A Few Words About A few words about...™ Frank Sinatra Collection -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

I bring before you, the case of Warner's new strange Frank Sinatra Collection, strange as a couple of the films, I always thought to be Gene Kelly films, but that may just be me.

Five films for only $52 on Amazon.

Sound like a deal!

And it would be a great deal, if only two of the films, Guys and Dolls, and Ocean's 11, weren't already out on Blu-ray, leaving three for $52.

Things get more interesting, as of those three, two of them being well regarded M-G-M musicals, Anchors Aweigh and On the Town, are not of superior Blu-ray quality.

The fifth member of the group, Robin and the 7 Hoods, a WB production, directed by Gordon Douglas is of only middling interest.  A bit of a sendup of the Robin Hood legend, but with Mr. Sinatra and his "rat pack" in place of Robin and his Merrie Men, the film is okay for what it is.

Overall, an odd showing for the great Mr. Sinatra, and to my mind something not worth doing.

To the specifics:

Anchors Aweigh - Mr. Sinatra's first real feature role, in a film directed by George Sidney, co-starring Kathryn Grayson and Frank Sinatra, and with Jose Iturbi firmly in place thanking the entire United Stated Navy aboard an aircraft carrier (albeit via horrible matte shots).  The film would be of little value had it not been for Mr. Iturbi's role.

Photographed in three-strip Technicolor, it is presented on a BD-25, and from an older recombine dupe.  No restorative measures here, beyond a clean-up.  Virtually no visible grain, color okay, black levels off the board, with very little shadow detail.

On the Town - Another M-G-M musical shot in three-strip, with the gang now on leave in New York, as opposed to LA.  Once again, a BD-25, and from an older recombine.  A bit better than Anchors.

Robin and the 7 Hoods - A funnish film, and the only one of the three new releases to receive a quality transfer.  Two nominations.  One for Original Song - My Kind of Town, and another for Best Scoring (Nelson Riddle).  The awards went to Chim Chim Cher-ee and My Fair Lady.

With a lowish data throughput (another BD-25), the film looks good, but never great.

The other two films in the set have already been discussed elsewhere.

There is light at the end of the rainbow, however.

Word has it that WB is leaving BD-25s behind, along with re-structured special sets combining old and new releases, and that WB catalog quality will now be up to the level of Warner Archive.  For that we can forgive a multitude of sins.

Anchors Aweigh

Image - 3

Audio - 4

Pass / Fail - Fail

On the Town

Image - 3.5

Audio - 4.5

Pass / Fail - Pass

Robin and the 7 Hoods

Image - 3.5

Audio - 4.5

Pass / Fail - Pass

Bottom line - your $52 are better spent elsewhere, even though you get a little book, creating a larger package than necessary.

RAH

 

[Powell&Pressburger]

Word has it that WB is leaving BD-25s behind, along with re-structured special sets combining old and new releases, and that WB catalog quality will now be up to the level of Warner Archive. For that we can forgive a multitude of sins.

Best news EVER! Let's hope it lives up to the hype because WB releases plenty of 50GB Blus and the mvoies get 26 GB of space! lol

 

[Thomas T]

Bottom line - your $52 are better spent elsewhere, even though you get a little book, creating a larger package than necessary.


RAH

Thankfully the titles are available individually so I'll be picking up only Robin And The 7 Hoods. Since Mr. Harris has noted that Anchors Aweigh and On The Town are "not of superior Blu-ray quality", the DVDs are good enough for me. I can't upgrade every thing in my collection so I must be selective and justify what titles I do upgrade.

 

[JoeDoakes]

Wow, I think Robin, Anchors Away, On the Town are the first recent (past couple of years) WHV blu releases that I can recall that you knocked for image quality. Is this a case of dealing with the elements being too expensive to bring the picture up to quality or what?

 

[bujaki]

I agree with Thomas above. I don't particularly like Anchors Aweigh (except for Jerry Mouse and Kelly; and Jose Iturbi); and On the Town would have been much better had it retained its original B'way score by a certain Lenny Bernstein. Too bad, though, that both these films, shot in 3-strip Tech, are such a visual disappointment.

 

[EddieLarkin]

How can they justify the perfect Musicals Collection release from only two months ago going out at $34.99 MSRP, and then offer this up for $70 MSRP?! I guess their intention is to sell this to Sinatra fans rather than the Blu-ray crowd?

 

[Mark-P]

I'm flabbergasted. Warner's record was nearly unblemished. Perhaps the've decided to finally lower the bar in order to accommodate opening the floodgates of classic titles on Blu-ray? I imagine this was probably the best they could do without the budget to do a new "Ultra-resolution" recombine. I would imagine Dodge City will look the same. I'm disappointed but still grateful to get these titles on Blu-ray.

 

[Robin9]

Anchors Aweigh - The film would be of little value had it not been for Mr. Iturbi's role.

As Sammy Davis Jnr once said: "Very droll"

 

[Robert Harris]

I'm flabbergasted. Warner's record was nearly unblemished. Perhaps the've decided to finally lower the bar in order to accommodate opening the floodgates of classic titles on Blu-ray? I imagine this was probably the best they could do without the budget to do a new "Ultra-resolution" recombine. I would imagine Dodge City will look the same. I'm disappointed but still grateful to get these titles on Blu-ray.

I understand that Dodge City will be worth waiting for.

 

[Drew Salzan]

Disappointed. I preordered this on Amazon for $48.97. Already have Anchors Aweigh, On the Town, Robin and the Seven Hoods and Guys and Dolls on DVD. I was hoping for a Technicolor restoration of the first 2 titles (as in Robin Hood and The Band Wagon). I'm not so certain it's worth the double dip now.


As a collector, I've been burnt so many times over format changes. VHS, laserdiscs and DVD's. I'm finally becoming much more selective in replacing my collection with blu rays. I find that high bit rate DVD's from HD masters are very watchable on my 60" screen and can only justify replacing them if a title is a particular favorite and has undergone a recent and recommended restoration. It makes my head spin when I think of how many times I've purchased The Wizard of OZ, The Sound of Music and Gone With the Wind. LOL.

 

[Randy Korstick]

Yes this is surprising and disappointing. I was really looking forward to nice Technicolor restorations of Anchors Aweigh and On the Town, Two of my favorite MGM musicals. After the last musical set this seemed like a no brainer that it was going to happen but apparently not for some reason. Kind of puzzling. Anchors Aweigh is a film I already purchased on VHS, Laserdisc and DVD. On the town just VHS and Laserdisc so I was due for an upgrade on that one anyway.

 

[Keith Cobby]

It is disappointing when your favourites are released without a decent restoration. I assume these box sets containing films previously released are directed at the more casual fan as enthusiasts will already own them. I think they might as well release all new classic titles, individually, through the Archive. The only one in this set that I will be buying is Robin to replace the DVD (which has a very good image).

 

[MatthewA]

The two Technicolor ones should have been restored. That they wanted them out in time for Sinatra's Centennial, which isn't technically until December 12 anyway, is no excuse not to have done new transfers. If that meant waiting a few months, so be it.

 

[Robert Harris]

Beyond elements used and available, forcing a 143 minute film onto a BD-25 is most times problematic.


But on the financial end, there's a fifty cent savings to be had.


RAH

 

[Alan Tully]

I'm wondering what they're going to use for the Hollywood's Golden Year films, I hope it's BD-50's, but on a 47" Plasma, would I notice the difference? (really looking forward to Dodge City & The Hunchback Of Notre Dame). Shame about the Sinatra set, but the only one I'll be buying is Robin & The 7 Hoods, & I knew that would look good, as it always has done.

 

[atfree]

Beyond elements used and available, forcing a 143 minute film onto a BD-25 is most times problematic.


But on the financial end, there's a fifty cent savings to be had.


RAH

If WHV video is that strapped, I will let them use my Costco membership. They have some good prices on BD-50's.

 

[Paul_Warren]

Very unhappy to hear On The Town is not higher quality as its my favorite musical from the 1940's. Why on earth would WB not go all out instead of just a little better than DVD though

 

[david hare]

I had On the Town and Anchors on order individually but have now cancelled.


Anchors Aweigh on DVD looks terrible frankly. and this appears to be taken from the same dupe source. Not interested and it's one of the weakest MGM post war Musicals. My library can live with the not much loved DVD.


But On the Town is so important despite the abbreviated score I will wait for a full restoration (which will probably never come.)


Very disappointing, but I suspected these were not going to be rescans and proper remasters, just like Band Wagon, which is clearly taken form their older master for DVD which I also consider a big disappointment.

 

[Jim*Tod]

I keep hoping we will get a good blu ray of SOME CAME RUNNING.

 

[Persianimmortal]

I keep hoping we will get a good blu ray of SOME CAME RUNNING.

Some Came Running, along with The Tender Trap and High Society are some of the titles I'd really hoped for in any true Sinatra Collection.