

I vote no...I think the discussion should remain with BD titles that are still only available in a crippled form on DVD, whether that is just a terrible looking anamorphic transfer, a non-anamorphic transfer, or a non-OAR presentation....

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

I have every laserdisc edition of Blade Runner. (Literally, all of them.) The first DVD was a new transfer, different from those used on laserdisc. Aside from being anamorphically enhanced, it had deeper black levels and richer colors, and was quite a bit sharper.

The DVD's problem was compression quality. It was one of the very first DVDs ever released. It took the studios a few years to get the hang of digital compression. That disc looks pretty atrocious on a large screen these days.

However, Warner did remaster the movie and re-released it on DVD in 2006, prior to the Final Cut or Blu-ray (which came at the end of 2007). It was a no-frills disc with just the Director's Cut in a new transfer.

http://www.dvdempire.com/Exec/v4_ite...tem_id=1188823

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

I'll throw in a vote for '2010'. The DVD is non-anamorphic letterbox and looks pretty cruddy. To my knowledge, it was never re-released on DVD. But a Blu-ray was released last year.

The movie is still grainy and murky, of course. That's just the style it was shot in. Nonetheless, the Blu-ray is a huge improvement over the DVD.

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

I agree, that's what I was thinking. Sure it would be great to have the very super duper best version of people's favorites such as Blade Runner, Matrix or Gladiator, but their last DVD versions were excellent, so I'm not really interesting in finding out about those.

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

Great info there, I had the first DVD version for a while then sold it when the SE was first rumored and went without on DVD until the big set was released. In the meantime I had the Criterion CLV and the DC CAV to hold me over.

This is at the top of my list of planned upgrades.

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

Iam not sure that Austin powers would fall into that catagory though.
(dont get me wrong it annoyed the heck out of me not having theatrical aspect ratio) It was Director Jay Roach's decision to have it be in the 2:00:1
aspect instead of the 2:35:1 theatrical aspect ratio seen in theatres.

just glad that he decided to revert back to the OAR for the bluray release.

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

The first thing I thought of was Lola Montes, if only because the Fox-Lorber DVD is one of the worst ever (I'm not a huge fan of the movie). The Criterion BD reportedly looks and sounds extremely good.

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

The Blu's aren't amazing, but due to the change in aspect and the obvious upgrade in quality from DVD to Blu it makes them look so much nicer. (And if you know where to look, the blus are quite cheap from time to time as well)

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

A few more that provided fixes:

A Bridge Too Far
Dirty Dozen (so-so transfer but still an improvement over the VHS quality DVD)
Enemy Of The State

Another in need of a widescreen release:

Can't Buy Me Love

Re: What are the essential Blu-Rays that fix problematic DVDs?
 

From Dusk 'til Dawn (Canada)
The Nightmare Before Christmas

Both replaced non-anamorphic versions.

P.S. - be careful with the imports of Bound. I've read the transfers are just SD upscales. I'm waiting for a Region A release.