Charlie does surf!

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

I need to get a copy of FMJ. I saw it once on IFC and it was really good IMHO. You can get it on DVD for like 4$ here. Born on the Fourth of July is on my list too. Of course, I will have to see Apocalypse Now also.....

You might as well upgrade to blu ray for the extra three or four dollars per disc you get a substantial improvement in video and sound quality.My laptop has a Bluray drive (it came as a free upgrade) I was stunned how much better the quality is with Bluray even on a non HD LCD.Of course on an HD TV or an HD monitor it just blows your mind.

Of course for me Bluray is not very expensive because my movie library is fairly small.I only own movies that I really like.Of course I will only watch a film I really like once every few years.

"Apocalypse Now" is probably my favorite movie and I only viewed it about 5 times in my life time.Another favorite "Seven Samurai" I have viewed even less. I am actually glad that this thread appeared because it made me realize that I have not watched "Apocalypse Now" in some time and that I do not own a bluray copy so I went an ordered a copy from Amazon.I look forward to getting that package because this one is displayed in the original theater ratio.I did get to see Redux when it came out in 2000 in a German Kino which was nice because they serve beer in German movie theaters.I can say without doubt that it was the best film I have ever seen in a proper movie theater and most likely will never be topped.

They just don't make films like that anymore.

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

You might as well upgrade to blu ray for the extra three or four dollars per disc you get a substantial improvement in video and sound quality.My laptop has a Bluray drive (it came as a free upgrade) I was stunned how much better the quality is with Bluray even on a non HD LCD.Of course on an HD TV or an HD monitor it just blows your mind.

I've seen Blu-Ray Movies on one of the most high quality TV's before. They are pretty dang nice. I'll give them that...but I just prefer DVD's. I was thinking just the other day if it would be possible for me to upgrade my laptop's disc drive to a Blu-Ray speed drive. I only have one Blu-Ray movie. I got a Blu-Ray/DVD Combo pack of Robin Hood with Russel Crowe. I got it last summer from my Grandma and I haven't even watched it since.... Blu-Ray would probably be good for me since I'm a big movie person.

I'll think about it.

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

I've seen Blu-Ray Movies on one of the most high quality TV's before. They are pretty dang nice. I'll give them that...but I just prefer DVD's. I was thinking just the other day if it would be possible for me to upgrade my laptop's disc drive to a Blu-Ray speed drive. I only have one Blu-Ray movie. I got a Blu-Ray/DVD Combo pack of Robin Hood with Russel Crowe. I got it last summer from my Grandma and I haven't even watched it since.... Blu-Ray would probably be good for me since I'm a big movie person.

I'll think about it.

Well Bluray also allows for a much higher quality transfer even for a long film to be on one disc vs two DVD discs.

If you really like movies Bluray is the way to go.Of course to get the most benefit you really need an HDTV that can handle 1080p or HD capable monitor and a good sound system.

For an HDTV you also must use HDMI connectors which can be expensive.

What you may not realize with DVD titles is that they lower the quality of the transfer in order to jam all those extra features onto the disc if you buy a DVD try to by a "super bit" DVD they will have the maximum possible quality transfer for a DVD.If you cant find super bit DVDs try to buy titles where it is clear that any extras are on a separate DVD for example titles in the Criterion Collection are sold this way.

If you can get "Apocalypse Now: The Complete Dossier" DVD that set has a high quality transfer.It is spread out over two discs and there are some extra features but they designed them oso that they fit on the disc without lowering the actual films transfer quality.

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

If you can get "Apocalypse Now: The Complete Dossier" DVD that set has a high quality transfer.It is spread out over two discs and there are some extra features but they designed them oso that they fit on the disc without lowering the actual films transfer quality.

I'll look for that at Hastings next time I go. The quality of the movie doesn't matter to me as much as the actual movie. If I can clearly see what is happening, it's good enough for me. Anything above VHS quality is good. I can hardly stand to watch a VHS movie now. I grew up on those things....and then I turned 11.

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

I'll look for that at Hastings next time I go. The quality of the movie doesn't matter to me as much as the actual movie. If I can clearly see what is happening, it's good enough for me. Anything above VHS quality is good. I can hardly stand to watch a VHS movie now. I grew up on those things....and then I turned 11.

The box looks like a small metal clasp closed manila folder.I recommend watching the original 1979 version first and then watching the Redux version.

Some people feel that the original is better at building up suspense knowing that the final confrontation is going to be very climatic and that the extra scenes in Redux are too much of a lull.I think Redux and its extra scenes add to the suspense myself and they add a little depth to the relationship of the different characters.

That is just my opinion though and I have not viewed the original 1979 version of Apocalypse Now in some time.I will have to view both versions when I get my Bluray copy in the mail.Hopefully it will come in by Friday so I can sit down and watch them back to back Friday and Saturday.Perhaps I can convince my wife and daughter to go shopping or something Saturday that way it will be just the dogs the cats and me lounging around watching Apocalypse Now...sounds like a plan

Anyway when you get a hold of a copy let us know what your favorite scene is.I would list my favorite scene but I dont want to a have a positive or negative influence on you.I always find that hearing about a scene from someone kind of ruins the effect it has on me because I already have a preconceived notion.I will tell you that it is not the part where the Air Cav raids the village.

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

Anyway when you get a hold of a copy let us know what your favorite scene is.I would list my favorite scene but I dont want to a have a positive or negative influence on you.I always find that hearing about a scene from someone kind of ruins the effect it has on me because I already have a preconceived notion.I will tell you that it is not the part where the Air Cav raids the village.

I'm already assuming that when the Air Cav comes in that they kill civilians. I could be wrong...but I'm just using the context clues here.

I'll be sure to list my favorite scene if I get a copy. I'm hoping to get FMJ and Apocalypse Now at Hastings. Hastings is great. Buy One Get One For A Dollar on all used movies. If they're both 5$, I'll pay 6$.

On an unrelated note, I have a movie to recommend for you.

It's a 1990's HBO movie. Called "When Trumpets Fade". It's about the Battle of Hurtgen Forest and the man who went from Private to Lieutenant in three days. It's a true story and I really liked it. It's a lower budget movie than some other HBO stuff but it's a good movie. If you haven't seen it, give it a watch.

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

I'm already assuming that when the Air Cav comes in that they kill civilians. I could be wrong...but I'm just using the context clues here.

I'll be sure to list my favorite scene if I get a copy. I'm hoping to get FMJ and Apocalypse Now at Hastings. Hastings is great. Buy One Get One For A Dollar on all used movies. If they're both 5$, I'll pay 6$.

On an unrelated note, I have a movie to recommend for you.

It's a 1990's HBO movie. Called "When Trumpets Fade". It's about the Battle of Hurtgen Forest and the man who went from Private to Lieutenant in three days. It's a true story and I really liked it. It's a lower budget movie than some other HBO stuff but it's a good movie. If you haven't seen it, give it a watch.

I have seen "When Trumpets Fade" it was not bad the at the time some clever airman in my dorm had decided to share his cable with the everyone people would watch HBO and sports on one of those huge rear projection screen TVs that they had in the day room.

The scene in Apocalypse Now I will let you see it for yourself there was an important event that occurs before a civilian gets killed that I forgot about I'll just let you watch it and you can judge it for yourself.Come to think of it my memory does not serve me as to wither a combatant dressed as civilian that had clearly committed a military action is the only one killed alone or others near that person as well but not purposefully. There is another scene as well that I forgot about that displays an important element of Martin Sheen's character that I also forgot about.At any rate there is no blatant killing of a civilian I'll just leave it at that.