It could be the print was post 2004 and made from the retimed scan. Remember the old (initial DVD/initial look 35mm) was only available for like 4/5 years before they did the new timing to go along with the sequels.
Back in 2003/2004 they were still making prints, so it could be they stuck prints from the new scan for Matrix nights and other showings and this is one such print that ended up at the Cinematheque.
I suppose when offered, the Cinematheque was happy to archive a brand new print instead of a battered one from 5 years before.

Stamper : Remember the old (initial DVD/initial look 35mm) was only available for like 4/5 years before they did the new timing to go along with the sequels.

That's the assumption I'm no longer on board with. And obviously, the 35mm scan available and the initial DVD are totally different with each other.
You really think that Warner Bros. department in France put money into a set of new prints that went all the way through the lab process to add the dub and/or laser engraved French subtitles to it for a non-rerelease?

Are we expecting the UHD to be any different to the blu? We might get fewer compression artifacts if we're lucky, I can't say I expect anything else

Are we sure there were no re-releases? I think with the advent of the sequels, they may have stuck new prints for Matrix nights or such.
Or would that mean the 35mm grindhouse scan is wrong? Thats certainly interesting.

(2017-12-10, 07:39 PM)Stamper Wrote: Are we sure there were no re-releases? I think with the advent of the sequels, they may have stuck new prints for Matrix nights or such.
Or would that mean the 35mm grindhouse scan is wrong? Thats certainly interesting.

I never heard about re-releases. As for Matrix trilogy nights, I'd expect Warner to just give the theaters the pre-existing prints. The Cinémathèque also had a screening of Reloaded at the same period and it was a DCP. They did not even have both movies the same way. Has the Grand Rex ever had a trilogy event of the Matrix ?

I don't think so not sure I don't attend there often. I heard when movies are licensed for showings, they use either DCPs or Blu-rays in french cinemas.

One thing certain Matrix doesn't look like the first or second release 100%. I think the 35mm on the spleen might be an indication, but who knows if the prints color didnt shift, they made two release to fix the color after all. It could have been cool if you took some snapshots. I think the film probably looked like the current release, only without the green beards and skintones.

Edit : link to the 35mm grabs. They do look off to me to washed out and yellow. https://imgur.com/a/5mTFn

(2017-12-10, 08:25 PM)Stamper Wrote: It could have been cool if you took some snapshots. I think the film probably looked like the current release, only without the green beards and skintones.

I never take pictures at the Cinémathèque. That's not the place to do so.
And yes, the print I saw was close to the Blu-ray colorwise, except less green. For instance, the interrogation scene is very green on Blu-ray. On the print, the back wall was a tad greenish grey.

(2017-12-10, 06:55 AM)Doctor M Wrote: So while they can scan it in 4k, there isn't 4k of detail in the film stock and the special effects will be upscaled.

The Matrix was DEFINITELY NOT digitally edited nor color timed. The SFX are the only parts that were added digitally and in 2K indeed but the rest was directly edited on film then photochemically processed to obtain the intended colours.

So a 4K remaster scanned from the negative would be truely benificial.

As Beber said, the original theatrical prints are not that far from the Blu-ray colours.

Even just HDR is justification enough to revisit a film, it doesn't matter if it was only 35mm with 2K VFX. Nuke can upscale this effortlessly (they upscaled SKYFALL using that software and also Fury Road I think). It's not all about resolution. The interest is really the expanded color palette.

So I would say a fix of the Blu-ray would be the better option now, removing the green and adding the cinema sound.

I've always been suspicious about the 35mm fanres colors, given the already stated fact that they were regraded twice. They also don't quite look right to me.