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A Few Words About A few words about...™ Lawrence of Arabia -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

JohnMor

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I can't wait to own this. Always happy to spend my money on classic films, lovingly handled and shown the repect they deserve. Kudos to all involved.
 

Craig S

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Originally Posted by DSmith1984 /t/324904/a-few-words-about-lawrence-of-arabia-in-blu-ray/30#post_3996979
It's the biggest reason I've never bought one of these UCE type sets from Warner, Disney, or whomever else releases them. I hate the fact that there's no way they can fit on a normal shelf. ...

Actually, the Warner UCEs that I have (GWTW, Oz, Ben Hur, Casablanca) all have the discs in shelf-sized inner packaging. Same for Fox's Sound Of Music box. The boxes themselves make nice display pieces for my HT.

One reason I like these boxes is that Blu-ray packaging is for the most part, very boring and generic compared to the nice DVD packages we used to get quite regularly. I like getting something special once in a while. And if any film cries out for the big box treatment, it's Lawrence of Arabia. At Amazon's $65 price, I think it's a bargain.

All that said, there should ALWAYS be a normal-sized alternative available for those who wish to go that way.
 

JoshB

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This will be a Christmas present for me, but a late one as i get back form Afghanistan a few weeks later...but it will be waiting for me when I get there, along with the 4-disc BD of Prometheus and Dark Knight Rises :)
 

nedinme

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I have the Original Soundtrack Recording on a Varese Sarabande CD. The credit on the film shows "Music conducted by Sir Adrien Boult." Maurice Jarre states on the CD notes that this was due to a contractual requirement in which Sam Spiegel, the producer, gave the credit to Sir Adrien Boult. Maurice Jarre states that Boult didn't conduct a note of the score. So when Lawrence is getting his motorcycle ready to ride and you see "Music conducted by Sir Adrien Boult" just think "Maurice Jarre"!!
This is one of my favorite films...I still rank it Number 1 on my "Best" film list. It sounds like this Blu-Ray will do great honor to a terrific film!! If I only had one film to own ...this would be it!!!
 

dpippel

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Originally Posted by Bryan^H /t/324904/a-few-words-about-lawrence-of-arabia-in-blu-ray/30#post_3997032
I have never seen 'Lawrence Of Arabia'.



I almost envy you. Not only is the film absolutely and positively brilliant, the Blu-ray presentation is miraculous. You're in for a HUGE treat!

Mr. Harris, please extend our heartfelt thanks, gratitude, admiration, respect, and a rather large amount of expressed relief to everyone involved in this important and gargantuan project. I'm overjoyed that Lawrence got the treatment that it needed and truly, truly deserved. I love happy endings, and it just doesn't get any better than this!
 

mgdvd0

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Doctorossi said:
I'd like to see them get away from horizontally-outsized boxes, altogether, but yes, if they insist on using them, it's nice when, at the least, there's a regular case buried deep inside the treasure chest.
Myself, I would've happily paid $50 for all of the discs in a standard case or (especially) a Digibook. There's no way I'm buying that huge box, though, regardless of price and especially not at an $80 premium. It really pains me that I won't get all of the extras with my standard set, but I can get four fantastic Criterion releases for that price difference.
I would generally agree with you, but with a tittle like THIS, it is worth splurging and treat yourself :D
 
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If any film deserved this kind of love and attention, it is Lawrence of Arabia. It's a simple as that.
I well remember sitting in one of the few seats available at the Ziegfeld Theatre three days after the film opened in 1989, which was too close to the screen. I found myself moving my head from side to side (as in a tennis match) to see what was going on. This was still worth it, as this film was amazing. I went back a few weeks later when things had calmed down, and was blown away. I still recall certain scenes vividly in that theater. How wonderful that Lean finally had a chance to create a director's cut before it was too late.
If Mr. Harris is beyond satisfied, that is more than good enough for me. I'm pre-ordering the box. I thought I'd wait until Amazon had a sale of some kind, but I can't wait that long.
I also must comment that I still remember when you told people about preserving our great motion pictures back in the sixties and seventies, and most people looked at you as if you had two heads.
 

ackbak

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Well, I was going to order the 2 disc set, but there is no way I can now..
Collectors Edition it is..
I blame RAH :)
 

ackbak

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JoshB said:
This will be a Christmas present for me, but a late one as i get back form Afghanistan a few weeks later...but it will be waiting for me when I get there, along with the 4-disc BD of Prometheus and Dark Knight Rises :)
As a veteran can I just say I appreciate your sacrifice, and
Godspeed.
 

Richard Gallagher

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Originally Posted by nedinme /t/324904/a-few-words-about-lawrence-of-arabia-in-blu-ray/30#post_3997155
I have the Original Soundtrack Recording on a Varese Sarabande CD. The credit on the film shows "Music conducted by Sir Adrien Boult." Maurice Jarre states on the CD notes that this was due to a contractual requirement in which Sam Spiegel, the producer, gave the credit to Sir Adrien Boult. Maurice Jarre states that Boult didn't conduct a note of the score. So when Lawrence is getting his motorcycle ready to ride and you see "Music conducted by Sir Adrien Boult" just think "Maurice Jarre"!!

That is my understanding, as well. The new CD says that it was conducted by Maurice Jarre.
 

Robert Harris

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It has been my understanding that Sir Adrian conducted either the overture or main title.

RAH
 
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dpippel said:
Mr. Harris, please extend our heartfelt thanks, gratitude, admiration, respect, and a rather large amount of expressed relief to everyone involved in this important and gargantuan project. I'm overjoyed that Lawrence got the treatment that it needed and truly, truly deserved. I love happy endings, and it just doesn't get any better than this!
Hear, hear!
 

nedinme

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RAH: The soundtrack CD notes were written by Maurice Jarre and he states "Despite the fact that, due to contractual requirements, Sam Spiegel, the film's producer, gave the credit "Music conducted by" to Sir Adrian Boult (who did not conduct one single bar of the music), I was rewarded a million times over working with David Lean, with whom I started a long collaboration and a great friendship. In being associated with four of his films I have won three Oscars, as well as many other awards around the world." So I take him at his word! In the long run it's Jarre's music and whoever conducted it in the film did a fine job of it!! One reason I ordered the box set of the Blu-Ray is because of the inclusion of the soundtrack. The Varese Sarabande CD I have has been out of print for at least 20 years. At one time I was thinking of selling it on EBay where I saw it selling for well over $100!
RAH thanks for the job you've done. Your review was excellent and I can't wait for the blu-ray to arrive!!!
 

JoshB

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I remember how excited I was to receive the old 2-disc edition with the cloth cover way back when.
As it so happens, there is a copy of the same title in our command post here in Afghanistan. Not sure where it came from or who brought it, but its found an audience here.
We'll be leaving it behind for the unit that replaces us so they can enjoy it as well. :)
 
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Somewhere, and I can't place where now, the reason why Jarre conducted was that Boult could not conduct to picture and maintain synchronization. I think Spiegel wanted his name more for the prestige than anything else.
I can tell you as a conductor who has conducted both symphonic music in concert and film scores, that conducting to picture is a different challenge because of the synch issue. Thank goodness for click tracks! It's one more set of issues to deal with, and then you should still try to make the music live and breathe. That's why Alfred Newman was so praised as perhaps the best conductor in Hollywood. He could do both, and brilliantly. Several composers praised him in this respect.
 

ShellOilJunior

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Has anyone heard this release of the soundtrack?
https://www.hdtracks.com/index.php?file=catalogdetail&valbum_code=738572101022
 

Paul Rossen

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ShellOilJunior said:
Yes. And don't buy it as there is a much better and complete version out there...
You can purchase the 2cd version on Tadlow Records. One cd is Lawrence the second contains other works by Maurice Jarre. If you only want Lawrence that can be purchased on a Silva release-same performance by the City of Prague Orchestra conducted by Nic Raine.
 

ShellOilJunior

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Paul Rossen said:
Yes. And don't buy it as there is a much better and complete version out there...
You can purchase the 2cd version on Tadlow Records. One cd is Lawrence the second contains other works by Maurice Jarre. If you only want Lawrence that can be purchased on a Silva release-same performance by the City of Prague Orchestra conducted by Nic Raine.
Isn't the quality of the HD tracks offering far superior to than that of the CD?
The only HD tracks offering I have is Come Away With Me in 192/24 bit and it blows away the CD version.
 

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