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BD Hall of Fame Induction # 9 - The Wizard of Oz

Author: qc | Category: Hall of Fame | Uploaded: 03/09/2010 12:03 am

When term restoration comes around, many Blu-ray followers panic,
dreading the thought that their favorite films will have the grain wiped
clean and picture smoothed. Thankfully, what Warner has done for the
Wizard of Oz is nothing short of masterful.

The first appearance of Oz has always meant to be a "wow" moment, even
back in the '30s, where the sepia-turned-color was an achievement. It
still is. The vibrancy of the hues, from the green plants to the blue
water, cover the entire spectrum. Everything pops off the screen making
this a fresh viewing experience which nearly everyone has seen countless
times. It is not just the color either, but the detail of the
environments and characters too. The burlap of the Scarecrows face, the
lushly delineated straw fields, and the Yellow Brick Road, down to
individual bricks are clearly visible.

While not the modern audio experience, the uncompressed TrueHD effort
provides a level of fidelity unheard of before. The songs come alive
with a crisp high-end and clarity that put previous editions to shame.
The tornado even provides a bit of a low end to create an additional
layer to this experience, and yes, that says "experience." That sums up
the Wizard of Oz on Blu-ray perfectly. Read the whole review here.

BD Hall of Fame Induction # 8 - Up

Author: qc | Category: Hall of Fame | Uploaded: 11/16/2009 12:11 am

It is hard to tell how much further Pixar discs can push Blu-ray. As of this point, no one can find any notable flaws with the HD presentations, and Up may very well be the best disc on the market. Carl Fredrickson’s adventure is loaded with crisp environments, stunning levels of detail, gorgeous color, and top tier sharpness.

BD Hall of Fame Induction # 7 - Transformers 2

Author: qc | Category: Hall of Fame | Uploaded: 10/29/2009 12:10 am

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The less said about Michael Bay’s frenzied idiocy the better, but there is no question his discs consistently provide worthy demo material.

BD Hall of Fame Induction # 6 - Drag Me to Hell

Author: qc | Category: Hall of Fame | Uploaded: 10/26/2009 12:10 am

Drag Me to Hell reunites Sam Raimi and horror, delivering staggering results for fans of his early work. In terms of its hi-def presentation, Drag Me to Hell is a perfect example of how to handle shadow delineation in low-light situations.

BD Hall of Fame Induction # 5 - Pirates!

Author: qc | Category: Hall of Fame | Uploaded: 09/18/2009 12:09 am

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. While almost any of the Pirates of the Caribbean films could be here, the second contains the large-scale action needed to push this disc ahead. The Kraken assaults are stunning, with splintered wood shattering throughout the sound field, and the tentacles smashing the deck with deep, subwoofer-rocking bass. This is a PCM mix to cherish.

BD Hall of Fame Induction # 4 - Sleeping Beauty

Author: qc | Category: Hall of Fame | Uploaded: 09/17/2009 12:09 am

Sleeping Beauty: Growing up with faded, drab, and plain looking VHS copies of Disney animation almost seems like a crime against the children of the first home video generation after seeing this. The vibrancy of this transfer is remarkable, filled with some of the richest color, brightest contrasts, and stunning sharpness you’ll lay your eyes on.

BD Hall of Fame Induction # 3 - The Wrestler

Author: qc | Category: Hall of Fame | Uploaded: 09/16/2009 12:09 am

The Wrestler: Shot on 16MM, The Wrestler showcases how grain is so important to a film. Without it, The Wrestler would lack its integral gritty quality. This is natural grain, not added later digitally to make it appear so. Behind the veil of grain lies a fantastic transfer, one that brings out the scars and pain on Mickey Rourke’s face. While some black crush is notable, it is a minor flaw in this untouched AVC encode that handles a thick, complex grain structure flawlessly.

BD Hall of Fame Induction # 2 - Coraline

Author: qc | Category: Hall of Fame | Uploaded: 09/15/2009 12:09 am

Coraline: The world of Coraline is filled with animated puppets of immense detail. The Blu-ray transfer delivers an encode free of imperfections such as noise or edge enhancement. The reality of Coraline’s world, compared to the digital sheen of modern computer animation, makes the look even more impressive and unique. The real life texture is stunning, and you can truly appreciate the work on Blu-ray.

BD Hall of Fame Induction # 1 - A Bug's Life

Author: qc | Category: Hall of Fame | Uploaded: 09/15/2009 12:09 am

A Bug’s Life: Any of Pixar’s magnificent animated films could have made this list, from the wonders of Cars, to the awe-inspiring Wall-E. However, A Bug’s Life is special for bringing small details to life that in previous home video versions were unidentifiable.

Hall of Fame (Guest Editor - Matt Paprocki)

Author: qc | Category: Hall of Fame | Uploaded: 09/14/2009 12:09 am

For the first additions to the prestigious BD Hall of Fame, we needed to bring in an expert. DoBlu.com's Matt Paprocki is just the right man for the job. Matt has written BD Reviews for close to 400 discs, and his reviews focus not just on the movie's plot, but on the entire presentation of the disc.

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