The 'OUTLANDER' blu-ray thread

AD

Finder of things, Doer of stuff
A particular conundrum (surprise surprise) has arisen due to the (you guessed it) Weinstein Company. Apparently they aren't putting out an Outlander Blu-Ray in the US - at least for now. So tomorrow there's a pretty good DVD that will be available to buy and rent though renters will be limited to Blockbuster since - again - the weinsteins have an exclusivity deal with Blockbuster. Anywhere can sell the DVD but only Blockbuster can rent them out.

Apparently this is also happening with the releases of Killshot and Fanboys.

Now there *IS* a north american Blu-ray release coming. Alliance films has the Outlander rights in Canada and is planning a Blu-Ray release for next week (May 26th.) They are also releasing the Canadian DVD next week as well. Canadian releases are Region 1 so these disks are good in the US. You can order from Amazon.ca HERE. Your amazon.com login will work at Amazon.ca and they *will* ship to the US.

What I haven't confirmed is whether all the special features will be the same as the US DVD. From the sounds of it, There will be at least the equivalent of the France Blu-ray's features on the disk. I can't confirm so far whether the US audio commentary (not on the france disks either) will be on the disks though.

The France Blu-ray has been out since April 2nd. It's reportedly region free despite what the packaging states. However, it has forced french subtitles when watching the disk with the English Audo track. You can order the France Blu-Ray from Amazon.fr HERE.
 
It's not exactly the same thing as owning a disk, but if you are in the US and are looking for an HD fix, there's at least one option. If you own an x-box 360 you can rent Outlander in HD (most likely 720p) on the X-Box live service.
 
Here's something I hope to post on soon. I've heard from multiple sources that for whatever reason Alliance is releasing the Canadian Blu-Ray with *No Special Features* at all. It apparently has the right Dolby TrueHD audio track but that's it.

Now I'm buying the DVD as well so that doesn't bother me so much. What bothers me is that I've also heard an unsubstantiated rumor that Not only is the video quality - while still 1080p - not completely up to snuff (which sounds odd because the quality on the French blu-ray has been highly praised) with blacks not being defined enough etc etc, but that the disk doesn't even have the original aspect ratio. Supposedly it's basically being presented full frame (16x9ish). That means that they have either cropped the ends off the image since the theatrical ratio is wider than 16x9 or opened up the matte giving you more picture than the theatrical version beyond what the director intended (The Canadian blu-ray of Fincher's Seven does this).

If this is true, then while not ideal, I'd rather the second option be true. It's unlikely though, given the nature of the film. Unless someone here works at a video store and has an advance copy then I'll be comparing the DVD and Blu-ray when I get it. Lack of features doesn't bother me if the price point on the Blu-ray is cheap enough. But hacking the ends off the pictures would be inexcusable in my opinion.
 
Ok, this is getting confusing. The consensus is definitely that the Canadian blu-ray has the incorrect aspect ratio. The ends of the picture are cropped off. Also, it seems true that none of the special features are listed on the box. After that, I will have to let you know exactly what is on the disk when I finally get it. Here's an excerpt from a pretty credible email I got:
Unfortunately, the movie is NOT in the original theatrical aspect ratio. Alliance Films has made the terrible decision to put the movie on the disc at an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, not the film's original 2.35:1 aspect ratio. I suspected that it might be a case of them putting a full frame presentation on the disc, but after comparing the Blu-ray to the U.S. DVD release I have found this not to be the case. Alliance has cropped the film on each side to make the 2.35:1 film 1.78:1 on the disc. Quality wise the video is still a step up from the DVD, but then again the U.S. DVD is in the correct aspect ratio.

On the plus side--even though no mention is made on the packaging--all of the special features from the U.S. DVD release are present--including all of the deleted scenes (curiously presented in the correct aspect ratio), animatics, galleries, and the audio commentary--and the audio is available in English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1 along with a French Dolby Digital 5.1 track.

I've also had a few suggestions that there weren't features on the disk, but I think this guy sounds credible. I hope so. But the aspect ratio thing is a travesty.




Another US HD option: You can purchase or rent outlander on Itunes and watch it in HD on Apple TV

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewMovie?id=308182427&s=143441&uo=2&v0=WWW-NAUS-ITMS-TRAILERS-TOPMOVIES
 
Along with x-box live and Apple TV, you can get Outlander in HD in the US on the Playstation network on your PS3. The PS3 version and most likely the xbox version is 720p and is reportedly in the correct aspect ratio.
 
I just rented the Outlander HD version from xbox live, as it is 5.7 gigs, It'll be a while before I get to watch it, but I'll let you know how the quality is.
 
I don't know how it stacks up to blue ray quality (since I still don't have a player) but the HD rental on Xbox live is gorgeous. its a good solution if there is no theater in your area.

The movie is pretty damned good too.
 
I don't know how it stacks up to blue ray quality (since I still don't have a player) but the HD rental on Xbox live is gorgeous. its a good solution if there is no theater in your area.

The movie is pretty damned good too.

I think Live is 720p so theoretically the Blu-ray should be able to look better. BUt the canadian release is definitely cropped (The DVD included I believe) and I don't think the transfer is as nice either since it's at times not very defined in dark scenes...

The special features are most definitely on the Blu-ray though, even though it doesn't mention them on the box.

Can someone confirm for me that the Canadian DVD is cropped as well (it says it is on the box)? If that's the case and you want a DVD version I recomend the US DVD since I know that it has the correct aspect ratio. I think I'm going to import one for myself.
 
Netflix still doesn't have the Blue-Ray of Outlander yet :(

Netflix won't get the Blu-Ray. There's no US blu-ray for a while at least. Blame the cheap weinsteins. They backed out of all their blu-ray releases to save money.

You can order the Canadian blu-ray on amazon.ca but it's cropped. You can rent the movie in HD on xbox live or the Playstation network, or appleTV though.

Netflix is a US company. Also, Blockbuster has exclusive rental rights for Weinstein Co. movies in the US. That may ore may not apply to netflix.
 
Netflix won't get the Blu-Ray. There's no US blu-ray for a while at least. Blame the cheap weinsteins. They backed out of all their blu-ray releases to save money.

You can order the Canadian blu-ray on amazon.ca but it's cropped. You can rent the movie in HD on xbox live or the Playstation network, or appleTV though.

Netflix is a US company. Also, Blockbuster has exclusive rental rights for Weinstein Co. movies in the US. That may ore may not apply to netflix.

Thanks AD

Currently there is a wait for the Outlander DVD on Netflix so I will just have to be happy with that. They should do something like make 5k copies on BR and see if they sell and if they do make more :) If people are willing to pay $$ for something why deny them?
 
Can someone confirm for me that the Canadian DVD is cropped as well (it says it is on the box)? If that's the case and you want a DVD version I recomend the US DVD since I know that it has the correct aspect ratio. I think I'm going to import one for myself.

So I got my Outlander DVD today, and aside from an alliance logo, it's identical to the US release, including having the correct aspect ratio. The box says 1.78:1 but the DVD definitely has the right aspect ratio which makes the blu-ray thing all the more confounding.

So no worries on getting the DVD...
 
Ok, this is really getting bizarro. Anyway here's a message from Outlander's editor David Dodson about the OAR snafu... and it's not as simple as we originaly thought. Also, I just got a DVD of Outlander today to compare to the Blu-ray and what he says is true... it's only sort of cropped... but also opened up... but totally wrong. Here's what he had to say:

What we have is a full 16×9 presentation. Not letterboxed. Not 2.35. And not even properly pan&scanned for 16×9. Most shots simply use the entire Super35 3-perf image area, thereby allowing all the extra headroom and lower space that was never intended to be seen. Careful widescreen compositions are thrown out the window. Shots that were composed for intensity or any other particular, professional use of the 2.35 frame are now just ordinary.

But it gets worse. Since many of the CGI shots were only finished out to 2.35 and not to the full 1.78 frame, many VFX shots are cropped on the sides in order to accommodate the 16×9 frame. For example, the Moorwen’s first rampage out of the trap truly needs the full 2.35 frame to be legible. But instead all we have is a 16×9 center-cut. As a result, the sequence feels cramped and hard to read.:


So in some sequences like the movie titles at the start there's obvious cropping on the sides. But then moments later when Caviezel is by the lake with his transmitter, there's extra headroom on the Blu-ray.

Word is that we might see something come of all the complaining but I'll have to let you know when I learn more.
 
Alright, here's the latest... and since I'm too lazy to write it all out again, I'm pasting my front page update here:

For all of you who have been holding off on the Region A Canadian Blu-Ray of Outlander because of the cropping issues we brought to your attention a while back, we've been pleasantly surprised to hear the Alliance Films (the Canadian distributor of Outlander) is working of fixing the issue.

First off, what exactly is the issue with the disk? Well, happily all the special features of the DVD we're on the disk despite not being listed on the box, so that isn't the issue. Here is David Dodson - Editor of Outlander's description of the mess up:

"What we have is a full 16×9 presentation. Not letterboxed. Not 2.35. And not even properly pan&scanned for 16×9. Most shots simply use the entire Super35 3-perf image area, thereby allowing all the extra headroom and lower space that was never intended to be seen. Careful widescreen compositions are thrown out the window. Shots that were composed for intensity or any other particular, professional use of the 2.35 frame are now just ordinary."

"But it gets worse. Since many of the CGI shots were only finished out to 2.35 and not to the full 1.78 frame, many VFX shots are cropped on the sides in order to accommodate the 16×9 frame. For example, the Moorwen’s first rampage out of the trap truly needs the full 2.35 frame to be legible. But instead all we have is a 16×9 center-cut. As a result, the sequence feels cramped and hard to read."


So you are actually getting *more* picture in a lot of the scenes and not less. But the film is such a hight percentage of special effects shots that half the film is less! Anything that has effects work -and there is more than is apparent at times because of set extension and whatnot - has the ends chopped off!

So what is Alliance doing about it? Right now Alliance is phasing out their Current Blu-Ray stock and has been working on a fixed Blu-Ray disk that will have the proper aspect ratio of the film, with none of the ends cutt off and that preserves the inteded composition fo the shots that the director and cinematographer intended. They've told us that if you order Outlander on Blu-ray *after* July 22nd your order should be filled with the new disks, which we've heard they might even be slipping the Making-of featurette intended for the UK release onto the disks as well.

There's also talk of a disk swap / buy back program for people who have purchased the original disks. Now I don't have any details about this. I've been told it's happening but we're still trying to find that out for sure as well as any details about how one would go about getting their disks replaced. You can be sure we'll let you all know as soon as we find out, so stay tuned.

In other home video news, if you haven't heard, the UK blu-ray/DVD release is happening on August 17th. A Hong Kong VCD/DVD release is happening on July 9th.
 
Hi! Big fan of Outlander here... ;) Just wanted to make a quick query... what details are there about the UK Blu Ray release?

I'm in the UK, but bought the US SD-DVD release (Avoiding the Canadian Blu Ray for obvious reasons). However, I'm planning on getting the UK Blu Ray when it comes out, but I just wanted to double check, if you know, that it won't have the formatting problems of that early Blu Ray release? If you know it'll be okay, I'm putting it straight on pre-order, but if it's unknown, I'll wait a bit to be sure. And any info on what extras are/aren't on the UK Blu Ray?

Thanks! :D
 
Hi! Big fan of Outlander here... ;) Just wanted to make a quick query... what details are there about the UK Blu Ray release?

I'm in the UK, but bought the US SD-DVD release (Avoiding the Canadian Blu Ray for obvious reasons). However, I'm planning on getting the UK Blu Ray when it comes out, but I just wanted to double check, if you know, that it won't have the formatting problems of that early Blu Ray release? If you know it'll be okay, I'm putting it straight on pre-order, but if it's unknown, I'll wait a bit to be sure. And any info on what extras are/aren't on the UK Blu Ray?

Thanks! :D

It *shouldn't* have the issues of the Canadian release (which to my knowledge is being fixed). I can't guaratee it 100% that there won't be issues but I'm 99.9% certain it should be fine. Features-wise it should be comparable to the US DVD with the addition of the making-of featurette (that is available on our site).
 
Thanks for the info! Much appreciated. I've put that on order, so it'll hopefully be arriving in the post as soon as available. ;)
 
Back
Top