Today Kino Lorber Studio Classics issued an update to the "yellow concern" many fans expressed over their upcoming 50th Anniversary blu-ray, that is based off the same controversial 4k master used on the 2014 MGM blu-ray.
https://www.facebook.com/KinoLorberStudioClassics/posts/1375772699146300
The above Facebook post will link to 6 comparisons, 3 of which I have also used below.
First I would like to applaud the folks at Kino Lorber for listening to the fan feedback. Truly above and beyond what I see from other studios. That being said, despite their best efforts, (in my humble opinion), it still does not do justice to this film classic. I don't fault Kino for this, as I think they are doing the best they can with what they have to work with, which is a digital transfer supplied by MGM. While they were able to peel some of that yellow back, the image is still dark and blacks are crushed.
Below are the comparisons Kino provided (top) and the previously released Mondo blu-ray (bottom)
Click to enlarge to get the full effect. Note the images are compressed, so this is not a comparison of sharpness, but of color and contrast.
I understand this is a work in progress for Kino, who are understandably doing their best with what they have to work with, but when you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig. The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly needs a new scan of the film, not just the tweaking of the MGM 2014 4k master.
I just hope one day someone, somewhere, can get this right for an English version of the film.
After our announcement of the Sergio Leone masterpiece, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, some fans shared their concerns regarding the "yellowishness" of the 4K restoration. We looked into this issue and here are some split screen of the before and after work.
https://www.facebook.com/KinoLorberStudioClassics/posts/1375772699146300
The above Facebook post will link to 6 comparisons, 3 of which I have also used below.
First I would like to applaud the folks at Kino Lorber for listening to the fan feedback. Truly above and beyond what I see from other studios. That being said, despite their best efforts, (in my humble opinion), it still does not do justice to this film classic. I don't fault Kino for this, as I think they are doing the best they can with what they have to work with, which is a digital transfer supplied by MGM. While they were able to peel some of that yellow back, the image is still dark and blacks are crushed.
Below are the comparisons Kino provided (top) and the previously released Mondo blu-ray (bottom)
Click to enlarge to get the full effect. Note the images are compressed, so this is not a comparison of sharpness, but of color and contrast.
I understand this is a work in progress for Kino, who are understandably doing their best with what they have to work with, but when you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig. The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly needs a new scan of the film, not just the tweaking of the MGM 2014 4k master.
I just hope one day someone, somewhere, can get this right for an English version of the film.
More on the potential issues with Kino's release that have been brought to their attention:
ReplyDeletehttp://theeditroomfloor.blogspot.ca/2017/04/current-issues-with-good-bad-and-ugly.html
http://theeditroomfloor.blogspot.ca/2017/04/current-issues-with-good-bad-and-ugly_15.html
http://theeditroomfloor.blogspot.ca/2017/04/current-issues-with-good-bad-and-ugly_19.html