Blade Runner: The Penultimate Cut (TM2YC)

[TM2YC]

Final 3rd of the Tyrell/VK scene is done...

(password: fanedit.org)

A few shots to tweak later on but it's pretty close.

This model shot in particular is vastly different from the original grade in the final-cut...

The bottom one isn't supposed to be exactly the same but a lot closer to how some of us rember this film.

 

[Problem Eliminator]

Looking good!

 

[TM2YC]

I recently acquired the Region-Free 5-Disc blu-ray on a lucky eBay bid (I previously just had the 5-Disc DVD, 2-Disc blu-ray and DC-DVD) and the HD transfer of the 1992-DC looks much better than the SD one I had and is much better than the Final-Cut blu-ray in terms of grade and image quality. It's still too blue/green and too bright in places but not to the same extreme (and not to the point of image information being destroyed). So I've restarted this project (Yet again!) using this as the new primary source.

The new plan...

1. Regrade the DC blu-ray to the old DC-DVD. I'll be having more of an emphasis on brightness this time. I think all the HD transfers are overly bright
2. Conform that regrade to the Final-Cut. Swap in/out shots with little fixes (The good ones)

It'd be nice to have this done by October but it probably won't be.

 

[TM2YC]

I can't see me getting this done in time to coincide with 2049 (The actual date maybe ) but I've been working on it recently anyway.

Here is 40-seconds of Deckard at the noodle bar (DC blu-ray graded closer to the original DC DVD top / DC blu-ray bottom)...

(Password: fanedit.org)

The Leon/Holden scene is coming along nicely too.

 

[ThrowgnCpr]

nice work!

 

[Last Impressions]

a thing of beauty. The final cut blue tint is so off putting for us old people who used to watch Blade Runner DC regularly in the 80's and 90's. I was going to treat myself and upgrade to the 4K version this month but i am not so sure now. This maybe the definitive version. Wonderful

 

[TM2YC]

The final cut blue tint is so off putting for us old people who used to watch Blade Runner DC regularly in the 80's and 90's.

Ain't that the the truth, although that isn't the FC in that comparison, that's the DC blu-ray. The FC version of that scene is even more tinted blue/green and overly brightened. Some scenes on the DC blu-ray aren't too bad though. It's kinda random?

I was going to treat myself and upgrade to the 4K version this month but i am not so sure now.

Judging by the trailer (which isn't always wise)...

...the colours look no better and maybe even a bit worse than the FC blu-ray. The detail looks very nice though (even on a youtube stream).

This reminds me, we should probably open a general 4K/HDR discussion thread at some point because I for one, want to know a lot more about the format before considering the upgrade. Some of the screenshots on blu-ray.com of 4K releases look shockingly bad and a few look like big improvements. Anyway, I'm getting off topic.

 

[Last Impressions]

The final cut blue tint is so off putting for us old people who used to watch Blade Runner DC regularly in the 80's and 90's.

Ain't that the the truth, although that isn't the FC in that comparison, that's the DC blu-ray. The FC version of that scene is even more tinted blue/green and overly brightened. Some scenes on the DC blu-ray aren't too bad though. It's kinda random?

I was going to treat myself and upgrade to the 4K version this month but i am not so sure now.

Judging by the trailer (which isn't always wise)...

...the colours look no better and maybe even a bit worse than the FC blu-ray. The detail looks very nice though (even on a youtube stream).

This reminds me, we should probably open a general 4K/HDR discussion thread at some point because I for one, want to know a lot more about the format before considering the upgrade. Some of the screenshots on blu-ray.com of 4K releases look shockingly bad and a few look like big improvements. Anyway, I'm getting off topic.

By the looks of the trailer it still has the blue/green tint Its obviously a style choice by Ridley Scott and no doubt this is the grade the final cut will remain... That is why i hope to have your regrade in my collection soon. I have the 5 disc bluray set in my collection but may just get my brother the 4K for his birthday so i can at least take a butchers. I used to do that a lot when we were kids...i'd buy him something i wanted LOL.

As for a 4K forum that would be a great idea. I have had my set up for a year now and im not overly impressed however i just think its down to me not calibrating my set up properly. I also have the TV in a room which for me is too light.

The best 4k disc i have seen is The Fifth Element

 

[gazza]

im looking forward to see how this movie turns out.i cant wait to watch this 

 

[ChainsawAsh]

The new plan...

1. Regrade the DC blu-ray to the old DC-DVD. I'll be having more of an emphasis on brightness this time. I think all the HD transfers are overly bright
2. Conform that regrade to the Final-Cut. Swap in/out shots with little fixes (The good ones)

I've wanted to do exactly this for myself for quite a while, I just haven't had the time or a decent enough computer to work with. Very happy to see this is the direction you're taking!

 

[darthrush]

Finally saw Bladerunner for the first time a little awhile ago, and I absolutely loved it, though I did feel that the colors were oddly very extreme and tinted. These colors are a vast improvement from what I've seen. Great work TM2YC!

 

[TM2YC]

Some more work on the re-grade today. The first half of the Leon VK scene is a very close match to the colours on the Director's Cut DVD now. I'm very happy with it finally..

(password: fanedit.org)

An upload of the Final Cut grade for comparison...

 

[Last Impressions]

Thank you so much for doing the regrade. I have continued to watch the directors cut over the years due to the ghastly colouring of the the final cut... i even purchased the 4k, as previously discussed with you, but it still not great - obviously the tint is more prominent   i'm sure new fans of the film don't have a problem with it but it just don't sit right with me or maybe im being a tad nostalgic but i like to watch films how i remember them...oh and now we wont have to put up with Zorah's wig

 

[SmellySkunk]

That looks fantastic, the tint in the FC is horrible. I'm hoping this is going to be my go to version.
Excellent stuff TM2YC, keep going ^_^

 

[nova2727]

looks great,the colour grading looks like it should of been in the first place...

you have any plans to mix the final cut extra scenes into this one

 

[ranger613]

Hi @"TM2YC" hope all is well. This looks gorgeous!

 

[TM2YC]

Once again, when I feel my grading skills have progressed, I've scrapped this project and started again from scratch . I can't explain how happy and excited this screenshot makes me:




(^ Click image for larger res)

I've spent many hours, across a few years just working on trying to fix this one 37-frame shot, with no success (it was so damned blue and over brightened). To be able to get it looking this close to the reference is wonderful. Perhaps this time I've learned enough to pull this project off.

Go to 01.56 in the Vimeo test clip above to see how far away I had this shot 6-months ago.

If I had some champagne I'd be opening it (and then throwing it away because I despise the stuff but you get the idea ).

 

[Plissken1138]

nice work, lao che!

 

[Blipps]

Can't wait!

 

[TM2YC]

Can't wait!

Maybe less time than you might expect.

Shots and scenes that were a nightmare to try and fix before, are quite quick and easy now. The Holden scene is about done and I'm onto the Noodle bar. The farthest I've ever got before is part way through the Rachel VK.