The Crow (Japan - Geneon Universal) impressions

[kannisto]

I received the Japanese Geneon Universal release of The Crow today (on release day).

http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B001WAAAGQ

The disc is region free.

Specs:
BD-50
Video: MPEG-4 / AVC 1.85:1 (OAR) 1080p / 23.976 fps
Audio:
1) English Dolby TrueHD 5.1
2) Japanese Dolby Stereo
3) English Stereo Commentary by Director & Writer
Subtitles: Japanese (main feature) & Japanese (commentary)
Extras (67 min, 480i):
- Behind the scenes featurette (16 min)
- A Profile on James O'Barr (32 min)
- Extended scenes
- Deleted footage montage
- Japanese theatrical trailer
- The Crow: Wicker Prayer original theatrical trailer

There's a third Japanese subtitle set also but I'm not sure what it is as it's not in the menu but available through manual selection. No English subs.

The menu is bilingual English / Japanese, the texts are shown in English but when focused on, the in-focus text turns to Japanese. Works nicely

BD Info scan:

                                                                                                                Total   Video                                             
Title                                                           Codec   Length  Movie Size      Disc Size       Bitrate Bitrate Main Audio Track                          Secondary Audio Track
-----                                                           ------  ------- --------------  --------------  ------- ------- ------------------                        ---------------------
(JP) The Crow                                                   AVC     1:41:39 32,317,931,520  38,229,061,318  42.39   36.47   Dolby TrueHD 5.1 1659Kbps (48kHz/16-bit)

DISC INFO:

Disc Title:     BDROM
Disc Size:      38,229,061,318 bytes
Protection:     AACS
BD-Java:        No
BDInfo:         0.5.2

PLAYLIST REPORT:

Name:                   00000.MPLS
Size:                   32,317,931,520 bytes
Length:                 1:41:39 (h:m:s)
Total Bitrate:          42.39 Mbps
Description:            

VIDEO:

Codec                   Bitrate             Description     
-----                   -------             -----------     
MPEG-4 AVC Video        36471 kbps          1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1

AUDIO:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
Dolby TrueHD Audio              English         1659 kbps       5.1 / 48 kHz / 1659 kbps / 16-bit (AC3 Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 448 kbps)
Dolby Digital Audio             English         192 kbps        2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio             Japanese        384 kbps        2.0 / 48 kHz / 384 kbps / Dolby Surround

SUBTITLES:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
Presentation Graphics           Japanese        62.318 kbps                     
Presentation Graphics           Japanese        11.054 kbps                     
Presentation Graphics           Japanese        255.404 kbps                    

FILES:

Name            Time In         Length          Size            Total Bitrate   
----            -------         ------          ----            -------------   
00000.M2TS      0:00:00.000     1:41:39.093     32,317,931,520  42,390          

CHAPTERS:

Number          Time In         Length          Avg Video Rate  Max 1-Sec Rate  Max 1-Sec Time  Max 5-Sec Rate  Max 5-Sec Time  Max 10Sec Rate  Max 10Sec Time  Avg Frame Size  Max Frame Size  Max Frame Time  
------          -------         ------          --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  
1               0:00:00.000     0:04:22.679     34,553 kbps     40,223 kbps     00:04:19.717    37,470 kbps     00:02:55.466    37,326 kbps     00:02:21.724    180,117 bytes   673,136 bytes   00:00:10.010    
2               0:04:22.679     0:12:23.826     36,428 kbps     43,426 kbps     00:12:02.096    37,873 kbps     00:05:54.228    37,529 kbps     00:05:49.223    189,918 bytes   431,260 bytes   00:12:07.893    
3               0:16:46.505     0:05:07.849     36,695 kbps     44,062 kbps     00:21:05.722    38,280 kbps     00:21:01.718    37,808 kbps     00:20:56.713    191,312 bytes   328,182 bytes   00:21:06.348    
4               0:21:54.354     0:13:21.634     36,831 kbps     44,175 kbps     00:22:31.183    37,975 kbps     00:33:54.157    37,510 kbps     00:28:32.877    192,022 bytes   376,512 bytes   00:22:21.506    
5               0:35:15.988     0:09:10.550     36,801 kbps     40,165 kbps     00:37:57.024    37,553 kbps     00:37:53.104    37,329 kbps     00:38:07.243    191,862 bytes   334,057 bytes   00:44:22.409    
6               0:44:26.538     0:04:03.493     37,114 kbps     38,581 kbps     00:45:35.274    37,523 kbps     00:45:32.312    37,321 kbps     00:47:50.117    193,495 bytes   267,837 bytes   00:48:01.920    
7               0:48:30.032     0:03:22.827     36,992 kbps     41,094 kbps     00:51:03.143    37,679 kbps     00:49:16.620    37,345 kbps     00:49:02.481    192,859 bytes   313,227 bytes   00:49:21.416    
8               0:51:52.859     0:07:40.126     36,213 kbps     39,955 kbps     00:56:46.444    37,554 kbps     00:53:01.845    37,285 kbps     00:58:04.063    188,798 bytes   436,382 bytes   00:55:03.967    
9               0:59:32.986     0:01:27.587     37,158 kbps     38,655 kbps     01:00:40.720    37,414 kbps     01:00:00.972    37,308 kbps     01:00:45.767    193,723 bytes   274,395 bytes   01:00:02.098    
10              1:01:00.573     0:01:22.415     37,131 kbps     39,135 kbps     01:02:13.771    37,579 kbps     01:02:09.767    37,376 kbps     01:02:04.721    193,582 bytes   248,123 bytes   01:01:15.421    
11              1:02:22.989     0:03:28.249     36,831 kbps     40,756 kbps     01:03:27.011    37,576 kbps     01:03:09.827    37,298 kbps     01:04:13.975    192,018 bytes   342,786 bytes   01:03:07.450    
12              1:05:51.238     0:01:14.699     37,046 kbps     39,505 kbps     01:06:12.885    37,593 kbps     01:06:08.881    37,368 kbps     01:05:56.243    193,143 bytes   266,579 bytes   01:06:00.289    
13              1:07:05.938     0:02:12.966     36,614 kbps     40,162 kbps     01:08:25.518    37,421 kbps     01:08:22.973    37,315 kbps     01:07:15.823    190,890 bytes   326,628 bytes   01:09:16.735    
14              1:09:18.904     0:08:28.549     36,722 kbps     41,221 kbps     01:14:21.540    37,651 kbps     01:11:50.973    37,390 kbps     01:11:46.010    191,454 bytes   402,852 bytes   01:14:48.734    
15              1:17:47.454     0:03:16.154     36,752 kbps     40,013 kbps     01:20:35.956    37,634 kbps     01:20:31.952    37,437 kbps     01:20:26.947    191,608 bytes   323,884 bytes   01:19:32.142    
16              1:21:03.608     0:11:41.158     36,642 kbps     43,041 kbps     01:28:41.232    38,058 kbps     01:27:45.051    37,395 kbps     01:27:40.046    191,035 bytes   445,671 bytes   01:29:49.384    
17              1:32:44.767     0:01:25.335     36,749 kbps     39,912 kbps     01:34:08.351    37,886 kbps     01:34:04.347    37,543 kbps     01:33:59.342    191,591 bytes   335,048 bytes   01:33:41.198    
18              1:34:10.102     0:07:26.988     34,982 kbps     38,795 kbps     01:34:55.356    37,564 kbps     01:34:51.268    37,360 kbps     01:40:09.044    182,381 bytes   280,659 bytes   01:34:56.190    
19              1:41:37.091     0:00:02.002     5,537 kbps      5,646 kbps      01:41:38.050    0 kbps          00:00:00.000    0 kbps          00:00:00.000    29,479 bytes    76,295 bytes    01:41:39.051    

STREAM DIAGNOSTICS:

File            PID             Type            Codec           Language                Seconds                 Bitrate                 Bytes           Packets         
----            ---             ----            -----           --------                --------------          --------------          -------------   -----           
00000.M2TS      4113 (0x1011)   0x1B            AVC                                     6098.926                36,472                  27,804,726,586  151,197,277     
00000.M2TS      4352 (0x1100)   0x83            TrueHD          eng (English)           6098.926                2,107                   1,606,685,464   12,851,477      
00000.M2TS      4353 (0x1101)   0x81            AC3             jpn (Japanese)          6098.926                384                     292,756,992     1,715,373       
00000.M2TS      4354 (0x1102)   0x81            AC3             eng (English)           6098.926                192                     146,378,496     952,985         
00000.M2TS      4608 (0x1200)   0x90            PGS             jpn (Japanese)          6098.926                62                      47,510,776      269,154         
00000.M2TS      4609 (0x1201)   0x90            PGS             jpn (Japanese)          6098.926                11                      8,427,538       47,376          
00000.M2TS      4610 (0x1202)   0x90            PGS             jpn (Japanese)          6098.926                255                     194,716,950     1,084,581

More info coming up...

[kannisto]

Some screencaps. The movie is quite gritty looking, with fairly grainy image. Doesn't look like any DNR would have been used. A good level of detail as well.

[kannisto]

[apsmith21]

Thanks for posting this. Now I'm REALLY excited to see it.

[Sarang]

This is a great movie. I hope that City Of Angels comes out soon as well as I enjoyed that.

[Sky_Captain]

Wow! Looks very nice, I can now sell the UK version.

Now what the hell is this?
http://www.yesasia.com/global/crow-v...0-en/info.html

[KYThrill]

Originally Posted by Sky_Captain

Wow! Looks very nice, I can now sell the UK version.

Now what the hell is this?
http://www.yesasia.com/global/crow-v...0-en/info.html

The one and only season of the TV show.

[hairlesswookiee]

thanks!! i'm gonna look for one next week. anyone here know where i can find a copy besides amazon???

[kannisto]

HMV Japan:
http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/product/detail/3563205

YesAsia:
http://www.yesasia.com/global/the-cr...0-en/info.html

[Guyver2005]

Most definitely be looking into this, love this movie and I have the DVD but I want HD. At least this is region free unlike the U.K. version. Though I would prefer not to import anything but if the U.S. won't get these great titles at the same as other regions, then why not.

[Skullsoldier]

I'm about 80% through the Japanese Blu of this iconic film and overall I'm very impressed. The print definitely depicts the low budget origins, primarily in the high grain, natural light and post-production use of color filters to add an artificial sepia tone, but the detail is there - probably more so than the 35mm print I saw when this movie was released.

I am a little disappointed in the black levels, but I'm watching it on a rather large (106") screen using a 3LCD Epson; I'm going to compare it on my 58" Panasonic this evening, though I suspect the production company boosted contrast and brightness to achieve better detail.

The sound (Dolby TruHD) is very rich, especially with the music cues. Dialogue is somewhat muted compared to ambient sounds, but I recall this being an issue on the Spec. Ed. DVD and in the theater.

Overall, it's an expensive disc, but well worth it if you love the film.

Scott

[kannisto]

I watched this last night also. The movie is much better than I remembered, it seems to have aged pretty well I was impressed by the level of detail in many scenes. I also felt there was a bit of contrast boost in the image to increase appearance of sharpness, it wasn't that much of a problem though.

The soundtrack of the movie is pretty nice too, I like Joy Division (though their song was a cover version by Nine Inch Nails) and The Cure as well, I have some CDs of both bands. By the way, for fans of Joy Division I'd highly recommend the movie "Control". I recorded it recently from HDTV and enjoyed it quite a bit. There's a German Blu-ray release also available.

I also liked the extras, watched most of them. There are some final interviews by Brandon Lee in the Behind the Scenes featurette, including the one where he quotes a passage that is now inscribed on his tombstone.

[kannisto]

Finally the case pics:

[hairlesswookiee]

Originally Posted by kannisto

The soundtrack of the movie is pretty nice too, I like Joy Division (though their song was a cover version by Nine Inch Nails) and The Cure as well, I have some CDs of both bands. By the way, for fans of Joy Division I'd highly recommend the movie "Control". I recorded it recently from HDTV and enjoyed it quite a bit. There's a German Blu-ray release also available.

this has been one of my favorite soundtracks since it was released back in the day (1994?) the music is IMO ageless and will always be something i can listen anytime.
~~ordered a copy from playasia. i had a $10 coupon from a prior purchase i've been dying to use.

[Paul Arnette]

I'm trying to finish collecting information regarding this disc to create a contribution to DVD Profiler. Would anyone be able to translate the overview of the film on the back for me? Also, was this film rated R-15 in Japan?