Predator Ultimate Hunter Edition Blu-Ray Discussion

[OmegaZilla]

Can't believe someone would praise something that has all the detail ripped out via heavy DNR just because of the fact you can't see any grain on the picture smeared with vasoline.

The film gained details, not the opposite. It is a godzilla-sized step-up from the DvD release.

Also the fact the movie has been brightened up a hell of a lot, destroying the lighting in this film that helps create mood and atmosphere.

...What?
The lighting is practically the same. Only some scenes are slightly noticeably different in this department.

  The fact there isn't any darkness anymore doesn't mean the picture is actualy better guys.  The only place this Bluray hasn't gotten trashed is here, which isn't suprising honestly.

And where you base this assumption from...?

[First Blood]

This Bluray is a disgrace to the film.  Can't believe someone would praise something that has all the detail ripped out via heavy DNR just because of the fact you can't see any grain on the picture smeared with vasoline.  Also the fact the movie has been brightened up a hell of a lot, destroying the lighting in this film that helps create mood and atmosphere.  The fact there isn't any darkness anymore doesn't mean the picture is actualy better guys.  The only place this Bluray hasn't gotten trashed is here, which isn't suprising honestly.

Look at these shots...

Before:


After:


The Blu-ray added much more detail to the film. Look at Mac's face in the Before, it's kinda hard to see. Now look at it the After, you can even see the white in his eyes in the After.

[MrBrokenTusks.]

Plus those are scalled down to 720p and saved as a .jpg

[Biolante]

Sums up what is wrong with this Bluray:

When Predator debuted on Blu-ray in April 2008, on a 25 GB disc, it featured a relatively low bit-rate MPEG-2 transfer, prone to excessive noisiness and compression artifacts. While the film has never been a slick-looking production, and though the 2008 version was certainly the best the movie had looked on home video up until that time, there was an outcry from videophiles who felt it could look even better. The solution, really, was simple: do a remaster, use a less antiquated encode, a higher bit-rate, and put it on a 50 GB dual-layer disc. 20th Century Fox complied for this new Ultimate Hunter Edition, but unfortunately, they've must've taken complaints about the film's graininess/noisiness to heart, because they've also slathered this re-release with an ungodly amount of digital noise reduction. Now, this is bound to be controversial. The vocal minority of so- called "grain-haters" will praise this transfer because there's no longer any evidence that Predator was shot on film—it now has a bright, glossy, smeary, plasticized sheen that's as far from filmic as you can get. And, it should be said, about as far from how Predator is supposed to look as you can get. This is revisionist re-releasing at its worst, and most film collectors —who tend to want films to look as close to their original appearance as possible—are going to be severely disappointed. I know I'm going to get hate mail, but I can't conscionably give this transfer any higher than a 2/5.

The texture of the film's grain structure has been stripped entirely from the picture, obliterating the finest details in the process. Arnie's face looks like a candle wax stump, oily and smooth. Carl Weathers' mustache seems airbrushed onto his face. The jungle might as well be digitized. Even the 20th Century Fox logo that opens the film appears soft, under a thick coating of Gaussian blur. This is easily one of the worst abuses of DNR to hit Blu-ray yet. What's frustrating, then, is that in most other regards, this transfer could have been a massive improvement. What's the point of a higher bit-rate if you're just going to scrub away the film's texture? Yes, the transfer looks clean, ultra-colorful, and bright—a good deal brighter than the previous release—but it also looks unnatural, artificial, unnecessarily tampered with. The good news—if you want to call it that—is that black levels are solid, compression artifacts are absent this time around, and edge enhancement is nowhere near as prevalent or overzealous as it is in other DNR'ed-to-oblivion titles. None of this really matters, though, when you're watching an image that looks like it's been rubbed down with Vaseline. I suddenly feel the urge to pray for the fidelity of the Alien quadrilogy box-set being released later this year.

[OmegaZilla]

No, it doesn't. The finest details haven't been obliterated - they were freaking improved; It isn't brighter by a long shot; It doesn't look artificial; it looks very natural instead.
Look at this shot. it is freakin' detailed and there isn't any kind of dirt, grain or blur.

If you're not happy with this blu-ray, no one forces you to buy it. Go back to the DvD version, if it is so much more detailed (?) and Carl Weathers' mustache doesn't look airbrushed (!).

The Blu-Ray.com reviewer, I'm sad to say this, relied too much on the original *flawed* look of the film, and the review misses the point of Blu-Ray itself - cleaning a film to make it the highest quality possible. Predator UHE is one of the best Blu-Rays I've ever seen.

[Vulhala]

That review is bullshit. The film looks incredible. No one has a gun to anyones head anyway. If you'd rather let someone else form your opinion without seeing it, then that's your choice. I'm more than happy with it.

[Valaquen]

Blu elites hate anything with the word 'de-grained' or 'DNR', so there are extremists on both sides. Predator UHE ain't no Gladiator debacle, which had objects disappearing onscreen. Fans be happy, others, let it go and move on, it's a frickin' disc, you will not be forced to purchase it.

[OmegaZilla]

Predator UHE ain't no Gladiator debacle, which had objects disappearing onscreen.

What?
You mean the blu-ray erases elements from scenes?
EDIT: I'm reading the BR.com review, and it mentions disappearing objects.

[Biolante]

Blu elites hate anything with the word 'de-grained' or 'DNR', so there are extremists on both sides. Predator UHE ain't no Gladiator debacle, which had objects disappearing onscreen. Fans be happy, others, let it go and move on, it's a frickin' disc, you will not be forced to purchase it.

Actually, yes, Carl Weathers' moustache was removed.  It then had to then be air-brushed back on.

The Blu-Ray.com reviewer, I'm sad to say this, relied too much on the original *flawed* look of the film, and the review misses the point of Blu-Ray itself - cleaning a film to make it the highest quality possible. Predator UHE is one of the best Blu-Rays I've ever seen.

So the point of Bluray is removing grain to the point it makes the actors look like wax statues?  Got it.  Maybe they should just remake the entire film with CGI.  I think you guys would be really impressed then.

The film gained details, not the opposite. It is a godzilla-sized step-up from the DvD release.

You're using the wrong benchmark here. Blurays should be compared to VHS releases.  Than the butter smeared picture will look even more "totally awe3some, I so hope they do this to Aliens in teh anthology guise!  I love you Rupert Murdoch!"

[Valaquen]

Blu elites hate anything with the word 'de-grained' or 'DNR', so there are extremists on both sides. Predator UHE ain't no Gladiator debacle, which had objects disappearing onscreen. Fans be happy, others, let it go and move on, it's a frickin' disc, you will not be forced to purchase it.

Actually, yes, Carl Weathers' moustache was removed.  It then had to then be air-brushed back on.

I don't see the connection between my post and your reply.

[Vulhala]

It's called sarcasm. We should put shields at full strength in case any more shit jokes come our way.

[Valaquen]

It's called sarcasm. We should put shields at full strength in case any more shit jokes come our way.

Oh, just saw it. Damn, it's 4:30am, is what that is.

[Vulhala]

Got mah Stella shield up lol

[OmegaZilla]

Actually, yes, Carl Weathers' moustache was removed.  It then had to then be air-brushed back on.

Source? Can't find a thing regarding this data.

So the point of Bluray is removing grain to the point it makes the actors look like wax statues?  Got it.

Bah, the waxiness is a hatin', just like the A:R Aliens being turkeys.

Blurays should be compared to VHS releases.

They are always compared to dvds.

  Than the butter semared picture will look even more "totally awe3some, I so hope they do this to Aliens in teh anthology guse!  I love you Rupert Murdoch!"
[/quote]

[Biolante]

Actually, yes, Carl Weathers' moustache was removed.  It then had to then be air-brushed back on.

Source? Can't find a thing regarding this data.

Rupert Murdoch himself?  In fact, he was so worried about the quality of this Bluray that he personally held the airbrush as it painted back on his stache.  He's also the one who lathered Carl and Arnold's bodies with butter so they would look sexier for you guys.