[slider33]

Just curious.


Having some issues with my A1 and this movie, tried two hard reboots, and then unplugged it for 40 minutes, same thing. I haven't tried anything else in it yet, but I've had more problems in the last 30 minutes of this movie than I have had in the hundreds of hours of playback before it.


I suppose I should try and play another movie and see what that does, but I was frustrated so just turned it off.

 

[HD-DVDwonder]

On my A1, it played thru w/ no hitches at all - I paused numerous times as I was watching w/ friends and did not anticipate the 3hr runtime. As it's a Universal disc, do you have FW 2.0? If so, your best bet would be to exchange the disc - hopefully that won't be too much trouble.


I saw this last week and and can still feel the awesome afterglow of such a beautiful transfer. It is tier 0 all the way. This just might be my favorite release thus far.

 

[scitek]

I just watched the entire thing in one sitting and had one instance about half way through where the audio skipped for a millisecond and became off a tiny bit. I just paused and resumed and it was fixed. No trouble toward the end.


And I agree it's a brautiful transfer. I hadn't seen the movie before, but I thought it was too similar to Goodfellas, casting aside. That doesn't mean I didn't like it, though.

 

[slider33]

I've had 2.0 since the day it came out, which was the day after I bought my A1.


I'll try some other disks and go from there.

 

[oh_riginal]



Quote:
Originally Posted by scitek /forum/post/0


I just watched the entire thing in one sitting and had one instance about half way through where the audio skipped for a millisecond and became off a tiny bit. I just paused and resumed and it was fixed. No trouble toward the end.


And I agree it's a brautiful transfer. I hadn't seen the movie before, but I thought it was too similar to Goodfellas, casting aside. That doesn't mean I didn't like it, though.

I used to think the same thing, about the similarity between these two movies. But as I learned a bit about acting (not HOW TO, but how to "see" a performance", I could tell that these actors were really not playing the same characters at all.


The only real obvious similarities is that Joe Pesci plays a gangster in both. Other than that, he lacks the sense of humor shown in Goodfellas, and while equally ruthless as his Goodfellas counterpart, he is less likely to kill for something silly as being teased. Then again, his Casino character is probably what the Goodfellas character would have eventually became had he lived: smarter, calmer, but equally ruthless.


As for De Niro, the two characters could not be more different. In Goodfellas, he is a thief, and isn't afraid to send his friends to their deaths if he has to. In Casino, he's just a gambler who happened to run a casino. He doesn't even really do any violence at all, unless its called for (kicking the hick out of the casino). In Goodfellas, he was happy to join in on killing Billy Bats and burying him. He also was willing to send Henry Hill and his wife to the grave. VERY different characters. Not to mention in Goodfellas he had a bit of a sense of humor... in Casino he couldn't be playing a more serious and humorless character.


The only thing that IS similar is Scorcese's directing style in both films. Scorcese doesn't usually direct all his movies in similar styles, but for some reason, Goodfellas and Casino are VERY similar in how they are structured. LOTS of narrating, VERY similar camera angles, and similar subject matter. I believe THAT is what really reminds people of Goodfellas when they watch Casino. The casting of Pesci and De Niro only amplifies that, but they are not the biggest reason for it.


But yeah, Casino has a GREAT transfer. Definitely among my favorites on HD-DVD so far. Can't wait to put The Departed next to it on the shelf, where it sits with Goodfellas.

 

[scitek]



Quote:
Originally Posted by oh_riginal /forum/post/0


I used to think the same thing, about the similarity between these two movies. But as I learned a bit about acting (not HOW TO, but how to "see" a performance", I could tell that these actors were really not playing the same characters at all.


The only real obvious similarities is that Joe Pesci plays a gangster in both. Other than that, he lacks the sense of humor shown in Goodfellas, and while equally ruthless as his Goodfellas counterpart, he is less likely to kill for something silly as being teased. Then again, his Casino character is probably what the Goodfellas character would have eventually became had he lived: smarter, calmer, but equally ruthless.


As for De Niro, the two characters could not be more different. In Goodfellas, he is a thief, and isn't afraid to send his friends to their deaths if he has to. In Casino, he's just a gambler who happened to run a casino. He doesn't even really do any violence at all, unless its called for (kicking the hick out of the casino). In Goodfellas, he was happy to join in on killing Billy Bats and burying him. He also was willing to send Henry Hill and his wife to the grave. VERY different characters. Not to mention in Goodfellas he had a bit of a sense of humor... in Casino he couldn't be playing a more serious and humorless character.


The only thing that IS similar is Scorcese's directing style in both films. Scorcese doesn't usually direct all his movies in similar styles, but for some reason, Goodfellas and Casino are VERY similar in how they are structured. LOTS of narrating, VERY similar camera angles, and similar subject matter. I believe THAT is what really reminds people of Goodfellas when they watch Casino. The casting of Pesci and De Niro only amplifies that, but they are not the biggest reason for it.


But yeah, Casino has a GREAT transfer. Definitely among my favorites on HD-DVD so far. Can't wait to put The Departed next to it on the shelf, where it sits with Goodfellas.

Well, I wasn't referring to the characters, it was the story I thought was too similar. It was basically Goodfellas relocated to Vegas and without so much mob involvement. De Niro was more in Ray Liotta's role this time, and Pesci was less a psycho and much more of a control freak just with the same temper.


Anyway, I thought the movie was too similar to Goodfellas in its overall presentation




***SPOILERS***

Going from no one to someone, then having drugs - or gambling - ruin it all.


Getting sloppy and being tapped and stung by the feds.


Pesci being killed by "the bosses" was practically a carbon copy only they got his brother, too, and the ending was practically the same as well.


***END SPOILERS***


Again, I enjoyed the movie, but I prefer Goodfellas' subject matter and characters to this one's.

 

[HD-DVDwonder]

Yeah they were subtly different characters, and same kinda fast paced style(which I totally love). I liked Casino, but not much happened plotwise compared to goodfellas.


Goodfellas though was truly a perfect film - because of the notorious pair, Ray Liotta is usually underrated in his performance - I think it's what made the film appealing and sympathetic. It had a more inviting atmosphere compared to 70s Las Vegas which felt a bit cold and static. And that tracking shot of Liotta and Bracco going into the nightclub is one of the best shots ever

 

[scitek]



Quote:
Originally Posted by HD-DVDwonder /forum/post/0


Yeah they were subtly different characters, and same kinda fast paced style(which I totally love). I liked Casino, but not much happened plotwise compared to goodfellas.


Goodfellas though was truly a perfect film - because of the notorious pair, Ray Liotta is usually underrated in his performance - I think it's what made the film appealing and sympathetic. It had a more inviting atmosphere compared to 70s Las Vegas which felt a bit cold and static. And that tracking shot of Liotta and Bracco going into the nightclub is one of the best shots ever

My personal favorite shot of Goodfellas is when Liotta pistol-whips the crud out of "the guy that lives across the street" all in one take.


The first time I saw that scene I was just...

 

[HD-DVDwonder]

Another gripe about Casino was that it seemed Scorcese wrote in F--- for the sake of having alot of F--- in his movie, like he was trying to write the handbook to creative cursing - Taken a bit too far imo, it made Pesci's character seem more like a cartoon than a real character. Goodfellas was better in this respect

 

[scitek]

Speaking of Goodfellas, how is the HD DVD transfer? I was looking at getting it in the next few days if it's good.

 

[oh_riginal]



Quote:
Originally Posted by scitek /forum/post/0


Well, I wasn't referring to the characters, it was the story I thought was too similar. It was basically Goodfellas relocated to Vegas and without so much mob involvement. De Niro was more in Ray Liotta's role this time, and Pesci was less a psycho and much more of a control freak just with the same temper.


Anyway, I thought the movie was too similar to Goodfellas in its overall presentation




***SPOILERS***

Going from no one to someone, then having drugs - or gambling - ruin it all.


Getting sloppy and being tapped and stung by the feds.


Pesci being killed by "the bosses" was practically a carbon copy only they got his brother, too, and the ending was practically the same as well.


***END SPOILERS***


Again, I enjoyed the movie, but I prefer Goodfellas' subject matter and characters to this one's.

Then again, both movies are based on true stories, so there really isn't much blame to be throwing around for similarities in stories. Joe Pesci even looks a bit similar to the real-life mafia guy he played in Casino! Though the guy he played in Goodfellas was NOT a little guy... he was some huge tough looking guy, according to the Henry Hill commentary on the Goodfellas DVD.


Still, if you can learn to forget about Goodfellas while watching Casino, they are very different movies. Though I understand why so many people have difficulty doing so, because I was in the same boat before. Its not much different from comparing Ray to Walk the Line!

But if you want to find two movies that are virtually identicle, then look no further than Star Wars Episode I, and Episode IV. Damn near the same movie, structurally.

 

[oh_riginal]



Quote:
Originally Posted by scitek /forum/post/0


Speaking of Goodfellas, how is the HD DVD transfer? I was looking at getting it in the next few days if it's good.

I was very satisfied with it, though Casino seems to be a bit sharper in PQ. Still, its nothing to sneeze at. And it looks great if you get both movies on the shelf together.

The Departed MUST be placed with these two movies next month!

 

[hawkeye3.1]



Quote:
Originally Posted by slider33 /forum/post/0


Just curious.


Having some issues with my A1 and this movie, tried two hard reboots, and then unplugged it for 40 minutes, same thing. I haven't tried anything else in it yet, but I've had more problems in the last 30 minutes of this movie than I have had in the hundreds of hours of playback before it.


I suppose I should try and play another movie and see what that does, but I was frustrated so just turned it off.

Had the same experience with Casino last night. Never made it more than 30 min. into it. It was a Netflix rental, but the disc was pristine. I have an A1 with 2.0 and an XA1 with 1.0 and it did the same thing on both machines. Bad copies apparently.

 

[slider33]

Well, I just played Riddick for about 30 minutes without a single problem. The problem with Casino must be the disk, which is a relief. Hopefully BB will just exchange it for me.


On a side note, Riddick still blows me away every time. The shadow detail is perfect.

 

[slider33]

Ok, so I exchanged the movie today, and this one seems fine even though it had been dropped and was no longer in its "holder" in the case, and has a few small scratches

.


The good news is is the Tosh is good to go. I don't care what anyone says about about the A1, this thing is f***in awesome.

 

[JD111]

I played a Netflix copy of Casino last night on my A1 v2.0 firmware. It froze about 2/3 through (came up with an error message) and I had to pull the plug because there was no response from the remote or ON/OFF switch.


I thought the picture quality was very good (good color and contrast) except for a slight softness and a hint of a halo around bright objects in dark backgrounds in some scenes.

 

[slider33]



Quote:
Originally Posted by JD111 /forum/post/0


I played a Netflix copy of Casino last night on my A1 v2.0 firmware. It froze about 2/3 through (came up with an error message) and I had to pull the plug because there was no response from the remote or ON/OFF switch.


I thought the picture quality was very good (good color and contrast) except for a slight softness and a hint of a halo around bright objects in dark backgrounds in some scenes.

Do you know what time in the movie? Mine halted at the 1:26:xx mark, when the "bosses" are talking about people skimming. If yours is the same time, maybe there's a problem with a few discs like there was with Superman Returns.

 

[hawkeye3.1]



Quote:
Originally Posted by JD111 /forum/post/0


I had to pull the plug because there was no response from the remote or ON/OFF switch.

Push and hold the power button until the unit shuts off, 15 seconds or so.