A Scanner Darkly & Dog Day Afternoon on April 10th

[onyxx]

Warner Home Video have announced the US Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD releases of A Scanner Darkly and Dog Day Afternoon for 10th April 2007. Priced at $28.99 SRP each the films feature all-star casts including Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson and Al Pacino. All bonus materials on the Standard Definition versions will be included on the high definition versions.

http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=64170

[cleeve]

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

A Scanner Darkly is one of my favorite films of all time.

[glocks out]

I just watched ASD last week. It looked good on DVD so I'm sure it will blow us away on Blu-ray.

[illegalprelude]

hell yes. the DVD looked sweet so a Blu-ray....yummieee

[ClarkGable]

Having seen the film at the cinemas, I was especially impressed with not only the graphics, but the intruiging plot and the reality surrounding the character's feelings. For this to be on Blu-Ray would certainly look the buisness, and I can't wait for a confirmed European date.

[Godstar]

I just couldn't get into the movie, so much so I fell asleep. Maybe it was because I was exhausted....

Oh well, if it comes out I'll give it another chance on BD.

[D3lta]

Here are the box arts for the movies, front and back:

[illegalprelude]

oh hell yea! Scanner, I cannot wait!

[Hastor]

So does anyone know what codec the blu-ray or hd-dvd version will use yet? I have both, and would prefer the blu-ray (cause i have hdmi output for it not just component), but if its mpeg2 like a lot of blu-rays, it would still look better on hd-dvd over component if that one is VC1.

[illegalprelude]

Originally Posted by Hastor

So does anyone know what codec the blu-ray or hd-dvd version will use yet? I have both, and would prefer the blu-ray (cause i have hdmi output for it not just component), but if its mpeg2 like a lot of blu-rays, it would still look better on hd-dvd over component if that one is VC1.

wow. welcome to the myth. Just because something is VC1 and something else is Mpeg 2, does not mean VC1 will look better

[BostonMA]

what the hell is a scanner darkly about and is the hole movie in that cartoon?

[Jared]

Originally Posted by BostonMA

what the hell is a scanner darkly about and is the hole movie in that cartoon?

It's called rotoscoping, and yes, the whole movie used that technology. The entire movie is acted out by all the real-life actors, and then animators draw over them in post-production. I'm not all that familiar with the process though, so you could probably google "rotoscoping" for more accurate information. I do know that one of Richard Linklater's earlier films, Waking Life, also used the rotoscoping technique.

[lowlight]

It wasn't rotoscoped manually, they used software to do it automatically...

EDIT: I was wrong, the software the used, Rotoshop, isn't a simple filter. It is actually software to allow manual rotoscoping! Cool!

I can't post links yet, so cut and paste if you are interested in more:

flatblackfilms.com/Rotoshop.html

[chad5871]

I think that while Waking Life had a very choppy, almost abstract feel to it, Scanner Darkly felt much more life-like and fluid. I wonder if they used a variation of techniques for the different films.

[lowlight]

Originally Posted by chad5871

I think that while Waking Life had a very choppy, almost abstract feel to it, Scanner Darkly felt much more life-like and fluid. I wonder if they used a variation of techniques for the different films.

Apparently, Rotoshop software was used for both. I'm sure it was improved dramatically in the 5 years between the two titles however.