"The Alamo"s Status? (1 Viewer)

[Dick]

AMC does have a lot of commercials so I never watch a movie on that channel.

I recall the days, about 15 years ago, when AMC was second only to TCM for uncut, uninterrupted movie presentations, some of them letterboxed. Bob Dorian was a fine host, as is Robert Osbourne at TCM. Then, the ads and constant, lower-corner bug kicked in, and
the movie selections changed radically, skewed toward more recent fare. Finally it became the shit channel it is now. The Disney Channel went the same route. TCM is now the remaining hold-out from that era, and my impression is that, between its still-great lineup of film classics and its wide-ranging web site, it is doing quite well. I do not foresee ads or 24-7 bugs in its near-future.

 

[Mikew21]

I recall the days, about 15 years ago, when AMC was second only to TCM for uncut, uninterrupted movie presentations, some of them letterboxed. Bob Dorian was a fine host, as is Robert Osbourne at TCM. Then, the ads and constant, lower-corner bug kicked in, and
the movie selections changed radically, skewed toward more recent fare. Finally it became the shit channel it is now. The Disney Channel went the same route. TCM is now the remaining hold-out from that era, and my impression is that, between its still-great lineup of film classics and its wide-ranging web site, it is doing quite well. I do not foresee ads or 24-7 bugs in its near-future.

TC

 

[Angelo Colombus]

I remember many years ago when Bravo was showing foreign & art house films and they even showed the longer version of Heaven's Gate. The only reason i would watch Bravo today is when there is something worth seeing on The Actor's Studio. It was nice when AMC had their film preservation festival with Bob Dorian which i taped on my vcr.

 

[B-ROLL]

I recall the days, about 15 years ago, when AMC was second only to TCM for uncut, uninterrupted movie presentations, some of them letterboxed. Bob Dorian was a fine host, as is Robert Osbourne at TCM. Then, the ads and constant, lower-corner bug kicked in, and
the movie selections changed radically, skewed toward more recent fare. Finally it became the shit channel it is now. The Disney Channel went the same route. TCM is now the remaining hold-out from that era, and my impression is that, between its still-great lineup of film classics and its wide-ranging web site, it is doing quite well. I do not foresee ads or 24-7 bugs in its near-future.

You forgot about George Clooney's dad, Nick Clooney,hosting as well !

 

[David_B_K]

I remember many years ago when Bravo was showing foreign & art house films and they even showed the longer version of Heaven's Gate. The only reason i would watch Bravo today is when there is something worth seeing on The Actor's Studio. It was nice when AMC had their film preservation festival with Bob Dorian which i taped on my vcr.

Bravo in the 80's was amazing. That is how I first saw most of Ingmar Bergman's films, plus other foreign films I would not have known about. They were the first to show films like Chimes at Midnight. They also had live theater productions and opera and ballet. Now I no longer include them on my main channel grid.

 

[RolandL]

IFC also used to show movies with no commercials. The other problem that many movie channels have is cropping 2.4 movies to 1.78.

 

[Dick]

Anyway, back to the OP, I believe TCM has shown THE ALAMO in its extended edition a number of times, but of course in SD.

 

[OliverK]

Anyway, back to the OP, I believe TCM has shown THE ALAMO in its extended edition a number of times, but of course in SD.

Only airing it in SD seems improbable as by now their stellar restoration helmed by the always passionate Mr. Barber must long be complete...

They probably just save this splendid work for a Blu-ray release.

 

[Tony Bensley]

IFC also used to show movies with no commercials. The other problem that many movie channels have is cropping 2.4 movies to 1.78.

It seems that 1.78 is the new 1.33.

If/when THE ALAMO (1960) finally gets an HD restoration in its closest to possible complete form, they get its Aspect Ratio right!

CHEERS!

 

[OliverK]

It seems that 1.78 is the new 1.33.

If/when THE ALAMO (1960) finally gets an HD restoration in its closest to possible complete form, they get its Aspect Ratio right!

CHEERS!

It definitely is but we have to be honest in admitting that we have almost zero issues with this on Blu-ray. MGM HD and HDnet do not seem to crop either including the 2.76:1 Khartoum and TGSET so things are luckily not as bleak as in the past where there mainly was HBO who at some point decided they wanted to crop most scope movies or show them open matte like Gladiator.

 

[gizzy2000]

What confuses me about the Alamo is that they claimed to be working on a "restoration" of the Roadshow version, whatever they think the roadshow version is, I don't know, but I would have expected them to slap together a blu ray release of the longer version and be done with it, leaving the film to rot. Apparently even this was too much work and money.

 

[RolandL]

Watched a bit of it last night on MGMHD. Looks a lot better than the SD on TCM. I just love the highly directional dialog and effects. Might be even wider than The Robe.

 

[Spili]

Just came across this from Image Trends' website:

http://www.astral-images.com/our-work/

Could it really be?

 

[OliverK]

Just came across this from Image Trends' website:

http://www.astral-images.com/our-work/

Could it really be?

Clearly some work was already done as evidenced by the HD recordings. Possibly more work on the faded roadshow print is underway, too as they clearly have some experience in that area, just look at the cinerama movies. I e-mailed them about it.

 

[Robert Harris]

Nice web site.

Digital Ice was, as I recall, created by Kodak, years ago. They couldn't figure out what to do with it, so they licensed, or sold it, to Nikon.

Hopefully, using this companies scanning and technology products, The Alamo will soon be screening at huge venues in its proper 8k resolution.

 

[ahollis]

I find it interesting or maybe disturbing that all of the titles shown on the web site have received their Blu-ray release except The Alamo.

 

[OliverK]

I find it interesting or maybe disturbing that all of the titles shown on the web site have received their Blu-ray release except The Alamo.

I think that a release will be forthcoming - MGM is not shy to have its titles released even in cases where they have a subpar source so there is little reason why they would release The Greatest Story Ever Told for example but not The Alamo that certainly will look better. Maybe the holdup is really the work on the faded roadshow?

 

[Robin9]

Nice web site.

Digital Ice was, as I recall, created by Kodak, years ago. They couldn't figure out what to do with it, so they licensed, or sold it, to Nikon.

Hopefully, using this companies scanning and technology products, The Alamo will soon be screening at huge venues in its proper 8k resolution.

But does this mean that MGM farm out all their difficult restoration work to outside specialists and do nothing in house?

 

[Mike Boone]

Nice web site.

Digital Ice was, as I recall, created by Kodak, years ago. They couldn't figure out what to do with it, so they licensed, or sold it, to Nikon.

Hopefully, using this companies scanning and technology products, The Alamo will soon be screening at huge venues in its proper 8k resolution.

RAH, really do appreciate you lightening up my mood with your tongue in cheek description of The Alamo being screened "in its proper 8k resolution." But if the people responsible for creating the Blu-ray edition of The Greatest Story Ever Told were ever granted a weekend release from the asylum, so that they could direct the same efforts toward giving us a Blu-ray of The Alamo, rather than any light hearted discussion of 8k, future generations encountering that Blu-ray edition of The Alamo might mistakenly assume that the film was shot in 8mm.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

I find it interesting or maybe disturbing that all of the titles shown on the web site have received their Blu-ray release except The Alamo.

I guess Charlie Brown gets more respect then The Alamo...