International Warning Shadows (Schatten) 4K restoration Blu-Ray / Redwood Creek Films (France) (1 Viewer)

[Cleopatra]

DVDFREAK has reviewed Redwood Creek's "4K restoration" of Warning Shadows ("Schatten" / 1923), and boy, this one's a doozy.
I sympathize with those who shelled out 50€ + shipping fees for this...

 

[Robert Harris]

The term “film restoration” has many different meanings to different people. Makes me cranky when the term is misused.

I can tell you as an absolute that it is used properly for MWKTM and Universal’s team behind the extraordinary work they performed.

 

[Cleopatra]

The term “film restoration” has many different meanings to different people.

Agreed, but have you seen the stills comparison?
In this specific case, it looks like the "restoration" came down to extreme DNR, removal of the original tints, and a 29.97fps interlaced transfer. And that's it.
At 50€ a disk, that's steep.

The comparison also shows that the 2016 German DVD looks better and cleaner... than a "4K restoration" blu-ray!
We're light years away from the Universal team's work here.

 

[Capt D McMars]

I'm afraid it was a dog and pony show for it's backers, myself being one of them. The samples shown during the fund drive were much cleaner than the final product that there was blowback after the discs started shipping!! Coming off of the success of thier other project "The Magician" that I had helped support, and it came out pretty amazing so I decided to help with "Warning Shadows".

Redwood Creek had sent some of us digital downloads prior to the phyisacl discs arrival and that is what the SH$% started to hit the fans!! the end product wasn't even closr to what was promised...again Buyers or Supported BEWARE!! That was the last project that I supported from Redwoon Creek. When I contacter them they acted like nothing was wrong and that it looked fantastic....Beware!!

 

[Robert Harris]

Agreed, but have you seen the stills comparison?
In this specific case, it looks like the "restoration" came down to extreme DNR, removal of the original tints, and a 29.97fps interlaced transfer. And that's it.
At 50€ a disk, that's steep.

The comparison also shows that the 2016 German DVD looks better and cleaner... than a "4K restoration" blu-ray!
We're light years away from the Universal team's work here.

The absolute easiest and cheapest means of removing wear, scratches, and misc garbage from a film element is to throw it out of focus, ie heavy DNR.

 

[Cleopatra]

The absolute easiest and cheapest means of removing wear, scratches, and misc garbage from a film element is to throw it out of focus, ie heavy DNR.

Yeah, but in this case, DNR only removed the film grain... and nothing else! The DVDFREAK comparison shows that all the film damage from the 2003 version remains.

 

[Robert Harris]

Yeah, but in this case, DNR only removed the film grain... and nothing else! The DVDFREAK comparison shows that all the film damage from the 2003 version remains.

Sounds like a loverly release.

 

[Cleopatra]

I'm afraid it was a dog and pony show for it's backers, myself being one of them.

I'm sorry to hear that, and I salute you for your honesty.
I read some of your previous posts in another thread, promoting this release with enthusiasm. Admitting you were wrong in such an honest way is very honorable.

Whatever your income, it takes real passion to pay 50€ for a silent film on blu-ray in 2023. Taking advantage of this passion for money, like Redwood Creek apparently did with this release, is really sad. It not only hurts the backers, but throws a veil of suspicion on every new boutique label out there. Who will trust an upcoming label launching a restoration crowdfunding campaign after this?

 

[Capt D McMars]

I'm sorry to hear that, and I salute you for your honesty.
I read some of your previous posts in another thread, promoting this release with enthusiasm. Admitting you were wrong in such an honest way is very honorable.

Whatever your income, it takes real passion to pay 50€ for a silent film on blu-ray in 2023. Taking advantage of this passion for money, like Redwood Creek apparently did with this release, is really sad. It not only hurts the backers, but throws a veil of suspicion on every new boutique label out there. Who will trust an upcoming label launching a restoration crowdfunding campaign after this?

You welcome, really it is like any company, you're only as good as your last project and being consistent is a companies best brand. The first project that I backed was done well, which lead to my wanting to back the next project. Unfortunatly, the second project did not show the competence of the previous one. As with all opportunities, live and learn. Trust comes with study of that company and reviews of past offerings...

 

[Robert Harris]

You welcome, really it is like any company, you're only as good as your last project and being consistent is a companies best brand. The first project that I backed was done well, which lead to my wanting to back the next project. Unfortunatly, the second project did not show the competence of the previous one. As with all opportunities, live and learn. Trust comes with study of that company and reviews of past offerings...

What was the first project?

 

[Malcolm R]

What was the first project?

I think he said it's this:

Coming off of the success of thier other project "The Magician" that I had helped support,

 

[Robert Harris]

A bit too much smoke and mirrors.

 

[Cleopatra]

The first project that I backed was done well, which lead to my wanting to back the next project.

I understand and can only relate to this. I didn't know they had a good release on their resume.
The other release I heard from was "L'inferno", and according to some of the backers then, it was a similar botched job and disappointment:

 

[jayembee]

You welcome, really it is like any company, you're only as good as your last project and being consistent is a companies best brand. The first project that I backed was done well, which lead to my wanting to back the next project. Unfortunatly, the second project did not show the competence of the previous one. As with all opportunities, live and learn. Trust comes with study of that company and reviews of past offerings...

I'm in the same boat. I thought their release of The Magician was solid, though not a revelation. In my comment about it in another thread, I said, "As a film, yes, I very much enjoyed it. As a restoration...well, for the most part, it looked quite nice, though there were definitely some rough spots." Still, I was interested in seeing more relatively obscure silents getting cleaned up, and was looking forward to Warning Shadows. It arrived, but I've gotten way behind on my disc watching. Now I'm almost afraid to watch it. In the meantime, I'm expecting By the Law later this month. Oh, well. Live and learn.

 

[Cleopatra]

Now I'm almost afraid to watch it

Please don't take it the wrong way, but that made me laugh!

And please watch it, I'd love to hear your comments.
You really don't have to watch it in full though. I've bough it as well, and the case was closed after just 5mn. I jumped forward here and there to be sure, watched the special feature short (which looked just as horrible), and that was enough.