Watched Meet Joe Black HD DVD tonight...

My wife and I were taught two things from this film. I said at the end "it shows that only rich and powerful people are happy enough to wake up in the morning and want nothing more than what they have", and my wife answered "Oh yeah? This movies just proves that it doesn't matter what kind of soul or who a guy is... if he looks like Brad Pitt does, that's all that matters!" We're both so cynical when it comes to these types of movies.

But we enjoyed all 3 hours of it, and Anthony Hopkins was great. Man, that guy I think can play any character. You couldn't pigeon-hole him if you tried.

What surprised me most was this HD DVD Universal transfer. Was this done before Universal discovered DNR and EE? What an underrated presentation this is. I mean detail matching the best of anything I've seen on high-def formats, without any hint of halos or ringing anywhere. It even had some film grain. And this is a 1998 catalog movie? I rented this, but now I've got to buy it to place on my top-tier show off shelf. I kid you not.

This was so un-Universal, it was funny and weird at the same time. I hope Universal gets the message on what the public considers great PQ and what is not. Well... OK, I consider myself THE "public"!

Sky do you know what codec was used?

Oh Skyhawk!! Meet Joe Black -could- have been a decent movie, had the director not scripted the scenes and dialog in sloooww-motiooonn - 3 hours for a movie than would have sufficed at 2 hours or less. I watched it once on SD-DVD after it was released, and cannot possibly ever consider spending yet another 3 hours on a replay - a badly slow-paced movie, and widely panned by critics as a result... really, a lost opportunity.

-JIMI (the Voodoo Child)

Sorry Skyhawk but I agree with Hendrix on this one. I would rather stab my eyes out with venomous daggers than watch Meet Joe Black again.

Skyhawk, if you like Hopkins I would check out Fracture if you haven't yet. The movie is not the best but Hopkins is at the top of his game.

I love Meet Joe Black and cannot wait for its release on Blu. I think the slow pacing for this type of movie works quite well, as it doesn't distract the dialog which in this case is essentially what the movie is about. Anthony Hopkins is a true chameleon and is a legend in our time. Enough said...

[Post edited by gvortex7 on Mar 29, 2008]

movie was ok, performance by A.H. great. at times it felt long. a few times didnt mind the dialoge.

fiance loves this one. one of the first dvds she ever owned. so i get stuck watcing some of it.. atleast every year

Falcon, it's VC-1 and DD+ audio.

Yes, this was a LONG movie and the pacing was a bit slow for those used to explosions every few minutes, but for PQ alone this was excellent.

I'm one of the few who liked the movie as well.

The movie looked fantastic on its SD DVD release, its of no surprise that it looks excellent in HD.

I'm surprised Brad Pitt doesn't receive more credit for his performance here, then again not many people I talk to have ever seen it.

[Post edited by Depression on Mar 30, 2008]

IMDB Trivia note for Meet Joe Black (1998) - The most expensive film without special effects during its time. (reportedly the salary and production costs were at least $90 million, + additional marketing costs). Domestic GROSS - about $45 million. (mainly female fans of Brad Pitt, in my opinion).

(And the 'airline' version, shortened by about 50 minutes, was disowned by director Martin Brest.) Probably because Mr Brest didn't edit it(?).

> FYI - LIST of Box Office Bombs - includes original production costs, and domestic grosses [additional money earned from overseas distribution not included]

-JIMI (the Voodoo Child)

[Post edited by Love Hendrix! on Mar 30, 2008]