Gladiator Master Blu-ray Comparison and Review Thread

[scrapser]

I bought "The French Connection" and was appalled by the PQ. I vowed never to buy another BD movie without first checking reviews of the transfer. I will not buy this release of Gladiator and will never buy it if a re-release is never issued.

[Whiggles]

Originally Posted by fpconvert

He doesn't make any reference to the equipment he used to review the disc with.

Since you asked:

* Projector: Sony FPL-VW60
* Screen: 123" Da-lite Cinema Vision Perm-Wall
* Receiver: Onkyo TX-SR875
* Front left and right speakers: Monitor Audio Silver RS6
* Centre speaker: Monitor Audio Silver RS-LCR
* Rear left and right speakers: Monitor Audio Bronze BRFX
* Subwoofer: MJ Acoustics Pro 50

Also watched on a Pioneer KURO PDP-LD5090 (50") Plasma, and even on a 27" desktop monitor (Dell UltraSharp 2709W). All calibrated. Same garbage on each display, but then I'm sure you knew that already.

[mike171979]

If your PS3 is having trouble with Gladiator, something is wrong with your PS3 or your disc.

I'd return it for a new one.

I played both Gladiator and Braveheart on my PS3 with absolutely zero problems, and so have a lot of others.

[mpalmieri1203]

Its not as awful as people here are making it out to be. It is easily an improvement over the DVD. Colors look great and only a few scenes exhibit an overabundance of EE. If you're on the fence and love the movie I'd say pick it up.

[van der graaf]

Originally Posted by mpalmieri1203

Its not as awful as people here are making it out to be. It is easily an improvement over the DVD. Colors look great and only a few scenes exhibit an overabundance of EE. If you're on the fence and love the movie I'd say pick it up.

You mean: pick up MOST of it...since pieces of it have been erased to hell.

[mpalmieri1203]

Originally Posted by van der graaf

You mean: pick up MOST of it...since pieces of it have been erased to hell.

No, not really, I mean if you're a fan of the film and on the fence because of the ongoing debate, I'd say get the WHOLE thing

It is quite a bit better than both of the DVDs I own.

[fpconvert]

Originally Posted by Whiggles

Since you asked:

* Projector: Sony FPL-VW60
* Screen: 123" Da-lite Cinema Vision Perm-Wall
* Receiver: Onkyo TX-SR875
* Front left and right speakers: Monitor Audio Silver RS6
* Centre speaker: Monitor Audio Silver RS-LCR
* Rear left and right speakers: Monitor Audio Bronze BRFX
* Subwoofer: MJ Acoustics Pro 50

Also watched on a Pioneer KURO PDP-LD5090 (50") Plasma, and even on a 27" desktop monitor (Dell UltraSharp 2709W). All calibrated. Same garbage on each display, but then I'm sure you knew that already.

I'm sorry, I did not put your posts and the review together. Now that I have, it explains the tone and content of the review.
I won't dispute what you viewed as faults in the BD, only that I did not see the negatives to the extent that you did or have the same reaction overall as you did. It is clear many of us didn't find it perfect but very enjoyable none the less.
Good luck in your quest to get a re-issue.

[Gamereviewgod]

I posted my review on Tuesday. Gave it a second partial go today with a friend who was unaware of the issues makes me wish I was harsher on it, purely for the frustration of the extended scenes looking as they did. He even spotted the glowing arrows at the start and knew something wasn't right. It is hilariously bad.

One of the worst shots is when Maximus visits his family at the end. The rows of tall grass literally look like a giant block of mush, and the EE is thick. What a disappointment.

http://www.doblu.com/2009/09/02/gladiator-review/

[UnFrSaKn]

Initial "Gladiator" Blu-ray Reviews Report Picture Quality Issues

http://www.bigscreen.com/journal.php?id=1632

[Htdude14]

The good news is the "word" is spreading about these PQ issues. I have overheard talk in a BB store where 2 guys talked themselves out of a purchase( I know that sounds miniscule but hopefully the same thing is happening at many stores), plus local forum buzz and lastly some of the reviews with low video scores etc...hopefully this will lead to a re-master and disc exchange for current owners.

[sperron]

Even if Paramount doesn't "recall" this title, maybe this situation will make it clear to the Studios that many of their customers do expect more from these discs then just being "better then the DVD". So I hope this release turns into a huge stink for Paramounts PR department.

[Mark Booth]

Anyone that might be having trouble loading Gladiator or Braveheart.. I haven't confirmed it so I have no idea if it is true, but I just read elsewhere that both titles do not contain any previews on the discs. Instead, the previews are being streamed from Paramount's site and THAT is the reason it takes so long for these titles to load! Supposedly, if you unplug your player's ethernet connection, the movies load the menu right up much faster!

I think I'm going to unplug my Panasonic BD-35's internet connection and leave it that way except when I want to upgrade firmware. It's none of their damn business which movies I'm watching and when anyway.

Mark

[sharkcohen]

One should set the ps3 to prompt for online content for Blu-rays. Then you can select 'no' to bypass BDLive content when you load the disc.

Sadly, when you update the firmware on the ps3, you have to remember to go back and set this again.

[Whiggles]

Originally Posted by fpconvert

I'm sorry, I did not put your posts and the review together. Now that I have, it explains the tone and content of the review.
I won't dispute what you viewed as faults in the BD, only that I did not see the negatives to the extent that you did or have the same reaction overall as you did. It is clear many of us didn't find it perfect but very enjoyable none the less.
Good luck in your quest to get a re-issue.

No worries. I admit it wasn't entirely clear that I was the one who wrote the review - I should probably have made it more obvious. And I really should start listing my equipment in my reviews. It's not something that DVD Times as a site has ever traditionally done, given that it tends to place more emphasis on reviewing the films themselves, but in cases like these, which a contentious title, it would probably be a good idea. Sorry if I came across as a bit snippy in my reply to you.

[Greg T]

I got in on the Best Buy deal, I have a 106" 1080P projector setup and a 60" Elite plasma setup in the same room. Gladiator looks pretty awful on the 106", but looked pretty decent on the 60". It looked to be about the quality as showtime or HDnet movies on the 60". I sat about 12 feet from the 106" and about 8 feet from the 60"

[jmpage2]

Originally Posted by mpalmieri1203

No, not really, I mean if you're a fan of the film and on the fence because of the ongoing debate, I'd say get the WHOLE thing

It is quite a bit better than both of the DVDs I own.

You are missing the point. This release is a slap in the face to the fans who have already shelled out $500 Million dollars on theater tickets and DVD editions of this film and the studio can't even be trusted to spend $100,000 to make the Blu-Ray look as good as it should have.

Buying movies when they disrespect us to this degree just encourages that behavior.

Maybe they should take the crappy old DVD transfer for Saving Private Ryan and destroy that next?

As long as its at least an incremental improvement over the DVD it's well worth your money though, right?

Shame on you and everyone else who knows just how bad these issues are and yet forks your dollars anyway. Real fans of these movies don't just buy whatever slop these jerks shovel into the trough.

[Hughmc]

Originally Posted by Greg T

I got in on the Best Buy deal, I have a 106" 1080P projector setup and a 60" Elite plasma setup in the same room. Gladiator looks pretty awful on the 106", but looked pretty decent on the 60". It looked to be about the quality as showtime or HDnet movies on the 60". I sat about 12 feet from the 106" and about 8 feet from the 60"

That then begs the question or rather statement. What is fair and right to judge PQ by? Something that exacerbates PQ issues due to larger screen size or something smaller or neither! Again as I have often said statements that say a movie looks like crap on a bigger screen do little to motivate me to get a large screen, hence when I come home from commercial theatres I am thrilled to look at my 60 in in comparison.

[Mark Booth]

Looked pretty decent on my 70" so don't stop at 60"!

Mark

[42041]

Once again, we're not judging picture quality in a vacuum, we have plenty of reference material. If another movie can look great on a 120" screen, this should too (and for that matter, if this movie can look great for 15 minutes, then it might as well look great for 3 hours)

[Fredrik]

As so many have asked and I guess will never be answered, is why did they do this ?
Equipment, viewing distance etc. are valid points but to be honest there is one simple fact.
The C4 broadcast pictures are better looking than the BD, WTF!
If the BD is marginaly better than the HD broadcast version, then fair enough but it's worse

I won't sponsor stupidity, no matter how cheap it is.

[Upinit]

Originally Posted by Mark Booth

Do you have the latest firmware for your PS3?

Beyond that, I will say this... Both Braveheart and Gladiator took longer to load than is typical for Blu-rays I put in my Panasonic BD-35. And BOTH titles momentarily displayed a pink band of noise at the bottom of my screen while loading. I've never seen that before and it worried me (for a couple of seconds) that the disc weren't going to load. But load they both did, and they played fine.

Mark

Originally Posted by Mark Booth

Anyone that might be having trouble loading Gladiator or Braveheart.. I haven't confirmed it so I have no idea if it is true, but I just read elsewhere that both titles do not contain any previews on the discs. Instead, the previews are being streamed from Paramount's site and THAT is the reason it takes so long for these titles to load! Supposedly, if you unplug your player's ethernet connection, the movies load the menu right up much faster!

I think I'm going to unplug my Panasonic BD-35's internet connection and leave it that way except when I want to upgrade firmware. It's none of their damn business which movies I'm watching and when anyway.

Mark

I have just confirmed this was partly the issue. I disabled my Wireless connectivity and was able to play Gladiator with no issues. However, when I enabled it the same issue occurred.

I posted this question on the PS3 board here and someone told me to go into the BD Data Utility from the video menu and delete the file associated to my movie and this fixed the issue completely.

[Kram Sacul]

Which of these is a straight 1080p capture from the Blu-ray and which is a 480p downconvert which has been rescaled back to 1080p?

Spoiler  

[RDarrylR]

The answer is C)

[KMFDMvsEnya]

First pic, G1A, is the upconvert and the second, G1B, is the BR. The difference between the two is sadly no dramatic, although at least there isn't the same level of stair stepping on the BR.

Of course I could be completely wrong.

Best Regards
KvE

[msgohan]

Originally Posted by Whiggles

My review at DVD Times has just gone live:

http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content/id...gladiator.html

Finally a truly accurate review on a "major" site.

Thanks for the effort, Whiggles. Hopefully at least Britons will be able to make an informed decision.

[Morpheo]

Originally Posted by KMFDMvsEnya

Of course I could be completely wrong.

I don't think you are. 1a is clearly the DVD upconverted. 1b is just slightly better. One thing though, the colors are "richer" and more defined in the Blu-ray cap. Which is kind of normal I know, but with this release we gotta catch anything that seem even remotely positive.

[msgohan]

Should've cropped the matte lines and used a slightly softer resize to avoid aliasing methinks, Kram.

[sharkcohen]

Originally Posted by Kram Sacul

Which of these is a straight 1080p capture from the Blu-ray and which is a 480p downconvert which has been rescaled back to 1080p?

Spoiler  

The bottom one is the straight capture. Pretty easy to tell, so I'm not sure the significance.

[Whiggles]

Another review has surfaced, also very scathing:

http://www.doblu.com/2009/09/02/gladiator-review/

How this made it past quality control is anyone’s guess.

Accepting anything less than what the extended footage showcases is a knock on the format. It is not about being “better” than DVD, it is how far ahead of DVD we are. This disc sets that idea back to the starting gate.

[Kram Sacul]

Originally Posted by msgohan

Should've cropped the matte lines and used a slightly softer resize to avoid aliasing methinks, Kram.

Yeah, I know. I tried different resizes but there no way to get rid of the stairstepping without smoothening it. Oh well.

The Blu-ray captures have just barely more resolution than a PAL dvd. You could probably encode it in enhanced definition (853x480) and get away with it.