Rollerball (1975)

IMAGE – Death in Show

Drawn from a 4K scan operated in the United States from the 16-bit negatives, this HDR master (worked independently of the very different SDR master) realized by the German restoration company TLEFilms is far from ideal... even though it is true that the gap with the previous Blu-ray is just eloquent; Finally, the image is clear (the definition has nothing to do with it), piquéed and not oversaturated. However, the Blu-ray included in this edition delivers a more harmonious rendering to better cleaned plans.

Leaving a lot of dirt (particles, scratches and other vertical lines), the UHD transfer also endures, which is not the case of its HD counterpart, a compression overcome by the situation that is made visible at all times (from tingling and moving artifacts). And that's a shame, since the silver grain (a 35 mm filming) shows with more finesse.

Fortunately, DI 4K forces, the details are much more revealed through clothes and decors. Similarly, the colorimetric palette, less warm and less neutral than on the Blu-ray, regains its former splendor (Technicolor) with measured realism primers and a slight greenish tint found. Finally, the contrasts are clearly less marked (black bleached « Old » on the UBD facing blacks a little plugged on the BD) and other better highlighted light sources (light of the day, headlights, lighting of the arenas).

Don't be mistaken, Rollerball Never been so « Beautiful » Hey! So how can we not be disappointed by visual imperfections that could have been avoided?

SON – Under public cheer

Suffering from a constant 167 ms desynchronization (due to the absence of four images at the beginning of the program), the advance taken by the 4K Ultra HD soundtracks should be « corrected » (if possible by the player and/or the amp) to avoid interference during viewing.

Nevertheless, the variable delay (up to 450 ms!) from which the restored original tape (LPCM 2.0) suffers per place (see the sequence in the gymnasium) is linked, according to the publisher, to enormous synchronization problems emanating from the source of origin. The latter, more open and dynamic than the artificially swollen track in 5.1 (exposed in DTS-HD MA) suffers from a ubiquitous breath far from being discreet.

More balanced even if less powerful, the multi-channel proposal and its few little atmospheres at the rear (which always seem far away) remains the most pleasant VO to listen to... even though the mixing seems today to be dull and too tight at the plant level (the front side lanes only activate in the end during rollerball meetings).

CONCLUSION – Revealing his freedom

If in rollerball the blows are strategic to win, this Ultra HD Blu-ray that lacks body (all the opposite of the work since it is the central theme) is not likely to be adulated as Jonathan E. But while the latter lets his freedom go by becoming the living body of this extremely violent sport where blood flows as much as sweat, the consumer will be free to choose whether this edition deserves investment or not!