BartVanHemelen said:

There's a short review here, plus some photos: https://www.facebook.com/...2060105976

Conclusion, do yourself a favor - buy this while you can, and before it's gone

THanks!

ufoclub said:

Lots of grain is a good thing in this case, because the original film stock was grainy, so that's accurate. I'm 99% sure this is the same master as the Australian blu-Ray and the down scaled Canadian NTSC DVD. Both of those seem to be derived from the same master file. I doubt anyone rescanned the negative to make a new master.

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I also suspect that, but you never know.

I noticed CDJAPAN also had a bluray of sign o the times which was cheaper, does anyone know if this is the same disc without the posh packaging and prints etc?

JAYJOE said:

I noticed CDJAPAN also had a bluray of sign o the times which was cheaper, does anyone know if this is the same disc without the posh packaging and prints etc?

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It really isn't that hard to discover that there is both a limited edition deluxe release and a "regular" release, you know, e.g. http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/a...es_5691585 vs http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/a...es_5691586 (and also http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/a...es_5691587 )

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There also http://www.sign-o-the-times.com/news/ .

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It really isn't hard to figure out that these two releases are "related":

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/...t/BIXF-130 vs http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/...t/BIXF-131 (and yes, there's also http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/.../BIBF-8460 ). Especially since it says (if you scroll down): "other editions". Also, considering the deluxe set is a limited edition, wouldn't it make a ton of sense to release a "regular" edition too?

Thanks Bart, I presumed it was just there was no picture on the site yesterday

BartVanHemelen said:

JAYJOE said:

I noticed CDJAPAN also had a bluray of sign o the times which was cheaper, does anyone know if this is the same disc without the posh packaging and prints etc?

.

It really isn't that hard to discover that there is both a limited edition deluxe release and a "regular" release, you know, e.g. http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/a...es_5691585 vs http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/a...es_5691586 (and also http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/a...es_5691587 )

.

There also http://www.sign-o-the-times.com/news/ .

.

It really isn't hard to figure out that these two releases are "related":

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/...t/BIXF-130 vs http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/...t/BIXF-131 (and yes, there's also http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/.../BIBF-8460 ). Especially since it says (if you scroll down): "other editions". Also, considering the deluxe set is a limited edition, wouldn't it make a ton of sense to release a "regular" edition too?

thers also this box set of movies---

http://www.amazon.co.jp/%...7HCXF7KD02

luvsexy4all said:

thers also this box set of movies---

http://www.amazon.co.jp/%...7HCXF7KD02

1. That url can be shorter: http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0002UOR3Y/

2. So there's a shiny box set which contains three DVD-releases that have been out for ages -- so what? What does this have to do with the subject at hand?

Recieved the Blu Ray today. It is amazing.... Absolutely the best I've ever seen and I HIGHLY recommend it. It was tough to justify paying $75 for a disc but its worth every penny.

The disc menu is awesome, booklets, post cards... an all around wonderful item. Here are some pics of the menu and interestingly... some of the era's bootlegs are mentioned in the booklet.

[img:$uid]http://i.imgur.com/NAZ9Dkz.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i.imgur.com/caPEB5s.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i.imgur.com/ryXOd60.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i.imgur.com/Ol92nUL.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i.imgur.com/DChOLVs.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i.imgur.com/o7SdwjN.jpg[/img:$uid]

[img:$uid]http://i.imgur.com/SMMHNA4.jpg[/img:$uid]

cinnamonboy said:

Hi, fellow Prince fans. Discovered that soon a new version of the SOTT movie will be released, this time on Blu Ray in Japan. A limited edition in a black Sign-box. As I understand from Philips, I wouldn't be able to play the disc on a Blu Ray player in Europe. Only got my player recently so I wouldn't know for sure. As I was told, unlike now common region free dvd players, this is not the case with Blu Ray players (3 regions). So, if above is all true, will the special Sign box only be released in Japan? Anybody know if this thing will see a European release as well?

ufoclub said:

Thanks for the screen shots! The menu is different from the Australian blu-Ray. Now I'm curious to grab it. But the Australian is as good as the Purple Rain blu. Very similar film quality.

You bet... I missed the Australian version and have been surviving on the laserdisc! I am watching it now... many small things are popping out that I've never seen... the drums are freakin killer. Its like Sheila E is in my living room!!!!

and here is the pop up menu

[img:$uid]http://i.imgur.com/9u9P9Lo.jpg?1[/img:$uid]

BartVanHemelen said:

There's a short review here, plus some photos: https://www.facebook.com/...2060105976

Great photos of the new Sign 'O' The Times Japanese blu-ray by Thomas Sakse Eliassen, read his full review below too! Thanks man!

Review: First of all, it IS region free. I just watched it on a PAL PS3.

The 5.1 audio track gave me nothing, no action in the back, and the sound was "flat". The PCM 2.0 audio track on the other hand, was unbelievable, the bass hit HARD! I've never heard the mix sound THIS good before. This alone makes a purchase worth the investment.

The picture is still grainy in places throughout the film. I guess that is because of how it was shot (film?). I can't compare this to the Australian version, since I don't own that. But, there's no doubt in my mind - this film has never looked as good as this! Especially when it gets to "Forever in My Life"/"It", the picture is crystal clear, and the colors are vibrant.

Conclusion, do yourself a favor - buy this while you can, and before it's gone

That review is a bit disheartening because the movie should at least be mixed from the Dolby Surround (the old home video surround standard in 80's to early 90's) design not simply 2 speaker sound. The Beta, VHS, and laserdisc were encoded this way. The movie must have been mixed for Dolby SR for surround in the theater.

ufoclub said:

BartVanHemelen said:

There's a short review here, plus some photos: https://www.facebook.com/...2060105976

That review is a bit disheartening because the movie should at least be mixed from the Dolby Surround (the old home video surround standard in 80's to early 90's) design not simply 2 speaker sound. The Beta, VHS, and laserdisc were encoded this way. The movie must have been mixed for Dolby SR for surround in the theater.

'The audio'?

The 2.0 PCM mix is probably from a stereo track.

The 5.1 mix is indeed supposed to be made from a multitrack mix....

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Soon I'll have the discs to compare the Japanese and Asutralian versions.

Hmm. Oh. No player yet...

Dear ufoclub,

I had previously been skipping around the blu ray but had it on with some friends over tonight and watched U Got the Look and it was in noticebly lesser quality than the rest of the movie... Very odd. Is the Austrailian blu ray the same? The only thing I can figure is some type of copyright on U Got the Look??? Forgive me if I missed this as part of a previous discussion.

ufoclub said:

BartVanHemelen said:

There's a short review here, plus some photos: https://www.facebook.com/...2060105976

That review is a bit disheartening because the movie should at least be mixed from the Dolby Surround (the old home video surround standard in 80's to early 90's) design not simply 2 speaker sound. The Beta, VHS, and laserdisc were encoded this way. The movie must have been mixed for Dolby SR for surround in the theater.

partyup77 said:

Dear ufoclub,

I had previously been skipping around the blu ray but had it on with some friends over tonight and watched U Got the Look and it was in noticebly lesser quality than the rest of the movie... Very odd. Is the Austrailian blu ray the same? The only thing I can figure is some type of copyright on U Got the Look??? Forgive me if I missed this as part of a previous discussion.

ufoclub said:

That review is a bit disheartening because the movie should at least be mixed from the Dolby Surround (the old home video surround standard in 80's to early 90's) design not simply 2 speaker sound. The Beta, VHS, and laserdisc were encoded this way. The movie must have been mixed for Dolby SR for surround in the theater.

no, U Got the Look was that way in the movie theater as well ( I saw it twice in the theater). For whatever reason, they didn't get the 35mm negative of the music video and actually made a transfer off the master video tape which was probably only ntsc(tv quality). I mean they did this for the movie in the movie theater.

It has always been a strange detail about that portion of the movie.

partyup77 said:

ufoclub said:

Thanks for the screen shots! The menu is different from the Australian blu-Ray. Now I'm curious to grab it. But the Australian is as good as the Purple Rain blu. Very similar film quality.

You bet... I missed the Australian version

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I see plenty of copies on eBay.

BartVanHemelen said:

partyup77 said:

You bet... I missed the Australian version

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I see plenty of copies on eBay.

I ordered my copy from JB HiFi. Sent to Aussie address.

Picked up by me in person. Flown home w/ a botle of Bundaberg rum and some great memories.

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(yes, if you are here and were with me on the bus then and there, PLEASE pm me)