International 55 DAYS AT PEKING (PRE_ORDER) (1 Viewer)

[sonomatom1]

Like everyone else, I have nothing but praise for the UK 55 Days at Peking. Considering what a stunning restoration this release is, I find complaints about the cover art more than a little silly. After seeing the film for the first time since I was a teenager, I was surprised how well the film has stood up over the decades except for a decidedly mediocre score by Dimitri Tiomkin. I've long been a fan of his film music, so I was disappointed in his very '60s' sounding music. Highly recommended.

 

[Alan Tully]

Well I agree about the cover, I keep my Blu's in a draw & on a shelf, so don't care about the cover (but it is a rotten cheap looking cover, I mean was someone actually paid to design it?). I can't agree about Dimitri Tiomkin's great score, his typical mix of quiet & bombast with some great tunes, the kind of score you just don't get anymore. I have the two-CD original score.

I wonder if the team that did this at Pinewood is working on anything else?

 

[Gangolf]

Is a 70mm negative Copy really better than a copy from the original technirama 35mm horizontal negative?
I'm not sure.

 

[john a hunter]

This superb transfer came from the 8 perf 35mm.First generation.
A 70 "neg" would always be second generation.
Oh for El Cid!!!!!
P.S I love the score save for that silly song.

 

[skylark68]

I just wish there was a proper Region 1 American release of this film (and El Cid, and Fall of the Roman Empire). Sigh...

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Glad I bought a all region Blu-ray player and 55 Days Blu-ray looks great to me.

 

[Gangolf]

On the Blu Ray itself it states it was restored from the original 70mm Super Technirama camera negative from Pinewood.

This statement confused me

 

[JPCinema]

This is how it is stated at the beginning of the blu ray.

 

[RolandL]

I think this is going on.

The best materials for the Bronston films are a set of 70mm negatives used for preparing European release prints. These were not the OCN's. 55 Days at Peking was indeed filmed in "Super Technirama 70", which means an 8-perf 35mm negative with anamorphic squeeze.

For many years these films were believed lost in their original formats and lengths until these 70mm negatives were found.

"Super Technirama 70", which means an 8-perf 35mm negative with anamorphic squeeze.

AFAIN:

All Technirama negatives are 8 perfs horizontal 35mm with a 1.5 anamorphic squeeze.

Super Technirama 70 refers to a 70mm print.

Just Technirama would imply a 35mm print.

 

[skylark68]

Thanks for the information, most interesting. BTW, those are awesome movie posters.

 

[john a hunter]

And wouldn't the one for 55 Days make a much better cover for the BD?

 

[Richard Gallagher]

With the current favorable exchange rate, the UK Blu-ray can be had for about $18, including shipping to the U.S.

 

[Alan Tully]

And wouldn't the one for 55 Days make a much better cover for the BD?

Yeah, that poster was the French Blu-ray cover art, & that release was multi-region, a shame it went oop.

 

[Richard Gallagher]

I just received my copy from Amazon UK. The picture and sound are terrific.

I am happy to report that it plays on Region One Panasonic Blu-ray players using the Stop-Stop-Top Menu workaround. It may also work on Pioneer and LG Blu-ray players. Here is how:

Load the disc as usual. When it boots up you generally see a message that says it won't play in your region. Then, using your remote, hit the stop button twice and then hit the Top Menu button. If it works the film's main menu will come up and you can proceed from there.

This does not work on all Region B Blu-rays, however. You can read the HTF thread on it here:

Is your region A blu-ray player really all region?

 

[Spili]

I can say without reservation the Japanese BD release is the best in the world at this current juncture, as all the other European BDs are littered with banding / artifacting due to anemic / poorly optimized encodes. (Yes - even the French BD which has a hellaciously low bitrate.) The JP BD is encoded to perfection in all instances (as per usual coming from them) and features the same Pinewood restoration, with overture, intermission, and exit music intact. The 5.1 sound is also a real treat.

Most of you probably won't care, I'm just posting my musings.

 

[haineshisway]

As long as someone felt it necessary to bump, someone should mention that the great Peking poster is by the wonderful artist, Howard Terpning - he did many classic movie posters, including The Sound of Music.

 

[Spili]

Terpning is good, but I'm a Robert McGinnis guy myself. Both are still alive to my knowledge and just as sharp as they were in their wonder years.

 

[willyTass]

I can say without reservation the Japanese BD release is the best in the world at this current juncture, as all the other European BDs are littered with banding / artifacting due to anemic / poorly optimized encodes. (Yes - even the French BD which has a hellaciously low bitrate.) The JP BD is encoded to perfection in all instances (as per usual coming from them) and features the same Pinewood restoration, with overture, intermission, and exit music intact. The 5.1 sound is also a real treat.

Most of you probably won't care, I'm just posting my musings.

thanks for the info

i see NBCUniversal has released it in Japan

they also released Ron Howard’s Apollo 13 UHD . Now I’m wondering if they’ve righted the wrongs of the US release of Apollo 13

 

[commander richardson]

I just received my copy from Amazon UK. The picture and sound are terrific.

I am happy to report that it plays on Region One Panasonic Blu-ray players using the Stop-Stop-Top Menu workaround. It may also work on Pioneer and LG Blu-ray players. Here is how:

Load the disc as usual. When it boots up you generally see a message that says it won't play in your region. Then, using your remote, hit the stop button twice and then hit the Top Menu button. If it works the film's main menu will come up and you can proceed from there.

This does not work on all Region B Blu-rays, however. You can read the HTF thread on it here:

Is your region A blu-ray player really all region?

I am sure the picture and sound are excellent as this has been reported many times . What nobody mentions is that all BD and DVD releases of this film have NO English sub-titles . So people like myself and certainly many others are simply unable to watch .

 

[Angelo Colombus]

I have the UK Blu-ray and thought it looked good to me but if there is a better looking version out there i might get it. The only place that i know that sells the Japanese release is Ebay around $40.