[Released] Mad Max (1979) original color timing & mix

[Chewtobacca]

I've already synced it. It's the same master as the Warner DVD, so it lines up perfectly when you top and tail it to get rid of the logos.

[spoRv]

OK, thanks to Chewtobacca and PDB, I got the Japanese HDTV; now @Stamper: if you can guide me to the DVD, I'll make the "dirty work"...

[Stamper]

So Sporv, what kind of work does this entail, deinterlace, then patch the subs with the Pal footage?

[spoRv]

Yep!

[spoRv]

Here I am!

Silently worked on this for the last few weeks days hours and finally solved most of the problems.

HDTV and PAL DVD have different framing, and they would not match as they are; as framing changes during the whole movie, to align them I could do them by hand (no way!) or use the AutoOverlay plugin (random.next is my hero!); as I was there, why do not follow the UAR route? Hence, this is the result:

http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/134341

Opinions?

To do:

• remove the vertical subs - I think there is just one at the beginning
  
• remove the WOWOW logo - there should be just one instance
  
• replace the few shots where the DVD and HDTV do not work, because DVD is smaller and does not cover all the subs; still undecided if use DVD or BD - if the latter, I'd need some help from a BD owner
  

Optional to do:

• check every single shot with subs (frames number for begin and end) - it will lead to a PERFECT image when subs are not present, still I'm too lazy to do that, so any volunteer is welcome (someone started to do that, but after a while he threw the towel )
  
• alternative to the former: "trigger" the subs mask only when a given percentage of white is on the screen; this will avoid to replace small portion of very bright objects with lower DVD quality, but could fail sometimes
  
• "fill" the small boxes on top or bottom with inpaint
  

If someone is curious to see the difference between BD and DVD, just post the frame number (in sync with DVD).

[Chewtobacca]

I found only instance of the vertical subs and one instance of the WOWOW logo, both of which you know.  Out of curiosity, where does the DVD not cover the HDTV?  That sounds strange.

My view is that you don't need to go the UAR route, just make a faithful, logo-free copy of the film in HD, but I'm bowing out now and leaving this to the MM fans.  I don't really care for the film and became involved only to help with locating a better source because studio mishandling of classic films annoys me.

[spoRv]

I found only instance of the vertical subs and one instance of the WOWOW logo, both of which you know.  

Indeed!

Out of curiosity, where does the DVD not cover the HDTV?  That sounds strange.

Yep, probably it's because the AutoOverlay script that can't align... by the way, it's around frame 71265; if it will be the only instance, I'll fix it by hand, I hope.

My view is that you don't need to go the UAR route, just make a faithful, logo-free copy of the film in HD, but I'm bowing out now and leaving this to the MM fans.  I don't really care for the film and became involved only to help with locating a better source because studio mishandling of classic films annoys me.

Well, DVD has a bigger frame horizontally, while HDTV has it vertically, so blend'em up will result in a bigger frame apart two tiny boxes that could be easily filled with inpaint - at least, I guess!

Or, another possibility is to regrade the BD; sure, it will never have the same color, yet it has more details, a bigger frame, and no blown out white (even if I must admit I love that "burned" flame, pun intended!)

BD Vs HDTV: http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/134359
BD Vs BD regraded: http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/134358
HDTV Vs BD regraded: http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/134361

(note: I messed up with the color matrix on BD, but too lazy to repost everything... but it gives you an idea)

as you can see, the BD regraded seems a "tamed" version of the HDTV, yet the latter has something wrong, like the grass... as always, pick up your poison - HDTV "enhanced" (no subs, light denoise, grain plate to increase perceived details, eventual UAR to get bigger frame), or BD regraded (bigger frame even than UAR, better details, original grain); now, this is Stamper's project and I do not want to derail it further; if it's OK for him to hear what others think, I'll continue here, else I'll start a new thread. Also, if the regraded BD has the consensus, probably PDB is the one who should do that.


Stamper, it's your turn!

[Stamper]

Cool!

IMHO ditch the BD because you won't be able to get the colors spots on like the grass. (It's not supposed to look natural this is a post apocalypse film, sure on a budget, but nothing in it is supposed to look like real life). I saw the film many times in theaters, and the grass is spots on in the DVD & HDTV.

I think you should get rid of all the subs, and in the instances where you can't, use the BD color matched to fill in the footage.

As the HDTV exists, it will be good to have a pristine copy of it, in addition to the Pal DVD.
Then maybe later try to color match the 4K, so that people can pick their poison but this is probably a much greater and difficult task.

I'm OK checking the subs coverage but could take a couple of weeks.

If clipped whites bother you, maybe you can use the BD to fill in just the missing clipped parts in a few shots?

[maksnew]

I will try to get a version of the Amazon, I wonder what their source.

[maksnew]

Unfortunately, the Amazon is enlarged and circumcised.