Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Sony Supreme Cinema Series

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Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 10-06-2015, 05:53 PM:

Sony just released their first title under their "Supreme Cinema Series" with a new 4K transfer of Bram Stoker's Dracula.

What makes the Supreme Cinema Series special? The case. It's a book-bound cover with a plexiglass (yes, really) front and back.

I was curious, so I ordered one and thought I'd share.

Basically, there's a 24-page book with thick stock glossy pages. It has photos and notes from Francis Ford Coppola.

The Blu-ray itself sits in a slip in the back.

The Supreme Cinema Series version costs $31.80 on Amazon currently. Or you can buy the exact same new transfer without the fancy case for $16.36. My understanding is it's the same disc.

Nice case, but talk about paying for vanity.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 10-06-2015, 06:32 PM:

If Sony is going to charge double the going price of a disc for a booklet and more elaborate packaging the least thing Sony could do is give the disc a proper holder in the case. Paper slips suck. They end up scratching the disc. Even Blu-ray discs, with their somewhat scratch resistant surface, can still be scratched by those slip holders.

Posted by Matt Russell (Member # 8989) on 10-06-2015, 08:07 PM:

I wouldn't collect this new lineup, but I may pick up one or two if they chose the right movies. I would consider a Supreme Cinema of Close Encounters or Ghostbusters if they make it.

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 10-07-2015, 11:10 AM:

It's not even a 4K UHD disk? Or is it? 4K transfers to 2K HD is so passe... [Roll Eyes]

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 10-07-2015, 01:10 PM:

It won't take Sony long to come out with 4K Blu-ray disc versions of these movies. The players have to hit the store shelves first.

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 10-07-2015, 04:01 PM:

Everything 4K for players and s/w are slated for this Christmas - I'll be looking, even if I'm not ready to buy just yet. I find it a bit annoying that Sony is releasing these titles now in pseudo-4K when in just a couple of months they could/may/probably will release them again in actual consumer 4K. For those consumers that are ready and chomping at the 4K bit, can we say, "double dip"?

Posted by Daniel Schulz (Member # 1881) on 10-07-2015, 11:40 PM:

Worth noting that the re-release also features a Dolby Atmos soundtrack.

Posted by Scott Jentsch (Member # 1681) on 10-10-2015, 02:53 PM:

I think it will quite some time before UHD releases dig deep enough into the catalogs to release movies like Dracula.

Furthermore, the reviews for this release are applauding the picture quality upgrade over the previous Blu-ray release, so it's good that the studios are putting forth the effort.

I'm quite surprised that there is such a clear-cut choice of packages. This is a win for customers, as they only have to choose to pay for extra packaging if they wish. That's a lot better than some of these store-exclusive releases, where some 4-minute documentary filler piece is only available on the Target Special Edition, while some other 10 minute outtakes segment is only available on the Best Buy Steelbook Edition.

In a perfect world, the studios will start to put out UHD/Blu-ray combo packs at reasonable prices, which would make building a UHD collection easy for consumers, even if they don't yet have a UHD player ($500 is not going to be an easy purchase for most people).

If they are going to charge $20 for a new Blu-ray release, I would be very happy to pay $30 for a UHD/Blu-ray combo pack. Even catalog titles like this one could benefit from such a combo-pack release, I think.

I have not yet upgraded to Atmos, so I can't speak from first-hand experience, but I am very doubtful about the prospects of upmixing non-Atmos titles to Atmos. I guess the ones that have been done so far haven't sucked, but I'm not a fan of creating something that wasn't there in the first place. If I want to do that, I can flip a switch on my equipment and decide whether it's a good effect. At least, it seems as though they aren't tinkering with the original mixes, so if you don't have/want the Atmos playback, the original mix (or the near-field remix) is still there.

Posted by Jonathan Goeldner (Member # 4854) on 10-10-2015, 06:43 PM:

went with the standard non-book edition - and holy cow the new 7.1 mix is just astonishing - the dynamic range and punch is fantastic. can't wait to hear the 7.1 mix on the 'Fifth Element' release at the end of the month.

with three Gary Oldman debuting the series ('Leon' is the other disc coming out) - where's 'Air Force One' - that should sound wicked in 7.1/Atmos.

Posted by Jonathan Goeldner (Member # 4854) on 10-10-2015, 11:00 PM:

oh and for those folk who didn't own or hear the Criterion laserdisc commentary track for 'Bram Stoker's Dracula' - Sony tacked it on for this deluxe edition.

Matt:

while it's important to retain the original mixes on said new editions, the idea of an Atmos remix for 'Close Encounters' with the scurrying aliens on the roof during Barry's abduction scene - right above your head would sound super scary.

I'd think and hope if Sony does want to re-release 'Ghostbusters' in this series, it'd be better if they just wait and encode the actual 4K content they used for the DCP onto the UHD bluray edition.