PinoyDVD: The Pinoy Digital Video & Devices Community
DVD Forum => DVD Releases and Reviews => Region 3 => Topic started by: toyfanatic on Oct 16, 2006 at 12:13 AM
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guys,
any street date here? sa cd-wow it will be release on the 14th of November, earlier that the R1 release of 28th of November
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probably earlier than R1. :)
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Yes, mid-November is likely but hopefully Warner Philippines decides to bring it out even earlier.
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Superman Returns R3 2-disc DE with comic book will street on November 12 -- currently the earliest in the region. Retail is Php650 but there's a very good chance that there'll be a pre-order promo.
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Nice ;D Ano kaya free item or discount? Di kaya sana lenticular parang Batman and Corpse Bride ;D
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Superman Returns R3 2-disc DE with comic book will street on November 12 -- currently the earliest in the region. Retail is Php650 but there's a very good chance that there'll be a pre-order promo.
The pre-booking allows for a P100 shave off the regular price for both the 2 disc and the 2 disc with comic book. Regular prices for these are P599 and P650 respectively. I saw the comic book earlier and it seems worth the P51 price differrence. I'll post pics once we have the materials from Warner. We will start the pre-booking promo before the end of the week. As mentioned by firewired, the street date is November 12.
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This looks promising...double dip when the 14disc Superman comes out?
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The pre-booking allows for a P100 shave off the regular price for both the 2 disc and the 2 disc with comic book. Regular prices for these are P599 and P650 respectively. I saw the comic book earlier and it seems worth the P51 price differrence. I'll post pics once we have the materials from Warner. We will start the pre-booking promo before the end of the week. As mentioned by firewired, the street date is November 12.
Is the comic book the same as the one which was printed locally (i.e., the comic adaptation of the movie)?
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Why do Warner always offer a DE for R3 and not for R1?
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For major releases, it's an anti-piracy tactic. Value-priced deluxe editions are very attractive to buyers. For example, Batman Begins DE was one of Warner's biggest sellers ever.
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Oh! This is exciting! I will get!! ;D
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You're right. If the sales estimates at BoxOfficeMojo.com are correct, the Philippines is one of the biggest markets for Superman Returns. It made almost $4.2 M here. The Da Vinci Code I think only managed to earn $1.8 M. For comparison, the Harry Potter movies typically earn $2-3 M here. Also, according to the SM IMAX manager, the Philippine IMAX theater had the biggest per theater average for Superman Returns IMAX. Proof that Superman is BIG in the Philippines and thus deserves an elaborate DVD release here!
Yes, and according to Warner's November 2006 DVD Release Flyer, Superman Returns is actually the Highest Grossing Warner Brothers movie OF ALL-TIME in the Philippines.
I had no idea it was that big locally.
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Is the comic for the Special Ed with comic same as that of ultimate edition? Does it have a slipcase?
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Pre-booking promo in pinoydvd.biz is now available.
Ultimate Superman Collector's Edition
Php 3,250.00 (Php 500 discount)
Superman Returns (Two-Disc Special Edition with Comic Book)
Php 550.00 (Php 100 discount)
Superman Returns (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Php 499.00 (Php 100 discount)
Purchase must be made by November 14 to avail of discount. ;D
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Is there a pre-order promo at Astrovision too? Or is it strictly at pinoydvd.biz? I prefer to pick-up the item from the store so I can choose (especially if this comes in a lenticular package again). Mahirap na kung ma-scratch during delivery.
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Meron din ata sa Astro but pinoydvd.biz takes care of delivered DVDs pretty well ;D
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Pre-orders will be accepted in Astro and other major retailers but they may charge a reservation fee. PinoyDVD is waiving this fee for now but if our reservation-to-purchase ratio deteriorates, the distributors will probably advise us to do the same.
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same question:
Is the comic for the Special Ed with comic same as that of ultimate edition? Does it have a slipcase?
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Acdg to randyv, comic is diff. Slipcase yet to be determined :D
Can't decide yet which to get ;D
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Yes, and according to Warner's November 2006 DVD Release Flyer, Superman Returns is actually the Highest Grossing Warner Brothers movie OF ALL-TIME in the Philippines.
I had no idea it was that big locally.
probably IMAX had something to do with the total gross locally...
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just had my reservation yesterday .. meron daw free poster sabi ng Astro ;D
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just had my reservation yesterday .. meron daw free poster sabi ng Astro ;D
WOoh... :o
Free poster. I wonder how it wil look like. Still thinking if I should reserve this or not. ;D
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Good news and bad news from Randyv
"Bad news is that SE with the comic book will come shrink wrapped and not with a slip case. The good news is that this is a limited release and and not all territories worldwide will carry the comic book, thus the shrink wrap packaging. I was told that if the comic book was offerred in all territories, the packaging would have been different. Tradeoff: limited release/not great packaging vs. unlimited release/better packaging.
The comic book title is "Superman: The ultimate guide to the man of steel". The contents are basically excerpts from a coffee table of (maybe) the same title. Cover is silver with the Superman logo. I've requested for more descriptions on the comic."
Sayang sana limited release/great packaging na lang no? ;D
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Good news and bad news from Randyv
"Bad news is that SE with the comic book will come shrink wrapped and not with a slip case. The good news is that this is a limited release and and not all territories worldwide will carry the comic book, thus the shrink wrap packaging. I was told that if the comic book was offerred in all territories, the packaging would have been different. Tradeoff: limited release/not great packaging vs. unlimited release/better packaging.
The comic book title is "Superman: The ultimate guide to the man of steel". The contents are basically excerpts from a coffee table of (maybe) the same title. Cover is silver with the Superman logo. I've requested for more descriptions on the comic."
Sayang sana limited release/great packaging na lang no? ;D
Sana great packaging na lang. Hindi ko naman bibilhin ito para ibebenta rin. It's for collection purposes. I don't know what to make of this. I preordered this eventhough I am already getting the Ultimate Collection for both Regions 1 & 3 so I can display them side by side.
Siguro wag ko na lang tanggalin from the shrink wrap.
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deluxe edition (http://www1.cd-wow.com/detail_results_2.php?product_code=1042374&affid=14857) with comic book from cd wow for a limited time :)
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deluxe edition (http://www1.cd-wow.com/detail_results_2.php?product_code=1042374&affid=14857) with comic book from cd wow for a limited time :)
Thanks for the info. I assume this is the same as the one which will be released by Warner Philippines. By the way, here are the more specifics on the special features (based on the CD-Wow release):
Special Features:
* Requiem for Krypton: Making Superman Returns
o Pt. 1 Secret Origins and First Issues: Crystallizing Superman
o Pt. 2 The Crystal Method: Designing Superman
o Pt. 3 An Affinity for Beachfront Property: Shooting Superman – Superman on the Farm
o Pt. 3 An Affinity for Beachfront Property: Shooting Superman – Superman in the City
o Pt. 3 An Affinity for Beachfront Property: Shooting Superman – Superman in Trouble
o Pt. 4 The Joy of Lex: Menacing Superman
o Pt. 5 TBD Wrapping Superman
* Deleted Scenes (includes audio introduction from director Bryan Singer):
o The Date
o Family Photos
o Crash Landing
o X-Ray Vision
o Old Newspapers
o Are You Two Dating?
o Martinis and Wigs
o I’m Always Right
o Jimmy the Lush
o Supertalk Concern
o Crystal Feet
o New Krypton
* Easter Egg (AKA. How Wrong Can You Be?)
* Trailers
o Teaser Trailer
o Theatrical Trailer
o EA Game Trailer
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is the pre booking discount promo also in astro?
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Good news and bad news from Randyv
"Bad news is that SE with the comic book will come shrink wrapped and not with a slip case. The good news is that this is a limited release and and not all territories worldwide will carry the comic book, thus the shrink wrap packaging. I was told that if the comic book was offerred in all territories, the packaging would have been different. Tradeoff: limited release/not great packaging vs. unlimited release/better packaging.
The comic book title is "Superman: The ultimate guide to the man of steel". The contents are basically excerpts from a coffee table of (maybe) the same title. Cover is silver with the Superman logo. I've requested for more descriptions on the comic."
Sayang sana limited release/great packaging na lang no? ;D
I'm not sure I get this. Hehe. So it' won't be like V for Vendetta DE?
Thanks for the heads up anyways. ;D
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hi firewired...haven't had a chance to register at pinoydvd.biz...
but can i place my order for the De with comics?? thanks! :D
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Hi Firewired,
What seems to be the problem here? I was trying to reserve but I got this message.
The email address already exists. If you are the owner of the email address and you have concerns, please advise us by emailing us at [email protected]
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I'm not sure I get this. Hehe. So it' won't be like V for Vendetta DE?
Thanks for the heads up anyways. ;D
Yup, it won't be like V for Vendetta DE. It'll just be normal DVD case with the comic just shrinkwrapped along with the case, there will be no slipcase.
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frootloops, I've forwarded your concern to Randy. I'm pretty sure he (or a member of his team) is already looking into this.
Superman, just click on the banner below which is linked to the reservation page. When the item becomes available, the system will send e-mail to remind you place your order.
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Hi Firewired,
What seems to be the problem here? I was trying to reserve but I got this message.
The email address already exists. If you are the owner of the email address and you have concerns, please advise us by emailing us at [email protected]
Medyo OT to answer here but opportune just as well since you raised it here. ;D
This type of error arises when a registrant misses out on activating his/her account after creating one. As a precautionary measure and to safeguard the owner of the email address, account activation at .Biz requires clicking on an email link sent to the address indicated in account creation. This process prevents a person from using somebody else's email address to create an account. 8) This error is common as a number of registrants overlook the activation email because of it landing in their junk folders. That's why during account creation, we remind everybody to check their junk or spam folders.
Anyway, I've already referred your case to support. Please email them to request the resending of the activation email. Thanks. ;)
Oh, similarly Superman, I suggest that you register na with .Biz. Pre-bookings are only allowed to registered members unfortunately. But note that the process of registration is generally simple and no documents are required to activate an account only the "link" referred to above. ;)
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Yup, it won't be like V for Vendetta DE. It'll just be normal DVD case with the comic just shrinkwrapped along with the case, there will be no slipcase.
Oh! I get it. Thanks. ;D
:-[ It's sad though...
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since no one could answer my question.. i proceeded to astro festival this evening to find out.. they were to start taking reservations tom..but since i was there na, they let me sign up na rin and gave me a coupon..same promo p100 off etc... so im no.1 in the list, where's my award ahahaha! dont i get a statue or something? bwahaha
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Also reserved 2 copies at Astro MOA. At 1st hindi nila alam na ongoing na yung reservation, until sinabi ko na yung ibang branch ng Astro nagpapareserve na. Hindi nila alam andun na pala sa kanila yung reservation stubs.
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wala bang advance release tommorrow? heheheheh ;D
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wala bang advance release tommorrow? heheheheh ;D
Oo nga. Sana meron parang Harry Potter ... ;D
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I think all the dealers learned from the Harry Potter incident. If you're curious though, PinoyDVD.biz will have an Ultimate Superman CE sample on hand at the Nov HiFi Show if you're still undecided.
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Superman Returns R3 2-disc DE with comic book will street on November 12 -- currently the earliest in the region. Retail is Php650 but there's a very good chance that there'll be a pre-order promo.
sir, please correct me if im wrong, passed by astroplus SM carpark this morning, the lady told me sa 14th of November pa raw release??? last day lang ng reservation tommorrow
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sir, please correct me if im wrong, passed by astroplus SM carpark this morning, the lady told me sa 14th of November pa raw release??? last day lang ng reservation tommorrow
Release date is indeed Nov. 14, 2006.
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Yup it's Nov 14, moved from the 12th.
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Yup it's Nov 14, moved from the 12th.
And I've been informed that Warner warned their in-store sales reps that if anyone decides to "break" the release date, they will be instantly fired. ;)
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I think all the dealers learned from the Harry Potter incident. If you're curious though, PinoyDVD.biz will have an Ultimate Superman CE sample on hand at the Nov HiFi Show if you're still undecided.
And what "incident" was that? Di ba nagboost pa ang sales nila when they release a DVD earlier than the target date?
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And I've been informed that Warner warned their in-store sales reps that if anyone decides to "break" the release date, they will be instantly fired. ;)
Haha... Firing people for releasing DVDs to the public earlier than release date?? To show consistency, how I wish they would also fire those working with the distributors if they release it later than the target date... ;D
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And what "incident" was that? Di ba nagboost pa ang sales nila when they release a DVD earlier than the target date?
This incident: http://pinoydvd.com/board/index.php?topic=46057.msg555302#msg555302
;D
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On the incident mentioned by Mr. Hankey (link above)
Actually, if this was the States, that would be illegal. While the release date is probably fixed by the distributor, price shouldn't. That would amount to price fixing and violate antitrust laws. Or else, all item sold on Amazon would be SRP and not the 25-50% discount we often get. But then again, that's the States, and this is the Philippines. The market is probably too small for such regulations. As it is, Warner's prices are fair enough, so no complains here... just a little musing on my part... but way OT. Sorry.
Back to topic. PinoyDVD sale in 30 minutes... anyone staying up late for either of the Superman (Returns and Ultimate set) DVDs?
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Just got mine, c/o PinoyDVD.Biz. Thanks!
P.S. BTW, there's a white sticker on the shrinkwrap: Street Date Strictly: Nov. 14. :)
Also, the shiny silver cover of the Comic book (actually "The Ultimate Guide to the Man of Steel") is prone to scratches. Mine had scratches and what appears to be glue I think from the shrinkwrapping. :(
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Got the comicbook edition too from astro glorietta with free miniposter ;) but artwork of the movie size poster from the ultimate edition is much better if you ask me, was trying to exchange sana di raw pwede :(
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bought this title a while ago.
BTW, has anyone seen the bloopers at the end of the documentary on disc 2? Natawa ako nung nag-slide si Superman,,, hehe.
The included book was great, very informative. Binalot ko na lang para hindi prone sa scratches.
All in all. Every bit of feature on the disc was great. This is deifnitely a must buy.
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Also got my copy today through pinoydvd.biz. I like the 'book' that came with it. In general, I'm satisfied with this release. However, I'm still dreaming of the Ultimate Edition. ;D
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IMHO, The Book that comes with Superman Returns is way better than the comics/comic cover artwork of the Ultimate Edition. The one with Superman Returns is not really a comics but a mini-encyclopedia of Superman trivia condensed from the DK line( ie How Things work, etc) of books. At the back, it is printed $7.99 but not for individual resale (huh?). I really wished this was the book that was included with the Ultimate Collector's since it would be more appropriate.
Note that this is a double post. Also posted in Ultimate Collector's thread (http://pinoydvd.com/board/index.php?topic=58119.112). If you wish to comment on my post, do it on that thread na lang... :)
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*Easter Egg :o
Disk 2 deleted scenes (just keep scrolling down the 1st set of deleted scenes until you see the red "S" Logo)
Kevin Spacey's takes on "WRONG!" ;)
Loved the Disks....Loved the mini guide book....Hated the mini poster :P
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I've also got a copy from pinoydvd.biz (the one with comic book)....
Bakit ganun? Di sulit... Ang pangit ng picture quality. ???
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I've also got a copy from pinoydvd.biz (the one with comic book)....
Bakit ganun? Di sulit... Ang pangit ng picture quality. ???
Picture quality ng alin?
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the movie itself..... not so noticable syempre on a standard crt tv, but on lcd tv, ang daming pixelations... ???
I'd still like to probably buy a region 1 na lang for collection.... :-[
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Di sulit... Ang pangit ng picture quality.
I'd still like to probably buy a region 1 na lang for collection.... :-[
You know, Warner usually (two known exceptions: Eyes Wide Shut and Once Upon a Time in America) digitally masters the DVD only once for Regions 1 and 3, so you're likely to get exactly the same picture quality on your R1 purchase.
I get what you mean, though. A few scenes seem a bit grainy on my LCD screen (there was noticeable pixelation in the "young Clark running in the cornfields" scene), but the bitrate registers around 5.5-9Mbps, usually in the 7 range. This seems about average for most R1 and R3 releases I've checked.
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Maraming high speed scenes, so unless the bitrate is very high, picture quality could suffer. I don't have a big LCD (yet), so really can't tell.
But HD-DVD/Bluray is probably the way to go if you really want the best picture quality...
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the movie itself..... not so noticable syempre on a standard crt tv, but on lcd tv, ang daming pixelations... ???
I'd still like to probably buy a region 1 na lang for collection.... :-[
from review of the R1 Superman Returns...
Presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio and anamorphically enhanced for widescreen displays, Superman Returns looks very good with a few reservations. The film was reportedly shot entirely on high-definition video, so the limitations of certain scenes are likely due to the source material, not the transfer. Certain outdoor scenes look remarkably crisp, vibrant and colorful, while darker sequences display mild amounts of grain and seem slightly muddy. Overall, the positives certainly outweigh the negatives, while Warner's excellent track record earns them a slight handicap.
http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=25057
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You know, Warner usually (two known exceptions: Eyes Wide Shut and Once Upon a Time in America) digitally masters the DVD only once for Regions 1 and 3, so you're likely to get exactly the same picture quality on your R1 purchase.
I get what you mean, though. A few scenes seem a bit grainy on my LCD screen (there was noticeable pixelation in the "young Clark running in the cornfields" scene), but the bitrate registers around 5.5-9Mbps, usually in the 7 range. This seems about average for most R1 and R3 releases I've checked.
The disc is dvd9.... it seems like the pixel/picture quality was ruined during the encoding process....
...I'm having thoughts that the locally sold DVDs are like ripped from other region, then re-encoded to region 3 (with poor quality encoding)... ??? Can anyone confirm? If ganun nga, malamang ganun nga rin sa ibang mga "budget" locally available DVDs kaya pangit (usually) ang pixel/picture quality.... ???
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The disc is dvd9.... it seems like the pixel/picture quality was ruined during the encoding process....
...I'm having thoughts that the locally sold DVDs are like ripped from other region, then re-encoded to region 3 (with poor quality encoding)... ??? Can anyone confirm? If ganun nga, malamang ganun nga rin sa ibang mga "budget" locally available DVDs kaya pangit (usually) ang pixel/picture quality.... ???
With the good track record of Warner with regard to its R3 releases, I doubt if the local Warner releases are just re-encoded from R1 (or from any other region). The quality of local Warner releases are generally consistent with its R1 counterparts, although there may be some differences in content. The video quality of the Superman Returns DVD may be explained by the earlier post of Sir boredfilmmaker.
As to the budget releases (such as those of Magnavision and C-Interactive), these are encoded in DVD5 discs kaya talagang magsa-suffer ang picture quality. And these releases are known to be locally pressed/encoded.
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As per Warner, releases are mastered from a single HD source with the subtitles and menus added at a later stage depending on the region. In fact, many of their releases are multi-region now which means they're authored to play in different countries.
Of all the studios, WHV's Burbank headquarters is the strictest when it comes to localization of DVDs for local markets. To date, no facility in the Philippines has passed certification for local duplication, much less mastering from HD source materials.
Given that they shot the film on HD, the artifacts are probably due to the limitations of the format ("Collateral" comes to mind) or Warner didn't do a very good job in encoding the film for DVD. Hopefully not on purpose. Either way, they seem to be giving us yet another irritating reason to "upgrade" to HD-DVD which ticks me off.
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the movie itself..... not so noticable syempre on a standard crt tv, but on lcd tv, ang daming pixelations... ???
I'd still like to probably buy a region 1 na lang for collection.... :-[
I was supposed to buy pa naman sana of the 2-disc yesterday. If this is the case, then I'll have to wait na lang for R1, wala na kaming CRT TV sa bahay.
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I was supposed to buy pa naman sana of the 2-disc yesterday. If this is the case, then I'll have to wait na lang for R1, wala na kaming CRT TV sa bahay.
Did you read firewired's post above yours?
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Yes I did.
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Good, then I hope that guides you about the quality of the R1 you intend to purchase instead of the R3.
Of course, it's ultimately your personal choice to buy an R1 or an R3, but the picture quality should be the same for both versions, if that was your main reason for changing your mind on which region to get. I am curious, though, about the R1's "gold foil o-sleeve packaging." I will get to see a copy later.
Given that they shot the film on HD, the artifacts are probably due to the limitations of the format ("Collateral" comes to mind) or Warner didn't do a very good job in encoding the film for DVD. Hopefully not on purpose.
You know, considering this is available as an HD DVD/DVD Combo Format disc in the States, I'm thinking it just may be intentional, so those who compare the two versions on their disc won't be disappointed in the new format. :o
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the movie itself..... not so noticable syempre on a standard crt tv, but on lcd tv, ang daming pixelations... ???
I'd still like to probably buy a region 1 na lang for collection.... :-[
share lang ako sa konting na research ko, regarding macroblocking (or as we know it, pixelization).
DVD uses lossy compression such as MPEG2, and the higher the compression rate (and since Superman Returns was shot in HD), the more content is removed. At decompression, the output of certain decoded blocks makes surrounding pixels appear averaged together and look like larger blocks. Blocking and other artifacts become more noticeable lalo na sa fast moving scenes. In this case naman, a 480p source like DVD will have pixelization much noticeable sa LCD (which could be HD native resolution like 720p) unlike sa standard CRT TV na walang scaling nangyayari.... :) We can confirm this once the review for the HD versions comes up.
just my two cents...kaya, as stated by mr. Hankey, Region 1 and 3 have the same PQ... :)
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You know, considering this is available as an HD DVD/DVD Combo Format disc in the States, I'm thinking it just may be intentional, so those who compare the two versions on their disc won't be disappointed in the new format. :o
Yeah that's my conspiracy theory as well. Also because there's that rumoured extended edition in the works for next year.
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Yeah that's my conspiracy theory as well. Also because there's that rumoured extended edition in the works for next year.
sa forecasts nila, earnings from DVD will dry up.....kaya they need another format..to milk out consumers again Double dip uli yun lalu na sa catalog titles. Oh well, theyre here to make profit........... :-[ in return, they should give us better looking and better sounding films.......even in HD kasi minsan me crap... :)
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Also because there's that rumoured extended edition in the works for next year.
What reveals that an extended edition will definitely come out next year is that the very expensive ($10M) "Return to Krypton" scene they deleted from the theatrical cut due to time constraints was not included among the "Deleted Scenes" of this current DVD. :-\
Grr... I hate these intentional double dip-titles by these greedy studios! >:(
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What reveals that an extended edition will definitely come out next year is that the very expensive ($10M) "Return to Krypton" scene they deleted from the theatrical cut due to time constraints was not included among the "Deleted Scenes" of this current DVD. :-\
I was also expecting it to be in the deleted scenes. :(
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buti na lang im still using crt tv so hardly notice the pixellation that you guys are mentioning.....would have gotten sana the UE kaso is way above my budget at the same time hated Superman 3 and 4 :P
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Im also using crt tv sony wega 25". The grainy picture is very obvious compared to other titles, for me this is the worst picture quality for an original title using DVD9, para syang pirated or parang DVD5 lang ang ginamit na media. :P Kung crt pa lang halata na, lalo na siguro kayong mga naka LCD. :-[
Its not the pixellation but rather you can see some grains lalo na kung dark yung scenes. Meron dun scene na medyo madilim yung ground and maliwanag naman yung sky (or the other way around), kitang kita mo na may mga grains from dark spot to light spot.
Like others just said, sa tingin ko nga intentional ito para mag upgrade na tayo sa HD-DVD or Blue-ray.. :'(
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here is DVDTOWN.com's review:
Video:
What I remember most about this movie's picture quality in a motion-picture theater was its crystalline clarity, shot as it was with a new Panasonic Genesis HD camera. However, I also remember it not looking entirely natural because it seemed too glossy, clean, and flat. Now that it's transferred to disc in a high-bit-rate, anamorphic widescreen measuring about 2.20:1 across my television, I notice there is a tad more delicate grain in the DVD picture than I noticed in the theater. Fortunately, it tends to give the digital image a little more texture and realism, so I can't complain. Yet despite the new camera's higher resolution and the best standard-definition DVD transfer possible, there is a soft, muted look about the proceedings compared to conventional photography. So, while the video is fine, I'm not entirely happy with it.
hmmm..is it intentional or not? did they overdo giving it a natural look by giving it a dash of grain? ???
i'll post comments as soon as the HD/DVD combo disc arrives......
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Yup, that was the complaint about the IMAX version as well. The grain looked overdone after they blew it up. For all we know, this could've been a DVD-release creative decision on Brian Singer's part to add texture to the film and match the cinematography of the Donner films.
Best to wait for a review of the HD-DVD release to see if the grain is present in that version.
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Excerpt from Wired Magazine's June 2006 interview with Bryan Singer:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.06/singer.html
You’re one of the last big directors to go digital. Why did you make the switch?
I’m an old-fashioned guy, so this was a huge step. I remember going to George Lucas’ digital summit at Skywalker Ranch in 2002. It’s this event to showcase digital technologies, with all these filmmakers: Spielberg, Coppola, Scorsese, Ron Howard, John Lasseter, Bob Zemeckis, Oliver Stone, Robert Rodriguez. It was a hoot. Texas Instruments had a demo of the new digital protection systems. Suddenly I’m sitting with all my idols – I felt like I won some big prize. I had breakfast with Lucas the last morning. He was really making the pitch hard for digital, and I just felt there’s still this artifact, there’s still stuff going on that bothers me.
What changed your mind?
We shot the screen test for Brandon Routh, who plays Superman, in Super 35 film. That’s how I shot X2 and The Usual Suspects. And we thought, just for fun, we would throw up an old 70-mm Panavision camera at the same time. That’s how they shot Lawrence of Arabia and 2001: A Space Odyssey, but it’s not used anymore because it’s outrageously expensive. We threw the screen test up in a theater that had 70-mm capability, and then we just went back and forth. Suddenly the 35-mm image looked so primitive. It was depressing, in resolution, clarity, and intimacy. The 70-mm was like Imax but without the crazy eight stories. But using 70-mm cameras would be millions of dollars more expensive. Around that time, my cinematographer, Tom Siegel, said, “Well, there’s this new digital camera called the Genesis that uses the Panavision lenses and records the image onto a single chip the same size as the 35-mm film frame.”
They had some prototype cameras just sitting around at the ready?
Well, there was one. We brought this one camera to Australia, where we were filming, and started doing tests against the Super 35. We filmed a girl in a golf cart driving around the lot, from midday to sundown, so we could see different light qualities, what the headlights would look like, how the look would change from natural to artificial lighting. We shot surfaces, like wood and stone. We shot everything with both film and the Genesis. And then Tom and I locked ourselves in a screening room at Fox Studios Australia and just watched all of it, digital next to film. We felt that it was exquisite enough and different enough. In that room, the two of us made the decision to do it.
But nobody had used these cameras to shoot a movie yet. How’d you convince the studio to take the gamble?
I wrote an email to Jeff [Robinov, president of production at Warner Bros.] and said I wanted to do this. And he said, Cool. So then the next step was Panavision’s gearing up to make enough cameras. By the end, we went through almost a dozen of them and found that a lot of things hadn’t been worked out yet. Our movie became a big testing ground for the technology.
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Regarding the poor picture quality...are we talking about "Superman Returns"? or the first ones?
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"Superman Returns" - the transfer is grainy. Given the digital source of the film though, that's unlikely so it seems like it may have been added in post.
Btw, Warner confirmed that as far as they know, there's only 1 HD master for the DVD so the version we have here is the same one that's being used for Region 1 and Region 2 NTSC (South America and Japan).
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Hmmm...nakakatakot naman yan...kung ganun, eh, recommended buy pa ba ang "Superman Returns" DVD?
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I've been reviewing the "Superman Returns" disc that came with the "Ultimate Superman Collection", and I have to agree with the naysayers... the artifacts are disturbing.
My setup is a 42" DLP and while the image is cleaner on HDMI, the shimmer is still visible in dark scenes. On component, I see the "fine grain" that seems to be annoying a lot of people.
Quoting the review on DVD Talk for the R1 version:
"Presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio and anamorphically enhanced for widescreen displays, Superman Returns looks very good with a few reservations. The film was reportedly shot entirely on high-definition video, so the limitations of certain scenes are likely due to the source material, not the transfer. Certain outdoor scenes look remarkably crisp, vibrant and colorful, while darker sequences display mild amounts of grain and seem slightly muddy. Overall, the positives certainly outweigh the negatives, while Warner's excellent track record earns them a slight handicap."
Exactly my sentiments.
MOD NOTE: Only realized now that BoredFilmmaker already quoted DVD Talk previously.
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I've been reviewing the "Superman Returns" disc that came with the "Ultimate Superman Collection", and I have to agree with the naysayers... the artifacts are disturbing.
What's actually strange (or annoying, depending on your point of view) is that the Superman II Donner Cut, which was on a tight restoration budget and was filmed 30 years ago, actually even looks cleaner when you watch it.
Oh, and for the record: I tested the R1 Superman Returns on a plasma screen (much larger than my LCD) earlier, and the grain is also noticeable. :-[ The "gold foil o-sleeve packaging" apparently means that the embossed slipcase has some gold trim on it. ;D
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With the good track record of Warner with regard to its R3 releases, I doubt if the local Warner releases are just re-encoded from R1 (or from any other region). The quality of local Warner releases are generally consistent with its R1 counterparts, although there may be some differences in content. The video quality of the Superman Returns DVD may be explained by the earlier post of Sir boredfilmmaker.
As to the budget releases (such as those of Magnavision and C-Interactive), these are encoded in DVD5 discs kaya talagang magsa-suffer ang picture quality. And these releases are known to be locally pressed/encoded.
I've got a couple of WHV released DVDs that have grainy/pixelating videos (all region 3! and all are DVD9).... I also got a couple that are clear and not grainy (DVD9 din).... So, I could never agree that WHV has their R3 consistent with its R1 counterparts.... :o
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I've got a couple of WHV released DVDs that have grainy/pixelating videos (all region 3! and all are DVD9).... I also got a couple that are clear and not grainy (DVD9 din).... So, I could never agree that WHV has their R3 consistent with its R1 counterparts.... :o
Are these same titles? I mean R1 and R3 with differing PQ...
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I just finished "Superman Returns" from start to finish. IMHO, there's something very wrong with this release. Pop in Disc 2 and watch the trailers and deleted scenes. They actually look better than the main feature.
I'm going to report this to Warner tomorrow.
I've got a couple of WHV released DVDs that have grainy/pixelating videos (all region 3! and all are DVD9).... I also got a couple that are clear and not grainy (DVD9 din).... So, I could never agree that WHV has their R3 consistent with its R1 counterparts...
You have to ask yourself what would motivate a company like Warner to spend production money on creating a superior master for Region 1 and an inferior version for Region 3. It doesn't add up. Seriously.
Now if you're complaining about missing features then that's a valid observation. Even the studios themselves will admit it. Disney routinely takes out the 2nd disc from many of their new R3 releases -- but the movie itself is still mastered from the same transfer used in all the other regions.
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I just finished "Superman Returns" from start to finish. IMHO, there's something very wrong with this release. Pop in Disc 2 and watch the trailers and deleted scenes. They actually look better than the main feature.
I'm going to report this to Warner tomorrow.
I did notice the dirt/grains/pixelations in the main feature on both my CRT and LCD screens. This is weird. What can Warner possibly do, firewired? ???
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Hmmm...just got my copy yesterday and it seems that I already lost my excitement. :(
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I think at this point, we're all better off watching our copies and posting our constructive observations relative to our equipment. Please post your setups as well for reference.
Mine:
42" Samsung DLP L6
Pioneer DV-696
Viewed using HDMI and Component connections
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IMHO, the excessive grains are there from the start. When I watched this movie on IMAX, I noticed right away that the film was grainier than usual. I even said to myself, I thought the big IMAX film would make a movie clearer. Dont get me wrong, I loved watching it on IMAX but I think the movie itself was really grainy. And Singer used a 65mm film(?), bigger film, bigger grains. Just my thoughts.
I watched this DVD on a CRT RPTV and an LCD PC monitor. I didnt notice any pixelations but yes, it still is grainy.
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ask ko lang, what part in the movie or what chapter in the disc yung na announce na superman was seen in manila? di ko kasi makita nung na scan ko dvd ko.
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"Superman seen in Manila..." Chapter 18... Around 60 minutes+ into the movie.
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Okay The Digital Bits just upped their review for the R1 version of "Superman Returns" and it pretty much confirms the problems with this transfer. Looks like this is as good as it gets for now:
The video quality of the anamorphic widescreen DVD release is good, although it's clear that the film's length and complex imagery posed quite a challenge for Warner's compressionists. Contrast is solid, if slightly lacking in the darkest areas of the image. There's generally decent detail, but the film looks a little too soft pretty much the whole way through. Colors are also slightly more muted than I'd prefer. The darker blue-grays of the new New Krypton scenes are a particular problem for the compression, with visible artifacting and a lot of fine image detail lost. Still, the image is smooth and on the whole satisfactory. Home theater enthusiasts will no doubt prefer the high-definition versions, but the DVD should satisfy most fans. The smaller your display, the more forgiving you'll be. The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, on the other hand, is outstanding. This is a very active and natural sounding mix, with a smooth, unified soundfield and deep, gut-rumbling bass reinforcement.
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/reviews3/spinsheet111506.html
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"Superman seen in Manila..." Chapter 18... Around 60 minutes+ into the movie.
salamat sir. i'll check my dvd later.
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Thanks Fire for the R1 feedback. At least the audio is outstanding.... ;)
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Saw Superman Returns R3 with the comicbook.
Looks like this one won't fly off the shelf fast.
The lack of a slipcase may be one of those factors.
The booklet is kinda big and I don't think it will fit inside the case.
Hoping for a 50% off sale. :)
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Finally saw Superman Returns today, for the first time!, yes for the first time.. ;D Did not had time then when it was in the theater. Instead of buying the advance release (p*&$%ed) , I really waited for this piece. Watched it with my Optoma 716 PJ and Philips 727K player. Yes, the grains was indeed visible, not so great PQ, the colors was so dull, but the audio/musical arrangement was outstanding. Overall, the film was perfect and maybe the best Superman ever released. Comics was also great! Very well done. An addition to my collection. Now I had to look for my last comics released when Superman died, complete with arm band, poster, and tombstone.
Superman is BACK !! ! ;D
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btw, I noticed the pixelations/grains on Superman using:
Samsung LA32S71B + Pioneer DV-696AV (on HDMI connection)....
...but then again, it is not just with one Warner Home Video released DVD where I've noticed it.... I've got a couple with the same picture quality, although some just looks great (not so noticable pixelations/grains). :o
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I visited Astro-Podium awhile ago...the cashier commented that mas mabili pa x-men3 dvd kesa "Superman Returns" dvd...kasi, bumili ako ng x-men3...heheh...
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I visited Astro-Podium awhile ago...the cashier commented that mas mabili pa x-men3 dvd kesa "Superman Returns" dvd...kasi, bumili ako ng x-men3...heheh...
That's misleading. Marami kasi bumili ng Ultimate Collection. Hindi na mag dodouble dip yan sa Superman Returns. Not to mention those who ordered on line.
;D
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saw one the other day... a slipcase together with the comicbook could have been nice. Consistent with other Warner DE releases.
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Hintayin ko na lang mag SALE yung P650.00
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saw one the other day... a slipcase together with the comicbook could have been nice. Consistent with other Warner DE releases.
Maybe one reason why they didn't come out with a deluxe edition is that the comic book was not of the same size as the DVD case -- mahirap i-package sa slipcase, hindi kagaya ng Batman Begins, Constantine at V for Vendetta.
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Hintayin ko na lang mag SALE yung P650.00
Sorry to rain on your parade, but the P650 price comes with a comic book. I would give it a 5 percent chance that it would even reach a sale event (given the box office results of the movie). Most probable, you will see the P599 copy going down to P475. So if you are really curious about the comic book, I suggest getting a copy now.
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Sorry to rain on your parade, but the P650 price comes with a comic book. I would give it a 5 percent chance that it would even reach a sale event (given the box office results of the movie). Most probable, you will see the P599 copy going down to P475. So if you are really curious about the comic book, I suggest getting a copy now.
Hahahaha!!! I agree bro! To this day actually & at least to my knowledge, they never discounted the all Warner's DE. Yes the 2disc editions were lowered but not the DE with comic book.
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saw one the other day... a slipcase together with the comicbook could have been nice. Consistent with other Warner DE releases.
If I'm not mistaken, the reason that there isn't a slipcase is that the Superman Returns DE is not a standard R3 release that's available in all territories. Warner put it together for markets where the DVD + comic book combo does extremely well -- including the Philippines.
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so that's why ala sya slipcase....held off buying kasi this one...hmm....will probably get one later from Tower Records...kasi, will be using my BPI Edge para may 10% discount ako :)
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deluxe edition (http://www1.cd-wow.com/detail_results_2.php?product_code=1042374&affid=14857) with comic book from cd wow for a limited time :)
It's not actually a comic book but a condensed edition of Superman: The Ultimate Guide by DK.
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similar with the local release nga,here's R3 korean LE 3 disc borrowed pic ;)
(http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/5013/r3leag2.th.jpg) (http://img201.imageshack.us/my.php?image=r3leag2.jpg) (http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/2382/r3le2ku5.th.jpg) (http://img201.imageshack.us/my.php?image=r3le2ku5.jpg)
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similar with the local release nga,here's R3 korean LE 3 disc borrowed pic ;)
(http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/5013/r3leag2.th.jpg) (http://img201.imageshack.us/my.php?image=r3leag2.jpg) (http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/2382/r3le2ku5.th.jpg) (http://img201.imageshack.us/my.php?image=r3le2ku5.jpg)
It seems they included the title "Look, Up In the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman" as the third disc.
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Sorry to rain on your parade, but the P650 price comes with a comic book. I would give it a 5 percent chance that it would even reach a sale event (given the box office results of the movie). Most probable, you will see the P599 copy going down to P475. So if you are really curious about the comic book, I suggest getting a copy now.
Maybe the one with the comic book won't reach SALE time, but I think I heard that line before with Titanic and Narnia. And they all went down way below expectations. If a DVD costing 900 or 850 at reg price can go down to 299-350, I expect the new releases to do the same in time.
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Haven't seen any DE Constantine/Batman Begins/Corpse Bride/Vendetta below SRP by Warner...... ::)
Still...I might be wrong coz SMR 2 disc DVD is not selling like Hotcakes here....
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It seems they included the title "Look, Up In the Sky: The Amazing Story of Superman" as the third disc.
yup...so nothing spcecial mas ok pa sana kung soundtrack
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Maybe the one with the comic book won't reach SALE time, but I think I heard that line before with Titanic and Narnia. And they all went down way below expectations. If a DVD costing 900 or 850 at reg price can go down to 299-350, I expect the new releases to do the same in time.
But those are Viva releases where 299 after 6 months is almost a given. With Warner, it will eventually drop to 350 (ie Harry Potter 1-3) but only for the disc only version. Like Corpse Bride before it, the LE probably will not reach the bargain bin...
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so that's why ala sya slipcase....held off buying kasi this one...hmm....will probably get one later from Tower Records...kasi, will be using my BPI Edge para may 10% discount ako :)
was in singapore last week and they had the slipcase.
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any difference with the R3 and R1 versions such as picture quality and others? If the R3 has poor picture quality, is the R1 version also like that? ???
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any difference with the R3 and R1 versions such as picture quality and others? If the R3 has poor picture quality, is the R1 version also like that? ???
Your questions have been answered in much detail on page 3 of this very same thread.
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Got my copy from Astro Vision a week ago. Two and a half hours of awesome entertainment. Galing talaga!! Poor video quality though. Still can't figure out why didn't they just fit the whole movie in a 9gb DL disk just like what Lord of the Rings extended edition. Malamang mas gumanda pa ng konti video quality. Audio is perfect by the way considering DOLBY lang sya.
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Some reviewers are saying that the quality is mediocre due to Warner's current compression technology platform which cannot properly handle the material due to its purely high-definition digital source. Maybe they should have outsourced the mastering process to Lucasfilm which did a bang-up job with Star Wars Episode 3.
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Still can't figure out why didn't they just fit the whole movie in a 9gb DL disk just like what Lord of the Rings extended edition.
Why? Di ba DVD-9 naman ito? I don't think Warner uses single layer discs in its releases. I think the video complaints arise from an insufficient compression technology from a high definition source, as stated by Sir Firewired in his post before this.
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Maybe they should have outsourced the mastering process to Lucasfilm which did a bang-up job with Star Wars Episode 3.
TUMPAK!! They should have relied on someone else's work. Di ko nga alam kung pano naka-pasa sa kanila yung final result.
Why? Di ba DVD-9 naman ito? I don't think Warner uses single layer discs in its releases. I think the video complaints arise from an insufficient compression technology from a high definition source, as stated by Sir Firewired in his post before this.
Yep. It's dual layer alright. But since while they're at it, they should have maximize it. Movie disk was just more than 7gb.
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to supplement the discussions regarding picture quality on page 3...ill post highdefdigest's review of Superman Returns in HD DVD:
The Video: Sizing Up the Picture
'Superman Returns' hits HD DVD concurrently with 'Superman: The Movie' and 'Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut,' and it's interesting to compare the films to see how far the art of motion picture photography and special effects have developed over the years. Where the early 'Superman' films had to rely on rear-screen photography, matte paintings and rotoscoping to make audiences believe a man could fly, 'Superman Returns' is purely a digital creation. In fact, it was shot entirely on HD cameras, which certainly gives it the edge in terms of cutting-edge special effects and visual razzmatazz. But is newer necessarily better?
I'll start with what I find lacking about 'Superman Returns' -- it is so pristine looking that it feels sterile. HD cameras tend to flatten images out a bit, as depth of field is created not optically but instead digitally. Backgrounds tend to look like pixel paintings, and the image impossibly clean. Though I can't say I want to go back to wholly analog filmmaking, I do often miss the realness, the grain, the simply aliveness of celluloid.
That said, 'Superman Returns' looks mighty good on HD DVD. Aside from some softness to the image -- primarily on backgrounds and some CGI effects containing lots of motion blur -- it is quite three-dimensional. The source material is as clean and sharp-as-a-tack as you're going to see on high-def. Colors are quite bold but generally not oversaturated. Singer and his director of photography Newton Thomas Sigel generally limit bold hues to primary colors, so Superman's red and blue outfit and the more yellow and greens of Lex Luthor's lair are striking. I also like the silver-ish, metallic look of the Daily Planet and the more lush, natural vistas of Smallville, both of which work nicely as contrast.
Technical aspects of this transfer are also excellent. Presented in 2.40:1 widescreen and 1080p/VC-1 video, compression artifacts are non-existent. Posterization and macroblocking never intrude, and colors appear free of chroma noise. I only noticed some slight digital fuzz in the darkest scenes -- noise is slight in darker patches of solid color, such as the later scene when Superman visits Lois and Richard White's home on the water. Hardly major, such slight imperfections areall that keep 'Superman Returns' from rating a five-star transfer.
here's the full link: Superman Returns (HD DVD) Review (http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/supermanreturns.html)
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I don't mind the rather excessive grain, but what really annoys me is the terrible posterization or color banding on the DVD version's underwater scenes.
Since I don't have access to HD, I tried searching some HD reviews. It turns out that the posterization/banding is present even on the HD discs. Home Theater Spot's David Vaughn says:
"I really had high hopes for this one on HD DVD, and for the most part it delivers. Color saturation is outstanding on the VC-1 encoded 1080P transfer, but heavy posterization is evident in a lot of the underwater sequences. In fact, this is the worst posterization that I have seen on HD DVD." http://www.hometheaterspot.com/htsthreads/dvd-review.php?sequence=1730 (http://www.hometheaterspot.com/htsthreads/dvd-review.php?sequence=1730)
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Hindi ko ma-gets ang review ni Peter M. Bracke:
Technical aspects of this transfer are also excellent. Presented in 2.40:1 widescreen and 1080p/VC-1 video, compression artifacts are non-existent. Posterization and macroblocking never intrude, and colors appear free of chroma noise. ...
Ano ba yung "Posterization and macroblocking never intrude"? Does it mean that they are not present on the transfer? Or does he mean that they're present but acceptable?
At any rate, Bracke's review is a far cry from Vaughn's observation: "In fact, this is the worst posterization that I have seen on HD DVD."