Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) 4K UHD and Blu-ray Review: Paramount “presents” a crap UHD

#onceuponatimeinthewest #sergioleone #4kuhd #paramountpresents

I review the new 4K master, UHD and Blu-ray release of ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST from Paramount in their Paramount Presents line.
Sadly all Paramount has presented is a DNRd version of a new scan HIDEOUSLY compressed onto a UHD disc far too small for the film resulting in terrible compression artifacts. Both download versions and the new Blu-ray are significantly better encoded. The new extras are throwaways and their claims about this being a premium release with the utmost quality is a blatant LIE. The audio has not been restored.
Worst of all the decades of editing problems, 40 year old errors from past work and missing footage have not been addressed at all.
This release is utterly FUBAR entirely due to Paramount who doesn’t give a damn about films. NONE of this had to happen. And their contempt for the consumer is made obvious by trying to pass off such an obviously slipshod release as a premium product at a premium price point with the AUDACITY to claim it has the utmost in audio visual quality.
00:00 Opening goof (CONTAINS SPOILERS)
12:15 introduction and long history of problems
16:17 the buildup to the UHD release, 2011 Blu-ray summary
20:22 4K master DNR pass right off the top
22:41 reference with the Kino 4K SDR UHD of GBU
25:40 the 2011 Blu-ray is also more natural and isn't grain managed
26:51 The APPALLING compression from cramming the film onto a BD-66
plus the usual Paramount crap UHD encoding
31:44 The superior Kaleidescape digital streaming download version
35:40 inherent positives of 4k master can't hide the crap
35:59 HDR application
36:10 Dolby Vision patches over some things but can't fix it
36:48 But the HDR10 is GHASTLY in the same bad areas
40:06 Paramount encodes Blu-ray discs better than UHDs!
42:13 Thus in some aspects the new Blu-ray IS BETTER THAN THE UHD!!!
43:20 The New Blu-ray is better made than the UHD
45:12 The ONE positive-the new color timing
45:26 My slight misgivings about the new color grading
46:40 Visual Summary-A Travesty courtesy of Paramount
48:30 Example of compression wrecking the film-ALL the iconic Monument Valley shots are a mess in the skies
49:08 Paramount has treated the film, the consumer and the film fan with utter contempt
49:16 Paramount has the AUDACITY to claim this is the utmost quality restoration!
50:23 in spite of issues the 2011 Blu-ray is better in every way.
51:19 The only upside is that it was a new scan before Paramount ruined it
52:22 I advise to stick with the 2011 BD
53:18 Audio Quality-FUBAR. Resvisionist 5.1, no restored mono or fixed ending music--5.1 mix discussion, how it really is BAD-and made the default audio.
55:18 Lossy Mono track review-sounds rather poor
55:48 Still based on flawed 1984 version, and reusing 1994 LD audio source but making it worse
56:36 the lossy mono is so processed its hard to tell if its a downmix. VASTLY inferior to the 1994 LD mono.
57:59 Audio summary-neither option is what it should be. The mono NEEDS TO BE RESTORED PROPERLY!
01:00:17 Packaging and Artwork-Paramount "Presents" line
01:02:06 Defective design of Paramount "Presents" slanted slipcovers
01:04:17 the AUDACITY of including the rear cover statments about utmost quality and plastering Scorsese's name on this piece of crap
01:04:47 If Scorsese saw how the UHD turned out he should be ROYALLY PISSED and that they used his name.
01:05:05 more discussion of generic packaging
01:05:25 Paramount's bold faced LIE on the rear cover about having the utmost quality and respecting the film
01:06:13 Keepcase art and design
01:07:44 Supplemental Features review
01:08:12 Excellent 2003 legacy extras again not updated
01:11:38 Two new worthless extras
01:12:49 The new commentary-useless and a struggle to get through
01:17:03 The US Trailer is again included...AND LOOKS MORE FILMIC THAN THE 4K MASTER!
01:18:24 The film's longstanding STILL uncorrected edit problems, missing footage and ending music error
01:19:58 The Missing footage from the opening scene
01:22:12 The Harmonica Rising scene that isn't supposed to be there
01:26:25 The 1984 reconstruction runining of the ending music cues FOR 40 YEARS!
01:33:19 Final Summary-Paramount has desecrated the film, again not restored it properly and
has displayed nothing but contempt for the consumer-DO NOT SUPPORT THIS RELEASE
01:37:31 Paramount's actions have made this one of the worst physical media releases of all time. An INSULT to the legendary film and its legacy.
01:49:54 Outro Goof (CONTAINS SPOILERS)