Poll: most disappointing DVDs?

[Lexmark3200]

There have been some bad ones, but easily the most dissapointing dvd that I ever played was The Hunt For Red October. I guess they came out with a newer "special edition" nearly a year ago, but the original dvd release was so dissapointing. Terrible audio and the worst picture of any dvd that I have ever come across.

Bogrod,

The newer version of Hunt For Red October, with the DTS track, is a much improved version of that DVD you speak of. Paramount got it right with the Special Edition DTS Hunt For Red October, and it is easily one of the favorites in my collection. The DTS, while not exactly "hot" or overly-aggressive.....does sound great, with score and effects coming from every channel. The opening symphony music wraps around you and sounds improved over the Dolby Digital version.

[bogrod]

Bogrod,

The newer version of Hunt For Red October, with the DTS track, is a much improved version of that DVD you speak of. Paramount got it right with the Special Edition DTS Hunt For Red October, and it is easily one of the favorites in my collection. The DTS, while not exactly "hot" or overly-aggressive.....does sound great, with score and effects coming from every channel. The opening symphony music wraps around you and sounds improved over the Dolby Digital version.

Excellent! Thanks, Lexmark.

[Lexmark3200]

Excellent! Thanks, Lexmark.

No problem, Bog.

[kpzbee]

CD Universe has both U571 & The Hunt for Red October on sale.$10.65 & $10.45. Here's a link http://www.cduniverse.com/default.as...95&style=movie I've bought from them before. Good prices & shipping.

[Lexmark3200]

CD Universe has both U571 & The Hunt for Red October on sale.$10.65 & $10.45. Here's a link http://www.cduniverse.com/default.as...95&style=movie I've bought from them before. Good prices & shipping.

Thanks KPZ,

Fortunately, I have both of these in my collection already. Still seems high compared to Best Buy's prices...

[Lexmark3200]

Some more titles I thought of in the "Most Dissapointing DVD" category begins with Hollywood Pictures/Buena Vista's "Crimson Tide" widescreen disc; man, was this film a dissapointment in the video and audio realms; watching it under a scrutinizing eye again for the third time since I recently bought it, I saw digital artifacting, compression issues and tons of grain in some dark sub scenes, especially where reds were rendered. The 5.1 audio is pretty weak, aside from some memorable scenes when torpedoes rip past you in the surround channels; otherwise, a underwhelming, front-heavy Dolby Digital mix. I just LOVE this film for the film itself. I wish they would re release this with better video and a DTS track.

Columbia TriStar's "Casualties Of War" sucked on DVD, too....well, the audio did, but the video looked AWESOME....colors and images seemed to jump off the screen in certain scenes, the actors almost looking 3-D in nature....really good job. The audio was horrible; with a 2.0 stereo mix and 5.1 DD mix available, the 5.1, naturally, was the one analyzed....99 percent of this soundtrack comes from the center and front channels. No bullets ripping behind you, no explosions back there, nothing....I guess Columbia wanted to reinforce the fact that this was a war DRAMA, not a war piece of CINEMA, per se; either way, the audio sucked. Again, though, awesome piece of film for film sake.

You know, looking through my DVD collection, I can find A LOT of discs to complain about in keeping with the theme of this great post....first of all, let's begin with the DTS version of "Jaws," which Universal decided to release along with the normal Dolby Digital widescreen Anniversary Edition of the film, along with a Dolby Digital full screen version. The audio on the DTS version was front heavy and weak, too, offering NOTHING to warrant buyers shopping for the DTS moniker on their films a decent purchase. I kept the DTS version, gave the Dolby Digital version to my GF, and Im thinking of dumping the DTS disc and getting the full screen version because to me, the Dolby Digital track sounds identical to the DTS, and both are weak and front heavy. Nothing going on in the surrounds.

Now, aside from the John Carpenter films I mentioned in another post in this topic above with weak 5.1 audio (Halloween and The Fog), I noticed Warner Bros' "Demolition Man" sucked in the audio department, too. For an action film, the 5.1 mix exists mainly in the fronts --- now, there ARE distinct surround effects in this mix, but they just dont grab you by the throat like say Terminator 3's does.

There are also some two-channel soundtracks on some DVDs I have, which decode through Dolby Pro Logic II when watching in surround, which were quite weak....Boyz N The Hood, John Carpenter's Christine, and Halloween II come to mind.

[Ogeez]

The Good, the bad and the Ugly (FFOD, AFDM as well) - Come on, where are the special editions, digitally remastered and remixed audio for this AMAZING trilogy. They did such an amazing job on Once upon a time in the West, I wish they would spend an equal amount of time on these. Even just TGTBATU would be enough for me.
Yam

Whoa there Tex.

Ok yes I am a HUGE Clint fan so please take what I say as one Fan's opinion, but I have to interject regarding your comments. TGTBATU is a classic in it's own right and WAS made in 1969. So to expect this film to be digitally remastered is pushing it I think. Widescreen sure, and as one fat cook allways says - BAM! - on that last seen with Lee, Clint and Surgio when watched in Widescreen.

Sorry I think you may have had too high of an expectation on a classic EUROPEAN film made by an Italian Director who knew little about the industry itself.

Oh and no insult intended.

[yamdsp-a1]

Whoa there Tex.

Ok yes I am a HUGE Clint fan so please take what I say as one Fan's opinion, but I have to interject regarding your comments. TGTBATU is a classic in it's own right and WAS made in 1969. So to expect this film to be digitally remastered is pushing it I think. Widescreen sure, and as one fat cook allways says - BAM! - on that last seen with Lee, Clint and Surgio when watched in Widescreen.

Sorry I think you may have had too high of an expectation on a classic EUROPEAN film made by an Italian Director who knew little about the industry itself.

Oh and no insult intended.

Hi,

I can definitely see where you are coming from, it is 1969 and it is Italian and there are a lot of other factors too but have you seen or heard Once Upon a Time in the West? I think that is 1971, it is a US backed film but mostly an Italian production team and it looks and sounds great. Not Master and Commander great, or U571 great or even Open Range great, but given the limitations of the source material, the sound is impressive. And the picture quality is, to my eyes anyway, probably the best this film can look.

I would surmise that Once Upon a Time is a lessor known film than TGTBATU (certainly lessor known to me) and it just seemed to me that if OUATITW got such a loving treatment on DVD, then why wouldn't they put the same care and attention into a TGTBATU release. Hopefully the release in May that a previous poster mentioned will meet or exceed the standard set by OUATITW (Damn Sergio came up with some long titles!).

If you are a fan of the genre, I recommend Once Upon a Time. I also recommend it as an example of where the DVD production team took a limited source and created a spectacular experience and revitalized a film.

Oh and isn't it Eli Wallach in the final scene of TGTBATU? Not Surgio....

Yam

[Ogeez]

Hi,

I can definitely see where you are coming from, it is 1969 and it is Italian and there are a lot of other factors too but have you seen or heard Once Upon a Time in the West? I think that is 1971, it is a US backed film but mostly an Italian production team and it looks and sounds great. Not Master and Commander great, or U571 great or even Open Range great, but given the limitations of the source material, the sound is impressive. And the picture quality is, to my eyes anyway, probably the best this film can look.

I would surmise that Once Upon a Time is a lessor known film than TGTBATU (certainly lessor known to me) and it just seemed to me that if OUATITW got such a loving treatment on DVD, then why wouldn't they put the same care and attention into a TGTBATU release. Hopefully the release in May that a previous poster mentioned will meet or exceed the standard set by OUATITW (Damn Sergio came up with some long titles!).

If you are a fan of the genre, I recommend Once Upon a Time. I also recommend it as an example of where the DVD production team took a limited source and created a spectacular experience and revitalized a film.

Oh and isn't it Eli Wallach in the final scene of TGTBATU? Not Surgio....

Yam

Actually I love Once Upon a Time as well. I guess I need to take another look at it within my present HT set up. By the way have you ever checked out "My Name is Nobody" with Henry Fonda. I love that one as well and I think you may be surprised at this sleeper judging by the two previously mentioned. Funny thing is that I never have known anyone who has seen or heard of it before and cannot find it in any video store in my area. Let me know if you get to watch it. Oh ya it was also directed by Sergio Leone.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070215/