Bluray / HD DVD & Old Movies?

Question

Is there any benefit to buying OLD movies on BluRay or HD-DVD? Lets define old as pre-1980 movies (though that's completely arbitrary). I assume back then they didn't have hi-def cameras that they have today for optimum sound and video quality. Assuming I am looking to buy a movie made in the early 70s, and it's available on both DVD and Bluray, it seems that I can save some money just by buying it on regular DVD if there's no added benefit.

Is that the right idea or will the video / audio quality actually be better on the Bluray disc?

Answer 1

The degree of difference of course depends on the filmstock being used to transfer but kind of like transfering Vinyl to CD vs. Tape, CD can capture more of the original sound than tape. So too can an HD format over DVD. But if you are wondering which to chose then there is some news that was just released. Blu-Ray won the HD Format war with this announcement.

http://www.twice.com/article/CA6517217.h...

Answer 2

HD Disks of older movies are usually produced from new masters taken from the original film after extensive clean up. If this is the case the HD disk will be far superior to the DVD. See the review of Casablanca at the link for an example.

As long as the original was on 35mm (or better) film it's possible to do a new version at 2K or even 4K (2x to 4x 1080p resolution) so there is no technical reason the HD disk can't be great.

Sound may not be as much of an improvement, particulalry if originally recorded in mono. But even then the sound can be cleaned up.

Whether the HD disk will be worth the premium price over DVD if that too was reissued based on the new master is a question only you can answer. For an example of this situation with a  25 year old film, see the 2nd link re a review of Blade Runner.

So an HD disk of an old movie CAN offer advanatges over DVD. HOWEVER, not all HD disks have been produced from new masters or at least not carefully done masters, so I would highly recommend reading reviews (such as those at the site linked below) BEFORE putting down your $$.

Answer 3

I think it will depend entirely on the quality of the original film and the quality of the digital transfer. Of course HD cameras didn't exist back then, but film cameras did. Assuming good film of an old movie still exists (and the studio cares about picture quality), there's no reason why a high-def DVD shouldn't look better than an ordinary DVD.

Examples: I recently rented "A Clockwork Orange" (1971) on HD DVD and I was given "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968) on HD DVD as a gift.

I have seen both these movies many, many times on all the available media (theater, VHS, DVD, and now HD DVD). The HD DVD versions are vastly superior to the SD DVD, and rival what I remember from the actual cinema. I was surprised at this, but it was a pleasant surprise. Maybe all I can infer from this is that Stanley Kubrick movies have survived well in HD, but that's not a bad start.