HDD passed the test too
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/409/gangsofnewyork.html

2/5 for PQ

I always hoped MS would do a "director's cut" for this movie. Damned shame about the PQ.

HDD passed the test too
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/409/gangsofnewyork.html

2/5 for PQ

I was hoping against hope that some of the earlier reviews may have been over-critical, but this latest review on HDD simply confirms the worst that we've been hearing for the last few weeks. At this point, my best option is to rent it on Netflix and see if the low PQ is tolerable on my system.

HDD passed the test too
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/409/gangsofnewyork.html

2/5 for PQ

Thats the final nail in the coffin for me. Won't be buying this one now and thats a shame since I never owned the DVD.

Based on wixx's info I'm going to take a chance on the French BD. I should have it hopefully sometime next week.

The domestic BD is already inbound so no stopping that. I suppose I can return it to Amazon as "defective" (since it technically is) once I am done with comparisons.

I don't have the tools to do direct screen captures, but once I have both I will do some comparison viewing and post my thoughts.

FWIW I have a 61" DLP professionally calibrated on a regular basis (Avical), so I would imagine these flaws will be very apparent to me when I get to view the discs.

HDD passed the test too
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/409/gangsofnewyork.html

2/5 for PQ

Good thing they didn't let Bracke review it. :D

canceled us order. ordered french.

Bah, $50 to order the French BD from Amazon.fr.

Why order the French BD? They're all from the same godawful transfer.

Why order the French BD? They're all from the same godawful transfer.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but the problem is not apparently with the transfer; it's with the encodes. EE and DNR happens at the encoding stage not the transfer stage.

This French BD could be a much better encode.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but the problem is not apparently with the transfer; it's with the encodes. EE and DNR happens at the encoding stage not the transfer stage.

No, you have that backwards. They're usually applied during the transfer, not the encode.

If the French studio is using a master provided to them by Disney, it will look just as bad. If they did their own film-to-video transfer, it may look better. However, the question becomes what source elements they used.

Here's something I don't get: if this was the same transfer as was used on the DVDs back in 2003, was Disney even thinking 1080p at the time? Or has the master been deinterlaced to 1080p for the BD?

It's clear that BVHE is striving hard to standby their commitment on releasing titles frequently on Blu-ray forcing them to use old masters on select ones due to lack of time or budget. They did the same with Signs, Unbreakable, National Treasure-1, Crimson Tide, Enemy of the State, Con Air etc which were encoded from old transfers.

Yes, but were those transfers 1080p from the beginning?

Good thing they didn't let Bracke review it. :D

I read the 'Gangs' review on HDD earlier. Scathing.


Was Bracke the reviewer who gave the positive review of the PQ of the Traffic HD DVD? That was the most off-the-mark assessment of PQ I've ever read.

It's clear that BVHE is striving hard to standby their commitment on releasing titles frequently on Blu-ray forcing them to use old masters on select ones due to lack of time or budget. They did the same with Signs, Unbreakable, National Treasure-1, Crimson Tide, Enemy of the State, Con Air etc which were encoded from old transfers.
Yeah, but Unbreakable, National Treasure Crimson Tide, Enemy of the State and Con Air all had decent transfers. You can argue that they could have been better but there's certainly nothing offensive about those transfers - they're worthwhile HD material.

Gangs of New York, on the other hand....

Unbreakable / National Treasure - Definitely from old but cleaned up master.
Crimson Tide - Marred by plenty of white specks
Enemy of the State - The whole world knows that this one is encoded from an old and dirty master
Con Air - Edge Enhancement and ringing

Was Bracke the reviewer who gave the positive review of the PQ of the Traffic HD DVD? That was the most off-the-mark assessment of PQ I've ever read.

4 Stars for PQ (http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/traffic.html) :D

I don't know how he's still around. Shouldn't a mistake like that get someone laughed off the website?

The domestic BD is already inbound so no stopping that. I suppose I can return it to Amazon as "defective" (since it technically is) once I am done with comparisons.

You can return it to Amazon unopened and get your full payment back including shipping.

(Of course, I'm interested in seeing your comparison shots of the different discs, but I wouldn't want you to be needlessly wasting your money.)

4 Stars for PQ (http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/traffic.html) :D

I don't know how he's still around. Shouldn't a mistake like that get someone laughed off the website?

Without naming names, he wasn't the only one to give Traffic a positive review. :rolleyes:

As much as I told myself not to buy this, I saw it at Wal Mart tonight and after flipping it around in my hand for awhile I finally bought it. I've never seen it, I loved DDL in TWBB, and I love Scorsese.

Unfortunately, as everyone has said, it looks pretty damn bad. Even the worst Blu-rays I've seen I wouldn't say are "worse than upconverted DVD" like many say, but this is exactly how this strikes me. Based on the quality of the movie so far I'm not upset that I own it, but I'm upset that it wasn't given more care. I'll keep a faint hope in the back of my mind for a disc replacement a la Fifth Element.

Without naming names, he wasn't the only one to give Traffic a positive review. :rolleyes:

Yeah, but Josh Z is on the good side now. ;)

Let's not bring up Traffic again! To quote Gold Leader...

"Stay on Target..."


:)


I did buy the UK dvd of Gangs and while not perfect, it had much less EE than the R1....

http://www.dvdactive.com/editorial/articles/gangs-of-new-york-r1-vs-r2.html

Look at the letter "M" in miramax....

Without naming names, he wasn't the only one to give Traffic a positive review. :rolleyes:
But he was the only one coming here and claiming page after page that it was real HD and not an SD upconvert, rejecting all evidence to the contrary. ;)

4 Stars for PQ (http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/traffic.html) :D

I don't know how he's still around. Shouldn't a mistake like that get someone laughed off the website?

It's not as though it's the only time he's been wrong. ;)

But he was the only one coming here and claiming page after page that it was real HD and not an SD upconvert, rejecting all evidence to the contrary. ;)

Kind of sounds like the Dracula fiasco. :D

No, you have that backwards. They're usually applied during the transfer, not the encode.

If the French studio is using a master provided to them by Disney, it will look just as bad. If they did their own film-to-video transfer, it may look better. However, the question becomes what source elements they used.

OK thanks for the correction. I think I was thinking of it being similar to audio recording on a computer, where I might want to record the audio as pure as possible and apply all effects later on in a non-destructive manner.

IMDB lists a studio called SND for "all media" in France for GONY. Here's hoping they do have a different transfer since it doesn't seem like they are affiliated to Disney.

You can return it to Amazon unopened and get your full payment back including shipping.

(Of course, I'm interested in seeing your comparison shots of the different discs, but I wouldn't want you to be needlessly wasting your money.)

<----Check out under my username. :)

I don't mind spending the $13 after rebate to check it out vs. the French BD.

I'm sure I can Ebay it if I have to.

As I said I don't have the ability to take direct screen captures from a disc but I will try doing some decent digital shots if possible.

It's entirely possible that the HD transfer for this film is completely fubar. That there is no master source free of noise reduction and EE. Numerous examples are out there of this kind of thing (Evil Dead 2 anyone?) so we have to just pray for a miracle.

It's entirely possible that the HD transfer for this film is completely fubar. That there is no master source free of noise reduction and EE. Numerous examples are out there of this kind of thing (Evil Dead 2 anyone?) so we have to just pray for a miracle.
Or a new transfer of the original film elements.

Yeah, but Josh Z is on the good side now. ;)

As is usually the case, when I say something that people want to hear, I'm a hero. When I say something they don't want to hear, I'm a two-bit hack who obviously doesn't know what he's talking about. So it goes...

So it goes...

Not only for you but for everyone.

Until 13,301th post you are super hero. One wrong comment in 13,302th post you are turned into a big zero and whatever you post further makes little to no sense.:D

If anyone in SoCal wants to see Gangs of New York the way that it was meant to be seen, they are showing it at The Academy Theater (Samuel Goldwyn theater) in Beverly Hills on July 14:

http://www.oscars.org/events/g2bn5/july.html

If anyone in SoCal wants to see Gangs of New York the way that it was meant to be seen, they are showing it at The Academy Theater (Samuel Goldwyn theater) in Beverly Hills on July 14:

http://www.oscars.org/events/g2bn5/july.html
I'm not a big fan of California but if anything could convince me to live there...

Not much worth mentioning when it comes to theaters (film, of course) in the midwest.

http://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=992113&postcount=192

Courtesy: quirkmanly@blu-ray .com

This is a comment from another forum:

"The French and German release are perfect.
French editor "M6 Video" said that the disney master was pityfull, so they restarted the entire bluray with a new master, many delays after the bluray is here, and all majors french reviews give a 9/10 for the video...."

German Version - Back Cover Art

Region B ? :confused:

http://img3.imagebanana.com/img/lib8rzte/File0031.jpg

Update:

http://forum.cinefacts.de/blu_ray_software/187228/gangs_new_york_und_traffic_kommen.php

The German BD is reported to be Region Locked :( and features DTS-HD MA.:)

<----Check out under my username. :)

I don't mind spending the $13 after rebate to check it out vs. the French BD.

What rebate got you this BD for $13?

Also is Amazon.fr the cheapest place to get the French BD? Is anyone positive it's not region encoded or are you just gonna find out when it arrives?

So the French and Germans have a new master? From what film elements? I'll believe it when I see screenshots. Remember the T2 Ultimate Edition HD-DVD that turned out to be just hype?

a glimmer of hope...?



This is a comment from another forum:

"The French and German release are perfect.
French editor "M6 Video" said that the disney master was pitiful, so they restarted the entire bluray with a new master, many delays after the bluray is here, and all majors french reviews give a 9/10 for the video...."

Got my review copy yesterday...bit afraid to watch it now.

I've ordered the French disc and will do a comparison when it comes in. I fear that the comments about it being a different master and the positive French reviews may just be hype (the domestic disc got plenty of good reviews too), but am cautiously optimistic.

Go josh!!!!

:)

I've been thinking about getting a Region B deck for ages, and if G O N Y is any G O O D then I'll buy a new machine just for that.

might be region free

I bloody well hope so!! :D

What rebate got you this BD for $13?



22.95 shipped from Amazon - 10.00 rebate for GONY DVD owners = 12.95.

$12.95 for the now clearer EE...


(I keed...)

$12.95 doesn't sound too bad. Here's news to cheer up you film fans. They found the lost footage from Metropolis.

Maybe they'll find the lost untouched master of GONY.

i forgot. how do we do the rebate again?

if disney does do an exchange....

i forgot. how do we do the rebate again?

if disney does do an exchange....

POP's from the DVD and Blu-Ray art plus the form inside the Blu-Ray.

On a related note - I got Signs last month - no rebate form or $10 off sticker on the Blu-Ray. I sell the DVD.

The GONY forms says Signs is eligible - stupid Disney.

Be careful, people. Be sure this is for real before ordering.

http://www.dvdrama.com/rw_testforum-163979-.php

This owner doesn't seem to sound happy with the French BD.

'DVDRama team would have watched this movie on an old TV 36 cms? Having recently acquired the title, I can tell you that the colors are baveuses, details missing, a grain replaces video in all domestic grain film gummed by reducing noise pushed the button and no black fail to be uniform ( even at the generic end, a dark gray bands maculé gigotantes would believe that is connected to analog via the transformer rather than HDMI).
An edition shameful that opens the way for VOD, priority target market publishers seems he says.
Where is the objectivity of this critical DVDRama?

I got the GONY french edition today. It's region-free. I just skimmed through it and it seems to have EE like all the other editions. :( If it's less or the same I can't tell at the moment. I'll be uploading some screenshots later today. I'll try to match Xylons shots for comparison. :cool:

http://www.ecranlarge.com/article-details-9230.php

Looks like the French BD is actually worse than its american counterpart :eek:

Who started that rumor that M6 or whoever made their own transfer...???

There was a link a couple weeks back to a French website that gave it 9/10 for video. Possibly that's how it started.

I asked Xploited to special order it so I'll be stuck with it. I guess I'll do my own comparisons anyway and unload one of the two.

To quote the pawn shop owner from The Crow....

"**** on me. **** ON ME."

Who started that rumor that M6 or whoever made their own transfer...???

http://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=992113&postcount=192 :confused:

Have PM-ed Josh Z to cancel his GONY order with amazon.fr asap.

What a bunch of hype. It's actually worse with the sides cropped off and a yellow tint. New master? :eek:

woops, canceling mine too. so what? german?

woops, canceling mine too. so what? german?
Nope, the German version was the same. At this time, there is no good version of GONY available.

I think it's safe and fair to say that Gangs of New York has yet to be released in HD anywhere. What's on the disc is a joke.

My review of the French disc was submitted last night. I'm not sure if it will go up today or be held until next week. Edit: Looks like it'll be next week.

In short, the French disc is a separate transfer. There is French on-screen text such as "16 ans plus tard" and specific print artifacts that are different between the two releases. The French disc has a little less DNR and better detail. However, it still has the e.e. with little to no improvement there.

My PQ ratings:

American disc - 2/5
French disc - 2.5/5

What a bunch of hype. It's actually worse with the sides cropped off and a yellow tint. New master? :eek:

Top and bottom are also cropped. It obviously has to be a different transfer looking at the "16 Years Later" shot. Are we sure the ridiculous EE and blown out contrast isn't intended? ;)

Do we know which French review sites to avoid for any future import details?

EDIT: Josh, if this is a 2 what's a 1 or 0.5?

Top and bottom are also cropped.

Any difference in the framing is miniscule and not noticeable during playback. Look at those screen shots on the ecranlarge page linked above. Honestly, would you have noticed a framing problem without a direct comparison? Of course not. A small variance in framing like that is not unexpected when two different telecine transfers are involved.

The difference in colors is also not particularly significant. They look about the same when you're watching the movie.

The French disc does have better detail and looks less mushy. So it is an improvement, just not a very big one.

EDIT: Josh, if this is a 2 what's a 1 or 0.5?

Gangs of New York is bad, but at least it has nice colors and contrasts. I've seen worse. The original (recalled) version of RoboCop was a 1 star transfer.

Gangs of NY is going to be legendary on Home Video by the time the next format arrives, whatever that may be.

Brandon

So Josh it sounds like it got to you a lot faster than Amazon FR said, right?

Thankfully I was able to cancel my order for the French disc. I already have the US disc so no point in spending more money on another poor version. Thanks for taking a bullet. :)

Also, I saw at one of the links in the this thread the French DTS-HD audio was rated lower than the domestic PCM. Was that your experience as well?

I'm on holiday in France right now, so I picked up the Frence Blu-Ray a few days ago.

I already have the UK release from way back.

It is disappointing that the French release is no better than what is already out there. I won't be able to compare them until I get back home in August.

I've been watching the UK disc on a 60" 1080p Kuro Pioneer plasma, using PS3. Previously I had an Panasonic 42PWD4 480p panel. This did not reveal the EE.

With the Pioneer the EE is very distracting, the only solution that works for me is to sit a little further back than normal.

But, besides the EE, I don't feel the UK release suffers from the same levels of DNR as people describe for the US disc.

There is plenty of natural film grain present on the UK disc. Now that the US disc has been released, it might be worth revisiting the UK disc, as it might be the best of a bad bunch.

Unfortunatley, the EE seems to be exactly the same... :mad:
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u98/adzez/Gangs%20Of%20New%20York/dd217adb.pnghttp://home.lyse.net/kishiro/images/gony_french_ee_1.png
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u98/adzez/Gangs%20Of%20New%20York/b1b8e9ec.pnghttp://home.lyse.net/kishiro/images/gony_french_ee_2.png

So Josh it sounds like it got to you a lot faster than Amazon FR said, right?

Yes, they shipped it earlier than they said they would.

Also, I saw at one of the links in the this thread the French DTS-HD audio was rated lower than the domestic PCM. Was that your experience as well?

They sound identical, as far as I can tell. Most likely that comment was made by one of those nutjobs who continue to insist that PCM is superior to a bit-for-bit identical lossless track, despite all evidence to the contrary.

Well, the French version is actually better... it's still awful, but it is better. Basically, it's the American version without the DNR and a different tinge to the colors.

When I zoom in on those shots, I could swear that someone literally went into Photoshop, frame by frame, and painted white lines around every edge in that outdoors scene.

Well I purchased this on Blue Ray I think amazon.ca had it on for like 15 dollars.

This is the worst transfer I purchased since american psycho, both those discs need to be redone. By now however you would think there would be a certain quality standard for blue ray.

Some shots look like upconverted dvd.

I'm guessing that there's still been nothing but absolute silence from Buena Vista? I really with this title was getting more news.

I figured with all the complaints about DNR/EE the movie would look like patton, or pans labryinth which I actually think looked very good despite the DNR.

However if you take the DVD and use an Xa2 and add edge enhancement and noise reduction, you would get a similar image.

This disc is bad, in an entire other league then just DNR/EE.