Ice Station Zebra - Short Review (1 Viewer)

[Richard--W]

We watched this last night, one of my favorite adventure films of the 1960s. I'm disappointed. The overture and entr-acte are shortened, incomplete. The photo-chemical look of the film is replaced by a video-look. It's in the mixing and the aesthetics of the mixing. Yes, the picture is excellent, even superior quality, but I know this film, and it's not the film-quality I know from repeated viewings. The oop laser disc more accurately represents the theatrical Ice Station Zebra.

 

[Douglas R]

What makes you say this Richard? I know that the CD of the music score contains longer cues but those cues as recorded by the composer may well have been shortened for the theatrical roadshow presentation, which would make the DVD an accurate representation.

 

[Greg_M]

Why would they shorten the Overture etc? The film isn't too long as not to fit on one disc?

 

[Richard--W]

My familiarity from repeated viewings.
The overture and entre-acte on the DVD should be longer.
I haven't heard the soundtrack CD (or LP for that matter). It's a fine score and I'm sure it sounds wonderful.

I'm more annoyed by the mastering. It looks like everything from aperture to gamma to grain has been reconfigured by someone who likes to tinker just for the sake of tinkering. Some of these digital whiz nerds can't restrain themselves. Too many options at the touch of a mouse. Still others have no practical experience with film -- they live in a digital realm -- and have no idea how a film is supposed to look or how to apply digital tools to maintain an old film's original photo-chemical aesthetic. It doesn't look bad, not by any means, it just doesn't look right.

I will stick Ice Station Zebra on the "corrupted" shelf next to Gone With the Wind, Rio Bravo, The Searchers and a couple of other felonies.