Oh man! I just bought Sukiyaki Western Django :(
Ah well, it was only $10.99

Hey I was wondering if I'm the only person that has an issue with the PCM audio track on 2001: A Space Odyssey. I get this annoying humming with that track but not with the Dolby Digital one. I've only got my PS3 to test this on. Can anyone else confirm that I'm not the only one suffering from this?

Saints & Soldiers BD won't play the special features, though it could be a compatibility problem, I suppose (UK import). When a special feature is chosen, the screen goes black like it's getting ready to play but then goes right back to the main menu.

The movie itself seems to be okay, but I haven't watched more than the first five minutes.

Advertisement

Register for free to remove this ad

Hellboy (1) looks really bad on Blu-Ray. The graininess is off the charts. I couldn't even watch half of it because I was constantly irritated from the bad quality.

On a side-note, The Golden Compass Blu-Ray has incredible quality and even repairs a bad lighting shot seen in the theaters.

Originally Posted by voidedx Hellboy (1) looks really bad on Blu-Ray. The graininess is off the charts. I couldn't even watch half of it because I was constantly irritated from the bad quality. On a side-note, The Golden Compass Blu-Ray has incredible quality and even repairs a bad lighting shot seen in the theaters.

I've got both live-action Hellboy movies on Bluray and they both look excellent. I don't know what would cause the graininess.

Yeah, the extras on that disc are PAL so they aren't going to play on a Region A player. Not a glitch.

Originally Posted by thelonepig Saints & Soldiers BD won't play the special features, though it could be a compatibility problem, I suppose (UK import). When a special feature is chosen, the screen goes black like it's getting ready to play but then goes right back to the main menu. The movie itself seems to be okay, but I haven't watched more than the first five minutes.

Originally Posted by voidedx Hellboy (1) looks really bad on Blu-Ray. The graininess is off the charts. I couldn't even watch half of it because I was constantly irritated from the bad quality. On a side-note, The Golden Compass Blu-Ray has incredible quality and even repairs a bad lighting shot seen in the theaters.

Maybe you have a bad disc? As Hellboy received a good review for picture quality by High-Def Digest: http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/797/....html#Section3 and is also listed as Gold on the PQ tier at AVS: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=858316

Originally Posted by graf1k Yeah, the extras on that disc are PAL so they aren't going to play on a Region A player. Not a glitch.

I looked around online before I imported it to make sure it would play and ran across this review: http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/movies...30&show=review

(Note: Even though this Blu-ray release is marketed as Region-B, it is in fact Region-Free. The main menu is not in PAL, and you won’t have any issues playing the disc’s content on your Region-A PS3 or SA).

At least I can watch the movie though. Thanks for confirming my suspicion.

As far as Starship Troopers goes, is this limited to the US release? I was thinking about buying the uk import version of this from someone.

Originally Posted by darkdaze73 As far as Starship Troopers goes, is this limited to the US release? I was thinking about buying the uk import version of this from someone.

Yes, only the US version is affected; UK version should be fine.

Originally Posted by voidedx Hellboy (1) looks really bad on Blu-Ray. The graininess is off the charts. I couldn't even watch half of it because I was constantly irritated from the bad quality.

Grain does not make a movie "look bad." Film, which most movies are shot on, inherently has grain. It is naturally there. If you use DNR to remove the grain, you remove the fine detail as well because the fine detail is actually stored in those film grains. So you have the choice of either watching with grain and getting the full detail as seen in the theaters, or you can DNR out the grain and get effective lower resolution and a video-like look.

Personally, I far prefer grain & theatrical-like look than trying to DNR everything (losing fine detail in the process) to look like a video game/wax museum. Film grain is to Blu-ray what "black bars"/widescreen was to DVD; it takes some adjusting to, but in the end you are getting higher quality with the grain intact. There is little point to high resolution/Blu-ray if you filter out tons of fine detail.

Originally Posted by Ruined Yes, only the US version is affected; UK version should be fine.

Thanks

Originally Posted by Ruined Grain does not make a movie "look bad." Film, which most movies are shot on, inherently has grain. It is naturally there. If you use DNR to remove the grain, you remove the fine detail as well because the fine detail is actually stored in those film grains. So you have the choice of either watching with grain and getting the full detail as seen in the theaters, or you can DNR out the grain and get effective lower resolution and a video-like look. Personally, I far prefer grain & theatrical-like look than trying to DNR everything (losing fine detail in the process) to look like a video game/wax museum. Film grain is to Blu-ray what "black bars"/widescreen was to DVD; it takes some adjusting to, but in the end you are getting higher quality with the grain intact. There is little point to high resolution/Blu-ray if you filter out tons of fine detail.

That depends on whether the grain was artificial or inherent to the film media it is shot on.
Some spec effects films, CGI, IMAX shot, 1080p+ video shot, and animated CGI movies now have added film-grain purely for effect.

If it is intentional and natural to the film, like in Reservoir Dogs and it is inherent to the film, then that is fine; If it's added for "credibility" or appearance with Magic Bullet software . . .etc. and only for effect then it's crap and shouldn't be in the Blu version IMHO.

To me it's like people who prefer the audio of a Vinyl LP over a CD because they like the pop and crackle-calling CD's artificially bright. It's a thin argument.

You missed Ruined's point--he was specifically referring to a shot on film movie.

Originally Posted by gunm You missed Ruined's point--he was specifically referring to a shot on film movie.

Which is 99% of non-animated movies that have been made. Recently there have been a select few shot on digital, but even recently the ratio is very small. Most movies pre-2000 and most movies still going forward are shot on film.

The movie in question (Hellboy) was shot on 35mm film, not digitally:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167190/technical
This is the most common way film is shot.

Thus if you filter out the grain, you also filter out the fine detail and defeat the purpose of having a high resolution format in the first place. Sony's transfer of it is great.

Originally Posted by gunm You missed Ruined's point--he was specifically referring to a shot on film movie.

I was actually agreeing with him, just expounding on the idea. Some movies shot on film, like indie titles artificially enhance and/or add granularity for grittiness, but even then as long as that is the directors intent it's a good thing.

Damn, that District B13 issue would really annoy me I think and I was planning on getting it. Well, I guess I just saved myself some money. Thanks, great thread.

Thanks OP.I expected this list to be only a few obscure titles,but sheesh,this is BS.I have a PS3,but have not been buying any Blu Ray movies & I think I'll stick with dvds for a while longer.

Lionsgate is apparently just ignoring emails about their flaws in the HD masters of their Blu's.
I have decided to put a short but to the point review on Amazon (a lot of good it will do, I know).
http://www.amazon.com/review/R1IU1OI...cm_cr_rdp_perm

If you guys wanna vote it up maybe they will notice- doubt it.
I also encourage anyone else who bought this to do the same.

I think companies take Amazon reviews pretty seriously, I voted for it.