It’s not hard to see that certain parts of some movies just stay with us longer than others. Here is a list of a few of those special moments that seem to breathe life from your TV screen, and are therefore ideal to help you put a TV to the test before you buy it.
1. Main fight scene – Pacific Rim (2013)
The main scene in this monsters versus robots epic is when two of the Jaeger robots have been taken out and a third rendered immobile, while two huge monsters called Kaiju are bearing down on the city of Tokyo. Just when all hope looks lost, the main protagonist comes in and starts an epic fight that leaves him defeating his foes in combat and defying gravity after falling from the edge of space. The reason I chose this scene is because the TV’s motion and contrast will really be put to the test. As with most action scenes, there is plenty happening on screen at any given moment, for example; buildings collapsing, people running in the streets and, of course, the swelling of explosions and brightly coloured gun fire. If you combine all those attributes with a pitch black starry night in the background, the likes of OLED screens are going to excel here as well as the old plasmas. Many LED TV’s will struggle, but it will be engaging nonetheless.
2. Final meeting – Home (2015)
This is a wonderfully fun animated movie that I have seen many times recently, being the perfect type of film for us to put on in our stores and captivate people with witty one liners, funny slapstick style comedy and a lovely graphics pallet that really shows off how vibrant your screen should be. I’ve chosen the final moments of the movie, when the main enemy reveals himself, because it has the ability to test true sharpness and a very precise colour pallet. There are lots of close-ups that will give the likes of Samsung’s nanocrystal (or SUHD range) and the Sony range a slight edge over some of their rivals.
No need for me to pick any particular scene here, as the entire movie is one long extensive example of how well any TV’s backlighting will work. Again the plasma and OLED screens will step into a class of their own by preventing any form of excessive haloing, where whites appear to bleed into the blacks. Motion again becomes a slight problem, but besides any real gripping dialogue this movie has been designed to be “a delight for your sight” and a visual spectacle more than anything else.
4. Napalm explosion – Forrest Gump (1994)
Everyone loves a good explosion, and this timeless classic about an under-appreciated simple minded man who defies all the odds has a great one. After releasing the lovely line “I’ve gotta find Bubba!”, our hero races back into the Vietnam jungle to rescue his friends and eventually Bubba. As his squad have already called in an airstrike, the ending moments are Forrest getting shot in the backside and sprinting away from a jungle igniting in flames. It’s a great “kaboom” that builds over a green backdrop and is another great example, among many, of how explosions test a screen’s power for a great range of bright and vibrant colours.
5. Bullet time – The Matrix (1999)
This incredible piece of camera work from the directors and cameramen on The Matrix has been copied and reused by countless other movie makers and is still looks awesome today. The main reason this scene comes to mind is not only the necessity for a good motion processor, but also because many people will tell you that during the film there is always a green tinge to the parts portrayed in the Matrix. If that green tinge is not noticeable on your set, then it may not have the colour range of a more avid performer. Panasonic TVs are renowned for a great colour pallet on their main range and the best units have the 4K capability with a good 4K upscaler to boot.
Bonus scene…
The battle of the heroes – Final Fantasy VII Advent Children (2005)
For those who are part of the gaming community, the Final Fantasy series is one of the most iconic titles in its genre and there have been a couple of movie spinoffs made as well. Advent Children brings back one of the most loved and well-known characters, Cloud, who is pitted against a few rogue bad guys desperate to bring back the calamity known as Sephiroth. During the final scenes, our protagonist meets Sephiroth and engages him in an epic battle in the ruins of a destroyed city, an afterimage of the game’s legacy. This scene is an impressive visual treat, with vast animation explosions and buildings being torn asunder, but it also addresses the audio side of a demo. Swells of orchestral music and vocals fly above the deep booms and crashes of falling rubble whilst allowing the deep, intimidating, yet soft voice of Sephiroth to break through. This scene is easy on the eyes but there are many more reasons to close them and drift into the audio as well.
Author – Andrew, Eton store
