THE BATMAN 4K UHD BLU-RAY REVIEW 

Thank you Jorge. I try to make a movie review something that I'd want to watch myself. If I wasn't in 'em, I might even like them but alas! John.

You should have written my summing up Andreas. Perfect.

Agree, a masterpiece. Watched again last night. I absolutely love the pacing, I have zero issues with films that let the camera linger and breathe so you can drink it all up (reminds me of Bladerunner 2049, another film with beautiful pacing, atmosphere & cinematography)....I love the DP from Greg Fraser, it's absolutely stunning, it enhances & compliments the mood, atmosphere & tone The score is also fantastic, it's sombre, haunting and memorable. I'll watch this film over and over!

@@giggsy42 I'm hopeful that this film will actually improve and be even better after a sequel is made because we should get to see a more confident Batman and a more familiar Bruce Wayne. At least, that's what I'd do if I was responsible for it. John.

@@moviecollector5920 I think we'll definitely see growth off Bruce in next film and Pattison is more than capable of playing a more confident and suave Wayne, he's a great actor. I liked how he is early in his personal growth in this film, unsure of himself, still adapting & learning his trade. Also, the planned Penguin TV show will further flesh out Gotham. Dark Knight is probably still my favourite comic book film because of its epic scope & scale plus Ledgers iconic performance as Joker. I'd put The Batman up there though and as you say it'll only improve with sequels.

@@giggsy42 It should be a really interesting sequel and if they get it right they might be able to do a few more Batman films with Robert Pattison. John.

The Batman is a film noir realy Lenny. Catwoman is the femme fatale so that's the sort of look and feel the film makers went for. Film noirs always seemed to be a little surreal and this one is no exception. I do like steelbooks but once i've watched a film it tends to go on the shelf and remain there until it's due for another screening. Therefore, a steelbook has to look like something special for me to splash out on it. Super 8 and Total Recall are two I couldn't resist but there aren't many others... so far. John.

@@moviecollector5920 I hope you do get the 4K for Heat - Steelbook looks decent. Hopefully we get a review of the Michael Mann classic from you.

@@AA-ws3vd I haven't seen that since it was first released. Actually saw it in a small town cinema in Colorado as I recall. Seems like enough time has past and I'm due for a repeat. John.

@@moviecollector5920 Mark your calendar for August 9 please for the 4K release. This Friday is a special reunion in NY by the cast for the 4K release.

@@AA-ws3vd Thank you for that A A. I just looked it up on the HMV web site so that's probably where I'll end up getting it from.

The Batman was a bit of a surprise because it's actually rather good if a little different to what has gone before. If you do purchase a copy I hope you enjoy it. About 3 hours long if I recall correctly so be prepared. John.

Thanks Boss. Have a good weekend. John.

We appear to have a lot in common but whereas you ride a Triumph I drive a Triumph! Your parents both dying in a couple of weeks is extremely sad but it perhaps shows two people devoted to each other. I had a friend who lost is wife a few years ago who emailed me to let me know and by the time I replied 24 hours later, he'd also died. Heartbreak probably. He also drove a Triumph. Providing I remember to make it live this evening, my next video will be standard 8mm and Super 8 projectors running the films Stephen at CastlesforEyes sent me. I hope you'll like it. John.

I should have said it was a film noir in the video but I forgot. Catwoman was the femme fatale. A good premise within which to situate a Batman story. All very fitting. John.

Very kind of you to say. The Batman certainly isn't a movie for everyone but overall it seems to have hit the right tone and look judging by the comments on here. Just don't put on the 1989 Batman or any of the Dark Knight films before looking at this one otherwise it may spoil it before you even start. The film noir look is important to this new version but seeing the great quality of the others might ruin the effect if anyone runs any of them just before. Normally I'd crucify a film for looking like this but somehow it just works this time. John.

I agree Ghetti, the slightly soft filmic look did work for this film. I don't quite understand why they thought it could be passed off for IMAX but I don't suppose many people would have twigged that it wasn't really up to it. The main thing is that it looks very good at home and suits the atmosphere the film makers set out to achieve. I still think the opening of the 1989 film is the best representation of Batman but this one achieved something similar for almost 3 hours! John.

That soft, filmic look does work with The Batman. It's a film noir really so a dark, brooding film that would probably always suit the style. Well done for getting along to FOPP. What an amazing store that is, but it is a little dangerous for us home movie collectors. You're going to have a great time with the discs you purchased there. I haven't seen the 4K of The Untouchables but I think that's a great film. I have the PAL LaserDisc which I recall as being excellent so I may give that another spin soon to see how well it holds up today. No doubt it will look better than the new 4K!!! John.

I've never been to Glasgow Paul but one thing all our old cities tend to have is history in abundance and that's just not present anywhere in the USA to quite the same level. No surprise really as we only inhabited the New World from a few hundred years ago. I bet you had an interesting time watching The Batman being shot. Shame you didn't get to put the outfit on for a while and stand in as Batman! John.

Glad I've grown on you although that rather sounds like a little like a rash really! Don't spend too much. John.

@@moviecollector5920 I've already spent around £500 so the boat has already sailed on that one, sir.

@@JONACAN There's no hope for either of us!

@@moviecollector5920 indeed. I'm addicted atm.

That's the plan. Currently seem to be getting a video done about every ten days but I might be able to do more in the future if some tempting movies start appearing on 4K disc. John.

Just remember it's almost 3 hours long and therefore not one to put on too late otherwise you might get a bit lost in the last hour. That happened to me but it was a good excuse to watch it a second time. John.

@@moviecollector5920 I’ve watched it at the cinema and I really liked it, even though it’s a pretty long one. I was interested in that 4K edition and you told us everything I was looking for. Thank you so much!

@@federicomeneghini6947 Ah, I understand now. Not everyone likes it but I suspect it's more of a thinking man's film noir rather than a teenagers comic superhero film. John.

The thing I forgot to say in the review is that this is a film noir with a femme fatale in the form of the Catwoman. That must have been the approach and ambition of the makers and they pulled it off. That's why it's almost 3 hours and is slow, dark and brooding. Seven, Zodiac and plenty of other similar films took the same approach and that's probably why Seven has been cited several times within these comments. John.

You'll enjoy watching the extras then David as the Liverpool locations are featured quite heavily. The cities of this great nation of ours all have so much history. No wonder so many movies are being shot here these days. John.

@@moviecollector5920 Thanks John. Shall look forward to watching them. Great review BTW

I expect many people will agree with you there G A but unfortunately the only demographic going to cinemas at the moment is children and younger adults so the movies we're getting are to supply that market. When films such as Death on the Nile and Last Night In Soho struggle to find an audience it's confirmation that cinema is in a spot of trouble. John.

I should have said that it's like a film noir and that sort of genre had to be another influence. It even had a femme fatale with the Catwoman but I forget to speak about that side of it. I think it was brave to apply a soft focus to it but I don't suppose they knew it was going to be screened in genuine IMAX theatres at the time the decisions were taken. John.

I was almost expecting a message from you to tell me that Luke. One of the first comments that came in told me and I wish I'd known it before recording the video. I think the process worked better on this one than it did for Dune but that's due more to the look and feel of this one which suited the resultant 16mm look. I must confess that I don't understand why the master video is exposed to a 35mm negative and then to an interpositive. I would have thought all the grading was already on the video master but perhaps it gains a different look on the negative film and for some reason it can't be corrected in video editing so has to be done via a 35mm interpositive to maintain the accuracy of what the makers intend. It will be interesting to find out the truth one day. John.

@@moviecollector5920 haha you know me well. Yes I'd be curious at what point they do the colour correction, whether its before or after the film transfer. I would imagine they did it first as once they get to an interpositive they're two generations away from 'the original' and positive film is known to have much less detail/flexibility than a negative has. I suspect the colour shift on the film is fairly minimal, but the increase in grain and softness would be quite significant which I imagine was their main purpose for this process. I do find it interesting to explore the possibilities of digital to film, but I also wonder if its really worth it.

@@URBONED The quality of the master prints I used to see in the premiere Leicester Square cinemas suggests that the reduction in quality from the original negative direct to a graded master print was minimal. Shame we don't get quality like that in cinemas today but that's progress for you. I now wonder if the 2011 film 'Drive' went through the 35mm transfer process and then back again because that one had a filmic look. I had assumed that it hadn't gone through that process but perhaps it did. If it didn't then in 2011 the makers of that one managed to achieve a filmic look without all the rigmarole and inevitable degradation in quality. My opinion with The Batman is that the process enhanced the movie but I'd sure most would have preferred to see the original video quality rather than the slightly muted 16mm look of the finished product. I wonder if Arri were aware their video cameras were going to have the image quality downgraded to such an extent. IMAX must have put their name to it on the basis of the high quality Arri video cameras but the end result must have horrified them. John.

I still like the 1989 film best Jeff. Just that opening section was Batman come to life for me and that was enough. But I do like the new incarnation. No doubt Bruce Wayne will be more familiar in the sequel. John.

Well done for getting a copy of Drive. I think they're all going to be gone soon given the response from fellow film enthusiasts on here. I hope you enjoy it when it arrives and also The Batman but just remember The Batman is almost 3 hours long and a bit of a hypnotic film noir. Make sure you're wide awake and alert before sticking it on. John.

Good to have you here Daniel. Interstellar is a cinematic masterpiece and although it really needs to be seen in genuine IMAX the 4K disc is a good second best. The 1.40:1 15/70 IMAX scenes are presented in 1.78:1 on the disc but I think that is the best compromise for a home video release. Batman v Superman was re-issued with the genuine IMAX scenes in 1.40:! and although it was good to see the squarer image it does mean that you go from 2.20:1 or 2.40:1 with the whole width of the screen filled, to a little box in the middle - albeit a higher box in the middle. I had to press the masking adjustment buttons to keep the projected image framed in black which was fun once but I think I'd tire of that a second time. John.

Greetings from sunny England! I didn't know that The Batman had been through that whole rigmarole but it did achieve a soft, filmic look. I likened it to 16mm but I didn't think I should mention that in the review because some people get upset when I say that a movie they love isn't up to the standards of what we enjoyed years before. It does explain the video noise aspect again which was actually film grain just as it was in Dune. This film is more successful than Dune which I don't think suited the dark look applied to it. But I do expect Arri were horrified by the end result! Thank you for explaining exactly how such a dark, filmic look was achieved. John.

Well I hope you really like Somewhere in Time. It has a major following and I think it's a beautiful film. Just be prepared for those two faded sections and you should be fine. They don't last long, maybe a minute or two. John.

Good to have you here JR. I've been filming today with Trevor from Double Bill Movies who worked at disc authoring houses so he's has given us a lot of information to camera that we don't usually think about when it comes to the discs we purchase. So much to it! John.

Thanks John. The Batman may not be for everyone and I had to take a second look to really get it. John.

I can tell you're an enthusiast for this one then Clark! I did have it in mind to say The Batman is a film noir with a femme fatale in the Catwoman but I somehow managed to forget. That would have been the best way to sum it all up though. As for the image quality, it turns out that it's another one that was transferred to 35mm and back again. That explains the video noise which is actually film grain. John.

@@moviecollector5920 you’re definitely right, John - I was anticipating this film before Covid hit us and then I had to endure the delays. I’m a massive Batman film fan (read a few graphic novels but nothing more…) but love for Batman comes from The Animated Series. And this new Batman feels like the animated series to me. Also, your comment about it having a noir feeling with a femme fatale is something I wish I had put in my comment too! I was just too hyped to get all my thoughts into one message! Haha As always, love the content. Thanks again!

@@moviecollector5920 Also, are you going to review The Untouchables? I have this and Drive 4K ordered

@@ColonelSternlove The earliest comics are worth reading if you can find them anywhere Clark and so are many of the 70s comics when Batman returned to the original type of themes. John.

Thank you Michael. All those are shot with my main video camera so no scanning involved (which makes it quicker and easier). John.

Bloomin' heck, it's hot enough here at the moment but forget 97 degrees, it's more like 80 degrees and that's too much for me. But you should have a good time with this one Eric. It's an intelligent film and will keep you occupied for almost 3 hours as long as the air conditioner is able to keep you cool and you don't nod off to sleep! John.

It did find its way into IMAX cinemas which is a real shame for the name. I like the look of the film which is similar to a Super 16 look. I can only imagine how it would have looked on the giant BFI IMAX screen though. "See it in IMAX" really should not be used for movies that are not shot using IMAX film equipment or really good video cameras. "See it at the IMAX" would get around that one,. John.

@@moviecollector5920 yes having the IMAX after the end credits it’s not really fair when it only applies to sound. Also top gun Maverick is also claiming to have been shot with IMAX cameras and you will see it after the IMAX credits. But it was only shot with Sony cameras that were approved by IMAX, not true IMAX cameras there is trickery involved with that one also.

@@nuclearcrypto7743 IMAX cinemas have got to show movies that will generate an audience otherwise they'll be out of business. But it's a terrible shame to downgrade the name like this. If they had been more clever about it then they'd be able to advertise something extra special when the next genuine IMAX film comes up. Over in Australia there's a cinema about to screen all three of the Dark Knight films with two of them having the genuine IMAX sequences. They're making quite a thing of that so perhaps they'll show the way forward for IMAX around the world. I want to see Tenet at the BFI IMAX because I missed it due to the pandemic. Fancy missing a major 15/70 IMAX release... what a twerp!!!

@@moviecollector5920 The Top Gun Maverick scenes are reportedly shot with the Sony cameras which have a resolution of about 8 million pixels. True IMAX footage is at around 16 million pixels, I saw it in IMAX and the scenes just didn’t have the depth of true IMAX, so people seen it that way probably do not think that IMAX is that special.

@@nuclearcrypto7743 There is also something else about film that simply isn't there with video. Even so, if they're getting half the resolution of genuine IMAX then that's a major improvement on what has gone on before. That would equate to superior imagery to standard 70mm and I've not seen anything shot on video that comes close to that up to now. I think we need a group visit to see Tenet!

I wonder if ol' Mondo will get the steelbook though. I thought the standard release with the glossy slip cover looked nicer but I'm probably wrong. It was £10 cheaper and that certainly helped. It's a good movie but I'm sure it's misunderstood because many will be expecting the usual sort of wham, bam, thank you ma'am sort of comic book adaptation. John.

@@moviecollector5920 I reckon he would only get the steelbook if there was no slip. I think he has more slips than films by now looking at his latest video. Lol. I think you're right about The Batman and I think the run time will deter a lot of people. Not sure if you've seen but they've confirmed parts 2 and 3 are being made. Im looking forward to see how they develope the character and flesh out the Bruce Wayne side a bit more. I think its a film made for OLED with how dark it is. Speaking of which, I checked out Red October at last. It is very dark as you say but I could see Sean Connery aswell as hear him on the LG. Chris

@@chrissyboy7047 There's money in popular comic books characters these days but little else it seems. I expect Bruce Wayne to become more like the Bruce Wayne in the comics in the sequel. As for The Hunt For Red October, at least you've now proved Sean Connery was definitely in it.

I haven't been able to find Lawrence of Arabia so perhaps it hasn't made it to the UK yet. Shot on 65mm for 70mm release guarantees it will be among the best 4K releases so far. John.

It's so expensive, I'll get it eventually. It takes up two 4k 100gb disc.

You and I both had the same experience with this BATMAN film then Jim. I haven't seen the coloured vinyl soundtrack but please stop tempting me with that sort of thing as I can't really afford all these 4K video discs let alone getting back into collecting beautiful records too. I have bought a few records in the last couple of years though - too bloody tempting at times. John.

I had already thought about the lack of screen time for The Riddler and that is what gives the character the power. If he'd have appeared much more then he wouldn't have made the impact he did. We also thought the film was too long initially but having studied it a second time I can see that it would have ended up more like the usual sort of shoot 'em up if it had have been fully edited down. The film noir format would have been lost and it would not have been the thoughtful, slow, art house type of production that it ended up. The bursts of action within the three hours really stood out which they probably wouldn't have in a two hour version. John.

Otis, your comment from three months ago has just reappeared in my unanswered comments section so if I didn't reply back then, my apologies. Sometimes RU-vid throws a wobbly though and doesn't advise me of all comments that come in and then I have little chance of ever finding them. John.

I found the same thing Mark and had to watch it a second time. I was too tired the first time around and it seemed to go on and on and on because of it. Not so the second time. John.

@@moviecollector5920, hmm, might give it another go sometime down the line. My son was hoping I was going to buy it (and I thought he might get it for me on Father’s Day), think I will wait for the price to drop.

@@SuperGrumpyDaddy Good idea. It will be £15 before we know it so worthwhile hanging around as you've already seen it in a cinema.

It'll probably been down in price by the end of the month Martin! That usually happens after I make a purchase. John.

I can answer that one Steve and it's simply because these days you're watching video projection. There were always going to be occasions when individual film prints were too dark but that was a rare occurrence. What you are experiencing is the variability of video projection equipment because not every cinema can afford the latest gadget to project through. Many cinemas have to wait until a second hand projector becomes available before they can afford to upgrade. This means that you have to travel to major cities and premiere houses to be sure of seeing something at the highest quality. There are exceptions of course. The Batman was shown at genuine IMAX cinemas though, so although they have the best video projectors, it still can't have looked very good given it had a starting point similar to a 16mm print. I liked the look of it but I don't think I'd have been happy if I'd paid the price of a genuine IMAX ticket. I gave up on cinema to a great extent around 2005 when the downturn in image quality hit a new low. That was when 2K video projection was foisted on the premiere houses and they had to advertise as 'Digital Cinema' as though it was an upgrade. The premiere houses do have 4K now but I tend to find the projection comes over better at home so I only go to a cinema now if I know they are screening a film print. These days with there only being around three months between cinema release dates and home movie release dates there hardly seems any point in spending the money going to a cinema. I don't feel very confident about the future of cinema for that reason and the low quality video projection so many cinemas exhibit. John.

There were a couple of sequences in the last Mission Impossible movie that were shot with IMAX video cameras and they looked wonderful on the 4K disc so it is possible to get an effect from video that works on the giant IMAX screen. And when it comes to IMAX there's nothing else in Britain quite like that BFI IMAX screen at Waterloo. They need to show these mainstream releases there to survive so I suppose that's why just about anything is getting the IMAX label now. But it is a shame as it's de-valuing what was once a great name. Today so many people think that they've seen IMAX because they've gone into an ordinary cinema that's using the name. Well, it's laser projection isn't it? Er, no... the laser is the light source. John.

So to try and get this right John true IMAX is shot with 70mm film and shown on actual 70mm film reels in the correct aspect ratio ? Top guns aspect ratio did not match the BFI screen aspect ratio and had black bars top and bottom. It was also shown digitally probably running off some form of hard drive is that correct ? If that's right it still looked very good although I would have preferred 70mm film etc for the full impact Thanks

@@littlemanitor That's correct. However, the last Mission Impossible film had two sequences shot with IMAX video cameras and they looked special so it can be done. The limiting factor here is the video projectors which are still only 4K I believe. 4K is just about up to the quality of 35mm film so when you consider the size differential you are not seeing true IMAX but you are getting to see a movie on a far bigger screen and that's always worthwhile. If the BFI IMAX ever advertises Tenet on show again then I'll see you there because I had to miss that one owing to Covid-19 at the time. They have a genuine IMAX print which is 70mm across and runs horizontally through the cameras and projector with a frame width that is 15 sprockets wide giving an aspect ratio of 1.43:1. If you can remember the clarity of 35mm transparencies (slides) then you might be able to imagine how good an IMAX frame looks on the massive BFI IMAX screen. I've seen non-IMAX movies there and they're not a patch on genuine IMAX but the impact of the enormous image size does make a difference even if it's sometimes a little too blurry. John.

@@moviecollector5920 thanks for clearing that up John. So true 70mm is equivalent to 8k digitally obviously on a 42inch telly you would not notice but on a 60ft high screen that would make a huge difference in quality. Cheers

@@littlemanitor I think standard 70mm can be gotten away with at 8K but the maths suggest around 15K which makes 70mm IMAX around 45K. Just like with ever more expensive hifi I think we get ever diminishing returns with increasing resolution, so whether or not we'd perceive the difference is the question.

It's not the usual sort of beat 'em up, shoot 'em up nonsense that most comic books brought to the screen rely upon Henri. I expect that's why so many youngsters don't seem to like this one. I think it's a thoughtful, intelligent movie but you need to be prepared for the film noir/femme fatale style. John.

@@moviecollector5920 Based on your review I gave the movie a try. I think with a little careful paring the length of the movie could have been cut by a half hour or so. Nonetheless I did enjoy the film overall. I certainly wasn't bored and I never once considered giving up on the film like I did halfway during the latest underwhelming Matrix film. Thumbs up!

@@hblanche i think a lot of people agree that The Batman is too long Henri so you're not alone. I suppose it was a side-effect of everything being so slow, including the dialogue. To speed it up through editing might have ruined the film noir feel to it.

It's not a run-of-the-mill Batman movie Dan so you do need to be prepared for something different. The Batman in this is more like the original comics, even if Bruce Wayne is totally unlike the Bruce Wayne in the comics. Those earlier - and later - comics were largely detective stories and this is one of those. The atmosphere is very much the later comics and the graphic novels where it's all very slow with a sudden burst of action and then slow and quiet again. You just need to read more comics! John.

@@moviecollector5920 John, I've been reading comics since the mid 1980s (whenever it was that "The Dark Knight Returns" came out) and Batman is my favourite character - I just really disliked this version and thought the film was far too long, far too dark and far too derivative of the works of David Fincher - "Seven" and "Zodiac" in particular.

@@danhardcastle I didn't see that association with Seven or Zodiac but next time I watch them I'll bear The Batman in mind. There have been lots of films with this sort of mood and I probably should have mentioned the film noir genre with the femme fatale which is what this one is most closely related to. If you get a chance to read a few of the earliest Batman's sometime Dan, give them a try. Some of the 1970's comics returned to the same sort of theme but I think this film emulates more recent graphic novels most. You still need to read more comics! Don't forget The Beano and The Dandy!!!

@@moviecollector5920 I've got a wonderful hardback anthology of the first year of the Detective Comics Batman issues that came out about the same time as one of the Tim Burton films. Surprised you didn't notice the Fincher homages/rip-offs,John - they were all over the bloody thing! Anyway, incredible there's a big screen Batman adaptation that I dislike more that "Batman and Robin". I didn't think that was even possible!

@@danhardcastle I don't think I noticed it because I have only seen Seven twice and Zodiac once so they're not really at the forefront of my mind but I will keep The Batman in mind when I do watch one of them again. Batman & Robin may have been fairly awful but it had one of the best trailers ever. Well, if you had the trailer on Super 8 it looked and sounded very special, that's for sure.

I still don't understand how they got away with showing this on genuine giant IMAX screens but they did. It's not the best looking movie ever made by a long way but it suits this type of film noir. Apparently there are three steelbooks available so it might be worth looking them all up to check and see which one is best. The one over here didn't look particularly good to me and I preferred the look of the standard release which does have a nice glossy slip cover. John.

I agree, it's a better film than I first thought and watching it for a second time made a heck of a difference. Often seems to be the case when I'm watching a disc for a review video. John.

There's a very good HMV in Reading too, or at least there was the last time I was there. I didn't spot the yellow Merseyside bus stop in The Batman so that seems like a good excuse to give it another spin! I love things like that. John.

The Godfather isn't really my thing but I do have the first two on LaserDisc. Only ever run them once though. The Batman at 90 feet wide must have been impressive but I can't imagine it could have looked particularly good. I think it's more akin to 16mm quality than 35mm and IMAX always used to be about 12 times the quality of 35mm or something ridiculous like that. It's a terrible shame that the great IMAX name has been devalued to such an extent. Heartbreaking really because IMAX really was special... but it might be again next year when Oppenheimer is released assuming it gets genuine 15/70 IMAX prints. In that case I'll see you down at Waterloo Bridge! John.

@@moviecollector5920 yeah, agreed - there wasn't the same clarity as the Nolan movies i saw there but its immersive all the same, and always feels a bit special going there!

@@feeblewhip8225 I was only thinking this morning that if this film had have been released on Super 8 we'd have all thought there was something wrong with the prints. I like the look but it wouldn't be a good idea to watch any previous Batman film before watching this one as it would detract owing to all the other having better image quality - or perhaps better described as more conventional image quality.

I think it's more like 16mm Clumpy so don't expect too much. It might have been blown up onto the 90ft wide BFI IMAX screen but it's hard to think how it could have looked very good. Interesting to look at for sure and that had to be a deliberate choice but I fear many will be disappointed by the soft focus look achieved. I like it but some won't. John.

Someone else mentioned The Crow too. I never fancied that film so never saw it. John.

I like the 16mm look to this one Neill but I do am a little concerned that it was screened in genuine IMAX cinemas because it really wasn't up to that giant enlargement and won't have done the great IMAX name any favours as a result. Quite an arty piece of work for a comic book superhero film and I can see a lot of thought, preparation and work went into it. John.

@@moviecollector5920 agree, IMAX Waterloo shows a huge amount of film in its cinema which is not genuine IMAX. I mean I understand why, not enough genuine IMAX in the first place and they need to generate revenues. But you're right, some films they show look really poor up on that monster of a screen, and it sounds like Batman did. I worship the IMAX format and how love how Nolan embraced it when the industry agenda was 3D (which I hate and glad it's pretty much gone the way of the Dodo) - Dark Knight, Interstellar & Dunkirk my most memorable IMAX experiences, particularly Interstellar! Seems Villeneuve also embracing the format, Dune was spectacular at Waterloo IMAX also. Not sure if Bladerunner 2049 uses IMAX I only saw at normal cinema, but if it did, imagine that was mind-blowing. Anyway, great channel, watched lots of your reviews, you know your stuff!

@@giggsy42 I'm pretty sure Denis Villeneuve shoots on video but somehow gets them passed off as IMAX. The 4K of Dune was a disappointment because everyone had been telling me how good it was at cinemas but then after I said it didn't look particularly good on either of my systems in my review video a great discussion ensued which was about 60% to 40% in terms of those who thought the image was too dark (60%) and those that did not (40%). What I was able to ascertain from people who saw Dune in two or more cinemas was that the image quality varied in cinemas just as it did on our home systems. My working theory from this is that video projection is poor in most cinemas. Those cinemas that have recently purchased/upgraded video projection are offering the best video quality. I remember when the premiere West End cinemas had video projection foisted on them in the early 2000's how poor it was compared to what we had been enjoying via 35mm master prints previously. I lost interest during that whole period and I only visit a cinema now if I know a film print is being screened. I saw Gravity in 3D at the BFI IMAX when that was first released. The image quality was rather drab but it was good to see it 90 feet wide even if it wasn't really up to it. However, the standard Blu-ray projected at home was a far better experience and that rather sums up the state of cinema today. I'm not entirely convinced cinema is going to survive the latest onslaught against it (i.e. streaming). The Batman was premiered at the BFI IMAX and that isn't a good location to showcase a new film. Only the Leicester Square Odeon seems to be left now for genuine premieres and they've replaced the cinema style seating with reclining armchairs so only about five or six hundred people is the maximum capacity. Perhaps the Warner West End (now called something else) is still capable of hosting premieres but after the last rebuild that completed in 1993 I'm not sure it ever was entirely suitable to host a premiere. John.

I forgot to say in the video that The Batman is a film noir with a femme fatale Cooper so I think that's more the influence than the David Fincher films. It will be interesting to see a more accomplished Batman in a sequel and a more mature Bruce Wayne. The image quality is suitable for this style of film but I liken it to 16mm so don't expect too much when you do put the 4K disc on. It's certainly not up to the standard of the previous 35mm Batman films but apparently it is another video that was transferred to 35mm and back again to ensure it had a filmic look. Wish I'd known that before recording the review. John.

One comment has confirmed that it's another movie that was transferred to 35mm film and back again Clark so that explains the soft, filmic look. I thought they'd worked out something clever in the video editing and mastering but alas it was the same solution as Dune. Worked more successfully this time but I still think it was more 16mm quality and in that regard certainly shouldn't have been passed off as IMAX. John.

@@moviecollector5920 I would have been highly disappointed if I saw this in imax. hopefully one day I can experience a real 15/70 screening of a film in imax. I think Melbourne here in Australia might still have one.

Yes, it's my fifth favourite too. The 1989 film is still at the top but The Dark Knight Rises is something very special with all that genuine IMAX. I actually enjoyed the new film more the second time around as I wasn't able to stay full alert the first time. John.

Thanks for that Mark. A few people have pointed that out and it does explain how it looked like a film which in this case was more successful than Dune even if the final image is more akin to 16mm than 35mm. Gawd only knows how it looked on genuine IMAX screens when you consider that 35mm isn't really up to that sort of enlargement. John.

It's different Matt but it had to be didn't it? After all, how often can the same thing keep getting made? It's a Batman Begins story really but this time Batman/Bruce Wayne is nowhere near the finished article and he's struggling to find his way. No way would the more mature Batman risk his life so cheaply like the Batman in this one. If a sequel is made I think we can all be sure that Batman will be more sure of himself next time around and so on as he develops. Have there been better Batman films? Certainly. But as I said, this one had to be different and I liked the different approach. When I put the opening of the 1989 film on it looked so good I wanted to set there and watch the whole thing. But that was image quality in 1989 and this is now. Quite sad in that regard really. John.

He’s only been Batman for 2 years in this movie. He’s basically a noob still figuring things out.

@@husker27 That's about the size of it Jesse. Makes for an interesting sequel eh? John.

@@husker27 he has alot to learn 😂

I liked him in Tenet too Johnny but I didn't recognize him from anything else. The Batman is a better film than it first appears even if the picture quality isn't up to what went before years ago. I think it was deliberate to blur it all a bit though so I had to be a little forgiving. John.

@@moviecollector5920 hi john thanks for reply , he was in the three Twilight movies , but they were not something for me too much love in them but wife was totally crazy about them or was it Robert Pattinson do not know, see you in your next video I will look forward to it greetings from Johnny

@@jlaplaable I didn't see any of the Twilight movies Johnny. Looked like soppy girlie tosh to me and that's not really my cup of tea. You never know, I may get to see them one day and really enjoy them.

@@moviecollector5920 I do not think you will , but if you seeing them so good luck, but remember a cup of strong Tea 🙂

@@jlaplaable Might be more like a large gin and tonic or two rather than a cuppa'!

Yep, I rate it as a Batman graphic novel come to life. Not going to be for everyone due to expectations, but us Batman comic fans should all like it. John.

@@moviecollector5920 yeah I've noticed alot of people being not keen on it. That's Batman for you has a massive mixed fanbase

@@andylikesstuffchannel Younger viewers in particular would have most likely expected a wham bam shoot 'em up like most superhero comic book movies these days Andy so it's understandable there are some disappointed people out there.

A surprisingly good interpretation of Batman Cheekster but having just looked at the 1989 film again, it's not quite in that league. It will be fun to see a sequel though providing the makers get it right and Bruce Wayne is shown developing into the character we all know from the comics. John.

They're also showing videos now Andrew so there's very little work involved. Once the movie is over, get the auditorium cleared out and press the play button again. There's not much to it so a whole show is probably only 3.5 hours in total and years ago that would have been for a film up to 2 hours long. Given the soft focus look achieved in this film a smaller screen may well have been a benefit. John.

Films like ALIENS and Terminator 2 had scenes cut because of its length but I wonder if the film (Once upon a Time in America) lasted at the cinema been near 4 Hours long.

@@andrewstagg4395 it could've been shown with an intermission? But I have noted the discs say "extended cut". Lol I wonder what they did with Wim Wender's "Until the End of the World" running over 5 hours!

@@andrewstagg4395 I suppose the end of 'continuous performances' at cinemas had something to do with the limited number of films being made that were much over two hours. With continuous performances we could walk into a film at any time and sit through it to the end, then wait for it to start again and watch it up to the point we first came in. Star Wars is cited as being the reason for the end of that policy as youngsters would stay in the cinema all day but only pay the one entry fee. John.

Sir John have you seen the full 5-hour cut of Wim Wender's UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD? 🤔

Apparently sequels have already been confirmed Bob so I think we can expect Bruce Wayne to become more like the Bruce Wayne we know from the comics. I actually had to watch most of The Batman for a second time because I did struggle the first time due to being a bit tired. I much preferred it the second time around and I think I appreciated the look applied to it a lot more because it was initially so disappointing. It's more like 16mm than 35mm so I don't think putting the IMAX label on it will have done the great name any favours. John.

Afternoon Graham. I doubt I'll take a look at Raiders as I've owned a print of the film on Super 8 for about 30 years and I run it quite regularly. The result is that I don't really want to watch it on video. What I can say is that the quality on Super 8 was pretty good so the 4K should also look pretty good. John.

@@moviecollector5920 I assume you mean the Marketing Films 1x400 and not a full length print…. to which I would respond WHAT, ARE YOU KIDDING HOW?

@@grahambird4135 Full length 'Scope 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' was done at Andec Labs in Germany in 1992 Graham. The first print I was made aware of was one of just two available in this country and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. The upshot is that it's a first run print. However, the original source was a 35mm print rather than a studio 16mm reduction internegative so it's not quite the best quality you'll ever see on Super 8 but it is pretty darned good. Four months later and I was offered 'Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade' so I snapped that one up too. I do also have a copy of that Marketing Films cut down. Nice box, lousy print. John.

It's good that something other than comic book superheroes are finding an audience. I'd have liked to have seen the new Top Gun at a cinema but not living in London any longer means there aren't many real cinemas left and those that are tend to be a lottery in terms of how good the video projection will be. So I'll wait to see it at home where I know it'll be pretty good. John.

I forgot to mention the film noir and femme fatale influence but apart from that I think I said everything that I wanted to. I need a secretary to write some bloody notes! John.

I think it's a better film than it first appears, or certainly a more intelligent film. As for 'Ian' being a British name Gary I don't think it's quite as British as 'John' but there are a lot of Ian's over 'ere. John.

Thanks Craig. Barry Norman was rather good but a little too negative about films at times. I hope I'll always try to find the good things in a film even if I don't like it. John.

Thanks James. Seems like you have some good viewing coming up in the next couple of days. Somewhere In Time is worth a look but those couple of sequences where it's clearly faded confounded me because I wasn't expecting them. They don't seem so bad the second time around but that's often the case with movies. John.

@@moviecollector5920 I might splash out and get the Green Knight on 4K at HMV. Mark Kermode highly rates the film but it is not a fan favourite, but could look great in 4K. 👍

@@jamesclifford238 Now that you mention The Green Knight, I think I need to look that one up too.

Took some work Sean but once I start on something it always seems to grow and grow. John.

I think quite a few people would agree with you Doug.

Thanks David, as always. John.

You're conclusions are the same as mine Gareth. If there's a sequel then we'll see a more accomplished Batman and a more mature Bruce Wayne. I think that's been set up rather well. John.

I think the soft 16mm look was intentional and suits the film. No doubt about the sound being pretty terrific. John.

Thank you Jay. This one took a lot of time but I like to look into each 4K thoroughly before even setting about preparing a video. John.

Thanks John. Impeccable comment as always! John.

I think this has reappeared as an unanswered comment as it's from more than two weeks ago. RU-vid seem to be automatically deleting a whole lot of my replies right now. But what you said has reminded me that there is a deleted scene in the extras in which Batman goes to see the Joker character and ask for his help in tracking down the Riddler. Without that scene the ending does look like it was all about introducing a sequel. John.

IMAX is just doing what it can to survive Jeff but we've seen this sort of thing before with Cinerama and even though Cinerama was downgraded, it was downgraded to 70mm! And it still died! I think the BFI IMAX still have a 15/70 print of Tenet and I hope to be able to get to see it one day. The video equivalent of 15/70 IMAX film is difficult to quantify but it's certainly not 4K! 4K is usually just about 35mm quality when it's good so projecting a 4K on a massive IMAX screen isn't going to do the great IMAX name any favours in the long run. But what else are they going to screen to get people into their cinemas if they don't? Video cameras are improving,, no doubt about it, but video projectors in cinemas need to be constantly changed to get the top image quality. They're not cheap either so that doesn't bode well for cinema in general. John.

I haven't seen Justice League but I did make the mistake of taking a look at the trailer recently so if it's anything like that then I can see why it spelled the end of the Batman path that Warner Brothers were going down. Batman wasn't really Batman in Batman v Superman so I expect the executives tasked with funding another Batman film bit the hand off Reeves when he said he wanted to start all over again... again! The atmosphere in the film is fairly accurate to the original Batman comics so that was preferable for me. Bruce Wayne isn't the Bruce Wayne we all know but if a sequel follows the path we'd all expect then we'll start to see that character evolve into a more faithful representation of Bruce Wayne. Same for the Batman himself really as he's not fully formed in this film. I'd say that this 4K disc is 16mm (ish) quality as it has that sort of look which must have been a deliberate choice. It surely cannot have been a good idea to pass it off as IMAX though as many people would have gone into a genuine IMAX cinema thinking they were watching IMAX when it's more akin to an art house type of look. For such a big budget film to effectively have 16mm image quality is a little odd but it somehow seems to work and I like it. I suppose it's that dark, rainy, miserable Gotham that appeared in the comics so often and it just works. Is it the best 4K disc you're going to see? Certainly not. But I think it is a good representation of the film as seen in cinemas and no one could ever ask for more than that. John.

@@moviecollector5920 They used the ‘volume’ sets for some scenes (like the shot on top of the stadium building at the end). It’s a new technology that lets them film virtual backdrops like green screen, but instead of green screen they use a huge array of leds like a gigantic high resolution screen, combined with video game software linked to the camera movement, so the perspective shifts when the camera moves to match it and give the correct depth in the shot. Very clever stuff, created recently for the star wars tv shows on disney+ among others - could possibly explain the 16mm feel you mention of some shots, as it’s all done in camera and perhaps 4k shows it up more? There’s more details on it here if you’re interested www.comingsoon.net/movies/trailers/1220913-the-batman-featurette-volume-set-ilm

@@ahdvd Murder on the Orient Express used the LED walls for the backdrops from the train. Could be an early incarnation of what is being done now. The Batman looks to have been intentionally soft to me but is somehow works so it doesn't adversely affect it.

I don't think I'll be able to do a review of Somewhere in Time Bob as I haven't been able to contact Final Cut Entertainment to see if I can establish the exact cause of the two sequences of faded variation. I suspect that when the 35mm prints were shipped over from the USA after their theatrical run there, this copy had a couple of damaged sections and these were replaced with sections from another print. That second print has suffered fade when the original has not. I think there has been an attempt to correct the fade but it wasn't impossible to fully disguise it. Each section (and I think there's only two of them) is a minute or two at most. Be prepared for those two 'duff' sections to appear and then the Blu-ray should come across alright. The rest of it is pretty good but clearly from a print rather than original negative, interpositive or internegative. John.

@@moviecollector5920 Thanks for going through the extra effort to give us excellent movie reviews.

@@bobswanson8464 Thanks Bob. Hopefully they'll stand the test of time rather than the sort of videos where they're only relevant for a few days and then fade into oblivion. They do all seem to get a few views every now and then so that might be a good sign.

@@moviecollector5920 For movie enthusiasts, your "Movie Reviews" WILL stand the test of time. You are like a Professor of Cinema and Movie...do we get University credit for watching your classes???

@@bobswanson8464 Thank you for the vote of confidence Bob. Just have to think of what to do for the next video now but something will turn up. John.

I did think it was more of an adult movie which was refreshing. Children being disappointed isn't too surprising given the recent penchant for action sequences more akin to computer games than films. Actually having a bit of characterization helped a bit too. John.

Morning Gary. I remember this comment but it seems to have reappeared simply because you edited it a little. No matter, I just needed to respond so it doesn't stick in my outstanding comments notifications. John.

I think you'll find that the image quality isn't quite as good as Death on the Nile Roman... not by a long stretch, but the 16mm sort of look does work with this one. Thankfully a lot of the special effects were done for real on set so there isn't so much of the green screen going on but it is there. John.

Even though I like the look they applied to this movie, it's more like 16mm to look at than 35mm. To put it on a giant IMAX screen won't have done the great IMAX name any favours but I suppose we always did something similar with Super 8 on our 24 foot wide 'Scope screen (and will do again if we can). Sometimes we got away with it too, particularly with some of the best looking titles such as Terminator 2, The Abyss, Poltergeist and a whole host of others. John.

Try watching it when you're tired! I did and as a result I had to watch it a second time to fully appreciate it. John.

I've just done a reply for almost the same comment from Simon Mcpartlin two comments earlier so to save you looking that up... The thing I forgot to say in the review is that this is a film noir with a femme fatale in the form of the Catwoman. That must have been the approach and ambition of the makers and they pulled it off. That's why it's almost 3 hours and is slow, dark and brooding. Seven, Zodiac and plenty of other similar films took the same approach and that's probably why Seven has been cited several times within these comments. John.

Looks like RU-vid have deleted my reply to this Carl so your comment turned up again as unanswered. A few others have gone the same way so it's something stupid in RU-vid getting things wrong. One of the comments that reappeared was a pornographer promoting his site!!! John.

Haven't seen any of 'em Dmitri. I did see the trailer for The Northman and that succeeded in making the movie look awful so that was a putter offer. I've seen a few mentions for Stranger Things about so I'll have to take a closer look at that. Heatwave over here right now. We're not used to hot weather and apparently it's going to be in the 90's in a few days time. I'll be living in the fridge at that point! John.

@@moviecollector5920 John, your sense of humor makes you a wonderful company! Fridge is a great idea, but you can also buy a ticket to a Zoo and stay with penguins for a bit! As long as you don't mind your new livingroom smelling like a fish! You know, it gets here to over 100 F, but it is obviously not as humid, as in England, so heat feels differently. Who knows, perhaps you will feel like you are in Florida? Not too bad of an experience, I presume? About the movie list I sent you: I only saw Stranger Things - everything that was released thus far. "Men" looks especially interesting - a psychological thriller.

@@dmitripopov8570 'Men' sounds interesting then Dmitri. I'll have to keep a lookout for it. It's going to be even hotter here today. I don't do well in these conditions so I've decided to look into moving to Antarctica.

@@moviecollector5920 Or to Estonia! )) I heard they are having a rough start of summer - quite cold, actually. Go to Brighton and enjoy some swimming!!

@@dmitripopov8570 Estonia might prove to be a little dangerous shortly Dmitri but at least it would be cooler. I haven't been to Brighton for years but it does have a nice seafront... often with classic car shows right alongside so that's a bonus. Apparently it's going to cool down here tomorrow so maybe I won't be so washed out. I really wasn't made for this sort of heat.

It seems my reply to this has been deleted Eva. RU-vid seems to throw a wobbly like this occasionally and remove whole blocks of my own comments. Anyway, I expect I said something about us seeing a more developed Bruce Wayne character and a more confident Batman in the sequel. It's all been set up rather well for that. John.

@@moviecollector5920 Yes indeed John. Can't wait to see Batman mature in the next installment

There might be one or two that don't fall into those rules but I can't think of a single one right now... give me time though! John.

It's a film noir really so I think they went more for mood and atmosphere. I guess we're all expected to root for Batman even if he's not the Mr. Nice that is usually portrayed. John.

Oh yes, the score to Somewhere in Time is one of the best ever. Composed by some bloke called John Barrie as I recall. Now what else did he ever do I wonder?!? John Williams is pretty good too. I went to one of his concerts years ago and I must dig out the information from that night because I think it was the London Symphony Orchestra playing for him. John.

I didn't think it would be to everyone's taste Colin. Quite a few people really don't like it all judging by the comments on here so far. John.

I think IMAX are doing what they need to do in order to survive Luis. This film should never have had the IMAX identity but that shouldn't stop IMAX cinemas showing it. All they need to do is advertise that it will be screened on the giant IMAX screen and then the great name doesn't get devalued. A genuine IMAX cinema in Melbourne, Australia has a day coming up with all three of the Dark Knight films being screened and the second and third will be shown 15/70 IMAX. Almost makes a trip to Oz worthwhile for a weekend! John.

@@moviecollector5920 agreed. wow, that is worth a trip. i dont think I ever got to see any of the Dark Knight movies in Imax. I imagine they were amazing since the 4k discs look and sound great.

@@luisd7636 Genuine IMAX is unrivalled and the only other cinematic experience that has come close (other than the fisheye lens, hemispherical screen variant of IMAX called 'OMNIMAX') is genuine Cinerama. The clarity of the 15/70 film projected is like nothing else today so to put the IMAX name to this new Batman film won't have done them any favours. Christopher Nolan is shooting 'Oppenheimer' in genuine IMAX at the moment so there's hope for cinema yet. John.

@@moviecollector5920 yes. can't wait for that one. Nolan started this IMAX business so I'm sure it will not disappoint. Some movies might just put on IMAX so they can charge twice the price of a regular ticket.

@@luisd7636 I feel fairly sure that this overuse of the IMAX name is simply to try to ensure the survival of IMAX cinemas. I don't know how they've gotten away with sticking the IMAX name on ordinary cinemas where there is no way a giant 1.43:! ratio screen will fit but I think enough companies have proved over the years that people will believe pretty much anything they're told. I want to see Tenet at the BFI IMAX because I think that might be the best film quality of all time. If we hadn't have been in the thick of the pandemic at the time of its release then I'd have got on the train to London. John.

It is one of those films Todd. Expectation probably caused a lot of people to not enjoy it but I think it's more of a thinking man's Batman. John.

@@moviecollector5920 for sure! the riddler scenes are really growing on me too. the blurry scene putting the neck device on the da is super creepy.

@@toddlask We hardly see The Riddler so his scenes are more powerful because of that. I liked the look on his face while it was pressed down on the bar in the cafe. Just the right level of nuts! John.

@@moviecollector5920 oh man yeah that was creepy too! cool movie! zoe does a great job too!

One day. it takes me time to work up to them... and I was working up to Batman vs. Superman but then this one came along. John.

@@moviecollector5920 When you do make sure you watch the imax version. One of the best transfers out there

@@comiccollex958 Anything shot 15/70 IMAX is going to be excellent so it's not really got much to do with the cine transfer. The unrivalled quality of 70mm IMAX film is what makes it look so good when downscaled to a 4K video. I'll get to it eventually although I have to say that the film itself doesn't look particularly appealing. John.

RU-vid is telling me that I didn't reply to your comment Dan but I can't believe that. If not though then I can't remember what I said anyway. I rarely listen to commentaries but if it's a Ridley Scott or John Carpenter film then I usually do. I'm certain I wouldn't have bothered listening to a commentary track for The Batman. John.

@@moviecollector5920 Oh don't worry, John. You're absolutely brilliant for keeping up with your replies as it is - I don't think it's going to be possible for you to reply to everyone as the popularity of your channel continues to grow! Have a great day!

I don't think this one was a transfer Jericho. Apparently it was another video transferred to 35mm film and back again but they would have just applied the final video master to the 4K and Blu-ray disc authoring. The higher sequences weren't really IMAX and would have meant we weren't able to have such a wide screen but I do understand your point because you can't enlarge the image on a telly to get a wider picture. I still haven't seen Batman vs. Superman. I'll get there eventually. John.

I've managed to get the projected image almost nine feet wide on it now so we're getting there. Until we get builders in we're having to compromise a little. John.

Whoever dreamt this version up managed to come up with a realistic but accurate portrayal of Batman. Bruce Wayne isn't so much like his character in the early comics but if they get the sequel right we should see him become more like that character we all know. John.

I think we'll see a Bruce Wayne character that is more familiar and a Batman that is more accomplished. Well, that's what I'd do if I was making it. John.

It's quite possible The Batman will come down in price quite quickly as I don't expect it will be quite the good seller that is hoped for. It does seem to have generated a mixed reaction anyway. As for Somewhere In Time, absolutely wonderful film. Just be prepared for the two short sequences where the picture isn't as good but other than that the Blu-ray is a pretty good representation of the 35mm print it was taken from. John.

@@moviecollector5920 Yes, I noticed that, but the distraction is brief. Very sweet film. The premise is a simple Twilight Zone episode, but somehow it managed to capture my emotions for these characters. Jane Seymore is phenomenal, she is such a great actress, as was Reeves. Having only memories of his as Superman, this was quite surprising. I do wish to thank you for drawing my attention to this film, I would never have come across is otherwise. I did also get Batman (on sale:) and found it surprisingly good. Then again, my DC films expectations were very low. I get the feeling they borrowed heavily from Joker's atmosphere, which is understandable. I would say its the best Bruce Wayne film to date, which I rather enjoyed. Its the one character the other films sort of gloss over and I'm not longer impressed by all the "BAM and POW!"

@@MonkeyspankO I'm pleased to hear that you like Somewhere In Time. Jane Seymour is still beautiful today but so sad that Christopher Reeve is no longer with us. Apparently Jane Seymour attended the annual fan convention weekend this weekend in the original hotel on Mackinac Island. It's held every year apparently and if I weren't so far away I think I'd rather enjoy it because they all dress up in period costume. One of the subscribers to this channel telephoned me when we just pressed PLAY on Somewhere In Time to tell me he'd just managed to secure a 35mm print of the film. What an amazing coincidence. If his print turns out to be perfect then it might end up being used as the master if it's ever released on home video again. John.

@@moviecollector5920 Its amazing that is still going on, I saw the special features on the disk, but a quick web search shows there's one booked for October 7, 2022! That film really touched a lot of people. I'm much closer, but it would still be difficult to attend. Finding a decent print is always good news, its sad really, that many films in just the last half century are suffering losses due to damage as before. You'd think we'd learned our lessons from the silent era and what can happen when decay is allowed to run its course. At least once digitized, there is some redundancy online. As long as people don't purposely delete material. Look at Star Wars, its virtually impossible to get legitimate original material from the 70s.

@@MonkeyspankO 1982 was the cut-off year really because that was when Kodak low-fade film stocks became prevalent and the colour fade of the past was almost completely eradicated. With regard to Star Wars though all is not lost because there were Imbibition Dye-Transfer prints of that done by Technicolor and George Lucas kept one or two of those prints for himself which is the only reason the so-called special edition of 1997 was able to be done. Dye-transfer doesn't fade so although there would have been increased film grain compared to the original negative it doesn't seem to make itself known when you watch that version of the film. Having said that, I only ever saw it once! Someone out there will have a perfect, unfaded print of Somewhere in Time. Film collectors have played an important role in film preservation but up until recently it was an offence to own a 35mm print and raids did occasionally occur. I had to keep schtum about the few prints I have myself. I think I'll have to put the Somewhere in Time Mackinac Island weekend on my bucket list. It's getting to be a long list.

If there's a sequel Joseph, I hope they stick to the slower formula adopted for this one. It was good to have a detective story rather than just one big punch-up which seems to be the accepted route for comic book films in more recent years. John.

@@moviecollector5920 I totally agree John, the detective route is the way to go. In an interview both Reeves and Pattinson expressed interest in adapting the Court of Owls comic storyline for the next one. I really hope they do that because it would be an interesting way to bring the Bruce Wayne character into uncomfortable territory. Thank you so much for your comment I'm a BIG fan of your videos and hopefully will have a home theater setup soon that I hope to share with you!!!

@@josephswann5192 Thank you Joseph. If the sequel to The Batman goes ahead it sounds like they're heading along the right lines then. And good luck with putting your home cinema together. I still have to get builders in here to work out how we're going to finish ours properly because it means walls will need moving but it's possible it will remain as it is with an adaptation made so the projectors can all be at the back and perhaps within the under stairs cupboard which abuts the room. John.

Thanks Andrew. And well done for getting Drive before they're gone for good. I don't think it's going to take long before they're sold out judging from the response on here. John.

It's the opposite on mine but for the reasons of density and colour. The Blu-ray after the 4K looks really awful. I didn't check it on my telly so it may look better on there but it's not really something I use for watching films any longer. John.

@@moviecollector5920 must be different visuals on TV or projector

@@santichardnavichit5907 All our systems vary Santichard. Most of the time the results are very similar but occasionally a complete googly comes along. Look at the comments on my review of Dune and even cinemas had different results with that one. Mostly it was too dark on every system but there were exceptions. John.

@@moviecollector5920 exactly, good point John