i too diligently wait all week for movie collectors content. GREAT CHANNEL awesome cine collection. im getting a 35mm projector in a month...and i'm very interested in learning how to appreciate the miniscule and overall qualities of high grade film and high grade digital video. also a super 8 and 16mm fan. started off on super 8 in 1987 aged 12. keep going! fun and informative.
@@DodgyDan4 I don't really know Dan but there's so much chatter about it that it's bound to happen eventually - and hopefully this year so I can enjoy it all over again. John.
I remember seeing this film in the theaters and thinking it okay until the opera scene-then I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The blue vs. orange color schemes, the opera vs. the rock opera music just transported me to another place. I loved it and have purchased the DVD, the blu-ray and the 4k.
It's that opera scene (Covent Garden Royal Opera House I think - beautiful) with the planet behind that impacted me the most. It's never looked as good again as it did that night in The Empire but that is one of the main reasons why I want to get some upgrades made to my 35mm to see if I can get closer to that experience. John.
One of my favourite cinema experiences of all time, mainly due to a rather large, jovial gentleman who sat in the front row, right in the middle, who roared with stunningly loud laughter at even the mildest of fun moments. This in turn caused everybody else in the screening to start laughing hysterically a second later. I've seldom had so much fun in a public setting.
I still laugh out loud at it to this day. I think it's a more special film than it's ever really been given credit for. It's a riot from start to finish. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Just such a great ensemble cast too. Willis in his prime, Jovovich did a solid job with the part, Oldman, Holm and a stellar supporting line up even the small roles
The Fifth Element is on of my favorite 90s movies and it's really fun to watch this sci-fi adventure. It's a classic I never get tired of :) I might watch it this weekend.
Your technical knowledge is extraordinary, and thank you for so generously sharing it.This channel is unique and a haven for lovers of cinema. Another brilliant review!. Michael - SA
Nice to hear from you again Michael. You might have gathered from this video that I'm a bit of a fan of The Fifth Element. I thought it a real surprise in 1997 and couldn't believe how much I enjoyed it. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I fully concur, it was the surprise film of the year, exploding with colour and brilliant ideas that will endear it to all it's many fans!. Such a pity his "Valerian and the city of a Thousand Planets" was met with such hostility. I've not seen it (but want to!), who knows, perhaps a sleeper cult film waiting to be reassessed?.
Movie Collector is the channel I’ve been imagining should exist, and now I’ve found it! Someone who saw these films like I did, remembers where we saw them, and can now finally relive them in 4K UHD in a home theater. Thank you for putting in the work and the love!
Well Jamil, what you have said was the basis for me finally starting the channel. I never had the time before but Covid-19 rendered all our business obsolete here so I thought, what the hell, let's see if there a real interest in 'reel' film out there. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Well I absolutely appreciate your passion and context. But it’s more than that, you focus on facts and details, and get to the point. Far too many YT videos are pure opinion and drawn out, which just aren’t respectful of my time and interests. I don’t know if you read Bill Hunt’s website thedigitalbits.com, but he’s a kindred spirit, maybe slightly younger, but has a deep appreciation of real film, does his research, and connects to the spirit of a rapidly disappearing age.
@@JamilMoledina Well Bill Hunt looks like he's right up my street. I've just opened up his web site and have saved it into bookmarks so I'll take a good poke around in there soon. Thank you for putting me onto him. Cinema Paradiso 4K has just arrived today so I think we'll be watching that tonight. If I think it's a really good release then I might see if I can do a review with the aim of getting it up there on Friday evening as that will be my Movie Collector channel one year anniversary. The plan was for Apocalypse Now 4K next but I've got another couple of chaps looking to do alternative reviews so I'll have to coordinate that one a bit more. John.
@@moviecollector5920 You’re very welcome! He’s also very approachable, feel free to mention me if you ping him, although I imagine he has tons of readers who engage with him too. Cinema Paradiso is a perfect next video, I’ve been very curious to see some trusted commentary on that. That’s a film I’ve always loved, fingers crossed it’s a lavish transfer. Maybe we’ll get a Life is Beautiful 4K as well if we all vote with our dollars and pounds! By the way do you have a Twitter account we can follow?
Having just bought an OLED and therefore being finally able to enjoy HDR content properly (my old LED set could do HDR but the image was incredibly dim), I discovered your channel when researching key 4K UHD discs to have in my collection and I’m hooked. Your enthusiasm not only to the technology but to cinema as a whole is infectious. Roll on future uploads!
Good to have you here John. Your next step will have to be a dedicated room with a 4K video projector! But in the meantime, the best disc through my current video projector is TENET so if you haven't got that one, give that one a whirl. If you haven't seen it you won't stand a chance of deciphering it all in one viewing but that's half the attraction of that film. John.
Great review as always! As far as I know, this movie, like many other 2.39-ish : 1 movies during the mid to late 1990s, was shot on Super 35 mostly to facilitate the computer generated effects. I think that a film print "glues" together the final product, a mix of camera footage and effects composites. 4K releases are still relatively new, so I guess in the near future there will be software emulations, such as LUTs, to smooth out any jarring differences. Let's see what the future brings. That 35mm print is such a treasure and definitely in the best hands.
I think you've nailed it there - Super 35 is to make the computer artists work easier. By the time of this film the film stocks from Kodak were so fine grained they were probably better than full frame 35mm from 20 years before and that is why this one still looks so good. Video has come so far in recent years so assuming that progress continuest I'm sure the expertise in film to video mastering will get even better. John.
@@moviecollector5920 My interpretation has always been that the 4K reveals the comparably low resolution and dynamic range of old CGI while the film prints are generally so soft that the difference isn't as obvious. That would also explain the less visible film grain. But from your video I get the impression that grading is the problem? Another film where CGI sticks out like a sore thumb is Forrest Gump.
@@bened22 35mm prints are not soft but they are more natural to look at than a 4K video. In this particular instance I think 5th Element may have had a digital sharpening tool applied to it and that has wrecked the computer generated special effects shots. But on top of that, it does appear to have come from the original camera negative and just like the 1989 'Batman' this means all the grading has to be done from scratch and it isn't as good as the grading on the 35mm. That's why I think a 4K transfer of the internegative may have proven to have been better because all the grading has been worked out and applied to the internegative. That is what the 35mm prints are struck from. John.
One my personal favourite films, and the first 4k film I purchased, albeit as a digital download. Initially I was confused by what looks like artificial noise, but as you rightly point out the film settles after the opening scene in Egypt. My set-up is pretty meagre compared to yours, but the detail revealed to me in 4k is quite stunning, and I really appreciate that 'alive' film grain structure which I associate from cinema at that time. It just looks right to me. As for the film, I don't think there's anything quite like it. I enjoy the colourful, bubblegum hyper-90s look that Luc Besson gave us and the soundtrack stands out as something a little different, too. I was very much looking forward to his other space based movie - Valerian and the City of Thousand Planets, but I felt it was a bit of a misfire, although visually stunning. Thanks again for another great video.
I will never forget seeing this film at The Empire morroch. It was quite simply different. I didn't expect to like it and I suppose I was right because I loved it! I suspect a digital sharpening tool has been applied to this 4K transfer but it doesn't really adversely affect it, I just feel the 35mm more natural looking image has an immediate, perceptible improvement. And that is why I said that perhaps it would have been better to have scanned the internegative because that already has all the colour grading applied. It also wouldn't have been quite so sharp which I feel would have helped this film. It's still a great 4K disc though so none of this really matters. John.
Chris Tucker is hysterical. Usually I don't like campy performances but he just nailed it. The colours, the action, the special effects, the soundtrack - perfect! John.
Another great video, and man oh man I'd love to see that 35mm print in its entirety. The inconsistency you point out is maybe something for another discussion. Using the OCN, is maybe not always the best idea for effects-heavy films like these. You sometimes see things that weren't meant to be seen at a granular level -- and going with something that's a generation removed might help that a bit. Yeah , it won't be as sharp but it will be more consistent. The Fifth Element is one of those movies that always I get the upgrade when it becomes available but I haven't sprung for the 4K, yet. The US version is problematic with obvious sharpening and artificially boosted colors compared to the UK StudioCanal version (which is what you have) -- so I may have to import this one at some point.
I suspect there may have been digital sharpening on this Studio Canal transfer too Tom but it's only really noticeable in the CGI sequences. Overall it's a great transfer and the colours are beautiful, even if they are a little more vibrant than the 35mm print. HDR seems to cause problems on some discs and this is one of them. I turned the setting right down early in the film and it looked best that way but would have been too dark for some of the film so I put it on the 'Light Environment' setting again i.e. one stop down from the top of the four options. John.
I believe you just got 9k subscribers John, that’s unbelievable congratulations! I love these 4K & 35mm comparisons, just shows how lucky we are to live in an era where we can get so close to the real thing. Best Danny
Good to hear from you Danny and hope you're getting on alright with the BenQ projector. Yes, it's almost unbelievable that video in the home has come up to such an amazing standard. I never would have thunk it possible. John.
Wow I'm extremely happy that I've found your channel! your videos are so inviting and comfortable to watch and you provide such well thought-out and useful commentary.
Thank you Tom. If all goes to plan the next review will be the recent 4K release of Speed. Apocalypse Now 4K review is also coming soon and maybe Last Action Hero. John.
Very nice of you to say. I have loved film for most of my life. Take a look at my Super 8 Gauge video and you'll see how it all came about from the age of 2 or 3. John.
Thank you Alex. Pleased you like what I'm doing. There's quite an archive of videos up there now so maybe they'll keep you going until I get the next one done which looks like it will be the 4K of Apocalypse Now which I've just ordered as so many subscribers have asked me to review it. John.
Loving the channel. Brings back memories of my personal "golden age" of cinema-going (1994-99). As a uni student (and then a recent graduate), a group of us would regularly catch a film at Leicester Square every Wednesday afternoon. Tickets on a Wednesday were actually cheap back then as well!
If you were at the London University then that was the other side of the square from us. We spent a lot of time in Leicester Square during that same period as you. I think 1994 was the year we went to the movies the most. Great times. John.
Another great video John. I’ve noticed the slightly “fuzzy” picture on opening credits of other films, Forrest Gump comes to mind. But as soon as the credits are over the film becomes wonderfully sharp. I’ve always thought it was a compositing issue, but it’s nice to have it confirmed by someone with some technical knowledge, which I certainly don’t have! Looking forward to the next video.
Yes, it's two images being merged together through a multiplexer (the live action shot and the shot of the titles) while being filmed by a camera. Hence the increase in film grain and the degradation in overall quality. John.
I immediately subscribed to your channel once I saw this video suggested this very moment. I am someone who loves film and lament the phasing out of film projectors in favour of digital projectors. There's something about film that feels magic. I also prefer movies shot on film, but sadly most movie directors have switched to digital cameras. I doubt you'll bother replying but this is a great channel.
I hope I've replied to every comment so far and will continue to try to do so. You and I have the same appreciation and love of the movies so hopefully there are a lot more of us out there and that will help real film to survive. Right now I think 70mm should be encouraged across the world to entice patrons back into cinemas. A 70mm festival across the West End of London and the BFI NFT and Waterloo IMAX could bring in visitors from all over the world if it was handled right. With 'Death on the Nile' due out in 70mm in October that would be the time to do it. Not much chance I suppose. John.
I agree with others here, that the generosity in sharing this is so appreciated. A lot of time, effort and love goes into all your videos, and I find them entertaining and fascinating. Thank you
Brilliant and insightful review! Thanks so much for reviewing this one, I found some of the grain distracting and I appreciate you explaining the Egypt scenes, I didn't realise it was the overlay. I was also thinking the sharpness and HDR of the 4k might be detecting from the image so it was good to hear you comment on this. I'll be rewatching it tonight!
I wouldn't mind re-watching it myself Matthew. A good excuse to play with the 35mm perhaps. But the 4K is great even if I prefer the look of the film print. No surprise there really - I love the look of film as it's simply more natural. John.
He was also in both 48 Hours films as Jack Cates's (Nick Nolte) police detective partner. A great character actor whom I think sadly died in his fifties but I hope I'm wrong. John.
As always, right on the button , clear, concise and that element of technicality involved with different formats, just brilliant. Note I got Element in there. Mark
Love hearing your views and thoughts along with the technical aspects. And they showed this film here on the SBS channel in Australia, five times in a row on the 5th May. I still enjoy watching it.
Movie Collector: I'm watching my own 35mm print for comparison, here is my detailed analysis... All other reviewers: deletes their own post, apologizes for inadequacy, turns of lights, goes home. ...Amazing work MC. Can't wait to watch your other reviews on so many top tier films I see you've covered.
Thank you Cory. And hopefully another good fun film reviewed later today if all goes to plan. This one will be the 4K of Speed and although it's not the best 4K we'll see, it is just like a 35mm print again. John.
A favorite SCI-FI classic of mine. While Orange was a dominate color... Milla didn’t find it funny when her hair was badly damaged by the constant application of dye. A wig was mostly used during the filming. Thanks John! And what a treasure you have! I’m sure your closets are full of great finds. Now I got to figure out why my speaker keeps popping! 🤣 -Lyle
I didn't know that it affected Milla's hair Lyle. Terrible. But she wasn't damaged long term and was still beautiful after so all was well in the end. John.
I've noticed this film grain/digital noise issue on several films, most noticeably in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I saw it many times as a kid and only remember a few shots (the run up the side of Devils Tower with the helicopters in pursuit, and some of the closeup composite shots of the mother ship) with grain during the 35mm screening. The 4K UHD was just full of this "grain." When I watch it again I'll turn off the HDR to see if that improves the image.
See if you have the facility to turn the HDR down Dan because I watched Close Encounters on the next setting down from the top and it looked fairly perfect to me. John.
Hi John From a very young age I have always been fascinated the art of film.Your expertise is a fascinating insight to something I love very much. Thank you sir.
My love and fascination of the moving image has been with me from a very young age. I still think it is simply magic. Thank you for your kind words Koko - much appreciated. John.
It always warms my heart when I see true love for cinema. Thanks for sharing your experience. Since the releases of Lawrence of Arabia and Spartacus I really learned to appreciate good 4k transfers. In Germany only a 2017 4k release of Fifth element is available ( which seems to be inferior) - so I guess I need to order in the Uk (again, after The 10 commandments, which also is not released here in Germany). Lots of success with your channel!
Lawrence of Arabia is 65mm and Spartacus is Super Technirama so that is why they look so good. It's not so much to do with a good transfer as having a good starting point with large format film. But with regard to The Fifth Element I've just been told that the Sony 2017 transfer may actually better. I think both of them will be very good so it may be just as well to purchase the one available in Germany. Thank you for your kind comment. Oh, and The Ten Commandments of course was VistaVision and Technicolor so that explains that one too. John.
Just saw your “2001” review, which I have missed so far and there you explain the relevance of the source material ver well. Thanks. ( of course 2001 in 4k is also in my collection)
Great review! When I first saw this movie I was unsure of how much I liked it. Apparently I like it a lot as i got waves of nostalgia during this review!
I was surprised by how much I liked it in 1997. I think I put off seeing it for a few weeks too because my ticket is dated three or four weeks after it opened. And that was unusual for me back then. John.
Another great video. The Fifth Element is a movie that I confess I did not appreciate much the first time I saw it. I was expecting a serious science fiction film; and I was jarred by all the campiness and humor. That has changed over time and repeated viewings; and now I enjoy it very much.
By contrast, I don't think I fancied seeing the film initially Henri because of the campiness. But what a surprise to really like it from that first viewing at The Empire. Funny how things work out. John.
Morning John. After watching your review I've ordered the disc it should be here today. It's a film that had passed me by, I never got round to watching it until now. Looking forward to seeing it especially on this 4K disc.
And I jolly well you hope you thoroughly enjoy it and get a good laugh to boot! Please let me know what you think. I'll keep my fingers crossed it goes down well. John.
@@moviecollector5920 afternoon John. I've watched The Fifth Element on 4K, great film I really enjoyed it, got to agree with you it is "colourful", very imaginative. As well as Blade Runner it reminded me of Brazil. It's a great looking and sounding disc. I don't know why I didn't see it before now thanks for giving me a nudge. Cinema Paradiso next I suppose! The 4K disc was £19.99 when I looked a few days ago after watching your last video.
@@stevenandnicola123 I knew the cost of Cinema Paradiso would come down as soon as I capitulated and paid the £25. I could have put money on that. I'm glad to learn you like The Fifth Element. I suspect that one is in my top ten favourite science fiction films of all time. Apparently Luc Besson's Valerian has the same look so guess what I purchased today?
Another fantastic review, I have this film on DVD but haven't got to finish watching it all the way through everytime I sit down to watch it I get interrupted I must rectify that and maybe pick up the 4k at some point once I have seen it. Great video 👍
There is so much to like about this film Matt that I suggest if you like what you have seen of it so far, the 4K is going to be so much better that at only around £15 it's got to be worth the investment. John.
This The Fifth Element movie review was indeed a pleasant surprise! Luc Besson's vision of the future is an eye candy.Another great upload from THE GURU! Thank you and Have a Great Weekend John and Happy Mother's Day to your wife. Keep the good thing coming!
Thank you Noel and good to hear from you again. We're decorating the house right now - long overdue. So we'll try to ensure we get the kettle on regularly so we can enjoy a nice cup of tea and thereby try to enjoy the weekend as much as possible. I've re-done the cinema but you'll be pleased to know it's the same dark red colour. Actually, it's been that very colour for almost 20 years now - a British Museum paint that we picked up when we lived almost next door back then. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Sounds like FUN! I hope that you'll make an Upload of your New Cinema Paradiso. You are the Best!!! Cheers to you and to your wife
Enjoyed your video very much, keep up the good work because these videos are informative & helps to see just how good 4k can be compared to the original 35mm format.
Thank you for saying so because that's rather why I finally got around to starting the channel. I couldn't see any other real (reel) film enthusiast doing anything like it. John.
Awesome channel, awesome home theater. I collect blu rays and have a small home theater myself so I’ll definitely be following your channel from here on out!
Great review and happy one year anniversary. The Fifth Element doesn’t seem to be much inspired by previous films but is heavily indebted to the comic book series Valerian, which Benson later adapted. The illustrator of that comic was a concept artist on this film, which does a great job of adapting his style. Compare the flying car sequence to the cover of the Valerian comic The Circles of Power, for example. PS. Any chance of seeing more of the 35mm print being projected? I used to be a projectionist and I’m fascinated at the idea of 35mm films being shown in domestic settings.
I've only just been told that the Valerian film was a Luc Besson so I think I'll be getting that soon. It makes perfect sense that the style of 5th Element came from a comic now that you mention it and what a great job they made of adapting it. As for running the 35mm print of the film, I've actually pushed things a little far with what I've shown as there are strict copyright warnings for such things. I think because I'm effectively promoting the film no one is going to get too upset but I can't really risk much more than showing the trailer of a film. Being able to run a classic film like this in the home on 35mm is a bit of a dream come true for me. I've had the projector about 20 years now and have never got over the magic of it. It does make appearances in many of my videos - take a look at the Alien review if you didn't see that one. John.
I saw this at the cinema on the recommendation of a good friend. Then I bought it when it was released on vhs, imported the 'superbit' version from Canada in the early days of dvd, bought the blu ray, and now have the 4k version reviewed here. I even had it on laser disk - but my good friend has that now!
I am mightily impressed John by the way that you can see the different visual qualities of sequences and sources! Keep it up Chum! (PS. I saw the film at Empire Leicester Square too and I love the way that Besson likes to use "ordinary" or even "ugly" faces!)
Thank you Keith. I too like Luc Besson's use of slightly less than beautiful people. I guess you and I will never appear in one of his films then! With regard to seeing differing visual qualities as a film goes through, this all goes back to my Super 8 film reviews I was doing until a few years ago for Film for The Collector magazine/fanzine. I have a ten foot wide screen in the living room and the bigger the screen, the easier it was to spot the differences. Even though our little home cinema is not quite so big it seems the screen is still big enough to make the differences obvious. John.
Another great view on a 4K disc from Movie Collector. Even if the movie reviewed is not one of your favourite films, there's always something new to learn. Two thumbs up :-)
Thank you Jesper. I didn't expect to like The Fifth Element when I first saw it but it was a real surprise and probably helped by the premiere print they had at The Empire. I've never forgotten how it looked so I never wanted to see it on video (that's why I snapped up the 35mm feature when I saw it being sold off) but this 4K is almost as good. Amazing what is possible with video these days. John.
Another great review John. Ive been putting of buying the Fifth Element until now! I'm determined, as with any collector of movies, to have the best quality version available, however with 4K I have an ongoing battle between film grain and video noise (as you experienced in this review). Bridge on the river Kwai is a classic example of severe "noise" rather than film grain, I made this watchable by applying a digital noise filter. I felt the standard Blu ray transfer was better in this case.
I suspect a digital sharpen has been applied to 5th Element Martin which has made film grain look coarse on the CGI sequences but I may be wrong. It is still a great 4K disc it's just not quite as good as 35mm which has a more natural look and less grain. There should be more visible grain on the 35mm print as it came from the internegative so that is why I reckon the 4K video transfer has had 'Sharpen' applied to it. John.
Good to have you here Jesus. Hopefully I have made most of the individual 4K reviews interesting by talking about other things besides the 4K disc on its own. Usually the image quality on a disc comes down to how it looked on film when originally shot but not everyone understands that. Anything shot 70mm or other large film formats tend to be the best quality 4K releases but a few movies shot on video have come close lately. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I’m just starting my collection of 4k movies and I wanted to start with this one (along with Blade Runner 1 and 2). Knowing about the technical differences between film formats is pretty interesting though i wont be able to get my hands on a projector so I’ll just stick to 4k blurays for now :D
@@DeltaOTB If you find you really start to enjoy 4K collecting Jesus, aim for a video projector in the future as it's almost like having film projection quality in the home. And projection is cinema as well as being far more interesting than watching on a television. You don't need a dedicated room and if you have a wall to project onto then all you need is some white emulsion paint for the screen. John.
Superb review as always, lots of interesting information. I haven't seen this movie for some time, so this 4k release might be worth a purchase. Many thanks for the review.
This little review seemed to interest a lot of people who have been curious about 35mm and 4K. I didn't say it on camera but I now feel fairly sure some digital sharpening was applied to the 4K of The Fifth Element. It doesn't really spoil it, it just explains why the 4K is sharper than the film print and why the film print has a more natural [and nicer] look to it. It is still an excellent 4K disc. John.
Blu-ray is plenty good enough Chaddy but just sometimes something special comes along on 4K. Perhaps on those occasions it might be worth getting the 4K pack if it comes with the Blu-ray disc too so you're future proofed. John.
Just the info I was looking for about the 4K version. I already bought the 4K but enjoyed this 'review' of it anyway. Thanks for all the effort you put in.
I was searching for a Chanel like yours, for me is very important and informative this kind of videos, because I’m about to start my 4K collections of movies; whit your videos I learn which movies have the best transfer to 4K. Thanks!!! ☺️
Thank you for saying so. We've just spent this evening watching the Arrow Films 4K of Cinema Paradiso so I feel another review video coming on. It's not the best 4K ever but it's pretty darned good... and perfect fare for a cinema enthusiast. John.
@@moviecollector5920 sounds great! One of my favorite movie, Cinema Paradiso; here in Mexico still don’t edit the 4K for the movie. I’ll wait for your review! 😀
I own the Us 4k version with two discs. One disc has exclusive special features on it, all in 4k! ; The visual element, the star element, the digital element, the alien element, the fashion element, fact track, the diva, and Imaging The Fifth Element. Very happy to own this 4k imported version since it's one of my favorite movies. Nice review like always! Keep up the good work sir!..
@@moviecollector5920 I wish you would get it because I would like you to compare the two versions. The US Sony version has a different look to the colors compared to the UK Studio Canal. I would like to know which comes closer to the film print. Great video 👍🏻
@@bubbafett7326 My opinion is that the Studio Canal version has had a digital sharpen applied which is why it's so sharp and has increased/exacerbated film grain. I expect it's from the same transfer as the Sony release and simply a new interpretation from the colourist/video editor at Studio Canal. After all, the studio isn't likely to release an irreplaceable original negative of an important film to anyone else. I'm happy to be proved wrong though. John.
@@moviecollector5920 thank you for your reply back John. I think you are probably right. I have only been able to compare the two using caps-a-holic, but I tend to like the colors of the Sony better and it doesn’t look as bright. I don’t have both versions but I do have the Sony that I still haven’t watched. I need to do that soon. I love this movie so much. I just discovered your videos and I am really impressed with your knowledge. Looking forward to watching more of them.
Wow, one of my all time top 10 favorites from the best home media reviewer! 📽 I've loved The Fifth Element since my theater viewings in '97, and I've also kept the tickets (AMC Century City in LA), went at least 4 times. Since then I've bought about 15 different editions, first all the French, German, Spanish and other releases for varying extra materials, while the US ones were practically barebones. Lately just for the packaging, 4 or 5 different steelbooks, a digibook, and a great Korean boxset from KimchiDVD with postcards, booklet, and different slipcases. Anyway, for the number of editions in my collection only Blade Runner can claim more space. Now you've done video reviews for both of them, thank you! P.S. Cannot miss an opportunity to recommend another favorite from the 90's, one you've maybe seen, but which never got a decent release anywhere, besides Germany - James Cameron written and Bigelow directed Strange Days.
I keep saying that we must buy a copy of Strange Days so you've now convince me. Now then Lenny, you are missing the LaserDisc of The Fifth Element and something else too... er, let me think - oh yes, a 35mm print!!! John.
@@moviecollector5920 Great, I don't think there will be a 4K release anytime soon, so a 'regular' BD will have to do. Yes, yes, heh, I've sold my LD player and a few laserdiscs I had acquired at an early DVD era, when some films weren't available yet on DVD, but I do like their art and packaging. And always thought film is better, but couldn't get a proper home theater like yours! 👍
Oh, forgot to mention - people in the US always wrongly pronounce Jovovich's last name, saying "Dzhovoveech", you've tried the Hispanic way of reading "J" as "H", but it's just "Yo", Yovoveech.
Thanks again for a great video John! We are fortunate that we now have 4K UHD format on disc. I haven't watched 35 mm for a long time, but always loved the tape/analog format. Question: Do you find that 35mm gives a better sense of depth/3 dimensionality to the movie experience than a pure digitally shot movie? This is one of my favorite films as well, particularly enjoyed Gary Oldman in this one.
Oh yes, film gives a much more natural looking image than video. Films transferred to video- assuming they were good to start with - almost always look more realistic than a film shot on video. Le Mans '66 is probably the best example of a film shot on video that I can think of but 35mm film almost always gives better results. John.
Sir, I recently found your channel. Your thoughts and information in regards to a true cinema experience are inspiring. I am a long term physical media collector with what I thought was a respectable collection (approximately 3100). I am subscribed and greatly appreciate your efforts. Thank you from Minnesota, U.S.A.
Greetings from Cornwall in England Thomas. You certainly do have a respectable collection there. I've only ever had a short break between flights in Minnesota but took the opportunity to get into downtown Minneapolis whereupon I got a few shots on my trusty Super 8 camera. That was 1993 in January and the coldest place I've ever known! Bloody freeeeeezing! John.
I will never forget the print I saw at The Empire which was extra special. I've been trying to re-create the look of that spectacular showing in the home ever since but even the 35mm print doesn't quite reach those dizzying heights I saw at The Empire. Thank you for watching and commenting on so many videos! John.
One of my absolute favorite films from the 90s (along with The Matrix), and on the first viewing of this with a relative, the projector malfunctioned right at the very end when a certain "puzzle" takes place and they could not fix it at that time, and gave us all tickets to see it again. So we went back a few days later and watched the entire film just to see the last ten or so minutes. I've also bought this on DVD, Blu-Ray, and a few months ago 4K finally.
Well you're going to have to get it on 35mm too now! I haven't had a film break down at a cinema since the 1970s so that must have been a rare occurrence in 1997. However, a few years later apparently the new 2K (crap!) video projectors were unreliable so the Odeon Leicester Square had a film print running in synch ready to switch over if the worst happened. Must have been confusing for the audience if it did happen to suddenly get great picture quality on the screen. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Until recently, I didn't even know that there are actually two different 4K releases. I just assumed your cover was a UK specific cover, but it's not. Sony released their transfer, and StudioCanal released theirs, and the one you have is actually the better transfer of the two. Not only does it have Dolby Vision (if your TV or Projector was only able to play in HDR10, you might give the film another go with a Dolby Vision capable TV). The StudioCanal version without a doubt looks way, way better than the Sony one. If the noise found on your disc bothered you, the Sony disc would drive you crazy with its oversharpening.
This is an awesome video! I've seen this movie so many times and yet I've never made the connection of how the cross eyed cat fits in with the rest of the cast! I grew up watching 5th Element on VHS over and over and over. I may have seen it in theaters once. I would love to watch this on 35mm! Your videos give me a little catharsis in that regard. Thank you for another great video. I'm working my way through your back catalog.
Sounds to me like you need to get a 35mm projector in your life and a few films. There really isn't anything else quite like it but Super 8 gives a good representation of 'reel' home cinema in miniature so maybe that's the next step. Having said that, Super 8 prints seem to be more valuable than a lot of 35mm prints these days. John.
Another superb review John ,!I really enjoy your style of reviews , loved the fact that you still have your original cinema ticket for the film . I’ve been considering adding the fifth element to my collection and now you’ve convinced me to make a purchase, wish I had the 35 mill though . Looking forwardi to your next review 👍
We went to the cinema so often in the 1990s that I started collecting all our tickets and kept them in a little album. Back then the tickets were worth keeping though but these days they're a piece of paper with nothing much to denote what they're for and generally ripped in half. Fifth Element on 4K is fabulous. I may have said it's not as good as the 35mm but it's still bloody excellent! John.
I find I'm learning too Bob because making these videos has forced me to think about how the films have been mastered and why they may look good or not so good. This one is good... but not so good as the 35mm and I think that is because the concentration was on clarity rather than colour and contrast. It's still excellent, it's just the 35mm is better. John.
Good review John, I got a copy a few weeks ago was very impressed. Don't know if remember before blu-ray, there were a few super bit DVD's. The fifth element was available in that. I think I may have copy.
I only have Vertical Limit in the Superbit series. It's very good but not up to Blu-ray of course. I was so impressed with the cinematic impact of The Fifth Element it was another film I didn't want to see on anything but film. Video has improved beyond any expectations now but back then in 1997 there was LaserDisc and the possibility of a DVD if it ever got going as a format... which it did of course. John.
@@stephenmanley4097 Superbit was a great idea that I've ripped off myself on occasion with some of my own releases. I have settings in my DVD mastering programme for my own releases that I've titled 'MAXIBIT' where everything is maxed out. It's difficult to make things fit at times though. John.
Wow nice to hear some comparisons between the 4K disc and 35mm. I wonder how the Blu-ray holds up against the 35mm? But you did say the 4K release is excellent despite its flaws. I’d love to see something similar with the Matrix part 1. The only one that exists to me haha!
The Blu-ray is just as good as the 4K in terms of clarity but HDR on the 4K puts in ahead. That's what usually makes the difference between them. No doubt if I had a 30 foot wide screen to compare Blu-rays to 4Ks there's be a more perceptible difference but as it is our tiny home screens are just that compared to a real cinema like the Empire or Odeon Leicester Square - tiny. John.
@@moviecollector5920 ah yes that makes sense. I watch on my 55” 4K Sony Bravia 950g in my living room. Most things look great to be honest. What bothers me most so far is when I see 2k digital effects with a 4K image. ie. Disney. So little to no complaints. Thanks for all you do John!
Another fantastic review John. What other classics have you got on 35mm? Maybe mention some in another video? I managed to catch Once upon a time in Hollywood on 35mm and it looked gorgeous, however I have to settle for optical media at home (but with UHD, I’m not complaining). Keep up the good work.
UHD Blu-ray is unbelievable. I would never in my wildest dreams have ever imagined home video could be so good. It is up there with 35mm a lot of the time but 35mm is such fun to play with and holds an excitement that only real film can provide. I have a few other 35mm features but they do take up an awful lot of room so I can't have too many. John.
Seeing The Fifth Element in the theater was one of my all-time favorite cinema experiences. I was 17, and Bruce Willis was the most exciting actor in Hollywood for me, having just made Die Hard 3, 12 Monkeys, Pulp Fiction, he was walking the tightrope between art and pop perfectly. The Fifth Element was so fresh and new, such a MOVIE movie, such a roller coaster ride where every scene has a crazy new backdrop and characters, and the actors all know how to play it just right for maximum fun, humor, suspense, and melodrama. Willis, Gary Oldman, Milla Jovovich, and Chris Tucker are all absolutely incredible, as is pretty much every actor in every bit part. I am SO jealous of your 35 mm copy.
Well that is such a great summary of the success of this film. You should be writing film articles for magazines Craig. If we ever get the British Film Collectors Conventions resurrected I'll put a reel or two of The Fifth Element on. I suspect the 4K had a digital sharpen applied to it as the film grain is not so prevalent on the print and a 'sharpen' would explain it. I can't be sure though so I just implied it in the video without saying it outright. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thanks for the response, and all these great videos I'm just discovering! The question of film grain on a 35mm print vs a digital file is an interesting one I can't quite wrap my head around. Presumably the purest 4k disc would preserve the grain structure of the original negative more perfectly than any print, which is at best a copy of a copy of a copy of the OCN. But then, since your print is itself made of the same stuff as the OCN, wouldn't it have its own native grain structure as well as a piece of film? All that said, I suspect the way the modern mastering process works for these UHD discs, with the inevitable digital dust and damage cleanup step in the process, they just remove all the grain along with the noise, and then put grain back in digitally to recreate the subtle look of film. I also suspect that much of the benefit of HDR could be replicated by simply turning the color up when watching a blu-ray, but the only time I'm not a skeptical cynic is when I'm being transported by a film like The Fifth Element.
@@craigrussell3062 Now you're making me think. Yes, my 35mm print should have its own grain structure as well as that from the original camera negative. With that in mind the film grain should be more prevalent on the 35mm print than it is on the 4K disc, but it's not. Or at least, that's what I'm seeing with my eyes and that is why I believe the 4K has had a digital sharpen applied which has had the side effect of picking out the edge structure of each piece of film grain. It's a minor quibble though and it doesn't change the fact that this is a great transfer. There is an automated step of removing dirt and neg dust when a scan is made and that is followed up by a human stage to remove anything that may have been missed. Unless a digital noise reduction is applied we should still see the film grain. When a digital sharpen is applied I believe it has the adverse side effect of exacerbating the film grain. I think HDR improves the available colours on video such that it is more film-like. Film probably still has the advantage when it comes to infinite colour but HDR gets video so close it does mean video looks more like film. I set my video projector to be darker than most would have it to make it look like film as closely as possible and when the HDR is right it's almost spot-on. But to summarize, I don't think you could replicate the HDR look on a standard Blu-ray by playing with the colour, brightness and contrast settings. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I'm partly being facetious with my over-the-top claims, but I also imagine that, in actual practice, even that first automated step that removes neg dirt can't help but eliminate a LITTLE of the film grain in the process, even as it leaves behind extra dust and stuff that has to be manually removed - taking away both too much of the various kinds of "noise" and not enough. How could it be otherwise? I certainly concede that your eye is better than mine at discerning a layer of digital sharpening applied in this case as the cause of the stronger grain in this case though. I'm a very small-time collector compared to you (in addition to a decent library of discs, I have a small collection of 16 mm, but not even a 35mm projector), but even from my limited experience, it's obvious that with every remastering or restoration or presentation of any film at all, there are countless choices one makes in search of "authenticity" that could be argued either way. What is authentic? What experience are you trying to replicate, exactly? If it's an original screening in the theater from 1997, then there SHOULD be at least a little dust and grime on the film, as well as visible reel changes with the little marks in the corner to indicate when they're coming. One of the cool things about film on film is that every print is its own unique creature, like a record album that always skips in the same place, adding to the charm. Or if you're trying to replicate the purest and sharpest possible version of the original negative, why not take it a step further and go back and recomposit those special effects elements digitally so you don't have the obvious shift in quality caused by optical printing that you mention in the video. (The blu ray restoration of Star Trek TNG did this, to spectacular results - obviously in most cases the original film elements would not all be there to do this with.) With color (and I'm obviously kidding about being able to replicate HDR by turning a knob), on top of every other question about regrading the negative for a modern transfer, I can only imagine the horror filmmakers must have felt in the 60s and 70s when they realized how much of a problem fading was going to be for long-term preservation. We are so incredibly lucky to be able to bicker over such minor variations in the incredibly high-quality presentations we have available now. I imagine fading wouldn't be an issue on the filmstock/era of your Fifth Element print? Again, thanks so much for taking the time to chat back to me!
@@craigrussell3062 I really don't think the programme that looks for neg dust and dirt will touch the film grain as I just can't see how it would identify anything other than marks on the print. But I don't know this for sure, it's just my old IT brain from a former life thinking about programming. I agree that it would be nice to see the reel change marks in the top right-hand corner (cigarette burns is the slang for those little circles apparently) as well as a few other belmishes but the mass-market wouldn't appreciate them as much as us. And that is the market the creators of the latest 4K products have to cater to. I expect they're having to walk a fine line at times and sometimes we don't agree with what they've done. Fortunately I think you and I appreciate the effort and the quality of what is being produced for us today and we can't believe what we are able to purchase and enjoy for such a relatively small outlay. The quality on these discs would have been worth serious money to film collectors 20, 30 or even more years ago but today it's largely taken for granted. This Last Action Hero 4K is rather impressive. I've got it set up for maximum image quality on my television now and it looks amazing on that little three foot wide screen too. I think the video equivalent of 40 inches is about three feet wide anyway.
Again a great review! I had the chance to watch this gem in the cinema 2 years ago - it was a blast! A movie you have to see on the big screen. (But also really good at home of course haha)
I saw it at The Empire. That's a big screen! Never forgotten the impact it had that night and been trying to reproduce it ever since... and failing. John.
Hi John, yes I know I owe you some files and Luc and I will get them done. Been crazy busy last few days. I’ve owned this film on multiple formats from Laserdisc, dVD and BluRay and even have a Luc Besson homage tattoo on my back (The Big Blue). I’ve never owned a 35mm print - you luck guy. I agree with all your observations related to my 4K disc. It’s a significant upgrade and as I’m not o slumming it with a THX 5.1 🤪 can confirm that the Atmos is another moderate upgrade. Guess what arrived from Amazon while I was watching your video? The 4K Groundhog Day I bought after watching your awesome comedy post. Stay well.
Oh, you chaps are going to have a great time watching - and laughing through - Groundhog Day. Good to hear from you Robert. Don't worry about getting the files to me as whenever will be fine. I'll just work them into the video I'm preparing at the time. John.
@@moviecollector5920 hi John, I have always found Groundhog Day to be more sweet and charming than laugh out loud than funny. I just checked my database and realized that it's 12 years since I last watched. Sheesh, I'm getting old fast! The rewatch is looming. BTW, the cover art on your Fifth Element is so much better than ours in the US.
@@Celestialrob I think you may find Groundhog Day more of a laugh out loud now Robert. I seem to laugh at it more now than I ever did and that's possibly because I know it so well that I'm expected the lines, the looks and the gags. Apparently the Sony 4K release of 5th Element comes with extras. I was rather disappointed there was no 'Making of' featurette on our version over here so despite the artwork being fabulous it's quite likely the US release is better. John.
Next best thing it is then as I dont have 35mm anything. I just watched this very disc and considering it's age, thought it was very good. Got san andreas on bluray for £2 and it was excellent with the upscaling on my player panasonic ub820. Thanks for another excellent review!!
Yes, sorry about that little tongue-in-cheek comment at the end but I couldn't help myself. The 35mm print took about 8 weeks to arrive after ordering. I think it went via Timbuctoo! John.
One of my favourite movies too. It is just a treat with hilarious costymes and characters. It also contains still one of the largest indoor explosions for movies. Gary Oldman and Bruce Willis is perfect in this one... and Milla Jovovich.... and Ian Holm... and...well enybody really😊
@@moviecollector5920 Yeah, if they enjoyed making this movie as much as we enjoyed watching it then they had one hell of a time😁 There is simply nothing like this movie. It is unique in so many ways.
@@mortenovejohnsen9081 Some people have left comments to say Luc Besson's Valerian has a fairly similar look in parts so I plan to get the 4K of that. I did go to order it from HMV the other day in their two for £30 deal but it was sold out, which migh tell me somethng. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Valerian and the city of thousand planets is very similiar but not as fun as the Fifth Element but still very enjoyable. It is an explosion of colours and costumes. It is simply a beautiful movie.
I saw it in '97 at Leicester Square too. Two guys in the audience cheered when they saw Jean Paul Gaultier's name in the credits. The rest of the audience mockingly cheered when other names appeared. The film's look and colours blew me away back then.
Be funny if we worked out that we were there in The Empire at the same time Owen. The film has never looked quite as good again but The Empire must have had a premiere print which were always better. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I was thinking that maybe you were there at the same time too John! I can't remember the exact time and date. The sound quality was amazing and the image as well. I agree the film was surreal and the cat as well! The audience watching the film were good fun. Something you don't normally get at your local cinema. At times some films at the cinema look awful compared to watching at home on DVD but the 5th Element was perfect.
Interestingly Blade runner and Alien Director Ridley Scott were inspired by Mobius (you can see it in Scott's own accomplished drawings) who co-authored "the Incal" ( with Jodorowski) and would work on Alien and Fifth Element. Everything is interconnected so beautifully.
Alien, Blade Runner and The Fifth Element are all such beautiful films to look at. The editing in particular in 5th Element works so well and 'interconnects' everyone and everything from one scene to the next. Can't quite remember another film quite like it. John.
@@ZigUncut Thanks Zig. Films like 5th Element don't appear very often so to make something that is half as good is still going to be an enjoyable view. At least I'll lower my expectations now you've told me which should mean I enjoy it even more than I would have. John.
I always thought of this movie as a blockbuster. A masterpiece. A breath of fresh air. A sci-fi cult classic. I can't handle when people say it's a flop or a weird movie that doesn't take itself seriously.
It's a highly regarded film today. When it was at cinemas in 1997 I think all my work colleagues saw it and all loved it. I don't think we should ever take any notice of critics and if they mullered The Fifth Element then that confirms they don't know what they're talking about. John.
Hi, not exactly on-topic but do you happen to have an original projection print of Back to the Future, from its original 1985 release? If not do you know how you might be able to obtain one?
I don't have a copy but prints of that will be squirrelled away by collectors around the world and eventually one will come up for sale. I fear it will be hellish expensive now as all the most sought after titles are but it will come up sometime. It's a question of finding groups on Facebook etc. and also the 35mm Forum if it's still going. I haven't been on the forum for years as I ran out of space but I got a most of my prints on there and shipped them in from across the world. Great fun! John.
I would love to find Speed Zone (third Cannonball Run movie) on film. It only ever came on VHS and LaserDisc. Never went to DVD and I doubt it will go to Blu-ray. I don't even believe it's been digitized for streaming. Was the material lost, or they just don't want to do it?
I don't think I ever even saw it. However, if it was a post 1982 film then it will have been printed on low fade film stock so decent 35mmcopies will be out there in the world somewhere. There will probably even be surviving 16mm copies. John.
If I buy this on a 4K disc, it will be the 4th format I’ve owned this movie in. I still remember it being marketed as the “Star Wars of the 90’s”. Little did they know.. haha.
Thank you very much. I hope you'll take a look at some other that I've done - the Alien review looks at the 35mm equivalent as well as all sorts of other gauges and formats so I think you'll like that one and quite a few others. John.
I really like this cut of the film but my original experience was VHS. My main issue with this is the audio. On the VHS and the 4K there seems to be clipping during the Shootout in the 3rd act. Audio seems to cut out. And Bruce Willis doesn't even seem to be wearing a mic in an earlier scene. Looking forward to your Speed 4K show. I have an HMV preorder.
It could be the Dolby Stereo on the VHS covered some of the inadequacies whereas the Dolby Digital tracks were never quite so forgiving. But I didn't notice a problem. Perhaps I was just enjoying the fun of the film too much this time around. John.
Does the 4K have the scene restored where Corbin is asking the deaf artist for the gun in front of him and the deaf guy rolls billiards balls toward him? The DVD and Blu-ray both have the clipped scene where the gun is not visible in the shot.
I don't recall now Bob but I can confirm that scene exists on the 35mm print. I actually ran a bit of the 35mm a few days ago. Great fun and a great film. I'll have to take another look at that sequence on the 4K though. Surely it's got to be there. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I hope that we can enjoy The Thing, Aliens and The Frighteners sometimes soon. These are my most anticipated 4K releases since Indiana Jones is already being scheduled for June. For now I would love to see your thoughts on Apocalypse Now, Back to the Future or Shining.
I've never seen it as I've only ever seen the film on 35mm prior to this 4K disc. The cameraman usually has guidelines down the viewfinder (and these days, on the monitors) if the intention is to release multiple aspect ratios of a film so it should be fine. However it looks though, you can't beat the full 'Scope frame for that immersive experience when the masking is motored back into its widest position. Magic! John.
Great review. Your knowledge and enthusiasm is remarkable. I thought I was a film fan! Where AND how the heck do you get hold of the actual film prints?? You mentioned ‘in California’….some sought of auction? 🤠👍 Your collection is truly amazing. Thats a wrap!
Greetings Anders and welcome to this channel filled with enthusiastic film aficionados. I used to keep a look out for the 35mm prints on the 35mm Forum but I expect Facebook has killed that by now. The problem with 35mm is that a single feature film takes up so much space and is darned heavy so I had to stop looking as so many offers from fellow collectors on the forum were too irresistible. But I did get a few wonderful titles and they've all just moved house with us. That was a bit of a worry, I can tell you. Sod all the discs, I was getting stressed over all the films because they would be almost impossible to replace now and they're so valuable that I'd have had to have taken out a mortgage to get them all insured. John.
Without all the negativity for just about every film I hope. I liked Barry Norman's film programmes but he didn't always find anything particularly positive to say about a lot of movies. John.
@@moviecollector5920 That's very true. He took the critic part of his job quite seriously 😆 Your videos are much more positive. Keep up the great work. Love your videos.
Ho ho. It has been rather good fun. Never expected to become quite so popular though. Makes me wonder where it's all heading... towards a 4K review of Apocalypse Now I think! John.
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This channel is a rare jewel.
Thank you Stefan. John.
As soon as I see movie collector has a new video out, I watch it immediately. My current favorite TH-cam channel.
Maybe I'll get to review The Thing in 4K sometime this year which I think we'll both enjoy. John.
@@moviecollector5920 has The Thing been confirmed for 4K? It's my most anticipated release!
i too diligently wait all week for movie collectors content. GREAT CHANNEL awesome cine collection. im getting a 35mm projector in a month...and i'm very interested in learning how to appreciate the miniscule and overall qualities of high grade film and high grade digital video. also a super 8 and 16mm fan. started off on super 8 in 1987 aged 12. keep going! fun and informative.
@@DodgyDan4 I don't really know Dan but there's so much chatter about it that it's bound to happen eventually - and hopefully this year so I can enjoy it all over again. John.
Have to agree with ya!
I remember seeing this film in the theaters and thinking it okay until the opera scene-then I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The blue vs. orange color schemes, the opera vs. the rock opera music just transported me to another place. I loved it and have purchased the DVD, the blu-ray and the 4k.
It's that opera scene (Covent Garden Royal Opera House I think - beautiful) with the planet behind that impacted me the most. It's never looked as good again as it did that night in The Empire but that is one of the main reasons why I want to get some upgrades made to my 35mm to see if I can get closer to that experience. John.
One of my favourite cinema experiences of all time, mainly due to a rather large, jovial gentleman who sat in the front row, right in the middle, who roared with stunningly loud laughter at even the mildest of fun moments. This in turn caused everybody else in the screening to start laughing hysterically a second later. I've seldom had so much fun in a public setting.
I still laugh out loud at it to this day. I think it's a more special film than it's ever really been given credit for. It's a riot from start to finish. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Just such a great ensemble cast too. Willis in his prime, Jovovich did a solid job with the part, Oldman, Holm and a stellar supporting line up even the small roles
@@liquidtmd27 Even that bloody cat is good!
@@moviecollector5920 How old are you ? just curious I am 28 and love collecting movies
@@michaelhawkins7389 56 going on 21. I don't mind getting old, I just don't ever want to grow up. John.
Your reviews are always a treat. And as a movie collector, your film perspective gives a bit of something extra.
Thank you Dan. I'm sure I bore the pants off some people but you can't please 'em all. John.
The Fifth Element is on of my favorite 90s movies and it's really fun to watch this sci-fi adventure. It's a classic I never get tired of :) I might watch it this weekend.
How about a double-bill with Blade Runner? John.
Your technical knowledge is extraordinary, and thank you for so generously sharing it.This channel is unique and a haven for lovers of cinema. Another brilliant review!. Michael - SA
Nice to hear from you again Michael. You might have gathered from this video that I'm a bit of a fan of The Fifth Element. I thought it a real surprise in 1997 and couldn't believe how much I enjoyed it. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I fully concur, it was the surprise film of the year, exploding with colour and brilliant ideas that will endear it to all it's many fans!. Such a pity his "Valerian and the city of a Thousand Planets" was met with such hostility. I've not seen it (but want to!), who knows, perhaps a sleeper cult film waiting to be reassessed?.
@@thelookuplookdown I didn't know that was a Luc Besson and hadn't seen it either. So that's now gone on the list! John.
You've not given it a chance? Oh really?
Movie Collector is the channel I’ve been imagining should exist, and now I’ve found it! Someone who saw these films like I did, remembers where we saw them, and can now finally relive them in 4K UHD in a home theater. Thank you for putting in the work and the love!
Well Jamil, what you have said was the basis for me finally starting the channel. I never had the time before but Covid-19 rendered all our business obsolete here so I thought, what the hell, let's see if there a real interest in 'reel' film out there. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Well I absolutely appreciate your passion and context. But it’s more than that, you focus on facts and details, and get to the point. Far too many YT videos are pure opinion and drawn out, which just aren’t respectful of my time and interests. I don’t know if you read Bill Hunt’s website thedigitalbits.com, but he’s a kindred spirit, maybe slightly younger, but has a deep appreciation of real film, does his research, and connects to the spirit of a rapidly disappearing age.
@@JamilMoledina Well Bill Hunt looks like he's right up my street. I've just opened up his web site and have saved it into bookmarks so I'll take a good poke around in there soon. Thank you for putting me onto him.
Cinema Paradiso 4K has just arrived today so I think we'll be watching that tonight. If I think it's a really good release then I might see if I can do a review with the aim of getting it up there on Friday evening as that will be my Movie Collector channel one year anniversary. The plan was for Apocalypse Now 4K next but I've got another couple of chaps looking to do alternative reviews so I'll have to coordinate that one a bit more.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 You’re very welcome! He’s also very approachable, feel free to mention me if you ping him, although I imagine he has tons of readers who engage with him too. Cinema Paradiso is a perfect next video, I’ve been very curious to see some trusted commentary on that. That’s a film I’ve always loved, fingers crossed it’s a lavish transfer. Maybe we’ll get a Life is Beautiful 4K as well if we all vote with our dollars and pounds! By the way do you have a Twitter account we can follow?
Having just bought an OLED and therefore being finally able to enjoy HDR content properly (my old LED set could do HDR but the image was incredibly dim), I discovered your channel when researching key 4K UHD discs to have in my collection and I’m hooked.
Your enthusiasm not only to the technology but to cinema as a whole is infectious. Roll on future uploads!
Good to have you here John. Your next step will have to be a dedicated room with a 4K video projector! But in the meantime, the best disc through my current video projector is TENET so if you haven't got that one, give that one a whirl. If you haven't seen it you won't stand a chance of deciphering it all in one viewing but that's half the attraction of that film. John.
Great review as always! As far as I know, this movie, like many other 2.39-ish : 1 movies during the mid to late 1990s, was shot on Super 35 mostly to facilitate the computer generated effects. I think that a film print "glues" together the final product, a mix of camera footage and effects composites. 4K releases are still relatively new, so I guess in the near future there will be software emulations, such as LUTs, to smooth out any jarring differences. Let's see what the future brings.
That 35mm print is such a treasure and definitely in the best hands.
I think you've nailed it there - Super 35 is to make the computer artists work easier. By the time of this film the film stocks from Kodak were so fine grained they were probably better than full frame 35mm from 20 years before and that is why this one still looks so good. Video has come so far in recent years so assuming that progress continuest I'm sure the expertise in film to video mastering will get even better. John.
@@moviecollector5920 My interpretation has always been that the 4K reveals the comparably low resolution and dynamic range of old CGI while the film prints are generally so soft that the difference isn't as obvious. That would also explain the less visible film grain. But from your video I get the impression that grading is the problem? Another film where CGI sticks out like a sore thumb is Forrest Gump.
@@bened22 35mm prints are not soft but they are more natural to look at than a 4K video. In this particular instance I think 5th Element may have had a digital sharpening tool applied to it and that has wrecked the computer generated special effects shots. But on top of that, it does appear to have come from the original camera negative and just like the 1989 'Batman' this means all the grading has to be done from scratch and it isn't as good as the grading on the 35mm. That's why I think a 4K transfer of the internegative may have proven to have been better because all the grading has been worked out and applied to the internegative. That is what the 35mm prints are struck from. John.
I love your channel so much, sir. I look forward to every single video.
Thank you Mark. Nice to know you're enjoying the videos. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I have to agree with other comments this is a such a great channel I could listen to your voice all day. Thank you again .
@@joeelse8724 Very kind of you to say so Joe. John.
One my personal favourite films, and the first 4k film I purchased, albeit as a digital download. Initially I was confused by what looks like artificial noise, but as you rightly point out the film settles after the opening scene in Egypt. My set-up is pretty meagre compared to yours, but the detail revealed to me in 4k is quite stunning, and I really appreciate that 'alive' film grain structure which I associate from cinema at that time. It just looks right to me. As for the film, I don't think there's anything quite like it. I enjoy the colourful, bubblegum hyper-90s look that Luc Besson gave us and the soundtrack stands out as something a little different, too. I was very much looking forward to his other space based movie - Valerian and the City of Thousand Planets, but I felt it was a bit of a misfire, although visually stunning. Thanks again for another great video.
I will never forget seeing this film at The Empire morroch. It was quite simply different. I didn't expect to like it and I suppose I was right because I loved it! I suspect a digital sharpening tool has been applied to this 4K transfer but it doesn't really adversely affect it, I just feel the 35mm more natural looking image has an immediate, perceptible improvement. And that is why I said that perhaps it would have been better to have scanned the internegative because that already has all the colour grading applied. It also wouldn't have been quite so sharp which I feel would have helped this film. It's still a great 4K disc though so none of this really matters. John.
I remember seeing this movie when I was 10 and I was blown away. Chris Tucker makes me laugh every time
Chris Tucker is hysterical. Usually I don't like campy performances but he just nailed it. The colours, the action, the special effects, the soundtrack - perfect! John.
Another great video, and man oh man I'd love to see that 35mm print in its entirety. The inconsistency you point out is maybe something for another discussion. Using the OCN, is maybe not always the best idea for effects-heavy films like these. You sometimes see things that weren't meant to be seen at a granular level -- and going with something that's a generation removed might help that a bit. Yeah , it won't be as sharp but it will be more consistent. The Fifth Element is one of those movies that always I get the upgrade when it becomes available but I haven't sprung for the 4K, yet. The US version is problematic with obvious sharpening and artificially boosted colors compared to the UK StudioCanal version (which is what you have) -- so I may have to import this one at some point.
I suspect there may have been digital sharpening on this Studio Canal transfer too Tom but it's only really noticeable in the CGI sequences. Overall it's a great transfer and the colours are beautiful, even if they are a little more vibrant than the 35mm print. HDR seems to cause problems on some discs and this is one of them. I turned the setting right down early in the film and it looked best that way but would have been too dark for some of the film so I put it on the 'Light Environment' setting again i.e. one stop down from the top of the four options. John.
I believe you just got 9k subscribers John, that’s unbelievable congratulations! I love these 4K & 35mm comparisons, just shows how lucky we are to live in an era where we can get so close to the real thing. Best Danny
Good to hear from you Danny and hope you're getting on alright with the BenQ projector. Yes, it's almost unbelievable that video in the home has come up to such an amazing standard. I never would have thunk it possible. John.
Wow I'm extremely happy that I've found your channel!
your videos are so inviting and comfortable to watch and you provide such well thought-out and useful commentary.
Thank you Tom. If all goes to plan the next review will be the recent 4K release of Speed. Apocalypse Now 4K review is also coming soon and maybe Last Action Hero. John.
In all my years of being on TH-cam I have never seen such a classic and education video on film and 4K transfers and how 35 mm is still king.
Very nice of you to say. I have loved film for most of my life. Take a look at my Super 8 Gauge video and you'll see how it all came about from the age of 2 or 3. John.
Just found this gem of a channel. Really loved this video and I really like this film too. Cant wait for more content and stay safe👍
Thank you Alex. Pleased you like what I'm doing. There's quite an archive of videos up there now so maybe they'll keep you going until I get the next one done which looks like it will be the 4K of Apocalypse Now which I've just ordered as so many subscribers have asked me to review it. John.
Loving the channel. Brings back memories of my personal "golden age" of cinema-going (1994-99). As a uni student (and then a recent graduate), a group of us would regularly catch a film at Leicester Square every Wednesday afternoon. Tickets on a Wednesday were actually cheap back then as well!
If you were at the London University then that was the other side of the square from us. We spent a lot of time in Leicester Square during that same period as you. I think 1994 was the year we went to the movies the most. Great times. John.
Another great video John. I’ve noticed the slightly “fuzzy” picture on opening credits of other films, Forrest Gump comes to mind. But as soon as the credits are over the film becomes wonderfully sharp. I’ve always thought it was a compositing issue, but it’s nice to have it confirmed by someone with some technical knowledge, which I certainly don’t have! Looking forward to the next video.
Yes, it's two images being merged together through a multiplexer (the live action shot and the shot of the titles) while being filmed by a camera. Hence the increase in film grain and the degradation in overall quality. John.
I immediately subscribed to your channel once I saw this video suggested this very moment.
I am someone who loves film and lament the phasing out of film projectors in favour of digital projectors. There's something about film that feels magic. I also prefer movies shot on film, but sadly most movie directors have switched to digital cameras.
I doubt you'll bother replying but this is a great channel.
I hope I've replied to every comment so far and will continue to try to do so. You and I have the same appreciation and love of the movies so hopefully there are a lot more of us out there and that will help real film to survive. Right now I think 70mm should be encouraged across the world to entice patrons back into cinemas. A 70mm festival across the West End of London and the BFI NFT and Waterloo IMAX could bring in visitors from all over the world if it was handled right. With 'Death on the Nile' due out in 70mm in October that would be the time to do it. Not much chance I suppose. John.
I agree with others here, that the generosity in sharing this is so appreciated. A lot of time, effort and love goes into all your videos, and I find them entertaining and fascinating. Thank you
Thank you for saying so. Much appreciated. John.
Brilliant and insightful review! Thanks so much for reviewing this one, I found some of the grain distracting and I appreciate you explaining the Egypt scenes, I didn't realise it was the overlay. I was also thinking the sharpness and HDR of the 4k might be detecting from the image so it was good to hear you comment on this. I'll be rewatching it tonight!
I wouldn't mind re-watching it myself Matthew. A good excuse to play with the 35mm perhaps. But the 4K is great even if I prefer the look of the film print. No surprise there really - I love the look of film as it's simply more natural. John.
I never once noticed that the Captain is the same person who played one of the replicants 😐 Subscribed, Sir.
He was also in both 48 Hours films as Jack Cates's (Nick Nolte) police detective partner. A great character actor whom I think sadly died in his fifties but I hope I'm wrong. John.
Yeah, he's been in a few movies I've seen. Brion James. Tango and Cash is another movie I have seen him in.
As always, right on the button , clear, concise and that element of technicality involved with different formats, just brilliant. Note I got Element in there. Mark
That's the fifth time you got 'Element' in a comment Mark. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Oh very good. Regards Mark
Love hearing your views and thoughts along with the technical aspects. And they showed this film here on the SBS channel in Australia, five times in a row on the 5th May. I still enjoy watching it.
Thank you Chris. I'm surprised to find that so many people like the film as much as I do. John.
Great channel suggestion by TH-cam. Really loved the review, now going to look through other videos of yours. Thanks
Thank you Paul. I hope you like some of the other videos as much as this one. The Alien video is fairly similar in content. John.
Movie Collector: I'm watching my own 35mm print for comparison, here is my detailed analysis...
All other reviewers: deletes their own post, apologizes for inadequacy, turns of lights, goes home.
...Amazing work MC. Can't wait to watch your other reviews on so many top tier films I see you've covered.
Thank you Cory. And hopefully another good fun film reviewed later today if all goes to plan. This one will be the 4K of Speed and although it's not the best 4K we'll see, it is just like a 35mm print again. John.
One of my favorite movies, I’ve watched it twice in the past 2 months alone.
It is extremely repeatable. Just sit back and enjoy the imagery - time after time after time. John.
A favorite SCI-FI classic of mine. While Orange was a dominate color... Milla didn’t find it funny when her hair was badly damaged by the constant application of dye. A wig was mostly used during the filming.
Thanks John! And what a treasure you have! I’m sure your closets are full of great finds.
Now I got to figure out why my speaker keeps popping! 🤣
-Lyle
I didn't know that it affected Milla's hair Lyle. Terrible. But she wasn't damaged long term and was still beautiful after so all was well in the end. John.
I've noticed this film grain/digital noise issue on several films, most noticeably in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I saw it many times as a kid and only remember a few shots (the run up the side of Devils Tower with the helicopters in pursuit, and some of the closeup composite shots of the mother ship) with grain during the 35mm screening. The 4K UHD was just full of this "grain." When I watch it again I'll turn off the HDR to see if that improves the image.
See if you have the facility to turn the HDR down Dan because I watched Close Encounters on the next setting down from the top and it looked fairly perfect to me. John.
This is good to know, encounters did have what looked overly noisy sky’s (and I like grain). I’ll play with my Panasonic’s hdr presets
Hi John
From a very young age I have always been fascinated the art of film.Your expertise is a fascinating insight to something I love very much.
Thank you sir.
My love and fascination of the moving image has been with me from a very young age. I still think it is simply magic. Thank you for your kind words Koko - much appreciated. John.
It always warms my heart when I see true love for cinema. Thanks for sharing your experience. Since the releases of Lawrence of Arabia and Spartacus I really learned to appreciate good 4k transfers. In Germany only a 2017 4k release of Fifth element is available ( which seems to be inferior) - so I guess I need to order in the Uk (again, after The 10 commandments, which also is not released here in Germany). Lots of success with your channel!
Lawrence of Arabia is 65mm and Spartacus is Super Technirama so that is why they look so good. It's not so much to do with a good transfer as having a good starting point with large format film. But with regard to The Fifth Element I've just been told that the Sony 2017 transfer may actually better. I think both of them will be very good so it may be just as well to purchase the one available in Germany.
Thank you for your kind comment. Oh, and The Ten Commandments of course was VistaVision and Technicolor so that explains that one too. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Got it. Thanks for the feedback, John!
Just saw your “2001” review, which I have missed so far and there you explain the relevance of the source material ver well. Thanks. ( of course 2001 in 4k is also in my collection)
Great review! When I first saw this movie I was unsure of how much I liked it. Apparently I like it a lot as i got waves of nostalgia during this review!
I was surprised by how much I liked it in 1997. I think I put off seeing it for a few weeks too because my ticket is dated three or four weeks after it opened. And that was unusual for me back then. John.
Another great video. The Fifth Element is a movie that I confess I did not appreciate much the first time I saw it. I was expecting a serious science fiction film; and I was jarred by all the campiness and humor. That has changed over time and repeated viewings; and now I enjoy it very much.
By contrast, I don't think I fancied seeing the film initially Henri because of the campiness. But what a surprise to really like it from that first viewing at The Empire. Funny how things work out. John.
Morning John. After watching your review I've ordered the disc it should be here today. It's a film that had passed me by, I never got round to watching it until now. Looking forward to seeing it especially on this 4K disc.
And I jolly well you hope you thoroughly enjoy it and get a good laugh to boot! Please let me know what you think. I'll keep my fingers crossed it goes down well. John.
@@moviecollector5920 afternoon John. I've watched The Fifth Element on 4K, great film I really enjoyed it, got to agree with you it is "colourful", very imaginative. As well as Blade Runner it reminded me of Brazil. It's a great looking and sounding disc. I don't know why I didn't see it before now thanks for giving me a nudge. Cinema Paradiso next I suppose! The 4K disc was £19.99 when I looked a few days ago after watching your last video.
@@stevenandnicola123 I knew the cost of Cinema Paradiso would come down as soon as I capitulated and paid the £25. I could have put money on that.
I'm glad to learn you like The Fifth Element. I suspect that one is in my top ten favourite science fiction films of all time. Apparently Luc Besson's Valerian has the same look so guess what I purchased today?
Another fantastic review, I have this film on DVD but haven't got to finish watching it all the way through everytime I sit down to watch it I get interrupted I must rectify that and maybe pick up the 4k at some point once I have seen it. Great video 👍
There is so much to like about this film Matt that I suggest if you like what you have seen of it so far, the 4K is going to be so much better that at only around £15 it's got to be worth the investment. John.
This The Fifth Element movie review was indeed a pleasant surprise! Luc Besson's vision of the future is an eye candy.Another great upload from THE GURU! Thank you and Have a Great Weekend John and Happy Mother's Day to your wife. Keep the good thing coming!
Thank you Noel and good to hear from you again. We're decorating the house right now - long overdue. So we'll try to ensure we get the kettle on regularly so we can enjoy a nice cup of tea and thereby try to enjoy the weekend as much as possible. I've re-done the cinema but you'll be pleased to know it's the same dark red colour. Actually, it's been that very colour for almost 20 years now - a British Museum paint that we picked up when we lived almost next door back then. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Sounds like FUN! I hope that you'll make an Upload of your New Cinema Paradiso. You are the Best!!! Cheers to you and to your wife
@@nonosinnj And there's another 4K I need to pick up - 'Cinema Paradiso'.
@@moviecollector5920 Yes ! That Movie is so dear to me.One of my Top 10 Movie picks of all time.
Enjoyed your video very much, keep up the good work because these videos are informative & helps to see just how good 4k can be compared to the original 35mm format.
Thank you for saying so because that's rather why I finally got around to starting the channel. I couldn't see any other real (reel) film enthusiast doing anything like it. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Haha no pun intended! Exactly sir, you are one of a kind 👌 Please continue making videos sir, they are worth a view.
Awesome channel, awesome home theater. I collect blu rays and have a small home theater myself so I’ll definitely be following your channel from here on out!
Good to have you with me Delco. John.
Great review and happy one year anniversary. The Fifth Element doesn’t seem to be much inspired by previous films but is heavily indebted to the comic book series Valerian, which Benson later adapted. The illustrator of that comic was a concept artist on this film, which does a great job of adapting his style. Compare the flying car sequence to the cover of the Valerian comic The Circles of Power, for example. PS. Any chance of seeing more of the 35mm print being projected? I used to be a projectionist and I’m fascinated at the idea of 35mm films being shown in domestic settings.
I've only just been told that the Valerian film was a Luc Besson so I think I'll be getting that soon. It makes perfect sense that the style of 5th Element came from a comic now that you mention it and what a great job they made of adapting it. As for running the 35mm print of the film, I've actually pushed things a little far with what I've shown as there are strict copyright warnings for such things. I think because I'm effectively promoting the film no one is going to get too upset but I can't really risk much more than showing the trailer of a film. Being able to run a classic film like this in the home on 35mm is a bit of a dream come true for me. I've had the projector about 20 years now and have never got over the magic of it. It does make appearances in many of my videos - take a look at the Alien review if you didn't see that one. John.
I saw this at the cinema on the recommendation of a good friend. Then I bought it when it was released on vhs, imported the 'superbit' version from Canada in the early days of dvd, bought the blu ray, and now have the 4k version reviewed here. I even had it on laser disk - but my good friend has that now!
What? You mean you don't have a 35mm print?!?!
John.
So glad this popped up in my recommendations, I absolutely love this channel now!
Good to have you here Alex. More COMING SOON! John.
I am mightily impressed John by the way that you can see the different visual qualities of sequences and sources! Keep it up Chum! (PS. I saw the film at Empire Leicester Square too and I love the way that Besson likes to use "ordinary" or even "ugly" faces!)
Thank you Keith. I too like Luc Besson's use of slightly less than beautiful people. I guess you and I will never appear in one of his films then!
With regard to seeing differing visual qualities as a film goes through, this all goes back to my Super 8 film reviews I was doing until a few years ago for Film for The Collector magazine/fanzine. I have a ten foot wide screen in the living room and the bigger the screen, the easier it was to spot the differences. Even though our little home cinema is not quite so big it seems the screen is still big enough to make the differences obvious. John.
Another great view on a 4K disc from Movie Collector. Even if the movie reviewed is not one of your favourite films, there's always something new to learn. Two thumbs up :-)
Thank you Jesper. I didn't expect to like The Fifth Element when I first saw it but it was a real surprise and probably helped by the premiere print they had at The Empire. I've never forgotten how it looked so I never wanted to see it on video (that's why I snapped up the 35mm feature when I saw it being sold off) but this 4K is almost as good. Amazing what is possible with video these days. John.
im so freaking happy i found your channel just now today!! subscribed!!!!!
And I'm happy you found me Dale. Good to have you here. John.
High quality captivating and stylish, very enjoyable video. And so is this comparison of it's bluray and 35mm releases.
Thank you Protheus. Good to know you liked it. John.
Another great review John. Ive been putting of buying the Fifth Element until now! I'm determined, as with any collector of movies, to have the best quality version available, however with 4K I have an ongoing battle between film grain and video noise (as you experienced in this review). Bridge on the river Kwai is a classic example of severe "noise" rather than film grain, I made this watchable by applying a digital noise filter. I felt the standard Blu ray transfer was better in this case.
I suspect a digital sharpen has been applied to 5th Element Martin which has made film grain look coarse on the CGI sequences but I may be wrong. It is still a great 4K disc it's just not quite as good as 35mm which has a more natural look and less grain. There should be more visible grain on the 35mm print as it came from the internegative so that is why I reckon the 4K video transfer has had 'Sharpen' applied to it. John.
I can't believe I've just watched a 9min review of a 4k release.... and I truly enjoyed it.
New subscriber here, amazing content
Good to have you here Jesus. Hopefully I have made most of the individual 4K reviews interesting by talking about other things besides the 4K disc on its own. Usually the image quality on a disc comes down to how it looked on film when originally shot but not everyone understands that. Anything shot 70mm or other large film formats tend to be the best quality 4K releases but a few movies shot on video have come close lately.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I’m just starting my collection of 4k movies and I wanted to start with this one (along with Blade Runner 1 and 2). Knowing about the technical differences between film formats is pretty interesting though i wont be able to get my hands on a projector so I’ll just stick to 4k blurays for now :D
@@DeltaOTB If you find you really start to enjoy 4K collecting Jesus, aim for a video projector in the future as it's almost like having film projection quality in the home. And projection is cinema as well as being far more interesting than watching on a television. You don't need a dedicated room and if you have a wall to project onto then all you need is some white emulsion paint for the screen. John.
Superb review as always, lots of interesting information. I haven't seen this movie for some time, so this 4k release might be worth a purchase. Many thanks for the review.
It's one of the very good 4K releases so worth a purchase Stephen. John.
I love this film, and I really love this video!
Thank you very much. I too love The Fifth Element... probably why I spent all that money on a 35mm print! John.
Love these 4K to 35mm comparisons! Thank you!
This little review seemed to interest a lot of people who have been curious about 35mm and 4K. I didn't say it on camera but I now feel fairly sure some digital sharpening was applied to the 4K of The Fifth Element. It doesn't really spoil it, it just explains why the 4K is sharper than the film print and why the film print has a more natural [and nicer] look to it. It is still an excellent 4K disc. John.
I don't even own 4k capabilities yet, but I still find these videos so fascinating...
Blu-ray is plenty good enough Chaddy but just sometimes something special comes along on 4K. Perhaps on those occasions it might be worth getting the 4K pack if it comes with the Blu-ray disc too so you're future proofed. John.
Just the info I was looking for about the 4K version. I already bought the 4K but enjoyed this 'review' of it anyway. Thanks for all the effort you put in.
Thank you Sir Malus. Good to know you enjoyed it. John.
I was searching for a Chanel like yours, for me is very important and informative this kind of videos, because I’m about to start my 4K collections of movies; whit your videos I learn which movies have the best transfer to 4K.
Thanks!!! ☺️
Thank you for saying so. We've just spent this evening watching the Arrow Films 4K of Cinema Paradiso so I feel another review video coming on. It's not the best 4K ever but it's pretty darned good... and perfect fare for a cinema enthusiast. John.
@@moviecollector5920 sounds great! One of my favorite movie, Cinema Paradiso; here in Mexico still don’t edit the 4K for the movie.
I’ll wait for your review! 😀
Great channel, class act! Thank you for putting in the effort. Cheers from Tennessee USA.
Thank you Mr. Awesome (great ID!). Cheers from Cornwall, England. John.
Love this guys delivery! It's like Barry Norman reborn! God rest is soul
Barry Norman was simply the best. John.
This movie is so crazy.Have only the Blu-ray, but it looks and sounds good.And a great weekend for you and your wife✌️
It certainly is a crazy film. It's bloody good with it though! You have a good weekend too. Don't spend too much! John.
I own the Us 4k version with two discs. One disc has exclusive special features on it, all in 4k! ; The visual element, the star element, the digital element, the alien element, the fashion element, fact track, the diva, and Imaging The Fifth Element. Very happy to own this 4k imported version since it's one of my favorite movies. Nice review like always! Keep up the good work sir!..
Oh don't tell me all that Dominus because now I'll have to buy a second copy!!! John.
@@moviecollector5920 I wish you would get it because I would like you to compare the two versions. The US Sony version has a different look to the colors compared to the UK Studio Canal. I would like to know which comes closer to the film print. Great video 👍🏻
@@bubbafett7326 My opinion is that the Studio Canal version has had a digital sharpen applied which is why it's so sharp and has increased/exacerbated film grain. I expect it's from the same transfer as the Sony release and simply a new interpretation from the colourist/video editor at Studio Canal. After all, the studio isn't likely to release an irreplaceable original negative of an important film to anyone else. I'm happy to be proved wrong though. John.
@@moviecollector5920 thank you for your reply back John. I think you are probably right. I have only been able to compare the two using caps-a-holic, but I tend to like the colors of the Sony better and it doesn’t look as bright. I don’t have both versions but I do have the Sony that I still haven’t watched. I need to do that soon. I love this movie so much. I just discovered your videos and I am really impressed with your knowledge. Looking forward to watching more of them.
Wow, one of my all time top 10 favorites from the best home media reviewer! 📽
I've loved The Fifth Element since my theater viewings in '97, and I've also kept the tickets (AMC Century City in LA), went at least 4 times. Since then I've bought about 15 different editions, first all the French, German, Spanish and other releases for varying extra materials, while the US ones were practically barebones. Lately just for the packaging, 4 or 5 different steelbooks, a digibook, and a great Korean boxset from KimchiDVD with postcards, booklet, and different slipcases.
Anyway, for the number of editions in my collection only Blade Runner can claim more space. Now you've done video reviews for both of them, thank you!
P.S. Cannot miss an opportunity to recommend another favorite from the 90's, one you've maybe seen, but which never got a decent release anywhere, besides Germany - James Cameron written and Bigelow directed Strange Days.
I keep saying that we must buy a copy of Strange Days so you've now convince me.
Now then Lenny, you are missing the LaserDisc of The Fifth Element and something else too... er, let me think - oh yes, a 35mm print!!!
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Great, I don't think there will be a 4K release anytime soon, so a 'regular' BD will have to do.
Yes, yes, heh, I've sold my LD player and a few laserdiscs I had acquired at an early DVD era, when some films weren't available yet on DVD, but I do like their art and packaging. And always thought film is better, but couldn't get a proper home theater like yours! 👍
Oh, forgot to mention - people in the US always wrongly pronounce Jovovich's last name, saying "Dzhovoveech", you've tried the Hispanic way of reading "J" as "H", but it's just "Yo", Yovoveech.
@@LennyNero2019 It's never too late Lenny!!!
Thanks again for a great video John! We are fortunate that we now have 4K UHD format on disc. I haven't watched 35 mm for a long time, but always loved the tape/analog format. Question: Do you find that 35mm gives a better sense of depth/3 dimensionality to the movie experience than a pure digitally shot movie? This is one of my favorite films as well, particularly enjoyed Gary Oldman in this one.
Oh yes, film gives a much more natural looking image than video. Films transferred to video- assuming they were good to start with - almost always look more realistic than a film shot on video. Le Mans '66 is probably the best example of a film shot on video that I can think of but 35mm film almost always gives better results. John.
Sir, I recently found your channel. Your thoughts and information in regards to a true cinema experience are inspiring. I am a long term physical media collector with what I thought was a respectable collection (approximately 3100). I am subscribed and greatly appreciate your efforts. Thank you from Minnesota, U.S.A.
Greetings from Cornwall in England Thomas. You certainly do have a respectable collection there. I've only ever had a short break between flights in Minnesota but took the opportunity to get into downtown Minneapolis whereupon I got a few shots on my trusty Super 8 camera. That was 1993 in January and the coldest place I've ever known! Bloody freeeeeezing! John.
So glad I was able to see this in the theater as a wee one, great video !
I will never forget the print I saw at The Empire which was extra special. I've been trying to re-create the look of that spectacular showing in the home ever since but even the 35mm print doesn't quite reach those dizzying heights I saw at The Empire.
Thank you for watching and commenting on so many videos! John.
One of my absolute favorite films from the 90s (along with The Matrix), and on the first viewing of this with a relative, the projector malfunctioned right at the very end when a certain "puzzle" takes place and they could not fix it at that time, and gave us all tickets to see it again. So we went back a few days later and watched the entire film just to see the last ten or so minutes. I've also bought this on DVD, Blu-Ray, and a few months ago 4K finally.
Well you're going to have to get it on 35mm too now!
I haven't had a film break down at a cinema since the 1970s so that must have been a rare occurrence in 1997. However, a few years later apparently the new 2K (crap!) video projectors were unreliable so the Odeon Leicester Square had a film print running in synch ready to switch over if the worst happened. Must have been confusing for the audience if it did happen to suddenly get great picture quality on the screen.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Until recently, I didn't even know that there are actually two different 4K releases. I just assumed your cover was a UK specific cover, but it's not. Sony released their transfer, and StudioCanal released theirs, and the one you have is actually the better transfer of the two. Not only does it have Dolby Vision (if your TV or Projector was only able to play in HDR10, you might give the film another go with a Dolby Vision capable TV). The StudioCanal version without a doubt looks way, way better than the Sony one. If the noise found on your disc bothered you, the Sony disc would drive you crazy with its oversharpening.
This is an awesome video! I've seen this movie so many times and yet I've never made the connection of how the cross eyed cat fits in with the rest of the cast! I grew up watching 5th Element on VHS over and over and over. I may have seen it in theaters once. I would love to watch this on 35mm! Your videos give me a little catharsis in that regard. Thank you for another great video. I'm working my way through your back catalog.
Sounds to me like you need to get a 35mm projector in your life and a few films. There really isn't anything else quite like it but Super 8 gives a good representation of 'reel' home cinema in miniature so maybe that's the next step. Having said that, Super 8 prints seem to be more valuable than a lot of 35mm prints these days. John.
well done! Greatly enjoyed the in-depth review and getting to know the differences in quality. Subbed
Thank you. Good to have you with me. Apocalypse Now 4K should be next. John.
Recently discovered your channel and have thoroughly enjoyed the informative reviews, much appreciated.
Thank you. Good to have you here. John.
Thanks for another cracking video John, I'm off to Amazon. Its a movie that's always passed me by, lets rectify that now!
I hope you like it almost as much as Jaws!
Really good release, Dolby Atmos & Vision superior. Next you need another studiocanal release, Apocalypse now.
Yep, Apocalypse Now is a certainty. John.
Well this was something new to come across. Always wonder about film versus digital media quality differences. You have gained a new subscriber!
And I'm very pleased to have you with me. Thank you. John.
Another superb review John ,!I really enjoy your style of reviews , loved the fact that you still have your original cinema ticket for the film . I’ve been considering adding the fifth element to my collection and now you’ve convinced me to make a purchase, wish I had the 35 mill though . Looking forwardi to your next review 👍
We went to the cinema so often in the 1990s that I started collecting all our tickets and kept them in a little album. Back then the tickets were worth keeping though but these days they're a piece of paper with nothing much to denote what they're for and generally ripped in half.
Fifth Element on 4K is fabulous. I may have said it's not as good as the 35mm but it's still bloody excellent! John.
Thanks, love all your reviews. I seem to learn something every time.
I find I'm learning too Bob because making these videos has forced me to think about how the films have been mastered and why they may look good or not so good. This one is good... but not so good as the 35mm and I think that is because the concentration was on clarity rather than colour and contrast. It's still excellent, it's just the 35mm is better. John.
Good review John, I got a copy a few weeks ago was very impressed. Don't know if remember before blu-ray, there were a few super bit DVD's. The fifth element was available in that. I think I may have copy.
I only have Vertical Limit in the Superbit series. It's very good but not up to Blu-ray of course. I was so impressed with the cinematic impact of The Fifth Element it was another film I didn't want to see on anything but film. Video has improved beyond any expectations now but back then in 1997 there was LaserDisc and the possibility of a DVD if it ever got going as a format... which it did of course. John.
@@moviecollector5920 superbit didn't really take off, but I thought it was good in the way of trying improve DVD picture quality.
@@stephenmanley4097 Superbit was a great idea that I've ripped off myself on occasion with some of my own releases. I have settings in my DVD mastering programme for my own releases that I've titled 'MAXIBIT' where everything is maxed out. It's difficult to make things fit at times though. John.
Wow nice to hear some comparisons between the 4K disc and 35mm. I wonder how the Blu-ray holds up against the 35mm? But you did say the 4K release is excellent despite its flaws. I’d love to see something similar with the Matrix part 1. The only one that exists to me haha!
The Blu-ray is just as good as the 4K in terms of clarity but HDR on the 4K puts in ahead. That's what usually makes the difference between them. No doubt if I had a 30 foot wide screen to compare Blu-rays to 4Ks there's be a more perceptible difference but as it is our tiny home screens are just that compared to a real cinema like the Empire or Odeon Leicester Square - tiny. John.
@@moviecollector5920 ah yes that makes sense. I watch on my 55” 4K Sony Bravia 950g in my living room. Most things look great to be honest. What bothers me most so far is when I see 2k digital effects with a 4K image. ie. Disney. So little to no complaints. Thanks for all you do John!
John - have even compared a Criterian Collection disc to 4K? Is Murder on the Orient Express still your fav transfer onto a 4K disc?
Criterion discs are always good but I don't have any to compare. Orient Express 4K is still in a league of its own. John.
Another fantastic review John.
What other classics have you got on 35mm? Maybe mention some in another video?
I managed to catch Once upon a time in Hollywood on 35mm and it looked gorgeous, however I have to settle for optical media at home (but with UHD, I’m not complaining).
Keep up the good work.
UHD Blu-ray is unbelievable. I would never in my wildest dreams have ever imagined home video could be so good. It is up there with 35mm a lot of the time but 35mm is such fun to play with and holds an excitement that only real film can provide. I have a few other 35mm features but they do take up an awful lot of room so I can't have too many. John.
Seeing The Fifth Element in the theater was one of my all-time favorite cinema experiences. I was 17, and Bruce Willis was the most exciting actor in Hollywood for me, having just made Die Hard 3, 12 Monkeys, Pulp Fiction, he was walking the tightrope between art and pop perfectly. The Fifth Element was so fresh and new, such a MOVIE movie, such a roller coaster ride where every scene has a crazy new backdrop and characters, and the actors all know how to play it just right for maximum fun, humor, suspense, and melodrama. Willis, Gary Oldman, Milla Jovovich, and Chris Tucker are all absolutely incredible, as is pretty much every actor in every bit part. I am SO jealous of your 35 mm copy.
Well that is such a great summary of the success of this film. You should be writing film articles for magazines Craig.
If we ever get the British Film Collectors Conventions resurrected I'll put a reel or two of The Fifth Element on. I suspect the 4K had a digital sharpen applied to it as the film grain is not so prevalent on the print and a 'sharpen' would explain it. I can't be sure though so I just implied it in the video without saying it outright. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Thanks for the response, and all these great videos I'm just discovering! The question of film grain on a 35mm print vs a digital file is an interesting one I can't quite wrap my head around. Presumably the purest 4k disc would preserve the grain structure of the original negative more perfectly than any print, which is at best a copy of a copy of a copy of the OCN. But then, since your print is itself made of the same stuff as the OCN, wouldn't it have its own native grain structure as well as a piece of film? All that said, I suspect the way the modern mastering process works for these UHD discs, with the inevitable digital dust and damage cleanup step in the process, they just remove all the grain along with the noise, and then put grain back in digitally to recreate the subtle look of film. I also suspect that much of the benefit of HDR could be replicated by simply turning the color up when watching a blu-ray, but the only time I'm not a skeptical cynic is when I'm being transported by a film like The Fifth Element.
@@craigrussell3062 Now you're making me think. Yes, my 35mm print should have its own grain structure as well as that from the original camera negative. With that in mind the film grain should be more prevalent on the 35mm print than it is on the 4K disc, but it's not. Or at least, that's what I'm seeing with my eyes and that is why I believe the 4K has had a digital sharpen applied which has had the side effect of picking out the edge structure of each piece of film grain. It's a minor quibble though and it doesn't change the fact that this is a great transfer.
There is an automated step of removing dirt and neg dust when a scan is made and that is followed up by a human stage to remove anything that may have been missed. Unless a digital noise reduction is applied we should still see the film grain. When a digital sharpen is applied I believe it has the adverse side effect of exacerbating the film grain.
I think HDR improves the available colours on video such that it is more film-like. Film probably still has the advantage when it comes to infinite colour but HDR gets video so close it does mean video looks more like film. I set my video projector to be darker than most would have it to make it look like film as closely as possible and when the HDR is right it's almost spot-on. But to summarize, I don't think you could replicate the HDR look on a standard Blu-ray by playing with the colour, brightness and contrast settings.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I'm partly being facetious with my over-the-top claims, but I also imagine that, in actual practice, even that first automated step that removes neg dirt can't help but eliminate a LITTLE of the film grain in the process, even as it leaves behind extra dust and stuff that has to be manually removed - taking away both too much of the various kinds of "noise" and not enough. How could it be otherwise? I certainly concede that your eye is better than mine at discerning a layer of digital sharpening applied in this case as the cause of the stronger grain in this case though.
I'm a very small-time collector compared to you (in addition to a decent library of discs, I have a small collection of 16 mm, but not even a 35mm projector), but even from my limited experience, it's obvious that with every remastering or restoration or presentation of any film at all, there are countless choices one makes in search of "authenticity" that could be argued either way. What is authentic? What experience are you trying to replicate, exactly? If it's an original screening in the theater from 1997, then there SHOULD be at least a little dust and grime on the film, as well as visible reel changes with the little marks in the corner to indicate when they're coming. One of the cool things about film on film is that every print is its own unique creature, like a record album that always skips in the same place, adding to the charm.
Or if you're trying to replicate the purest and sharpest possible version of the original negative, why not take it a step further and go back and recomposit those special effects elements digitally so you don't have the obvious shift in quality caused by optical printing that you mention in the video. (The blu ray restoration of Star Trek TNG did this, to spectacular results - obviously in most cases the original film elements would not all be there to do this with.)
With color (and I'm obviously kidding about being able to replicate HDR by turning a knob), on top of every other question about regrading the negative for a modern transfer, I can only imagine the horror filmmakers must have felt in the 60s and 70s when they realized how much of a problem fading was going to be for long-term preservation. We are so incredibly lucky to be able to bicker over such minor variations in the incredibly high-quality presentations we have available now. I imagine fading wouldn't be an issue on the filmstock/era of your Fifth Element print?
Again, thanks so much for taking the time to chat back to me!
@@craigrussell3062 I really don't think the programme that looks for neg dust and dirt will touch the film grain as I just can't see how it would identify anything other than marks on the print. But I don't know this for sure, it's just my old IT brain from a former life thinking about programming.
I agree that it would be nice to see the reel change marks in the top right-hand corner (cigarette burns is the slang for those little circles apparently) as well as a few other belmishes but the mass-market wouldn't appreciate them as much as us. And that is the market the creators of the latest 4K products have to cater to. I expect they're having to walk a fine line at times and sometimes we don't agree with what they've done. Fortunately I think you and I appreciate the effort and the quality of what is being produced for us today and we can't believe what we are able to purchase and enjoy for such a relatively small outlay. The quality on these discs would have been worth serious money to film collectors 20, 30 or even more years ago but today it's largely taken for granted.
This Last Action Hero 4K is rather impressive. I've got it set up for maximum image quality on my television now and it looks amazing on that little three foot wide screen too. I think the video equivalent of 40 inches is about three feet wide anyway.
You did a great and informative job with this video. First one I’ve seen of yours - and easy decision to subscribe! Keep it up!
Thank you. Great to have you with me. John.
Again a great review!
I had the chance to watch this gem in the cinema 2 years ago - it was a blast!
A movie you have to see on the big screen. (But also really good at home of course haha)
I saw it at The Empire. That's a big screen! Never forgotten the impact it had that night and been trying to reproduce it ever since... and failing. John.
Hi John, yes I know I owe you some files and Luc and I will get them done. Been crazy busy last few days. I’ve owned this film on multiple formats from Laserdisc, dVD and BluRay and even have a Luc Besson homage tattoo on my back (The Big Blue). I’ve never owned a 35mm print - you luck guy. I agree with all your observations related to my 4K disc. It’s a significant upgrade and as I’m not o slumming it with a THX 5.1 🤪 can confirm that the Atmos is another moderate upgrade. Guess what arrived from Amazon while I was watching your video? The 4K Groundhog Day I bought after watching your awesome comedy post. Stay well.
Oh, you chaps are going to have a great time watching - and laughing through - Groundhog Day.
Good to hear from you Robert. Don't worry about getting the files to me as whenever will be fine. I'll just work them into the video I'm preparing at the time. John.
@@moviecollector5920 hi John, I have always found Groundhog Day to be more sweet and charming than laugh out loud than funny. I just checked my database and realized that it's 12 years since I last watched. Sheesh, I'm getting old fast! The rewatch is looming. BTW, the cover art on your Fifth Element is so much better than ours in the US.
@@Celestialrob I think you may find Groundhog Day more of a laugh out loud now Robert. I seem to laugh at it more now than I ever did and that's possibly because I know it so well that I'm expected the lines, the looks and the gags.
Apparently the Sony 4K release of 5th Element comes with extras. I was rather disappointed there was no 'Making of' featurette on our version over here so despite the artwork being fabulous it's quite likely the US release is better. John.
Next best thing it is then as I dont have 35mm anything. I just watched this very disc and considering it's age, thought it was very good. Got san andreas on bluray for £2 and it was excellent with the upscaling on my player panasonic ub820. Thanks for another excellent review!!
Yes, sorry about that little tongue-in-cheek comment at the end but I couldn't help myself. The 35mm print took about 8 weeks to arrive after ordering. I think it went via Timbuctoo! John.
One of my favourite movies too. It is just a treat with hilarious costymes and characters. It also contains still one of the largest indoor explosions for movies. Gary Oldman and Bruce Willis is perfect in this one... and Milla Jovovich.... and Ian Holm... and...well enybody really😊
They all look like they had a fun time making this film. Maybe that's a major factor of its success. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Yeah, if they enjoyed making this movie as much as we enjoyed watching it then they had one hell of a time😁 There is simply nothing like this movie. It is unique in so many ways.
@@mortenovejohnsen9081 Some people have left comments to say Luc Besson's Valerian has a fairly similar look in parts so I plan to get the 4K of that. I did go to order it from HMV the other day in their two for £30 deal but it was sold out, which migh tell me somethng. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Valerian and the city of thousand planets is very similiar but not as fun as the Fifth Element but still very enjoyable. It is an explosion of colours and costumes. It is simply a beautiful movie.
@@mortenovejohnsen9081 Definitely getting a copy soon then. Might even be able to do a 4K review, we'll see.
I saw it in '97 at Leicester Square too. Two guys in the audience cheered when they saw Jean Paul Gaultier's name in the credits. The rest of the audience mockingly cheered when other names appeared. The film's look and colours blew me away back then.
Be funny if we worked out that we were there in The Empire at the same time Owen. The film has never looked quite as good again but The Empire must have had a premiere print which were always better. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I was thinking that maybe you were there at the same time too John! I can't remember the exact time and date. The sound quality was amazing and the image as well. I agree the film was surreal and the cat as well! The audience watching the film were good fun. Something you don't normally get at your local cinema. At times some films at the cinema look awful compared to watching at home on DVD but the 5th Element was perfect.
Interestingly Blade runner and Alien Director Ridley Scott were inspired by Mobius (you can see it in Scott's own accomplished drawings) who co-authored "the Incal" ( with Jodorowski) and would work on Alien and Fifth Element. Everything is interconnected so beautifully.
Alien, Blade Runner and The Fifth Element are all such beautiful films to look at. The editing in particular in 5th Element works so well and 'interconnects' everyone and everything from one scene to the next. Can't quite remember another film quite like it. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Valarian has similar design but sadly the story and execution doesn't get close to 5th Element.
@@ZigUncut Thanks Zig. Films like 5th Element don't appear very often so to make something that is half as good is still going to be an enjoyable view. At least I'll lower my expectations now you've told me which should mean I enjoy it even more than I would have. John.
I always thought of this movie as a blockbuster. A masterpiece. A breath of fresh air. A sci-fi cult classic. I can't handle when people say it's a flop or a weird movie that doesn't take itself seriously.
It's a highly regarded film today. When it was at cinemas in 1997 I think all my work colleagues saw it and all loved it. I don't think we should ever take any notice of critics and if they mullered The Fifth Element then that confirms they don't know what they're talking about. John.
Wonderful review of a movie I enjoy watching. Many thanks for this very informative video.
I enjoyed making it so I'm pleased to know that you like it.
John.
Hi, not exactly on-topic but do you happen to have an original projection print of Back to the Future, from its original 1985 release? If not do you know how you might be able to obtain one?
I don't have a copy but prints of that will be squirrelled away by collectors around the world and eventually one will come up for sale. I fear it will be hellish expensive now as all the most sought after titles are but it will come up sometime. It's a question of finding groups on Facebook etc. and also the 35mm Forum if it's still going. I haven't been on the forum for years as I ran out of space but I got a most of my prints on there and shipped them in from across the world. Great fun! John.
I would love to find Speed Zone (third Cannonball Run movie) on film. It only ever came on VHS and LaserDisc. Never went to DVD and I doubt it will go to Blu-ray. I don't even believe it's been digitized for streaming. Was the material lost, or they just don't want to do it?
I don't think I ever even saw it. However, if it was a post 1982 film then it will have been printed on low fade film stock so decent 35mmcopies will be out there in the world somewhere. There will probably even be surviving 16mm copies. John.
If I buy this on a 4K disc, it will be the 4th format I’ve owned this movie in. I still remember it being marketed as the “Star Wars of the 90’s”. Little did they know.. haha.
You'll have to get a 35mm print too then which will be the Fifth Elem... er sorry, format. John.
@@moviecollector5920 haha! 😀
Ah! What a great video. Straight and to the point. Subscribed, Liked and all that jazz! Thank you!
Thank you very much. Good to have you with me. John.
I have it on steelbook 4K beautiful film great review loving your channel
Thank you Glenn. I have it on 35mm but it didn't come in a steelbook!!! John.
@@moviecollector5920 Steel Canister?
@@zackpetrovic3029 Not even a steel canister - it came in a big cardboard box!
First time seeing a video on your channel. Subbed INSTANTLY. Great work here!
Thank you very much. I hope you'll take a look at some other that I've done - the Alien review looks at the 35mm equivalent as well as all sorts of other gauges and formats so I think you'll like that one and quite a few others. John.
I really like this cut of the film but my original experience was VHS. My main issue with this is the audio. On the VHS and the 4K there seems to be clipping during the Shootout in the 3rd act. Audio seems to cut out. And Bruce Willis doesn't even seem to be wearing a mic in an earlier scene. Looking forward to your Speed 4K show. I have an HMV preorder.
It could be the Dolby Stereo on the VHS covered some of the inadequacies whereas the Dolby Digital tracks were never quite so forgiving. But I didn't notice a problem. Perhaps I was just enjoying the fun of the film too much this time around. John.
Wonderful to see that listening to jazz music isn't the only non
Rolling Stones activity being pursued by the great Charlie Watts.
I had heard that Charlie Watts was a big fan of The Fifth Element. And who can blame him?!? John.
Does the 4K have the scene restored where Corbin is asking the deaf artist for the gun in front of him and the deaf guy rolls billiards balls toward him? The DVD and Blu-ray both have the clipped scene where the gun is not visible in the shot.
I don't recall now Bob but I can confirm that scene exists on the 35mm print. I actually ran a bit of the 35mm a few days ago. Great fun and a great film. I'll have to take another look at that sequence on the 4K though. Surely it's got to be there. John.
Great Video. Very informative as always. Keep up the good work. Greetings from Germany
Greetings from sunny Cornwall! Don't know what I'll review next but I'm sure I'll think of something. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I hope that we can enjoy The Thing, Aliens and The Frighteners sometimes soon. These are my most anticipated 4K releases since Indiana Jones is already being scheduled for June. For now I would love to see your thoughts on Apocalypse Now, Back to the Future or Shining.
@@ChiefWiggum08151 We hope to get to HMV in a couple of weeks. I have quite a shopping list!
What is your opinion on Open Matte vesion of Fifth Element ?
I've never seen it as I've only ever seen the film on 35mm prior to this 4K disc. The cameraman usually has guidelines down the viewfinder (and these days, on the monitors) if the intention is to release multiple aspect ratios of a film so it should be fine. However it looks though, you can't beat the full 'Scope frame for that immersive experience when the masking is motored back into its widest position. Magic!
John.
Great review. Your knowledge and enthusiasm is remarkable. I thought I was a film fan! Where AND how the heck do you get hold of the actual film prints?? You mentioned ‘in California’….some sought of auction? 🤠👍
Your collection is truly amazing. Thats a wrap!
Greetings Anders and welcome to this channel filled with enthusiastic film aficionados. I used to keep a look out for the 35mm prints on the 35mm Forum but I expect Facebook has killed that by now. The problem with 35mm is that a single feature film takes up so much space and is darned heavy so I had to stop looking as so many offers from fellow collectors on the forum were too irresistible. But I did get a few wonderful titles and they've all just moved house with us. That was a bit of a worry, I can tell you. Sod all the discs, I was getting stressed over all the films because they would be almost impossible to replace now and they're so valuable that I'd have had to have taken out a mortgage to get them all insured.
John.
The channel reminds me of the Barry Norman film reviews. Comforting and informative style
Without all the negativity for just about every film I hope. I liked Barry Norman's film programmes but he didn't always find anything particularly positive to say about a lot of movies. John.
@@moviecollector5920 That's very true. He took the critic part of his job quite seriously 😆 Your videos are much more positive. Keep up the great work. Love your videos.
Oh wow I found a new favorite channel you are living the dream
Ho ho. It has been rather good fun. Never expected to become quite so popular though. Makes me wonder where it's all heading... towards a 4K review of Apocalypse Now I think! John.