The 'Burbs

[What A Disgrace]

I received my copy today. A rundown of the extras and their running times...

There Goes the Neighborhood - 1:06:33
Workprint - 1:45:57
A Tale of Two 'Burbs - 23:37
Alternate Ending - 6:38
Theatrical Trailer - 1:33

[Forrest Taft]

Just watched the doc, and it was very good. The big question: Which version of the film will I watch tonight? The newly restored theatrical cut, or the VHS-sourced work print, which Dante informs us is considered the superior version by some of those who have seen it?

[MichaelB]

The Beev rather likes it.

[manicsounds]

bluraydefinition

[David M.]

It's a grainy film, but the comment about blobs and Monet painting sounds like the reviewer is describing in-TV noise reduction. Does anyone know what that site is using as a display device?

[MichaelB]

I can absolutely confirm that his description does NOT match what I'm seeing at my end. There's certainly grain, but no blobs or Monet impressions - and I did the QC on this title, so I'd definitely have noticed!

[EddieLarkin]

Click the reviewers name and it takes you to his profile, which details his set up.

[MichaelB]

It's his settings that are the issue, not the equipment itself. That review strongly suggests that his TV is trying to "improve" the picture electronically.

[EddieLarkin]

Sure, I assume David asked to know the display device incase there are any known issues of such "improvements" being on by default on that particular TV. Though even if everything is kosher on the reviewer's end, some seem to have such little experience or appreciation for the look of real film that they automatically dismiss grain heavy discs as "noise filled". There was a 3/10 for White of the Eye somewhere, which for me was one of the most visually pleasing home video experiences I've ever had. Some just don't seem to know what they're talking about.

[David M.]

Sure, I assume David asked to know the display device incase there are any known issues of such "improvements" being on by default on that particular TV.

It's the same for every TV, so if steps haven't been taken, it won't be showing what's on the disc.

The C-series displays came at around the beginning of my involvement with Samsung, and the European model did have undefeatable noise reduction. I'm not sure if the US version did.

The page there calls the setup a "reference system" but no system stands a chance of being a reference to the video system unless it's been professionally calibrated (I don't mean "THX optimizer" setup there). Seeing the picture settings from the display would be a big help.

[MichaelB]

There was a 3/10 for White of the Eye somewhere, which for me was one of the most visually pleasing home video experiences I've ever had. Some just don't seem to know what they're talking about.

That's still my benchmark for jaw-dropping technical ignorance. In fact, both White of the Eye and The 'burbs are pretty much state of the current art - if you don't like the way either of them look, your beef is with the original cinematographers and the film stocks that they used, not the transfers. Or possibly your TV manufacturers for adding lots of unnecessary digital gunk that emphatically isn't present on the actual discs.

[David M.]

The only room for complaint (beyond simply not liking the aesthetic) would be not scanning from the OCN. And in competent hands, there's always a good reason for that.

[L.A.]

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