Predator (1987) coming in 4K

Why did the grain blow up on this particular movie? Plenty of films from that era look fine.

dan c

 

Anybody seen the VHS version recently?

 

You just did!

 

Or didn't I?

 

Wasn't the reason for this due to the film stock used along with the difficult terrain/locations that they filmed in? So long as the people don't look like wax models in this release I will call it a successful transfer.

 

I think it was lousy transfer work. There are ways to do grain reduction that still retain some grain, but not an excessive amount of grain. The trick is to have the experience and skill to know the difference.

My guess is that the negative was underexposed and/or pushed in the lab, and then whoever did the home video work took the IP and did the work on substandard equipment and used bad judgement. I had to do fixes on Predator for a network TV version around 1990, and the pieces I put up looked fine -- but the problem was they stood out from the grainy, ugly original 1987 version. For various reasons Fox couldn't/wouldn't do a new transfer at that time.

 

John McTiernan didn't seem to get his foot back in tbe hollywood door again.
Die Hard, Predator, 13th Warrior, Last Action Hero..You would have thought there's work for him. A talent gone to waste.

 

I worked a little bit on his remake of Rollerball, which was unwatchable by humans. His 10-month prison sentence for perjury in 2013 did not help his career. He had an interesting involvement with celebrity private detective Anthony Pellicano, who is still in jail as far as I know. (Just checked, and Pellicano is out next year.)

 

Rollerball was bad. All directors make the odd stinker but his resume is still striking. While in prison a french fan sent him The Count Of Monte Crist0.

 

I screened the new UHD release of Predator and it is amazing. Terrific all around experience on reference front projection!

Have read that the sequel looks amazing. Will throw it up in the next few days.

 

I watched Predator 2 last night and it does look great as well!

 

I'm in the clear minority, but I think "P2" is a more satisfying movie than the original...

 

Definitely more nougat in 2!

 

"looked fine" translates to DNR.

I cannot stand this idea that because something is grainy that it means bad. It was shot in a dark situation and depending on the film speed used as well as the stock it is going to come out that way. While development can play a hand, you can't squeeze blood from a turnip.

The "experience and skill" ...yeah I have seen these shoddy remasters and it sickens me how so much fine grain has been scrubbed away and rendered detail useless.

While Predator has always been a cluster on bluray, I did enjoy the 3D one a great deal, even though it was like a plastic wax figure mess.

From the reviews the 4K Predator looks awesome and has fixed what was wrong from the previous releases. Thankfully some have not lost their minds and went the "grain reduction" route. Until now, the best bluray to get was the first one...which was sad.

 

More thespian spit blood.
That's one gory film.

Poor King Willie.

 

Thanks for your courtesy.

 

I can't tell you how to go about identifying reliable sources on home video, so you'll have to figure out.

That said, the UHD of Predator is everything a rational, informed consumer could expect from the current premier format. My 1.85 diagonal is over 92" and I sit under 12' back. I have over 100 UHDs. This one is a winner.

 

From what I read the UHD is the "go to" version, but I am a sucker for 3D even if it is plagued with DNR.

The only thing I stated is that the cheapy bluray that was first introduced was strangely better than the Hunter Edition which makes no sense.

Predator • US Ultimate Hunter Edition Blu-ray vs. US Blu-ray

What they did to this movie was just pure waxy insanity!

It looks like the UHD version took out the pink hue and it is obvious the grain structure is even more improved. The fact that the extras from the Hunter Edition were all ported over, this makes this a no-brainer. Though I would have preferred at Atmos soundtrack, but as it stands, since I am a fan of the 3D edition I will now have 3 discs to wrap this one up correctly.

 

The Ultimate Hunter Edition BD is included in the 4K set. The 4K Disc only has the commentary on it.

 

I was wondering if it was exact same disc or the new transfer with the Hunter extras? Is it? Regardless if it is, at least it is there to obtain the extras. They gotta get rid of those crappy discs somehow!

 

Unfortunately it is the Ultimate Hunter disc.

 

Thanks. Bummer.

 

Looks like he’s working on a sci fi action film with Uma Thurman called Tau Ceti Four.

 

Predator has blown up grain because the film was badly shot.

Editor Stuart Baird saved the movie by reframing every shot (I'm talking the first two thirds), making large shot into close ups, two shots into one shot etc.

It's like in the Mission:Impossible series, remember whenever they would add a zoom-in for editing effect, the grain would blow up.

It was a very difficult shoot, and they stopped midway, then Arnold went out to do Running Man, and then they shot the rest of the film with a tighter crew.

It's amazing how good it is, when you realize how hard it was to shoot.

 

I watched this last night, for only the second time (or so) in thirty years. Just a solid, Grade B action movie made for guys. Stupid fun.

The funniest line in the entire movie. After Jesse Ventura is slightly wounded, the guy next to him says "You're bleeding."

Jessie's reply: "I don't have time for bleeding."