"The Robe" and "Demetrius and the Gladiators" are now a wow! (1 Viewer)

[Arnie G]

I think someone is missing a few screws

 

[Adrian_B]

I think someone is missing a few screws

Yeah, this is one of the funniest threads I've read in some time. I wonder what motivates someone to shill for a company this poorly? If Fox is giving a kickback I think they should rethink this position.

 

[Joe Caps]

Now you say that the first dvds of the Robe and Demetrius used the same masters as the laserdiscs.

Not so. Both Robe and Demetrius are anamorphic on DVD and the old lasers were done at a time when NO anamorphic transfers were being done.

Demetrius had a ton of problems on laser. Each edit had discolored frames and so dupe frames were put in causing each change in shot to have a slight still frame effect. This is NOT the case on any of the dvds. I wouldn't mind remasters on these films but I thought they were pretty good to begin with.

However, for those of you who want to take the chance - go ahead, rebuy - or you can buy from me one of the two extras sets I bought yesterday. They are the same as the old dvds - just new covers.

 

[ScottR]

Both of these films look fine, as Joe Caps has stated. If you have the old discs there is no reason to upgrade for the new cover art.

 

[Mark Anthony]

Having had the chance to work with Fox on their recent 2 disc set of the Classic "Miracle on 34th Street"

Judging by the completely inaccurate info you've posted as fact and your ludicrous follow up accusations when people ask you to clarify, what was your role, Santa's helper?!
M

 

[RobertGr]

Mark yeah I was Santa's Helper I guess you are Joe Caps Devil's Advocate, My info came from the people that restore film. so I will take their word over Joe Caps whom is an arm chair and remote contral video critic! Sad you guys seem to operate on certain level that people whom are wanna be film critics are right in reality I speak with the people whom work with the actual film. Let Joe and you too Mark answer what film's have the both of you actually restored?

Read my other posts the prints were the same from the laserdiscs ooops Joe not the master but the prints.

Again Joe what was your recent film restoration you actually worked on?

 

[Mark Anthony]

Well I haven't restored any, although I do donate to several film restoration org's such as the bfi, butI know Joe has been actively involved in the past in getting extended versions of films produced for laser- so he has does his part for posterity. As for being J C's devil's advocate, that would be difficult as we share a view on this!

But whomever these "people" are they've given you duff information and whatever you think of J C, if he's compared all 3 ntsc r1 editions and said they're identical, they are - end of discussion.

Your comments have already caused at least one person to waste money, that's not good.

M

 

[RafaelPires]

Come on people, what's the matter with you guys?

I think there is some overeaction in the place.

Mr. RobertGr. simply told us that, according to his sources, Demetrius and The Robe went through some kind of restoration.

If you believe it or not, is up to you, but, really, no need to take it to another level.

I really don't think he would start a new thread if it would not be true.

And since I didn't buy those 2 in the 1st place, I think it's the time to do it.

But, once again, I am not saying he is right, just saying that apparently he has no reasons to make it up.

 

[RobertGr]

Thanks Mr P. I always enjoy reading Jor Caps posts and the others too, this was my first post and it seemed the daggers came put pretty quickly. I think Joe and co and you are all tops in the area of film. You are correct I held off buying the discs because if you reading every legit review from the discs release in 2001 seven years ago every review trashed both films as needing work on the film quality. There is a post out there on another site that had the commect that he someone bought the discs and were amazed to see they were restored versions that is when I ordered the discs and indeed they clearly do not reflect the reviews from 6 years ago. I called FOX and I have a source whom works with the film restoration area and I was indeed told DEMTRIUS was restored in 2005 and some level of work was done on THE ROBE.

I believe in praising product when done right which both WARNERS AND FOX are doing most often than not, but believe me when they do something wrong I do complain!

Again thanks and no disrespect to Joe Caps and company!

 

[Mark Anthony]

Come on people, what's the matter with you guys?
I think there is some overeaction in the place.
Mr. RobertGr. simply told us that, according to his sources, Demetrius and The Robe went through some kind of restoration.
If you believe it or not, is up to you, but, really, no need to take it to another level.
I really don't think he would start a new thread if it would not be true.
And since I didn't buy those 2 in the 1st place, I think it's the time to do it.
But, once again, I am not saying he is right, just saying that apparently he has no reasons to make it up.

The matter is that if he had said just that and been wrong, fair enough, but he's also said that he's compared both versions and found the newer to be amazingly different, which J.C. has tested and found not to be true and he's taken umbridge at that and made some bizzare statements after the fact. That's the problem.
M

 

[David_B_K]

RobertGr, would it be possible to post some screen captures of the two versions you have seen? I am particularly interested in The Robe. Never cared much for Demetrius.

 

[RobertGr]

Mark the matter of fact is I was immediately labelled a shill, then told I have screws loose etc by you and other posts so whats up with that. And you too mark go back and check every review for DEMETRIUS and THE ROBE from 2001 which is 6 years ago and see EVERY review slammed the picture quality on both and Joe Caps thought they were GOOD? Sights such as DVD SAVANT, The Digitally Obsessed and others had issues with the transfers and here is Joe Caps saying they looked good? So how about you taking umbridge that maybe Joe Caps is missing something in the translation that evidently the discs were indeed upgraded if EVERY major reviewer had issues with the transfers in 2001?

Again I hold no grudge I always find Joe Caps fun reading

 

[RobertGr]

I do have a frame capture program and would be willing to post a couple from DEMTRIUS and THE ROBE is that can be explained how to do that.

Hopefully someone here can post a couple from the 2001 releases!

 

[Mark Anthony]

The point is reviews are irrelevant when it comes to comparing pic quality between two identical disc's, particularly when we only have your word that there is any difference - and that goes against what a respected long term member of the board is saying. No offence. I await the captures with baited breath.

M

 

[RobertGr]

Okay I can post a frame grabs can someone here explain how to post them.

 

[Joe Caps]

Robert GR - sorry tohave made this a big brouhaha - didn't mean to.

Biggest problem is your statement that the old dvds were made using the laser masters.

I knew the guy who mastered the lasers and KNWO for a fact that these masters are NOT the same - so who could you have confirmed yo9ur info on this with?

No one.

 

[RobertGr]

Totally agree with you too.

I have sources with the FOX film archive, hence the facts that DEMETRIUS was indeed restored in 2005. That is fact the film did indeed undergo restoration.

It is interesting I interviewed Dick May at Turner before it became part of WARNERS and I have spoken with contacts at FOX and I have always been told what projects were being worked on re: film restorations and I have always found them very interested in sharing their info on things in the pipeline.

By the way I knew the guy at IMAGE whom worked on the laserdiuscs his name was Frank H. I knew the problems with source material etc. I would gladly post frame grabs from the films if I knew how to post them here.

 

[ScottR]

If this is true, was The Bible also restored? Because it was re-released at the same time. The older disc is horribly cropped (taking a 35mm print and cropping it to a 70mm AR.)

 

[Joe Caps]

Have checked with several sources today and all agree that restoration has been done on the two films, however this does not mean they have had no VIDEO masters done and sent to Fox Vid.

Now if Fox wants to spend some cash restoring the color on a film, they can redo one of my favorite films - Prince Valiant - which looks terrible on dVD (all green skies). Need restoration and a new transfer.

Other dream project - Love is a Many Splendored Thing - released twice on dvd - great picture on both and substandard sound on both.

Some fifteen years ago, some Fox execs thought that some of the stereo mags needed new dupes for protection and some were made, but to cut down on noise, the dupes were heavily noisegated losing the high end and crispness in dialoge. The noise gated track has been ued twice for LOVE. Luckily, when they made the dupes, theydid not throw away the originals.

Affair to Remember - released on widescreen laser with poor picture but excellent sound.

restored and released twice on dvd - picture great poor times but sound is kaka. You only have to play the laser side by side with either one of the dvds and you can hear the difference.

 

[David_B_K]

Couldn't the original mastrer for the laser have been used for the DVD? A lot of people ragged on Lucas for not doing an anamorphic version of the OOT, but could not a laser master have been made into an inferior DVD anamorphic transfer for these Fox films? You guys really busted Robert's chops rather mercilessly, IMO.