MOVIE TRAGIC.com

I’m a physical media addict. I had a huge VHS collection, which lead to a huge laser disc collection, then on to a DVD collection…and now on to Blu Ray. Shelves full of dead or dying media formats. And as a new set of media comes out, I replace the older versions with the new. The upgrade from standard def to high def has been significant. But is it necessary for all movies?

Hell no.

Case in point…Dreamscape!

Yes, at  one point, Dennis Quaid was charming and charismatic on screen, rather than sleeping his way through a paycheck (see the abomination that is G.I. Joe). Yes, the movie is thick with mid-80s apocalyptic, end of the world imagery. But the Blu Ray format heavily shows off the problems with mid-level old-school effects work. Bad optical compositing! Bad rear projection! Bad stop motion. At least the razorblade fingernails and glowing nunchucks on the bad guy are pretty cool.

And then there is the heavy-handed Michael Jarre score. It feels like he put his cassette recorder next to the TV, and blasted the tracks out. They overwhelm every scene. Glad that I got to hear it in full, remastered surround sound. Get me the ear plugs.

High def shows all of the flaws. I don’t want to watch porn in hi def either.