Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein Blu-ray/dvd screen comparisons!

[zombiehorror]

Well my screen caps thread of The Creature from the Black Lagoon didn't get a whole lot of comments but it did get some 270 visitors so I figured there'd be interest in this title as well since it, much like the Creature, is presented in a slightly different aspect ratio; in this case 1.37:1 as opposed to the ol' pan 'n' scan 1.33:1, even though the Blu-ray says the aspect ratio is 1.33:1!

I don't think the theatrical aspect ratio, "Academy ratio", will add much to this film but it is nice to see it the way it was originally shown!

2000 dvd release on top, Blu-ray on bottom!





I read some reviews complaining that the cartoon intro wasn't cleaned up?!  Clearly these folks did not compare the two releases/prints!  The images are so much more crisp and clear, one can really appreciate the animations now, more than any previous dvd/vhs or other releases!






















Just a few preview images for now but I'll get more up as I have time and I will also convert the 1080p to dvd as I did with the Creature and show that comparison!  I'm also planning on doing threads for each of the other HD Uni-monster films in the future!

[Otterr]

I just wish that they had more special features on the Blu-Ray as opposed to just porting over the DVD features from a few years ago. The aspect ratio wasn't very pleasing, either.

[zombiehorror]

I just wish that they had more special features on the Blu-Ray as opposed to just porting over the DVD features from a few years ago. The aspect ratio wasn't very pleasing, either.

With these releases I could give two loads about the special features, for me it was all about the restored/cleaned up prints; I'm not sure what more they could have done for any of these films as far as special features goes anyway!!  I'm not sure how seeing a film as it was intended to be seen couldn't be pleasing?!

[Count_Zirock]

With these releases I could give two loads about the special features, for me it was all about the restored/cleaned up prints; I'm not sure what more they could have done for any of these films as far as special features goes anyway!!  I'm not sure how seeing a film as it was intended to be seen couldn't be pleasing?!

Yeah, it's more about the restoration than the extras. That opening credits animation is stellar! Unless there was a copy of the script they could've put on the BRD, it's a perfect release.

[zombiehorror]

I did notice that they didn't fix the jitter of the opening sequence, something they usually take into consideration and fix with digital restorations!





For whatever reason the intro/credits to this film were smaller; I wonder if it had something to do with...hmmmm....this concept seems hard to put into words....Ummmm....people were getting used to staying home and watching tv (one reason why they came up with the 1.37:1 aspect ratio and eventually other widescreen ratios) so maybe they presented the cartoon intro smaller than the rest of the film just to make people remember why going to the movies was a much bigger experience than watching the old...well relatively new...tv?!










































































They did a pretty good job of hiding the wire/line in this scene but once Dracula is on the left side of the frame and the camera starts to pan in you see it a few times!  This is clear in both the new print and even in the dvd...just in case someone thinks it is an element that suddenly just "popped" up with the HD print!  This is the first instance I noticed it but in still frame it doesn't even stand out but if you can see a little white dot above the bat that is actually the light glinting off the line/wire!

[Scary Terry]

Oh phooey!  Now I have to upgrade THIS one, too!

[mjaycox]

Thanks for the excellent comparison! That helps alot.

...now... is there something wrong with me that I prefer the earlier, darker, grainier versions?

I do remember the first Criterion Release of "The Third Man" being "too" cleaned up and brightened. This was fixed on the subsequent Criterion. I am curious if, when I watch this, if I will think it is "too bright"

Matt 

[zombiehorror]

...now... is there something wrong with me that I prefer the earlier, darker, grainier versions?
Matt

Nah, I remember when I got the special Evil Dead Book of the Dead dvd edition, the film somehow lost something for me on the cleaned up-brighter transfer; Same thing for new releases of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre(1974)!  For me though the new Universal Monster prints don't take anything away from these classics!

[Earth 2 Chris]

You guys are making it really hard to resist upgrading to Blu-Ray on these movies! I have a player, and I have been buying most of my new movies as Blu-Rays, but I haven't gone back and replaced too many DVDS. To say the really did a nice job here is an understatement!

Chris

[Scatter]

Hmmmmmmm......I always said I wouldn't get a blu-ray until it became a necessity. It may now be a necessity.

[zombiehorror]

Ok, got all these HD prints converted to dvd!  Here are a few comparison shots~

Blu-ray on top
1080p dvd conversion in the middle
2000 dvd on bottom

[jimm]

My untrained eye doesn't see a heckuva lot of difference besides the brightness in the first shots. Since I don't own a blu-ray player is the upgrade for the new releases worth it (including cost of player and movies)?

[Mord]

I don't see that much difference, either (except in the animated segment). In a lot of the pics posted I prefer the look of the dvd over the Blu Ray.

[zombiehorror]

My untrained eye doesn't see a heckuva lot of difference besides the brightness in the first shots. Since I don't own a blu-ray player is the upgrade for the new releases worth it (including cost of player and movies)?

I don't see that much difference, either (except in the animated segment). In a lot of the pics posted I prefer the look of the dvd over the Blu Ray.

If you prefer the darker look, then the dvd is the way to go, although the film as previously presented on vhs/dvd was probably always alot darker than it was ever intended to be.....we all just got used to that look!

As fas as detail, there is definitely more detail in the Blu-ray release (which has little to do with the format and more to do with the cleaned up print [just compare my images of my dvd conversion to the blu-ray images])!  Also you must take into account that the blu-ray images presented here are not 1080/full HD.

[Cerebus]

Without the digital remastering and 'cleaning up' of the print, there is usually little difference in the quality between the two. They have to do something to make you want to get the Blu-Ray after already buying dvd s. But I sometimes wonder how much is clean-up and if they are actually adding details that were not even on the original prints to add contrast.

I hated the remastered version of Night of the Living Dead. My fave version is the 1.99 DVD with white specs and hairlines, slightly warped music, and grainy background. That was how it looked when I first saw it in a theater in 1972.