MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE (Gary Goddard, 1987)

[Jox]

http://www.themoviepool.com/movie-revie ... verse.html

[Jox]

Interesting fact in the CAPTAIN POWER soundtrack liner notes:
the composer of the show Gary Guttman tells that he had been hired by Goddard to work on a temp track for MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE in Cannon offices for weeks before he started on CP. I've always thought some cues and themes were very close in both and thought that must have been Goddard's touch (who used to be a musician too).

Temp tracks are rarely originals, they're usually pieces of music from other films used on the rough while the film is being edited before the composer's original score is done.

[Jox]

http://www.dvdfile.com/reviews/blurayre ... -bd-review

Video: How Does the Disc Look?

I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting here, but Masters of the Universe comes to Blu-ray with a solid 1.78:1 1080p transfer that does a lot to belie the movie's age and often cheesy production design. Detail quality is surprisingly punchy, black levels start sturdy and stay that way throughout, and color consistency is actually really impressive, balancing flesh tones and deeper hues cleanly and effectively. Sure, there are instances of dirt and grime to mention, and the transfer print utilized isn't in A+ condition, but all in all, this is a fine-looking catalog title.

Audio: How Does the Disc Sound?

Even this DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio sound mix does its film well. There isn't a lot to mention here aside from some zippy effects and big-top music, but every element of Masters of the Universe's soundscape seems accurately represented on this track. Dialogue, atmospherics - everything has been brought here solidly, and this lossless track even opens up a little fidelity for this weird-ass little film. Impressive.

Final Thoughts:

For a catalog title like Masters of the Universe - that could have honestly just been thrown onto BD without any care or finesse - it's impressive that Warner has given it the TLC they have. The commentary track here is an inconsistent - though often fascinating - blast, and the movie looks and sounds significantly better than you'd ever expect. Nerds wanting to take a walk down memory lane won't regret doing so.

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/7175/ma ... verse.html

The Video: Sizing Up the Picture

As with most lower-tier catalogue titles from the 80s, 'Masters of the Universe' definitely shows its age. It's predominately soft in the mid- and long-range shots. It has some errant noise here and there. The colors seem a tad faded. Fans need not fear though. Even though the Blu-ray has some issues that should've been expected given its age, the movie has never looked better.

I was actually very pleased with the amount of detail provided in the movie's many close-ups. I don't remember the DVD of the movie offering nearly as much visible facial hair, pores, freckles, and intricate smile lines. Sure the added detail betrays the make-up that was used on Langella's face more than once, but overall the effect is accurate detail when the camera closes in. When the camera pans back is when the picture gets expectedly hazy. Hair becomes less detailed and clumpier. Skin tones appear a little washed out. Whites become fuzzy and bleed past their edges as softness takes its toll. Edges aren't nearly as crisply defined as they are in close-ups.

Like I said earlier the colors have a slightly faded look to them. Primaries are a little dull. Again this is most likely due to the film's age and the recording equipment used to shoot it, rather than the Blu-ray transfer itself. I wasn't lying when I said that even with its shortcomings that this is the best the movie has ever looked. I've watched this movie on VHS and DVD and can attest that the Blu-ray delivers more detail than you'll ever get in the previous releases. Artifacting is kept at a minimum, although banding is evident in a few Eternia scenes where Skeletor addresses the planet's population. Blacks seem deep enough. Shadows harbor a bit of crush, but nothing that should really detract from viewing. It isn't a flawless presentation by any means; however it's definitely worth the visual upgrade if you're a fan of the movie.

The Audio: Rating the Sound

A new mix hasn't been provided here. This time around the stereo presentation is a lossless one though. We get a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track this time around. I must admit that as a fan I was hoping for a surround sound remix for this movie.

The stereo does produce quite a bit more resonance than its DVD counterpart. For one thing LFE in the mix seems to be quite a bit clearer. Explosions and laser blasts have a bit more heft than they did with the DVD's lossy mix. Dialogue still sounds tinny though, along with the musical soundtrack.

That's really all I can say about the audio here. Dialogue is clear and that's about it. It's a mix that will get you through the movie, but if you were hoping for Warner to do a little more with this release you'll probably end up disappointed.

[Jox]

http://www.mania.com/masters-universe-b ... 34362.html

The picture and the sound were superb. However, as it is with any dated effects film, Blu-ray highlights many of the outlines or pre-digital effects. Here, we see that all of Goddard’s lighting tricks and techniques really paid off in the event of Blu-ray technology. His colors pop as each and every scene has a whimsical feel to it. The regular scenes of Earth, that do not feature any Eternians, feel plain and ordinary, as they should. When the Masters of the Universe show up, the film truly takes us off to that merry old land

Win Blu-ray copies
http://comicsworthreading.com/2012/10/1 ... n-blu-ray/

[Jox]

The Blu-ray is "region-free" / "all regions".

[Jox]

Warner indeed changed the color grading a bit. I asked Gary Goddard who hasn't checked the blu-ray yet but from what I told him it sounds like it doesn't look the way it's supposed to be, at least in some shots.

[Jox]

FAN QUESTION OF THE DAY (from Melissa):
• "What is it like working with Gary Goddard on 'Masters of the universe'?"

• Great! He was a very cerebral, thinking and quiet type of guy.
/Dolph


(Behind the scenes photo from Gary Goddard's personal collection)

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 852&type=1

[Jox]

BD review
http://www.examiner.com/review/now-on-b ... ears-later
Now on Blu-Ray, 'Masters of the Universe' holds up well 25 years later

The picture quality was fine as it wasn’t a full HD restore but it was a very clean up convert to 1080p from the original broadcast video sources. Special features on the Blu-Ray include a feature length commentary track from director Gary Goodard and the original theatrical trailer.

While obviously a film that will hold more meaning for anyone who grew up in the 1980’s and has more of an attachment to the film then the casual viewer, even these 25 years later “Masters of the Universe” still holds up pretty well as a family friendly fantasy/action film and the kids that are now parents, can share this film and the stories of He-Man with the next generation of film fans. It is also a great example of how a film that was more than likely an afterthought that bombed at the time can still be fondly remembered as a campy classic piece of nostalgia from our youth.

3 out of 5 stars.

1986 article (by making of star Laurent Bouzereau) announcing the project in French magazine L'Ecran Fantastique
(note the pre-teaser artwork on top)

[Jox]

BD review from DVD Talk
http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/56556/ma ... niversary/

Video and Audio:
Masters of the Universe unsheathes on Blu-ray with a 1.78:1-framed (not 1.85:1) 1080p treatment that's more satisfying than one might be expecting, but not without making the 35mm film look somewhat weathered and bulky. Certain moments shine a spotlight on the dazzling essence of Hanania Baer's cinematography: scenes in the Grayskull throne room reveal deep textures and a grandness of scale enhanced by the transfer, from the sone pillars around Skeletor's perch to the rich matte paintings, while the detail in Frank Langella's mask/prosthetics retain depth, awareness of light, and tangible solidity. Similar things are achieved outside the walls of Grayskull, where the rich contrast keeps vivid nighttime battles rich in color and gracefully moving. Grain and overall shallow depth restrains the image from being more aggressively satisfying, while the muddy haze at certain parts of the image goes beyond artistic intentions and restrains a few palette choices from popping the way they should. But the intricate costumes, the practical visual effects, and the rich lights surrounding Lundgren's massive frame stand proud in this Blu-ray treatment.

Here's where it get a little tricky: Masters of the Universe arrives with only a 2-channel Master Audio track for the vigorous sword-'n-sorcery flick, with no full surround option to be found. However, this remains consistent with the standard-definition presentation, as well as with the production's limited design. Generally, you'll get a great sense of the energy present in action scenes with insistent lower-frequency bursts from laser blasts and clanging blades, while the dialogue largely remains clear and clean -- though, in general, everything is at least slightly weighed down by the film's age, with occasionally metallic and muffled effects that, I assume, are unavoidable without vigorous audio work. Bill Conti's distinctive score sound just fine in the background, though, and a generally satisfying balance keeps the film's audio energy moving without atmosphere-breaking distortion. A surround track would've been a nice option, but this one stays true to what's necessary for the flick.


Special Features:
We've only got two supplements here that make a return appearance from WB's previous DVD: an amusing Theatrical Trailer (1:42, SD) with a hokey, overdone voiceover, and the sporadic but occasionally perceptive Audio Commentary with Gary Goddard. Enthusiasm still sits in his voice while he discusses the project, which shifts between nostalgic inflection in his voice to clear memories of what the scenes required. He discusses the elaborateness of the Grayskull throne room and how he stumbled onto some of the now-famous actors in the film, while also tackling minor production elements that'll make you appreciate the film more -- such as the story behind outdoor lamps in a cemetery and the design of the Comic Key. He's a little stilted at times, but the material he reveals about establishing shots and production effort will still satisfy fans.


Final Thoughts:
It's pretty hard not to recommend, and relish, Masters of the Universe based on its attributes alone: it's a campy sword-'n-sorcery adventure emblazoned with the legendary Cannon Films logo and starring a flawlessly-chiseled Dolph Ludgren as He-Man, full of time-appropriate effects and ridiculous costumes that show a considerable amount of effort. Some will enjoy it, and enjoy the memories of its persistent appearance on TV; it's a fun-enough experience when not taken seriously, one that moves along and keeps the eyes and ears entertained for a pretty wide age gradient. But it's also clunky, infuriatingly convenient, and more than a little ridiculous, as well as only faintly similar to the established stories that it's based on. It's here where two recommendations will have to suffice: the nostalgia value and "so bad it's good" experience of the action-fantasy romp will be worth the time for those with a threshold for that sort of thing, but others won't be able to look past its goofy, blunt-headed script that's very clearly been designed to further a product. Newcomers should give it a Rental, while fans will want to pick the Blu-ray up for its audiovisual merits.

[Jox]

Warner indeed changed the color grading a bit. I asked Gary Goddard who hasn't checked the blu-ray yet but from what I told him it sounds like it doesn't look the way it's supposed to be, at least in some shots.

Thanks to "SGB" for validating my impression that something is very wrong and providing with screenshot comparisons!
http://www.he-man.org/forums/boards/sho ... ost3139531

BD
DVD

Biggest proof:
BD
DVD

[Jox]

Just came across that tidbit of trivia on IMDB where Courteney Cox is reported to have earned $50,000 for her role in MASTERS.

[Jox]

Italian TV spot

[Jox]

Full scans of the "Official Poster Magazine"
http://www.he-man.org/publishing/item.p ... mage=29221

[Jox]

http://collider.com/masters-of-the-univ ... ew/205645/

[Jox]

More about the connections with Jack Kirby's "Fourth World"
http://livingbetweenwednesdays.com/?p=2770

Masters Of The Fourth World?

A few weeks back, I mentioned how the Masters of the Universe live-action movie from 1987 was, in essence, the closest we’re ever gonna get to a New Gods movie. This isn’t my theory, by the way—former comics great/current comics crackpot John Byrne said as much in a Next Men letters column some years back, and MOTU director Gary Goddard confirmed Kirby’s influence in a letter printed in a later issue. A recent installment of the excellent Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed even discusses the connections between MOTU supporting character Zodac and New Gods mainstay Metron. I first saw the MOTU movie on cable in the Eighties when it was fairly fresh, and my only familiarity with Kirby’s New Gods characters would have been their inclusion in Kenner’s Super Powers toy line a few years before that. However, watching it again after having familiarized myself with (some less charitable souls might say becoming obsessed with) Kirby’s crazy mythology, the parallels were unavoidable. Let’s have a look at the similarities, shall we?
-Both feature a war between godlike beings on a higher plane of reality.
-Both feature a cosmic despot (Darkseid/Skeletor) locked in combat with a noble yet barbaric warrior hero (Orion/He-Man).

-In both, the struggle eventually comes to Earth, where a group of innocent humans become involved. In New Gods, the most ready examples of this are Claudia Shane, Harvey Lockman, Dave Lincoln, and Victor Lanza. In MOTU, it’s Courtney Cox (who, just like when Springsteen pulled her on stage in the video for Dancing In The Dark, is always being called on by a higher power).

There’s even a surly cop played by James Tolkan (Principal Strickland from Back To The Future) who embodies the “Terrible” Turpin role. Like Turpin, he doesn’t care for all this cosmic hoo-hah, he just wants to put the bad guys behind bars.
-Both Darkseid and Skeletor dispatch underlings who displease them with energy bolts that dissolve them to nothingness (in Darkseid’s case, the Omega Effect; in Skeletor’s case, it’s energy from his fingertips that is in desperate need of a cool name).
-Easy parallels can be found between said underlings; Granny Goodness=Evil-Lyn (played here by They Live’s Meg Foster with her trademark creepy eyes), Kalibak=Beast-Man, Kanto=Blade), any one of the Deep Six=Saurod, maybe?

-Both feature a science fictiony Mcguffin that can open a doorway from one reality to the next—in New Gods, it’s a Mother Box. In MOTU, it’s called the Cosmic Key, and it is immediately mistaken for a fancy new keyboard that puts on an electronic lights show. Hey, it was the Eighties.