DVD Review HTF REVIEW: The Sound of Music - 40th Anniversary Edition (1 Viewer)

[Paul Anthony]

The DVD transfer of the new SOM is better.

 

[Greg_M]

Just veiwed the new R&H dvds this weekend.

The new Todd-AO version of Oklahoma!( the better filmed version of the two IMO) is way too soft and muddy. The colors are faded and a bit brownish (the grass and trees aren't as green and often look grey)

The Julie Andrews commentary on the "Sound of Music" dvd was pretty lame. There are lots of long passages where no one speaks, and when they do they really aren't saying anything interesting. I was hoping it would have been more like her commentary with Blake Endwards on "Victor/Victora". On that one they were both in the same room and were able to comment on the other's remarks.

Haven't listened to the other commentaries yet.

"State Fair" (1962) looked good and Sounded good, this is the better transfer. "The Sound of Music" was a little too soft at times, and there was a yellow tint to it, but it wasn't bad.

 

[MatthewA]

Here's something I found in a conversation on efilmforum.com (Don't take it as gospel, but I found it interesting):

 

[RobertSiegel]

I got to spend the weekend with the new R&H discs. I am VERY pleased with Sound of Music. My only gripe is the too-pink skin tones, that could easily have been corrected. Sometimes the faces are way too pink. Otherwise I feel this is the first time I have seen the movie on home video where it looked like a 70mm presentation, almost a 3D feeling in some scenes. What not many people have mentioned is the improvement of the sound. The horns sound clean, the kettle drums beautiful, this is the sound transfer I have been hoping for, and in that alone, I am very happy.

Oklahoma Todd-AO was absolutely terrible. I couldn't believe what they did to this film, considering I saw it in 70mm a few months ago at the Heights theatre in Minneapolis and those opening credits are bright and beautiful, here they are dead and even hard to read. The Cinemascope is better in my opinion, but that could have been better too. State Fair, the 1962 version is a great video transfer and the sound is ok, I was upset that the Ann Margret stage number was almost mono, the rest is decent stereo though. :frowning:

Now let's hope the next 3 R&H are as good as Sound of Music. I saw King and I on HDnet in high-def, and if they use that transfer, it will be stunning!

 

[TedD]

Except that 70mm prints don't have color registration issues with the reds offset to the right like the DVD does..... :frowning: Take a close look at the right side of the gate when Maria is standing in front of it before she runs up to house on her way from the abbey. Or the main titles for that matter. (It's considerably more visible on the right side of the image).

Ted

 

[RobertSiegel]

Ted I agree with you completely. But I still hold that this new dvd is, compared to the old one, stunning in many ways and miles ahead of any previous video version, my opinion of course. There does seem to be a red issue going on, as well as the pink in the skin tones, that's my one complaint. But some of the beautiful shots also finally look beautiful and the photography finally has depth. I really felt like I was really watching the movie for the first time since I saw it in a theater, and the sound...a MAJOR improvement. Finally this sounds like a Fox stereo recording! These are my opinions of course, but after seeing the movie literally hundreds of times, this is the first sound and video transfer I can call decent, if not very good (aside from the pinks). I am happy for now .

 

[TedD]

Agreed that it is the best it has ever looked, however still only a barely adaquate transfer in my eyes. (and in my HT.

Ted

 

[Joe Caps]

I just got the new SOUND OF MUSIC today.
I watched some key scenes from the old DVD first to compare. The EE on the old dvd had never bothered me, but it certainly bothered me today.
The new dvd doesn't have that and it looks soft by comparison, but once I got used to it I thought it looked pretty good. I did NOT see the red registration problem.
The sound on the new dvd sounds like it has been artificially brightened by pumping the upper midrange. '
Everytime I saw this film in the theqater, the surrounds were pretty loud (orchestra on surrounds for every musical number). They do not sound loud here and sdo not on any other video transfer.
For hardcore SOM fans, the new extras are fun. Too bad they didn't have room for the old Michael Mattessino doc from the last disc, which I still think is the best one.

The current score is -
new sound of music - very good
new versions of State Fair - really good to excellent for the 1962 version.
New oklahoma with a very good scope version and a todd ao version that those involved should be whipped for !!

 

[TedD]

Joe, how many screen widths away are you viewing from?

Because this is what I see from 1.2 screen widths viewing distance:

http://webpages.charter.net/tvdias/Title_1.png
http://webpages.charter.net/tvdias/Title_2.png

The problem is most obvious in the first capture, but it certainly explains what happened to the original golden color of the title text.

Ted

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Ted,

it looks to my eyes that what you're calling a red-registration problem on those credits is really just the "shadow" of the two-tone font in order to give the impression of a 3-dimensional/raised surface.

Are there other places in the film where this same type of effect is visible other than the title card credits?

 

[Mark Bendiksen]

I took my first peek at this DVD today. I only got to watch the first fifteen minutes or so, but in general I'm happy I upgraded. The picture quality is far superior to the previous release, IMHO. Is it a home run? No way. But it's definitely a significant improvement.

 

[TedD]

David:

Why would they put the red over the black background? Also why would it be worse on the right side of the image?

No, that red belongs on the yellow lettering, which by the way was gold, not yellow on the original prints.

Look at the right side of the gate at the Von Trapp villa when Maria first arrives and is trying to get up her courage to enter.

I have projected this film in both 35mm and 70mm hundreds of times and that red ofset isn't on any print I have ever projected.

Can you imagine what that would have looked like on a 50' screen?

Ted

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Ok Ok...Uncle!

It just seemed in the 2nd shot that the red wasn't actually outside in the black area...but rather a "shadow" effect...but that's coming from someone just staring at the one single screen-cap without any broader context.

If you've got the reference material to compare, then I more-than trust your conclusion! I hope to see this film projected in 70mm this January at the Silver Screen near DC...that should be awesome!

I haven't bought the new DVD as of yet...I'm tempted though if I can find it on sale (there weren't any out at Costco tonight which surprised me)

dave

 

[Ravi K]

Ted, do you have the Five Star Collection version to take the same shots from?

 

[Mark B]

I just finished viewing the special features on the new SOUND OF MUSIC release, and found them excellent. There were moments that made me oddly emotional, like the children all grown up....hanging out and chit-chatting. The tour of Saltzburg today was especially thrilling.

 

[TedD]

Ravi, I sure do.

40th http://webpages.charter.net/tvdias/Title_1.png
5 Star http://webpages.charter.net/tvdias/5_Title_1.png

40th http://webpages.charter.net/tvdias/Title_2.png
5 Star http://webpages.charter.net/tvdias/5_Title_2.png

and here is one more screen capture from the new version

http://webpages.charter.net/tvdias/Chapel.png

just showing it's clearly not what David thought might have been an intentional effect on the titles.

Reviewing these shots, it appears that the likely scenario was this:

The telecine that the film to video transfer was performed on was an older relatively low resolution scanner that also had registration problems with the red sensor array. The problem was worse on the right side of the array.

The registration issue was present in the 5 star edition. But it wasn't as noticable until they attempted to correct the colder colors of the 5 star edition by bringing up the level of the reds. The excessive EE in the 5 star edition also served to mask the problem to a degree.

So, it all comes back to Fox deciding to cut corners. Recycling an older, releatively low resolution transfer performed on a poorly maintained telecine in an an attempt to save a few $.

There you have it.

Ted

 

[TonyD]

that looks like the same thing some were seeing on a few shots on the new ben hur.

 

[Mikel_Cooperman]

I don't usually like double dipping but I had to get the new additon because there are new stuff on this. Loved the reunions.

 

[Joel Vardy]

Just got SOM in today along with Oklahoma and State Fair. I have reviewed the first 60 minutes of the film (SOM) and without any doubt there is a 'significant improvement' (softer yes but also much more film-like and three dimensional, not to mention the vast improvement in color -- the 5-star is contrasty, more 2D-like, and the EE is now quite evident). I also noticed a marked improvement in the sound quality. I may not be reasonable to expect much more from the source, considering the age and perhaps other factors.

Joel

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Since Ted has seen the SOM projected in both 35 amd 70 mm he probably has a good idea what the source is capable of looking like as far as this DVD presentation is concerned. I can't wait to see this film projected in 70mm in January here in DC...woohoo!