Spartacus Blu-ray Bound (5/25/2010)
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I haven't heard a peep about a restoration (which is probably what this movie needs). So my money is on another upscale-looking release.
caps-a-holic did a HD DVD vs Criterion DVD comparison here: http://www.caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergl...eich=spartacus
I haven't heard a peep about a restoration (which is probably what this movie needs). So my money is on another upscale-looking release.
caps-a-holic did a HD DVD vs Criterion DVD comparison here: http://www.caps-a-holic.com/hd_vergl...eich=spartacus
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Vincent
SPARTACUS was restored on film in 1991. New 65mm film elements were created. The problem with the HD-DVD has nothing to do with "restoration"- it was simply that Universal used a very old, outdated HD telecine. The Blu-ray could look fantastic... provided that a new scan of the restored 65mm film elements is created.
Vincent
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A modern digital restoration from the negatives would still yield better results, no? Sony, for example, went back to the negatives for Lawrence of Arabia instead of creating a new telecine from Robert Harris' 1989 restoration. But of course I'd take a new scan from the restored print than the crap used for the HD DVD any day.
A modern digital restoration from the negatives would still yield better results, no? Sony, for example, went back to the negatives for Lawrence of Arabia instead of creating a new telecine from Robert Harris' 1989 restoration. But of course I'd take a new scan from the restored print than the crap used for the HD DVD any day.
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Possibly, but I don't know that you'd see the difference on a Blu-ray. The 65mm InterPositive that Harris created for SPARTACUS in 1991 holds far more information than 1080P can reproduce, and although I've never seen that restoration projected in 70mm myself, I've been told by folks who have that it looked stunning even on a huge screen. A new scan of that 65mm IP should look fantastic. I only hope that a new scan is indeed what we'll be getting, as opposed to that same old master that was used for the HD-DVD being regurgitated yet again.
Vincent
Possibly, but I don't know that you'd see the difference on a Blu-ray. The 65mm InterPositive that Harris created for SPARTACUS in 1991 holds far more information than 1080P can reproduce, and although I've never seen that restoration projected in 70mm myself, I've been told by folks who have that it looked stunning even on a huge screen. A new scan of that 65mm IP should look fantastic. I only hope that a new scan is indeed what we'll be getting, as opposed to that same old master that was used for the HD-DVD being regurgitated yet again.
Vincent
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I think it was the restored print they used for the master(I saw the restored print in theater, and to my understanding they added scenes to the restored print). Of course if they make a new 4K or 8K scan of the restored print it will yeild better result, but how much is another question.
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No.
This was the movie that made by buy HD DVD, and boy did it disappoint. I doubt you could tell much difference between a quality upscale and the HD DVD release. MAN that pissed me off...
If this looks any better at all I am all over it.
FYI, I think Jean Simmons died recently...
If this looks any better at all I am all over it.
FYI, I think Jean Simmons died recently...
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Robert,
Do you have any inside scoop that you can share in regards to Spartacus on Blu-ray?
Robert,
Do you have any inside scoop that you can share in regards to Spartacus on Blu-ray?
Spartacus did not look like an upscale. There were comparisons between the DVD and the HD DVD here and the HD DVD had considerably more detail.
The biggest issue IMO with the HD DVD was a bunch of annoying and mostly green speckles all over the place in the night scenes in the second half of the film. I drove me batty.
Spartacus did not look like an upscale. There were comparisons between the DVD and the HD DVD here and the HD DVD had considerably more detail.
The biggest issue IMO with the HD DVD was a bunch of annoying and mostly green speckles all over the place in the night scenes in the second half of the film. I drove me batty.
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Well we know that the Criterion DVD was minted from the 65mm interpositive. Now I don't know if it was in 1080p, but I could be content if they did make a new master from the 65mm interpositive.
What gives me hope that they did is they are essentially porting the Criterion extras (minus the commentary). Who knows, we may get lucky?
What gives me hope that they did is they are essentially porting the Criterion extras (minus the commentary). Who knows, we may get lucky?
My question is why did they make a 65mm print restoration? The actual OCN are 35mm film. The cinematographic process they used "Technirama", is essentially anamorphic Vistavision.
The 65mm prints were really just blowups of the 35mm negatives. Spartacus is not a true 65mm film.
The 65mm prints were really just blowups of the 35mm negatives. Spartacus is not a true 65mm film.
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For anyone interested in the restoration work, Robert Harris actually have done a commentary track on Spartacus DVD. Was a while since I listend to it, but it will give you alot of info about the restoration.
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