The Dark Knight [SPOILER THREAD]

[liamenator]

I can't remember where I read it but there was speculation about the Hoffman-as-Penguin character, and how it would be interesting to move away from the Burton Penguin "freak" and back into the more traditional Penguin-as-eccentric-debonair-homicidal-millionaire.

I could see something like that, it gives Nolan room to really explore the gone-mad-with-power psychotic potential of the uber-rich and uber-powerful; while contrasting nicely with the Joker-as-freak aspects of The Dark Knight. I would love to see PS Hoffman parading around in top-hats and coat-tails trying to take over Gotham. Think of his Capote character, cross that with his performance in the last half of Before The Devil Knows You're Dead, then multiply the bat-shat insane (pun intended) aspects of both by a thousand, and you'll get how I'm envisioning his character.

[CaptainCrunch]

They need to create a brand new villian instead of parading around standard characters for the next movie.

Maybe "The shocker" he likes to sneak up behind girls and . . . you know.

Could be a great character.

[flip]

Thought I'd give this a bump now that the movie is out on DVD.

I picked up the standard version (not the 2 disc special edition) and wow am I ever disapointed.

Looks like they put ZERO effort into making this DVD. The video transfer is pathetic. I am seriously considering renting the special edition in hopes that it has a better transfer and burning it.


Maybe studios only care about Bluray nowadays or something because the video honestly looks like it is a VHS that has been taped over about 5 times. I am so disgusted it is beyond words.

Anyone with a special edition copy find the same thing? I imagine all standard dvds are suffered the same lazy ass transfer.


Found a forum where people are talking about it but it looks like they're complaining about the Bluray, either way half the stuff they're saying is way beyond me. But seriously look at those dvd screenshots and yes it looks that bad on my beautiful tv.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1089714

EDIT: As per my post below I think it may just be the first Imax scene at the beginning that looked particularly poor.

Not the greatest DVD video quality I've ever seen but it is good enough.

[Eastern Girl]

^^Really? That's surprising and disappointing to hear. Perhaps they figured they could get away with a cruddy picture because there was so much hype over this flick, people will snap it up and love it regardless... I don't know. That really is disappointing to hear though.

[flip]

The audio is fantastic though.

I am also especially disapointed because a movie like Iron Man looked absolutely brilliant on my TV when I watched it.

[Engine09]

Watching my BluRay copy right now, looks beautiful.

What exactly are some people complaining about with the HD version?

[RW99]

Same goes for the Blu-ray edition. Some scenes look great and others have some very noticeable edge enhancement. For a movie that was looking to do what Matrix did to DVD, Warner really dropped the ball.

I'd put my money in a double dip. Rent and wait for the next "special edition" release that has a better transfer.

[Eastern Girl]

What does that mean, edge enhancement?

[I_H8_Crawford]

I must say the IMAX scenes on the Blu-Ray look FANTASTIC.

I think there is an audio error during the bank job it cuts out as the Prison Break guy is firing his shotgun off... just cuts out - tried it 3 times and exact same spot.

Problem with my disc or do other people with the Blu Ray get the same thing????

[RW99]

Originally Posted by Eastern Girl

What does that mean, edge enhancement?

It's a transfer technique some studios use because they think it looks better. On a larger quality set, you start to see things kind of glow or a halo effect. I barely notice it on my 40 inch 720p set, but I'm upgrading soon, so it's not going to look any better

This thread explains it better than I ever could: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1089714

Originally Posted by I_H8_Crawford

I must say the IMAX scenes on the Blu-Ray look FANTASTIC.

I think there is an audio error during the bank job it cuts out as the Prison Break guy is firing his shotgun off... just cuts out - tried it 3 times and exact same spot.

Problem with my disc or do other people with the Blu Ray get the same thing????

I just played the opening sequence and I didn't notice it at all. Might just be you. Others who have had it for a while now haven't said anything.

[flip]

I'm now about half way through the movie and will partially retract my statement.

It doesn't look as horrible as the opening scenes did, in fact most of the movie looks pretty normal, every once and a while though I clearly notice a lack of quality.

That opening shot of the rooftops and the joker standing at the curb from behind almost made me scream the first time I saw it though it was that bad.

This is a great movie though.

[J pold]

Just watched it on BluRay, was blown away by the picture and audio just stunning.

God I love this movie.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by flip

I'm now about half way through the movie and will partially retract my statement.

It doesn't look as horrible as the opening scenes did, in fact most of the movie looks pretty normal, every once and a while though I clearly notice a lack of quality.

That opening shot of the rooftops and the joker standing at the curb from behind almost made me scream the first time I saw it though it was that bad.

This is a great movie though.

I'm not sure if you already know this or not, but that opening scene and most of the building and skyscape scenes were shot in imax format. I don't know if that would have any effect on the quality of a standard dvd, but I'd imagine there'd be some resizing issues, at the very least.

[flip]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

I'm not sure if you already know this or not, but that opening scene and most of the building and skyscape scenes were shot in imax format. I don't know if that would have any effect on the quality of a standard dvd, but I'd imagine there'd be some resizing issues, at the very least.

I did consider that. It may be the Imax scenes that don't transfer well.

Aparently in Bluray the Imax scenes are noticeable because they are in 16:9 (that'd be your whole tv for those of you that don't know about this sort of thing) while the regular shots are in 2.35:1 (which is black bars on top and bottom).

This does not occur on the regular DVD. Perhaps the transfer of Imax to regular def. didn't go so well. Was the Hong Kong scene in Imax? I know the later scene with the Batpod is in Imax so I'll look for it there.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by flip

I did consider that. It may be the Imax scenes that don't transfer well.

Aparently in Bluray the Imax scenes are noticeable because they are in 16:9 (that'd be your whole tv for those of you that don't know about this sort of thing) while the regular shots are in 2.35:1 (which is black bars on top and bottom).

This does not occur on the regular DVD. Perhaps the transfer of Imax to regular def. didn't go so well. Was the Hong Kong scene in Imax? I know the later scene with the Batpod is in Imax so I'll look for it there.

I'm not 100% but I'm pretty sure the Hong Kong scene was in imax. The building fly-overs, at least... and the part where he jumps off.

[flip]

Just watched the movie and the opening sequence again and I think it may just be the Imax transfer. In fact I didn't notice poor quality in the other scenes that were Imax nearly as much, although that is the only day Imax scene, the rest are all at night which may hide some of the imperfections of the transfer.

Or I may just be crazy.

[Incinerator]

just watched it on Blu-ray, looks & sounds flawless on my setup--PS3 with latest firmware, HDMI to a 720p Panny 50" Plasma, 2.1 audio w/ sub. IMAX scenes are as good as when I saw it in IMAX Chinook, still blows my mind the second time around.

[Deegee]

Originally Posted by Incinerator

just watched it on Blu-ray, looks & sounds flawless on my setup--PS3 with latest firmware, HDMI to a 720p Panny 50" Plasma, 2.1 audio w/ sub. IMAX scenes are as good as when I saw it in IMAX Chinook, still blows my mind the second time around.

I'll second these comments. Just blown away.

Watched it on a PS3 and a 1080p samsung. Blown away.

[3 Justin 3]

I am not a videophile, but according to those who are apparently the transfer isn't as good as it can be. I was watching it on my tv and wasn't blown away, but my TV only does 1080i and not 1080p. But judging from what I saw, I have seen better PQ for movies.

Apparently they are already making a re-release of the movie (better quality), to get all the double dippers, which will be many for this movie.

What I am most disappointed in is the lack of special features. What the hell WB?

[Got Miikka?]

I channel-surfed past an HD Home Alone this weekend that looked nicer than this...

'course I only have 720p so I ain't gettin' the best o' the best to begin with. What I need to do is install an IMAX theatre in my apartment and buy a Dark Knight print so that I can just re-live the awesome spectacle of the theatrical experience over and over.