BladeRunner and The Matrix on HD-DVD for 2007

Author: Wil Harris
Published: 8th January 2007
Comments (18) Stumble
Matrix on HD-DVD for 2007 - Neo prepares to halt the progress of Blu-ray with his skillz.

Matrix on HD-DVD for 2007 - Neo prepares to halt the progress of Blu-ray with his skillz.

At the HD-DVD press conference today, there was a lot of optimism for the format. With the lack of PS3 units shipped, Blu-ray competition for the format was minimal last year, and the success of the Xbox 360 DVD drive and the lower-cost Toshiba player gave cause for big smiles all round the room.

However, a showreel of titles to come in 2007 caused some gasps in the room, as we saw some big, big titles on display.

Yes, there was Harry Potter and, yes, Frank Miller's latest epic, 300. But the awesome news was the HD-DVD release of the Matrix Trilogy and sci-fi classic Blade Runner.

Say what you will about the Matrix sequels, the original was absolutely stunning, and many will be dying to own it on HD-DVD. Blade Runner is a cult classic, and its crazy visuals will be perfect for the big screen.

The only question is whether HD will be too good for these discs. We recently watched King Kong in 1080p, and the CGI looked incredibly ropey in super-detail definition. Will the CG in these films manage to stand up to the test, or will both films get a digitally-remastered makeover?

Whatever the case, we're positively salivating here at bit-tech's Las Vegas outpost. More as we get it.

Stay tuned for more CES coverage, and in the mean time, let us know your opinions on The Matrix and Blade Runner over in the forums. Are you positively spooging? We need to know.
Quote BioSniper 8th January 2007, 15:06
Having recently gone back and watched the first Matrix movie on DVD you can clearly see that some of the visuals in it really aren't that good anyway (the sentinels for one look pretty badly imposed) and I think HD-DVD will make them look even worse.
The thing though with the advent of HD movies for consumer level is that it will breed new CGI methods and things will just end up looking better in the end.

I've always stood firmly behind HD DVD anyway so this just makes me even happier ;)
Now I'd just like to see what other releases will be hitting the format this year.
Quote DXR_13KE 8th January 2007, 15:12
kneo will stop the evil bluray with his 1337 skilz!!!!!!111111

on-topic: lets see if this picks up the pace..... if it does BR is FUBARed.
Quote Leitchy 8th January 2007, 15:31
I don't care to be honsest, I'll buy whatever is cheapest so hope they have a good format war!
Quote mclean007 8th January 2007, 16:12
The Matrix sequels did suck ass big time, but the original rocked pretty hard. High def is no better than you see in the cinema, and dodgy CGI can be pretty noticeable on a 30 foot projection screen, but I'd expect a pretty decent HD experience from the original Matrix. I'd expect they'll take the opportunity to spruce Blade Runner up a bit for the new format.
Quote Phil Rhodes 8th January 2007, 16:30
Blade Runner has been gagging for a fresh transfer (as in telecine from the original film) for years. I believe it was tied up in rights negotiation for quite a while, but it's great news to hear that it's getting the HD treatment, which almost certainly implies a retransfer. Of course, all the effects in Blade Runner are either optical composites or straight model shots, which should suffer less badly than CGI (ironically given their age).

That said, I'm not in the slightest bit interested in any of these formats until this ludicrous format war is won or lost, and until I'm guaranteed to be able to play HD material back on my Dell 2407FPW. I'm buggered if I'm going to buy an HDMI display just so Sony can make another £500 out of me.

Phil
Quote Cobalt 8th January 2007, 16:54
I always thought that the CG in the original matrix looked better than in the sequels. Probably because they didn't rely on it as much.

Either way this is big news and just another reason for me to go HD-DVD
Quote mclean007 8th January 2007, 16:58
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil Rhodes
That said, I'm not in the slightest bit interested in any of these formats until this ludicrous format war is won or lost, and until I'm guaranteed to be able to play HD material back on my Dell 2407FPW. I'm buggered if I'm going to buy an HDMI display just so Sony can make another £500 out of me.
AFAIK the 2407FPW has HDCP support so you should be good to go with HD content, assuming you have an HDCP compatible gfx card
Quote Lazarus Dark 8th January 2007, 17:09
Warner Bros. is releasing many movies on bluray and the Matrix trilogy is supposed to be released on bluray though I don't think a date of release is set. So why is this any news, did they say that Matrix will not be released on bluray?

Yknow, with lg releasing a dual format player and others sure to follow, I say the format war is already dead. Let the studios fight over which format to use and just let me use both. I am not going to choose a format based on movie choices, I want all choices, so if movies are released on any format exclusively, then I will just get a dual format player so I can just watch whatever movie I want, let the studio's fight over who gets the royalties for the format used, I don't care anymore. And with terabyte hdd's coming, 50 gig optical disc burning is of little use to me anyway, I'll be looking into raid6 with terabyte hdds to ensure my data is safe, and any critical data I have fits on cdr or dvdr for backup with room to spare.
Quote Firehed 8th January 2007, 17:36
Well, I saw Troy on HD-DVD last night. Except for some bizarre sound syncing issue (which I think was the TV; not my setup), it was a pretty good experience, considering how crappy the TV was. I at least found out that Netflix does HD stuff already, which would be a big plus should I ever decide to invest either way.

If I do invest in either format, it'll almost certainly be HD-DVD, but I don't plan to touch either until Slysoft puts out Any-HD-DVD so I can keep using my current display. If media companies weren't such asshats about everything, I'd have probably already bought one of the 360 DVD drives and done one of those PC hacks. Their loss.
Quote joshua 8th January 2007, 19:37
Wondering did they mention if it was the original version of blade runner or the craptastic directors cut?
Quote mikeuk2004 8th January 2007, 22:55
If I got a HD Player now then I would buy the New films on HD DVD and not old films like Blade Runner and Matrix. I will leave that on DVD. I dont see any point in paying more for a HD version of Matrix when it aint going to loke any better than the DVD.
Quote <A88> 8th January 2007, 23:53
How's it not going to look any better than standard-def DVD, yet 'new' titles will?!

<A88>
Quote sinizterguy 9th January 2007, 10:21
Is Frank Miller's 300 going to ome on HD-DVD too ?
Quote mikeuk2004 9th January 2007, 19:35
Quote:
Originally Posted by <A88>
How's it not going to look any better than standard-def DVD, yet 'new' titles will?!

<A88>

What I really mean is. Films that were release before 2006 Id probably buy as DVD. Films released 2006 onwards id prob get as HDDVD.

Because for example Saw 3 comes out on HD DVD and DVD, then there is only a few quid difference.

As new films are being released now, that I really want. Id be prepared to pay the Full DVD price but id prefer to buy the HD DVD as theres not much difference in price.

Choice of Matrix HD DVD or a DVD, then id buy the DVD as you can get it for £3 and theres no point getting the HD DVD version for £20.

Older films are so cheap now on DVD so releasing them on HD DVD at £20 (what they are in stores at in Sheffield) id still buy them on DVD as they are £5 and under.
Quote Iago 10th January 2007, 09:35
Quote:
Originally Posted by sinizterguy
Is Frank Miller's 300 going to ome on HD-DVD too ?

/me wants...and I haven't even seen it yet. If they give me Sin City and 300 in HD-DVD I'm sold.

Regarding Matrix...I like the 3 films (I know, the first is the best), but there's NO way that Reloaded and Revolutions CGI are going to stand the HD test in their current form. The CGI shots of Neo in Reloaded (specially in the Burly Brawl), or the Agent jumping over cars in the highway chase are truly ugly in SD...I remember that they threw me totally out of the film first time I saw it and I still cringe when re watching them.

Revolutions it was slightly better, but only because they avoided so many "human" CGI's and centered on the squids, the mechs etc. Still, the final fight has some very noticeable CGIs of Neo and Smith...

Funny enough, the original Matrix will probably fare much better...there's no human-substitute CGI that I remember on it...and most special effects seem to be either bullet time (HD shouldn't affect it) or images over green/blue screen scenarios.
Quote Retrograde 10th January 2007, 18:01
Quote:
Originally Posted by joshua
Wondering did they mention if it was the original version of blade runner or the craptastic directors cut?

Wait. the directors cut is craptastic? How so? Did the director not actually make the cut? Obviously i own the directors cut but maybe there was a reason it was 5 bucks in the bin at wal-mart...
Quote Snafu-X- 11th January 2007, 05:47
Quote:
Originally Posted by Retrograde
Wait. the directors cut is craptastic? How so? Did the director not actually make the cut? Obviously i own the directors cut but maybe there was a reason it was 5 bucks in the bin at wal-mart...

As much as I love Blade Runner, and I do own the director's cut, the theatrical release is much better. The extended dream sequences are a major yawn fest and don't really add anything to the movie. The whole Decker as a replicant theme only lessens the impact of his character. And don't even get me started on the alternate ending.
Quote timmehtimmeh 11th January 2007, 17:46
I'm salvating over season 1 of Battlestar Galactica getting an HD-DVD release from Universal more :)

Still, Matrix+Blade Runner - It's all good news for HD-DVD
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