[Canceled] The Blade Runner Regrade Collection (Restored DC and IC Regrade v2.0)

[PDB]

The Blade Runner Collection

Picking up from here:

https://fanrestore.com/thread-226.html

This is a sequel to my Blade Runner International Cut regrade. Originally, the goal was to just regrade the Director's Cut BD to look like the Warner Bros DC laserdisc but now it has changed into a collection of regrades. This will form an alternative to the officially released Blu-ray boxset.

So instead the Theatrical Cut (TC), International Cut (IC), Director's Cut (DC), Workprint (WP) and Final Cut (FC) cuts of the official boxset, this project includes a newly regraded IC  that matches the colors of the Criterion Collection laserdisc and a restored TC without the happy ending graded using 35mm elements and deleted scene as a color reference. Finally, the collection will be capped off with a newly regraded Director's Cut which matches the Warner Bros Laserdisc and includes the extra violence from the IC. This will be called the Restored Director's Cut.
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1. Blade Runner Restored Director's Cut (regraded to the Warner Laserdisc - v1.0)

Project Info:

This is an attempt to both regrade the Director's Cut BD to look like the Warner Bros' DC laserdisc and also recut the DC to its intended form as it was suppose to have premiered in 1992. To further expand: the DC was basically the US theatrical cut with the additional unicorn scene added and the "happy ending" removed. As conceived, it was suppose to incorporate the more violent International Cut footage (Tyrell, Priss and nail scenes) but they were left out due being unable to find the footage in the given time constraints. This project restores those brief bits back into the DC cut, creating a "restored" Director's Cut.

Video:
Blu-Ray of the Director's Cut (DC) regraded to the Warner Bros laserdisc with footage from the IC cut.

Audio:
1. PCM 2.0 (from the Warner Bros Director's Cut LD with no narration mixed with the IC's Laserdisc PCM 2.0 for the violence additions)
2. Dolby Digital 5.1 (from the Warner Bros Director's Cut BD with no narration mixed with the IC's BD for the violence additions)
3. PCM 2.0 Isolated score (maybe)

Pics:
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2. Blade Runner International Cut (regraded to the Criterion Collection Laserdisc - v2.0)

Project Info:

This is an attempt to take my initial regrade here:

https://fanrestore.com/thread-226.html

and rework the overall pictures and fix some a lot of spots. I added luma (enhancing contrast, shadows and highlights) from the original BD to create picture has a little less flat-ish look which is inherited to the laserdisc.  It's a subtle change but one I feel is better. I also went through and corrected 6 scenes 456 shots to make them slightly more accurate to the LD and graded an additional 20 shots to make sure the picture "flows" better.

Video:
Blu-Ray of the International Cut (IC),  regraded to the Criterion Collection laserdisc with some luma recovered from the original BD grade

Audio:
1. PCM 2.0 (from the Criterion Collection International Cut LD-Narration) (New Version)
2. Dolby Digital 5.1 (from the Warner Bros International Cut BD-Narration)
3. PCM 2.0 (from the Warner Bros Director's Cut LD-No Narration mixed with the IC's Laserdisc PCM 2.0 and parts of musical score to fill the gaps)

Pics:
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3. Blade Runner Restored Theatrical Cut Regrade (v1.0)

Project Info:

I wanted to restore as best I could what BR was suppose to be for its original 1982 release before major compromises set in. Basically what would happen if the workprint was refined down. For this there will be no narration and no "happy ending". I will have the IC violence that was removed for rating purposes and this will not have the unicorn sequence which thematically changes the film. Finally, I incorporated on or shot shots/scenes from the WP  that were unique. This conforms the film a little closer to the original intentions and closer to the workprint.

Video:
Blu-Ray of the IC and DC, with the happy ending removed, with the BR's color timing tweaked to be close to the "deleted" scenes, some 35mm frames/trailers and other assorted materials. Overall it's very close to the official BD's colors with certain notable changes.

Audio:
1. PCM 2.0 (from the Warner Bros Director's Cut LD with no narration mixed with the IC's Laserdisc PCM 2.0 for the violence additions)
2. PCM 2.0 which is a mix of the workprint soundtrack and the IC soundtrack. So no narration except at the end, Roy's father line, VO for the spinner travel sequences, etc (maybe)

Pics:

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Comparison Pics and Video:

BD/IC Regrade/Restored Director's Cut Regrade

BD/Restored Theatrical Cut Regrade

DC BD/Restored Director's Cut Regrade


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Collaborators:
Jonno: for capturing the Criterion Collection LD and the Warner DC LD
Buster D: for the various LD soundtracks
Chewtobacco: Additional Soundtrack help

[MrBrown]

WOW! I really would love to see the finished Version...

[spoRv]

Very nice colors!

So, at the end, it would be not the DC, nor the IC, but an hybrid, right?

[PDB]

@Mr Brown: Thanks!

@spoRv: Yes that's correct

So funny thing. As I was color grading the beginning I did a little research into the filming of the Hades sequence (the opening). Now I would never call my regrades (this and the IC), "theatrical accurate", but I found it odd that the Criterion, Warner and Embassy laserdisc all look similar but in total contrast to the BDs. The LDs have the opening and later Spinner sequence in yellow light with the Tyrell pyramids being lighter brown, almost golden. The LEDs are yellow, white and especially green. In the BD it's more blue light with the LEDs being bluer also. Like this::

BR/Regrade


(Also see the first post's pics)

In looking into the filming, I found these pics:


It sure does looks more like the LDs then the BDs. Of course without a 35mm print that proves nothing, just interesting none the less.

[MrBrown]

@PDB: does the LD look similar to the old DVD?
http://sd.caps-a-holic.com/vergleich.php...mag_iframe

[jonno]

I'd say you're very much on the right track with the warmer, smoggier look - the BD version looks willfully muted (presumably this is where all the gold that Scott added to Alien came from )

Does the journey-to-Tyrell sequence follow the same pattern in the various versions?

[PDB]

@MrBrown: I assume we are talking about the 1997 DVD. If so yes they are the same master but looks a little different. Come to find out via Captainsolo that the first gen of warner dvds use laserdisc masters (knew that) but also add a blanket layer of magenta/red (didn't know that). Found that out in the Road Warrior thread when Jonno gave me a copy of the rw ld and even though its the same master as the DVD it was far more yellow and less red. You could really see it in the skies. BR is the same so I decided to just start with the ld And skip the DVD. Turns out the ld still needs work and both have blown out sfx shots but I'll fix that as much as possible.

The remastered DC DVD is its iwn odd thing. Much closer to the BDs but still with a few of its own unique color graded shots

@ Jonno: Thanks. Much like you I'm beginning to think the BDs were color timed to look that way.

The decker/gaff journey to Tyrell is consistent with the Criterion and Embassy LDs. That is they are that golden warm smoggy look throughout the journey whereas the the BDs are blue and dark then sunnier at the end.

That and the Priss "toy scene" have a totally and completly different look to the BDs. I'd love to see what they look like on a print.

[jonno]

This is the brief Tyrell shot from the trailer, for what it's worth:

[PDB]

Here is the rundown:

Jonno's 35mm/BD/Criterion Regrade/Warner DC Regrade


The 35mm is closest to the BD I'd say but it still has elements from the others like the yellow sky and red panels and red lights.

Ironically if I combine the BD and the CC or DC I get something that matches even closer:

[PDB]

This is a long shot but does anyone have the 90s Denver cam of the workprint showing?