RAINTREE COUNTY on Blu? (1 Viewer)

[RolandL]

where was the news about 80 Days?

Will Around the World in 80 Days ever get a special deluxe edition like The Wonderful World of The Brothers Grimm?

I know that we have another thread for 80 days, but I wanted to start another to focus on David Strohmaier and his possible future work on digital restorations that could include 80 Days. We all know Grimm was quite a success as a restoration as well as a terrific seller on Blu-ray for the...

www.hometheaterforum.com

 

[SwatDB]

If Warner is really busy with 80 Days I would already be happy if it was:

2022: Grimm
2024: 80 Days
2026: Raintree County

Of course I won't complain either if things move faster but one of these rather problematic titles every two years would already be much more than I had expected in 2021!

Sometimes, you just gotta roll the dice (release year-wise).

 

[mskaye]

I think this is similar to why Gone With The Wind has not yet been released on 4k UHD.

I don't know. I kind of disagree. I think GWTW, problematic as it is, is also well loved and admired as a fine piece of cinema. And it would $ell. The Southern angle is the least of Raintree's problems. Based on all that I have read, Raintree is a massive mess of a restoration project, supremely costly at a time when the parent company seems to be watching every penny and is asking what the return on investment is on every project. There's another thing: it has NEVER been considered a good film. It may have its admirers but it wasn't a film that was ahead of its time like The Manchurian Candidate. It's not an overlooked masterpiece, It's not RYAN's DAUGHTER which was directed by one of the great directors in cinema history or 80 DAYS, which won Best Picture. But for it's fans, I hope it gets a release one day.

 

[PMF]

The answer is to buy WB.

To be specific or to split hairs…

Do you mean WB, WAC or both?

I’ll put down $100 in purchases, tonight. Anyone else care to do a matching pledge drive throughout the next 30 days?

 

[Andrew Budgell]

First and foremost, a tip of the hat to Andrew Budgell, who created this thread nearly 13 years, ago. Despite the ongoing absence of Raintree County on either a Blu ray or 4K/UHD disc, the postings and conversations have never waned and always remained strong. This, in and of itself, is an undeniable testament and argument in favor of Raintree County receiving its due. Indeed, the HTF membership remains very interested.

Well, we’ve no doubt been all a-buzz with the recent news of Around the World in 80 Days moving forward on a complete restoration and disc. And even The Alamo, according to a RAH posting, is now in the possession of Amazon. This double-header news, of course, could only bode well for Raintree County. How could it not? But when? Another year? Maybe two. My seasoned senses are saying that a break in the action towards news of Raintree County may easily be heard within this new year of 2024.

Thank you for the kind words, Philip! I can hardly believe that nearly 13 years have no gone by since I started this thread. After hearing Mr. Feltenstein on the Home Theater United podcast last year, I'm still cautiously optimistic that we will see it on Blu-ray one day:

"It's going to take a lot of time and a lot of money to put something together that at best will still be imperfect. It's something that both myself and the gentleman who is our director of preservation, who's also been a dear friend and a good colleague of mine for a very long time, we're both dedicated to getting it done and we've been trying like hell. But we need to also have a little bit more of a stable company environment and all indications are we're getting there so there's hope but I don't want to give false hope. It may be several years away. It's obviously something we're aware of and it's not easy".

Of course, who knows what a potential WB-Paramount merger could mean for Raintree County and of course WAC in general, but I live in hope. In the meantime, I'm so grateful for all of the incredible WAC releases 2023 has brought us. Camille, Queen Christina, The Last Time I Saw Paris, Father's Little Dividend, Little Women, The Prince and the Showgirl, The Great Ziegfeld, Madame Bovary, The Strawberry Blonde, Goodbye Mr. chips, and others have become treasured additions to my collection!

 

[RolandL]

Broadcast on TCM 2/9/24 8:00 AM EST. Says 187 minutes but I doubt it. It's probably the 166 minute version that they usually show.

 

[Andrew Budgell]

The BBC is working on a three-part documentary series on Elizabeth Taylor, tentatively titled "Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar," to be executive produced by Kim Kardashian:

Kim Kardashian to Executive Produce, Appear in Elizabeth Taylor Doc Series for BBC

"Elizabeth Taylor was unapologetically herself, a fighter. She is proof that you can keep evolving and changing and have different chapters in your life," says Kardashian.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

[Robin9]

The BBC is working on a three-part documentary series on Elizabeth Taylor, tentatively titled "Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar," to be executive produced by Kim Kardashian:

Kim Kardashian to Executive Produce, Appear in Elizabeth Taylor Doc Series for BBC

"Elizabeth Taylor was unapologetically herself, a fighter. She is proof that you can keep evolving and changing and have different chapters in your life," says Kardashian.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

I hope they do their research thoroughly and have a balanced perspective when deciding how to present their material.

 

[Robert Harris]

I hope they do their research thoroughly and have a balanced perspective when deciding how to present their material.

It sounds as if the approach is already in the title.

 

[JSLasher]

This terribly underrated film deserves a proper blu-ray upgrade. Great music score by John Green.

 

[SwatDB]

This terribly underrated film deserves a proper blu-ray upgrade. Great music score by John Green.

How bout asking WB for an Isolated Score (Roadshow Version) since we have the 2007 FSM CD?

Not suspecting that they might be uninteresting in doing a little Redman and Matessino (Twilight Time) job here.

 

[JSLasher]

You do the asking. I’m retired now.

 

[SwatDB]

You do the asking. I’m retired now.

Just a suggestion. Spending my time finding studio contacts isn't exactly my style, for now.

 

[Robin9]

It sounds as if the approach is already in the title.

Yes, absolutely . . . . . which is why I'm concerned.

 

[OliverK]

Yes, absolutely . . . . . which is why I'm concerned.

I read right over the title to the name of the producer and THAT should make you even more concerned.
But at least under these circumstances expectations are kept in check.

 

[mskaye]

I read right over the title to the name of the producer and THAT should make you even more concerned.
But at least under these circumstances expectations are kept in check.

Instead of being negative, I see ET being celebrated by such a high profile celeb as a good thing. ET was quite the proto modern celeb. Her talent, beauty, marriages, scandals could be happening today. Sometimes it does but by actors with far fewer gifts.

 

[stevenHa]

If interested, you can see an actual matte painting from Raintree Country on the current issue of this blog : https://nzpetesmatteshot.blogspot.com/

 

[OliverK]

Instead of being negative, I see ET being celebrated by such a high profile celeb as a good thing. ET was quite the proto modern celeb. Her talent, beauty, marriages, scandals could be happening today. Sometimes it does but by actors with far fewer gifts.

We were talking about the approach not if Kim Kardashian producing this will draw more attention to Liz Taylor.

I am sure it will and if it helps us to get more of her movies released on Blu-ray or even 4K Blu-ray I am all for it.

Edit: Apparently Kim Kardashian also conducted the last interview with Liz Taylor before her death:

Elizabeth Taylor Talks with Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian catches up with Elizabeth Taylor about glamour, giving back, and how to live like a legend.

www.harpersbazaar.com

 

[RolandL]

It's the 166 minute version on TCM right now.