My first comparison: Best of the Best 2 1993 LD vs 2007 DVD

Old Pang Yau · Post by **Old Pang Yau** » 25 Mar 2007, 08:47

Hey, this is my first comparison here, so I hope it gets the job done. It's a comparison of the 1993 Fox US NTSC Laserdisc and the 2007 Fox US NTSC DVD of Best of the Best 2. Here we go:

Compare#1:
FOX LD

FOX DVD

Compare#2:
FOX LD

FOX DVD

Compare#3:
FOX LD

FOX DVD

Compare#4:
FOX LD

FOX DVD

Compare#5:
FOX LD

FOX DVD

Compare#6:
FOX LD

FOX DVD

Compare#7:
FOX LD

FOX DVD

Compare#8:
FOX LD

FOX DVD

Compare#9:
FOX LD

FOX DVD

Well, obviously, this is a "one sided fight". However, seeing as how the LD was the only widescreen version of the film released on the home market before the DVD, it's the only worthy "competitor"... but it isn't saying much. The DVD blows the LD out of the water.

The DVD has an overall "cooler" look than the "warm" LD, and this is most obvious in the coliseum sequences.

Also, it looks as if the DVD transfer was properly supervised as different scenes have different, well, differences. Some scenes are brighter than the LD, such as compare #3 in which you can't even see Patrick Kilpatrick standing behind Wayne Newton in the LD, but he has just enough shadow in the DVD. However, some scenes are darker, such as the coliseum scenes, but also have less boosted contrast.

The contrast issue is most prominent in compare #5 in the flames. They're just a giant red glob in the LD (with a green sky to match), but the flames in the DVD look sharper and more detailed (with a proper blue sky in the background as well).

Plus, the framing changes are subtle in some shots, but seems to change more drastically in others (such as compare #4), but for the better in the case of the DVD.

Also, the DVD labels the film as "digitally restored", and this is evident in the print damage shown in the LD version on compare #7. For some reason, the shots involving the metal staffs sparking had print damage in all versions before the DVD, most likely because the sparks were added in post and the film wasn't handled properly.

Overall, the Fox DVD is most likely the best this will ever look... and I'm happy with the purchase of this cheesy semi-cult classic!

EDIT:

Completely forgot to mention that the 2007 Fox DVD features the uncut version of the film.

Basically it was originally cut by roughly 5 or so seconds, with a couple of shots of James (Sonny Landham) vomiting and then a certain character (to avoid spoilers) getting his fingers blown off in an Italian-horror-like close up (see photo below), as well as an extra shot of getting gunned down.

However, similar to the case with License to Kill, the film was sent back to the MPAA, but kept the same certificate. It should be interesting to note that when this DVD was first up for pre-order, it was labelled "unrated", most likely because Fox didn't expect the MPAA to accept the reinstated shots.

Knetan · Post by **Knetan** » 25 Mar 2007, 08:55

hey,

the only film in the series that was actually widescreen and not shot open matte I believe.

Welcome.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 25 Mar 2007, 10:25

Welcome to BnB

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 25 Mar 2007, 13:29

Could you please break that down into bite-sized paragraphs? It's sorta hard to read. Thanks.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 25 Mar 2007, 14:14

I only watched the first part and the part where Tommy Lee goes and visits his sister and her Ku Klux friends. Was that part 3?

Old Pang Yau · Post by **Old Pang Yau** » 25 Mar 2007, 17:56

Knetan wrote:hey,

the only film in the series that was actually widescreen and not shot open matte I believe.

Welcome.

Thanks for the welcome! I think it was shot "half matte", because the VHS version had a little extra visual info on the top and bottom, but of course less on the sides. However, I can't find the original full screen version right now, but when I get the chance, I can compare the two.

grim_tales wrote:Welcome to BnB

And thank you too for the welcome!

EvaUnit02 wrote:Could you please break that down into bite-sized paragraphs? It's sorta hard to read. Thanks.

Yep, taken care of. Sorry about that, it did indeed look like a giant mash up. That's what I get for trying to write that at 3:30 in the morning

thelostdragon wrote:I only watched the first part and the part where Tommy Lee goes and visits his sister and her Ku Klux friends. Was that part 3?

Yep, that was three, "No Turning Back". The first of the 2 BOTB films directed by Phillip Rhee... and when the series really started to wander off into another path. I think the only DVD release of that entry is in a double feature set with BOTB: Without Warning, both films of course being in full screen.

captainjoe · Post by **captainjoe** » 25 Mar 2007, 18:22

Welcome,

How'd you get those LD comparisons? They look exactly like an LD looks like on a TV without added noise and compression. Well done.

Old Pang Yau · Post by **Old Pang Yau** » 25 Mar 2007, 18:32

captainjoe wrote:Welcome,

How'd you get those LD comparisons? They look exactly like an LD looks like on a TV without added noise and compression. Well done.

Thanks, but if you actually watch the LD, it does have the usual "noise in motion", it's just not too prominent in still caps. The most visible it seems to be in the caps is in the aforementioned "green sky" in comparison #5. Plus, I forgot to mention one obvious advantage of the DVD over the LD... progressive scan

captainjoe · Post by **captainjoe** » 25 Mar 2007, 18:34

I would expect that kind of LD compression but I'm just wondering how you limited additional compression. How did you get the grabs? I've seen people on other websites post LD caps but they never look like true LDs with added computer compression and the like.

Old Pang Yau · Post by **Old Pang Yau** » 25 Mar 2007, 18:46

Ahh, gotcha. Well, to be honest, the LD grabs were actually from a DVD I made a couple years back with my first DVD recorder, which recorded the LD in the highest possible quality to avoid compression. I then just took grabs from that disc. I could've also taken grabs directly from the LD since it's right next to my computer, but once again, like you said, the caps probably would've been over compressed. If anything, these caps are closest to how the LD would look if you watched it on a regular TV monitor. I hope no one considers that "cheating"

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 25 Mar 2007, 20:37

I didn't even know there was a widescreen Fox DVD of BOB2(!)

BOB3 was released seperately on DVD in Canada by Lion's Gate - but it's a port of the 4:3 Miramax VHS so don't pay too much. I think it's the best of the series... or the best of the Bests if you will.

Old Pang Yau · Post by **Old Pang Yau** » 26 Mar 2007, 00:12

Huh, didn't know that they also released BOTB3... I know they released 2, but it was also a full screen port. Hell, I even remember some copies showing up at K-Mart in the US! I guess LGF had the Canadian rights to it... which I still find odd.

captainjoe · Post by **captainjoe** » 26 Mar 2007, 01:24

That's a better method than adding the compression. I don't think it can be considered cheating. Good job on the comparison.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 26 Mar 2007, 01:31

So many people talking about me and using my name all the time. (LD)

captainjoe · Post by **captainjoe** » 26 Mar 2007, 01:44

You're such an ego maniac

Old Pang Yau · Post by **Old Pang Yau** » 26 Mar 2007, 03:31

Thanks again for the LD capture compliments captainjoe, and I also made added extra info on the DVD in the first post, basically discussing that this version is uncut. Previous versions were missing 5 seconds or so of gore.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 26 Mar 2007, 04:36

thelostdragon wrote:So many people talking about me and using my name all the time. (LD)

That joke is old and lame. Move on.

pang wrote:Yep, taken care of. Sorry about that, it did indeed look like a giant mash up. That's what I get for trying to write that at 3:30 in the morning Razz

Cheers dude.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 26 Mar 2007, 07:47

I had no idea this had just come out.

Looks like Fox have done an excellent job.

Uncut, anamorphic and extras!!

Will pick this up.

Pity Fox don't (appear) to have the rights to Part 3.

Old Pang Yau · Post by **Old Pang Yau** » 26 Mar 2007, 12:15

Seems like the Fox DVD is easy to find online, but a HUGE pain to find in stores. I should've just ordered it in the first place, but I was stubborn enough to wait a month

As for 3, I believe it's stuck with Dimension alongside 4, er, "Without Warning". 3 was a decent progression of Tommy Lee's story, showing how he dealt with killing a man (not actually mentioning Brakus's name) but 4 was just really off the wall.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 26 Mar 2007, 14:26

EvaUnit02 wrote:
thelostdragon wrote:So many people talking about me and using my name all the time. (LD)
That joke is old and lame. Move on.

I never get tired of it + OPY is new here.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 27 Mar 2007, 00:35

I thought 3 was very good, and had the best story of the series, but I recall 4 being a bit pants.