Around The World In 80 Days (1956) (1 Viewer)

[Keith Cobby]

I should apologise for putting this film on my 2014 wish list (seems a long time ago), nothing of which has been released or announced. High Society was also on the list and both films are 60 next year. I think if neither have been released by the end of 2016 I will have to find another hobby.

 

[Patrick McCart]

Yes, it looks like the LoC is just waiting for the call.

Someone would have to go through all the behind the scenes footage, but it sounds like at least the three deleted scenes would be easier. I assume the outtakes on the DVD were culled from the work print holdings. Plus, the isolated music track would be great since there isn't a complete soundtrack. It would be a fun project

While the material is likely faded, the LoC materials for the Cinerama films proved to be usable despite that.

(Also, I have a tape somewhere of the first-ever widescreen broadcast on TCM with an intro of Robert Osborne reading a request letter from a certain fan of the film)

 

[Robert Harris]

The problem is with the base elements, and possibly missing elements.

While a beautifully produced film, which I saw in an original 65mm print, in its original release, it has not stood the test of time much better than Exodus.

Nice travelogue, though.

To restore it, consider 2MM.

RAH

 

[Mark-P]

Netflix also has it in HD for streaming now. It looks okay, but nothing like Todd-AO. Warner would never consider releasing a Blu-ray without a full restoration from the ground up.

 

[Patrick McCart]

Did the 24fps and 30fps versions have completely separate 65mm negatives? I've wondered if the shots clearly from the 30fps camera were cannibalized from the 30fps negative to create the 24fps negative. There's also the matter of the 1968 and 1983 edits - it's interesting how the film was shortened for those re-releases, yet the 1986 VHS and laserdisc were from a mostly uncut print with Warner logos. It was only missing the chase scene after the train attack and the intermission/entr'acte. The Wikipedia article on the film notes that the chase scene was cut out after the premiere (and subsequent 70mm prints),yet turned up in the initial general release 35mm prints.

 

[rsmithjr]

One of my favorite films, and I think it has aged very well indeed.


Fortunately, I can see it occasionally at the Stanford Theater in Palo Alto. They own an archive dye-transfer print with a synced full-coat magnetic soundtrack and show it about once a year. The audience laughs and claps.


I will post the next time it is scheduled.

 

[OliverK]

Netflix also has it in HD for streaming now. It looks okay, but nothing like Todd-AO. Warner would never consider releasing a Blu-ray without a full restoration from the ground up.

Times clearly have changed - Around the World in 80 Days on vudu HDX at least looks better than the Blu-rays of Mutiny on the Bounty or Battle of the Bulge but this quality would not be acceptable anymore if released today.

 

[haineshisway]

Times clearly have changed - Around the World in 80 Days on vudu HDX at least looks better than the Blu-rays of Mutiny on the Bounty or Battle of the Bulge but this quality would not be acceptable anymore if released today.

Haven't seen the vudu version, but am watching on Netflix - I think it looks better than the DVD, but I'll pull that out and check it out, but this is clearly not a new transfer, I shouldn't think, given the specks and dirt throughout and, of course, at least on Netflix it's nowhere near as sharp as Todd-AO should be. What we need is the full treatment - this could and should look as glorious as Oklahoma and be as sharp as a tack. It was after all a best picture winner.

 

[OliverK]

Haven't seen the vudu version, but am watching on Netflix - I think it looks better than the DVD, but I'll pull that out and check it out, but this is clearly not a new transfer, I shouldn't think, given the specks and dirt throughout and, of course, at least on Netflix it's nowhere near as sharp as Todd-AO should be. What we need is the full treatment - this could and should look as glorious as Oklahoma and be as sharp as a tack. It was after all a best picture winner.

The vudu version is better than the one on Netflix now that I checked, but obviously the Netflix version is free for subscribers. Both are putting the not so hot DVD to shame, they are probably at least half of the way between the DVD and a high quality Blu-ray.

In any case I agree - with a decent HD version readily available the Blu-ray should be a whole different animal and look as good as Oklahoma does. Imo it would look even better because of the more interesting travelogue-style multitude of locations that are often shown to very good effect.

 

[Dr Griffin]

With RAH's estimation of restoration costs, does anyone actually see it happening? You could've knocked me over with a feather when I heard Spartacus was getting the proper treatment, but this may be too much.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Sadly, the only question we can ask is, "Will it sell?" With RAH's accurate assessment of the film itself as a "nice travelogue" to which I would add, "loaded with star-studded cameos," the only way I see this happening is in similar fashion to IAMMMMW, and I don't see Warner being willing to licence it to Criterion.

 

[Dr Griffin]

But it's also TODD-AO f'cryin' out loud!

 

[mark brown]

Maybe this is one for David Strohmaier ...

 

[OliverK]

Maybe this is one for David Strohmaier ...

No, it is one for Warner, they want to handle their titles themselves.

 

[Tom St Jones]

Here's my two cents concerning ATWI80D. Much like DeMille's "The Greatest Show On Earth" from the same period, people have long argued over whether this deserved to win Best Picture, especially considering the films it was up against. It seems to me that if you're nominated for the Best Picture Oscar, or any Oscar for that matter, you've really already "won" - it's just that only one can take home the statuette.

You must admit this is a beautiful film, in MANY ways. It's about the Todd-AO spectacle for sure but it's also about fun. No dark stuff here nor anything really innovative, just lighthearted fun (I like to think it was deliberately old-fashioned) and incredible visuals. Gorgeously photographed and well-acted by all of its legendary stars, not least the dryly debonair David Niven and the wonderful Cantinflas (whose casting was quite the coup for producer Mike Todd). John Carradine is a standout, as is Robert Newton and Robert Morley. It's a cameo-fest, of course, and yes, some of those who appear seem to be there just so they could say they were. This never detracts from the film in any serious way, though. Overall, it's a long ride but definitely an enjoyable one. Before the term "audience picture" became pejorative, it just meant any film that attracted a sizable, appreciative audience. Perhaps this is simply that kind of film, and a breathtaking example at that.

 

[RolandL]

Did the 24fps and 30fps versions have completely separate 65mm negatives? I've wondered if the shots clearly from the 30fps camera were cannibalized from the 30fps negative to create the 24fps negative. There's also the matter of the 1968 and 1983 edits - it's interesting how the film was shortened for those re-releases, yet the 1986 VHS and laserdisc were from a mostly uncut print with Warner logos. It was only missing the chase scene after the train attack and the intermission/entr'acte. The Wikipedia article on the film notes that the chase scene was cut out after the premiere (and subsequent 70mm prints),yet turned up in the initial general release 35mm prints.

From the widescreenmuseum:


In some cases he used two identical Todd-AO cameras and lenses side by side, one running at 30fps for the 70mm version, and the other running at 24fps for the 35mm reduction print, in other cases the same camera was used by changing the camera speed, and in some cases, the material photographed by a single camera was used in both versions, though this could not be done with dialog sequences.

 

[haineshisway]

I checked out the DVD vis a vis the Netflix - they seem the same to me and I can't imagine the Voodoo or Hoodoo being much better - they have what they have.

 

[OliverK]

I checked out the DVD vis a vis the Netflix - they seem the same to me and I can't imagine the Voodoo or Hoodoo being much better - they have what they have.

What do you mean with the same - certainly you can see the increased resolution over the DVD?

 

[haineshisway]

Of course, but it's clearly the same transfer used for the DVD.

 

[OliverK]

Of course, but it's clearly the same transfer used for the DVD.

Ah - OK. Yes it looks like it is coming from the same source.