'Excalibur' - High-Def Digest Review

[jed]

Peter's review of 'Excalibur' on HD DVD is up, and it aint pretty, with poor marks for audio, video and supplements. It probably doesn't help that he dislikes the movie itself, too.

Full Review:
http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/excalibur.html

[hmurchison]

Bummer.

Warner laid an egg here. I'll just pick up the DVD.

[Glenmulder]

movies not great either

[gandolf01933]

Havent seen it in HD yet but Love the film

[dkny75]

Say what you will but compared to the SD version, the HD DVD blows it out of the water even if it doesn't look reference.

[Blurry]

Originally Posted by dkny75

Say what you will but compared to the SD version, the HD DVD blows it out of the water even if it doesn't look reference.

I am guessing this is true, though I have not seen it yet (I DO own it though). I think a lot of the reviews are judging the quality on too narrow of a perspective.

I am watching lots and lots of HD DVDs, and while at first I was judging purely by detail and dismissed other factors, as I have gotten more use to them, I see that they outshine SD DVDs in so many ways, color, detail in dark scenes, more detail in background scenery, even when the print is grainy. At this point I simply have a hard time watching any SD DVDs, because these inferiorities just jump out at me.

[vital22]

There are only two points made by this reviewer with any value.
THe film does suffer from excessive grain (25 years old) low budget by even 80's standards released thru Orion then being distributed by Warners.
The true film lovers of this Gem do deserve a better transfer.
Some of the many Points missed:
Best use of Carmina Burana (since used a million times to a much lesser degree)
The Haunting Image of The Sword rising from the Lake to Wagner.
Nothing About Nicol Williamson's brilliant performance or Helen Mirren's for that matter (How Many Golden Globes Last Night?)

I could go on but I thought of something else I agreed with in the review. Midway through reading I wanted to fling myself on the sword as the nonsense of slamming it/and appreciating it via Acid and comparing it with Sord and the Sorcerer and a Conan the Destroyer demostrates a "unique" perspective of Movies.

Clearly I love this movie but have a healthy understanding of its dated limitations.

I was an employee for Orion Pictures in the 80's and know a little about about film. If you don't like the movie because its dated or you don't "get it",
at least provide more valuable information about the hd vs the dvd. Which by the way is significant.

It obviously is not a reference lossless soundtrack. I had the tape,the Laserdisc and the dvd and this thru the optical conection (You get it in DTS)

Sounds really good, noticeably better than the standard dvd. More of a defined soundstage, cleaner not the clipping mess described.

In terms of the picture, it looks like the same transfer done for standard dvd 6 - 7 years ago. I would love to se a new transfer but I am a realistic early adopter and this was not a 100million dollar grossing movie. The HD detail brings out more grain in some scenes and nice detail in others it is what it is.

If you love the film as I do I believe it is worthwhile.

If you can only see this is an incoherent Timothy Leary directed overacted b picture then there's always "Troy", "Alexander" and what was that Ridley Scott movie?????? but I doubt that anyone will care about those movies 5 years from now let alone 26.

[irascian]

Originally Posted by Blurry

I am guessing this is true, though I have not seen it yet (I DO own it though). I think a lot of the reviews are judging the quality on too narrow of a perspective.

Follow that argument through and you seem to be saying that every HD-DVD should automatically get high marks. That helps no-one. I want to know which are the discs that will blow me away, and which the companies HAVEN'T spent the time and/or money on giving a decent digital restoration. Excalibur falls into the second category and the fact that it is slightly better than a dreadful DVD version is neither here nor there.

[messin18]

Originally Posted by jed

Peter's review of 'Excalibur' on HD DVD is up, and it aint pretty, with poor marks for audio, video and supplements. It probably doesn't help that he dislikes the movie itself, too.

Full Review:
http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/excalibur.html

I was shocked this movie even got re-leased.. so many other more deserveing movies could have come out.

[Blurry]

Originally Posted by irascian

Follow that argument through and you seem to be saying that every HD-DVD should automatically get high marks. That helps no-one. I want to know which are the discs that will blow me away, and which the companies HAVEN'T spent the time and/or money on giving a decent digital restoration. Excalibur falls into the second category and the fact that it is slightly better than a dreadful DVD version is neither here nor there.

I am not saying that at all, everything is relative. And some obviously provide much better results for demo purposes - for example Hulk and King Kong should be way up there just for pure PQ. I am only saying that at this point I find it hard to be disappointed by an HD DVD release vs the SD DVD.

[Glenmulder]

I agree HD DVD by its Nature will be the Best transfer available

[MichaelHDDVD]

lol whats with the audio tracks!

French Dolby Digital-Plus 1.0 Mono
Latin-Spanish Dolby Digital-Plus 1.0 Mono

Two in 1.0!!! Come on Stereo sound is unacceptable for these High Def formats. But Mono! They should of done 2.1 at bare minimum. They really droped the ball in the audio department.

[pharbath]

i wouldn't say i am overly picky, but i thought i had it on the wrong mode or something. it just didn't feel like HD quality. love the movie though.

phil