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Blue Underground brings out the Euro-horror

23K views 182 replies 43 participants last post by  NIN74 
#1 ·
Cool news for fans of Euro-horror titles, Blue Underground is continuing to bring select cult horror to HD. Coming this fall they will be issuing Lucio Fulci's NEW YORK RIPPER (9/29/09) and Jorge Grau's THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE (10/27/09) to BD.


The latter is one of the best post-NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD zombie films out there, and still packs quite a punch.
 
#155 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by 42041 /forum/post/18823316


Is Blue Underground not letting Netflix offer their newer releases for rental or something? Neither Django or COTD even have an availability date

Yeah I am wondering the same thing. Wonder if Blockbuster has them???
 
#158 ·
WalMart is officially terrible. Ordered CotLD on 5/19, they delayed it a few times (but still charged me), then after more emails assured I would receive it to my door between 7/something and 7/13. Well, it's 7/13 and it's not here, and the website still says "Processing" with the same time frame listed.


Any place have this cheaper than Amazon? They want around $32, and I paid WalMart $19.
 
#161 ·
Just got done watching Fast Company and I must say what a good B movie. I've never seen this before, and I must say the picture quality was very good. It's the same way with The Crazies never seen it before and was a a impressed with the picture quality. Shame though Netflix cannot get all of the Blue Underground movies for rent.
 
#162 ·
In post #31, I made some comments for which I'll have to make a total reversal on.


Just watched The Crazies and it looks excellent. The sound is pretty thin but I'm assuming that's because of the source. It is lossless...and the original mono, and I am thankful for that. The recent release of Inferno has a mono/stereo tracks, but the only lossless was for the surround mix. That was the only disappointment for that release. I do question how nearly all of these mention that they are newly transferred from the original camera negatives, yet they appear to be made from masters made years ago. Not so sure you could call that Italian DVD release from about 5 years ago to be 'new' anymore. I did notice what looked like very mild edge enhancement on Inferno (you notice it on the opening credits and a few other spots).


Django, I watched that one a while back, it was definitely the least pleasing image of all the BU titles I own.
 
#163 ·
 http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/blu-r...ry_blu-ray.htm


Another one I'm not buying. Haven't bought a new Blue Underground Blu-ray in months and I'm fine with that. I'm at a point now where titles like these will have to look bloody perfect (as in film-like, not this LVR-produced DNR brightened garbage) for me to actually buy them. I already have six or seven other releases of this film and I'm done until I get a real Blu-ray. Hear me, Blue Underground?
 
#165 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by surap /forum/post/21087243


It's artificial?

"Artificial" isn't quite the word, but basically the scanner at the film lab doing all of BU's Italian transfers exaggerates the film grain and produces machine noise on top of the original grain. They aren't going out of their way to generate fake grain, it's more a side-effect of their hardware that they can't disable (short of smearing it out with DVNR).


Here's an example from Tenebrae, one of the only films I know of where we have a faulty noisy transfer and a proper, high quality scan from a different lab using better HD Telecine equipment:

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) Spoiler  
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)


Arrow Video UK



Wild Side France



That basically sums up what's wrong with LVR Video & Post's transfers better than words ever could.


Also, DVD Beaver's caps regularly blur out noise/grain, for whatever reason. Rock! Shock! Pop! has reviews for ZOMBIE and HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY with more reliable caps.
 
#167 ·
Yeah, it has basically killed my interest in buying italian movies on blu-ray.

At least the ones done over at LVR.

Some arn´t bothered with it, but to me it´s very annoying and takes me out of the movie.


The Wild Side of Tenebre, and Midnight´s Alien 2, really show us how good those classics can look without the noise.


I can´t believe Blue-Underground isn´t looking into this problem and changing labs. But as long as people still buy them, why would they bother...


Universal should look into putting fake grain on their DNR:ed transfers, as long as there is ANY kind of noise that looks like grain, the fans will be happy with it
 
#168 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kentai /forum/post/21087847


"Artificial" isn't quite the word, but basically the scanner at the film lab doing all of BU's Italian transfers exaggerates the film grain and produces machine noise on top of the original grain. They aren't going out of their way to generate fake grain, it's more a side-effect of their hardware that they can't disable (short of smearing it out with DVNR).

The reason why it does not bother me too much is that the grain is not artificial it is analogue in nature. The analogic noise isn't or atleast shouln't be frozen - therefore I think screencaps can't show you the whole truth of the quality.


Personally, I think even BU's Django has many good moments with lots of detail. But Django had print damage that made the analogue grain from the CRT scan to freez, and at a few scenes at worst, the whole picture blinks very frustrating due to this.


My point (sorry for my english) is that I don't believe that a good CRT based scanner could not show as much detail as a common CCD based scanner. Further I think also other studios use CRT scans with some old films to give the picture a grainier more filmic look that might orherwise not be possible because of the limitations of the preservation of the original film.


This is all IMHO ofcourse because I'm certainly not a pro on this field.
 
#169 ·
Having an audio issue with this "Daughters Of Darkness". I get no sound from either the DTS-HD MA English or French track when watching at normal speed. If I hit the FF button (using a PS3) to go to 1.5X, I get sound. I am able to hear both commentary tracks as normal and all the special features seem fine. But I can't get sound with the main audio tracks. I thought it was a firmware issue related to DTS-HD MA, so I updated firmware on my PS3 from 1.50 to 1.73, but still have the same problem. Anyone else have this or know what the problem might be?


PS3 is connected to my receiver via optical digital out.
 
#170 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by agentalbert /forum/post/21161625


Having an audio issue with this "Daughters Of Darkness". I get no sound from either the DTS-HD MA English or French track when watching at normal speed. If I hit the FF button (using a PS3) to go to 1.5X, I get sound. I am able to hear both commentary tracks as normal and all the special features seem fine. But I can't get sound with the main audio tracks. I thought it was a firmware issue related to DTS-HD MA, so I updated firmware on my PS3 from 1.50 to 1.73, but still have the same problem. Anyone else have this or know what the problem might be?


PS3 is connected to my receiver via optical digital out.

Anyone? I noticed that when I fast forward, my receiver shows it is receiving a 48k PCM stream. I get sound while fast forwarding at 1.5X. But when it returns to normal 1X play, my receiver shows it is receiving DTS 1.0 and I get no sound.
 
#171 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Damnationdoormat /forum/post/21086860

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/blu-r...ry_blu-ray.htm


Another one I'm not buying. Haven't bought a new Blue Underground Blu-ray in months and I'm fine with that. I'm at a point now where titles like these will have to look bloody perfect (as in film-like, not this LVR-produced DNR brightened garbage) for me to actually buy them. I already have six or seven other releases of this film and I'm done until I get a real Blu-ray. Hear me, Blue Underground?


Yeah, it is MUCH better to see them on DVD.
 
#172 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Damnationdoormat /forum/post/21086860

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/blu-r...ry_blu-ray.htm


Another one I'm not buying. Haven't bought a new Blue Underground Blu-ray in months and I'm fine with that. I'm at a point now where titles like these will have to look bloody perfect (as in film-like, not this LVR-produced DNR brightened garbage) for me to actually buy them. I already have six or seven other releases of this film and I'm done until I get a real Blu-ray. Hear me, Blue Underground?

House by the Cemetery is just about the best looking title BU has released to date. I'm confused as to why you are objecting to THIS release rather than any of the numerous recent releases that aren't up to the same standard.
 
#173 ·
Is there any news on TENEBRAE and a proper release in English? The Arrow version is unwatchable.
 
#174 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by SaxCatz /forum/post/21166931


House by the Cemetery is just about the best looking title BU has released to date. I'm confused as to why you are objecting to THIS release rather than any of the numerous recent releases that aren't up to the same standard.

House by the Cemetery has plenty of analog noise and DVNR to help hide it. It's notably less processed than Zombie and Torso were, but it's hardly a reference transfer.


Their best looking Italian-sourced BU transfer is still The Bird With The Crystal Plumage, followed very closely by The New York Ripper and Two Evil Eyes.
 
#176 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by sub24ox7 /forum/post/21316932


They need to invest in a ccd type scanner as these crt flying spot scanners produce

less than ideal images yuck.

Or maybe just do some maintenance on the ones they have... I really doubt such incredibly expensive professional equipment would produce such ghastly noise when working properly
 
#177 ·
Well it is inferior tech and sure you can get a little less but really it is a bi product of CRT

process and you are left with a TON of Noise that you can leave and it look similar to

Django or denoise it some. All of the major studios use ccd based telecine and have for sometime. There are two companies scanning with this particular scanner which is one of the very few crt telecines being still made. It is very expensive so I doubt they will be

upgrading soon :/
 
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