007: A View To A Kill - UK R2 (SE) vs UK R2 (UE)

MLAM · Post by **MLAM** » 20 Jul 2006, 03:34

Another title worth looking at given the apparent cropping, also the last time we see Roger Moore play James Bond 007

Lets have a look:

R2 SE

R2 UE

R2 SE

R2 UE

R2 SE

R2 UE

R2 SE

R2 UE

R2 SE

R2 UE

R2 SE

R2 UE

R2 SE

R2 UE

R2 SE

R2 UE

R2 SE

R2 UE

R2 SE

R2 UE

R2 SE

R2 UE

R2 SE

R2 UE

Looks like a mixed bag, the UE appears better overall but I get the impression that 2 teams were restoring this or something has gone terribly wrong during the telecine process as you can see from the pictures above, some shots are barely cropped on the left and some are very noticeable.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 20 Jul 2006, 03:39

Lol, Roger's eyes have magically changed colour. At least this confirms my theory that blues are going aqua. Having said that: the UE looks great (at least on the first cap). The cropping doesn't interfere with the composition at all. Could this be another title that was too narrow on the SE (like LTK)?

MLAM · Post by **MLAM** » 20 Jul 2006, 03:43

Markgway wrote:Lol, Roger's eyes have magically changed colour. At least this confirms my theory that blues are going aqua. Having said that: the UE looks great (at least on the first cap). The cropping doesn't interfere with the composition at all. Could this be another title that was too narrow on the SE (like LTK)?

LOL indeed about Blue's going toward a more aqua hue.

Well the old SE DVD was around 2:35.1 anyway so I don't think the old one was too narrow at all, clearly a bit on the left side and the top have been cropped away but theres a bit more on the right hand side now, similar to Octopussy actually.

Agree that the UE does look better, the encoding is far better anyway so it should look great on big LCD/Projectors where the old SE wouldn't look so hot.

Personally I can't say the cropping on this has bothered me at all yet but I need to watch in full to see if anything significant gets cropped out.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 20 Jul 2006, 16:14

Yeah, the UE is cropped on all four sides, which is unfortunate, but not a problem WITH THAT PARTICULAR CAP. It will be interesting to see how the other caps you post fare. I fear some maybe more problematic ala Goldeneye if the SE was only 2.35.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 20 Jul 2006, 20:46

Oh yeah Golddeneye is cropped but again it's so freakin' minor. Jeez Louise.

MLAM · Post by **MLAM** » 20 Jul 2006, 23:45

Now updated with more shots

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 20 Jul 2006, 23:57

The UE again look ace. What's up with the first photo? Being an odd B&W.

It's a pity the Brosnan Bonds haven't had as much time spent on them as the Connery and Moore bonds. Sure they're good but they can always look better.

MLAM · Post by **MLAM** » 21 Jul 2006, 01:52

bradavon wrote:The UE again look ace. What's up with the first photo? Being an odd B&W.

Well it loooks better overall the UE but it does NOT explain the cropping on the left side on certain scenes, I'm sure you'll agree Brad that a fair bit is missing on the left and not a "Little" bit. As for the Gunbarrel I'm not quite sure why its rather faded but you can clearly see its been cropped badly on the UE transfer, the Barrel is no longer in the middle on the UE transfer.

One of the slightly more dissapointing UE transfers this disc I think, but the increased contrast do make things more clearer

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 21 Jul 2006, 03:14

bradavon wrote:Oh yeah Golddeneye is cropped but again it's so freakin' minor. Jeez Louise.

Minor? Get your eyes tested please. Goldeneye looks shit now.

Thankfully although not perfect the UE is I'd say an improvement on the SE.

The cropping on the left only proves problematic on the cap with Roger and Macnee in the car - but then it's not well framed on the SE either.

I'm still concerned about the blues going green - look at Fiona Fullerton's towel - but I don't have an old VHS to say which is correct.

I wouldn't be unhappy if I owned the UE put it that way. 8)

MLAM · Post by **MLAM** » 21 Jul 2006, 03:18

Markgway wrote:I'm still concerned about the blues going green - look at Fiona Fullerton's towel - but I don't have an old VHS to say which is correct.

I wouldn't be unhappy if I owned the UE put it that way. 8)

Wouldnt say you need to look at Fiona's towel! just look at the water in the Bridge shot!

The Cropping is a bit annoying but if I never saw it before on the old SE then I dont think I'd blink an eye lid as the cropping isn't too bad but seems odd that its the left chunk thats missing on certain parts of the movie. The Gunbarrel just looks plain odd now though.

Right, is there any others you lot want to see? I'll do them when I have time and have watched a few of them in full.

Think I might watch Live and Let Die tomorrow

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 21 Jul 2006, 03:26

The Spy Who Loved Me or OHMSS?

I never liked Live and Let Die.

MLAM · Post by **MLAM** » 21 Jul 2006, 03:32

Markgway wrote:The Spy Who Loved Me or OHMSS?

I never liked Live and Let Die.

Hmmm, both of these have comparisons up, albeit for The Spy Who Loved Me is smaller caps done by Eamon on DVDTimes and I'm guessing you've seen the OHMSS comparison on Blofelds Cat's site?

I'm inclined to do The Spy Who Loved Me as I'm not convinced on the captures that are on DVDTimes, the SE looks like they were taken with a sunglass filter on! I don't recall them being that dark!

I've always liked Live and Let Die actually, but with the switch back to 1:85.1 ratio does make it less stylish in terms of cinemaphotography and after so many in Widescope it makes it feel less Bond like in a sense.

At this rate you'll end up asking comparisons for all of them Mark lol

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 21 Jul 2006, 06:20

MLAM wrote:Hmmm, both of these have comparisons up, albeit for The Spy Who Loved Me is smaller caps done by Eamon on DVDTimes

Not the biggest fan of DVD Times comparisons. You're doing a better job. But it's up to you if you think it's worthwhile.

and I'm guessing you've seen the OHMSS comparison on Blofelds Cat's site?

Blofeld's Cat??

I've always liked Live and Let Die actually

The Spy Who Loved Me is the only one of the 70's Bonds I own. The others are well below par.

At this rate you'll end up asking comparisons for all of them Mark lol

Only the ones I like.

MLAM · Post by **MLAM** » 21 Jul 2006, 13:37

Markgway wrote:Blofeld's Cat??

Read here

http://www.ohmss.ohmss-007.com/video_dvd_ultimate.html
Find links right at the bottom for the comparison page.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 21 Jul 2006, 18:35

Thanks for that link. I'd not seen it either.

Any chance of doing your own though? Those captures are rubbish.

Markgway wrote:Minor? Get your eyes tested please. Goldeneye looks shit now.

I meant it doesn't seem to affect the composition or the enjoyment of the film. Nothing crucial seems to have been cropped. Minor was the wrong word sorry.

But compared to cropping from 2.35:1 to 1:85:1 or even 2:35:1 to 2:00:1 (Apoc. Now) it is minor.

Markgway wrote:I'm still concerned about the blues going green - look at Fiona Fullerton's towel - but I don't have an old VHS to say which is correct.

Thankfully I don't give a shit if it's blue or green both look fine. It's a towel.

All I see that really matter is it looks much, much better.

Markgway wrote:Not the biggest fan of DVD Times comparisons. You're doing a better job. But it's up to you if you think it's worthwhile.

Agreed on the capture sizes (to small) but usually what they write is good.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 21 Jul 2006, 20:37

bradavon wrote:I meant it doesn't seem to affect the composition or the enjoyment of the film. Nothing crucial seems to have been cropped. Minor was the wrong word sorry.

Oh sure, it's not as bad as say 1.78 or, god forbid, 1.33, but the cropping on the UE of Goldeneye DOES affect the composition in a way that it doesn't on A View to a Kill. It's totally unecessary as the framing was correct on previous transfers unlike Licence to Kill. What went wrong??

Thankfully I don't give a shit if it's blue or green both look fine. It's a towel.

Not just a towel. We're talking eyes, swimming pool, oceans, skies, lighting. Sure, it looks good, but just not quite right.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 08 Aug 2006, 10:26

Hey,

Here's a reply someone got on the Rewind forums about the BBFC cutting A View to a Kill:

The BBFC saw A View To A Kill originally in an unfinished version. At the
time recommendations were made to have cuts for a 'heavy crotch kick and a
double neck chop in a fight in a cellar under a building'.
These cuts were made to the unedited film, and therefore the cuts were
still in place for the video version.

I hope that this answers your question.

Kind regards
Fiona Liddell
Information Officer

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 08 Aug 2006, 17:26

That's new. The BBFC told me a while back it was two crotch kicks and didn't specify where.

That fight (with Roger and Patrick Macnee taking on two suspiciously old-looking guards) always looked cut to me and it was where I would have guessed the trims were made. Now we know.