I just got the UK blu-ray disc of The Shawshank Redemption from ITVDVD. Picture is AVC and sound is standard DD 5.1, no lossless audio.

OK so just another 2 months for a real EDITION!!

My favorite movie of all time. Can't wait.

I just got the UK blu-ray disc of The Shawshank Redemption from ITVDVD. Picture is AVC and sound is standard DD 5.1, no lossless audio.

How is the picture quality? Is it at least on a BD-50?

How is the picture quality? Is it at least on a BD-50?

Just finished watching it properly. Although the shirts look detailed, the picture has a somewhat soft appearance, there is no fine film grain so could have been filtered or maybe it was shot like that. I'd say it has about 720p level of detail. I don't know if it's a BD50. It's 1.78:1 not 1.85:1.

Do the extras work on US machines?

Do the extras work on US machines?

The special features are in 576i50, so it depends if your player play that. I doubt it's region coded as previous ITVDVD releases have been region free.

Can't wait.
;)

The special features are in 576i50, so it depends if your player play that. I doubt it's region coded as previous ITVDVD releases have been region free.

I'm assuming a PS3 won't. :( Crap.

Just finished watching it properly. Although the shirts look detailed, the picture has a somewhat soft appearance, there is no fine film grain so could have been filtered or maybe it was shot like that. I'd say it has about 720p level of detail. I don't know if it's a BD50. It's 1.78:1 not 1.85:1.
Aww crap!! Thanks for saving me fifteen quid. :D

So is region free?
US version audio format better?

Just finished watching it properly. Although the shirts look detailed, the picture has a somewhat soft appearance, there is no fine film grain so could have been filtered or maybe it was shot like that. I'd say it has about 720p level of detail. I don't know if it's a BD50. It's 1.78:1 not 1.85:1.
It's a BD-50. I just got through watching it and was very pleased with the presentation. While they may certainly have applied DNR, the detail in clothing and hair in particular was still quite apparent. The outdoor scenes look better than the indoor ones, probably due to lighting.

A Warner Bros. logo opens the movie, so who knows, maybe they supplied they source. I don't see their own release being a massive improvement PQ wise. And while the Warner will certainly have lossless, I'm keeping this one for sure.

I picked this up in the shop today on the back it says 4 hours of features but not what even one of them are !

I picked this up in the shop today on the back it says 4 hours of features but not what even one of them are !
It says 'see inside for full details', which it does. This is one stacked mofo of a disc.

So you have to buy it to find out ?

So you have to buy it to find out ?

They're the same extras that were on the 3 disc DVD from the UK.

DISC ONE
*The Film
Audio Commentary by Director Frank Darabont
Audio Descriptive Track
(New) Theatrical Trailer (2:05)
8 Biographies
Memorable Quotes (15 Isolated Audio Tracks)

DISC TWO
"Hope Springs Eternal: A Look Back at The Shawshank Redemption" documentary (31:01)
"Shawshank: The Redeeming Feature" documentary (48:00)
The Charlie Rose Show with Frank Darabont, Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman (42:19)
Shawshank Stills Galleries:
- "Tim Robbins" (0:48)
- "Morgan Freeman" (0:37)
- "Supporting Cast" (1:31)
- "Tim and Morgan" (0:25)
- "Behind the Scenes" (1:49)
Shawshank Storyboards (2 Sequences) (5:25)

DISC THREE
Interviews:
- Tim Robbins (27:21)
- Morgan Freeman (20:54)
- Bob Gunton (37:45)
- William Sadler (32:24)
- Clancy Brown (15:41)
'Behind the Scenes' Original On-Location Footage (9:23)
(Original) Theatrical Trailer (2:16)


Anyone with an NTSC machine can't view it, though.

So you have to buy it to find out ?
Well, you could open it in the store. Easy, given that ITV don't shrinkwrap their titles.;)
Flicking through the extras menu on the disc, everything that was on the 3 disc DVD set appears to be there.

It's not often we get films released first in the UK but I think I will wait for the US version. November and December are going to be very expensive months!!

looks like DNR'ed, at least in some pics (sometimes more, sometimes a bit less).
since this disc is already screwed, doesnt look too good for the US disc as well.

Here are the specs for the US version, courtesy of blu-ray.com :

Warner Home Video has announced the technical specs and special features for the upcoming Blu-ray release of 'The Shawshank Redemption: Special Edition', which is due to hit store shelves on December 2nd. Receiving the Digibook treatment, video will be presented in 1.85:1 1080p VC-1 accompanied by a 5.1 Dolby TrueHD soundtrack.

Extras for this release include:

Commentary by Writer/Director Frank Darabont
Hope Springs Eternal: A Look Back at the Shwshank Redemption
Shawshank: The Redeeming Feature
The Charlie Rose Show Segment Featuring Darabont, Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman
Comic Spoof The Sharktank Redemption
Stills and Collectibles Galleries
Theatrical Trailer

Incredible movie, hopefully it will be a good transfer....

Dvdbeaver has a review of the UK version for eveyone to check out. THey claim there's no DNR, but just by looking at the caps without enlarging you can see it pretty clearly.
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews42/shawshank_redemption_uk_blu-ray.htm

Dvdbeaver has a review of the UK version for eveyone to check out. THey claim there's no DNR, but just by looking at the caps without enlarging you can see it pretty clearly.
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDReviews42/shawshank_redemption_uk_blu-ray.htm
Bleah. People don't seem to realize that the existence of grain does not mean the absence of DNR. In this case, the faces are plasticized but grain remains in the background. Only now, it even stands out more because it's clumped together by the DNR process!

Thankfully, even if Warner does one of their "smoothie" jobs on Shawshank, it shouldn't look as bad as that UK release.

I will cackle with glee if the Warner looks the same... I got a bad haircut today, I'm in a spiteful mood. ;)

Keep in mind those images are JPEG so right off the bat you have to start by asking what effect the compresion has had on the image. Like the banding and macroblocking over the wardens right shoulder. You have to ask is that actually on the disk or is that from the jpeg compresion?

Thanks for the beaver link. ;-)

That UK cover looks sweet, would much prefer that vs the one coming here, digibook or not.

Can't wait for this one.

Bleah. People don't seem to realize that the existence of grain does not mean the absence of DNR. In this case, the faces are plasticized but grain remains in the background. Only now, it even stands out more because it's clumped together by the DNR process!

I actually don't think it looks too bad. A little filtered but I've seen worse on discs that are hailed as reference quality. Go figure.

I am really looking forward to the release of the US BD edition. Shawshank is one of the best, if not the very best, movies ever made. For example, more than 382,000 Internet Movie Database voters have voted it it Number 1. That's impressive.

Can't wait for this one :)

Home Theater Magazine has published Kris D's review on this one. Video 4/5, Audio 4.25/5.

http://hometheatermag.com/moviereviews/111608shawshank/

HD Digest review now up.

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/683/shawshankredemption.html

HD Digest review now up.

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/683/shawshankredemption.html
Thanks for the link, the history of the film the linked review traced was very interesting. Like the equally great, Citizen Kane, Shawshank was misunderstood and underappreciated, and was a box office failure. Television gave Citizen Kane its deservedly great reputation and VHS, DVD, and now Blu-ray, have done the same for Shawshank. Sometimes good deeds do go unpunished.

Why did that have to package this in DigiBook? I really love this movie, but have been opposed to buying oversize Blu-ray cases. I wonder if I could make a photocopy of the book cover and use that in a standard Blu-ray case? Has anybody tried that?

Keep an eye on the BD covers thread and I am sure so one will come up with a cover far cooler than what the studio gives you. That is what I will be doing. Weird cases suck.

got mine today in the standard BD case (Taiwan version)
can't watch it until Saturday though :(

the transfer was very pleasing
highly recommended

the transfer was very pleasing
highly recommended

But, is the overall package really worth the long wait ?

But, is the overall package really worth the long wait ?

Not sure what you mean. We are getting one of the greatest movies ever with a technically competent transfer. My Taiwan copy came in the standard Elite case, and I won't ever check out any of the supplements or miss the digibook. In fact, I hate digibook packaging anyways. This movie is worth the wait no matter how long it is.

If you mean the wait since Blu-ray's public release and the release of this movie, I'd probably guess Warner was just waiting for the market to mature a little. Lack of quality content is not an issue with Blu-ray thankfully, so waiting for your favorites isn't a big issue IMO.

This great movie is already a decade old and have been released many times on DVD. Still, we haven't got the ultimate edition of Shawshank, which got bumped many times. I smell another release by Blunder Brothers in the next 2~3 years. For satisfaction sake, we may tag this release "The best version of Shawshank available".

But, is the overall package really worth the long wait ?

looking forward in receiving my copy very soon.

got mine today in the standard BD case (Taiwan version)
can't watch it until Saturday though :(

Is there someplace to get a Taiwan version online?

Greeting,just recieve it today,PQ is far more better than dvd,SQ is front heavy,surround is subtle for ambient,dialog is clear.This movie can make you a hope,I love it.

Greeting,just recieve it today,PQ is far more better than dvd,SQ is front heavy,surround is subtle for ambient,dialog is clear.This movie can make you a hope,I love it.

How better is the PQ in comparison to the recent DVD release ?

How better is the PQ in comparison to the recent DVD release ?

Greeting again.PQ is much better than collector's edition recently released.:)

I don't mind the digiBook itself...since I'll just find art online for a regular case like I did with Bonnie and Clyde, HTWWW and Dirty Harry....the thing that sucks is they seem to jack up the price a few bucks for the book, which I'll never read.

Has anyone had this ship who ordered it through Warner Home Video? I placed an order for this title way back on April 7th, when it was still a keepcase release, but mine has not shipped. I was able to order it for $14.96, and I was really hoping that they'd honor the order. :(

I got notice from Blockbuster earlier today that the BD edition of Shawshank is being processed and will be the next movie shipped to me. Hot dog, I can hardly wait!

Has anyone had this ship who ordered it through Warner Home Video? I placed an order for this title way back on April 7th, when it was still a keepcase release, but mine has not shipped. I was able to order it for $14.96, and I was really hoping that they'd honor the order. :(

Waiting on my copy from Warner as well.

Waiting on my copy from Warner as well.

Same here. I thought maybe they would do their standard "wait until the last minute and ship next day air" thing - but no dice.

That's what I thought too. I still don't have any indication that it has shipped. I went by my house at lunch to check, but nothing was there.

I ordered mine almost as long ago as Paul. Nothing happening with my order either. Pretty disappointing when you preorder something around 6-7 months in advance and don't get it in time.

Mine should be here today from Amazon. Hopefully I'll have a chance to check it out tonight.

All you folks patiently waiting are in for a treat - I received mine last monday (did NOT order from Warner), it looks and sounds great, smokes any previous version. Both the indoor scences as well as outdoor have plenty of 'pop' moments, there is indeed a nice film look to it with grain, etc. The flesh tones are also perfect. Oh, and there is NO EE, nada.

This was my first digibook disc.....heh. Though its no biggie because its not as large as I was expecting (it fits alright on the shelf amongst the others), the content itself is just overkill, didn't need it - would've rather simply had a normal case and artwork.

A new day, and still no indication that it has shipped. I'm also supposed to receive The Dark Knight from Warner next week. Hope that doesn't get pushed back too!

A new day, and still no indication that it has shipped. I'm also supposed to receive The Dark Knight from Warner next week. Hope that doesn't get pushed back too!

I know... I placed a new order using a 25% off coupon a couple of weeks ago in the hopes that they would send The Dark Knight early. Now this Shawshank thing has me worried. I had ordered about 10 or so titles with the old 30% off coupon and I got all of them either on street date or 4-5 days before. Shawshank is the first thing I've ordered from them that missed street date (well, not counting when they cancelled the Batman:TAS box set).

Until this, of about 20 preorders, only one missed the release date for me.

Watched last night, great movie, great transfer. Huge improvement over various DVD releases.

I can hardly wait to see it on BD. BB mailed me a copy on Monday so I should receive it today.

Well, at least I'm not the only one. I guess Warner has missed everyone. I sent an e-mail to their customer service earlier, but haven't received a response.

I received this yesterday from Amazon. Haven't had a chance to view it yet. Will probably wait till this weekend. Got this along with The Day The Earth Stood Still, so it was a good day to be a collector of classic movies.

We watched it and it looked absolutely stunning. Th close ups of Morgan Freeman! :eek: :D Seriously, it did not disappoint. :)

^I agree. Warner seems to have done this one right :)

Hopefully I'll get to see how nice the transfer is; all Warner has to do is ship me the God damned movie.

Amen, bro!

My rental copy came BB yesterday, too. I'll watch it soon but haven't got around to it yet.

Anyone get their copy from Warner or get any word that it is coming yet?

Anyone get their copy from Warner or get any word that it is coming yet?


Mine has just been Fedex with a few other titles. So Tuesday will be a good day.

Maybe Shawshank and The Dark Knight will arrive from Warner on the same day :)

For the Warner orders... on 'MyExpressCheckout.com'...

Does 'In Process' mean that it really is in the process of getting ready to be shipped?

Or does it always say 'In Process' from the moment you order it?

In process the moment you order it.

In process the moment you order it.

DAMN!!!.... damn you, Warner! :mad: .............. :)

I'm getting angrier by the day that I chose WHV for this movie. Customer service was no help. This is my last order with them.

I have the same feeling. I got Band of Brothers early, and The Matrix series on the release date, but Shawshank is falling behind, and I have a bad feeling about The Dark Knight as well. The fact that I e-mailed customer service on Tuesday and haven't gotten a response bugs me as well.

I watched the copy I rented from BB last night and was blown away -- again. Not only does The Shawshank Redemption look and sound wonderful on BD, it is one of the best films ever made. Every frame could be a still picture, the score is haunting and beautiful, and if there has ever been a better ensemble cast, I don't know who it would be. I may have to buy this one myself.

I have the same feeling. I got Band of Brothers early, and The Matrix series on the release date, but Shawshank is falling behind, and I have a bad feeling about The Dark Knight as well. The fact that I e-mailed customer service on Tuesday and haven't gotten a response bugs me as well.


Same here. They used to be quicker to respond. It's like everyone took off for Thanksgiving and never came back.

I watched the copy I rented from BB last night and was blown away -- again. Not only does The Shawshank Redemption look and sound wonderful on BD, it is one of the best films ever made. Every frame could be a still picture, the score is haunting and beautiful, and if there has ever been a better ensemble cast, I don't know who it would be. I may have to buy this one myself.

Sweet, glad you loved it - I mentioned earlier people were in for a treat, lol!

Its safe to say with Warner, we have to hold our breath on the quality, they're just all over the friggin' place, but THANKFULLY, they're getting most of the classics RIGHT, Blade Runner, Bonnie and Clyde, Cool Hand Luke and now, The Shawshank Redemption. WHEW! ;) :D

And I agree, Shawshank is a work of art, pure cinema history, one of the finest flicks ever. =)

Its safe to say with Warner, we have to hold our breath on the quality, they're just all over the friggin' place, but THANKFULLY, they're getting most of the classics RIGHT, Blade Runner, Bonnie and Clyde, Cool Hand Luke and now, The Shawshank Redemption. WHEW! ;) :D

And I agree, Shawshank is a work of art, pure cinema history, one of the finest flicks ever. =)
Thanks to my BB subscription I have seen the BD editions of all the movies you mentioned, and just bought the 5 Disc Collector's Edition of Blade Runner. As great as the others are, Shawshank is still better in my estimation, in a class with Citizen Kane and The Godfather I and II.

*sigh* When, oh when, will my copy arrive from Warner?

*sigh* When, oh when, will my copy arrive from Warner?

Mine finally shipped on Friday.

Mine finally shipped on Friday.
Mine finally shipped this Saturday (along with the Dark Knight) so it should be delivered Tuesday.

Mine finally shipped this Saturday (along with the Dark Knight) so it should be delivered Tuesday.

2 good films which would you view first?

2 good films which would you view first?
I probably won't be able to watch anything until the end of the month when I go on vacation for two weeks. I still haven't finished Band of Brothers (stopped at the 8th episode) and haven't touched the X-Files movies yet... most likely the Dark Knight though.

Mine finally shipped this Saturday (along with the Dark Knight) so it should be delivered Tuesday.

Well I just checked my orders, they shipped Dark Knight Saturday, but no Shawshank... They were in 2 separate orders though...

My WHV orders of Shawshank Redemption and Dark Knight were both shipped Sat with different shipments.

i'm finally going to be able to watch this tonight. one of my favorite movies of all time and i can't wait to see how it looks

I watched the copy I rented from BB last night and .....and if there has ever been a better ensemble cast, I don't know who it would be. I may have to buy this one myself.

Pacino, DeNiro, Duvall, Keaton, Cazale, Strasberg, Shire, et al. comes to mind :P

Then there's DeNiro, Cazale, Walken, Streep, Savage....

Then....

Well I just checked my orders, they shipped Dark Knight Saturday, but no Shawshank... They were in 2 separate orders though...

Same here. Dark Knight has been shipped, but no Shawshank yet.

Update. Shawshank finally shipped yesterday. 'Bout time!

Update. Shawshank finally shipped yesterday. 'Bout time!

Same here. How did yours ship? I was disappointed that they didn't ship this late item Next Day Saver - it coming UPS Ground. Ugh.

Same here. How did yours ship? I was disappointed that they didn't ship this late item Next Day Saver - it coming UPS Ground. Ugh.

Ground as well. Same as The Dark Knight. At least I have a tracking number and some progress :)

Same here. How did yours ship? I was disappointed that they didn't ship this late item Next Day Saver - it coming UPS Ground. Ugh.

Same service here. Oh, well. At least its coming. It was my last pre-order with Warner Home Video to ship thankfully. Unless the 30% off coupon returns, I doubt I will be ordering from them anymore.

Same service here. Oh, well. At least its coming. It was my last pre-order with Warner Home Video to ship thankfully. Unless the 30% off coupon returns, I doubt I will be ordering from them anymore.

Same here. And to top it all off, here is the biggest LOL of the day. This was in response to the e-mail I sent about not receiving Shawshank on time and I was just curious about the status. I sent my e-mail on Tuesday (the day the movie was released). :D

Dear Customer: We are showing that The Dark Knight shipped on December 6, 2008 and The Shawshank Redemption shipped on December 7, 2008. Please allow 7 to 10 business days for delivery.Sincerely, Warner Home Video Online Customer Support

Ground as well. Same as The Dark Knight. At least I have a tracking number and some progress :)

They finally shipped Shawshank today for me. Both Dark Knight and Shawshank are set to be sent via next day air saver.

Shawshank and The Dark Knight are currently in a UPS truck somewhere in my city :)

So has anyone compared the quality of this to the UK version?

Shawshank and The Dark Knight are currently in a UPS truck somewhere in my city :)

Shawshank and The Dark Knight are currently in a USPS truck somewhere in the U.S. with my home address on the package! :)

Shawshank and The Dark Knight are currently in a USPS truck somewhere in the U.S. with my home address on the package! :)

Mine arrived so I guess Warner Home Video came through. I was having doubts.

Finally watched my copy last night. Wow! So much better than any version I've seen on DVD. The colors looked great, and the sound was terrific. Anyone else watched yet?

Finally watched my copy last night. Wow! So much better than any version I've seen on DVD. The colors looked great, and the sound was terrific. Anyone else watched yet?

Have my copy sitting there, still going through other movies first. But looking forward in watching this hopefully in the next couple of days.

Finally watched my copy last night. Wow! So much better than any version I've seen on DVD. The colors looked great, and the sound was terrific. Anyone else watched yet?

At the risk of being pummeled by the guys with 30 foot screens - I thought the transfer was fantastic - at least on my meager 52" LCD.

Finally watched my copy last night. Wow! So much better than any version I've seen on DVD. The colors looked great, and the sound was terrific. Anyone else watched yet?
On my 92" screen, I was surprised by how soft this one was. There was very little fine detail or sharpness in this transfer. It was obviously better than a DVD but overall I was a bit disappointed. Ah well, it's Shawshank in HD and I'll take what I can get from Warner.

Finally watched my copy last night. Wow! So much better than any version I've seen on DVD. The colors looked great, and the sound was terrific. Anyone else watched yet?
I got the Shawshank BD from BB immediately after it was released and loved, loved, loved it. See posts ##74 and 77.

This now replaces "The Final Cut" to show how stunning an older title can look in HD! :D

This now replaces "The Final Cut" to show how stunning an older title can look in HD! :DReally? Shawshank isn't that old. And I'd say that Blade Runner's image impressed me much more than what I saw for Shawshank.

Really? Shawshank isn't that old. And I'd say that Blade Runner's image impressed me much more than what I saw for Shawshank.

Shawshank was released in fourteen years ago. I guess I have a different opinion of old. :)

I'd never seen that much depth before on TNT or DVD. Black levels were excellent! 3D pop everywhere! This may sound crazy, but I always rank a Morgan Freeman title by how detailed his facial moles are! :)

I'm a huge fan of artistic intent, but the "green tint" of The Final Tint docked it a few points, IMO. So, a slight nod to Shawshank.

I'm a huge fan of artistic intent, but the "green tint" of The Final Tint docked it a few points, IMO. So, a slight nod to Shawshank.

so you're a fan of artistic intent as long as it jives with your own opinion? :rolleyes:

that green tint is apparently what Ridley wanted.

so you're a fan of artistic intent as long as it jives with your own opinion? :rolleyes:

that green tint is apparently what Ridley wanted.

I don't hate it. I just prefer the Director's Cut version as far as color is concerned. My sig shows my love for the #1 sci-fi movie of all time! :D

For classic restoration in HD, my nod goes to Shawshank.

Shawshank was released in fourteen years ago. I guess I have a different opinion of old. :)

I'd never seen that much depth before on TNT or DVD. Black levels were excellent! 3D pop everywhere! This may sound crazy, but I always rank a Morgan Freeman title by how detailed his facial moles are! :)

I'm a huge fan of artistic intent, but the "green tint" of The Final Tint docked it a few points, IMO. So, a slight nod to Shawshank.
I have trouble viewing anything from the 90's as being old or needing restoration. I suppose in another five years or so my opinion might start to change.

I don't know if I experienced a single moment of "3D pop" while watching Shawshank.

I don't know if I experienced a single moment of "3D pop" while watching Shawshank.

Hmmm....I briefly skimmed through the disc on Saturday and was blown away by the depth of field and also fine detail in close-medium shots. What I saw looked INCREDIBLE in terms of depth and detail on close/medium shots on faces and stuff was just amazing with individual facial hairs (and stuff on clothes) easily discernible and as good as other top discs I have seen.

I'd go as far to say this looked better than I was expecting. Maybe I just magically checked out every incredibly sharp scene in the movie and the rest is soft/lacking in depth but I doubt that.

Using a JVC RS2 here at 106".

Hmmm....I briefly skimmed through the disc on Saturday and was blown away by the depth of field and also fine detail in close-medium shots. What I saw looked INCREDIBLE in terms of depth and detail on close/medium shots on faces and stuff was just amazing with individual facial hairs (and stuff on clothes) easily discernible and as good as other top discs I have seen.

I'd go as far to say this looked better than I was expecting. Maybe I just magically checked out every incredibly sharp scene in the movie and the rest is soft/lacking in depth but I doubt that.

Using a JVC RS2 here at 106".

No, the entire movie is like this! You can count every mole on Morgan Freeman's face! I went to bed thinking, "This is easily a bottom Tier 0 title!" Lets just say the "Tier Fairy" left a surprise under my pillow! :D

PS3/Samsung 46" 1080p/ nine'

^^^^ In particular the library scene where Andy and Red are putting books on the shelf while discussing "the silent partner" and how Andy was covering the wardens tracks, etc. Shawshank has outstanding clarity and depth IMO, absolutely beautiful PQ, and I agree, it looks great throughout, faithful to the source anyway, which looks really clean and dirt/spec free as well!

Maybe Blade Runner looks better, dunno, don't own it, maybe its simply a sharper looking movie in the first place compared to Shawshank. I do know Warner's track record with their true "classics" has been strong, Blade Runner, Cool Hand Luke, Bonnie and Clyde, etc, most agree they all look great on Blu, as good as possible, safe to assume Shawshank also looks about as good as its gonna as well, nevermind which one looks "best." I'm just grateful they didn't screw 'em up the first go 'round on Blu Ray!

Just to let you all know, someone in the Custom Cover thread asked for a cover because this one wasn't released in a normal case(I don't know this for sure...someone correct me if I'm wrong, I am just working on the cover that was requested ;) ),

But I went ahead and started one:

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k295/flatlandgamer/shawshankcovercopy.jpg

Don't be too harsh on it as I've never actually seen the movie, and it's still very much not finished.

I just figured I might as well let you all know it was going to be over there in case any others wanted a more traditional case. Anyways, sorry to go off topic a bit.

I don't know if I experienced a single moment of "3D pop" while watching Shawshank.


Something is wrong with your setup then. :(

I watched this a couple nights ago (US version). Although the movie is one of the best movies of the 90's forward, the PQ and AQ are not much better than an upcoverted DVD. Yes, it's better and noisefree for the most part but man is it SOFT! Detail is lacking...MUCH. Still, the best the movie has ever looked and it is a FANTASTIC movie. My wife and I decided to watch The Green Mile the following night to do some comparisons since they are both King stories and feature the same director and a lot of the same actors. The Green Mile is VERY good but not Shawshank good. IMHO.

I watched this a couple nights ago (US version). Although the movie is one of the best movies of the 90's forward, the PQ and AQ are not much better than an upcoverted DVD. Yes, it's better and noisefree for the most part but man is it SOFT! Detail is lacking...MUCH. Still, the best the movie has ever looked and it is a FANTASTIC movie. My wife and I decided to watch The Green Mile the following night to do some comparisons since they are both King stories and feature the same director and a lot of the same actors. The Green Mile is VERY good but not Shawshank good. IMHO.

The newer movie, "The Mist" was directed by same person, and it wasn't exactly eye candy either. May be the way he shoots movies, but cant say for sure. That movie was nowhere near the quality of Shawshank or Green mile though (IMO)

The newer movie, "The Mist" was directed by same person, and it wasn't exactly eye candy either. May be the way he shoots movies, but cant say for sure. That movie was nowhere near the quality of Shawshank or Green mile though (IMO)

Also, Roger Deakins was the DP for Shawshank, and he was a visual consultant for WALL-E. Alot of WALL-E was intentionally shot with an intentional softness.

Something is wrong with your setup then. :(
That would be a big negatory right there and I'm not the only person saying it. Shawshank is a very soft movie and there's just not that much detail to be found in most of the movie - whether it's the fault of Warner's filtering, the master, or the original photography I don't know. I think some of the softness can definitely be attributed to the way it was filmed but I don't think that's all of it. I have The Mist on Blu-ray and it's also a rather soft movie but there's a lot more detail to be found in The Mist and I think The Mist seems like a much more film-like presentation when I'm watching it.

I'm happy to own it but I can't help but feel it could look a bit better with a proper remaster that's free of any filtering.

/opinion and nothing more

Just watched this last night.... still a great movie.

... but I agree with many of the posters here who say "Could have looked/ sounded better". There is definitely room for improvement. The video quality seemed inconsistent to me with some shots looking sharper and more detailed than others.

This came today and I immediately watched it. I actually said WOW with the over head shots of the prison. Some of the detail later in the film when the camera is up close to the two main characters look stunning.

I'm not expecting a great deal with old(ish) films but it looked fine to me.

this came today and i immediately watched it. I actually said wow with the over head shots of the prison. Some of the detail later in the film when the camera is up close to the two main characters look stunning.

I'm not expecting a great deal with old(ish) films but it looked fine to me.
+1.

This came today and I immediately watched it. I actually said WOW with the over head shots of the prison. Some of the detail later in the film when the camera is up close to the two main characters look stunning.

I'm not expecting a great deal with old(ish) films but it looked fine to me.

That's good to know

Add me to the list of people who think this looked fantastic. I did not think the picture was soft and I found it to be wonderfully detailed.

Just finished watching this film last night, fantastic. Still enjoy it everytime I watch it.

Add me to the list of people who think this looked fantastic. I did not think the picture was soft and I found it to be wonderfully detailed.
+1. Plus rich and beautifully lit and Thomas's score is beautiful and faithfully captured.
I find some of the comments like "up-converted DVD" and "soft" to be baffling.

i find some of the comments like "up-converted dvd" and "soft" to be baffling.

+1

Is there a non-book version released by WB anywhere in the world as of yet?

I got this for Christmas and it was fantastic. I watched it with my 14 year old son who saw it for the first time. I remember seeing ads for this for the HD DVD release over two years ago. Wonder why it was never released on HD DVD?

:cool:

RTR
BEAT UTAH

I got this for Christmas and it was fantastic. I watched it with my 14 year old son who saw it for the first time. I remember seeing ads for this for the HD DVD release over two years ago. Wonder why it was never released on HD DVD?

:cool:

RTR
BEAT UTAH

haven't you heard? It will be here summer 2006, just be patient :D

Is there a non-book version released by WB anywhere in the world as of yet?

SE Asia has some. My Taiwan version is standard cased.

Is there a non-book version released by WB anywhere in the world as of yet?The UK version is in a standard Blu-ray case.

I've got enough titles that don't conform now that I've given into the book releases and I'll pick them up from now on without issue. Band of Brothers, Freedom, the releases from Criterion, the two seasons of Heroes... The only releases I'm really avoiding are the ones that are DVD sized or larger, like the release for the Dirty Harry collection and the two half seasons of The Sopranos.

The UK version is in a standard Blu-ray case.

....
But I assume that the UK version don't have lossless sound like the US version..damn I just bought it before christmas.

SE Asia version disk is identical to US version

The UK version is in a standard Blu-ray case.

That's not WB.

SE Asia version is WB.

http://shopping.pchome.com.tw/?mod=item&func=exhibit&IT_NO=CBAE8B-A34990601&SR_NO=CBAE8B&ROWNO=6

http://ec1img.pchome.com.tw/pic/C/B/A/E/8/B/CBAE8B-A34990601000_49214966826b7

Thanks for that link! Any places that ship to the US?

ddhouse and yes asia usually have disks like these, try there

ddhouse and yes asia usually have disks like these, try there

Ugh. $28 plus shipping? Forget it. I'll keep the damn book. :(

Ugh. $28 plus shipping? Forget it. I'll keep the damn book. :(

Got to pay import prices if you want imports. Considering that, the price is pretty good IMO. Most imports seem to run $35+ shipping.

Got to pay import prices if you want imports. Considering that, the price is pretty good IMO. Most imports seem to run $35+ shipping.

I dunno which you're buying but mine are much less...shipped.

Is there a non-book version released by WB anywhere in the world as of yet?

You can just buy a case for it on eBay ($3.99, free shipping) or Sleeve City (cheaper if you are buying more than one) and print the cover from the Blu Ray Custom Covers thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=15308742&postcount=1703). That is what I did. Works perfect and is cheaper than the import. I did the same for Close Encounters of the Third Kind and getting ready to do the same for Band of Brothers.

$35 is chump change for a movie of this calibur IMO

Great movie, but the blu-ray looks like it has problems. I'm watching on 126" screen and when blown up to that size, it appears to me like grain is missing for some stretches and faces and hands do not look natural, they are missing texture and detail. It is not as bad as some other titles like Patton or Zulu and maybe it is not noticeable on smaller sets, but on my screen it appears that detail has been removed by DNR.

I dunno which you're buying but mine are much less...shipped.

Usually Japanese, since we share the same region. And those usually cost 4,800 Yen in stores (That's $52 US).

Just sampled Shawshank on a 42" Pioneer Kuro. If anything, the DNR faces are even more obvious on a smaller set.

So has anyone compared the quality of this to the UK version?
I'm really really looking forward for a comparison. Anyone?

Just watched this last night.... still a great movie.

... but I agree with many of the posters here who say "Could have looked/ sounded better". There is definitely room for improvement. The video quality seemed inconsistent to me with some shots looking sharper and more detailed than others.

Watched it two nights ago. Been a while since i have seen it. Shows that Stephen King stories CAN be made into good movies! I thought the first half of the movie looked very soft. Still nice looking, but soft. The second half or so, say starting with Andy getting out of the box looked much sharper. Noticed details and "3D" in closeups that seemed to be missing earlier. Audio was pretty flat, but not much going on in a movie that is mostly narration. Easily the best the movie has ever looked to me.

I dunno which you're buying but mine are much less...shipped.

I'd like to know where you buy?? $28 for an import, especially from Japan, seems cheap to me. :confused: I just expect to pay $50 for a Japanese import. Hell, I paid almost $200 for the Japanese BoB HD DVD set, and I don't regret it. :o

Anyways, I also thought this disc looked great. It was also my girlfriends first viewing of the flick, I could hardly believe she had never seen it before! She liked it. ;)

haven't you heard? It will be here summer 2006, just be patient :D

Really. This was the worst one when it came to the HD DVD promises that we never saw. Coming in a close 2nd is the Star Trek (Original Series) with no 2nd and 3rd seasons on HD DVD. I realize they released the remasters but no HD. I really, really was disappointed with this.

thanks for the response....

<><

RTR

Really. This was the worst one when it came to the HD DVD promises that we never saw. Coming in a close 2nd is the Star Trek (Original Series) with no 2nd and 3rd seasons on HD DVD. I realize they released the remasters but no HD. I really, really was disappointed with this.

thanks for the response....

<><

RTR

Almost reminds of the Fox announcements that kept getting pushed back a month, every month.

Just watched it on my 94" screen and thought it looked great, but to be honest I was so caught up in the actual movie things could have slipped by. It has been a while since I viewed this film, but WOW what a movie:)

Just watched it on my 94" screen and thought it looked great, but to be honest I was so caught up in the actual movie things could have slipped by. It has been a while since I viewed this film, but WOW what a movie:)

Agree its a film that you get too immersed into.

Quite possibly one of Stephen King's best movie adaptations.

Overall I thought it was a very good transfer of one of my top 5 movies. My only real complaints are the elevated black levels in the jail cell scenes. Did anyone else notice this? The pillar boxes on my 2.35:1 screen are much darker than the 'black' of the jail cells, but not on 'fade to black' cuts, of which there are several.

I find some of the comments like "up-converted DVD" and "soft" to be baffling.

I'm convinced that people have become overly paranoid about DNR, and it makes them see things. (I am not intending to attack anyone here: I think the sentiment of not wanting to see our favorites marred with faulty presentation is great.)

I see how DNR ruined transfers like Face/Off but I just don't see that here. I count Shawshank as one of the Blu-ray success stories: a fantastic presentation of one of the greatest films of all time.

Shawshank Redemption and L.A. Confidential are two of my favorite movies of all time. Both on BD now, and I haven't had a chance to see either of them, yet, on my BD30. Both have widely varying reports of their quality, as well.

I'm deciding between a "blind buy" ("blind" only to the BD version, obviously ;)) and the age-old "Netflix-long wait-status" rental.

Well, have to scratch LA Confidential off the Netflix option, it doesn't show BD as an available format. At least it has Shawshank, and sure enough, it's a "very long wait." :(

I'm convinced that people have become overly paranoid about DNR, and it makes them see things. (I am not intending to attack anyone here: I think the sentiment of not wanting to see our favorites marred with faulty presentation is great.)

I see how DNR ruined transfers like Face/Off but I just don't see that here. I count Shawshank as one of the Blu-ray success stories: a fantastic presentation of one of the greatest films of all time.
Agreed. To each his own, of course, but I have seen few BD transfers that were marred by excessive DNR. I was particularly impressed with the PQ of the Shawshank BD and thought DNR use there was not at all excessive. Similar complaints have been made by the DNR purists about The Dark Knight BD, which I thought had demonstration quality PQ (and AQ too, for that matter).

I still think Shawshank looks too soft but it's much better than the digital mess that is the 35mm footage in The Dark Knight. The IMAX footage is certainly demo worthy, though.

Warner's standard filtering that's present on so many of their titles isn't something I appreciate but it's nowhere near as bad as most of the DNR botch jobs out there. I complain about it because I want it to go away - but unlike, say, Gangs of New York, I'm still picking up Warner's releases - even ones without a True HD track.

I'm convinced that people have become overly paranoid about DNR, and it makes them see things.

I agree with you and I have complained about this very thing, but there is definitely something off about the faces in Shawshank. The faces are missing detail and do not appear natural. All you have to do is look at Morgan Freeman's face in other films to see all of the detail that is missing in Shawshank. I watch on a 126" screen and I thought it was due to watching on a larger screen that made the faces appear the way they do, but I also watched on a 42" plasma and, if anything, it is even more obvious.

I see how DNR ruined transfers like Face/Off but I just don't see that here.

In orders of magnitude, Shawshank probably is not the most egregious example of excessive processing and I agree that there can be a little bit of hysteria when it comes to DNR, but the faces in Shawshank are unatural enough -- to me -- that it is distracting. It doesn't even seem in keeping with the look of the film, which is worn and gritty -- and then you have these spiffy looking faces. It's weird.

I count Shawshank as one of the Blu-ray success stories: a fantastic presentation of one of the greatest films of all time.

I wish they had left the grain intact and the detail in the faces.

I, for one, was completely blown away by the PQ. That may point more to the deficiencies in the DVD, of course, but there is no comparison between the two - the BD is just plainly overly superior to the DVD.

Well I would hope so. It's HD.

I still think Shawshank looks too soft but it's much better than the digital mess that is the 35mm footage in The Dark Knight. The IMAX footage is certainly demo worthy, though.



Are you pausing the movie frame by frame and looking at it with a magnifying glass?? I didn't even really notice any EE on dark knight, thought it looked superb.

I am VERY happy with this transfer.

Are you pausing the movie frame by frame and looking at it with a magnifying glass?? I didn't even really notice any EE on dark knight, thought it looked superb.
No, I just watched it on a front projection setup. The digital nastiness was rather evident (in the 35mm footage).

I, for one, was completely blown away by the PQ. That may point more to the deficiencies in the DVD, of course, but there is no comparison between the two - the BD is just plainly overly superior to the DVD.

I'm a film collector first and foremost. There are many titles that I've owned in VHS, DVD, and now blu-ray. I was willing to watch many of these films on VHS for years -- I had a huge library. Ever go back and try to watch a film on VHS these days? It's amazing that we could even watch those things. Of course, TV's were a lot smaller, too, but the point is -- most blu-rays are an improvement over what we've had before when you compare a title to its previous incarnations, but when you compare Shawshank to something like The Sand Pebbles or Dog Day Afternoon or The Professionals, titles where they left the grain and detail intact and you see how faces look in high definition then you watch Shawshank...those smooth faces don't look right. Does it kill the movie for me? No. Is it distracting? Yes. I'd prefer to not have the distraction. If it doesn't distract you -- I am glad. I know how happy it makes me to watch these films in my home theater, so I'm happy that people are enjoying their copies of Shawshank in blu-ray.

I'm not saying people shouldn't enjoy Shawshank because of smooth faces, I'm saying I don't see the faces as smooth. They looked nicely detailed to me. Maybe I should go back and take another look.

I'm not saying people shouldn't enjoy Shawshank because of smooth faces, I'm saying I don't see the faces as smooth. They looked nicely detailed to me. Maybe I should go back and take another look.

+1! See Post #157

have the German edition out the 15th been disscussed?!

It has MPEG4/AVC on a BD50 with DTS HD MA 5.1, and the glorious cover with Tim Robbins in the rain.

sweet, may be time to dd

sweet, may be time to dd

its worth it.

its worth it.

You've viewed the German BD?

I already have the Warner BD release.

You've viewed the German BD?

I already have the Warner BD release.

Sorry my mistake I did not read the whole thread I assumed when you were talking about DD you had the sd version.

Well I just bought & viewed Shawshank (one of my all time favorites). I was VERY dissapointed! It looks no better, imho, than the SD version. In fact, I think I like the SD version better. :confused:

PS3 & Samsung 52" 850.

In fact, I think I like the SD version better. :confused:


woah...



http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn26/gvjm2007/HDSDCOMP/Shaw/9ddb5ddb.pnghttp://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn26/gvjm2007/HDSDCOMP/Shaw/eac2a376.png


The SD looked better on your set...?!?!?

Well I just bought & viewed Shawshank (one of my all time favorites). I was VERY dissapointed! It looks no better, imho, than the SD version. In fact, I think I like the SD version better. :confused:

PS3 & Samsung 52" 850.

mmm... OK!:confused:

Well I just bought & viewed Shawshank (one of my all time favorites). I was VERY dissapointed! It looks no better, imho, than the SD version. In fact, I think I like the SD version better. :confused:

PS3 & Samsung 52" 850.

mmm... OK!:confused:
Yeah, me too! :confused: I watched The Shawshank Redemption BD on a Pioneer Kuro 6020FD and thought it looked GREAT. Not to put too fine a point on it, there is no accounting for taste, if you get what I mean. :)

I've noticed no halos or overt DNR in Shawshank and if you can't tell the difference between the BD and the DVD then I don't know what to say.
Look at the opening chapter when Andy is in the car outside the cabin.
Look at how sharp the PQ is, the colors and textures are deep, rich and natural. I really can't see anything to complain about there.

TDK, definitely has halos in certain scenes and the hard, flat look.
Gordon in the bank vault for one.
In other scenes, excluding the IMAX, it looks just fine.
The IMAX scenes are inf*ckingcredible, plus the AQ throughout is reference.

Spotting the difference between DVD and blu-ray is easy. Spotting DNR is a little harder.

Spotting DNR when there are screen grab threads showing one where to look is easy, spotting DNR when there aren't is a little harder.

The caps show a clear difference between the DVD and BD, but the writing on the bible is barely any better on the BD and it should be clear and readable. I am sure it could be the way it was originally captured, but I think about some caps I have seen like I have from a James Bond BD compared to the DVD with books on shelves and the writing is unreadable in the DVD, but clear and readable in the BD. IMO, there are some things I think we can have realistic expectations on with BD's and a closeup of a book end with writing that is readable is one of them.

Heh, I think the overall difference is significant, compare the slot just above the cross pin, its clearly more defined and crisp on Blu Ray, nevermind the more obvious areas in the rest of the grab, and honestly, grabs don't do it justice, when viewing with the raw naked eye, the diff in person is even more apparent if you ask me, I mean after watching this one so many times in SD, you're like "WOW" as soon as you see the Blu version, least I am. But, to each his own, if somebody thinks DVD is superior, more power to ya, hope you enjoy it.

The caps show a clear difference between the DVD and BD, but the writing on the bible is barely any better on the BD and it should be clear and readable. I am sure it could be the way it was originally captured, but I think about some caps I have seen like I have from a James Bond BD compared to the DVD with books on shelves and the writing is unreadable in the DVD, but clear and readable in the BD. IMO, there are some things I think we can have realistic expectations on with BD's and a closeup of a book end with writing that is readable is one of them.

Blu-ray can't make objects that are out of focus in focus.

Blu-ray can't make objects that are out of focus in focus.

but it can or should in comparison to things that are on DVD that are seemingly out of focus, but are in fact due to poor rez.
and that is why I said, "I am sure it could be the way it was originally captured" :)

Maybe digital downloads or the next HD format can. ;)

I like to be able to clearly discern writing on objects like books, signs, etc. and at least we get more of that with BD over DVD by a large margin. That is one thing I have really appreciated about cap comparisons.

Has anyone viewed the german release, It was mentioned earlier in this thread.

MPEG4/AVC on a BD50 with DTS HD MA 5.1

Hmmm... I would be interested. The WB disc looks like it's been filtered, as per usual.

Hmmm... I would be interested. The WB disc looks like it's been filtered, as per usual.I've seen this movie so many times by now that I don't even know if I'd buy a decent looking BD. Ah, sure I would...

Oops wrong specs.

Here are the german specs. The uk has comparable specs for video, has anyone seen the uk release?

German
VC-1 / 1080p24 / 1.78:1 / 26.90 Mbps
English DTS-HD Master 5.1 (48 kHz / 16-bit / 1816 kbps

Translating a few reviews here and looking at screencaps it looks like it sadly has some dnr.

I dont know how it looks compared to the u.s. version though based on the caps or if its worth the import.

http://www.blurayreviews.ch/reviews/shawshank-redemption-the-blu-ray-review.htm

From looking at the caps and comparing the u.s. there is dnr in the german but i dont see any EE, looks like the american has some EE? I guess people who seen the american can comment.

I will probably import the german unless someone who has the american if its not worth it.

I thought the Warner transfer was slightly better but the compression is as usual flaky. Couldn't notice any DNR. Thought a thin layer of grain always present alongside compression noise.

I thought the Warner transfer was slightly better but the compression is as usual flaky. Couldn't notice any DNR. Thought a thin layer of grain always present alongside compression noise.

Just so I am clear you have seen the german and prefer the warner version?

I am going to guess the uk release and german release are the same. Cinema squid has them as related. However is the german one just distributed by another company, but is the same version?

Unless I am wrong your referring to the uk release which was also released in germany.

From what I can tell on cinema squid there was also another release in germany later on, the one i was looking at.

Cinema squid shows the uk one was released in germany but another newer version was later released from euro video with DTS master instead of dolby digital and a higher bitrate.

I finally seen the german version released from euro video. Compared it to the american.

The german version does have some dnr. Its higher bitrate but mainly does not have any EE.

Would love to see a release without dnr or EE.

The german wins though due to better compression and no EE. With the german I get a glimpses of how truely amazing this transfer could be without any dnr.


Hoping for a proper release some day.

PLAYLIST REPORT:

Name: 00002.MPLS
Length: 2:22:33 (h: m: s)
Size: 34,965,202,944 bytes
Total Bitrate: 32.70 Mbps

Video:
Codec Bitrate Description
----- ------- -----------
VC-1 Video 26866 kbps 1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / Advanced Profile 3

Audio:
Codec Language Bitrate Description
----- -------- ------- -----------
DTS-HD Master Audio English 1816 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1816 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Dolby Digital Audio English 640 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 640 kbps / DN-4dB
Dolby Digital Audio Chinese 448 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio Chinese 384 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 384 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN-4dB / Dolby Surround
Dolby Digital Audio Chinese 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps

Subtitles:
Codec Language Bitrate Description
----- -------- ------- -----------
Presentation Graphics English 31.198 kbps
Presentation Graphics English 43.300 kbps
Presentation Graphics Chinese 54.383 kbps
Presentation Graphics Chinese 56.576 kbps
Presentation Graphics Chinese 22.282 kbps
Presentation Graphics Chinese 60.539 kbps
Presentation Graphics Japanese 22.939 kbps
Presentation Graphics Portuguese 30.887 kbps

I finally seen the german version released from euro video. Compared it to the american.

The german version does have some dnr. Its higher bitrate but mainly does not have any EE.

Would love to see a release without dnr or EE.

The german wins though due to better compression and no EE. With the german I get a glimpses of how truely amazing this transfer could be without any dnr.


Hoping for a proper release some day.

PLAYLIST REPORT:

Name: 00002.MPLS
Length: 2:22:33 (h: m: s)
Size: 34,965,202,944 bytes
Total Bitrate: 32.70 Mbps

Video:
Codec Bitrate Description
----- ------- -----------
VC-1 Video 26866 kbps 1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / Advanced Profile 3

Audio:
Codec Language Bitrate Description
----- -------- ------- -----------
DTS-HD Master Audio English 1816 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1816 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Dolby Digital Audio English 640 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 640 kbps / DN-4dB
Dolby Digital Audio Chinese 448 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio Chinese 384 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 384 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN-4dB / Dolby Surround
Dolby Digital Audio Chinese 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps

Subtitles:
Codec Language Bitrate Description
----- -------- ------- -----------
Presentation Graphics English 31.198 kbps
Presentation Graphics English 43.300 kbps
Presentation Graphics Chinese 54.383 kbps
Presentation Graphics Chinese 56.576 kbps
Presentation Graphics Chinese 22.282 kbps
Presentation Graphics Chinese 60.539 kbps
Presentation Graphics Japanese 22.939 kbps
Presentation Graphics Portuguese 30.887 kbps

If those are supposed to be taken from the German BD then where is the German dub and subtitles?

Thats because it was a remux someone did, and stripped the german out.

It is the german video and audio however. Check cinema squid for reference.

Releases: 2009-01-12 - Euro Video
Region: Region Locked B
Runtime: 143 minutes
Discs: 1 : BD-50
Video: VC-1 / 1080p24 / 1.78:1 / 26.90 Mbps
Audio: English DTS-HD Master 5.1 (48 kHz / 16-bit / 1816 kbps)
German DTS-HD Master 5.1 (48 kHz / 16-bit / 2116 kbps)
Subtitles: English, German

Notice the bitrates are the same as mine for video and master audio english.


Now compare to the american.


Releases: 2008-12-02 - Warner Home Video
Region: Region Free ABC
Runtime: 143 minutes
Discs: 1 : BD-50 (29.69 GB)
Video: VC-1 / 1080p24 / 1.85:1 / 16.42 Mbps
Audio: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48 kHz / 16-bit / 1423 kbps)
English Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
French Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 kbps)
Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 kbps)
Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0 (192 kbps)
Subtitles: English (SDH), Chinese (Traditional), English, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish

So am I crazy for thinking the u.s. version had some EE as well? I see nobody mention it. Either I am seeing things, or my EE paranoia is altering my perception.

Like in this scene here, I see DNR but EE applied over top as well...

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/screenshot.php?movieid=574&position=8

So is this movie's OAR 1.85:1 or 1.78:1? On the back of the Blu-ray it says it's 1.85:1 and the same at IMDB. However it is clearly in 1.78:1 on my TV right now.

What's going on here? Was it a miss-print on the Blu-ray or did Warner decide to "fill up the screen" and go with 1.78:1?

Thanks in advance.

So is this movie's OAR 1.85:1 or 1.78:1? On the back of the Blu-ray it says it's 1.85:1 and the same at IMDB. However it is clearly in 1.78:1 on my TV right now.

What's going on here? Was it a miss-print on the Blu-ray or did Warner decide to "fill up the screen" and go with 1.78:1?

Thanks in advance.
Warner (and Paramount) often open up 1.85:1 movies to 1.78:1. Not a difference worth worrying about (keep in mind that projection matting in theaters is not that precise).

So is this movie's OAR 1.85:1 or 1.78:1? On the back of the Blu-ray it says it's 1.85:1 and the same at IMDB. However it is clearly in 1.78:1 on my TV right now.
I don't have this disc (yet) but it *is* supposed to be 1.85:1, which means pencil-thin lines on a 16x9 TV. Is maybe yours set to one of its overscan modes?

I have never had overscan on my projector, and checked for it, 1:85 movies have lines at the top and bottem. This one did not.

If I remember correctly.

Well as I said I don't have the disc and have only seen a couple of reviews wherein there was only mention of 1.85:1 for the Blu-ray--no one said "box sez 1.85; in reality 1.78". Were there multiple issues of this movie on BD disc maybe?

And when someone says "my TV" most of those do have ez overscan settings e.g. Full, Panel, Zoom, etc. In fact I run my everyday TV, a 40" 1080p, in the first overscan setting just to avoid those VBI noise lines you still get with some digital-but-SD TV stations.

As 42041 stated Warner has opened up the image from 1.85:1 to 1.78:1, it is a practice they begun already with DVD and is nothing new. It is not an overscan issue in those cases.

Nope, I have no overscan issues with my TV.

I know it isn't a big difference but it annoys me that companies do this. Just let the movie show the way it should be shown.

It's cropped to 1.78 as others have said...

To make it worse, this blu-ray is a very small upgrade over the DVD from approx 2000

I doubt it's cropped; unless a movie is shot in anamorphic format, where you have no more picture on the top/bottom, it's likely open matte.

I doubt it's cropped; unless a movie is shot in anamorphic format, where you have no more picture on the top/bottom, it's likely open matte.

Ah, sorry, didn't realize it was opened up.. thought they cropped it. The DVD actually is cropped a bit compared to the blu-ray.