The Arrow Thread

[Andra Jai]

Originally Posted by Boo Radley

You phrased that perfectly.. Totally agree with you in every way. That is exactly how it should be put forward, it falls short of being perfect but is the best out there, not "it's unwatchable" when the screen shots a page or two back for City prove otherwise.

With respect mate screen shots don't prove a damn thing, they never do, the transfers look very different in motion, just look how many times that's been proven with blu-ray titles such as Night of the Living Dead and The Beyond both of which had horrible screen shots and even your own example, based on the screenshots of COTLD the Arrow freeze frame looks a lot better than it does in motion.

There was even someone online the other day showing screenshots from Arrows Demons 2 where they were saying how much better the Synapse discs will be. The pictures they were showing looked truly horrible with washed out colours etc and I even had to replay my Demons 2 blu-ray to check the transfer wasn't as bad as the screenshot looked , which by the way it wasn't.

[Stephen@Cult Labs]

I've said it many times before, I don't place a lot of faith in screenshots........unless it's screenshots from the Predator: Ultimate Hunter Edition.

[keirarts]

Originally Posted by sam tyler

With respect mate screen shots don't prove a damn thing, they never do, the transfers look very different in motion, just look how many times that's been proven with blu-ray titles such as Night of the Living Dead and The Beyond both of which had horrible screen shots and even your own example, based on the screenshots of COTLD the Arrow freeze frame looks a lot better than it does in motion.

There was even someone online the other day showing screenshots from Arrows Demons 2 where they were saying how much better the Synapse discs will be. The pictures they were showing looked truly horrible with washed out colours etc and I even had to replay my Demons 2 blu-ray to check the transfer wasn't as bad as the screenshot looked , which by the way it wasn't.

Fully agree here, I've never held much stock in screencaps.

All I know with COTLD is that the Blue underground release came a lot earlier than the arrow one, and as a long term fan of the film I bought the BU release asap and watched it several times at least before getting the Arrow release. Now I would dispute the notion the Arrow release is 'unwatchable'. Its not as bad as it's staunchest critics make out. But there was a noticeable difference.

[Linbro]

Originally Posted by sam tyler

I've had every blu-ray release going of City of the Living Dead which by the way are all taken from the same master.

The Arrow release however has the worst presentation due to the number of visible on screen artifacts, the US release is better but the Austrian steelbook is by far the best of the 3. This comparison was done when I owned all 3 at the same time and played them off one after the other.

I actually sold the other 2 and kept the steelie as after comparing it, the Arrow disc became unwatchable to me, although the extras were still worth having if you are into that sort of thing, personally I'm not.

I actually tested these on a 47" lcd tv and saw a huge difference so I wouldn't like to think how the Arrow release would fair on anything bigger.

I also have the XT release, and even my untrained eyes could see a pretty significant difference - really noticable in the opening scene, when the preist is walking through the mist.

[keirarts]

Originally Posted by Linbro

I also have the XT release, and even my untrained eyes could see a pretty significant difference - really noticable in the opening scene, when the preist is walking through the mist.

The real problem is a lot of these Austrian and German releases can be eye wateringly expensive. I wonder what it is these companies do, but a lot of people seem to find the euro releases better quality so they must have better technicians or something. I would rather Uk distributors looked to these companies for their transfers and let us in the UK get them a bit cheaper. I can live without the fancy variant/steelbook/mediabook buy ten copies collect em' all that seems to be going on over there, I just want a decent transfer of the film.

[Andra Jai]

Originally Posted by Stephen@Cult Labs

I've said it many times before, I don't place a lot of faith in screenshots........unless it's screenshots from the Predator: Ultimate Hunter Edition.

Oh Please, I'd happily take the very worst of Arrows transfers degrade it another hundred times and it would still be better than that bloody travesty.

Predator UHE makes it look as though they shot the whole film in Madame Tussauds and that's coming form someone who is not over keen on that much film grain.

I also didn't like the US transfer of The Good the Bad and the Ugly for the same reason. Well at least they got two words right .

[Boo Radley]

Originally Posted by sam tyler

Okay I was really starting to worry there for a second as you quoted a website that states the Arrow COTLD transfer as being better than the US release and also another website saying that Arrows Tenebrae is as good a transfer as the French disc.

On checking however the COTLD comparison gives the edge to Arrow due to the extras which is a fair point if you want extras, personally I'd rather have the best presentation of the film.

As for Tenebrae, any reviewer that states Arrows release is the exact same quality transfer as the French disc is not a reviewer I would to take too seriously in future.

I never said the Arrow edition was better I said it was taken from the same master. The review (if I remember...!!!) said they were equally decent transfers both with very minor quibbles and that yes, because of the extra's on the Arrow disc, it won out, implying that the transfers were equal. Earlier, however it was said that the Arrow version was like looking through a bathroom window with net curtains in a blizzard. That is why I found some screenshots to look at and honestly, can anyone look at those and say it is as bad as that?
Tenebrae is far from perfect, true, and the cut, burnt in subtitled French version may look slightly better in your eyes but the fact remains there is no better out there at this time. You say that you want the best presentation of the film if you can get it then I'd argue that a cut, burnt in subtitled copy is not the top of the pile.
Personally I'd listen to a reviewer who states that the two releases both have issues but one wins out in his opinion because of x, y and z rather than some one saying that one is unwatchable because the blacks were not solid enough on his TV.

[J Harker]

Originally Posted by Boo Radley

Okay, I just had a look around the web and found this out about CotLD. The BU and Arrow discs are taken from exactly the same hi def master.........exactly the same.
On many forums, like City of the Living Dead – BluRay (Blue Underground vs. Arrow Video) – 10,000 Bullets they actually recommend the Arrow transfer over the BU version. Here you can look at the screenshots from both and if anyone thinks that it is looking like a net curtained bathroom window with a blizzard outside then you are going to have to explain just what you mean as the screen shots prove you're talking out of an orifice other than your mouth...
Perhaps some of you need to look at your equipment and cables before proclaiming something is unwatchable. Now some of you might have 8-12 foot state of the art cinema's that will blow my 6 grand set up (My pride and joy!!) away but the majority of fans won't.
Instead of sitting there desperately looking for some tiny flaw so people can say, "Oh, at one point a line appeared horizontally for 3 seconds at the change of a reel in a 40 year old film. Completely ruined it for me, couldn't watch it anymore, gave me a headache!", why can't we just watch and enjoy the film for what it's meant to be and be happy that we've got the best possible transfer.
Odd idea, I know...

I beg your pardon, orafice other than my mouth?? Screenshots prove otherwise? First off there's no need to be rude. It's my opinion, doesn't matter whether you share it or not.
Secondly screenshots don't prove a damn thing, I put the disc in and look at the telly and that tells me what the picture is like.

[sjconstable]

Originally Posted by Boo Radley

I'm sure the new Tenebrae will look better than their last effort BUT until this comes out the Arrow version is still at this moment in time equal (according to various blu ray comparison sites.) to the French release. In other words it is the best anyone on the planet has seen it, there is no better release.

That is completely wrong, the French Blu-ray is from a different master and looks completely different to the Arrow.

[Boo Radley]

Originally Posted by J Harker

I beg your pardon, orafice other than my mouth?? Screenshots prove otherwise? First off there's no need to be rude. It's my opinion, doesn't matter whether you share it or not.
Secondly screenshots don't prove a damn thing, I put the disc in and look at the telly and that tells me what the picture is like.

My apologies for being rude. Perhaps you can tell me then why in your opinion you believe the picture is "unwatchable", and "looks like a bathroom window with a net curtain in a blizzard." because even if you think the BU or XT version looks better, it is still the 2nd or 3rd best print in the world.
What you stated is plainly exaggerated to a huge degree and in no way is a reflection of the presentation. I appreciate you have your own opinion but if it is so blatantly untrue as to put people off buying it, then it needs to be corrected. I apologise again for insulting you in my wry attempt at humour.