Blu-ray Review A Few Words About A few words about…™ Dangerous When Wet – in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

While I've never been a fan of Esther Williams underwater epics, this one is actually quite fun - a blend of romance, comedy and some nice musical numbers - starting off with the opening "I Got Out of Bed on the Right Side," with the uber-athletic members of the Higgins family heading for the lake.

Some interesting connections - young Donna Corcoran, who with five acting sibs (one Disney's Kevin), also appeared alongside Ms. Williams in Million Dollar Mermaid. Fernando Lamas, who plays the love interest in Dangerous, cast Ms Williams in her final film in 1963 - Magic Fountain - which he directed. There may be more. I'll let you find them.

As is boringly typical for a Warner Archive 3-Strip Technicolor release, Dangerous When Wet is perfect in every regard. Color, densities, black levels, appropriate grain and cleanliness are all on display.

For those who may be unaware, there's a delightful underwater ballet sequence that includes a couple of cartoon characters which may have either been borrowed from the Looney Tunes series, or appear through the courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn.

Ms Williams first appeared in a feature in 1942, and was "introduced" to audiences in Andy Hardy's Double Life (1942), the 17th (or was it 18th) in the long-running Andy Hardy series (1923-1981).

Image – 5

Audio – 5 (2.0 DTS-HD MA Monaural)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Worth your attention - 6

Slipcover rating - n/a

Upgrade from DVD - Absolutely

Recommended

RAH



Thank you for supporting HTF when you preorder using the link below. As an Amazon Associate, HTF earns from qualifying purchases. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link.


See on Amazon

 

[verneaux]

The cartoon characters mentioned were based at MGM. The studio had animators such as Tex Avery and Hanna & Barbera working at the time.

 

[Will Krupp]

So happy to hear this gets a 5 from you. The existing DVD is a rather weak effort in terms of visuals. Very happy to hear it!

 

[warnerbro]

You are hilarious and I can't imagine this site without you.

 

[Robert Harris]

The cartoon characters mentioned were based at MGM. The studio had animators such as Tex Avery and Hanna & Barbera working at the time.

I believe I may understand where the confusion arises. There was apparently an earlier version of the underwater animated sequence, and it was that sequence that featured the extremely popular Goldwyn Gulls, first seen in two-color in the 1926 film Tuna Twouble, a short that preceded The Winning of Barbara Worth.

Tuna Twouble was restored by UCLA’s Scott MacQueen in 2016, and entered the National Film Registry the year following. For decades it had been considered a lost film.

 

[lark144]

I believe I may understand where the confusion arises. There was apparently an earlier version of the underwater animated sequence, and it was that sequence that featured the extremely popular Goldwyn Gulls, first seen in two-color in the 1926 film Tuna Twouble, a short that preceded The Winning of Barbara Worth.

Tuna Twouble was restored by UCLA’s Scott MacQueen in 2016, and entered the National Film Registry the year following. For decades it had been considered a lost film.

Fascinating information, Mr. Harris. I'm surprised Mr. Feltenstein didn't include Tuna Twouble as an extra, as I'm sure the Gulls are worthy of attention. Or were there rights issues involved?

 

[Robert Harris]

Fascinating information, Mr. Harris. I'm surprised Mr. Feltenstein didn't include Tuna Twouble as an extra, as I'm sure the Gulls are worthy of attention. Or were there rights issues involved?

Not certain about rights. From what I heard, and there could possibly erroneous information here, the print was in the possession of a collector in New Zealand, who traded it for one of the early Colin McKenzie films, A Kiss in the Mist (1923) - in an early color process. That print has now been restored.

 

[lark144]

Not certain about rights. From what I heard, and there could possibly erroneous information here, the print was in the possession of a collector in New Zealand, who traded it for one of the early Colin McKenzie films, A Kiss in the Mist (1923) - in an early color process. That print has now been restored.

It's amazing the things that resurface in private collections, especially in New Zealand.

Was that a real restoration, or merely a scan of available elements?

BTW, I seem to recall that collector's name was I.M. Gull, or something close. So no wonder he would like the Goldwyn Gulls.

 

[Craig999]

I watched this last night and enjoyed it immensely! A fantastic upgrade over the DVD! My only, sorta dumb, quibble is with the somewhat overly long (to my mind) "foggy seas" sequences in the first half of the film. Yes I know it's realistic to show that fog is hard to see through. But the wonderful blu-ray clarity and color of the rest of the movie come to a complete stop in these scenes. Anyway, let's hope that "On An Island with You" gets the next blu-ray treatment soon!