Blu-ray Bargain Alerts

[Slippery Jack]

Originally Posted by antmumford

Wow!........... Stanley Kubrick Boxset only £17.29. Bargain of the month hmv.com: Music CDs, DVDs, Games & More

Great price - though I thought I remember hearing the HD transfers were pretty shocking and not worth the upgrade . . . ?

[Baseball Fury]

Well, as 2001 (at least the original blu) is a reference level disc, and The Shining is also highly regarded, I'd be surprised!

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Cast: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester
Info: Warner Bros./PCM 5.1/2.2:1/VC-1

It really is encouraging that the movie that has polled the highest in our list is also one of the oldest, as it goes to show that studios – in this case Warner Bros. – are willing to go that extra mile to ensure that Blu-ray will become the format of the future. To date, far too many distributors have been releasing one substandard catalogue release after another in the hope that consumers are stupid enough to hand over their hard-earned cash for what is essentially an upscaled DVD.

With 2001: A Space Odyssey, though, Warner has gone above and beyond the rest, gifting us with a disc that excels in every way. First and foremost we should thank Kubrick for the main feature, which is filled with so much iconic imagery that it’s hard to keep track. However, it’s pleasing to see that his stunning vistas have been captured so perfectly for this release. Black levels – highly important for a film set in deep space – are absolutely perfect on this high-def transfer and give a sense of depth that the DVD release can’t hope to match, while the attention to detail throughout is staggering. We’ve lost count of the little incidental details on this encode that were just not visible on previous versions, with the famous starfields proving a perfect showcase for this; on Blu-ray we can see these distant suns for what they actually are, instead of hazy indistinct dots scattered across the screen. It’s almost inconceivable that this movie was created four whole decades ago, as the print looks as if it was only created yesterday, with virtually no blemishes, scratches or softness to speak of.

This stunning transfer is also supported by a commendable audio mix, which helps the classical soundtrack really hit home. The soothing sound of HAL’s voice has never sounded so velvety and is expertly balanced with the hiss and groan of machinery. The audio does tend to be a little front-heavy at times, but this is only to be expected from a film of this age. When you’re done with the AV delights of the main feature then there’s the selection of outstanding extras to digest, which not only offer a great insight into this landmark film but also examine its reclusive auteur. Quite frankly, it’s hard to see how this package could be any better than it currently is – 2001: A Space Odyssey is undoubtedly the definitive disc by which all future catalogue releases should be judged.

[Slippery Jack]

Oh cool. Not sure what I was thinking of then... might just make that purchase!

[antmumford]

Originally Posted by Slippery Jack

Great price - though I thought I remember hearing the HD transfers were pretty shocking and not worth the upgrade . . . ?

I've seen Lolita and The Shining on BD and they both look superb mate. Haven't got round to opening my set and watching the others yet though.

[Refused]

Just got an email from HMV saying it's on its way
No word from Zavvi about the Guillermo boxset though, hoping I don't get a cancellation email about it.

[antmumford]

Originally Posted by Refused

Just got an email from HMV saying it's on its way
No word from Zavvi about the Guillermo boxset though, hoping I don't get a cancellation email about it.

I'll buy the Guillermo set off you for £20

[Slippery Jack]

Originally Posted by antmumford

I've seen Lolita and The Shining on BD and they both look superb mate. Haven't got round to opening my set and watching the others yet though.

Cool. Reckon Barry Lyndon is the one I'd want to check out on BD first . . .

[Slippery Jack]

...woah woah WOAH where's the bargain gone?!?!? It's going for £42.93 on hmv now . . .

[brain dead]

Knew I should have hopped on that Kubrick set last night when I saw it. But I had a feeling my wife wouldn't be too impressed at me having the US and UK sets.
But since it would have been a good way to get the international cut of The Shining at a reasonable price...
Guess I'll eventually get the German version.

[antmumford]

Originally Posted by Slippery Jack

...woah woah WOAH where's the bargain gone?!?!? It's going for £42.93 on hmv now . . .

Oh yeah it had gone straight up again this morning. Seems it was only at that price for a few hours last night.

Bad luck buddy, I know how you feel though