Saving Private Ryan DTS Chapter 19

[Fluxus]

I just got Saving Private Ryan DTS from Columbia House Canada. I have a Sony DVP-NC600 5 Disc changer. At the 2min 19sec mark in chapter 19 I started to notice large white blotches appear from the bottom of the screen. These blotches and fades spots continue until the 2min 27sec mark on chapter 19. I thought at first it might be an intentional thing but the shot is a close up of Jeremy Davis and the blotch/faded spot appears from the top center of the screen through his face. Is this normal or should I get a new copy?

[redshifter]

i remember reading about something like this on spr. if it is the scene with small fires burning everywhere, i understand the blotches are reflections caught in the camera lens, were intended to be there by spielberg, and are not digital artifacts or bugs. i could be wrong, of course, i don't own that movie on dvd.

[tomdkat]

Ok, I just watched my DD version and I BELIEVE the part you are talking about is when "Oppem" lets the Germans go...

If that IS the scene, then I think that is an "artistic" effect that you are seeing (i.e. done on purpose).

I saw NOTHING ELSE from the start of chapter 19 to the scene after the Germans run off that seemed erroneous. I WILL say the dts audio on my dts demo DVD DID pakc MORE punch than the DD version I just watched...

Oh yeah.. this is on my Pioneer DVL-919..

Peace.....

[Kenshiro 26]

I viewed Saving Private Ryan twice in the theater, have both DVD versions, and seen it numerous times on HBO and ABC. In every viewing those scenes were the same, i've always assumed Spielberg intended the shots to have this look.

[Fluxus]

Tomdkat it is the scene where Oppem lets the Germans go. Yours had large white blotches appear from the bottom of the screen? It had been years since I'd seen this flick...and for the life of me I could not remeber this happening. I figured it was artisic effect...but it looked more like a glitch. Thanks for the input (that goes for everyone).

[tomdkat]

Originally posted by Fluxus
Yours had large white blotches appear from the bottom of the screen?

Mine had the blotches that even streaked up the screen near and past Oppem's head.... There was ANOTHER scene like that near the beginning when the soldiers firebombed that bunker....

Peace........

[Flash Ahhh]

I don't think this is intentional. It looks like light reflection.

At one point there is an almost perfectly straight vertical line going across Oppems face.

One explaination is that many times in scenes where there is going to be debris flying a clear shield is put up to held protect the crew and equipment during mini pyrotechnics and other forms of FX work. This is probably a reflection off of such a type equipment.

I did not capture the vertical line on Oppems face, as it is very subtle, but here is where the glare starts, and is pretty noticable. A first it looks like sun light glare.

Visible on both the DD and DTS versions.

-Flash

[tomdkat]

Thanks for the pic! That's what I saw...

Peace.....

[SeanL]

I believe that "artifact" is a result of the shutter speed used on the cameras.

[Flash Ahhh]

No problem. Happy to help.

-Flash

[Ruined]

Originally posted by Flash Ahhh
I don't think this is intentional. It looks like light reflection.

The streaks are intentional, however they were not "computer generated". Spielberg used a bunch of different old cameras to shoot Saving Private Ryan. Some of these cameras were actually broken, and had light problems as you showed in the screenshot above. Some had problems maintaining a consistant framerate, while others looked very grainy, etc. Spielberg felt that these "artifacts" created by the broken or old cameras added to the realism of the movie, by esentially "adding" artifacts that could be caused by a camera that has been broken on the battlefield. It also adds the "old film" look that many documentaries strive for.

[Rogue]

Ruined is correct.

This was a deliberate effect. I think the person mostly responsible for achieving it is Januz Kaminski (sp?), Spielberg's cinematographer.

By the way, the name of the character is "Upham":p

[Flash Ahhh]

Thanks Gang,

I stand corrected on two accounts.

I can't recall where I read the stuff I quoted.

-Flash

[Fluxus]

Thanks for clearing this up. The pic Flash posted was what I was refering to. I figured it was intentional but being fairly new to the DVD game I wanted to check. The "broken camera on the battlefield" effect makes total sense to me. All the info posted has been very helpful.

[Flash Ahhh]

Sorry it took so long, but here is the shot with the vertical line, which pans left and right, depending on the shot.

-Flash

[tacomantt]

Originally posted by Ruined


The streaks are intentional, however they were not "computer generated". Spielberg used a bunch of different old cameras to shoot Saving Private Ryan. Some of these cameras were actually broken, and had light problems as you showed in the screenshot above. Some had problems maintaining a consistant framerate, while others looked very grainy, etc. Spielberg felt that these "artifacts" created by the broken or old cameras added to the realism of the movie, by esentially "adding" artifacts that could be caused by a camera that has been broken on the battlefield. It also adds the "old film" look that many documentaries strive for.

I read something 100% opposite. I read that Spielburg used regular filming techniques and he digitally introduced framerate issues, grainyness, and removed most of the color- all inside special effects studios. So this total battlefield look you mentioned was synthetic generated.

[xenno]

hm... I watched the movie many times,... Did anyone have those problems in the beggining of the disc???

[tomdkat]

Here is some new discussion on this issue.

Peace....