[Cancelled] Mad Max 2/Road Warrior Regrade (Warner 97 DVD and LD)

[PDB]

I also wish that the boxset was including that making of Thunderdome. Thunderdome never gets any love.

So I was going over my files to see where I left off and tried Dre's new color match program. The previous program wasn't able to help me much but the current one is just great. It was able to solve a few problems I had, at least so far. Its a pretty great program. I also re-balanced the DVD to remove a little bit of red from the mids and especially the highs. captaincolo correctly pointed out that early WB DVDs had a red tint added like Blade Runner. So now it is more brown then before and closer to the LDas the target

I also re-created the Road Warrior credits using taas' Saul Bass logo and upscaling the Road Warrior title:



and the MM2 version:



I assume most want MM2 but I'd love RW since it seems to be disappearing.

[jonno]

What's your thinking there - are you going to try for a branched disc, or will the Road Warrior title simply be an extra?

If you're releasing as MKV rather than a BD folder, you even could include both options as files separate from the main movie. That way folks can create a playlist either in their HTPC or on a BD - the credits go to black/silence for a good couple of seconds before the montage fades in.

[PDB]

That's a good question jonno. Not sure. I'd like to preserve the Road Warrior title.

I'd love to do seamless branching but lack the software. I know you can maybe mod an existing branching with bdedit but I need to look into that.

For the mkv I guess I could also include the main film and the two different titles in a folder and just include instructions for making a complete file in mkvmerge. What do you think of that solution?

[Stamper]

Is there a way to recreate the Road Warrior title in fcpx with a plugin? Cause that original composite looked really cheap.
fcpx 10 has some great 3D free titles plugins, It could be fun to redo it, but using the Mad Max metal font for example. I have no love for the RW original font and effects, it looks like it was done by some cheap company back in LA.

[jonno]

While it might be interesting to recreate the title, this is a preservation - the graphic should really come from an original source, whether we like it or not

Where was this one from, by the way? The 1997 DVD? I guess the studio had already settled on the unrated Mad Max 2 print by the time any HD transfers were made.

(Incidentally, Warner's widescreen transfer - used between 1994 and 1997 - was used internationally, so my UK widescreen VHS and DVD had the Road Warrior title. Of course the WB logo was plastered for the latter).

[PDB]

Yep, I upscaled the Road Warrior title from 97 DVD and then cleaned up a little dirt and further fixed it from that youtube posting. I didn't fix the weave but it is pretty minor. While the title scaled looked great the Saul Bass Warner logo didn't look as good as taas' recreation so I kept that but color corrected it to the 97 DVD's look.

That must of been confusing for UK fans. I prefer Road Warrior title but that's the title I grew up with, MM2 is the more true title.

[PDB]

Ok, after reducing the red of the DVD and reducing the saturation of the LD I got an image that somewhat matches. I used that for my final regrade. I know I've posted the opening several times but this looks to be in final run

BD (top)/Regrade(bot)

[IcePrick]

Looking great, PDB.

I don't know if you noticed, but the Road Warrior title card still has a couple of frames from the Mad Max 2 title card at the end.

[PDB]

Thanks iceprick. Yeah you are right, that's because I copied the rw logo over the mm2 and it lost the fade in and to blacks. I'll fix it for the final form if I use the rw title.

[applesandrice]

Wow! What a difference! Looks terrific, PDB!