'Top Gun' - High-Def Digest review

[jed]

Just posted Peter's review of 'Top Gun.' He says this this HD DVD release from Paramount yields mixed results -- though he was pleasantly surprised by how terrific it looks and sounds for a twenty-year old flick, he was baffled by the complete lack of extras.

Full review here:
http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/942/topgun.html

[MrE]

WoW. PmB doesn't like Top Gun?!?

[docmanjay2]

great pic and sound (4 stars )....sweet....now a must buy for me!! i guess peter hates this movie........

[Citizen Erased]

Pretty fair review of the movie, I'd say. It's fairly shallow nonsense but I know most of the dvd buying public will love it for camp comedy value. I have a friend who insisted on playing the soundtrack in his car over and over. He half appreciated the irony, even as he did it!

[Maxx_75]

Peter got one thing wrong for sure. Top Gun was released on October 21st, 1998. That is 9 years ago not 3 as the review states. It was re-released in December 14th, 2004 as a Special Edition.

[Dead Pixel]

What's with movies I really like not having Extras...First Robocop now Top Gun...oh well still going to pick it up.

[noblekreed]

I know writing for a high definition website isn't exactly the New York Times, but why is it that Peter M. Bracke, and a number of other reviewers, make so many small mistakes in their reviews?

Although the largest problem I have with the reviews are the over-generalizations made in the reviews of the films themselves, (every review opens like a E! True Hollywood Story of the film. "When 'The Goonies first debuted, an anxious America fell in love with a group of...") my biggest issue is with the mistakes that could be avoided by merely going to IMDB.com and looking at the list of previously released DVDS.

Had Mr. Bracke done that 30-seconds of investigative journalism, he would have discovered "Top Gun" came out on DVD first on 10-21-1998. I knew this little fact because I bought that DVD, as it was one of a very few top Hollywood films on DVD at the time.

I know some might say I expect too much of such a niche website, but the truth is I read every one of these reviews, and love to learn as much about high definition discs as I can. Still, until websites such as these start hiring reviewers with degrees in journalism or some sort of credentials that speaks to their ability to actually look information up before they write it, no one is going to take these reviews seriously.

Thanks,

-Kyle

[pacman]

Well, I will get it when it comes out, but I sure wish they would stop putting things out on mpeg.

[Maxx_75]

Originally Posted by pacman

Well, I will get it when it comes out, but I sure wish they would stop putting things out on mpeg.

Mpeg-4 is MUCH better than Mpeg-2. Whole different animal.

[Devil N]

Yeah, don't confuse MPEG-4/AVC with MPEG-2. MPEG-2 is what was used on DVD and what really shouldn't be used anymore for HD, while MPEG-4/AVC is pretty much on par with VC-1.

[Giantfoot08]

Ouch, 2/5 for the movie itself. I guess this movie is a little silly, but its a classic and I love it. I am a fan of the and I will be picking this one up.

[HD Guru]

Better heft and power to the rears on the TrueHD matched the DTS-ES mix, although imaging may be a tad smoother on the latter.Better heft and power to the rears on the TrueHD matched the DTS-ES mix, although imaging may be a tad smoother on the latter.

great compliment to DTS there. they've always had excellent imaging.

[AllSport11]

This is one movie I never could stand watching even back in '86 and to this day I have never seen the whole thing but I just might have to give it a go in HD.

[tru2blu]

Originally Posted by Giantfoot08

Ouch, 2/5 for the movie itself. I guess this movie is a little silly, but its a classic and I love it. I am a fan of the and I will be picking this one up.

I agree.
The movie should not be given a rating. Most people would not agree about alot of films, and ratings in this area can be very biased. I like movies my friends don't and vice versa.
May just stick to PQ & AQ??

[scubasteve]

Say what you will about the Bruckheimer syndrome in modern movies, but "Top Gun" isn't nearly as bad as Bracke claims in his review. The film has great production values, good acting by a strong cast and the best aerial and dog-fighting photography of any movie ever.

Anyone that hates "Top Gun" that much must be either a damn commie or a sissy.

Just review the transfer, these are films we have seen at the theater (or maybe even own in another format) and are considering buying them for our collections. If we hated the movie we wouldn't have clicked on it to see what you opinion is... No one cares what Siskel or Ebert has to say.

Besides "Top Gun" is great demo material.