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Movie and TV Discussion => Movie reviews => Topic started by: David Vaughn on October 20, 2020, 04:55:46 PM

Title: Back to the Future: The Ultimate Trilogy (4K UHD Blu-ray) review
Post by: David Vaughn on October 20, 2020, 04:55:46 PM
(https://discuss.avscience.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2662.0;attach=5413;image)

Studio: Universal
Release: October 20, 2020
Rating: PG
Film:

Back to the Future - 5/5
Back to the Future Part II – 3.5/5
Back to the Future Part III - 4/5

Plot
Teenager Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is asked to help his friend Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) conduct a scientific experiment involving a time machine made out of a DeLorean. Before he knows it, he finds himself transported to 1955 and sets off a time-shattering chain reaction that can wipe out his future. Searching out the 1955 version of Doc, the pair has to figure out a way to fix the space-time continuum and get the teenager back to the future.

In Part II, Marty and Doc travel 30 years into the future in order to stop Marty's son from setting off a chain of events that will ruin the family's reputation. In the process of fixing the future, the pair inadvertently disrupts the space-time continuum (again) and need to travel back to 1955 in order to set things right.

After being struck by lightning at the conclusion of Part II, Doc Brown is transported back to 1885 and is able to get a message to Marty on how to get home from 1955. Instead of heeding the good Doctor's advice, Marty goes back to 1885 in Part III to rescue his friend from a local gunslinger (Thomas F. Wilson). The pair must avoid the bad guy and figure out a way to get the DeLorean running again and once again, get back to the future.



My Thoughts
Back to the Future was the smash hit of 1985 and spent 11 weeks at #1 at the U.S box office and earned just under $200 million in gross sales. Not bad for a film that almost wasn't made. Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale shopped the project around Hollywood and couldn't find a taker until Steven Spielberg stepped in. The success of the film virtually guaranteed a sequel (or two) and while neither of the sequels measure up to the first, they do have their moments. The first act of Part II doesn’t start the sequels off on good footing, but the movie ends well and sets up the fun, but far from realistic, Part III. The sequels were shot at the same time to save costs—a process later utilized by Peter Jackson when he shot The Lord of the Rings trilogy a decade later. 

Universal released the films almost 10 years to the day in 2010 to mixed reviews, especially on the video quality. Fortunately, they went back to the drawing board on this 4K release and minted brand new 4K scans from the original 35mm elements. Needless to say, these films have never looked better. Details leap off the screen and the colors have never been more vibrant. The one negative effect of this is the CGI stands out quite a bit, particularly in the first two films which rely on the effects more than the third, which is set in the old West.

Audio purists will delight that the original stereo track is included, but the best way to listen to these films is in Dolby Atmos. They aren’t your run of the mill remixes that just send some score bleed to the ceiling speakers and call it a day. Nope, there are actual discrete effects that place you into the film. Needless to say, I was impressed with the A/V presentation.

Video:

Back to the Future – 9/10
Back to the Future Part II – 9/10
Back to the Future Part III -  10/10

Audio (Dolby Atmos):

Back to the Future – 9.5/10
Back to the Future Part II – 9.5/10
Back to the Future Part III -  9.5/10


Special Features:

BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE ULTIMATE TRILOGY bonus DISC FEATURES ON BLU-RAY™:

BACK TO THE FUTURE bonus FEATURES ON 4K Ultra Hd & BLU-RAY™:
*Only on the Blu-ray™ disc

BACK TO THE FUTURE II bonus FEATURES ON 4K Ultra Hd & BLU-RAY™:
*Only on the Blu-ray™ disc

BACK TO THE FUTURE III bonus FEATURES ON 4K Ultra Hd & BLU-RAY™:
*Only on the Blu-ray™ disc


Back to the Future | Opening Scene in 4K Ultra HD | Marty McFly Is Just Too Darn Loud


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uduqQYfJ0 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uduqQYfJ0_w)


Conclusion
In 2016 I watched Back to the Future at UCLA with the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra playing the musical score live during the film. Needless to say, I was blown away. As an added bonus, I got to personally meet composer Alan Silvestri and see the DeLorean used in the movie up close and personal. So to say I’m a fan of these films would be an understatement. They are timeless fun and have never looked or sounded better than they do in 4K. Highly recommended.


Reference Review System:

Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS2000 4K Ultra High Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Fixed Screen
Anthem AVM60 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-980
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
SVS PC-Ultra Cylinder Subwoofer
HSU VTF-15H MK2 Subwoofer
JL Audio Fathom F110 Subwoofers x 2 (stacked)
JL Audio Dominion D110 Subwoofer x 2 (stacked)
Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner


Title: Re: Back to the Future: The Ultimate Trilogy (4K UHD Blu-ray) review
Post by: NoUDont on October 20, 2020, 08:50:23 PM
Thanks Dave. Interesting the Atmos gets a full work up by the studio and isn’t just an afterthought. The special features look stacked! 
Title: Re: Back to the Future: The Ultimate Trilogy (4K UHD Blu-ray) review
Post by: Paul Heroy on October 20, 2020, 09:44:01 PM
Hmmm. I got the Blu-ray trilogy set back in 2015 to do the trilogy watch around the week of Oct 21. This sounds like a nice upgrade, which is totally hard to justify except for tomorrow's date... Great Scott!
Title: Re: Back to the Future: The Ultimate Trilogy (4K UHD Blu-ray) review
Post by: David Vaughn on October 20, 2020, 09:48:04 PM
Quote from: NoUDont on October 20, 2020, 08:50:23 PM
Thanks Dave. Interesting the Atmos gets a full work up by the studio and isn’t just an afterthought. The special features look stacked!
A lot of the special features have been released before, but the "new" ones are labeled. If you're a fan of the movies, it's fun to dig into the production a lot more. I dug out a picture of the live show I saw:(https://i.imgur.com/xiQsGOW.jpg)
Title: Re: Back to the Future: The Ultimate Trilogy (4K UHD Blu-ray) review
Post by: Ralph P. on October 21, 2020, 07:39:53 AM
Greetings,

Great review Dave. Told ya! ;)


Regards,
Title: Re: Back to the Future: The Ultimate Trilogy (4K UHD Blu-ray) review
Post by: bmoney on October 21, 2020, 09:43:01 AM
man looks like another repurchase of these movies lol

i think ive bought them 4 times now

Title: Re: Back to the Future: The Ultimate Trilogy (4K UHD Blu-ray) review
Post by: claw on October 21, 2020, 12:12:01 PM
Vincent's analysis of Part 1's HDR10.  His reviews are always interesting.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcpXo3IXupQ
Title: Re: Back to the Future: The Ultimate Trilogy (4K UHD Blu-ray) review
Post by: David Vaughn on October 21, 2020, 03:16:28 PM
Quote from: claw on October 21, 2020, 12:12:01 PM
Vincent's analysis of Part 1's HDR10.  His reviews are always interesting. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcpXo3IXupQ
Thanks for sharing Claw. That was very interesting. 
Title: Re: Back to the Future: The Ultimate Trilogy (4K UHD Blu-ray) review
Post by: DLCPhoto on October 26, 2020, 09:22:38 PM
I just watched, and thoroughly enjoyed, the first one.  It was hard to believe how good it looked for a movie this old!

A really fun ride!
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