MovieChat Forums > Perry Mason (1957) Discussion > Film Vs Tape

Film Vs Tape

posted 8 years ago by emp1966
3 replies | jump to latest

I just recently bought the Perry Mason Megasets (the one of all the episodes and the one of all the sequel films). My fiancee also invested in an inexpensive bluray player(not that we have any bluray discs as yet). Since we started playing the series discs on it, several episodes look as if they had been recorded live on tape (or the like) similar to Dark Shadows. Is it me or were several episodes during seasons 1 through 4 (where we are up to as I type this) recorded on tape rather than film. Or is it the effect of playing a standard disc in a bluray player.

[–] grizzledgeezer 8 years ago

I have no trouble telling the difference between film and tape, and I can assure you that Perry Mason was wholly filmed.

What you're likely seeing is what's called the "soap-opera effect". When a film image is processed to remove judder (and other motion artifacts), it often takes on the appearance of video.

[–] packrat1 8 years ago

It sounds like you were sold a bootleg copy, at least partially a badly made one.

I have a friend whose brother bought her a complete Star Trek:TOS DVD set. Cases with inserts and liner notes, etc.

But they were ripped copies, and the inserts and liner notes were simply good color photocopies.

Regular DVDs played on a Blu-Ray player usually look the same as always, or they can even be upscaled and look better.

[–] hotbird_p38 8 years ago

Several years ago I got taken on ordering "Hazel" the complete series (1961-1966) for $80. The Co. was based out of China.
When I got the dvd's they had photo copied a picture (in black and white) of Shirley Booth and slapped it on the dvds.
To add insult to injury, they taped the program off a television set probably using a video camera on a tripod.
Also it didn't have the last season when Hazel and Harold moved in with George's brother Steve and his wife Barbara.
Plus the return address was written in Chinese.
Several years after this fiasco, I ordered it through a reputable Co.
Man. What a mess!!!