Pre-Order The Big Country (1958) (Reissue) (Blu-ray) Available for Preorder (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

Preorder should appear shortly

Thank you for supporting HTF when you preorder using the link below. As an Amazon Associate HTF earns from qualifying purchases. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link.

See on Amazon

 

[murrayThompson]

Will this version have a stereo track rather than the old mono one we have?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Will this version have a stereo track rather than the old mono one we have?

“NOTE: This reissue is exactly the same transfer, extras and encoding as our 2018 release.”

 

[murrayThompson]

“NOTE: This reissue is exactly the same transfer, extras and encoding as our 2018 release.”

Was the film only made with mono sound in 1958?
It has such a great score it would be wonderful to hear it in 3 or 4 track.

 

[PaulRossen]

Was the film only made with mono sound in 1958?
It has such a great score it would be wonderful to hear it in 3 or 4 track.

It’s a matter of controversy. From readings over the years I believe The Big Country did in fact have a stereo track. I’ve also read that a collector had such a print. With that said I’ve never seen TBC in stereo. So ….

 

[Lord Dalek]

FWIW, the music for The Big Country was apparently never recorded in stereo as the original soundtrack LP was a fake process job.

 

[Robert Harris]

I asked Mr. Peck about stereo tracks or any original original plan to produce 70mm prints, and he didn’t recall that there was. He produced the film with Mr. Wyler. His recollection was that all prints were 35mm monaural.

 

[Lord Dalek]

It would have been the first ever Super Technirama 70 release if they had done the conversion. Sleeping Beauty came out a few months later.

 

[Robert Harris]

It would have been the first ever Super Technirama 70 release if they had done the conversion. Sleeping Beauty came out a few months later.

I neglected to ask that question, but access to 70mm venues may have been a problem. Similar situation to Raintree, a film never discussed on HTF.

 

[plektret]

This being the exact same encode as before means that the german bluray with superior compression is still the one to get.
The Kino BD looks filtered in comparison https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?go=1&a=0&d1=12277&d2=16758&s1=121757&s2=181985&i=7&l=0

 

[plektret]

@Robert Crawford Yes indeed, poor video compression is hilarious. It's cheaper for me to purchase from within the EU anyway. Cheers!

 

[Robert Crawford]

@Robert Crawford Yes indeed, poor video compression is hilarious. It's cheaper for me to purchase from within the EU anyway. Cheers!

I don’t agree with your poor video compression opinion. Cheers!

 

[dpippel]

This being the exact same encode as before means that the german bluray with superior compression is still the one to get.

If only one could find a copy.

 

[Stephen PI]

FWIW, the music for The Big Country was apparently never recorded in stereo as the original soundtrack LP was a fake process job.

Apparently the music was recorded three channel at Samuel Goldwyn Studios Stage #7 by Vinton Vernon. (Shown here on the back of a quarter inch tape box. A 'stereo combine' was made of the score which I used for the isolated score on the laserdisc and was also used on the German blu ray). It's a mystery why they didn't use it for the LP. When I was at Disney I transferred all the stereo music tracks for JUNGLE BOOK (1966) and were offered to the soundtrack division for their cd release but was refused!

 

[Lord Dalek]

Apparently the music was recorded three channel at Samuel Goldwyn Studios Stage #7 by Vinton Vernon. (Shown here on the back of a quarter inch tape box. A 'stereo combine' was made of the score which I used for the isolated score on the laserdisc and was also used on the German blu ray). It's a mystery why they didn't use it for the LP. When I was at Disney I transferred all the stereo music tracks for JUNGLE BOOK (1966) and were offered to the soundtrack division for their cd release but was refused!

Weird then that the Quartet and FSM cds of the complete score are also monaural.

 

[Stephen PI]

Weird then that the Quartet and FSM cds of the complete score are also monaural.

Yes.

 

[Robert Harris]

Apparently the music was recorded three channel at Samuel Goldwyn Studios Stage #7 by Vinton Vernon. (Shown here on the back of a quarter inch tape box. A 'stereo combine' was made of the score which I used for the isolated score on the laserdisc and was also used on the German blu ray). It's a mystery why they didn't use it for the LP. When I was at Disney I transferred all the stereo music tracks for JUNGLE BOOK (1966) and were offered to the soundtrack division for their cd release but was refused!

As always, thanks for this Stephen! Wonder if any of the tapes, or your stereo combine is properly on an inventory, and then if said inventory is known to Amazon?

Even if it does, one would need the three-stripe or stems to create a stereo mix, and I’d bet they don’t survive.

So much of this comes down to who performed the original physical inventory as items were being boxed after post, and how things were annotated.

As I recall, the only clue to the original Perspecta mix on MWKTM was the single letter “P,” after the line item “OSTN.”

You continue to be a fount of accurate information. Be well, and have a Happy & Healthy!

 

[PaulRossen]

Apparently the music was recorded three channel at Samuel Goldwyn Studios Stage #7 by Vinton Vernon. (Shown here on the back of a quarter inch tape box. A 'stereo combine' was made of the score which I used for the isolated score on the laserdisc and was also used on the German blu ray). It's a mystery why they didn't use it for the LP. When I was at Disney I transferred all the stereo music tracks for JUNGLE BOOK (1966) and were offered to the soundtrack division for their cd release but was refused!

I assume you made your own stereo version for the German Blu-ray as the Koch version I have is unfortunately mono. Thanks for clearing up the mystery. I do recall that on one of the early cd soundtrack albums from Screen Archives a family member of Jerome Moross is quoted as stating the music in the film sounded wonderful in booming stereo all around the Theater (believe it was the Astor in NYC) Or words to that effect…This was either at the premiere or a special showing of TBC.

 

[PMF]

Would The Big Country be a viable candidate for a successful transfer to 4K/UHD?

 

[PaulRossen]

Would The Big Country be a viable candidate for a successful transfer to 4K/UHD?

Yes, as I believe the restoration of a number of years ago was done in 4K . Kino has stated that they didn’t believe there would be a market for such a release.