View Full Version : The worst quality DVD's
bollecks
03-11-2001, 17:34
What are the worst DVD's out there quality wise?
Here are two for starters:
Trainspotting R2 - Awful transfer covered in speckles.
Cube R2 - Says 16:9 enhanced on the box when it isn't. Picture looks as if you smeared vaseline on your glasses.
Some of the MIA stuff - Massacre In Rome, The Octagon, etc.
Last House on the Left - If you don't take the circumstances and when it was made into context.
gazman999
03-11-2001, 18:03
Originally posted by Paul490
Last House on the Left - If you don't take the circumstances and when it was made into context. [/B]
Elaborate please Paul....
From what I've seen, that's one of the worst in video quality, but it's one of my favourite films.
Michael Brooke
03-11-2001, 21:56
<B>Last House on the Left - If you don't take the circumstances and when it was made into context.</B>
Sorry, I disagree - even if you <U>do</U> take the context into account it's an awful transfer. I don't recall the original picture being crammed with digital artefacts and with an out-of-focus blotch slap bang in the middle of every single shot - and anamorphic enhancement only makes it look worse.
A low budget doesn't preclude a decent transfer - Elite's <I>Night of the Living Dead</I> and <I>The Evil Dead</I> and Something Weird's <I>Basket Case</I> all look terrific, and those films were shot with similarly limited resources.
Anyway, the three worst DVDs I've ever seen are World Video's <A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/reviews/other/ashesoftime.html">Ashes of Time</A>, Sheptonhurst's <A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/reviews/other/pyramid.html">The Pyramid</A> and Madacy's <A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/reviews/other/reefermadness.html">Reefer Madness</A> - click on the titles for the full hideous story!
The worst transfer I have come across so far is the region 1 version of HIGHLANDER, it's worst than my old vhs copy but the sounds good though.
Michael Brooke - I saw the non-anamorphic Dutch version. Is the French version even worse?
The transfer for Driller Killer is dire.
I mean even if the origional transfer is bad anyway they could have at least attempted to clear the picture up some what.
Jonnyrepp
03-11-2001, 22:37
I picked up a featureless Life of Brian R1 in the States back in February. The quality is worse than my VHS
adamvbarker
04-11-2001, 00:29
The Madacy version of Leslie Howard's Scarlet Pimpernel is truly horrid, like watching through a thick fog. In fact, in the last scene there's meant to be a thick fog, and it looks just like the rest of the movie.
Island of Lost Souls is a pretty bad transfer from an awful print. Which is a shame cos it's a great film - 1933 version of Island of Dr. Moreau with Charles Laughton as the mad scientist and a brief cameo by Bela Lugosi as a monstrous 'lawgiver'. Creepy.
Kit_Taylor
04-11-2001, 01:53
Reading MBs review of The Pyramid I have to agree that Sheptonhurst really take the **** with their R18 DVDs. They'd be disappointing for a fiver, but the fact that you'll pay 50 quid for them in a sex shop is just...wrong. Something has just gone horribly wrong somewhere.
I pity the poor blighters at the BBFC who have to watch this sort of stuff all day.
TimJBart
04-11-2001, 09:03
the quality on the ALana P DVD is poor, its all grainy as if we're watching Alan through some frosted glass!
grrrrr:mad:
William Shatners Wig
04-11-2001, 09:20
R2, Blood Simple. Simply the worst audio and video transfers that I have ever seen. 4:3 as well to boot. Not to mention a Super Jewel case.....
The Scimitar release of Horror Express is awful. Pan-and-scan, very basics menu that looks like it was created by a blind 4-year-old, and it also looks like you're watching the film through a heavy fog on a dark night.
hitch_fan
04-11-2001, 09:32
The absolute worst transfer of a major title I've ever seen is the R1 Scarface. Even a worn VHS is better than that.
R1 Dangerous Liaisons was pro bably the worst I've come across.
Michael Mackenzie
04-11-2001, 11:16
Originally posted by Kit_Taylor
I pity the poor blighters at the BBFC who have to watch this sort of stuff all day. Don't the BBFC still have that stupid rule where they insist on everything being sent in VHS format?
Originally posted by hitch_fan
The absolute worst transfer of a major title I've ever seen is the R1 Scarface. Even a worn VHS is better than that.
Fortunately, the PAL versions of that film on DVD are far, far better. A good, if not excellent transfer on R2/R4. Shame that I paid £20 for it. Damn PC World!
Cap'n Al
04-11-2001, 14:24
The 'mighty' Wishbone Ash: Legends of Rock, which is comfortably the worst DVD I have ever had the misfortune to encounter in the 2 and a half years I've been collecting them, with picture quality that makes you start shouting 'Come back VHS! All is forgiven! Even if you are abysmal, with grainy picture and indistinct sound! I don't deserve this!'
In terms of films, I thought the Anchor Bay Evil Dead was fairly poor, but it's obviously not the strongest source material.
The worst one for me was the R2 version of Prince of Egypt. Considering that DVDs are just born to show animation, the quality was simply appalling, with huge artifacts ruining the movie. This angered me for two reasons- one: the R2 version of The Road to El Dorado (again an animated Dreamworks movie) was absolutely lovely, with no noticeable artifacts, and beautiful, bright colours. Secondly, I sold my R2 version, and picked up the R1 and it was superb! And even had nice animated menus- which the R2 version didn't have.
I just think that it takes the **** a bit...
Vinyl-Pants
04-11-2001, 14:43
Sleeping Fist - good film tho :)
Ol' Blue Eyes
04-11-2001, 15:10
Originally posted by Kit_Taylor
Reading MBs review of The Pyramid I have to agree that Sheptonhurst really take the **** with their R18 DVDs. They'd be disappointing for a fiver, but the fact that you'll pay 50 quid for them in a sex shop is just...wrong.
Your local sex shop's ripping you off mate. R18 DVDs are £20 in Soho.
camino_real
04-11-2001, 16:08
This one's easy. The R2 version of Halloween III : Season of the Witch. 4:3 transfer, wretched VHS like copy and awful print. I got it in the last HMV sale at £4.99. I took it back. Now have a copy of the R1 Goodtimes version. Not perfect by a long way but at least it's in the correct ratio.
Highlander region 1 is a awful transfer.Avoid.
I have to agree with camino_real, Halloween III is by far the worst DVD I've ever seen. VHS would be preferable! I also picked it up in HMV's sale but it wasn't worth the train fare to take it back..
sidebog7
07-11-2001, 11:22
The worst I have seen is the R2 Nouveaux release of Suspiria. Compared to the Anchor Bay edition it is terrible. The sound is ridiculously poor and the picture is so murky that it ruins the entire film (when a film relies on the colour to produce an effect a top transfer is required).
The worst quality DVD I have is R2 the Crow. I rue the day I spent a tenner on that. (then to find there is a special ed R1 version) grrrrr :mad:
Edit
TimJbart - Cool another Jackass viewer:)
Tartan are generally pretty poor, it's got to the point now where I won't touch there releases with a barge pole - even if it's a film I love. Cyrano de Bergerac is probably the worst one I've seen, awfull transfer of a an awfull print with burnt in subs.
Cobertizo
07-11-2001, 13:03
What about the Ghost in the Shell R2? There is a wonderful delay of about .5 sec between the video and english audio. Well done guys...
Admittedly I prefer the Japanese with subs, but how can you manage to pull off such a mistake? At least the R1 was okay...
I thought R2 Trainspotting was OK - just .
The two shockers I have are the R1 Diva (the original Fox Lorber not the Anchor Bay) and the R2 Unforgiven (horrible smearing , spangly skies , wobbly mountains . Yuk.
Shingster
07-11-2001, 14:51
The worst transfer I've seen is the Mei Ah release of Ashes Of Time, and it's still the best transfer you can get of the film. This is a film that deserves a top-notch transfer & so far it's been treated like crap!
The Directors cut of Manhunter is also very poor as well, but that's forgivable, seeing as it's pretty much a glorified extra.
Michael Mackenzie
07-11-2001, 15:01
Home Alone 1 and 2, either R1 or R2. It looks like you're watching it through rippling water and the level of detail is just appalling.
The Dutch version of the Deer Hunter is pretty bad.
Flame Trees of Thika - sound quality is terrible
SIMON ADEBISI
26-05-2006, 14:22
The Last Boy Scout R2. Brutal trnasfer, no extras, great film, injustice!
Raigmore
26-05-2006, 15:04
"Angel Heart" R2 and the old Yul Brynner classic film "The King & I" in R1 are the two worst DVDs I have in terms of picture quality
anephric
26-05-2006, 16:04
What's wrong with the R2 of Angel Heart (apart from it being cut)? It won't win any prizes but I remember it being serviceable.
Highlander region 1 is a awful transfer.Avoid.
The Anchor Bay R1 is fine, it's just the really old (Republic) release that's a mess.
Raigmore
26-05-2006, 16:20
What's wrong with the R2 of Angel Heart (apart from it being cut)? It won't win any prizes but I remember it being serviceable.
I have the earlier release where the title sequence and several other scenes are shaky. Not only that, the shakiness is resticted to some objects only on the screen, making the whole thing look like a bad stage prop. I'm sure that the matter was discussed by others in the forum a few years ago.
NitramJohn
26-05-2006, 16:33
'Operation Pettycoat' from the Cary Grant Collection, It seems to be slightly out of focus.
'The Great St Trinians Train Robbery' from the St. Trinians collection. Not only is it 4:3, the transfer is applauling. Thankfully the version that came free with the Daily Mail is lovely (even correct ratio).
irascian
26-05-2006, 19:17
Far and away the worst in my collection of nearly 2000 DVDs is the first boxed set release of Roald Dahl's "Tales of the Unexpected". Imagine a VHS tape that's been copied a couple of times and then played far too often and you've pretty much got the gist of it.
Mark Aldridge
26-05-2006, 19:25
This one's easy. The R2 version of Halloween III : Season of the Witch. 4:3 transfer, wretched VHS like copy and awful print. I got it in the last HMV sale at £4.99. I took it back. Now have a copy of the R1 Goodtimes version. Not perfect by a long way but at least it's in the correct ratio.
There is another (deleted?) Halloween III R2 which is much better, from the sounds of it, as it's the one I have. It's 1.78:1 (not 2.35:1, as I think is correct) and cut by a few seconds, but has a decent commentary by Kim Newman and Stephen Jones and uses a good print.
DrZarkov
26-05-2006, 19:26
Blood Simple was pretty poor
Niceguygeoff
26-05-2006, 20:01
The R2 edition of Flight Of The Navigator is hands-down the worst DVD I have ever seen. It's from what looks like a 4:3 VHS version, which would almost be passable but it's been cropped to 16:9 and is fake-anamorphic to boot. :gag: Absolutely...bloody...awful.
The worst DVD I've ever seen is Jesus of Montreal. I was almost in tears - it's such a superb film, ones of the best films of the 80s I think, brilliantly acted and directed, but the transfer is straight from what appears to be a mistracked VHS tape that someone found at the back of a cupboard. It even has the subtitles burnt in to the video track.
Heartbreaking.
Probably the old Neuveux (spelling?) release of "Suspiria". Non-anamorphic and colours smeared everywhere. By the way what happened to Michael brooke? Always meant to ask.
Squirrel God
27-05-2006, 02:26
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer UK R2.
You can actually see the MPEG macroblocks. Why bother putting it out on DVD? May as well have stuck it on a CD!
Greemie666
27-05-2006, 07:02
R2 Mona Lisa (Anchor Bay), recently picked up from HMV for £3.99 is worse than an ex-rental VHS.
Raigmore
27-05-2006, 08:22
Far and away the worst in my collection of nearly 2000 DVDs is the first boxed set release of Roald Dahl's "Tales of the Unexpected". Imagine a VHS tape that's been copied a couple of times and then played far too often and you've pretty much got the gist of it.
I am very surprised. I have Seasons 1 & 2 boxed sets (R1) that I got from CD Universe. I have not yet seen all the episodes, but the ones that I have seem to be pretty good. I am bit of a stickler when it comes to AV quality and have not encountered problems with either set so far.
anephric
27-05-2006, 11:53
The R2 of The Gate has the worst posterisation and blocking I think I've ever seen on DVD.
The "THX-certified" R1 of Evil Dead 2 was also shocking in its blocking, sir. Piece o' crap.
Holy thread resurrection Batman!
anephric
27-05-2006, 12:02
Some days you just can't get rid of a thread.
...and while the thread is back let me put Gangs of New York up for one of the worst ever transfers to DVD with its inch-thick edge-enhancement. Roll on the day when we get this on a Hi-Def disc, although it wouldn't surprise me if there was a problem with the master and we're stuck with how the film looks on home theatre for ever.
...and while the thread is back let me put Gangs of New York up for one of the worst ever transfers to DVD with its inch-thick edge-enhancement. Roll on the day when we get this on a Hi-Def disc, although it wouldn't surprise me if there was a problem with the master and we're stuck with how the film looks on home theatre for ever.
If "Gangs of New York" is the worst transfer you've seen, you've been spoilt;)
I bought "250 Premiership Goals" from HMV about 5 years ago got it home and the blocking was so bad the crowd couldn't be made out. If it wasn't for the commentator I wouldn't know who was scoring the goals, no exaggeration.
I took it back and swapped it and even told the manager I thought someone had copied the original and put the copy back it!
It's now deleted, unsuprisingly.
KeyserSoze
27-05-2006, 20:14
This shouldn't count cos its one of those public domain sets. But I purchased the 50 martial arts movie pack.
Black Cobra starring Fred 'The Hammer' Williamson makes me want to rip my eyes out. Thing is I'm not sure if its the transfer or the movie itself.
I'm also not sure why this movie is in the martial arts pack.
Gary Couzens
28-05-2006, 12:09
The worst DVD transfer I've ever seen is the "digitally remastered" Australian release of Mad Dog Morgan.
a) It's non-anamorphic and cropped from 2.35:1 to approx 2:1. What's worse, the cropping is from the left-hand side as can be seen when the credits disappear off the side.
b) It's faded, blurred and artefacted in the extreme. If a character is wearing a blue shirt, the shirt and the blueness are separate items.
c) The soundtrack has a consistent background hum. (It's mono, but that's not a problem in itself as the film was released that way.)
The DVD has a decent making-of documentary, so the disc is not a total dead loss. However, to add insult to injury, the film clips featured in it are of better picture quality than the feature.
If this is "digitally remastered" I'd dread to think what state the original is in. This film is only thirty years old, for God's sake!
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