Midnight Cowboy and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1 Viewer)

[David Wilkins]

This should be interesting as it plays out. Blu-ray.com (not that I trust them completely) are giving the British region-free edition 3/5 on video, which I assume is the same transfer. The only reason I don't have a copy, is that the BB web site lied about my neighborhood store having it in stock. Maybe now I'll wait.

 

[Worth]

While I try to avoid making judgments based on screenshots, nothing in those Midnight Cowboy caps seems off to me. They look the way a film of that vintage should look.

 

[Bob Cashill]

I take it in stride, while noting that we can all be a little too passionate about this stuff. Looking at the SE DVD and the Blu-ray I see no outstanding reason to upgrade; the Blu-ray.com review felt accurate to me. And the DVD has sturdier packaging plus a nice set of lobby cards. The BD is neither an outright disaster nor a revelation.

 

[Geoff_D]

Pelham 123 = WANT! Hopefully it won't stay as a BB exclusive for long.

 

[Dick]

Every "exclusive" copy of TAKING OF PELHAM my local BB had today, right alongside CITY SLICKERS and MIDNIGHT COWBOY and BACK TO SCHOOL, was of the recent Tony Scott remake, which of course has been available as a Blu-ray for ages. Any one else find this true? Are those of you reporting having found PELHAM talking about the '74 version?

 

[TonyD]

Every "exclusive" copy of TAKING OF PELHAM my local BB had today, right alongside CITY SLICKERS and MIDNIGHT COWBOY and BACK TO SCHOOL, was of the recent Tony Scott remake, which of course has been available as a Blu-ray for ages. Any one else find this true? Are those of you reporting having found PELHAM talking about the '74 version?

Already mentioned several times in this topic that it is the '74 version. I saw it today and it is. Also saw the "Woody" Casino Royale. Picked up the Firm only one I wanted at this time.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Dick

Every "exclusive" copy of TAKING OF PELHAM my local BB had today, right alongside CITY SLICKERS and MIDNIGHT COWBOY and BACK TO SCHOOL, was of the recent Tony Scott remake, which of course has been available as a Blu-ray for ages. Any one else find this true? Are those of you reporting having found PELHAM talking about the '74 version?

I have the '74 version in my hands now. There is also a $9.99 sale on the remake going on at Best Buy also. You need to watch out which one you pick up. But there is a lot of talk on the Forums that the '74 PELHAM version is selling out quickly. Some Best Buy employee might have moved the remake to the the exclusive section.

 

[Bob Cashill]

I think the Best Buy in Brooklyn had one copy of TAKING. I took it.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Dick

Every "exclusive" copy of TAKING OF PELHAM my local BB had today, right alongside CITY SLICKERS and MIDNIGHT COWBOY and BACK TO SCHOOL, was of the recent Tony Scott remake, which of course has been available as a Blu-ray for ages. Any one else find this true? Are those of you reporting having found PELHAM talking about the '74 version?

Dick,


I made several posts in different threads and in various areas of HTF calling out that the original version was released on BRD as a Best Buy exclusive.

 

[Dick]

Thank you everyone and, yes, I saw the posts that said the original was going to be the exclusive at BB. All I said was that the copies I found -- all in the same display with the other exclusive titles -- was the remake. I am glad to find out others have found the original, and I will seek it out also.

 

[Brisby]

I picked up Pelham at BB today no problem...plenty of copies to go around.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

If it's only $9.99 I'll take the chance. The reason I call it a "chance" is because I'm hearing that the new BD is "darker" than the SD. I love the '74 film and have the non-anamorphic DVD, but at least it doesn't look "dark". I just watched the DVD last month and it looked fine, though I wished it was anamorphic.

 

[cineMANIAC]

Originally Posted by Bob Cashill

I think the Best Buy in Brooklyn had one copy of TAKING. I took it.

Atlantic Center BB? Was there last night looking for a copy unsuccessfully after searching 3 other stores in Manhattan. Funny thing is, the customer kiosk showed there were 3 copies available. I must've gone around all the shelves at least twice and couldn't find one. I was too tired to go to the customer service desk so I huffed and puffed away. The hunt continues...

 

[Bob Cashill]

Yes. There was all of one on the shelves as of Sunday afternoon. These exclusives don't seem to have their own there, though they should.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Joe Karlosi

If it's only $9.99 I'll take the chance. The reason I call it a "chance" is because I'm hearing that the new BD is "darker" than the SD. I love the '74 film and have the non-anamorphic DVD, but at least it doesn't look "dark". I just watched the DVD last month and it looked fine, though I wished it was anamorphic.

I think the SD was wrong for being too bright.

 

I found one copy of the '74 version among the remake copies at BB. Was $9.99 at checkout.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford


I think the SD was wrong for being too bright.

I think the movie always looked the way the DVD looked.



I went to two "Bust" Buys today -- no sign of the Blu-ray (and neither lousy store stocked AMERICAN GRAFFITI either, while I'm at it).

 

[Stephen_J_H]

The SD, being non-anamorphic, was likely a recycled LD transfer, taken from the same elements as the VHS transfer. It was common for VHS and LD transfers to be sourced from low-contrast prints (which ironically yielded a transfer that showed more contrast), which would account for the "boosted" image seen on VHS, LD and non-anamorphic DVD. BD has a greater dynamic range in contrast, which means that elements can now be as dark as originally intended.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

How do we know the movie was "intended to appear dark"? Just because the BD may look overly dark, we now just presume it looked like that in theaters, as a rationalization?


This movie never struck me as "too bright" in the past. It was always just right. Still dingy and dark in the tunnel, but you could see what was going on. I mean, it's not like it looked like daylight in the subway before the Blu came along.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Joe Karlosi

How do we know the movie was "intended to appear dark"? Just because the BD may look overly dark, we now just presume it looked like that in theaters, as a rationalization?


This movie never struck me as "too bright" in the past. It was always just right. Still dingy and dark in the tunnel, but you could see what was going on. I mean, it's not like it looked like daylight in the subway before the Blu came along.

How do you know it wasn't?


My memory of it is different than yours, but my first time time watching it was in a local theater back in 1974 so who's to really say about the contrast and brightness except the filmmakers. Memories get fuzzy over the years. Anyhow, I'm very happy with the BRD and I think most fans of the film will be too.







Crawdaddy