Just watched Born on the fourth of July (1989) on HD-DVD sigh...
Oh dear, I guess its the same transfer a special edition created for the DVD! (I don't have the SE DVD) but I have others and I'm going by experience!
Looking at HD-DVD (00h:43m:55s) note the blue light around white light the whole brought/contrast has been boasted! Not a very good picture at all. Look at the Laserdisc or DVD as the camera moves you can make out the shape of the light bulb like you when seeing it at the cinema.
Overall
HD-DVD transfer and very likely the bluray wouldn’t be any better. Both still have Laserdisc DVD and HD-DVD all have EE, less so on HD-DVD but looks like DNR was used. I guess these studios get of scamming consumers and I think its about time they did it as it was seen and give the films away for free since we have paid for them at least 5 times VHS Laserdisc DVD HD-DVD and bluray. We paid once to see true perfection 35mm/70mm.Again same lousy over contrasted boasting sigh (00m:53m:43s) note the light on the left of the elevator it should pure white not white and green.
Be aware that some special edition DVD are used for HD-DVD or bluray or even first time around by lousy video engineers and no calibrated bluray disc will get your TV making it look any better no matter how many hours you tweak it, you can’t fix what is broken. Idiot video engineers!
Framing shows more scope on (
Laserdisc DVD ) and less of HD lol yeah the perfect format only they should have used the first edition or started over fresh by looking at it projected up on screen first make notes lots of notes then do the transfer and go back to real thing to make sure it all transfers 1 to 1 with framing colour brightness how hard can it be. Well I never sell the DVD or laserdisc so its good thing I still have them and if I was going to show the film to friends or guests I'd run the DVD. At least they'll be seeing more and won't be seeing disgusting colour on HD at least on this transfer that is.Sound wise both mixes are the same there is slight botch on the dts Laserdisc the left surround is up by +4.0db so it needs to be lowered to make sure the centre phantom mono surround remains even all-around.
The DVD and HD-DVD mono surround is fine.
I saw projected the film I forget how many times during its run at UCI Tower Park, several times in screen 5 then it moved to I think screen 3 or 4which is the same booth only one door to enter to screens 3/4 played nicely in Dolby Stereo SR sat in few times after work to watch the last few reels and it was grainy at times but none of this sickening DNR or EE was ever seen, pure film with pure light putting it up on the screen.
Well I've stopped the HD-DVD I can't watch it its ruined my Easter viewing tenfold.
disappointed I was because I was staying alert and looking for it and listening as well.
Here its like that Born on the Fourth of July SE HD train wreck.