[Help] Fixing colors on a "brown" release! Is it possible? Help, please

[Evit]

I'll be brief, I need help. I'm at my wits' end. I have this film Battletruck (aka 'Warlords of the 21st Century') in its only Blu-Ray release (from Japan!) which is a higher definition than previous VHS and DVD releases but the colors are terrible (Cineteca di Bologna style).
Color correction on Premiere doesn't help at all and I don't seem to get anywhere with Da Vinci Resolve either, I've tried for a long time but being not too familiar with it I didn't get any real result. Does anyone know if the colors "salvageable"? Maybe with the magical DrDre's tool? I have no idea. Anyone wants to take a stab at it? I could really use some help (if it's even possible to "save" it), because I really can't stand watching it with those colors but I don't know what to do. Plus I seem to be the only one who bought this film and it could use some "spreading" (but not in this form).

I compared it with a copy found on YouTube (from DVD or perhaps VHS) so you can see how wrong they are.

BR vs SD copy from YouTube (DVD or VHS)

[Beber]

That's what I managed to obtain with Dre's tool:

[TomArrow]

DrDre seems like an idea. If you need an alternate take, you can also try my tool: https://forum.fanres.com/thread-3609-post-67042.html

Like Beber said, Dre's tool is the best



Especially when you pair it with the original luma of the BD, to get back the shadows



But even simpler is a white balance, especially if you still want the oranges.



It can also make matching with Dre's tool even easier


BTW super fun, cheesy movie.

[Evit]

Thanks Tom, I didn't know you had your own tool, very cool. Dealing with color correction is really not my field, I wish I could do the magic that you guys do.

Like Beber said Dre's tool is the best

It seems like a very nice result, I'd be happy with that. I don't know how easy is to match the two sources though (Blu Ray / YouTube source!) . As I understand it's something that has to be done frame by frame basically?
I'd be happy to provide the material to whomever volunteers to fix this cheesy Mad Max exploitation flick

By the way, I've discovered that the US version is missing about 30 seconds (a couple of lines of dialogue) that are present in some European releases I've seen. Why it was cut I don't know but I was planning to add it as extra in a Blu-Ray with menu.

[SpaceBlackKnight]

Looks like the JPN BD uses a 35mm theatrical print, hence the strange coloring and blown out look. It's probably based on the Australian/New Zealand release version going by the 30 seconds that got trimmed on the US New World release.

Thanks Tom, I didn't know you had your own tool, very cool. Dealing with color correction is really not my field, I wish I could do the magic that you guys do.

It seems like a very nice result, I'd be happy with that. I don't know how easy is to match the two sources though (Blu Ray / YouTube source!) . As I understand it's something that has to be done frame by frame basically?
I'd be happy to provide the material to whomever volunteers to fix this cheesy Mad Max exploitation flick 

By the way, I've discovered that the US version is missing about 30 seconds (a couple of lines of dialogue) that are present in some European releases I've seen. Why it was cut I don't know but I was planning to add it as extra in a Blu-Ray with menu.

Is this the source of the regrade:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7Vw0zbD8Oc

You don't need to do frame by frame. To do it right, you should use Dre's program shot by shot. You can get away with scene by scene sometimes.

In general, I'm using automatic grading software and then go through and manually correct shots that need it with Dre's program. For example, I did a regrade of Die Hard 2 with automatic grading but it still required 200+ LUTS. But even then auto sometimes doesn't work...

I'm kind of burned out right now and slowly working on other things but I can take a look if you want. No guarantees of anything.

[spoRv]

I'm away from my main PC, but I wanted to give it a try nevertheless...

untouched one:


DVD:


using A VERY OLD colourmatch script:


Not the same fullscreen DVD colors, still better than the untouched one IMHO
Pretty sure using a newer version result could (should) be better.

[Evit]

Thanks Tom, I didn't know you had your own tool, very cool. Dealing with color correction is really not my field, I wish I could do the magic that you guys do.

It seems like a very nice result, I'd be happy with that. I don't know how easy is to match the two sources though (Blu Ray / YouTube source!) . As I understand it's something that has to be done frame by frame basically?
I'd be happy to provide the material to whomever volunteers to fix this cheesy Mad Max exploitation flick 

By the way, I've discovered that the US version is missing about 30 seconds (a couple of lines of dialogue) that are present in some European releases I've seen. Why it was cut I don't know but I was planning to add it as extra in a Blu-Ray with menu.

Is this the source of the regrade:

You don't need to do frame by frame. To do it right, you should use Dre's program shot by shot. You can get away with scene by scene sometimes.

In general, I'm using automatic grading software and then go through and manual correct shots that need it with Dre's program. For example, I did a regrade of Die Hard 2 with automatic grading but it still required 200+ LUTS. But even then auto sometimes doesn't work...

I'm kind of burned out right now and slowly working on other things but I can take a look if you want. No guarantees of anything.

Actually I think the screenshot I used was from this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT5Vaq_GX38&

I understand the burnout, this stuff takes it out of you, I know it well. Problem with any manual adjustment to grading is that I'm colorblind, a mild form of it but still, reds don't pop out as much as they should, so I have my limitations to what I can do with my eyes.
Tomorrow I'll send you the files if you want to have a look at it for me. I've been dragging this project for two years, I'm in no rush. Right now I'd be happy with just a "it can be done / it's not worth the hassle" kind of answer.

Right now I'd be happy with just a "it can be done / it's not worth the hassle" kind of answer.

I'll check it out if you can send the files.