International BLU-RAY DISCS FROM GERMANY (1 Viewer)

[Matt Hough]

I purchased this one:

https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07YTC4M5N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It is a regular Blu-Ray in a simple black keepcase -- no booklet. Also I am aware of the fact that there are true experts on this forum with knowledge about transfers that eclipses my meager knowledge. But my enthusiasm about finally having a wide-screen, anamorphic, decent transfer caused me to post. If you've suffered through, for example, a previous Italian DVD release of the film you know what I mean!

Thanks for the link. You're a prince!

 

[Cees Alons]

In the Streaming/Digital Media subforum I replied to an inquiry about a 1080p version on BD of The Limey.

Actually, it was released by Koch Media on December 12 in what they call a mediabook.
Here's the link on Amazon Germany:

https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07Y4KC5Y2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Cees

 

[Alan Tully]

The Koch mediabook's are quite impressive, I have their Taras Bulba release & it's very plush. The case is like a small book, you open it & there's the discs & the pages. It costs a bit more & of course the text is in German.

 

[Paul Rossen]

The Koch mediabook's are quite impressive, I have their Taras Bulba release & it's very plush. The case is like a small book, you open it & there's the discs & the pages. It costs a bit more & of course the text is in German.

How is the picture and sound on the Koch Tara's Bulba?

 

[Alan Tully]

How is the picture and sound on the Koch Tara's Bulba?

Ha, great! Or as good as it's ever going to look. The picture's been cleaned-up, there's hardly a mark on it, & as has been reported, the English track is in stereo at long last (unlike the Kino & Australian releases). I'm happy with it.

 

[John Hermes]

More good news from the Germany Blu-ray front. I received To Hell And Back today. I looks very nice and the music track is stereo. English and German tracks, English subs. The disc is region-free as well.

https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07YMFW14R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Robert Crawford]

More good news from the Germany Blu-ray front. I received To Hell And Back today. I looks very nice and the music track is stereo. The disc is region-free as well.

https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07YMFW14R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I got the Australian Blu-ray (Region Free) in November and I'm happy with it.

 

[Cees Alons]

More about The Limey mediabook released on December 12 by Koch Media.
(There was a request about the quality of the product in the Streaming and Digital Media subforum, which thread I didn't want to hijack, so here some more info now I've seen the Blu-ray.)

This is a German release meaning:
1. All info text on the cover of the product, as well as in the very nice booklet inside is in German.
2. The Blu-ray and the DVD are region-locked to B and 2, respectively.
3. Languages are both English and German on the DVD and Blu-ray. There are two reviews (roughly 10-12 mins. total), both in English with German subtitles.

I own a region B (+2) and a region A (+ 1) Blu-ray player. In my opinion this is the most secure (and less expensive) solution. If you do this, you just have to make sure they can both control your TV or projector.
These discs played well on my B machine, but were refused by my A machine.

On the front cover is a German "16+ years" sticker. As indicated on the official image of the release (see above), that sticker can easily be peeled off. The same notice is printed on the discs, BTW.

The booklet contains a very nice discussion of contrasts/comparisons in and of Soderbergh's work and films, as well as of the main themes of this movie. But in German only.

Audio is great, DTS-HD MA 5.1 (Blu-ray) and Dolby Digital (DVD). I did watch the whole Blu-ray, of course (not all extras totally yet), but not all of the DVD , just a few parts for some comparison and a few checks.

There are several extras: two audio-commentaries (Steven Soderbergh + Lem Dobbs and Terence Stamp + Peter Fonda + Lesley Ann Warren + Barry Newman + Joe Dallesandro). A few interviews and extra music tracks and 2 trailers. The interviews are in English with German subtitles.

Even if your first language is English, you may in general still want to choose seeing a movie with English subtitles. I did too, but in this case it is, in my opinion, totally unnecessary (except to overcome hearing problems), because almost everyone speaks very clearly all the time, especially the main character Wilson, who considering himself more or less in a foreign country, articulates clearly and emphatically when he speaks to Americans.

I did not notice any lip-sync problems whatsoever.

The image is the best I've seen of this film. Sharp, no edge-enhancement artifacts. Film-like, grain as and (only) where expected.

Three caveats here:
1. To my surprise the DVD image (as up-sampled by the player) is almost as good as the Blu-ray. The image on the last one is certainly better, no doubt about that. But the difference is no longer that huge.
2. (Very minor spoiler here.) The movie is constructed with (at least) three tiers. The first, and in real film time, being Wilson contemplating and re-thinking the previous days while sitting in a chair in an airplane. The second, and main course of the film is all that happened while he - Wilson - was in the US (a few scenes imagined and not actually really happening). Thirdly there are memories in the past he recollects during some of his actions in that second timeline. The first are simply coloured by light coming through the airplane's window. The second, the main story as told, are very often lighted by sunrise, sunsets and nights outdoors or artificial light inside. The third are intentionally bluish. I say this to point out that it's difficult to judge the full accuracy of the colours shown (as compared to "real-world").
3. Many of the scenes are filmed with a handheld camera, adding to the film's specific and fantastic expression. This too makes it slightly difficult to judge the pristine sharpness of the BD.

However I can easily state that the image is beautiful: sharp, great colours, no artifacts (like visible grain when watched at normal viewing distances, no halos). If you can handle the European release, don't just want the 4k release (at all or only), and appreciate this movie: by all means get it.


Cees

 

[AshJW]

Wonderful, thanks Cees.
Finally I can watch this movie on my big screen (projected).
Although I’m German I prefer the original language, in this case English, over the dubbed version.
Languages I don’t speak or understand I usually watch with subtitles.

I’ll give my old DVD to my Dad as he loves this movie too - and has no Blu-ray player.

 

[Cees Alons]

Yes, I invariantly prefer the original language too. Less lip-sync errors also (although I must say they do a tremendous job sometimes).
In my country, it's only children's movies they're dubbing. Lip synching is less of a problem with animated movies anyway.

But we're used to subtitles. And since several years they also don't translate the film titles anymore.
A lot of German movie fans know "Vom Winde verweht", but never saw Gone with the Wind. Or "Das Wiegenlied vom Totschlag" instead of Soldier Blue.
(It used to be like that in my country too, many years ago.)

The first time I heard a dubbed (mature) movie was in Berlin. I happened to be there when Fahrenheit 451 was released and I decided to go to the theatre (it was close to the Kurfürstendamm). The movie appeared to be dubbed! I had never heard that before.

Since then I learned that many film lovers in Germany don't know the voices of, say, the likes of John Wayne, Harrison Ford, Meryl Streep, James Stewart, Robert De Niro, Orson Welles or Johnny Depp. Worse even: they may have different voices in different films.

Sometimes a film is available on Blu-ray in Germany, but only in a dubbed version, no original language track (an example is the 1995 version of Sabrina, which I would like to own on BD). That's bad if there's no place else on earth where you can find a proper Blu-ray of it!

Of course subtitles have problems of their own: you have to read them and thus may just miss something happening in the picture. And occasionally the subtitle is funny, using a slightly shorter or even purely erroneous translation. Jokes or puns may also die in translation.

That all said, I'm sure you will enjoy this Koch Films version of The Limey!


Cees

 

[AshJW]

You’re wrong with Sabrina, that film was always published by Paramount, on DVD and BD alike. All discs have several languages as usual with releases by major companies.

It’s likely that you mean another title?

 

[OliverK]

You’re wrong with Sabrina, that film was always published by Paramount, on DVD and BD alike. All discs have several languages as usual with releases by major companies.

It’s likely that you mean another title?

Check it out, both the Blu-ray and the DVD seem to be affected, surprised to see that somebody messed up really bad with this one:
https://www.amazon.de/product-revie...eviews&formatType=current_format&pageNumber=1

 

[AshJW]

Oliver, that’s the Sabrina with Harrison Ford.
I misread it for the 1954 version, sorry.

 

[Blu_rayfan66]

More about The Limey mediabook released on December 12 by Koch Media.
(There was a request about the quality of the product in the Streaming and Digital Media subforum, which thread I didn't want to hijack, so here some more info now I've seen the Blu-ray.)

This is a German release meaning:
1. All info text on the cover of the product, as well as in the very nice booklet inside is in German.
2. The Blu-ray and the DVD are region-locked to B and 2, respectively.
3. Languages are both English and German on the DVD and Blu-ray. There are two reviews (roughly 10-12 mins. total), both in English with German subtitles.

I own a region B (+2) and a region A (+ 1) Blu-ray player. In my opinion this is the most secure (and less expensive) solution. If you do this, you just have to make sure they can both control your TV or projector.
These discs played well on my B machine, but were refused by my A machine.

View attachment 66411


View attachment 66410
On the front cover is a German "16+ years" sticker. As indicated on the official image of the release (see above), that sticker can easily be peeled off. The same notice is printed on the discs, BTW.

The booklet contains a very nice discussion of contrasts/comparisons in and of Soderbergh's work and films, as well as of the main themes of this movie. But in German only.

Audio is great, DTS-HD MA 5.1 (Blu-ray) and Dolby Digital (DVD). I did watch the whole Blu-ray, of course (not all extras totally yet), but not all of the DVD , just a few parts for some comparison and a few checks.

There are several extras: two audio-commentaries (Steven Soderbergh + Lem Dobbs and Terence Stamp + Peter Fonda + Lesley Ann Warren + Barry Newman + Joe Dallesandro). A few interviews and extra music tracks and 2 trailers. The interviews are in English with German subtitles.

Even if your first language is English, you may in general still want to choose seeing a movie with English subtitles. I did too, but in this case it is, in my opinion, totally unnecessary (except to overcome hearing problems), because almost everyone speaks very clearly all the time, especially the main character Wilson, who considering himself more or less in a foreign country, articulates clearly and emphatically when he speaks to Americans.

I did not notice any lip-sync problems whatsoever.

The image is the best I've seen of this film. Sharp, no edge-enhancement. Film-like, grain as and (only) where expected.

Three caveats here:
1. To my surprise the DVD image (as up-sampled by the player) is almost as good as the Blu-ray. The image on the last one is certainly better, no doubt about that. But the difference is no longer that huge.
2. (Very minor spoiler here.) The movie is constructed with (at least) three tiers. The first, and in real film time, being Wilson contemplating and re-thinking the previous days while sitting in a chair in an airplane. The second, and main course of the film is all that happened while he - Wilson - was in the US (a few scenes imagined and not actually really happening). Thirdly there are memories in the past he recollects during some of his actions in that second timeline. The first are simply coloured by light coming through the airplane's window. The second, the main story as told, are very often lighted by sunrise, sunsets and nights outdoors or artificial light inside. The third are intentionally bluish. I say this to point out that it's difficult to judge the full accuracy of the colours shown (as compared to "real-world").
3. Many of the scenes are filmed with a handheld camera, adding to the film's specific and fantastic expression. This too makes it slightly difficult to judge the pristine sharpness of the BD.

However I can easily state that the image is beautiful: sharp, great colours, no artifacts (like visible grain when watched at normal viewing distances, no halos). If you can handle the European release, don't just want the 4k release (at all or only), and appreciate this movie: by all means get it.


Cees

Wow! Fantastic Cees!!- I am so happy the bluray is of good quality. Since there is no physical 4K UHD disc of this on the horizon (or is there?) I will go ahead and buy this shortly. In my opinion, a very well done bluray can still look excellent compared to 4K UHD discs...I'd go as far as saying some blurays look better than some 4K discs I've watched- just my opinion...

Anyway, I also have a dedicated Region 'A' bluray player and another dedicated Region 'B' player. I agree with you- it makes so much more sense to go that route.

I'm thrilled to hear this is so good. The price is a little high I may wait till it drops to around 20 euros...

Thank you again and a very Happy Christmas to you,

from Ireland,
-Hugh

 

[OliverK]

Wow! Fantastic Cees!!- I am so happy the bluray is of good quality. Since there is no physical 4K UHD disc of this on the horizon (or is there?) I will go ahead and buy this shortly. In my opinion, a very well done bluray can still look excellent compared to 4K UHD discs...I'd go as far as saying some blurays look better than some 4K discs I've watched- just my opinion...

Anyway, I also have a dedicated Region 'A' bluray player and another dedicated Region 'B' player. I agree with you- it makes so much more sense to go that route.

I'm thrilled to hear this is so good. The price is a little high I may wait till it drops to around 20 euros...

Thank you again and a very Happy Christmas to you,

from Ireland,
-Hugh

I would wager a guess that this will pop up as a 4k UHD disc sooner rather than later so I am a bit torn between a physical Blu-ray, the itunes 4k DV version or waiting for a UHD disc release. Or maybe I'll just rewatch my D-Theater version

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

More about The Limey mediabook released on December 12 by Koch Media.
(There was a request about the quality of the product in the Streaming and Digital Media subforum, which thread I didn't want to hijack, so here some more info now I've seen the Blu-ray.)

This is a German release meaning:
1. All info text on the cover of the product, as well as in the very nice booklet inside is in German.
2. The Blu-ray and the DVD are region-locked to B and 2, respectively.
3. Languages are both English and German on the DVD and Blu-ray. There are two reviews (roughly 10-12 mins. total), both in English with German subtitles.

I own a region B (+2) and a region A (+ 1) Blu-ray player. In my opinion this is the most secure (and less expensive) solution. If you do this, you just have to make sure they can both control your TV or projector.
These discs played well on my B machine, but were refused by my A machine.

View attachment 66411


View attachment 66410
On the front cover is a German "16+ years" sticker. As indicated on the official image of the release (see above), that sticker can easily be peeled off. The same notice is printed on the discs, BTW.

The booklet contains a very nice discussion of contrasts/comparisons in and of Soderbergh's work and films, as well as of the main themes of this movie. But in German only.

Audio is great, DTS-HD MA 5.1 (Blu-ray) and Dolby Digital (DVD). I did watch the whole Blu-ray, of course (not all extras totally yet), but not all of the DVD , just a few parts for some comparison and a few checks.

There are several extras: two audio-commentaries (Steven Soderbergh + Lem Dobbs and Terence Stamp + Peter Fonda + Lesley Ann Warren + Barry Newman + Joe Dallesandro). A few interviews and extra music tracks and 2 trailers. The interviews are in English with German subtitles.

Even if your first language is English, you may in general still want to choose seeing a movie with English subtitles. I did too, but in this case it is, in my opinion, totally unnecessary (except to overcome hearing problems), because almost everyone speaks very clearly all the time, especially the main character Wilson, who considering himself more or less in a foreign country, articulates clearly and emphatically when he speaks to Americans.

I did not notice any lip-sync problems whatsoever.

The image is the best I've seen of this film. Sharp, no edge-enhancement. Film-like, grain as and (only) where expected.

Three caveats here:
1. To my surprise the DVD image (as up-sampled by the player) is almost as good as the Blu-ray. The image on the last one is certainly better, no doubt about that. But the difference is no longer that huge.
2. (Very minor spoiler here.) The movie is constructed with (at least) three tiers. The first, and in real film time, being Wilson contemplating and re-thinking the previous days while sitting in a chair in an airplane. The second, and main course of the film is all that happened while he - Wilson - was in the US (a few scenes imagined and not actually really happening). Thirdly there are memories in the past he recollects during some of his actions in that second timeline. The first are simply coloured by light coming through the airplane's window. The second, the main story as told, are very often lighted by sunrise, sunsets and nights outdoors or artificial light inside. The third are intentionally bluish. I say this to point out that it's difficult to judge the full accuracy of the colours shown (as compared to "real-world").
3. Many of the scenes are filmed with a handheld camera, adding to the film's specific and fantastic expression. This too makes it slightly difficult to judge the pristine sharpness of the BD.

However I can easily state that the image is beautiful: sharp, great colours, no artifacts (like visible grain when watched at normal viewing distances, no halos). If you can handle the European release, don't just want the 4k release (at all or only), and appreciate this movie: by all means get it.


Cees

Love this film and really want to pick this up but I am sort of thinking I should wait because this is such a great picture I feel like someone else will put this out as well (Arrow, Indicator, Criterion). I have sincere doubts this will be the only blu release.

 

[Blu_rayfan66]

More about The Limey mediabook released on December 12 by Koch Media.
(There was a request about the quality of the product in the Streaming and Digital Media subforum, which thread I didn't want to hijack, so here some more info now I've seen the Blu-ray.)

This is a German release meaning:
1. All info text on the cover of the product, as well as in the very nice booklet inside is in German.
2. The Blu-ray and the DVD are region-locked to B and 2, respectively.
3. Languages are both English and German on the DVD and Blu-ray. There are two reviews (roughly 10-12 mins. total), both in English with German subtitles.

I own a region B (+2) and a region A (+ 1) Blu-ray player. In my opinion this is the most secure (and less expensive) solution. If you do this, you just have to make sure they can both control your TV or projector.
These discs played well on my B machine, but were refused by my A machine.

View attachment 66411


View attachment 66410
On the front cover is a German "16+ years" sticker. As indicated on the official image of the release (see above), that sticker can easily be peeled off. The same notice is printed on the discs, BTW.

The booklet contains a very nice discussion of contrasts/comparisons in and of Soderbergh's work and films, as well as of the main themes of this movie. But in German only.

Audio is great, DTS-HD MA 5.1 (Blu-ray) and Dolby Digital (DVD). I did watch the whole Blu-ray, of course (not all extras totally yet), but not all of the DVD , just a few parts for some comparison and a few checks.

There are several extras: two audio-commentaries (Steven Soderbergh + Lem Dobbs and Terence Stamp + Peter Fonda + Lesley Ann Warren + Barry Newman + Joe Dallesandro). A few interviews and extra music tracks and 2 trailers. The interviews are in English with German subtitles.

Even if your first language is English, you may in general still want to choose seeing a movie with English subtitles. I did too, but in this case it is, in my opinion, totally unnecessary (except to overcome hearing problems), because almost everyone speaks very clearly all the time, especially the main character Wilson, who considering himself more or less in a foreign country, articulates clearly and emphatically when he speaks to Americans.

I did not notice any lip-sync problems whatsoever.

The image is the best I've seen of this film. Sharp, no edge-enhancement. Film-like, grain as and (only) where expected.

Three caveats here:
1. To my surprise the DVD image (as up-sampled by the player) is almost as good as the Blu-ray. The image on the last one is certainly better, no doubt about that. But the difference is no longer that huge.
2. (Very minor spoiler here.) The movie is constructed with (at least) three tiers. The first, and in real film time, being Wilson contemplating and re-thinking the previous days while sitting in a chair in an airplane. The second, and main course of the film is all that happened while he - Wilson - was in the US (a few scenes imagined and not actually really happening). Thirdly there are memories in the past he recollects during some of his actions in that second timeline. The first are simply coloured by light coming through the airplane's window. The second, the main story as told, are very often lighted by sunrise, sunsets and nights outdoors or artificial light inside. The third are intentionally bluish. I say this to point out that it's difficult to judge the full accuracy of the colours shown (as compared to "real-world").
3. Many of the scenes are filmed with a handheld camera, adding to the film's specific and fantastic expression. This too makes it slightly difficult to judge the pristine sharpness of the BD.

However I can easily state that the image is beautiful: sharp, great colours, no artifacts (like visible grain when watched at normal viewing distances, no halos). If you can handle the European release, don't just want the 4k release (at all or only), and appreciate this movie: by all means get it.


Cees

Is the transfer on this new bluray from the recent 4K restoration do you know?- does it say anywhere in the booklet or special features?....

 

[haineshisway]

4K "RESTORATION" - transfer, yes, restoration, are you kidding?

 

[Cees Alons]

Is the transfer on this new bluray from the recent 4K restoration do you know?- does it say anywhere in the booklet or special features?....

It doesn't mention the 4k scan anywhere on or in the mediabook where I read.
And whatever format was used in-between, it's 1080p now.


Cees

 

[Cees Alons]

You’re wrong with Sabrina, that film was always published by Paramount, on DVD and BD alike. All discs have several languages as usual with releases by major companies.

It’s likely that you mean another title?

Another version than you had in mind.
Yes, I own versions of the 1954 Humphrey Bogart / Audrey Hepburn (Billy Wilder) film. Several of them.

But, unlike many fans of this film, I also like the 1995 Harrison Ford / Julia Ormond (Sydney Pollack) remake enough to want to have a Blu-ray of it if possible.


Cees