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Life Of Pi - Blu-ray 2D and 3D Comments

post #1 of 30
3/12/13 at 12:05am
Thread Starter 
I just watched "Life Of Pi" on 3D Blu-ray and aside from a couple minor instances of selective image doubling (example: one scene, a couple of large stars in the night sky just wouldn't merge into one 3D object no matter how I closed one eye or the other) I'd rate this at the very top of any 3D Blu-ray I've seen thus far. It's not just the overall quality, it's how it's used in the framework of the movie. It's also one of the very few 3D Blu-rays that features every bit as strong light and color compared to the 2D version. The photography and often phantasmagorical effects and color is instant demo material for either 2D or 3D.

This was also another recent movie that I had little interest (and really no opportunity) in catching during it's theatrical run that I saw tonight for the first time. Didn't really expect to get drawn in by the story but it turned out to be very enjoyable and I'll no doubt revisit it numerous times.

It gets my highest recommendation.
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post #2 of 30
3/12/13 at 12:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Partyslammer View Post

I just watched "Life Of Pi" on 3D Blu-ray and aside from a couple minor instances of selective image doubling (example: one scene, a couple of large stars in the night sky just wouldn't merge into one 3D object no matter how I closed one eye or the other) I'd rate this at the very top of any 3D Blu-ray I've seen thus far. It's not just the overall quality, it's how it's used in the framework of the movie. It's also one of the very few 3D Blu-rays that features every bit as strong light and color compared to the 2D version. The photography and often phantasmagorical effects and color is instant demo material for either 2D or 3D.

This was also another recent movie that I had little interest (and really no opportunity) in catching during it's theatrical run that I saw tonight for the first time. Didn't really expect to get drawn in by the story but it turned out to be very enjoyable and I'll no doubt revisit it numerous times.

It gets my highest recommendation.


May I ask what display and blu ray player you use?
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post #3 of 30
3/12/13 at 12:29am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by redshift1 View Post

May I ask what display and blu ray player you use?

All-region modded Pioneer BDP-150 direct to Panasonic 65VT50 for video. Also checked out the 2D version using a older Panasonic DMPBD-50 through a 40" Sony WEGA crt.
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post #4 of 30
3/12/13 at 9:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Partyslammer View Post

All-region modded Pioneer BDP-150 direct to Panasonic 65VT50 for video. Also checked out the 2D version using a older Panasonic DMPBD-50 through a 40" Sony WEGA crt.


How's the old CRT (was that the Trinitron) compared to the Plasma? As I recall the Sony was one of the first of the retail HD sets. I believe the 36 Inch Trinitron was 8k new.

.
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post #5 of 30
3/12/13 at 9:52am
I, too have the 65VT50, using a Oppo BD93. Is yours calibrated? Hijacking the thread for just a second. Did you have any issues with Dredd in 3D?
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post #6 of 30
3/12/13 at 11:08pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by redshift1 View Post

How's the old CRT (was that the Trinitron) compared to the Plasma? As I recall the Sony was one of the first of the retail HD sets. I believe the 36 Inch Trinitron was 8k new.
.

The 40" crt WEGA still works as good as the day I bought it about 13 years ago. I also have a 36" widescreen WEGA crt that's now out in the garage which also works perfectly fine. What made me decide to upgrade to the Panny Plasma,was the caveat I'd give my son the WEGA as he loves gaming in it if he'd move it in his room and leave the new Plasma we'd get in the living room alone. I paid about $3000 and $2500 respectively for the two tvs.
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post #7 of 30
3/13/13 at 7:56am
This disc is honestly, perfect. I couldn't find anything to complain about. I'll have the 3D disc soon enough, but the 2D presentation is really a marvel, right there with some of the best IMAX images I've seen. This is an absolute must have on this format as a showcase disc. Screen in the link:

http://www.doblu.com/2013/03/13/life-of-pi-bluray-review/
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post #8 of 30
3/13/13 at 9:52am
I saw Life of Pi in 3D in an excellent theatrical digital projection last year. I was blown away by the visual magic of Ang Lee's superb film. But I could have sworn that the aspect ratio throughout was 2.35:1. Now all the screen captures from the release on disc look like 1.78:1. And IMDb is reporting a mix of aspect ratios varying from 1.33:1 to 2.35:1.
Is my memory failing me? Or has the film been reformatted for home video release?
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post #9 of 30
3/13/13 at 9:59am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by d3193 View Post

I saw Life of Pi in 3D in an excellent theatrical digital projection last year. I was blown away by the visual magic of Ang Lee's superb film. But I could have sworn that the aspect ratio throughout was 2.35:1. Now all the screen captures from the release on disc look like 1.78:1. And IMDb is reporting a mix of aspect ratios varying from 1.33:1 to 2.35:1.
Is my memory failing me? Or has the film been reformatted for home video release?

It appears to be 1.85:1 except a couple instances in scenes midway through the movie where the aspect or matting changes dramatically for effect.
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post #10 of 30
3/13/13 at 10:48am
I believe the movie was released theatrically in a variety of aspect ratio options, much like Avatar. Depending on which would be larger on their screen, a theater could project it at 2.40:1, 1.85:1 or 1.44:1 (for IMAX 15/70).
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post #11 of 30
3/13/13 at 11:33am
Watched it last night (just a Bravia 55HX800 and PS3 here) and it is honestly the first 3D movie I have seen that the added dimension did not feel gimmicky or tacked on, but seemed to aid the presentation of the story.
Life of Pi made me believe in 3D. wink.gif
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post #12 of 30
3/13/13 at 5:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Partyslammer View Post

It appears to be 1.85:1 except a couple instances in scenes midway through the movie where the aspect or matting changes dramatically for effect.

Correct. It's typically 1.85:1 (probably more 1.77:1), but switches twice. Once it goes to 2.35:1 for the fish (which pop out of the frame in 3D!) and another brief 4:3 moment to match the book cover.
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post #13 of 30
3/13/13 at 9:44pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by redshift1 View Post

How's the old CRT (was that the Trinitron) compared to the Plasma? As I recall the Sony was one of the first of the retail HD sets. I believe the 36 Inch Trinitron was 8k new.

.

LOL, you know, I really didn't answer your question as I think you put it to me which was "how does the picture quality compare betwen the CRTs and the Plasma.."

IMO, yeah, size matters - a widescreen 65" is gonna looks impressive compared to a "puny" 40" 4:3 screen under just about any circumstances. But honestly, excellent though the 65VT50 Plasma is, regardless of size I do have to give a slight edge to the two old Sony WEGA CRTs I have. Just better reproduction of color and deeper blacks, especially in brighter lighting conditions.
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post #14 of 30
3/13/13 at 10:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Partyslammer View Post

It appears to be 1.85:1 except a couple instances in scenes midway through the movie where the aspect or matting changes dramatically for effect.

I am aware that this is how it appears on the disc. But, as I wrote, this is not how I remember seeing it in the theater.

The fact that one scene on the disc is matted at approx 2.35:1 also suggests that could have been the intended aspect ratio for the entire movie.
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post #15 of 30
3/14/13 at 1:17am
The fact that the scene in question isn't really 2.35 would argue pretty strongly against that:
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)
the fish jump "out of the frame" and into the black mattes

The shifting aspect ratios reflect exactly what I saw in theaters (two screenings, one IMAX and one not), and Lee himself has discussed it at length.
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post #16 of 30
3/14/13 at 7:30pm
I remember the fish jumping out beyond the letterbox frame when I saw it in theaters. The shifting aspect ratio is not a mistake, and the above interview settles it.
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post #17 of 30
3/15/13 at 2:43pm
After my comment in the quality tier thread (I think) that Pi is hardly tier 0 material, having at least very visible banding (in not that many shots fortunately, since it's mostly sunny ), and overall not that impressive detail, I was confronted, and it turns out it's the problem with the 2D disc, which is much inferior to the 3D one.


Banding: (2d/3d)

dcaedb243456872.jpg cfab8c243456899.jpg

d3dda8243456880.jpg eae35e243456908.jpg

Might have been nicely processed out in the 3d, hard to say, the fact is, the 3D is quite flawless in that respect.


Also resolution wise :||


93c9ea243653585.jpg fff78e243653679.jpg

1e9e54243456885.jpg 4e9d2e243456911.jpg

a43206243456875.jpg a274b4243456904.jpg

afec4c243456891.jpg d81735243456916.jpg




So if you can request the replacement of 2D with a 3D, do it wink.gif

Later edit: I've been informed that the 2D stream of the 3D disc has those 'changing' black borders on the sides like some other new 3D discs, which makes it not quite suitable for viewing in 2D.
I think a reissue of the 2D disc would be in order.
Edited by someone else - 3/16/13 at 3:43pm
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post #18 of 30
4/13/13 at 6:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by someone else View Post

After my comment in the quality tier thread (I think) that Pi is hardly tier 0 material, having at least very visible banding (in not that many shots fortunately, since it's mostly sunny ), and overall not that impressive detail, I was confronted, and it turns out it's the problem with the 2D disc, which is much inferior to the 3D one.


Banding: (2d/3d)

dcaedb243456872.jpg cfab8c243456899.jpg

d3dda8243456880.jpg eae35e243456908.jpg

Might have been nicely processed out in the 3d, hard to say, the fact is, the 3D is quite flawless in that respect.


Also resolution wise :||


93c9ea243653585.jpg fff78e243653679.jpg

1e9e54243456885.jpg 4e9d2e243456911.jpg

a43206243456875.jpg a274b4243456904.jpg

afec4c243456891.jpg d81735243456916.jpg




So if you can request the replacement of 2D with a 3D, do it wink.gif

Later edit: I've been informed that the 2D stream of the 3D disc has those 'changing' black borders on the sides like some other new 3D discs, which makes it not quite suitable for viewing in 2D.
I think a reissue of the 2D disc would be in order.

 

I watched Life of Pi last night in 2d and it looked great.  I saw zero banding at all.  In fact, during one of the still night scenes with light fog drifting across the sky I looked over at my friend who was watching with me and said, "Can you imagine what this would look like if we were watching it on over cable? Band city!".  It also looked very sharp as well...

 

 

ron

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post #19 of 30
4/16/13 at 9:37am
Someone else,

I believe some of us are curious as to what equipment you were viewing on, and what size screen? I watched the 2D version and did not see any banding?
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post #20 of 30
4/16/13 at 11:52am
I thought the film was visually stunning. Demo worthy visuals. On the other hand I thought the audio left some to be desired. The surrounds seemed active when necessary but a little low. The same with the LFE. During the shipwreck I expected more room shaking bass. The same goes for when the tiger would roar. I usually have my system at the same level for every film I watch so I didn't bother turning up the volume. Maybe I've just been used to all of the overcooked audio on Blu Rays lately and Life Of Pi's audio was mastered at a lower (or even correct) volume.
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post #21 of 30
4/19/13 at 8:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Partyslammer View Post

LOL, you know, I really didn't answer your question as I think you put it to me which was "how does the picture quality compare betwen the CRTs and the Plasma.."

IMO, yeah, size matters - a widescreen 65" is gonna looks impressive compared to a "puny" 40" 4:3 screen under just about any circumstances. But honestly, excellent though the 65VT50 Plasma is, regardless of size I do have to give a slight edge to the two old Sony WEGA CRTs I have. Just better reproduction of color and deeper blacks, especially in brighter lighting conditions.

SIZE DOES MATTER and the 65" screen is going to look limp and flaccid when you compared to 168" (14') wide!biggrin.gif
*(But then again, since Life of Pi is shot @ 1.85, we are reduced to 10.5' wide and 6 ft tall).

As a side, constant Image Height is where it's at with widescreen movies (most blockbusters). Also, there are no black bars and 100% screen coverage (remember black bars lower perceived black levels, too). Recall, that the black bars top and bottom eliminate 25% picture from the screen. Something to look into for perspective enthusiasts that want a more cinematic experience than a flat screen can provide.

The addition of MASKING will eliminate the black bars for any film up 2.40 aspect in my set up. Screen, anamorphic lens and projector is all it takes for a CIH set up... NOW imagine the 3-D.


2.35 ASPECT


1.85 ASPECT
Edited by thebland - 4/19/13 at 9:13am
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post #22 of 30
4/19/13 at 11:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by someone else View Post

After my comment in the quality tier thread (I think) that Pi is hardly tier 0 material, having at least very visible banding (in not that many shots fortunately, since it's mostly sunny ), and overall not that impressive detail, I was confronted, and it turns out it's the problem with the 2D disc, which is much inferior to the 3D one.


Banding: (2d/3d)

dcaedb243456872.jpg cfab8c243456899.jpg

d3dda8243456880.jpg eae35e243456908.jpg

Might have been nicely processed out in the 3d, hard to say, the fact is, the 3D is quite flawless in that respect.


Also resolution wise :||


93c9ea243653585.jpg fff78e243653679.jpg

1e9e54243456885.jpg 4e9d2e243456911.jpg

a43206243456875.jpg a274b4243456904.jpg

afec4c243456891.jpg d81735243456916.jpg

So if you can request the replacement of 2D with a 3D, do it wink.gif
I really see a difference in detail here... have both discs, and now i will definitely go for the 3D disc for normal vision.

That's pretty weird... first case or there's other BD3D better than 2D ones?
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post #23 of 30
4/20/13 at 8:02am
Huh, this is pretty much the opposite of the situation with Prometheus, where the 2D disc had more detail than the 3D one:
http://www.landofwhimsy.com/archives/2012/10/so-that-3d-disc-of-prometheus/
http://www.landofwhimsy.com/archives/2012/10/some-more-prometheus-captures/
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post #24 of 30
4/20/13 at 8:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by VickPS View Post

I really see a difference in detail here... have both discs, and now i will definitely go for the 3D disc for normal vision.

That's pretty weird... first case or there's other BD3D better than 2D ones?

MegaMind looked better in 3D, but unfortunately the comparison shots no longer seem to be up:
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1328454/megamind-3d-release-has-better-2d-picture-quality

edit: Monsters Vs Aliens, too. Pics are still up but they're not 1080p: http://www.avsforum.com/t/1161037/monsters-vs-aliens/120#post_18737999
Edited by jd213 - 4/20/13 at 8:22am
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post #25 of 30
4/22/13 at 6:36am
Watched last night. Despite reviews, I found the bass pretty thin and lacking the weight it should have.

Video wise, it was perfection.
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post #26 of 30
4/23/13 at 1:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by thebland View Post

Watched last night. Despite reviews, I found the bass pretty thin and lacking the weight it should have.

Video wise, it was perfection.

Totally agree
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post #27 of 30
4/25/13 at 6:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by 8th Day View Post

Watched it last night (just a Bravia 55HX800 and PS3 here) and it is honestly the first 3D movie I have seen that the added dimension did not feel gimmicky or tacked on, but seemed to aid the presentation of the story.
Life of Pi made me believe in 3D. wink.gif

Have you seen Avatar? I believe Avatar and Life of Pi are two of the best usage of 3D so far. No crazy things popping out of the screen, just perfect depth added in to make the move that much more realistic.
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post #28 of 30
4/25/13 at 7:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Muddeprived View Post

Have you seen Avatar? I believe Avatar and Life of Pi are two of the best usage of 3D so far. No crazy things popping out of the screen, just perfect depth added in to make the move that much more realistic.

Is the depth 3d in Life of Pi as conservative as Avatar? Avatar is the most overrated 3d title on blu IMO and not because of the lack of pop out. I really want to see Pi in 3d after watching the 2d version and I certainly dont need pop out, but I do want aggressive depth. So is the use of depth 3d in Pi aggressive or more along the conservative Avatar style?
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post #29 of 30
5/2/13 at 10:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Muddeprived View Post

Have you seen Avatar? I believe Avatar and Life of Pi are two of the best usage of 3D so far. No crazy things popping out of the screen, just perfect depth added in to make the move that much more realistic.

Don't forget HUGO! Definitely one of the best.
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post #30 of 30
5/5/13 at 12:05pm
Hey everyone. Just bought life of pi 3d blu ray to watch on my Samsung ue46es7000 and whenever anything moves it has hideous crosstalk ghosting. Only on the bit that is moving like a zebras tail or flamingos legs or anything! With water being an integral part of this film it's a massive problem. It's the only 3d film that has had this and goddamn it I don't know why. Just spent best part of a grand on this tv so really frustrated. It is so bad I can't watch the film but any search on the net comes back with nothing. Why is it only me having this problem frown.gif heeeelp. Lol. Thanks
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