Ran - R1 (Criterion) vs. R2FR vs. R2UK (Optimum)

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 26 Nov 2007, 15:53

All discs are progressive

R1 Top, R2FR Middle, R2UK Bottom

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 26 Nov 2007, 15:57

Well Criterion have clearly messed about with the colours but to tell the truth I prefer it although it is a little too rich. The Optimum and other releases I've seen look like they've faded in the sun. Quality varies between the two with both suffering from lots of noise and blockiness. However, on the whole the Optimum is better. Yet the Criterion audio is notably superior... Translations are close with the edge going to Optimum.
I didn't bother to check extras.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 26 Nov 2007, 16:14

The Criterion uses a french print, right ?
The transfer on my Studio Canal disc has very rich colours as well.

I'll try and add some grabs later.

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 26 Nov 2007, 16:46

Optimum is part of Studio Canal so I'd have thought it would have the same transfer.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 26 Nov 2007, 17:09

My understanding was that Optimum and Univeral were Studio Canal ports, while Criterion also sourced their master from France but altered the colours greatly (and did other stuff).

I could be totally mistaken, though.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 26 Nov 2007, 17:43

Nope, you're both right.

The Optimum and Studio Canal transfers are very similar.
Criterion is oversaturated beyond belief.

Will post french grabs in an hour or two.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 26 Nov 2007, 17:43

I reckon you're right Hung. The Optimum and older Warner Brothers are both virtually identical and sourced from the Studio Canal print.

When you say Universal do you mean the R4 or another region? The R4 is from Universal.

On the one hand the Optimum looks faded but on the other Criterion as you say Lourdes did go a bit over board with the filtering. Overall it looks better though.

In other comparisons I've seen the Optimum comes off way better against the Criterion's bolstered colours, but it's not so strong here. I read of edge enhancement problems on the Criterion too.

Personally I already own the Criterion. If I were to buy it today I'd probably get the Optimum. I seem to remember going for the Criterion as it has stronger extras, in hindsight that was probably a mistake.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 26 Nov 2007, 18:48

Funny thing. I could've swore Tom reviewed the film in the 'what have you just seen' topic, and said something like "Criterion looks like the film is meant to", but the search engine can no longer find such comments

bradavon wrote: When you say Universal do you mean the R4 or another region?

I think they also released Ran in some European countries, but I could be mixing Universal and Warner Bros. here.

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 26 Nov 2007, 18:52

Hung,

tom2681 wrote:Although the french dvd isn't perfect, the french print itself is sublime.
This is how Ran is supposed to look IMO. :thumbright:

https://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/forums/ ... php?t=3440

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 26 Nov 2007, 19:08

Lourdes wrote:Optimum is part of Studio Canal so I'd have thought it would have the same transfer.

I didn't know that. Are you sure Optimum don't just source many of their masters from them?

HungFist wrote:I think they also released Ran in some European countries, but I could be mixing Universal and Warner Bros. here.

Warner released it in the UK before Optimum took over the rights to the Studio Canal catalogue. Except for a few minor alterations (none to the PQ AFAIK) Optimum just re-released the same DVD Warner did.

The Optimum now has removable subs, the documentary in the correct 1.66:1 aspect ratio (it's 1.33:1 on the WB) and it has an extra DD5.1 soundtrack, on top of the DD2.0.

Before Optimum re-released it Universal released it in Australia. In terms of specification it looks very much the same, but this time there is no DD2.0 just DD5.1. I've never seen a comparison of it to say if it's also sourced from the Studio Canal print though.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 26 Nov 2007, 20:01

Interesting...

The Studio Canal transfer is slightly sharper than the Optimum but suffers from macroblocking artefacts.
The colours are a bit different too:
Look at caps 3, 6 and 9. What's orange on the Optimum is red on the french transfer.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 26 Nov 2007, 21:48

I noticed that too but didn't want to say anything in case you guys moaned at me that it was my LCD monitor

Can someone who has the Warner UK disc post captures please, and if anyone has the Aussie Universal R4. Eva maybe?

Kris · Post by **Kris** » 26 Nov 2007, 23:12

Criterion may have gone overboard a bit but on the whole I don't think they're too far off. Given its roots I think it was supposed to be very colourful and artificial (in the theatrical sense.) Maybe that's why it's my least favourite of Kurosawa's films. Anyway, at worst it's a bad as the R2s only on the other end of the scale, and those macroblocks on the R2s are just stupefying.

thelostdragon · Post by **thelostdragon** » 26 Nov 2007, 23:12

Hmmm... how comes that the Criterion caps in the other thread look far better than the ones here?

Kris · Post by **Kris** » 26 Nov 2007, 23:19

Because these have been resized to PAL resolution and are also .jpg-compressed (the ones in the other thread are .png).

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 27 Nov 2007, 11:29

Smaller images always look 'better.'

PNG

JPEG

Spot a difference, win a prize.