Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection region free Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Brent Reid]

Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection Blu-ray

Though shot mostly on SD videotape, outdoor scenes shot on 16mm film have been remastered in HD, as per the Monty Python BDs.

 

[dawnshadow]

Where did you get the information about the outdoor scenes? All I’ve heard about is overuse of DNR, rendering the quality worse than the DVDs.

 

[AndyMcKinney]

Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection Blu-ray

Though shot mostly on SD videotape, outdoor scenes shot on 16mm film have been remastered in HD, as per the Monty Python BDs.

No, they haven't. This is an upscale of the same masters used for the DVD version, so no, the film has not been replaced in actual HD. Anyone expecting restoration of the level used on Monty Python's Flying Circus is going to be sorely disappointed.

Also, the UK release will most likely be 1080i/50, so would therefore be incompatible with many US viewers' equipment (I know you're in the UK, but there are a lot of US members on this forum, and unlike the UK, US players and TVs are not universally compatible with all HD video standards).

All I’ve heard about is overuse of DNR, rendering the quality worse than the DVDs.

Those comments were likely made by people who have no understanding of upscaling standard def video, and can't discern the difference between what is inherent in the nature of SD video and what is noise reduction of said video.

As these blu-rays are upscales of the masters used for the remastered DVDs, they should be marginally better picture quality, due to them using better blu-ray compression compared to MPEG-2 as used for DVD, but other than that, there's not as much to be gained.

Now, if there ends up being a US-compatible 1080i/60 release, there might be just a little bit more quality to be gained as the upscaling would've been from PAL rather than NTSC.

 

[Robbie^Blackmon]

As these blu-rays are upscales of the masters used for the remastered DVDs, they should be marginally better picture quality, due to them using better blu-ray compression compared to MPEG-2 as used for DVD, but other than that, there's not as much to be gained.

The image has been twiddled with and, as a result, images are softer and detail is lost.

 

[AndyMcKinney]

The image has been twiddled with and, as a result, images are softer and detail is lost.

Do you know that first-hand, or are you going by screen grabs (such as the ones on the blu-ray.com forum)? The reason I ask is this has been discussed at other places, also (such as Roobarb's), and with certain things (especially upscaled SD videotape), it's hard to judge by still images alone. These scenes might look better when they're actually in-motion).

Regardless, any improvements are going to be minor (compared to the remastered DVD). Anyone who has the R2/PAL remastered DVDs (and compatible player + TV) won't be much better off (if any) with these blu-rays.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

I have the 2001 and the "remastered" 2009 dvd releases and they both look the same.

 

[Robbie^Blackmon]

Do you know that first-hand, or are you going by screen grabs (such as the ones on the blu-ray.com forum)? The reason I ask is this has been discussed at other places, also (such as Roobarb's), and with certain things (especially upscaled SD videotape), it's hard to judge by still images alone. These scenes might look better when they're actually in-motion).

Have the blu in hand, as well as the previous region 1 dvd sets (remastered and the one with "Is is your legs?" missing).

The remastered dvd has a better picture than its predecessor having the benefit of better compression and conversion methods (note Basil's string vest in Communications Problems). The conversion of standard def for the blu has eaten away detail. Up-scale of the dvd yields what I consider a better image than the blu on my 4k display.

Not awful but not perfect. Would recommend the blu to anyone that doesn't own the material already. If you have the remastered dvd set, you don't need this.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Have the blu in hand, as well as the previous region 1 dvd sets (remastered and the one with "Is is your legs?" missing).

The remastered dvd has a better picture than its predecessor having the benefit of better compression and conversion methods (note Basil's string vest in Communications Problems). The conversion of standard def for the blu has eaten away detail. Up-scale of the dvd yields what I consider a better image than the blu on my 4k display.

Not awful but not perfect. Would recommend the blu to anyone that doesn't own the material already. If you have the remastered dvd set, you don't need this.

I have the Remastered DVD set. Duly noted.

CHEERS!

 

[AndyMcKinney]

I have the 2001 and the "remastered" 2009 dvd releases and they both look the same.

They should not look the same, especially in the filmed (outdoors) scenes. For the 2009 remastered, they went back to the original film elements, cleaned them up and dropped them back in (like they do for Doctor Who releases when the film is available).

I think the Region 1 and Region 2 releases were done at different times and possibly from different masters (I think the US BBC office requested DVDs before their UK counterpart ever got around to it), but at any rate, the 2009 should be a marked improvement over anything that came before (regardless of region).

 

[EricSchulz]

Does anyone know if the scene from "Gourmet Night" is edited in all regions? When the drunk chef is shown the plate of fish he vomits on it, but it's a horrible "jump cut edit" in every US release. Was it even shown in the UK? Just curious.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

They should not look the same, especially in the filmed (outdoors) scenes. For the 2009 remastered, they went back to the original film elements, cleaned them up and dropped them back in (like they do for Doctor Who releases when the film is available).

I think the Region 1 and Region 2 releases were done at different times and possibly from different masters (I think the US BBC office requested DVDs before their UK counterpart ever got around to it), but at any rate, the 2009 should be a marked improvement over anything that came before (regardless of region).

I have 2 Blu-ray players hooked up to my receiver with the same settings. I did a a/b comparison to a few scenes and to my eyes both image were identical.

 

[David Weicker]

I have 2 Blu-ray players hooked up to my receiver with the same settings. I did a a/b comparison to a few scenes and to my eyes both image were identical.

Could you please clarify what you compared?

The post you quoted mentioned a 2009 Remaster (DVD), a prior DVD release, and also Region 1 and Region 2 releases. I'm also assuming the new Blu-Ray might have factored in.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Could you please clarify what you compared?

The post you quoted mentioned a 2009 Remaster (DVD), a prior DVD release, and also Region 1 and Region 2 releases. I'm also assuming the new Blu-Ray might have factored in.

I have the old 2001 The Complete Collection region 1 dvd set with the front cover of John Cleese holding a registration book and the 2009 region 1 dvd set with the "Remastered " label on it and both purchased at Amazon US.