Post by lugnut on Feb 9, 2012 20:41:29 GMT -5
We've covered our favorite Blu-Ray discs and our favorite special features, so we thought it was time to finally take a look at some of the worst Blu-Rays on the market. Yup, they exist – bad Blu-Ray discs. In fact, there's a lot of them out there.
Here's the unfortunate truth behind why it happens. While a title may be popular among niche groups, it may not make a lot of money on home video, and as such, a studio doesn't spend a lot of time or effort restoring the film to Blu-Ray, especially not during an economic recession where even the option of buying a Blu-Ray player is not on the table for some households. It's no offense to the film – it's simply too expensive to give everything a 2, 4 or even 8K polish and shine. And sometimes film elements may be lost or heavily damaged, rendering such a restoration useless or impossible. This sort of thing happens all the time. As such, while pretty much every Blu-Ray out there is arguably better quality than a DVD, things are most certainly not always equal in this case.
Sometimes, for whatever reason, a title that probably should have gotten a fresh hi-def remaster, a hearty special edition or high resolution audio mix just doesn't get the treatment it deserves. Indie distributors are often the culprits here, opting for cheaper 1080i encodes or upconverted HDTV copies of the film, often mastered in an incorrect aspect ratio. This results is a lot of consumer confusion, anger or disappointment, especially when a well-known title slips into the hands of a mediocre distributor. But while the blame may be entirely theirs, sometimes it's completely out of the distributors' hands. Legal issues, money issues, time constraints, shoddy film elements – these are all factors that help explain why bad discs make it to the market.
Even big distributors like Warner and Fox – two studios with some of the most remarkable film catalogs out there – just can't keep up with the cost and time it takes to deliver a reference title with each catalog release. Most titles they put out are great, especially new releases and cinema classics, but others do suffer on occasion. And sometimes filmmakers, producers or cinematographers can wreck their own discs, opting for heavy digital noise reduction – which removes texture and depth just as much as it removes film grain – or color manipulation that completely alters the original intention of the film. Or, in one case, added "Nooos." (BTW, The Star Wars Saga, while frustrating, didn't make this list. It's just too great a release in other respects). Even James Cameron has been known to notoriously play around with his transfers. Just read [url=http://www.highdefdigest.com/blog/aliens-dnr-paranoia/this story of transfer woe[/url] to see what I'm talking about.
Sometimes playing around with a film benefits the overall presentation. David Fincher's Seven, for example, saw a complete recoloring for the special edition DVD. Other times, it renders an ugly product that displeases the fans. The French Connection, a film that made this list, was altered so much the cinematographer disowned the disc.
In this article we'll be discussing our least favorite Blu-Ray discs. Please note that while the films themselves may be incredible, we are not taking into account the quality of the movie itself. Rather, this article should act as a guide for Blu-Ray enthusiasts and casual fans to know what to look for when buying discs, and what to avoid like the plague.
So, without further ado, here's a look at our Top 25 Worst Blu-Ray Discs:
25. Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy (2001-03)
Biggest Flaw: Not the extended versions, weak transfers
OK, so this really isn't one of the worst releases out there, and that's why we placed it at the bottom of the list. Despite not being a bad release, for what it is, sometimes expectations mean everything. And it's hard to deny that the theatrical versions of Lord of the Rings were remarkably disappointing in this regard. At least fans got all the bonus goodies from the theatrical version DVDs, and audio was pretty great. But do a side-by-side picture comparison between this Blu-Ray and the 2K remastered extended Blu-Ray and you're likely to find much to hate about this release.
Speaking of frustration, even the extended version Blu-Ray box set isn't without controversy. Fellowship of the Ring is oddly greener than the other two releases, tinted this way for the Blu-Ray remaster. While it's not very noticeable in most scenes, and is allegedly what Peter Jackson intended, many fans found reason to vent, especially during the snowy scenes when the snow exhibits a very mild green hue. But honestly, it's not a deal breaker. For most fans, the theatrical versions were far more bothersome.
24. Ocean's 13 (2007)
Biggest Flaw: Saturated transfer, bad extras
Steven Soderbergh is well known for being a bit of a visual director, giving style and panache to each and every film he makes. And they're not all alike, either. With Traffic, he opted for a multi-tone palette and gritty hand held camerawork. With something like The Informant he opts for a warmer palette and naturalistic lighting. But nothing can really explain why Ocean's 13 looks like it was hit with orange spray tan. While the film definitely looked a bit saturated in theaters, it looks downright awful on Blu-Ray.
The transfer is sun baked, to say the least, and smeared with heavy, bleeding blacks and ugly, bold reds (which brings out color banding). To make matters worse, Warner didn't even give this disc a high-res audio option. And extras are pretty much nonexistent, save for some light fluff and deleted scenes. It's fitting that Ocean's 13 is set in Vegas as ultimately the house wins here and you lose your hard earned money.
23. Black Christmas (1974)
Biggest Flaw: Unclean transfer, lacking previous extras
Despite having received a pretty decent HDTV transfer that aired on HDNet a few years back, Critical Mass's Black Christmas Blu-Ray leaves much to be desired. The print itself seems to have undergone no spot treatment, leaving specks of heavy dust all throughout the print. White specks, or dust specks that are actually on the print when it's scanned in, are also incredibly intrusive. Coloring is bad. Compression artifacting is sprinkled all over the place. It's a mess.
The mix is also missing a lossless audio option, opting instead for a mono track and a crackle-heavy 5.1 mix. While extras are ported from the Critical Mass DVD, numerous extras from other releases, including additional documentaries and a commentary track with the director, were left off the release. Instead of giving fans the ultimate edition of director Bob Clark's genre-defining horror masterpiece, fans get a phoned-in release that's barely better than the DVD. Sometimes a double-dip isn't such a bad thing. This is one of those cases.
22. The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)
Biggest Flaw: Dated transfer, needed to be two discs
Director Judd Apatow isn't particularly well known for his cinematic visuals. He's a storyteller who's grown accustomed to sitcom lighting and mostly lifeless shots. That's not to say his films aren't terrific. The 40-Year-Old Virgin is probably one of the best comedies of its era. But Apatow's films always have a bland look to them. This is brought straight to the surface thanks to Universal's ugly Blu-Ray.
Hours of bonus content are crammed onto one disc, which is troublesome enough. But the transfer is in dire need of restoration, too. Watching the movie on Blu-Ray you'd think the film was released in the mid-'90s. Compression, ghosting and edge enhancement all are on full display in this unkempt, very dirty print. Given the immense popularity of this catalog title you'd think Universal would have put a little more effort into the final product. But you'd be wrong. Perhaps we'll see a new release when the film turns 10 in 2015.
21. American Psycho (2000)
Biggest Flaw: Old transfer, skipping/popping audio
The movie that made Christian Bale a household name among film geeks and cult cinema lovers gets a disc so bad it's depressing. The extras are outstanding, with great commentary tracks and featurettes. But the transfer is an ugly mess of digital noise reduction, pasty visuals and a print so dirty you'll wonder if someone dropped the thing in a lint trap before scanning it. And the disc's DTS-HR track skips and/or pops every few minutes!
American Psycho represents one of Lionsgate's first Blu-Ray efforts. While they're one of the biggest smaller studios out there, they struggled to really deliver top quality Blu-Ray discs early on. Films like Saw, Stargate, Frailty and Total Recall are among their worst, and now retail for very cheap because of this. It's not until a few years ago when Lionsgate stepped up their game. Their recent acquisition of certain Dimension/Miramax titles has yielded some solid results, save for the Scream films, which look so bad they very nearly made this list (particularly the first film). But movies like The Crow, Hostage and Evil Dead 2 look downright magnificent. That said, if you see a bargain bin Lionsgate Blu-Ray, know what you're getting into.
20. Goodfellas (1990) - (Single Disc and 20th Anniversary Edition)
Biggest Flaw: Dated transfer and audio
Goodfellas is one of the best films ever made. It's a masterpiece of modern filmmaking and one of our favorite Martin Scorsese pictures. But even on DVD, Warner waited a rather long time before unveiling a special edition release. For years, Goodfellas was nothing more than a cheap, no frills DVD. When the film came to Blu-Ray, the extras from the special edition DVD were brought over, but the transfer didn't see much of an update. And audio was simply ported over with no lossless option.
Sprinkling salt on the wound, Warner went back and double dipped the film for its 20th Anniversary in 2010, but once again recycled the extras, transfer and audio from that dated first Blu-Ray. Sure, Warner tossed in some superfluous extras and a digibook, but played it cheap when it came to the transfer and audio, which is where it really matters with HD material. Also, be warned, Scorsese hasn't had a great track record on Blu so be sure to look up any film of his you might be interested in investing in. While it didn't make the list, Universal's Casino sports a pretty ugly transfer, too. And Gangs of New York – well, we'll get to that in a little bit.
19. Dinosaur (2000)
Biggest Flaw: Lifeless transfer, lacking previous extras
You might notice an absence of Disney titles on this list. It's not because we're Disney-loyal, but rather, Disney is very selective about their titles, and they often provide their many fans with the best possible presentation out there. But there is one disc that rubs us the wrong way. Disney's Dinosaur is easily their most disappointing Blu-Ray. Given that the film is computer animated, you'd assume it would look gorgeous, but it doesn't.
The film looks soft and murky, presented in a dated encode that does little to breathe life into the visuals. Audio is a tad underwhelming, too. And extras, while decent, aren't quite as immersive as the DVD special edition. Dinosaur was an early title for Disney, when every studio was cautiously releasing bare-bones Blu-Ray discs, unsure if the market would accept the new format, so it's not surprising this release is dated by today's standards. But it's time Disney returns to this underrated adventure with an updated Blu-Ray. They should act fast, too, before the format is all but extinct.
18. Rocky: The Undisputed Collection (1976-2006)
Biggest Flaw: Dated transfers, virtually no extras
The people's champion has had a rough life on home video. When the Rocky series first came to DVD, it saw no love. Discs were about as bare bones as they come, and some of the transfers weren't even anamorphically enhanced. The same sort of problem presents itself here on Blu-Ray, too. The first Rocky film gets the exact same transfer as the stand-alone Blu-Ray. And all the bonus features from the special edition DVD are nowhere in sight.
The sequels look a bit better, but even they're a little unclean, filled with dust specks, dirt and even some encode flaws, especially heavy digital noise reduction. Rocky is a great franchise, but it's never really gotten the special edition treatment it deserves. It would be great to have gotten some deleted scenes, or maybe even the director's cut of Rocky V (which is often seen floating around Internet land). Some new featurettes and/or documentaries would have been appreciated, too. Instead, this release fails to go the distance, delivering a box set that begs for a future double-dip.
17. The Terminator (1984) - (Single Disc or Digibook Edition)
Biggest Flaw: Old transfer, lacking previous extras
It's upsetting to know that in the future, when machines have taken control and mankind is all but a memory, those machines will have to watch this awful Blu-Ray of The Terminator. Stripped of half its extras from the DVD, and encoded in a harsh, grainy dated codec, The Terminator is one of the most disappointing releases from MGM's early catalog. But this isn't the only stinker from MGM. Early on, the studio released quite a few duds on Blu, including the next film on this list, which also happens to be about a cyborg.
James Cameron has been working hard on remasters of The Abyss and True Lies, and we've already gotten a great transfer for Aliens. But the Terminator franchise leaves much to be desired. Not only is this disc mediocre, but Lionsgate's releases of T2 are a bit spotty, too. And Warner's first release of T3 was so botched it made it on this list. Poor killer robots. Can't catch a break. At least Terminator: Salvation looks and sounds pretty awesome. That's cool, right?
16. Robocop (1987) - (Any Version)
Biggest Flaw: Ugly transfer, no extras
Robocop might not dream of electric sheep, but he does dream of a good HD release. Such a great film. Such an awful Blu-Ray. Oddly enough, Robocop has actually seen two Blu-Ray releases from two different studios. Sony's release of the R-rated cut was shelved due to rights issues and only sent out to critics and some retailers by accident. If you can find the Sony release, you've got yourself a real collector's item. But make no mistake, even that release was a stinker.
For some reason, Robocop just can't seem to make the leap to HD. The MGM Blu-Ray of the unrated version of the film is downright ugly, barely a shade above the special edition DVD release. Speaking of that, none of the extras from that release were ported over to the Blu-Ray, leaving fans wanting. In 2011, MGM put out a Robocop box set, containing all three films. And while the second and third films saw fresh remasters, the first film got the exact same disc! I'd buy that for a dollar. But that's about it.
15. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) - (First Release)
Biggest Flaw: Accidental 1080i transfer
Here's the first of four discs on this list that made it here because their first releases were so bad they immediately got double-dipped. This one's a case of a rather odd goof. Because Blu-Ray's picture-in-picture technology was in its infancy at the time, Warner's initial release of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines was a bit of a dud. When watching the film alone, the transfer was presented in 1080i. Watch the PiP mode, and the film would output in 1080p.
Warner quickly acknowledged the error and dropped a second Blu-Ray just two months later. Unfortunately, though, both releases feature a standard 5.1 Dolby Digital track, as opposed to a lossless high-res option. At least the disc's extras are pretty great. If you see a copy of T3 in the stores, be sure to check the UPC. Some copies of that first release still float around retail outlets. The correct UPC is 883929016938. OK, that's all the cyborg-centric films we have on this list. We promise.
14. Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior (2003)
Biggest Flaw: Dirty transfer, weak audio
This is the first of two Asian imports to make this "worst of" list. And it was hard picking which was the lesser of the two releases. Both are pretty awful. Ong-Bak might be the nasty product of low-budget filmmaking, and not really the fault of a shoddy Blu-Ray, though there's little to love about the disc. The transfer shifts in color with nearly every shot. It's also a mess of edge halos, artifacts and even some posterization.
Audio isn't much better. Both the English dub and the original Thai track are center-heavy listening experiences that play more like mono tracks. And extras are slim. Given the enormous cult popularity of Ong-Bak, and martial arts star Tony Jaa, one would expect a better effort. Alas, this Blu-Ray looks more like an upconverted DVD than a real Blu-Ray. If only the film had received a more thorough remaster, perhaps some of the color issues and compression flaws could have been cleaned up.
13. Gangs of New York (2002) - (First Release)
Biggest Flaw: Bad transfer, no director's cut
Another Martin Scorsese film, another Blu-Ray controversy. Gangs of New York hit the Blu-ray scene fairly early on in July 2008. By pretty much every account, be it fans or critics, the transfer was widely considered to be one of the single worst of the year, and the release still leaves out Martin Scosese's much-discussed Director's Cut. Given the hefty price tag for the film, many felt the disc simply wasn't worth the upgrade.
Without a whisper from Miramax, Gangs of New York quietly slipped back onto Blu-Ray in Feb. 2010, this time completely remastered, albeit still missing the extended version of the film. Comparing the transfer, however, was like night and day. One was washed out, compressed and genuinely ugly. Whereas the remastered version retained the visual nuance crafted by director Martin Scorsese. If you're in the market for this release, be sure to check to see if it's the original version or the remastered edition. Usually it's marked on the security tape on the top of the disc or printed just above the UPC.
12. Teen Wolf (1985)
Biggest Flaw: Terrible transfer, bad audio, no extras
Teen Wolf is a pretty awesome slice of '80s cheese. You gotta love it. But this Blu-Ray is a sheep in wolf's clothing! With a transfer that looks like it was dragged through the mud and run through a dishwasher, Teen Wolf almost looks worse than the DVD double-feature, which also included the much-hated sequel, Teen Wolf Too (which didn't get a BD release, unfortunately).
It's anyone's guess as to what happened. Given the film's relatively low budget, it could just be the quality of the film stock, and era in which the picture was made. Or it's just the victim of a rushed release. After all, the disc came out right around the time the MTV reboot of the franchise hit the boob tube. Whatever the reason, Teen Wolf is a Blu-Ray so angering it might just bring out the wolf inside any fan, so be warned.
11. Gladiator (2000) - (First Sapphire Series Release)
Biggest Flaw: Bad original transfer
A few years back, Paramount unveiled the Sapphire Series, a collection of classic and popular films from the studio that would set the bar on Blu-Ray. Among these Sapphire titles was Gladiator, which didn't come as much of a shock to most BD lovers. Rather, the shock came when fans finally got to lay eyes on the disc and saw one of the most disappointing transfers imaginable, especially for such a touted release.
Not much later, Paramount acknowledged the flub and actually offered a trade-in program where you could call a number and receive a new copy of the disc. Kudos to Paramount for taking the hit like that. Whereas most studios double-dip remasters of their discs at the consumer cost, Paramount actually fixed the problem free of charge. That's a standard Sapphire should be proud of, even if the initial release was a bit of a dud. If only everyone took their lead.
10. The French Connection (1971)
Biggest Flaw: Recolored transfer
Let's start this one off by saying that this is a pretty darn good disc. The transfer, for what it is, is totally fine. Some even prefer it. Audio is great. Extras are outstanding, too. But this isn't The French Connection you probably remember. Rather, it's the version director William Friedkin tweaked, recolored and grained-up to add more "grittiness" to the picture. Here's what cinematographer Owen Roizman (who was nominated for an Oscar for this film) told Hollywood Elsewhere about the release, "I wasn't consulted. I was appalled by it. I don't know what Billy was thinking. It's not the film that I shot, and I certainly want to wash my hands of having had anything to do with this transfer, which I feel is atrocious."
In short, he hated it. As it turns out, so did the fans. This exciting release quickly transformed into one of the biggest disappointments of the year. While the disc was decidedly terrific, there was no preservation of the original print, leaving hardcore cinephiles rather steamed. Perhaps some day we'll get a different version, but until then, if you want to see what the film was originally meant to look like, you'll have to pick up the DVD.
9. Donnie Darko (2001) - (First Release or 10th Anniversary Edition)
Biggest Flaw: Weak transfer, underwhelming audio, no new extras
Here's a classic case of a great film that was probably just not shot with world's greatest, most expensive film stock. Donnie Darko may be a renowned cult classic, but it's probably one of the ugliest catalog titles in Fox's entire BD collection (another cult darling, Boondock Saints, doesn't look much better). Worse, Fox double-dipped the film for its 10th anniversary in 2011, and they still skipped out on giving the film a fresh polish and shine.
While both Blu-Ray discs have ported over all the bonus goodies from the previous DVD releases, no new added goodies were added to the mix. And audio sounds clunky and unrefined, almost like a stereo track that only got a mild update to 5.1. I'm sure some would argue that this doesn't make Donnie Darko the ninth worst Blu-Ray, but considering the many fans who love and respect this film, the fact that so little effort has gone into giving it a decent Blu-Ray release is a bit puzzling. Again, it might not be Fox's fault, but a remaster certainly couldn't hurt.
8. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Biggest Flaw: Standard definition movie
The Blair Witch Project was shot on both low-res 16MM and consumer-quality standard definition video. That's all we need to say, really. The standard definition movie is "remastered" for high definition and the Blu-Ray does offer up some new bonus material. And yes, the transfer does technically look better than the original DVD. But why not just give this one a new remastered DVD release instead?
There's really nothing Blu-Ray can offer to clean this film up. Of all the shot-on-video films out there, movies like 28 Days Later and Paranormal Activity, Blair Witch is the one that makes the least amount of sense on Blu. And it's not like there's many Blair Witch fans left these days. The franchise faded into pop-cult obscurity thanks to the misguided sequel. So save your money on this one, unless of course you're a die-hard fan who must own everything Blair Witch.
7. Highlander 2
Biggest Flaw: Ugly transfer
A lot of fans hate Highlander 2, and with good reason. But that's no excuse for this Blu-Ray, which looks almost exactly the same as its 2004 DVD counterpart. But we have a theory about what happened. A few years back Highlander producers recut and reworked the film for a second time, following the Renegade version. This "Special Edition" added new effects, recolored some scenes and generally presented a better version of the movie.
Skip ahead a few years and Blu-Ray is now the new home video format in town. But all those effects that were done for the DVD were likely rendered in a crude, early version of HD, or even in standard definition (the same problem that prevented fans from seeing the Director's Cut of Star Trek: The Motion Picture). As such, in order to keep this preferred cut of Highlander 2, the Blu-Ray can only look about as good as it did on DVD. But Highlander 2 isn't the only culprit of bad transferitis for this franchise. The TV series is also available on Blu-Ray, albeit upconverted to HD. Why even bother?
6. Predator (1987) - (Ultimate Hunter Edition)
Biggest Flaw: Too much digital noise reduction
If you want to witness the absolute most damning affects that digital noise reduction can bring to a film, give Fox's Predator: Ultimate Hunter Edition a spin. My, oh, my is it terrible. The film was basically scrubbed of any grain or noise, resulting in a picture that almost looks like it comes from a video source, transferred over to hi-def.
Textures are completely lost, depth is flattened, and pretty much every scene looks ugly and repressed by this very annoying, and often over-used, digital tool. Don't want to take our word for it? Fine. Just pop in the original no-frills Blu-Ray and watch any scene in the film. Then pop in the double-dip and compare. If you don't see a difference, you are blind! While this double-dip Blu-Ray gave fans all the bonus features they craved, it betrayed them in a big way.
5. Mission: Impossible Extreme Blu-Ray Trilogy (1996-2006)
Biggest Flaw: Old transfers, lacking extras, dated audio
When a franchise makes about a billion dollars for a studio, you'd think it would be considered one the "big boys." But Mission: Impossible, for some reason, just doesn't get the love it deserves from Paramount. To promote the release of Mission:Impossible – Ghost Protocol, the studio dropped (and I do mean dropped) a three-disc box set for the films on Blu-Ray. While packaging was changed, the discs were nothing more than recycled versions of the original BD releases, which date all the way back to the beginning of the format!
To make matters worse, the second disc from the two-disc Mission:Impossible III set was stripped from this release. Talk about cheap. It's time Paramount takes this franchise seriously, and gives each film the Blu-Ray release it truly deserves. Lossless audio, fresh HD resolution transfers, not just aged MPEG-2 encodes, and maybe some new extras, like commentary tracks, a retrospective documentary series or some missing deleted scenes (we know a few exist). Perhaps if fans don't get a better release soon they should hire Ethan Hunt and his gang to solve this impossible mission for the studio.
4. Time Bandits (1981)
Biggest Flaw: Awful disc all around
When it comes to bargain bin titles, Image Entertainment is responsible for some pretty awful Blu-Ray transfers. Early on these discs were often mastered in 1080i, presented in pretty awful up-converted high-res audio, and are typically pretty featureless. Dreamscape and Short Circuit are among the more popular cult hits they've put out on Blu-Ray over the years, but the worst release of them all is for Time Bandits.
Criterion had previously released a relatively solid special edition DVD. And over in the UK, fans had a pretty nifty 1080p Blu-Ray, too. The Image version, however, scraps the extras from the Criterion disc, and delivers a 1080i transfer riddled with dust, dirt, noise and all manner of ugly. While, in recent months, Image has cleaned up their act, if you see the Image logo on the Blu-Ray you're about to purchase, be sure to look up a review of it first, just to be safe.
3. The Fifth Element (1997) - (First Release)
Biggest Flaw: First transfer not remastered
Here's the last, and probably most notorious case of using a bad master for the Blu-Ray release, only to double-dip it a little later. The Fifth Element was one of Sony's BD launch titles. Because the visually rich film was such a stunner on DVD, early Blu-Ray adopters assumed it would shine even brighter in 1080p HD. Not the case. In fact, the transfer barely even inched past an up-converted version of the DVD. It also caused many home video enthusiasts to question the quality of Blu-Ray discs, nearly killing the format before it even started.
About a year later, after Blu-Ray had placed its foot deeper into the market, Sony discontinued the old Fifth Element Blu-Ray and quietly shuffled out a brand new modern AVC remaster, which looks eons better than the original release. Unfortunately, unlike the Gladiator release, no trade-in option was offered to owners of the first disc. If you're looking for The Fifth Element, be warned though. Old copies of that first version still float around retail stores and CD/game exchanges. Look for UPC #043396215207. That's the remastered version.
2. Hard Boiled (1992) - (Dragon Dynasty or PS3 In-Game Version)
Biggest Flaw: All around terrible disc
John Woo's epic action masterpiece has made it to Blu-Ray a couple of times. You'd think eventually someone would get the release right, but you'd be wrong. Hard Boiled first hit the Blu-Ray scene as a bonus feature on the PS3 game, Stranglehold – a game which serves as a sequel to the film. Presented in a quality right on par with a third-rate bootleg, this version of Hard Boiled actually looked quite a bit worse than some DVD releases. It wasn't even encoded in 1080p, and the image appeared stretched out and distorted, amidst other issues like dust, dirt and damage to the print.
Later, Dragon Dynasty returned to the film with a special edition release. While the transfer was an improvement over the Stranglehold version, it was still only a shade better than the DVD, fogged over by heavy digital noise reduction, ghosting and all kinds of print damage. Is the original print of Hard Boiled lost? Why has it never seen much of an upgrade? These questions plague fans of the film who hope to one day get a decent restoration of this beloved, truly awesome cult hit. But, given the track record for this title on home video, that day won't be arriving any time soon.
1. Halloween H20 (1998)
Biggest Flaw: Released by Echo Bridge
Up until this point, I've left off titles by Echo Bridge, a company who distributes discs for Miramax and Dimension films as well as a few others. Why? Well, if I were to count up all the films they've released on Blu-Ray over the years, this list would probably be about 80 percent Echo Bridge, 20 percent everything else. Instead, Echo Bridge takes the No. 1 spot with Halloween H20. With this release, there's clearly not much pride in the title. The film is incorrectly framed (1.78 instead of 2.39), presented in stereo as opposed to 5.1 audio, and extras are nonexistent. Now, Halloween H20 certainly isn't a masterpiece, but it deserves a decent Blu-Ray upgrade, even if there's no bonus material.
But don't assume that's the only title that stinks. There's a few other Halloween sequels from Echo Bridge (6 and 8), The Crow: City of Angels, From Dusk Till Dawn (1-3), and also some Hellraiser films, among many, many others (largely Z-grade flicks like Final Days of Planet Earth). Now, to Echo Bridge's credit, it would seem as though they don't have much say on the matter and may simply be handed the materials to distribute. If that's the case, shame on the production companies who hand over shoddy transfers hoping to pick up a few bucks from a cruddy Blu-Ray release. Regardless, if you see the Echo Bride logo – ye be warned – you're probably not in for a good demo-worthy Blu-Ray.
Here's the unfortunate truth behind why it happens. While a title may be popular among niche groups, it may not make a lot of money on home video, and as such, a studio doesn't spend a lot of time or effort restoring the film to Blu-Ray, especially not during an economic recession where even the option of buying a Blu-Ray player is not on the table for some households. It's no offense to the film – it's simply too expensive to give everything a 2, 4 or even 8K polish and shine. And sometimes film elements may be lost or heavily damaged, rendering such a restoration useless or impossible. This sort of thing happens all the time. As such, while pretty much every Blu-Ray out there is arguably better quality than a DVD, things are most certainly not always equal in this case.
Sometimes, for whatever reason, a title that probably should have gotten a fresh hi-def remaster, a hearty special edition or high resolution audio mix just doesn't get the treatment it deserves. Indie distributors are often the culprits here, opting for cheaper 1080i encodes or upconverted HDTV copies of the film, often mastered in an incorrect aspect ratio. This results is a lot of consumer confusion, anger or disappointment, especially when a well-known title slips into the hands of a mediocre distributor. But while the blame may be entirely theirs, sometimes it's completely out of the distributors' hands. Legal issues, money issues, time constraints, shoddy film elements – these are all factors that help explain why bad discs make it to the market.
Even big distributors like Warner and Fox – two studios with some of the most remarkable film catalogs out there – just can't keep up with the cost and time it takes to deliver a reference title with each catalog release. Most titles they put out are great, especially new releases and cinema classics, but others do suffer on occasion. And sometimes filmmakers, producers or cinematographers can wreck their own discs, opting for heavy digital noise reduction – which removes texture and depth just as much as it removes film grain – or color manipulation that completely alters the original intention of the film. Or, in one case, added "Nooos." (BTW, The Star Wars Saga, while frustrating, didn't make this list. It's just too great a release in other respects). Even James Cameron has been known to notoriously play around with his transfers. Just read [url=http://www.highdefdigest.com/blog/aliens-dnr-paranoia/this story of transfer woe[/url] to see what I'm talking about.
Sometimes playing around with a film benefits the overall presentation. David Fincher's Seven, for example, saw a complete recoloring for the special edition DVD. Other times, it renders an ugly product that displeases the fans. The French Connection, a film that made this list, was altered so much the cinematographer disowned the disc.
In this article we'll be discussing our least favorite Blu-Ray discs. Please note that while the films themselves may be incredible, we are not taking into account the quality of the movie itself. Rather, this article should act as a guide for Blu-Ray enthusiasts and casual fans to know what to look for when buying discs, and what to avoid like the plague.
So, without further ado, here's a look at our Top 25 Worst Blu-Ray Discs:
25. Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy (2001-03)
Biggest Flaw: Not the extended versions, weak transfers
OK, so this really isn't one of the worst releases out there, and that's why we placed it at the bottom of the list. Despite not being a bad release, for what it is, sometimes expectations mean everything. And it's hard to deny that the theatrical versions of Lord of the Rings were remarkably disappointing in this regard. At least fans got all the bonus goodies from the theatrical version DVDs, and audio was pretty great. But do a side-by-side picture comparison between this Blu-Ray and the 2K remastered extended Blu-Ray and you're likely to find much to hate about this release.
Speaking of frustration, even the extended version Blu-Ray box set isn't without controversy. Fellowship of the Ring is oddly greener than the other two releases, tinted this way for the Blu-Ray remaster. While it's not very noticeable in most scenes, and is allegedly what Peter Jackson intended, many fans found reason to vent, especially during the snowy scenes when the snow exhibits a very mild green hue. But honestly, it's not a deal breaker. For most fans, the theatrical versions were far more bothersome.
24. Ocean's 13 (2007)
Biggest Flaw: Saturated transfer, bad extras
Steven Soderbergh is well known for being a bit of a visual director, giving style and panache to each and every film he makes. And they're not all alike, either. With Traffic, he opted for a multi-tone palette and gritty hand held camerawork. With something like The Informant he opts for a warmer palette and naturalistic lighting. But nothing can really explain why Ocean's 13 looks like it was hit with orange spray tan. While the film definitely looked a bit saturated in theaters, it looks downright awful on Blu-Ray.
The transfer is sun baked, to say the least, and smeared with heavy, bleeding blacks and ugly, bold reds (which brings out color banding). To make matters worse, Warner didn't even give this disc a high-res audio option. And extras are pretty much nonexistent, save for some light fluff and deleted scenes. It's fitting that Ocean's 13 is set in Vegas as ultimately the house wins here and you lose your hard earned money.
23. Black Christmas (1974)
Biggest Flaw: Unclean transfer, lacking previous extras
Despite having received a pretty decent HDTV transfer that aired on HDNet a few years back, Critical Mass's Black Christmas Blu-Ray leaves much to be desired. The print itself seems to have undergone no spot treatment, leaving specks of heavy dust all throughout the print. White specks, or dust specks that are actually on the print when it's scanned in, are also incredibly intrusive. Coloring is bad. Compression artifacting is sprinkled all over the place. It's a mess.
The mix is also missing a lossless audio option, opting instead for a mono track and a crackle-heavy 5.1 mix. While extras are ported from the Critical Mass DVD, numerous extras from other releases, including additional documentaries and a commentary track with the director, were left off the release. Instead of giving fans the ultimate edition of director Bob Clark's genre-defining horror masterpiece, fans get a phoned-in release that's barely better than the DVD. Sometimes a double-dip isn't such a bad thing. This is one of those cases.
22. The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)
Biggest Flaw: Dated transfer, needed to be two discs
Director Judd Apatow isn't particularly well known for his cinematic visuals. He's a storyteller who's grown accustomed to sitcom lighting and mostly lifeless shots. That's not to say his films aren't terrific. The 40-Year-Old Virgin is probably one of the best comedies of its era. But Apatow's films always have a bland look to them. This is brought straight to the surface thanks to Universal's ugly Blu-Ray.
Hours of bonus content are crammed onto one disc, which is troublesome enough. But the transfer is in dire need of restoration, too. Watching the movie on Blu-Ray you'd think the film was released in the mid-'90s. Compression, ghosting and edge enhancement all are on full display in this unkempt, very dirty print. Given the immense popularity of this catalog title you'd think Universal would have put a little more effort into the final product. But you'd be wrong. Perhaps we'll see a new release when the film turns 10 in 2015.
21. American Psycho (2000)
Biggest Flaw: Old transfer, skipping/popping audio
The movie that made Christian Bale a household name among film geeks and cult cinema lovers gets a disc so bad it's depressing. The extras are outstanding, with great commentary tracks and featurettes. But the transfer is an ugly mess of digital noise reduction, pasty visuals and a print so dirty you'll wonder if someone dropped the thing in a lint trap before scanning it. And the disc's DTS-HR track skips and/or pops every few minutes!
American Psycho represents one of Lionsgate's first Blu-Ray efforts. While they're one of the biggest smaller studios out there, they struggled to really deliver top quality Blu-Ray discs early on. Films like Saw, Stargate, Frailty and Total Recall are among their worst, and now retail for very cheap because of this. It's not until a few years ago when Lionsgate stepped up their game. Their recent acquisition of certain Dimension/Miramax titles has yielded some solid results, save for the Scream films, which look so bad they very nearly made this list (particularly the first film). But movies like The Crow, Hostage and Evil Dead 2 look downright magnificent. That said, if you see a bargain bin Lionsgate Blu-Ray, know what you're getting into.
20. Goodfellas (1990) - (Single Disc and 20th Anniversary Edition)
Biggest Flaw: Dated transfer and audio
Goodfellas is one of the best films ever made. It's a masterpiece of modern filmmaking and one of our favorite Martin Scorsese pictures. But even on DVD, Warner waited a rather long time before unveiling a special edition release. For years, Goodfellas was nothing more than a cheap, no frills DVD. When the film came to Blu-Ray, the extras from the special edition DVD were brought over, but the transfer didn't see much of an update. And audio was simply ported over with no lossless option.
Sprinkling salt on the wound, Warner went back and double dipped the film for its 20th Anniversary in 2010, but once again recycled the extras, transfer and audio from that dated first Blu-Ray. Sure, Warner tossed in some superfluous extras and a digibook, but played it cheap when it came to the transfer and audio, which is where it really matters with HD material. Also, be warned, Scorsese hasn't had a great track record on Blu so be sure to look up any film of his you might be interested in investing in. While it didn't make the list, Universal's Casino sports a pretty ugly transfer, too. And Gangs of New York – well, we'll get to that in a little bit.
19. Dinosaur (2000)
Biggest Flaw: Lifeless transfer, lacking previous extras
You might notice an absence of Disney titles on this list. It's not because we're Disney-loyal, but rather, Disney is very selective about their titles, and they often provide their many fans with the best possible presentation out there. But there is one disc that rubs us the wrong way. Disney's Dinosaur is easily their most disappointing Blu-Ray. Given that the film is computer animated, you'd assume it would look gorgeous, but it doesn't.
The film looks soft and murky, presented in a dated encode that does little to breathe life into the visuals. Audio is a tad underwhelming, too. And extras, while decent, aren't quite as immersive as the DVD special edition. Dinosaur was an early title for Disney, when every studio was cautiously releasing bare-bones Blu-Ray discs, unsure if the market would accept the new format, so it's not surprising this release is dated by today's standards. But it's time Disney returns to this underrated adventure with an updated Blu-Ray. They should act fast, too, before the format is all but extinct.
18. Rocky: The Undisputed Collection (1976-2006)
Biggest Flaw: Dated transfers, virtually no extras
The people's champion has had a rough life on home video. When the Rocky series first came to DVD, it saw no love. Discs were about as bare bones as they come, and some of the transfers weren't even anamorphically enhanced. The same sort of problem presents itself here on Blu-Ray, too. The first Rocky film gets the exact same transfer as the stand-alone Blu-Ray. And all the bonus features from the special edition DVD are nowhere in sight.
The sequels look a bit better, but even they're a little unclean, filled with dust specks, dirt and even some encode flaws, especially heavy digital noise reduction. Rocky is a great franchise, but it's never really gotten the special edition treatment it deserves. It would be great to have gotten some deleted scenes, or maybe even the director's cut of Rocky V (which is often seen floating around Internet land). Some new featurettes and/or documentaries would have been appreciated, too. Instead, this release fails to go the distance, delivering a box set that begs for a future double-dip.
17. The Terminator (1984) - (Single Disc or Digibook Edition)
Biggest Flaw: Old transfer, lacking previous extras
It's upsetting to know that in the future, when machines have taken control and mankind is all but a memory, those machines will have to watch this awful Blu-Ray of The Terminator. Stripped of half its extras from the DVD, and encoded in a harsh, grainy dated codec, The Terminator is one of the most disappointing releases from MGM's early catalog. But this isn't the only stinker from MGM. Early on, the studio released quite a few duds on Blu, including the next film on this list, which also happens to be about a cyborg.
James Cameron has been working hard on remasters of The Abyss and True Lies, and we've already gotten a great transfer for Aliens. But the Terminator franchise leaves much to be desired. Not only is this disc mediocre, but Lionsgate's releases of T2 are a bit spotty, too. And Warner's first release of T3 was so botched it made it on this list. Poor killer robots. Can't catch a break. At least Terminator: Salvation looks and sounds pretty awesome. That's cool, right?
16. Robocop (1987) - (Any Version)
Biggest Flaw: Ugly transfer, no extras
Robocop might not dream of electric sheep, but he does dream of a good HD release. Such a great film. Such an awful Blu-Ray. Oddly enough, Robocop has actually seen two Blu-Ray releases from two different studios. Sony's release of the R-rated cut was shelved due to rights issues and only sent out to critics and some retailers by accident. If you can find the Sony release, you've got yourself a real collector's item. But make no mistake, even that release was a stinker.
For some reason, Robocop just can't seem to make the leap to HD. The MGM Blu-Ray of the unrated version of the film is downright ugly, barely a shade above the special edition DVD release. Speaking of that, none of the extras from that release were ported over to the Blu-Ray, leaving fans wanting. In 2011, MGM put out a Robocop box set, containing all three films. And while the second and third films saw fresh remasters, the first film got the exact same disc! I'd buy that for a dollar. But that's about it.
15. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) - (First Release)
Biggest Flaw: Accidental 1080i transfer
Here's the first of four discs on this list that made it here because their first releases were so bad they immediately got double-dipped. This one's a case of a rather odd goof. Because Blu-Ray's picture-in-picture technology was in its infancy at the time, Warner's initial release of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines was a bit of a dud. When watching the film alone, the transfer was presented in 1080i. Watch the PiP mode, and the film would output in 1080p.
Warner quickly acknowledged the error and dropped a second Blu-Ray just two months later. Unfortunately, though, both releases feature a standard 5.1 Dolby Digital track, as opposed to a lossless high-res option. At least the disc's extras are pretty great. If you see a copy of T3 in the stores, be sure to check the UPC. Some copies of that first release still float around retail outlets. The correct UPC is 883929016938. OK, that's all the cyborg-centric films we have on this list. We promise.
14. Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior (2003)
Biggest Flaw: Dirty transfer, weak audio
This is the first of two Asian imports to make this "worst of" list. And it was hard picking which was the lesser of the two releases. Both are pretty awful. Ong-Bak might be the nasty product of low-budget filmmaking, and not really the fault of a shoddy Blu-Ray, though there's little to love about the disc. The transfer shifts in color with nearly every shot. It's also a mess of edge halos, artifacts and even some posterization.
Audio isn't much better. Both the English dub and the original Thai track are center-heavy listening experiences that play more like mono tracks. And extras are slim. Given the enormous cult popularity of Ong-Bak, and martial arts star Tony Jaa, one would expect a better effort. Alas, this Blu-Ray looks more like an upconverted DVD than a real Blu-Ray. If only the film had received a more thorough remaster, perhaps some of the color issues and compression flaws could have been cleaned up.
13. Gangs of New York (2002) - (First Release)
Biggest Flaw: Bad transfer, no director's cut
Another Martin Scorsese film, another Blu-Ray controversy. Gangs of New York hit the Blu-ray scene fairly early on in July 2008. By pretty much every account, be it fans or critics, the transfer was widely considered to be one of the single worst of the year, and the release still leaves out Martin Scosese's much-discussed Director's Cut. Given the hefty price tag for the film, many felt the disc simply wasn't worth the upgrade.
Without a whisper from Miramax, Gangs of New York quietly slipped back onto Blu-Ray in Feb. 2010, this time completely remastered, albeit still missing the extended version of the film. Comparing the transfer, however, was like night and day. One was washed out, compressed and genuinely ugly. Whereas the remastered version retained the visual nuance crafted by director Martin Scorsese. If you're in the market for this release, be sure to check to see if it's the original version or the remastered edition. Usually it's marked on the security tape on the top of the disc or printed just above the UPC.
12. Teen Wolf (1985)
Biggest Flaw: Terrible transfer, bad audio, no extras
Teen Wolf is a pretty awesome slice of '80s cheese. You gotta love it. But this Blu-Ray is a sheep in wolf's clothing! With a transfer that looks like it was dragged through the mud and run through a dishwasher, Teen Wolf almost looks worse than the DVD double-feature, which also included the much-hated sequel, Teen Wolf Too (which didn't get a BD release, unfortunately).
It's anyone's guess as to what happened. Given the film's relatively low budget, it could just be the quality of the film stock, and era in which the picture was made. Or it's just the victim of a rushed release. After all, the disc came out right around the time the MTV reboot of the franchise hit the boob tube. Whatever the reason, Teen Wolf is a Blu-Ray so angering it might just bring out the wolf inside any fan, so be warned.
11. Gladiator (2000) - (First Sapphire Series Release)
Biggest Flaw: Bad original transfer
A few years back, Paramount unveiled the Sapphire Series, a collection of classic and popular films from the studio that would set the bar on Blu-Ray. Among these Sapphire titles was Gladiator, which didn't come as much of a shock to most BD lovers. Rather, the shock came when fans finally got to lay eyes on the disc and saw one of the most disappointing transfers imaginable, especially for such a touted release.
Not much later, Paramount acknowledged the flub and actually offered a trade-in program where you could call a number and receive a new copy of the disc. Kudos to Paramount for taking the hit like that. Whereas most studios double-dip remasters of their discs at the consumer cost, Paramount actually fixed the problem free of charge. That's a standard Sapphire should be proud of, even if the initial release was a bit of a dud. If only everyone took their lead.
10. The French Connection (1971)
Biggest Flaw: Recolored transfer
Let's start this one off by saying that this is a pretty darn good disc. The transfer, for what it is, is totally fine. Some even prefer it. Audio is great. Extras are outstanding, too. But this isn't The French Connection you probably remember. Rather, it's the version director William Friedkin tweaked, recolored and grained-up to add more "grittiness" to the picture. Here's what cinematographer Owen Roizman (who was nominated for an Oscar for this film) told Hollywood Elsewhere about the release, "I wasn't consulted. I was appalled by it. I don't know what Billy was thinking. It's not the film that I shot, and I certainly want to wash my hands of having had anything to do with this transfer, which I feel is atrocious."
In short, he hated it. As it turns out, so did the fans. This exciting release quickly transformed into one of the biggest disappointments of the year. While the disc was decidedly terrific, there was no preservation of the original print, leaving hardcore cinephiles rather steamed. Perhaps some day we'll get a different version, but until then, if you want to see what the film was originally meant to look like, you'll have to pick up the DVD.
9. Donnie Darko (2001) - (First Release or 10th Anniversary Edition)
Biggest Flaw: Weak transfer, underwhelming audio, no new extras
Here's a classic case of a great film that was probably just not shot with world's greatest, most expensive film stock. Donnie Darko may be a renowned cult classic, but it's probably one of the ugliest catalog titles in Fox's entire BD collection (another cult darling, Boondock Saints, doesn't look much better). Worse, Fox double-dipped the film for its 10th anniversary in 2011, and they still skipped out on giving the film a fresh polish and shine.
While both Blu-Ray discs have ported over all the bonus goodies from the previous DVD releases, no new added goodies were added to the mix. And audio sounds clunky and unrefined, almost like a stereo track that only got a mild update to 5.1. I'm sure some would argue that this doesn't make Donnie Darko the ninth worst Blu-Ray, but considering the many fans who love and respect this film, the fact that so little effort has gone into giving it a decent Blu-Ray release is a bit puzzling. Again, it might not be Fox's fault, but a remaster certainly couldn't hurt.
8. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Biggest Flaw: Standard definition movie
The Blair Witch Project was shot on both low-res 16MM and consumer-quality standard definition video. That's all we need to say, really. The standard definition movie is "remastered" for high definition and the Blu-Ray does offer up some new bonus material. And yes, the transfer does technically look better than the original DVD. But why not just give this one a new remastered DVD release instead?
There's really nothing Blu-Ray can offer to clean this film up. Of all the shot-on-video films out there, movies like 28 Days Later and Paranormal Activity, Blair Witch is the one that makes the least amount of sense on Blu. And it's not like there's many Blair Witch fans left these days. The franchise faded into pop-cult obscurity thanks to the misguided sequel. So save your money on this one, unless of course you're a die-hard fan who must own everything Blair Witch.
7. Highlander 2
Biggest Flaw: Ugly transfer
A lot of fans hate Highlander 2, and with good reason. But that's no excuse for this Blu-Ray, which looks almost exactly the same as its 2004 DVD counterpart. But we have a theory about what happened. A few years back Highlander producers recut and reworked the film for a second time, following the Renegade version. This "Special Edition" added new effects, recolored some scenes and generally presented a better version of the movie.
Skip ahead a few years and Blu-Ray is now the new home video format in town. But all those effects that were done for the DVD were likely rendered in a crude, early version of HD, or even in standard definition (the same problem that prevented fans from seeing the Director's Cut of Star Trek: The Motion Picture). As such, in order to keep this preferred cut of Highlander 2, the Blu-Ray can only look about as good as it did on DVD. But Highlander 2 isn't the only culprit of bad transferitis for this franchise. The TV series is also available on Blu-Ray, albeit upconverted to HD. Why even bother?
6. Predator (1987) - (Ultimate Hunter Edition)
Biggest Flaw: Too much digital noise reduction
If you want to witness the absolute most damning affects that digital noise reduction can bring to a film, give Fox's Predator: Ultimate Hunter Edition a spin. My, oh, my is it terrible. The film was basically scrubbed of any grain or noise, resulting in a picture that almost looks like it comes from a video source, transferred over to hi-def.
Textures are completely lost, depth is flattened, and pretty much every scene looks ugly and repressed by this very annoying, and often over-used, digital tool. Don't want to take our word for it? Fine. Just pop in the original no-frills Blu-Ray and watch any scene in the film. Then pop in the double-dip and compare. If you don't see a difference, you are blind! While this double-dip Blu-Ray gave fans all the bonus features they craved, it betrayed them in a big way.
5. Mission: Impossible Extreme Blu-Ray Trilogy (1996-2006)
Biggest Flaw: Old transfers, lacking extras, dated audio
When a franchise makes about a billion dollars for a studio, you'd think it would be considered one the "big boys." But Mission: Impossible, for some reason, just doesn't get the love it deserves from Paramount. To promote the release of Mission:Impossible – Ghost Protocol, the studio dropped (and I do mean dropped) a three-disc box set for the films on Blu-Ray. While packaging was changed, the discs were nothing more than recycled versions of the original BD releases, which date all the way back to the beginning of the format!
To make matters worse, the second disc from the two-disc Mission:Impossible III set was stripped from this release. Talk about cheap. It's time Paramount takes this franchise seriously, and gives each film the Blu-Ray release it truly deserves. Lossless audio, fresh HD resolution transfers, not just aged MPEG-2 encodes, and maybe some new extras, like commentary tracks, a retrospective documentary series or some missing deleted scenes (we know a few exist). Perhaps if fans don't get a better release soon they should hire Ethan Hunt and his gang to solve this impossible mission for the studio.
4. Time Bandits (1981)
Biggest Flaw: Awful disc all around
When it comes to bargain bin titles, Image Entertainment is responsible for some pretty awful Blu-Ray transfers. Early on these discs were often mastered in 1080i, presented in pretty awful up-converted high-res audio, and are typically pretty featureless. Dreamscape and Short Circuit are among the more popular cult hits they've put out on Blu-Ray over the years, but the worst release of them all is for Time Bandits.
Criterion had previously released a relatively solid special edition DVD. And over in the UK, fans had a pretty nifty 1080p Blu-Ray, too. The Image version, however, scraps the extras from the Criterion disc, and delivers a 1080i transfer riddled with dust, dirt, noise and all manner of ugly. While, in recent months, Image has cleaned up their act, if you see the Image logo on the Blu-Ray you're about to purchase, be sure to look up a review of it first, just to be safe.
3. The Fifth Element (1997) - (First Release)
Biggest Flaw: First transfer not remastered
Here's the last, and probably most notorious case of using a bad master for the Blu-Ray release, only to double-dip it a little later. The Fifth Element was one of Sony's BD launch titles. Because the visually rich film was such a stunner on DVD, early Blu-Ray adopters assumed it would shine even brighter in 1080p HD. Not the case. In fact, the transfer barely even inched past an up-converted version of the DVD. It also caused many home video enthusiasts to question the quality of Blu-Ray discs, nearly killing the format before it even started.
About a year later, after Blu-Ray had placed its foot deeper into the market, Sony discontinued the old Fifth Element Blu-Ray and quietly shuffled out a brand new modern AVC remaster, which looks eons better than the original release. Unfortunately, unlike the Gladiator release, no trade-in option was offered to owners of the first disc. If you're looking for The Fifth Element, be warned though. Old copies of that first version still float around retail stores and CD/game exchanges. Look for UPC #043396215207. That's the remastered version.
2. Hard Boiled (1992) - (Dragon Dynasty or PS3 In-Game Version)
Biggest Flaw: All around terrible disc
John Woo's epic action masterpiece has made it to Blu-Ray a couple of times. You'd think eventually someone would get the release right, but you'd be wrong. Hard Boiled first hit the Blu-Ray scene as a bonus feature on the PS3 game, Stranglehold – a game which serves as a sequel to the film. Presented in a quality right on par with a third-rate bootleg, this version of Hard Boiled actually looked quite a bit worse than some DVD releases. It wasn't even encoded in 1080p, and the image appeared stretched out and distorted, amidst other issues like dust, dirt and damage to the print.
Later, Dragon Dynasty returned to the film with a special edition release. While the transfer was an improvement over the Stranglehold version, it was still only a shade better than the DVD, fogged over by heavy digital noise reduction, ghosting and all kinds of print damage. Is the original print of Hard Boiled lost? Why has it never seen much of an upgrade? These questions plague fans of the film who hope to one day get a decent restoration of this beloved, truly awesome cult hit. But, given the track record for this title on home video, that day won't be arriving any time soon.
1. Halloween H20 (1998)
Biggest Flaw: Released by Echo Bridge
Up until this point, I've left off titles by Echo Bridge, a company who distributes discs for Miramax and Dimension films as well as a few others. Why? Well, if I were to count up all the films they've released on Blu-Ray over the years, this list would probably be about 80 percent Echo Bridge, 20 percent everything else. Instead, Echo Bridge takes the No. 1 spot with Halloween H20. With this release, there's clearly not much pride in the title. The film is incorrectly framed (1.78 instead of 2.39), presented in stereo as opposed to 5.1 audio, and extras are nonexistent. Now, Halloween H20 certainly isn't a masterpiece, but it deserves a decent Blu-Ray upgrade, even if there's no bonus material.
But don't assume that's the only title that stinks. There's a few other Halloween sequels from Echo Bridge (6 and 8), The Crow: City of Angels, From Dusk Till Dawn (1-3), and also some Hellraiser films, among many, many others (largely Z-grade flicks like Final Days of Planet Earth). Now, to Echo Bridge's credit, it would seem as though they don't have much say on the matter and may simply be handed the materials to distribute. If that's the case, shame on the production companies who hand over shoddy transfers hoping to pick up a few bucks from a cruddy Blu-Ray release. Regardless, if you see the Echo Bride logo – ye be warned – you're probably not in for a good demo-worthy Blu-Ray.
