classic movie DVD releases for sale sometimes copied from NTSC-PAL masters?

AnthonyUK

I have a DVD copy of Universal Pictures Xanadu film starring the brilliant Olivia Newton John and I enjoy watching it;but it seems to have been copied from an NTSC-PAL standards converted master with motion judder and after image blurring on motion (so slightly disappointing quality). Why can't movie studios like Universal Pictures use a completely new pristine and fresh PAL master struck from the original colour 35mm Dolby Stereo film print and remix the Dolby Stereo Sound to full 5.1 DD surround sound (enhancing the viewing experience) giving top quality without NTSC-PAL standards conversion on the DVD releases? This may be a cheap way to do it but filmfans would be disappointed like me if they want quality on their films.:mad:

Nada666

Just because you or I would happily pay £22 to watch Olivia watching drying paint it does not mean there are enough others who will.

AnthonyUK

Nada666 wrote: »

Just because you or I would happily pay £22 to watch Olivia watching drying paint it does not mean there are enough others who will.

Nasty comment and a complete drive away from the original question! Why should moviestudios be allowed to offer substandard DVD's and/or BluRay discs with fair to poor picture quality?

If I were in charge of Universal Pictures UK Limited I would strive for TOP QUALITY AND VALUE on ALL my releases whether it's a classic OR current blockbuster by;

using ALL PAL masters struck from original 35mm film prints for transfer of material to DVD/BluRay,

Remixing old Dolby Stereo tracks or multichannel 70mm vintage stereo soundtracks or two channel stereo soundtracks to Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound (where available and possible;other non stereo or non surround films would have good quality digitally remastered mono soundtracks on mono releases),

Including PAL copies of ALL extras on the discs,

Not using NTSC-PAL standards converted master tapes for transfer to DVD.

That would be better!;)

-TangleFoot-

Is there really such a thing as NTSC-PAL?

googler

-TangleFoot- wrote: »

Is there really such a thing as NTSC-PAL?

I think he means the original print has been digitised to NTSC, then a PAL master generated by electronic conversion (NTSC-PAL or NTSC to PAL), rather than generating the PAL master by optical means from the print.

WhiteChristmas

I wonder how many films of the video era no longer exist as good quality film prints at all? Certainly, the re-run of Xanadu I saw on telly sometime last year was obviously a video copy.

AnthonyUK

WhiteChristmas wrote: »

I wonder how many films of the video era no longer exist as good quality film prints at all? Certainly, the re-run of Xanadu I saw on telly sometime last year was obviously a video copy.

I don't think moviestudios would make the mistake of dumping perfect good serviceable film prints and/or burning them! Good moviestudios would restore them digitally clean up the sound and create good clean quality masters for dvd/bluray transfer and/or tv transmission sales. ITV1 use a PAL master for transmission of Xanadu as do paytv entertainment/movie channels.:D

System

AnthonyUK wrote: »

Good moviestudios would restore them digitally clean up the sound and create good clean quality masters for dvd/bluray transfer and/or tv transmission sales

only if there is a market for them, that would be a massively expensive undertaking if there wasn't enough sales at the end of it - xanadu might have a small cult following but it doesn't have any mass market appeal

AnthonyUK

the_r_sole wrote: »

only if there is a market for them, that would be a massively expensive undertaking if there wasn't enough sales at the end of it - xanadu might have a small cult following but it doesn't have any mass market appeal

Why should movie studio backcatalogues be dumped and scrapped? They should be preserved;it's cinematic history.;)

WhiteChristmas

AnthonyUK wrote: »

I don't think moviestudios would make the mistake of dumping perfect good serviceable film prints and/or burning them!

Likewise, you wouldn't think that an organisation like the BBC would be so pressed for space and tape that they'd record over vast tracts of their historic output, but people do strange things.

System

AnthonyUK wrote: »

Why should movie studio backcatalogues be dumped and scrapped? They should be preserved;it's cinematic history.;)

they are preserved, just in their original form, why should they waste money to remaster old films every time there's a step in technology?