A little while back, I wrote an article about how difficult it would likely be for Sony, the current rights holder of Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later, to do a proper 4K transfer. Whatever the case may be, Sony Home Entertainment is ploughing ahead with a 4K physical media release, with 28 Days Later set for its 4K debut on September 1st.
So, why is that controversial?
It’s because Boyle’s film was famously shot on consumer-grade Canon XL-1 cameras, which have a maximum resolution of 480i—roughly the same as a regular DVD. For years, the film has only existed in an upconverted HD transfer, which roughly recreated the film’s theatrical look, although to me it’s always looked cleaner than it did theatrically. What many fans fear is that a 4K transfer, by its very nature, will use AI trickery to significantly alter the film’s signature look. Even if it doesn’t, the very notion of releasing it in 4K seems like a waste of effort, as how good can it possibly look?
In their press release, Sony sought to assuage fan fears by explaining how the transfer would be done:
To fully capture and correctly present the unique visuals of this movie for its 4K High Dynamic Range debut, the assembled original source video was used along with sections from the original camera negative, as used in the original theatrical release. These elements were then color-corrected to take full advantage of the wider available color gamut. The picture and Atmos mix were approved by Danny Boyle.
While having Boyle on board is reassuring, I’m still not convinced this is a good idea. Even if it’s hugely faithful, will it really look any different than the Blu-ray?
Here are the specs:
Special Features:
In the meantime, there’s no news yet on whether the third film in the new 28 Years Later franchise will be moving forward. Hopefully it does, as it promises Cillian Murphy’s long-awaited return to the franchise, which was teased at the end of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, a terrific movie that, unfortunately, flopped in theaters—only grossing $58 million worldwide compared to the $151 million earned by its predecessor.