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Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review

17K views 71 replies 42 participants last post by  zombie1210 
#1 ·


The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )

Film:


Extras:


Audio/Video total rating:

( Max score: 100 )
87





Studio and Year: Paramount – 1981, 1984, 1989, 2008
MPAA Rating: PG, PG-13
Feature running time: 118, 115, 127, 122 minutes
Genre: Action/Adventure

Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4)
Video Aspect: 2.35:1
Resolution: 1080p/24


Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio, French/Spanish/Portuguese Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese
Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, John Rhys-Davies, Denholm Elliott, Paul Freeman, Kate Capshaw, Jonathan Ke Quan, Sean Connery, Alison Doody, River Phoenix
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Music by: John Williams
Written by: Lawrence Kasdan, William Huyck, Gloria Katz, Jeffrey Boam, David Koepp
Region Code: A,B,C

Blu-ray Disc release Date: September 18, 2012
"The man in the hat…."


Film Synopsis:

Raiders of the lost Ark - Indy (Harrison Ford) and his feisty ex-flame Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) dodge booby-traps, fight Nazis and stare down snakes in their incredible worldwide quest for the mystical Ark of the Covenant. Experience one exciting cliffhanger after another when you discover adventure with the one and only Indiana Jones.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - Indy (Harrison Ford), his sidekick Short Round (Ke Huy Quan), and nightclub singer Willie Scott (Kate Capshaw) go from high-flying action above the Himalayas to a nail-biting runaway mine car chase and finally a spine-tingling escape from a fortress-like mine in India.

Indiana Jones and the last crusade - Indy's Nazi enemies are back and have kidnapped his father, Professor Henry Jones Sr. (Sean Connery), to get help in their search for the Holy Grail. Following a trail from America to Venice to the deserts of the Middle East, it's up to Indy (Harrison Ford) to save his father, save the Grail and save the day.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull finds Indy (Harrison Ford) trying to outrace a brilliant and beautiful agent (Cate Blanchett) for the mystical, all-powerful Crystal Skull of Akator. Teaming up with a rebellious young biker (Shia LaBeouf) and his spirited original love Marion (Karen Allen), Indy takes you on a breathtaking action-packed adventure in the exciting tradition of the classic Indiana Jones movies!


My Take:


I remember my father took me to see Raiders of the lost Ark at the theater when it came out in 1981. My parents divorced when I was seven and Raiders was the first movie he and I saw together. It was a special event all around and I was immediately a fan. For him it reminded him of the serials he used to see at the movies when he was a boy and for me it represented something I really hadn’t experienced in a film to that point. I knew Harrison Ford from Star Wars but heroes for me either had laser pistols, superpowers or rode horses and carried six shooters. As I watched Raiders I couldn’t help but feel that Indiana Jones was larger than life and in many ways fit the aforementioned hero bill (less the laser pistols of course).

Raiders of the lost Ark was swashbuckling action/adventure, with superbly integrated moments of humor that left people laughing and cheering in the theater. Indiana Jones became and iconic figure that redefined the onscreen hero for a generation. When Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom came out I was there on opening weekend. Like its predecessor I reveled in the good versus evil concept, the repetitive action and enjoyed the relationship between Indy and Shortround but didn’t feel that the script’s elements sustained the characters or resonated as deeply. The humor felt campy and Kate Capshaw’s “Willie” was (and still is) just plain annoying. Temple of Doom wound up more nostalgically appealing than effectively rewarding. I enjoy it but it remains my least favorite of the first three films.


Five years later when Indiana Jones and last crusade was released I recall not feeling especially motivated to rush out to the theater. It wasn’t long before good reports from friends led me to go see it. Crusade opens with a teenaged Indiana Jones (River Phoenix) in 1912 and jumps forward 26 years where Indy (Harrison Ford) finds out that his estranged father (Sean Connery) has gone missing during a quest to find the Holy Grail.

An antiquities collector recruits Indy to continue the quest for the Grail which leads him on a global trek which for him has the added purpose of locating his missing father. Indy locates Henry Jones in Austria before running into trouble once again with the Nazis. Together with the help of Dr. Marcus Brody and Indy’s trusted sidekick Sallah they take on the challenge of locating the artifact before the Nazis, who plan to use it in their quest for world/race domination.


While not as good as Raiders The last crusade easily surpasses Temple of Doom and brings together Connery and Ford who share excellent onscreen chemistry built around a similar formulaic narrative that nonetheless proves to be plenty exciting, engagingly funny and a return to form that Indiana Jones fans can enjoy.


Fast forward to 2008 and the release of Indiana Jones and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which brought back Harrison Ford and Karen Allen in their reprisals of the characters that made Raiders of the lost Ark so good. I reviewed Kingdom of the Crystal Skull when it was release on Blu-ray back in 2008. Here are my comments from that review:

As a fan of the Indiana Jones film franchise I looked forward to this installment. I wasn’t sure what to expect but felt confident in knowing that both Steven Spielberg and George Lucas were involved in the writing and direction. Since Harrison Ford IS Indiana Jones there was no other option in my opinion regarding who would play the part. I thought that the story appropriately brought the character up to date and didn’t overemphasize his age but didn’t ignore it either. I thought that bringing Marion (and Karen Allen) back into the mix was a nice touch for fans.

I didn’t feel that the story was up to the level of the previous films but it had enough depth to make it enjoyable nonetheless. It seemed as though it wasn’t sure how to bring in the climax after the build up, which is where it fell short. Regardless, part of the fun is getting there and that is where the positive attributes lie in the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The supporting cast is made up of quality actors in Cate Blanchett and John hurt. Shai LaBeouf’s star is on the rise but he has a ways to go to prove himself as a quality actor. I do find him appealing onscreen and overall I like him. In my opinion this film stayed true to the feel of the character and the first three movies. As a fan I wasn’t disappointed in it but just felt that it didn’t have the beginning to end solidity that made the better films in the series so much fun to watch.


For the first time all of the Indiana Jones films are brought together in this five disc collection. According to the press release from Paramount, under the supervision of director Steven Spielberg and renowned sound designer Ben Burtt, Raiders of the Lost Ark has been meticulously restored with careful attention to preserving the original look, sound and feel of the iconic film. The original negative was first scanned at 4K and then examined frame-by-frame so that any damage could be repaired. Each of the remaining films, which include Indiana Jones and the King of the Crystal Skull has been re-mastered.


The set comes housed in an attractively bound digibook keep case (with matching slipcover) with individual sleeves for the discs. I like the case, it and the slipcover are sturdy and don’t take up any more room than two standard sized amaray cases. The problem I do have with it is the sleeves for the discs. Removal requires sliding the discs in and out and the spacing is tight which means tugging on them. Not only does it unavoidably leave fingerprints but the potential for scratching the discs.


The release of these films on Blu-ray has been highly anticipated by fans and I am thrilled to now own them in high definition. Read on to see how they look and sound…


Parental Guide:


The rating’s are for action adventure violence and scary images.



AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65

**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**


Audio: 86

(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)

  • Dynamics:

  • Low frequency extension:

  • Surround Sound presentation:

  • Clarity/Detail:

  • Dialogue Reproduction:





Video: 88

  • Resolution/Clarity:

  • Black level/Shadow detail:

  • Color reproduction:

  • Fleshtones:

  • Compression:


Raiders of the lost Ark comes to Blu-ray Disc featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 30 Mbps and lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 3.1 Mbps.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom comes to Blu-ray Disc featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 34 Mbps and lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 4.2 Mbps.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade comes to Blu-ray Disc featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 35 Mbps and lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 3.7 Mbps.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull comes to Blu-ray Disc featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 33 Mbps and lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 3.5 Mbps.

*** I previously reviewed Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull on Blu-ray and will include portions of my comments from that review here. I will rate the audio/video separately and provide each rating at the end with the total reflected above.

Raiders of the Lost Ark:



In looking at the first three films I found that the quality of Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade was essentially the same while Raiders of the Lost Ark slightly differed. Having seen these films in the theater years ago I have no viable memory of what they looked like hence no reference for accuracy in terms of this or any subsequent home video presentation. Going by the press release, this version of Raiders has been restored in keeping with the film’s original “look”.


The opening of this film on home video has always been odd looking and that holds true here as well with mildly crushed blacks and uneven contrast. As a whole the presentation boasts clean, well depicted colors and a pleasing palette of secondary hues that mate well with the period specific source material. Resolution is definable with varying degrees of fine rendering that appear scene dependent. Sharpness wavers, which results in some scenes offering discernable clarity while others are noticeably lacking well defined edges and delineated detail. This is probably my biggest complaint and the first thing that jumped out at me. I loaded up the 2003 DVD and while the high definition image is clearly superior the differences in many instances isn’t a dramatic as you would expect. I also noticed a handful of scenes where the image appeared somewhat compressed or processed looking. The first example came in the opening segment just after Belloq obtains the idol from Indy and holds it up in the air (just after Indy scampers off and he gives the order to kill him). The image becomes dark, overtly grainy and flat. It can be seen again later, to a lesser degree, just as Marcus’ car pulls up in front of Indy’s house.


Blacks are rich and white levels are evenly balanced which gives a fair amount of pop to colors and brighter exterior sequences while darker/low lit segments exhibit excellent dynamic range with visible gradational detail in backgrounds. Grain is present with moderate texture that imparts a filmic quality. While it is evident that the film has been touched up I didn’t see any overt signs that its effects compromised the integrity of the film’s elements although quite frankly there isn’t a way to be certain unless comparing to the original master. I didn’t see any video related noise or distracting artifacts. I must admit that I had higher expectations for Raiders especially in light of the restoration taken from a 4k scan of the original negative. Perhaps this is exactly how it looks and the best we can hope for. There is no doubt that I have never seen it look better in the home environment but comparing it to Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade makes the difference quite obvious.


The lossless DTS-HD 5.1 channel soundtrack is presented in a robust surround mix that makes ample use of the entire platform. Dialogue is clearly rendered although there are instances where prioritization is questionable. I suspect that that is a limitation of the original recording and I would rather have it sound natural than artificially enhanced and hokey. The soundstage opens up when called for as the various sounds/effects emanate from the rear channels to create an enveloping listening experience that is led primarily by John Williams magnificent music score. The volume of the rear channels is mixed a little hot which affects the transition between the front/rear soundstages. Considering the age of this recording I was impressed with its dynamic range as low frequency effects have fair solidity and impact. Overall I enjoyed this new surround sound mix and thought that it preserved the essence of the original recording.

Video rating = 84 Audio rating = 82

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom & Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade:



As I pointed out earlier I essentially found that Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade vary little in terms of video quality, although Temple of Doom does have a few questionable moments (the chapter 29 close up while Indy stands on the bridge holding the stones over the river) while The Last Crusade offers deeper image penetration with no noteworthy issues. I have combined my comments for both of them.


Colors are tonally balanced with vivid primaries, clean rendering and delineated secondary hues that all look terrific. Fleshtones are warm with discernible texture and primarily natural depiction. The level of visible detail in facial features, hair and clothing during close-ups is noteworthy. Wide angle shots vary in terms of visual depth but most reveal subtle degrees of refinement and fidelity is never in question. Resolution is excellent as interior and mid level exterior shots offer clarity, detail and dimension. Contrast and brightness are balanced well which preserves white detail and stages of gray while maintaining an appreciable level of visibility and dimension during darker segments. Grain is visible in fine even layers with no apparent signs of image degrading digital noise reduction. Other than some minor aliasing and light digital noise, primarily associated with optical effects, I didn’t note the presence of any video related anomalies and thought that on a whole Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade look excellent on Blu-ray.


The DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio surround presentation does a nice job rendering these films on Blu-ray. Dialogue has discernible intonation, with distinctive clarity and above average room penetration. Each makes good use of the left, right and center channels to deliver seamlessly integrated panning sequences. Dynamic range is extended but somewhat limited by the dated elements present in the recordings. Sounds and effects emanating from the front channels have copious expression that extends well into the room. Surround activity especially in the case of The Last Crusade is frequent and comes in the form of discernible spatial ambience with some discrete sounds that fill in front to rear directional pans. The LFE channel is similarly used to add impact to the lower bass frequencies associated with the film’s active elements and to add low level support to the music score. I thought that the sound mixes were not only well done but appropriate.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: Video rating = 88 Audio rating = 84


Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: Video rating = 92 Audio rating = 86


Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull:


In looking at Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull I noted no significant difference in this re-mastered version versus the 2008 release. I gave the video a rating of 88 back then and that was a bit reserved based upon my notes. I would rate it and ultimately this presentation a bit higher. Here are some comments from my original review:

Images have a resplendent quality with punchy contrast and high level detail. It obvious that Director Spielberg utilizes varying visual characterizes which can be scene specific to capture the look he wants. He uses filtering to give some scenes a soft glow around bright objects which is reminiscent of the earlier Indiana Jones films. The period clothing used leaned more toward beige, gray and sepia tones that made many scenes appear to be less colorful. There were scenes that contained splashes of color with brighter hues and a broader palette that sparkled. Colors were vivid and rich in texture where appropriate and looked great in high definition. As Dr. Irina Spalko (Blanchett) addresses Indy outside of Area 51 there is a medium distance camera shot of her. The fine blonde hairs on the surface of her face were clearly defined and contrasted nicely against the deep black of her hair.

Another example is during the sequence when Indy and Mutt burst into the library during the motorcycle chase. Just prior to their entrance there is a quick wide angle shot of the library. The video’s three dimensional quality is apparent as the students in the foreground, background and the objects within the room appear appreciably delineated and sharp. The various colors in the sweaters/clothing worn by the students, the green table lamps and textured appearance of facial features and hair are rendered cleanly. That sequence shows off the dynamic quality of this presentation well and is one of the best looking in the film. Blacks are stable with solid depth and visible gradational highlights.

Shadow detail is excellent which provides good visibility in sequences that utilize low lighting and contain darker elements. I had no trouble making out the detail in Indy’s leather jacket as he and Mutt stood in the darkened archway outside of the cell where Ox had been held. Later as they stood in the graveyard I could clearly see the uneven rocky surface of the walls in the background as Indy and Mutt defended themselves against the attacking natives. This increased visual perspective and gave those types of scenes greater depth of field. This movie was shot on film however I didn’t observe any apparent grain structure. There were no obvious signs of digital noise reduction, edge enhancement or compression related artifacts. I thought that this was an excellent video presentation that well represented how this film looked when I saw it theatrically.


The original Blu-ray release for this film had a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 channel soundtrack. Like the video presentation I noted no distinctive difference between that and this DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio presentation. Here are some comments from my original review:

This is not an in your face type of sound mix but its refined and silky smooth delivery is not to be underestimated. This film uses a complex sound design that has to maintain a delicate balance so the plethora of sound effects, music and dialogue within the soundtrack can be clearly and easily interpreted by the audience. Dialogue is distinctly perceptible and well articulated so that even subtle changes in the inflection of the voices among the cast was detectable. Sound effects are accurately placed within the sound field which establishes a tight correlation between the onscreen information and what was being heard within the room. This creates an immersive and involving soundscape that isn’t overly aggressive but is abundantly rich in detail.

I found that even subtle background effects such as the falling of loose debris/pebbles or the soft drip of dewdrops had audible presence. John Williams’ music score is unquestionably the star of the show and it sounds magnificent throughout. It appreciably enhances the motorcycle chase sequence as the orchestrated instrumentation drove the spirited action that culminates in the library. It is accentuated by the smooth timbre of the brass and the low frequency punch of the bass drum. The sound mix delivers rich, well extended bass response that provides tactilely dynamic impact that is occasionally room filling. An example of this can be found early in the movie when the atomic bomb erupts and eviscerates the small make shift town in New Mexico. The initial flash of light is followed by a low frequency burst that resonates throughout the room and sounds great. This is a great audio presentation that seems reminiscent of the earlier Indiana Jones films. I think that that is due in part to the use of many of the sound effects and music utilized in the first three but it is obvious that this mix didn’t go overboard by being too bombastic like some of today’s action based films.

Video rating = 90 Audio rating = 92


Bonus Features:

  • (HD) * New* On the set with Raiders of the Lost Ark:
    1. From jungle to desert – 29 minute documentary
    2. From adventure to legend – 28 minute documentary
  • The making of Raiders of the Lost Ark – (previously unavailable on DVD) 57 minute 1981 Documentary film

  • The making of Raiders of the Lost Ark – 51 minute documentary

  • The making of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom – 41 minute documentary

  • The making of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – 35 minute documentary

  • (HD) The making of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – 28 minutes

  • The stunts of Indiana Jones – 11 minutes

  • The sound of Indiana Jones – 13 minutes

  • The music of Indiana Jones – 12 minutes

  • The light and magic of Indiana Jones – 12 minutes

  • Raiders: The melting face! – 8 minute featurette

  • Indiana Jones and the creepy crawlies (with optional pop-ups) 11 minutes

  • Travel with Indiana Jones: Locations (with optional pop-ups) 10 minutes

  • Indy’s women: The American Film Institute tribute – 9 minutes

  • (HD) Iconic props – 9 minutes

  • (HD) The effects of Indy – 22 minutes

  • (HD) Adventures in post production – 12 minutes



Final Thoughts:


Indiana Jones needs little introduction and has thrilled fans the world over since his introduction in 1981. The creative collaboration of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas treated us to a swashbuckling action/adventure hero that entertained a new generation. There have been varying degrees of devotion to each installment with everyone (including this humble writer) agreeing that Raiders of the Lost Ark is the series crowing achievement. No matter which is your favorite there is no question that we have all impatiently waited for the Indiana Jones films to come to Blu-ray. They have arrived and there's no question that they have never looked better on home video.


I am a bit disappointed in the video quality of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Director Steven Spielberg oversaw its restoration so I guess we will have to assume that what we see is what he intended. I am not sure if that will be consolation to those hoping for reference quality video but truth be told it still looks very good in high definition. The lossless DTS-HD Master Audio surround mixes compliment each film with John Williams’ memorable music featured center stage. Paramount has included a great supplemental offering including two brand new behind the scenes documentaries for Raiders. I am thrilled to add Indiana Jones: The complete adventures to my Blu-ray library and while I’m sure most of you have already it preordered I’ll say it anyway, it comes highly recommended.












Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews





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#3 ·
Wouldn't it be awesome if the PS3 had software that would remove Kate Capshaw from any movie you play in it?


Is anyone going to the Raiders marathon tomorrow morning? I'm debating. The first yes, the second only to make fun of Kate Capshaw, the third yes, the fourth...um, no.
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the honest review. I will hold off buying because the deafining roar will be so loud to Paramount that they will have no choice to go back to the drawing board. Guaranteed that in 6 months-1 year they will discretely reissue from a new master and not advertising as such to avoid the embarrasement. They obviously thought they could pull the wool of out of everybody's eyes.
 
#8 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph Potts  /t/1429346/indiana-jones-the-complete-adventures-blu-ray-official-avsforum-review#post_22402425


I am a bit disappointed in the video quality of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Director Steven Spielberg oversaw its restoration so I guess we will have to assume that what we see is what he intended. I am not sure if that will be consolation to those hoping for reference quality video but truth be told it still looks very good in high definition.


With regard to Raiders of the Lost Ark, how much of the "downgrade" in video quality is because of some image softness here and there? The original theatrical presentation wasn't exactly tack-sharp.


Ditto with any concerns over color grading. I saw the movie over a dozen times in the theater and the screen caps I've seen so far are much closer to what I remember from the theater.


Bottom line for me: Does the movie look like what I saw in the theater? Not every movie necessarily has to look tack-sharp reference quality to be an excellent Blu-ray presentation. And trying to achieve that tack-sharpness via after-the-fact electronic fiddling would be a FAR bigger crime in my opinion.


Mark
 
#10 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Booth  /t/1429346/indiana-jones-the-complete-adventures-blu-ray-official-avsforum-review/0_20#post_22402932


With regard to Raiders of the Lost Ark, how much of the "downgrade" in video quality is because of some image softness here and there? The original theatrical presentation wasn't exactly tack-sharp.

Ditto with any concerns over color grading. I saw the movie over a dozen times in the theater and the screen caps I've seen so far are much closer to what I remember from the theater.

Bottom line for me: Does the movie look like what I saw in the theater? Not every movie necessarily has to look tack-sharp reference quality to be an excellent Blu-ray presentation. And trying to achieve that tack-sharpness via after-the-fact electronic fiddling would be a FAR bigger crime in my opinion.

Mark

Greetings,


Mark, I wish I could offer a viable comparison between this and its theatrical presentation unfortunately having seen it back in 1981 I have no recollection (so sarcasm intended). As far as softness goes it really isn't "here and there" but is more pervasive. I didn't have any issues with the color grading. I certainly agree that every movie doesn't have to be tack sharp and glossy. Seeing as Temple of Doom and Raiders were shot only a few years apart on what I would assume is similar film stock I can't understand why one would appear noticeably different than the other.


I also agree that digital manipulation that deteriorates image quality is definiately undesirable. As I stated in my review Raiders doesn't look bad or over processed, but it looks flat. I can only tell you what I see. I have also said that perhaps that IS how it is supposed to look and if so fine. It has gotten my recommendation and as I pointed out looks better than I have have seen it on home video. That is the best I can do.


I can't answer your botton line question. Sorry.


Regards,
 
#11 ·
I totally agree with Ralph about Raiders...it's pretty flat and rarely has you sitting up in your seat saying WOW (unlike Jaws). The first few chapters of the film are the worst looking for whatever reason. I haven't had a chance to watch the next two movies yet (I've already seen the forth on Blu-ray) but I doubt I'll see anything different from what Ralph has already stated. As for the audio, it's pretty much as Ralph has described. There are times when it's really good and then sometimes its very front-heavy.


Great review Ralph.
 
#12 ·
Ralph - Great review as always!


Having watched ROTLA last night in IMAX I found both the opening scenes and closing scenes to be of much lesser quality than the large content rich these two bookends abutted. Not being old enough to enjoy ROTLA in the theaters the first time I felt the film did a wonderful job bringing a 1981 film up to today's standards (obviously working with what they had to restore). I felt your grading of ROTLA to be exactly as I would have expected based on what I observed last night.


I've depended on your reviews for more than 100 movies and look forward to at least a few more thousand!


All the best,

Matt
 
#13 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Vaughn  /t/1429346/indiana-jones-the-complete-adventures-blu-ray-official-avsforum-review/0_20#post_22403288


I totally agree with Ralph about Raiders...it's pretty flat and rarely has you sitting up in your seat saying WOW (unlike Jaws). The first few chapters of the film are the worst looking for whatever reason. I haven't had a chance to watch the next two movies yet (I've already seen the forth on Blu-ray) but I doubt I'll see anything different from what Ralph has already stated. As for the audio, it's pretty much as Ralph has described. There are times when it's really good and then sometimes its very front-heavy.

Great review Ralph.

Greetings,


Thanks for chiming in Dave..



Regards,
 
#14 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by mcegelsk  /t/1429346/indiana-jones-the-complete-adventures-blu-ray-official-avsforum-review/0_20#post_22403294


Ralph - Great review as always!

Having watched ROTLA last night in IMAX I found both the opening scenes and closing scenes to be of much lesser quality than the large content rich these two bookends abutted. Not being old enough to enjoy ROTLA in the theaters the first time I felt the film did a wonderful job bringing a 1981 film up to today's standards (obviously working with what they had to restore). I felt your grading of ROTLA to be exactly as I would have expected based on what I observed last night.

I've depended on your reviews for more than 100 movies and look forward to at least a few more thousand!

All the best,

Matt

Greetings,


Matt, thanks for offering your insights especially having just seen Raiders at the theater.




Regards,
 
#16 ·
I too trust Ralph's reviews. After all, he is doing these reviews on a state of the art setup (JVC and Stewart=DAMN GOOD). With that being said, I'm still VERY dissappointed with this release. I wasn't expecting perfection, but I was expecting a LOT more then I got (talking specifically about Raiders here). I looked at the film on a calibrated Panny plasma (65") and HC7000 (106", 1.3 Da-lite) and it only looked worse the bigger it got. If this is the best it can be I guess I'll just have to live with it. In my heart, I believe it could have been better. I know a lot of people may disagree with me, but that's my opinion.


Btw, I can't wait to see what Widescreen Review says about this set!!
 
#18 ·
I really was expecting this would be done up well but it sounds like its average and just a step above my DVD version but maybe I am spoiled by the recent Jaws Blu Ray. Ralph's rating are consistent with some other reviews and again not the worst but a few of us were expecting better.


Maybe the movie execs see the overall reviews and redo these again very soon.


Thanks for the review as always Ralph.
 
#19 ·
This would be a double dip for me, so I'll hold off for now. Why do people pick on Kate Capshaw? Yes her character was irritating, but sexy. Karen Allen's character was pretty annoying in Raiders too.


Good review though.
 
#20 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by wkingincharge  /t/1429346/indiana-jones-the-complete-adventures-blu-ray-official-avsforum-review#post_22403840


I really was expecting this would be done up well but it sounds like its average and just a step above my DVD version but maybe I am spoiled by the recent Jaws Blu Ray.

That is EXACTLY how I felt. A step up from the DVD is MORE then dissapointing to me. This excerpt is taken from the IGN review, "While all three films are clean, with fine textures, details and plenty of striking depth". Striking depth??? Sorry, but there was ZERO "striking depth" in ROTLA.
 
#21 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Darrin  /t/1429346/indiana-jones-the-complete-adventures-blu-ray-official-avsforum-review#post_22404209


That is EXACTLY how I felt. A step up from the DVD is MORE then dissapointing to me. This excerpt is taken from the IGN review, "While all three films are clean, with fine textures, details and plenty of striking depth". Striking depth??? Sorry, but there was ZERO "striking depth" in ROTLA.

The golden haze that overloads everything now (and that was never an aspect of the visuals that I ever recalled or made note of from any of my numerous theatrical viewings of the film in '81 and '82) is obviously flattening the image out- as there is quite a bit more dynamic sense of depth and dimension to the HDTV caps. And, not unsurprisingly, the latter IS what i remember the film looking more like.
 
#22 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulidan  /t/1429346/indiana-jones-the-complete-adventures-blu-ray-official-avsforum-review#post_22404269


The golden haze that overloads everything now (and that was never an aspect of the visuals that I ever recalled or made note of from any of my numerous theatrical viewings of the film in '81 and '82) is obviously flattening the image out- as there is quite a bit more dynamic sense of depth and dimension to the HDTV caps. And, not unsurprisingly, the latter IS what i remember the film looking more like.

Well I won't be getting rid of MY hd caps anytime soon. Honestly, I'm NOT one of those people that whines and complains about any/every release if it's not perfect. Heck, I don't even consider myself a videophile. Imo, anybody who says the blu ray transfer of ROTLA looks anything MORE then even decent (that's a stretch) is letting their love for the film get in the way of what they see. I see people on other forums talking about how "film like" the image looks. I don't think it looks ANYTHING like film.
 
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