HD and older Movies: They look like new!

K

Kholi

Section Moderator
It's amazing. HDnet Movies shows so many older and awesome movies. I got to see GOLDEN CHILD in HD and it looks like it could've been shot within the last few years.

As well, Starz HD and regular ol' Starz was showing Die Hard with a Vengeance and I turned it between the two. NIGHT AND DAY.

It looked like a brand new Bruce Willis movie in HD man.
 
Did you see 'The Beast' in HD tonight around 1am. I thought it was a 2000 something indy , but it was 1988, amazing transfer. It was also nice to see 'The Cincinatti Kid' in HD a year ago on there, looked spectacular. Seen it maybe 5 times or more, and still cant beleive thats Rip Torn.
 
I've had Bladrunner saved on my DVR from an HDNET Movies broadcast for over a year. I love that channel.

I also just recorded Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope in HD. (HBO HD)

A thing of beauty.

The problem with HD broadcasts is I keep filling up my DVR and it's very hard to part with classic films in high def.
 
I agree that HD breathes new life into old movies. In the past few months, I've watched several classics on HD-DVD. Some that come to mind:

Mutiny on the Bounty (excellent! '62 version with Brando)
The Searchers
Grand Prix (a must for any auto enthusiast)
Spartacus
Casablanca

I really enjoyed the big budget "golden era of Hollywood" productions like Grand Prix and Bounty. Some of those films were shot in an ambitious 70mm format that you can better appreciate in HD.
 
Sean Michael said:
I agree that HD breathes new life into old movies.
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Totally agree. It's as if their past glory has been redeemed and restored. Gives me a deeper appreciation for the medium of film; it's just uncanny how good older classics can look in high definition.

In the past few months, I've watched several classics on HD-DVD. Some that come to mind:

Mutiny on the Bounty (excellent! '62 version with Brando)
The Searchers
Grand Prix (a must for any auto enthusiast)
Spartacus
Casablanca

I really enjoyed the big budget "golden era of Hollywood" productions like Grand Prix and Bounty. Some of those films were shot in an ambitious 70mm format that you can better appreciate in HD.
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Yes, 70mm looks outrageously good in HD. Btw, are you buying these classics already or going the Netflix route with HD discs?
 
Elton said:
II also just recorded Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope in HD. (HBO HD)

A thing of beauty.
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Doesn't HBO show everything in 16:9 (instead of the proper 2.35:1)? They did the last time I had HBO HD, and I ditched it because of that.

Has it changed?
 
Kholi said:
Starz was showing Die Hard with a Vengeance
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Watching it right now on Starz HD. It does look alot better than regular Starz, but

I have iO, I don't know whether it's my HDTV or if it's iO, but with film-HD transfer, especially with old movies, I get alot of ghosting (trails?) whenever there's movement.
 
David Jimerson said:
Doesn't HBO show everything in 16:9 (instead of the proper 2.35:1)? They did the last time I had HBO HD, and I ditched it because of that.

Has it changed?
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At least for this one it has. It's 2:35:1 as far as I can tell. :)
 
-zach- said:
Watching it right now on Starz HD. It does look alot better than regular Starz, but

I have iO, I don't know whether it's my HDTV or if it's iO, but with film-HD transfer, especially with old movies, I get alot of ghosting (trails?) whenever there's movement.
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That must be your TV, slow response time if its an LCD. Only channel that i noticed that its the channel that creates ghosting is NBC HD.
 
I've been watching HD-DVDs via Netflix. It's worked well, though the new releases are often hard to get. We did manage to watch The Departed last week in HD.

I've held off on buying regular DVDs for the past year, since I knew HD-DVD was coming. Although I've only bought a couple of HD-DVDs so far, I'd feel very confident acquiring them in this format. Not only do they look outstanding, but they usually contain some nice bonus features.
 
-Zach- It's your TV. I have an HD CRT and I never get ghosting. Great black levels, great glossy quality.

No issues what-so-ever with HD. Only the occasional broadcast glitch.

I have BladeRunner saved on my DVR!!! I have yet to watch it but I will tonight along with other moopies. I love Hi-Def.
 
Elton said:
I've had Bladrunner saved on my DVR from an HDNET Movies broadcast for over a year. I love that channel.

I also just recorded Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope in HD. (HBO HD)

A thing of beauty.

The problem with HD broadcasts is I keep filling up my DVR and it's very hard to part with classic films in high def.
Click to expand...


OH HELL tellm e you still have blade runner in HIDEF.......
 
I watched the old "BATMAN THE MOVIE" from the 60's in HD.... that rocked pretty hard. theres was alot of small detials that you would miss otherwise. like the labels that are written small on the buttons. Somone on the set design staff had a sense of humor thats all im gonna say. :)

Also, CAt woman... in HD..... (drool)
 
I also have Apocalypse Now, Shawshank, Trainspotting, War of the Worlds and the Big Lebowski in HD on the DVR. :)
 
Sean Michael said:
I've been watching HD-DVDs via Netflix. It's worked well, though the new releases are often hard to get. We did manage to watch The Departed last week in HD.

I've held off on buying regular DVDs for the past year, since I knew HD-DVD was coming. Although I've only bought a couple of HD-DVDs so far, I'd feel very confident acquiring them in this format. Not only do they look outstanding, but they usually contain some nice bonus features.
Click to expand...

I think I need to get an XBox with the HD DVD add on. I am still reticent about whether to get this or the PS3 for an HD and gaming combo box. I have used the Toshiba player, but it just doesn't make sense to me to get a player only when you can get a gaming machine at the same time. And I don't do much gaming!

I think I will also go the Netflix route until there are more HD releases on either HD DVD or Blu Ray.
 
Elton said:
I also have Apocalypse Now, Shawshank, Trainspotting, War of the Worlds and the Big Lebowski in HD on the DVR. :)
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OHHHHHHH is there ANY WAY you can get me Bladerunner hd? is it at all posssible?
 
Uprezzing? No no no no no!

They go back to the film and re-transfer to HD. Telecine is the process to get film to video. Think of it as a scanner - broadcast and DVD material is transferred at D1 res - 720x486 pixels. HD transfers are typically done in 1080p, so 1920x1080 - LOTS MORE pixels and detail. The detail was always in there, just that standard def transfers are low res. Funny how everybody locks in on broadcast res as "that's as good as it gets" - no it isn't, NTSC is a 60 year old standard!

As for breathing new life into movies, I recently got a 60" 1080p HDTV and digital HD cable and WOW it looks detailed. Unfortunately a lot of compression artifacts, but still looks so much better than regular cable.

Older movies like McCabe and Mrs. Miller are odd to see in HD - that old 70s looking film stock, lighting, makeup, wardrobe etc. pins it to that era, but the high def detail is the new life in it.

Watching Corpse Bride on HD-DVD, noted how incredibly clean it was - because shot on a digital still camera, not on film (it is a stop motion movie).

Makes me think footage from Red One will look more like that than transferred film once those are out - good times!

-mike
 
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