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Posted: |
Jul 23, 2011 - 10:05 AM
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By: |
ScottDS
(Member)
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Hmm... I recall this came up at a convention a few years ago:
In light of Sci-Fi channel’s hit 1999 series Farscape getting re-released on DVD, Brian Henson admitted to the crowd at Creation Entertainment’s annual Farscape convention that there are no plans to release Farscape in any high-definiton format.
The series was filmed on 35mm, which is far superior to HD, said Henson, but the visual effects were created for a standard-definition format, and when looking at the costs of re-creating the visual effects in HD, it would have been in the millions of dollars. Per season. Understandable for a series that holds the Guinness world record for the most digital effects in a TV series.
Unfortunately, there was yet another cost that would kill the possibility of Farscape appearing in high-definition. At the end of each season, the original camera negatives were archived, which according to Henson left “a gymnasium of footage” that was particularly costly to store due to the volatility of the film itself. And so, I assume, the original 35mm prints of Farscape have been scrapped.
Henson stated that the Farscape series was produced in both NTSC and PAL formats, and that PAL’s 576 horizontal lines of resolution (compared to NTSC’s 480) was the highest-definion version of Farscape available. This is a far sight less than HD’s top resolution of 1,080 lines, and a sad fate for such a visually stunning and complex series.
I bought the Complete Series set blind, hoping to watch it one day. I still haven't gotten to it but I'll sell it and buy the Blu-Ray is the A/V is up to par.
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Posted: |
Jul 23, 2011 - 11:21 AM
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By: |
Uhtred
(Member)
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In light of Sci-Fi channel’s hit 1999 series Farscape getting re-released on DVD, Brian Henson admitted to the crowd at Creation Entertainment’s annual Farscape convention that there are no plans to release Farscape in any high-definiton format.
The series was filmed on 35mm, which is far superior to HD, said Henson, but the visual effects were created for a standard-definition format, and when looking at the costs of re-creating the visual effects in HD, it would have been in the millions of dollars. Per season. Understandable for a series that holds the Guinness world record for the most digital effects in a TV series.
Unfortunately, there was yet another cost that would kill the possibility of Farscape appearing in high-definition. At the end of each season, the original camera negatives were archived, which according to Henson left “a gymnasium of footage” that was particularly costly to store due to the volatility of the film itself. And so, I assume, the original 35mm prints of Farscape have been scrapped.
Henson stated that the Farscape series was produced in both NTSC and PAL formats, and that PAL’s 576 horizontal lines of resolution (compared to NTSC’s 480) was the highest-definion version of Farscape available. This is a far sight less than HD’s top resolution of 1,080 lines, and a sad fate for such a visually stunning and complex series.
Its a shame there is no easy solution for putting sci-fi shows onto high def for this exact reason. I know the Star Trek shows have been mentioned on another thread but I'd love to see a Blu-ray quality version of Farscape, Babylon 5, Space: Above and Beyond and others.
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PREPARE FOR STARBURST WITH THE EAGERLY-AWAITED
HI-DEF SET OF A TELEVISION SCI-FI CLASSIC
FARSCAPE:
THE COMPLETE SERIES
BLU-RAY EDITION
IN STORES NOVEMBER 15
Remastered from the Highest Quality Source Material, All 88 Episodes
of the Fan Favorite Series Are Presented in Crystal Clear High Definition,
"Better Than They've Ever Looked Before", Says Exec Producer Brian Henson
The 20-Disc Set ($199.95 SRP) from A+E Networks Home Entertainment and
The Jim Henson Company Includes Over 15 Hours of Bonus Programming,
Highlighted by a Brand-New Documentary Featuring Ben Browder, Claudia
Black, Creators Rockne O'Bannon, Henson and Writer Richard Manning
NEW YORK, NY - Although the status of the U.S. space program is in flux, those wishing to explore the furthest reaches of the cosmos need to look no further than FARSCAPE: THE COMPLETE SERIES BLU-RAY EDITION. This November, home viewers will be transported through a wormhole across a thousand galaxies to the stunningly original universe of this groundbreaking cult classic from The Jim Henson Company, finally available in spectacular hi-def! Bringing together all four complete seasons (88 episodes) and over 15 hours of bonus programming across 20 blu-ray discs, this definitive collection - optimized for HD from the European PAL masters - the highest quality available source elements - delivers the most optimal viewing experience for the series which TV Guide named "one of television's best cult shows ever". And, on November 15, it will be available for fans both new and old for $199.95 SRP.
A+E Networks Home Entertainment, one of the pioneers of TV DVD collectibles, and The Jim Henson Company have worked closely together to guarantee that this BLU-RAY EDITION will satisfy the series loyal fan base. "With FARSCAPE, we work hard to meet our fans' high expectations and this new Blu Ray release utilizes the highest quality source materials available so I know our audience will not be disappointed," said Brian Henson, Chairman of The Jim Henson Company and executive producer of FARSCAPE. "A+E Networks Home Entertainment has met all the challenges that, given the nature and age of the series, are inherent with a show like FARSCAPE, and the result is that all four seasons of FARSCAPE look better than ever before."
The superb High-Def picture and sound isn't the only cause for celebration as this set also includes a BRAND-NEW documentary: Memories of Moya: An Epic Journey Explored featuring revealing new interviews with creators Brian Henson and Rockne O'Bannon, writer Richard Manning, and stars Ben Browder and Claudia Black as they look back at the legacy of the sci-fi classic.
In addition to this new documentary, the FARSCAPE Blu-ray set also includes ALL of the bonus material from the bestselling DVD release: over 15 hours episode commentaries, featurettes, deleted scenes, trailers, promos and more.
An imaginative fusion of live action, state-of-the-art puppetry, prosthetics and CGI, "Farscape," produced by The Jim Henson Company in association with RHI Entertainment, featured mind-boggling alien life forms, dazzling special effects, edge-of-your-seat thrills, irreverent humor and unforgettable characters...all brought to rich life by the creative minds at Jim Henson's Creature Shop. Strap in and hold on tight for the extraordinary adventures of astronaut John Crichton, (Ben Browder) who, after a freak accident, finds himself surrounded by hostile aliens and soaring through the cosmos aboard Moya, a glorious living space ship. Hunted by the relentless Peacekeepers, he allies himself with Moya's crew - Aeryn Sun (Claudia Black), Luxan warrior Ka D'Argo (Anthony Simcoe), azure priestess Zhaan (Virginia Hey), spritely Nebari thief Chiana (Gigi Edgley), Dominar Rygel, the deposed royal ruler of the Hynerian Empire and Pilot - to search for a way out of this inconceivably alien world and return home.
In addition to the complete BLU-RAY EDITION, day-and-date A+E Networks Home Entertainment will also release single season blu-ray sets. Each BD release in FARSCAPE: THE COMPLETE SEASONS 1-4 BLU-RAY EDITIONS will contain over 18 hours of cosmically cool entertainment...22 episodes on five discs packed with incisive and stimulating bonus features for $69.95 SRP each.
BLU-RAY EDITION Includes:
20 Blu-ray discs featuring 88 complete and unedited episodes from the four-season run (1999-2003), remastered from the highest quality source material available
Collectible packaging featuring all-new series artwork
29 Episode Commentaries, including "Premiere" with Rockne S. O'Bannon, Brian Henson and Ben Browder; "Jeremiah Crichton" with Claudia Black, Producer/Writer David Kemper, Browder and O'Bannon; "Bone to Be Wild" with Anthony Simcoe; "Relativity" with Lani Tupu (Crais/Voice of Pilot) and Director Peter Andrikidis; and, "Bad Timing" which features Browder, Black and Kemper discussing the series' final episode.
A BRAND-NEW documentary - Memories of Moya: An Epic Journey Explored featuring revealing new interviews with the cast and creators.
Multiple featurettes and documentaries including "In the Beginning: A Look Back with Brian Henson"; "Making of a Space Opera" and "Inside Farscape: Save Farscape," on which fans, cast and crew discuss the fate of their beloved series.
Multiple video profiles featuring archival clips and cast/crew discussing their characters and roles on Farscape.
Over 90 minutes of deleted scenes.
Slideshows and archival photo galleries, including character concepts and promo photos.
Production design galleries featuring screenshots, rough drafts and concept slide shows.
Behind-the-Scenes interviews with Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Anthony Simcoe, Virginia Hey, Gigi Edgley, Paul Goddard (Stark), Wayne Pygram (Scorpius) and more.
Original TV promos and trailers
A+E Networks Home Entertainment, part of the Consumer Products Division of A+E Networks, is a distributor of non-theatrical programming, featuring collectible DVD and Blu-ray editions of the high quality programming from A&E Network, HISTORY, and Lifetime, as well as acquired classic programming and sports. A+E Networks Home Entertainment brings the best of critically acclaimed entertainment presented in award-winning packaging to the special interest category.
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Farscape-The-Complete-Series/15891
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I just received the standard DVD complete set as a birthday gift....and it looks fine. (don't have a blu-ray player)
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Posted: |
Nov 2, 2011 - 12:23 PM
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By: |
johnjohnson
(Member)
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First, we've had the chance to ask a few questions of Dan Kenny, New Video's Marketing Director, about the upcoming Farscape: The Complete Series Blu-ray set. We've posted the Q&A here for all of you to read, along with comparative screenshots from both the new Blu-ray set and the old DVDs. I've had the chance to see the discs for myself, and I can tell you that I was very pleasantly surprised by the video and audio quality. To be sure, these episodes aren't going to look like actual native HD material on Blu-ray. So if you buy them - don't expect it. But they look and sound markedly superior to the original cable broadcasts and all the previous DVD releases, whether you have the last New Video/A&E release or either the original or Starburst ADV discs. For what is essentially a PAL up-conversion to HD, the video is really surprisingly good. It's soft as you'd expect, but color and contrast are impressive. There's also a bit more fine detail visible and the BD compression is greatly superior that of the previous DVDs. And the lossless audio is fantastic - truly you have never heard these episodes sounding so good. I'll have a full review of the box set later this week, but in the meantime be sure to check out what Dan has to say in response to some questions about how the set was mastered...
http://thedigitalbits.com/#103111b
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/farscape/interview.html
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erp...
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Regardless of any set you buy, be sure to hunt down a copy of 'The Peacekeeper Wars'. It's going to be a separate purchase, but is absolutely required viewing after the 4th season last episode.
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