The film thread.

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Alien was terrible in places, but it was 1979 and even Ridley Scott would have struggled to get everything right.

I think overall it's a pretty good transfer - seems to mark a kind of cutoff in my collection for showing the benefits of 4k/HDR - a lot of older stuff doesn't get the full benefit. Really looking forward to Aliens in 4k.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Scream on 4k - not seen it for years but picked it up for a song after watching ANOES. Not the best film ever made, but I enjoyed it.

 

[davidf]

A Nightmare on Elm Street on blu ray. Not an absolute classic, but enjoyable enough. Interesting how good some of the effects are, and how utterly pants others are.

I would have to say in the horror genre, it's classic and iconic. The early 80s saw the emergence of a specific type of bad guy/killer, rather than a generic one that had dominated slasher movies, all off the back of John Carpenter's Halloween in 1978. All of a sudden, the killer was the star, the one the audience was rooting for. Friday The 13th was made purely to cash in on Halloween's success, but went with a blatant visual style rather Carpenter's more subdued "in the shadows" approach. More followed, with most being made into franchises to continue to cash in (which Carpenter didn't want to do). Of all the horror icons, Freddy is the most interesting and I'd say the most iconic.

And Freddy saved New Line studios.

Looking back, Elm Street isn't my favourite franchise, it's not even my favourite character, but Freddy stands out as summing up what 80s horror was all about. It's just a shame it wasn't a bit darker (which is why I actually prefer the remake), and yes, most of the effects now are a bit naff, especially the extended arms in the alleyway, and the pointless lopping off of fingers in the back yard to try and scare Tina. Some great imagery though, like Freddy coming out from the wall above Nancy's bed.

I just wish it had been better. It had the potential to be the most imaginative horror series ever, as anything can happen in dreams. In some respects, it was, but it could've been so much more. Robert Englund was perfect as Freddy, and nobody is ever going to better him. Plus, he played Freddy throughout the whole franchise, whereas the likes of Jason Vorhees and Michael Myers used at least five different actors over the course of their run.

It was "of its time".

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Some great imagery though, like Freddy coming out from the wall above Nancy's bed.

Isn't it just.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Thelma and Louise on 4k - fantastic film, and HDR does so much for it.

 

[Fandango Andy]

I think overall it's a pretty good transfer - seems to mark a kind of cutoff in my collection for showing the benefits of 4k/HDR - a lot of older stuff doesn't get the full benefit. Really looking forward to Aliens in 4k.

I don't have 4K yet so haven't seen any of the films mentioned in 4k at home. Curious how they look, as 70s and early/mid 80s filmstock was so grainy and muddy looking. I have seen The Terminator, Alien, and A Nightmare on Elm Street in cinemas in recent years and they didn't look great. On the other hand new digital transfers of some of the old Technicolor and VistavVsion movies look great.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

I don't have 4K yet so haven't seen any of the films mentioned in 4k at home. Curious how they look, as 70s and early/mid 80s filmstock was so grainy and muddy looking. I have seen The Terminator, Alien, and A Nightmare on Elm Street in cinemas in recent years and they didn't look great. On the other hand new digital transfers of some of the old Technicolor and VistavVsion movies look great.

Alien looks great - there's some grain (which many directors seem to like) but considerably more detail (particularly in dark areas), and HDR means the scenes in the dark with bright objects (Lambert and Parker's torches, for example) look transformed. I'd no longer automatically buy things I like on 4k, but there are only one or two that I think haven't been worth it - Planes, Trains and Automobiles being one.

 

[davidf]

If grain is present in the master, it'll be present in any release. It's usually a little less noticeable with more pixels. All depends on how the master has been preserved, and how well it's been restored. I've not seen a bad 4K release yet, although some films have the odd soft looking shot for some reason. There's some stunning looking films out there.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Panic Room on a Spanish import blu ray - well worth it.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

The Limey - Terence Stamp as an old con who travels to California to try to find out how his daughter died. Beautifully filmed, and his pursuit of the person involved is genuinely interesting and well-scripted.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

The Commitments on blu ray - brilliant film, and I love the way the band gradually falls apart as they become better and better.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

What We Do in the Shadows on blu ray - love it, though never got on with the TV spin-off.

 

[davidf]

Sat down watching Capricorn One the other night - only the second time I've seen it, and had forgotten how good it was (and potentially controversial), and the control room scenes brought back a vague memory of another 70s film I'd seen, but I couldn't think of the name of the film. Searched variations on "control room disaster movies" for ages and came up blank. Eventually found a list that I instantly recognised the name - Colossus: The Forbin Project. I'd previously watched it on a streaming channel, so checked Prime, Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV and came up with nothing, as usual - every time I try and search for a film online I want to watch, it's never available! So jumped onto the site I don't like to mention, found the Bluray for £6.99 and was watching it the next evening (last night). Who says streaming is convenient!

Physical media rules.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Bluray for £6.99 and was watching it the next evening (last night). Who says streaming is convenient!

Ordered 633 Squadron this way - I recall it not being a film from the top draw, but loved the Mosquito and the music so thought what the hey.

Jojo Rabbit last night on 4k, following on from WWDITS. Great film, and a cracking advert for HDR and 4k. Plus Scarlett Johansson...

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Ordered 633 Squadron this way - I recall it not being a film from the top draw, but loved the Mosquito and the music so thought what the hey.

The Mosquitos and the music remain good, but the film's pretty pants - even allowing for its age, the planes being 'shot down' look like what I presume they were - Airfix kits with a small amount of explosive in them - and the end feels pretty heartless.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Rogue One on 4k - the best of the latest tranche of Star Wars films.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Die Hard with a Vengeance on blu ray - starts very well indeed - the first hour-ish is very good, but when it transitions to an action film it rather loses its way.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Jackie Brown on blu ray - I still think Pulp Fiction is his best work, but this is close.

 

[davidf]

Jackie Brown on blu ray - I still think Pulp Fiction is his best work, but this is close.

As much as I love Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown edges it for me.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

As much as I love Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown edges it for me.

I can understand the view, even if it doesn't quite accord with mine. JB is his most human film, I think.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

The Company of Wolves on 4k - not sure it's really that much of an advance on the blu ray, but I really enjoy it - it's not really like anything else in my experience. Saw it at the cinema when it came out, and can still recall being rather smitten by Danielle Dax...

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Really looking forward to Aliens in 4k.

Anyone else have any idea why Aliens seems to have been pushed back to December (according to Amazon)? It doesn't show on bluray.com as having a date, but the rest of the world still seems scheduled for March/April. Curses...

 

[davidf]

Anyone else have any idea why Aliens seems to have been pushed back to December (according to Amazon)? It doesn't show on bluray.com as having a date, but the rest of the world still seems scheduled for March/April. Curses...

I doubt Amazon knows anything anyone else doesn't.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

I doubt Amazon knows anything annyone else doesn't.

I got an email from them saying that the date had been put back (a long way), and bluray.com no longer has a date for it - unlike the rest of the world.

 

[davidf]

As Fox falls under Disney nowadays, I'm wondering if it has anything to do with the apparent new deal between Disney and Sony - Sony have apparently been appointed by Disney to release their physical media worldwide.