Major Issues List
Films on the major issues list have very serious problems with their transfer to Blu Ray. They will not be film like and may look very processed and less detailed. The titles on this list will have had either excessive digital noise reduction applied or excessive edge enhancement applied or both applied to them. They may also contain other issues as a result such as waxy looking faces or frozen grain structure. These transfers are ones which should have been a lot better.
Major Issues With Transfer To Blu Ray
Films below are poor compared to how they could look and recommendation is to rent only
A Battle Of Wits (Hong Kong Deltamac Release )
*Excessive DNR results in smearing on motion and a lack of fine detail
*Clumpy grain structure most likely due to overuse of DNR
A History Of Violence
*Excessive use of DNR
*Waxy faces and smoothed over look
Becket
*Grain structure gone AWOL due to DNR
*Persistent Halos
*Waxy faces due to aforementioned excessive DNR
Being There
*Excessive DNR
*Frozen grain structure
*Smeariness to the image
Black Rain
*Heavy grain removal which has been badly done resulting in a frozen grain structure
*Backgrounds are filled with static frozen grain patterns
Face-Off
*Excessive DNR
*Import versions also have excess edge enhancement
First Blood
*Excessive DNR
El Cid
*Waxy looking images
*Strange colors
*This edition looks like it was filmed with vaseline over the lens ( It wasn't )
*Fine grain structure largely absent
*Lacking high definition detail
Escape From New York
*An upconvert from a 480p master with excessive edge enhancement
Evil Dead II
*Excessive DNR resulting in waxy faces
*Contrast and Color changes
*Original THX release looks better and more detailed than the Blu Ray
Gladiator
*Excessive processing used including digital scratch removal tools which have erased arrows and fireballs in part of the opening battle scene
*Excessive DNR in many scenes
*Edge enhancement applied to the image
*Scenes from the extended edition on the disc look very good and show what might have been
Gulliver's Travels
*Cropped from original 1.37:1 aspect ratio
*Very excessive DNR
*Dot Crawl and quality looks no better than VHS
La Haine
*Major EE issues
*Blocking in many scenes
*DNR applied
Near Dark
*Excessive use of DNR
*Liberal sprinkling of EE
*Some blocking in many scenes
Once Upon A Time In China – Wong Fei Hung
*Considered to be an upconvert
*Grain reduced and lacking detail
*Edge enhancement throughout the film's running time
Patton
*Excessive DNR destroys the film look although HD detail still exists people look more like waxwork figures
Priceless ( Hors De Prix )
*Terrible compression issues
*Heavy use of DNR
*Edge enhancement
*Not at all film like despite being shot anamorphically in 35mm
Pulp Fiction ( Denmark Release )
*Automated dirt and scratch removal tools affect image quality and show up artifacts noticeable during playback in some scenes
*Excessive DNR
Requiem For A Dream – Alliance Canadian Release
*Soft undetailed image
*Washed out looking print with dull colors
*Overall a very poor looking release
Top Gun
*Heavy grain removal
*Frozen grain structure
*Backgrounds are filled with static grain patterns
The Fall Of The Roman Empire
*Waxy looking images
*Strange colors
*Looks like it was filmed with vaseline over the lens ( It Wasn't )
*Fine grain structure largely absent
*Lacking high definition detail
The Forty Year Old Virgin
*Excessive DNR
*Excessive DNR results in smearing on motion and a lack of fine detail
*Clumpy grain structure most likely due to overuse of DNR
A History Of Violence
*Excessive use of DNR
*Waxy faces and smoothed over look
American Psycho ( Lionsgate Release )
*Heavy handed application of DNR
*Ringing around sharp edges
*Even the halos have halos
Basic Instinct
*Excessive DNR robs the movie of the film look
*Smearing in motion affects a number of scenes
*Edge enhancement visible in some scenes
*Very processed looking and faces look smooth and waxy in some scenes
*Transfer Quality 3/10
*Sound Mix 7/10
*North American Lionsgate disc
*Click here for screencaps from the film
Becket
*Grain structure gone AWOL due to DNR
*Persistent Halos
*Waxy faces due to aforementioned excessive DNR
Being There
*Excessive DNR
*Frozen grain structure
*Smeariness to the image
Black Rain
*Heavy grain removal which has been badly done resulting in a frozen grain structure
*Backgrounds are filled with static frozen grain patterns
Con Air
*There are often thick edge halos in combination with a significantly smoothed, plastic look
CutThroat Island
*Too much DNR
*Scratch removal tools erase some rain
*Far too clean looking and processed and not film like
*Transfer Quality 5/10
*Sound Mix 9/10
*Click here for screencaps
Dark City
*Excessive DNR and edge enhancement
Dirty Dancing
*Excessive digital tinkering which gives a processed look to the image
*Excessive digital tinkering which gives a processed look to the image
*New version available that fixes all the old issues and looks far more film like
Face-Off
*Excessive DNR
*Import versions also have excess edge enhancement
First Blood
*Excessive DNR
El Cid
*Waxy looking images
*Strange colors
*This edition looks like it was filmed with vaseline over the lens ( It wasn't )
*Fine grain structure largely absent
*Lacking high definition detail
Escape From New York
*An upconvert from a 480p master with excessive edge enhancement
Evil Dead II
*Excessive DNR resulting in waxy faces
*Contrast and Color changes
*Original THX release looks better and more detailed than the Blu Ray
Gangs Of New York
*Excessive DNR and edge enhancement
*Excessive DNR and edge enhancement
*New version now available to replace this one which fixes all the issues
Gladiator
*Excessive processing used including digital scratch removal tools which have erased arrows and fireballs in part of the opening battle scene
*Excessive DNR in many scenes
*Edge enhancement applied to the image
*Scenes from the extended edition on the disc look very good and show what might have been
Gulliver's Travels
*Cropped from original 1.37:1 aspect ratio
*Very excessive DNR
*Dot Crawl and quality looks no better than VHS
La Haine
*Major EE issues
*Blocking in many scenes
*DNR applied
Near Dark
*Excessive use of DNR
*Liberal sprinkling of EE
*Some blocking in many scenes
Once Upon A Time In China – Wong Fei Hung
*Considered to be an upconvert
*Grain reduced and lacking detail
*Edge enhancement throughout the film's running time
Patton
*Excessive DNR destroys the film look although HD detail still exists people look more like waxwork figures
Police Story
*An upconvert and not a proper HD release
*Noise in the image which should not be confused with grain
*Edge enhancement issues throughout the films running time
Predator – Ultimate Hunter Edition
*Excessive DNR
*Edge enhancement to compensate for detail loss when using DNR
*Contrast boosting means loss of detail in some scenes
*The original release is better, this is one to avoid
*Click for Predator DNR edition screencaps
Priceless ( Hors De Prix )
*Terrible compression issues
*Heavy use of DNR
*Edge enhancement
*Not at all film like despite being shot anamorphically in 35mm
Pulp Fiction ( Denmark Release )
*Automated dirt and scratch removal tools affect image quality and show up artifacts noticeable during playback in some scenes
*Excessive DNR
Requiem For A Dream – Alliance Canadian Release
*Soft undetailed image
*Washed out looking print with dull colors
*Overall a very poor looking release
Top Gun
*Heavy grain removal
*Frozen grain structure
*Backgrounds are filled with static grain patterns
The Fall Of The Roman Empire
*Waxy looking images
*Strange colors
*Looks like it was filmed with vaseline over the lens ( It Wasn't )
*Fine grain structure largely absent
*Lacking high definition detail
The Forty Year Old Virgin
*Excessive DNR
The Gauntlet
*Excessive DNR
*Minor edge enhancement in some scenes
*Some compression issues
*Processed video look to the image
*Transfer Quality 4.5/10
*Sound Mix 4/10
The Last Starfighter
*Excessive DNR
*Color timing issues
The Longest Day
*Excessive DNR
The Manchurian Candidate ( remake )
*Heavy grain reduction applied
*Results in a frozen grain structure
*Backgrounds are filled with static frozen grain patterns
The Ninth Gate
*Smeary motion
*Highly processed looking
*Lacking in detail
The Untouchables
*Heavy grain reduction applied
*Results in a frozen grain structure
*Backgrounds are filled with static frozen grain patterns
The Sixth Sense
*Excessive DNR – Pasty looking faces
*European version retains the grain structure and looks much better
The Truman Show
*Excessive DNR and EE
*Image stretched horizontally resulting in people looking shorter and fatter
*Excessive DNR
The Manchurian Candidate ( remake )
*Heavy grain reduction applied
*Results in a frozen grain structure
*Backgrounds are filled with static frozen grain patterns
The Ninth Gate
*Smeary motion
*Highly processed looking
*Lacking in detail
The Untouchables
*Heavy grain reduction applied
*Results in a frozen grain structure
*Backgrounds are filled with static frozen grain patterns
The Sixth Sense
*Excessive DNR – Pasty looking faces
*European version retains the grain structure and looks much better
The Truman Show
*Excessive DNR and EE
*Image stretched horizontally resulting in people looking shorter and fatter
Trading Places
*Excessive DNR
*Excessive DNR
Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma ( Salo )
*DNR and EE
*A very unfilmlike processed video look
*DNR and EE
*A very unfilmlike processed video look
Saw III
*Excessive DNR throughout the films running time
*Excessive DNR throughout the films running time
Scary Movie
*Excessive DNR and edge enhancement
*It's scary that this was deemed good enough for Blu Ray
*Excessive DNR and edge enhancement
*It's scary that this was deemed good enough for Blu Ray
Star Trek III – The Search For Spock
*Grain structure mostly obliterated resulting in waxy faces
*Contrast boosted image results in poor shadow detail
*Any grain left is of the frozen grain type
*Occasional ringing in some scenes
*Grain structure mostly obliterated resulting in waxy faces
*Contrast boosted image results in poor shadow detail
*Any grain left is of the frozen grain type
*Occasional ringing in some scenes
Star Trek IV – The Voyage Home
*Waxy looking undetailed transfer
*Very processed looking image
*Waxy looking undetailed transfer
*Very processed looking image
Star Trek VI – The Undiscovered Country
*Probably taken from an old 1080i master as aliasing ( jaggies ) visible on many scenes
*Probably taken from an old 1080i master as aliasing ( jaggies ) visible on many scenes
Zulu – UK Edition
*DNR, scratch removal and some edge enhancement
*DNR, scratch removal and some edge enhancement
*Looks far too processed and not at all film like
*Transfer Quality 3/10
*Sound Mix 7/10
*Click here for screencaps from the film
Please note that films on the minor/medium/major issues list may have some problematic moments happening onscreen that many people may not notice and whether you notice these issues might be dependent on your screen size or sitting distance or your tolerance to the faults at hand – If you don't see any issues then be happy.
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