Hi, in september I started a thread about the 1'st wave of Dutch Filmworks releases (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=907757), and I'd like to follow it up with some info about their 2'nd batch of HDM releases (both formats).

As most of you will know by now, their first slate was a serious hit or miss affair, so if you don't want to buy bad discs you'd be wise to wait for some professional reviews of the new titles before you start (pre) ordering discs you might be interested in.

In wave no. 2, five North American BD "exclusives" will be released on HD DVD again overhere, so here's hopin' for some quality releases.

Wave no. 2. will consist of (releases on both HD media) :

01-22-2008 1408 (BD exclusive in the USA, MGM)
01-22-2008 Good Shepherd, The
01-22-2008 Hero
01-22-2008 Home Of The Brave (BD exclusive in the USA, MGM)
01-22-2008 Messengers, The (BD exclusive in the USA, Sony)
01-22-2008 Rescue Dawn (BD exclusive in the USA, MGM)
01-22-2008 Tristan & Isolde (BD exclusive in the USA, FOX)

Sorry, I'm not able to link to the page where the above info was revealed, but if you go to the mainpage of dvd-home.nl (http://www.dvd-home.nl/) and you click on database, you can find the titles in the section "komende HD titels" (which means "forthcoming HD titles").

Before people will start asking about it, Dutch Filmworks has never put English subtitles on their discs (on SD DVD and HDM) so (unfortunately) it's very unlikely HERO will be of any use to most of you. The SD version of HERO they released some years ago looked and sounded really good by the way (it was the 99 minutes version, not the longer 107 minute Director's cut).

Some other news. Dutch Filmworks also have the (theatrical and software media) rights to the 4'th RAMBO movie so that's another title I'm pretty certain will hit HD DVD in 5-6 months from now overhere . (That's another US BD exclusive title).

Other Dutch Filmworks releases (that are all BD exclusives in the States) that can almost certainly be expected in the (near) future on HD DVD (and BD) are SAW IV (Lionsgate in the USA), 30 DAYS OF NIGHT (Sony in the USA) and MR. MAGORIUM' S WONDER EMPORIUM (FOX in the USA).

If I find out more about the above titles (specs, artwork, etc) I'll post it on the board. After the weekend I'll get in touch with the people responsible for the mastering etc. of the first wave. If there's any real demand for an English subtitled HD version of HERO, let me know, I'll make sure I'll let THEM know, maybe it can still be arranged.

Alexander,

Thanks for putting this out there. We appreciate the time and effort you put in to let us know about these releases.

Alexander, thank you for an excellent post.

01-22-2008 Rescue Dawn (BD exclusive in the USA, MGM)

I can't believe I still haven't seen this. Might be a blind buy (assuming the actual disc is a hit and not a miss).

The SD version of HERO they released some years ago looked and sounded really good by the way (it was the 99 minutes version, not the longer 107 minute Director's cut).

[...]

After the weekend I'll get in touch with the people responsible for the mastering etc. of the first wave. If there's any real demand for an English subtitled HD version of HERO, let me know, I'll make sure I'll let THEM know, maybe it can still be arranged.

I'd be very interested in an English-subbed version. Did they say yet if the HD version will be the 99 min. cut or the DC?

Excellent post, BTW. Keep up the good work!

Hopefully they'll all be better encoded this time around. While their Reservoir Dogs disc is good, the Lord Or War disc is complete crap. Shame about Hero, as it's the only one on that list that even remotely tempts me, and even that's a boring film.

Just as an aside, 1408 is a product of Genius Products (Weinstein) and not MGM in the US. It's not on any hi-def format as of yet, so this will be the only way to get it in HD until Weinstein comes out of their shell.

strange about hero not having english subs. i believe my lord of war hd dvd has english subs

i'll take rescue dawn, 1408 and hero if it has the english subtitles

1408! I enjoyed that one in theaters and have been waiting for it to go high def.

I really hope yhis version of Hero gets the original track with TRUE english subtitles.
NO DUBTITLES!

I'll be definitely interested in Hero if it has English subtitles (unlikely I guess) and if it is a good transfer.

Would get also 1408 if it's other than MPEG-2 and gets good reviews/feedback, otherwise I'll wait for the German release on 25th of February.

strange about hero not having english subs. i believe my lord of war hd dvd has english subs

i'll take rescue dawn, 1408 and hero if it has the english subtitles

I don't think Lord of War HD DVD has selectable English subtitles in it. Back cover mentions only Dutch subtitles and I believe the menu only had Dutch subtitle option as well. Flyboys has English text as part of the video image in some scenes where other languages are spoken, I guess Lord of War may be similar. I didn't watch LoW yet except for a few peeks that gave me a pretty bad impression of the transfer.

Tell them to add true pop-up menus to the discs.

I would love an English version of Hero! What a great movie.

I don't think Lord of War HD DVD has selectable English subtitles in it. Back cover mentions only Dutch subtitles and I believe the menu only had Dutch subtitle option as well. Flyboys has English text as part of the video image in some scenes where other languages are spoken, I guess Lord of War may be similar. I didn't watch LoW yet except for a few peeks that gave me a pretty bad impression of the transfer.

yeah, you're right. i just checked it and it's dutch only. don't know what i was thinking then :o

Alexander,

Thanks for putting this out there. We appreciate the time and effort you put in to let us know about these releases.

+1 :)

I sure hope they get rid of that 4% speed-up they applied to their latest titles.

Lord of War, Running Scared, 16 Blocks and Underworld looked friggin' horrible :eek: They looked like upscaled DVD's with a wrong AR.

...
After the weekend I'll get in touch with the people responsible for the mastering etc. of the first wave. If there's any real demand for an English subtitled HD version of HERO, let me know, I'll make sure I'll let THEM know, maybe it can still be arranged.
Alexander, are they planning to release the movie with an additional english track, or only with the original (chinese mandarin) language track? If the latter, I'd appreciate english substitles.

If possible, they should release the Directors cut instead of the shorter version.

I'm really looking forward to this title and hope they will not mess it up like the german publisher Highlight/Constantin with their release (their version has german and mandarin language tracks, and I think even subtitles, but they set the ICT flag, and therefore messed the release up).

I sure hope they get rid of that 4% speed-up they applied to their latest titles.

Lord of War, Running Scared, 16 Blocks and Underworld looked friggin' horrible :eek: They looked like upscaled DVD's with a wrong AR.

That is fantastic untruth! You must be talking about your BD copies of these movies. :rolleyes:

'Running Scared' in HD DVD is pure reference PQ and AQ. And 'Lord Of War' and 'Underworld' in HD DVD has excellent PQ as well.:D

If possible, they should release the Directors cut instead of the shorter version.

Disagree. The theatrical cut is a better, tighter movies than the extended cut. All the extended cut does is pad out the length of scenes with needlessly repetitive shots.

Another vote for 'Hero' with english subs here ? Agree about Underworld and Running Scared on HD-Dvd , absolutely stunning !

~M~

I sure hope they get rid of that 4% speed-up they applied to their latest titles.

Lord of War, Running Scared, 16 Blocks and Underworld looked friggin' horrible :eek: They looked like upscaled DVD's with a wrong AR.
Which of their titles is 4% speed-up?

I sure hope they get rid of that 4% speed-up they applied to their latest titles.

Lord of War, Running Scared, 16 Blocks and Underworld looked friggin' horrible :eek: They looked like upscaled DVD's with a wrong AR.

Which of their titles is 4% speed-up?

I think he may be confusing them with the Studio Canal releases

I think he may be confusing them with the Studio Canal releases
Yes, this is what I was thinking because despite of a few early HD DVDs from Studio Canal I'm not aware of any title having a pitch problem.

That is fantastic untruth! You must be talking about your BD copies of these movies. :rolleyes:

'Running Scared' in HD DVD is pure reference PQ and AQ. And 'Lord Of War' and 'Underworld' in HD DVD has excellent PQ as well.:D

It is? So the Dutch reviewers we have here are lying? :eek: They've tested both Blu-Ray and HD DVD versions, supposedly all the same encodes and using 4% speedup looking like upscaled DVD versions. I have personally seen Lord of War on HD DVD and Blu-Ray and both look very very bad

It is? So the Dutch reviewers we have here are lying? :eek: They've tested both Blu-Ray and HD DVD versions, supposedly all the same encodes and using 4% speedup looking like upscaled DVD versions. I have personally seen Lord of War on HD DVD and Blu-Ray and both look very very bad
I think he means the German HD DVD of "Running Scared" is great.

It is? So the Dutch reviewers we have here are lying? :eek: They've tested both Blu-Ray and HD DVD versions, supposedly all the same encodes and using 4% speedup looking like upscaled DVD versions. I have personally seen Lord of War on HD DVD and Blu-Ray and both look very very bad

I agree that the Dutch release of Lord of War is definitely bad from what I've seen of it so far (on HD DVD).

I think he means the German HD DVD of "Running Scared" is great.

I guess so, I'm talking about the DFW releases and they look very bad mostly :(

It is? So the Dutch reviewers we have here are lying? :eek: They've tested both Blu-Ray and HD DVD versions, supposedly all the same encodes and using 4% speedup looking like upscaled DVD versions. I have personally seen Lord of War on HD DVD and Blu-Ray and both look very very bad

Link to Reservoir Dogs HD DVD review with this info?

I think he means the German HD DVD of "Running Scared" is great.
I've the german HD DVD, too, and was not disappointed, so the dutch releases seem to be a whole different story.

Thanks Alexander - great news!

Isn't it interesting how many MGM titles are starting toi appear on HD DVD in Europe? :)

Thanks Alexander - great news!

Isn't it interesting how many MGM titles are starting toi appear on HD DVD in Europe? :)
Now I hope they bring the MGM classics some day...

If there's any real demand for an English subtitled HD version of HERO, let me know, I'll make sure I'll let THEM know, maybe it can still be arranged.

And please suggest that they make the subtitles moveable, so people with 2:35:1 CIH screens can use them too!

It is? So the Dutch reviewers we have here are lying? :eek: They've tested both Blu-Ray and HD DVD versions, supposedly all the same encodes and using 4% speedup looking like upscaled DVD versions. I have personally seen Lord of War on HD DVD and Blu-Ray and both look very very bad

Sure you have.:rolleyes:

yes...more imports coming...so happy with HD-DVD!

Home Of The Brave
Hero
The Messengers
Rescue Dawn
Tristan & Isolde

The HD DVD format blog currently has all the details of the above HD DVD titles to be released in the Netherlands on Feb 19.
Link: http://hddvdformat.blogspot.com/2008/01/details-of-dutch-filmworkss-next-wave.html

No English subs for Hero. That sucks.
J

Damn, I would kill for Hero, House of Flying Daggers and Curse of the Golden Flower on HDDVD.

Home Of The Brave
Hero
The Messengers
Rescue Dawn
Tristan & Isolde

The HD DVD format blog currently has all the details of the above HD DVD titles to be released in the Netherlands on Feb 19.
Link: http://hddvdformat.blogspot.com/2008/01/details-of-dutch-filmworkss-next-wave.html

Are these complete specs? Is it possible that Dutch FilmWorks only lists Dutch subtitles because it's more important to... well.. Dutch?

Site says:
Do note that it is still possible the final product may differ from the disc specifications listed on this blog.
Anyone with experience at how accurate these specs tend to be?

I was just thinking the other day that Hero would be an ideal fit for HDM because it was such an intensly visual movie. I would be tempted to get it even without english subs...

Thats really to bad about Hero. :( Although how much you want to bet it will end up having English menu's like all other DFW releases? :rolleyes:

I already own Home Of The Brave on Blu-ray. The quality isn't that great but it is an MPEG-2 encode crammed into a BD-25. If the HD DVD version ends up noticably better I will have to pick that up.

I suppose the only release I will be interested in is Tristan + Isolde. All the others look great on Blu-ray.

Are these complete specs? Is it possible that Dutch FilmWorks only lists Dutch subtitles because it's more important to... well.. Dutch?

DFW releases have never had an English subtitle option.

DFW releases have never had an English subtitle option.

boo that. Thanks for the info

I sure hope they get rid of that 4% speed-up they applied to their latest titles.

Lord of War, Running Scared, 16 Blocks and Underworld looked friggin' horrible :eek: They looked like upscaled DVD's with a wrong AR.

Liar. :rolleyes:

1408 (DFW latest title) was practically a perfect release in my eyes. It had a great transfer, the correct apect ratio, no audio pitch issues, English DTS-HD Master audio track, English menu's, no forced subtitles, full pop-up menu during playback, extra's (although only in standard-def), etc. If DFW keeps it up they will be getting a lot of my money.

Home Of The Brave
Hero
The Messengers
Rescue Dawn
Tristan & Isolde

The HD DVD format blog currently has all the details of the above HD DVD titles to be released in the Netherlands on Feb 19.
Link: http://hddvdformat.blogspot.com/2008/01/details-of-dutch-filmworkss-next-wave.html

Looking forward to Rescue Dawn and Home of the Brave on HD DVD. :)

Thats really to bad about Hero. :( Although how much you want to bet it will end up having English menu's like all other DFW releases? :rolleyes:


An English menu doesn't mean much if there aren't English subtitles.
J

An English menu doesn't mean much if there aren't English subtitles.
J

Uh... yeah thats what I was saying. ;)

I sure hope they get rid of that 4% speed-up they applied to their latest titles.

Lord of War, Running Scared, 16 Blocks and Underworld looked friggin' horrible :eek: They looked like upscaled DVD's with a wrong AR.

What a dumbass!! :rolleyes:

These look appealing.
Apart from Australian and UK releases - would these be the ONLY other ENGLISH labelled, and English menu releases?
If so, is there a decent review listing of titles so far?

Much appreciated.

I just got 1408 from xploited. No speedup and the PQ looks really good. Looks like they have the rights to "The Myst" and "30 Days of Night", I cant wait.