TCFHE Press Release: The Sound of Music 45th Anniversary (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[Rob_Ray]

Originally Posted by cafink



I think your question is exactly backward. Why would overture music make sense? What is the point of it? I recently watched Dr. Zhivago on DVD, and I wasn't quite sure what to make of having several minutes of music playing before the movie began. I wouldn't advocate removing the overture from a film which originally included it, but I still don't understand why it's there or what the purpose of it is. When's the last time a movie was released with an overture? Why would you expect younger viewers to expect it, or to understand why it's there?

I feel like such an old geezer. You see, back in the ooooolllld days, movies would play in single-screened theatres with plush curtains that gave an atmosphere of a legitimate theatre. Roadshow films would play in the largest, most opulent theatres with no ads or trailers beforehand. The performances were preceded by silence or perhaps some piped-in music played at very low volume with the lights full up and the curtains closed. The rule was always that the audience could never, ever see the screen without something being projected onto it. It sounds silly, but somehow this idea added to the illusion that the screen behind those curtains could take you into another world.


The overture would begin at full volume with the lights up and the curtains closed as a way to garner excitement in the moments before a film began. In the days when the general release theatres were running mono prints preceded by trailers, cartoons and shorts, hearing full six-track magnetic stereo coming from behind those curtains gave the feeling of anticipation you now only feel when attending a live stage performance at places like Lincoln Center. It conveyed the feeling that you were about to see something special and not just another average assembly line product.


The only way to even attempt to convey the feeling on home video would be to present these films without any FBI warning, Studio logo or pre-feature menu with the overture playing against a completely dark screen or maybe a still shot of some curtains. But of course that will never happen.

 

[ahollis]

I'm not sure I would care or enjoy an overture for Jackass 3D, Avatar might be another story or the Harry Potter films. The first thought about an overture today is something is wrong with the projector and I am missing something. That is the reason that the overtures on most of the DVD's (Fox is the exception) have a title card during the Overture, Enter' Acta, and Exit Music. Just so they do not get complaints that something is wrong with the DVD. I would prefer a dark screen during an overture or as it has been put forth, a dark screen with Overture in small letters in the bottom corner.

 

[Marco S]

[SIZE= 21px]Good info WilliamMcK, but I think the movie is better than the stage show. I saw TSOM at The Fisher Theater in Detroit in 1963. I don't know who played Maria, but it was the first Broadway Musical I had ever seen. I remember the beginning-I saw a light on the curtain like a stained glass church window. Then the nuns were running back and forth and started singing Act I: Preludium--Then the curtain opened and you see Maria sitting on a small hill that was rolled on to the stage-She then starts singing TSOM. The movie opening was way better-A piece of Movie History-Having the orchestra playing "My day in the hills have come to an end, I know" and wham the first words we hear are "The hills are alive." I think Robert Wise and Ernest Lehman did an excellent job making a movie from a Broadway Play. It looked like a movie, not a photographed play. I thought the changing of My Favorite Things & The Lonely Goatherd were pure cinematic magic. The puppet show was genius. You really think the kids and Maria are doing it. Other goose bump moments of the movie--The end of Act one--The orchestra plays Edelweiss, The Baroness takes the Captain's hand and they start dancing.--We cut to Maria, now dressed in the cloths she arrived in, months ago. She has her bag and guitar--She goes down the stairs, leaves a note--goes to the door--looks the place over and leaves as the orchestra crescendos the ending--and bam, intermission--(not a dry eye in the audience).--- The wedding, with that big organ, and after when we see Kurt, swinging on the bells, then quick, cut to red--Nazis- marching down the street. Sugar gone--Back to reality. More movie magic--And another difference, I'll mention. In the play, The Von Trapps in the cemetery, are discovered by Rolfe. He lets then escape--He tells his captain to forget the noise he heard. In the movie, he tells on them and the chase begins...We all have our favorite moments, and I'll be at Target Tuesday morning at 8am to get my blu ray---[/SIZE]

 

[Rob_Ray]

As an eight year old in 1965, some of the indelible moments for me, in addition to those already mentioned, were the children riding bicycles and trains through the Alps, the fog-filtered shots of Maria during the initial Edelweiss number and the Laendler, the lush party sequence, and, most especially, as the dejected brood tries to cheer themselves up with "My Favorite Things," hearing Julie Andrews' bell-like soprano waft in from the left speaker. I lost it at that point.


I've since come to appreciate, admire and cherish many more motion picture classics, but The Sound of Music will always be the closest to my heart -- the one that first taught me the emotional power of film.

 

[JoeBond]

Originally Posted by Rob_Ray




I feel like such an old geezer. You see, back in the ooooolllld days, movies would play in single-screened theatres with plush curtains that gave an atmosphere of a legitimate theatre. Roadshow films would play in the largest, most opulent theatres with no ads or trailers beforehand. The performances were preceded by silence or perhaps some piped-in music played at very low volume with the lights full up and the curtains closed. The rule was always that the audience could never, ever see the screen without something being projected onto it. It sounds silly, but somehow this idea added to the illusion that the screen behind those curtains could take you into another world.


The overture would begin at full volume with the lights up and the curtains closed as a way to garner excitement in the moments before a film began. In the days when the general release theatres were running mono prints preceded by trailers, cartoons and shorts, hearing full six-track magnetic stereo coming from behind those curtains gave the feeling of anticipation you now only feel when attending a live stage performance at places like Lincoln Center. It conveyed the feeling that you were about to see something special and not just another average assembly line product.


The only way to even attempt to convey the feeling on home video would be to present these films without any FBI warning, Studio logo or pre-feature menu with the overture playing against a completely dark screen or maybe a still shot of some curtains. But of course that will never happen.

Thanks for that explanation. Makes the idea of overture music make more since and I would believe a movie like Doctor Zhivago or Lawrence of Arabia would benefit hugely from the roadshow format. Wish I could see either of those movies and The Sound of Music in this format.

 

[benbess]

Originally Posted by Rob_Ray

As an eight year old in 1965, some of the indelible moments for me, in addition to those already mentioned, were the children riding bicycles and trains through the Alps, the fog-filtered shots of Maria during the initial Edelweiss number and the Laendler, the lush party sequence, and, most epspecially, as the dejected brood tries to cheer themselves up with "My Favorite Things" hearing Julie Andrews bell-like soprano waft in from the left speaker. I lost it at that point.


I've since come to appreciate, admire and cherish many more motion picture classics, but The Sound of Music will always be the closest to my heart -- the one that first taught me the emotional power of film.

Wonderfully said. That's how I felt when I saw this again. It was an emotional experience for me. And I think the emotion was enhanced by the amazing detail found in the restoration from the original Todd-AO negative...

 

[RobertSiegel]

Originally Posted by Marco S




[SIZE= 12px]Good info WilliamMcK, but I think the movie is better than the stage show. I saw TSOM at The Fisher Theater in Detroit in 1963. I don't know who played Maria, but it was the first Broadway Musical I had ever seen. I remember the beginning-I saw a light on the curtain like a stained glass church window. Then the nuns were running back and forth and started singing Act I: Preludium--Then the curtain opened and you see Maria sitting on a small hill that was rolled on to the stage-She then starts singing TSOM. The movie opening was way better-A piece of Movie History-Having the orchestra playing "My day in the hills have come to an end, I know" and wham the first words we hear are "The hills are alive." I think Robert Wise and Ernest Lehman did an excellent job making a movie from a Broadway Play. It looked like a movie, not a photographed play. I thought the changing of My Favorite Things & The Lonely Goatherd were pure cinematic magic. The puppet show was genius. You really think the kids and Maria are doing it. Other goose bump moments of the movie--The end of Act one--The orchestra plays Edelweiss, The Baroness takes the Captain's hand and they start dancing.--We cut to Maria, now dressed in the cloths she arrived in, months ago. She has her bag and guitar--She goes down the stairs, leaves a note--goes to the door--looks the place over and leaves as the orchestra crescendos the ending--and bam, intermission--(not a dry eye in the audience).--- The wedding, with that big organ, and after when we see Kurt, swinging on the bells, then quick, cut to red--Nazis- marching down the street. Sugar gone--Back to reality. More movie magic--And another difference, I'll mention. In the play, The Von Trapps in the cemetery, are discovered by Rolfe. He lets then escape--He tells his captain to forget the noise he heard. In the movie, he tells on them and the chase begins...We all have our favorite moments, and I'll be at Target Tuesday morning at 8am to get my blu ray---[/SIZE]

Marco, some very good points. You know this show well like I do. In my opinion, the entire film was pure genious, every single element that went into it was perfection, and this rarely happens in cinema, especially when transferring a Broadway show to the screen. The crew, the stars, the locations, the orchestrations, everything was absolutely perfect. The moving of My Favorite Things from the convent between the Mother Abbess and Maria to the children in the bedroom is pure genius, having Richard Rodgers write "I have Confidence" for the screen version was also genius, a great way to take us from her old life to her new life and express her fears and realize her bravery. And moving Lonely Gothard to a puppet show was beyond genius. Then, ridding the score of the 2 songs between Max and Elsa, to have the music part of the show remain with the children and Maria and the Captain was another great movie, though I do like the 2 songs they cut there but they just weren't right for the show. And casting Julie Andrews after Wise saw her at the Disney lot in a few clips from the unreleased Mary Poppins was the move that sealed the movie's fate as a blockbuster. Of couse much credit has to be given to Robert Wise for his superb direction and also Ernest Lehman, who went to see the Broadway show and said "This will one day make a wonderful film." Yet he was ignored at the Oscars. And in my opinion, Julie Andrews was robbed of an Academy Award for this film, even though she had won the year before for Mary Poppins.


I've owned every VHS (4), laserdisc (4) and DVD (2) release of this film. I remember the first VHS version from "Magnetic Video." I remember my first laserdisc and how excited I was to finally have the movie in stereo, and then the first laserdisc in widescreen (which was all red hues). Up to the 40th anniversary edition, none of them looked or sounded right. Oklahoma, which was released 10 years earlier, always had a much better soundtrack, and The Sound of Music should have the same or better. The problem with Sound of Music is that the negative was used so often over the years for prints, it was in much worse shape than Oklahoma. I have the feeling, from what I have seen and heard, that this version will finally be "THE" one!!!!


Needless to say, I am counting the days to November 2. I will be purchasing the box set, and also the digi-book for everyday use, because this is a movie I Love to take out and watch "my favorite scenes." (excuse the pun). I have the feeling that this Blu-ray is going to hit the sales charts and be up there with the new releases. There's a Facebook page with over 500,000 members, and there's been alot of talk over there about the Blu-ray.


When this came to our home town in northern MN, I was 5 years old (it played in 1967 after the roadshow was done). It played every year until February 29, 1976 when it was shown on ABC TV for the first time. Our theater manager told me once a movie is on TV it won't make any money so that was the end of it. For the first 5 years, my parents took me out of the theater at the wedding scene, so that was the end of the movie me until I was 10. We are Jewish and they didn't want me to see the Nazi scenes until I was mature enough. In those days, most youngsters were not exposed to what they are now at such young ages...like sex on the internet and R (and probably XXX rated videos). What was harsh for youngsters in those days is nothing now. Call me old fashioned but I miss those days.

 

[RobertSiegel]

sorry duplicate post

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

I guess people don't go to operas (or even musical plays) anymore.


_Man_

 

[Brent Avery]

Just received a copy today and will watch it tonight - along with Bridge On The River Kwai and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Triple treat!

 

[john a hunter]

Originally Posted by Rob_Ray






The only way to even attempt to convey the feeling on home video would be to present these films without any FBI warning, Studio logo or pre-feature menu with the overture playing against a completely dark screen or maybe a still shot of some curtains. But of course that will never happen.

It can be done. Just look for a player with what I call a "Roadshow" button.From the old LD days you could get players that could freeze a still frame and let the sound continue. I used to freeze it over a black frame at the start, mute the sound until the garbage is over-you can tell from the display on the machine- and then unmute the sound when the overture, etc starts and then the picture when the titles start. Sounds complicated but really easy once you have done it a few times.


Those stupid stills put on my studios, especially Warners who usually do things so well, used to make me see red. They often use a background from the main title and for me, this ruins the inpact that you should get when the lights fade over a black screen and suddenly the title hits the screen or in my case the plasma.!

 

[JohnMor]

Originally Posted by RobertSiegel




In my opinion, the entire film was pure genious, every single element that went into it was perfection, and this rarely happens in cinema, especially when transferring a Broadway show to the screen. The crew, the stars, the locations, the orchestrations, everything was absolutely perfect. The moving of My Favorite Things from the convent between the Mother Abbess and Maria to the children in the bedroom is pure genius, having Richard Rodgers write "I have Confidence" for the screen version was also genius, a great way to take us from her old life to her new life and express her fears and realize her bravery. And moving Lonely Gothard to a puppet show was beyond genius. Then, ridding the score of the 2 songs between Max and Elsa, to have the music part of the show remain with the children and Maria and the Captain was another great movie, though I do like the 2 songs they cut there but they just weren't right for the show. And casting Julie Andrews after Wise saw her at the Disney lot in a few clips from the unreleased Mary Poppins was the move that sealed the movie's fate as a blockbuster. Of couse much credit has to be given to Robert Wise for his superb direction and also Ernest Lehman, who went to see the Broadway show and said "This will one day make a wonderful film." Yet he was ignored at the Oscars.

I agree 201%. Whatever one feels about the subject matter, from a technical standpoint the movie is as near perfection as one can get. Every choice made improved upon the source material. The added song, "Something Good," is wonderful, too. Wise, Lehman, McCord et al. really hit it out of the ballpark. Superb filmmaking. Wise and Lehman are among my favorites. Very underrated and under-appreciated these days. CAN'T WAIT for the blu!

 

[ahollis]

It is a testament to Robert Wise. He did the same with WEST SIDE STORY. A near perfect film and were is that on Blu-ray. THE SOUND OF MUSIC is ordered and can not wait until the 2nd. All this interesting talk just makes me that much more impatient.

 

[Brent Avery]

I was not paying too much attention as I watched it late last night but there is an intermission on the blu ray. If someone posted this I missed it. Have to say, the audio is definitely an improvement - I think I will have another viewing tonight just to hear some of the musical numbers again.

 

[ahollis]

Comparison and review scans up on DVD Beaver. I usually don't gush over the scans for they can look different depending on your equipment, but they do look great. Glad the Intermission is there. The Beaver also spoke highly of the audio.

 

Can you hear Julie Andrews slap her apron during the opening song? The last dvd release deleted the sound.

 

[Brent Avery]

I do believe it is there, but since I also watched some other movies and stayed up late I will have to double check again tonight to confirm, too much to remember!

 

[Sebastian1972]

[FONT= 'arial']From the DVD Beaver captures, it looks like they restored the beautiful golden hues back into the film in this blu-ray edition the way cinematographer Ted McCord intended that was unfairly absented - and bleached out - in all previous home video incarnations. My hats off to FotoKem restoration team especially to the person responsible for color-timing of this blu-ray edition. He surely has a very classy vision. [/FONT]

 

[Mike Frezon]

Here's the link to DVD Beaver.


It seems as if this is going to look and sound very, very good.

 

[Brent Avery]

I went over some of the captures at DVD Beaver and they give an idea of what to expect, but what I saw was better yet. The scene near the beginning that shows Julie Andrews among the birch trees as an example, the fine detail really stood out, there was a wonderful contrast and the sharp outline of the trees was impressive, especially seeing the small pieces of bark fluttering in the breeze. Quite the scene!