WHV Press Release: Singin' In The Rain 60th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition (1 Viewer)

[AnthonyClarke]

The single-disc Blu ray is already offered at amazon.co.uk -- I ordered it a couple of weeks ago.

 

[NY2LA]

You are INCORRECT about the press release...it says specifically that the NEW scan is in 4k resolution!! The 50th Anniversary DVD was only 2K, so it WILL be a fresh restoration transfer!!!

No you are totally missing my point. That is NOT what I was talking about. I didn't say HIGH resolution. Do you know what Warner means by Ultra Resolution? They don't just scan the negative. They scan the three separate color elements, then combine them digitally for pinpoint accuracy - ends up looking sharper than new. THAT's what they call "Ultra Resolution." They did it for this title years ago, but do NOT mention doing this specific process again for this title. They could have just done a new scan of a regular element. Generic Hi-res, sure, but not necessarily their proprietary UltraRes process. When they go so far as to brand something, you know they're going to brag about it every time... and they didn't.

 

[NY2LA]

Maybe I'm mistaken, but I think ALL of the video content is on the one blu-ray disc. The three discs in the big box package are the blu-ray and the 2 discs that make up the DVD version of the same stuff.

Check the ORDER of features in the press release. It mentions the new Hi Res "Making of" as being part of the Ultimate set. Then it lists it again with all the other stuff, which sounds like all the stuff that was on the previous editions, is on the BRD. Now if all the video extras are on the single disc Blu Ray, what exactly IS on the third disc of the ultimate set?

 

[David Weicker]

No you are totally missing my point. That is NOT what I was talking about. I didn't say HIGH resolution. Do you know what Warner means by Ultra Resolution? They don't just scan the negative. They scan the three separate color elements, then combine them digitally for pinpoint accuracy - ends up looking sharper than new. THAT's what they call "Ultra Resolution." They did it for this title years ago, but do NOT mention doing this specific process again for this title. They could have just done a new scan of a regular element. Generic Hi-res, sure, but not necessarily their proprietary UltraRes process. When they go so far as to brand something, you know they're going to brag about it every time... and they didn't.

The Press Release does say a new 4K scan of the Technicolor 3-strip negatives - implying that they rescanned the three original elements and then re-combined them - basically re-doing the Ultra Resolution.

 

[haineshisway]

The Press Release does say a new 4K scan of the Technicolor 3-strip negatives - implying that they rescanned the three original elements and then re-combined them - basically re-doing the Ultra Resolution.

The only real point is have they finally got the color right - the last DVD, as nice as it was, was too brown and looked nothing like the dye transfer prints. Given the propensity for brown at this studio, my worry antenna is up very high - and I pray that I am wrong and that I can come here and laud it to the skies, which I will should it finally be correct.

 

[John Skoda]

I think the third disc is just the second regular DVD. I'm thinking it takes two regular DVDs to hold the contents of the single blu-ray.

 

[NY2LA]

I think the third disc is just the second regular DVD. I'm thinking it takes two regular DVDs to hold the contents of the single blu-ray.

that's as good a guess as any, but i'm really tired of having to rebuy a DVD along with a BRD... especially when the number of discs is promoted as if it means we're getting more than we really are.

 

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by David Weicker /t/320716/whv-press-release-singin-in-the-rain-60th-anniversary-ultimate-collectors-edition#post_3925856
The Press Release does say a new 4K scan of the Technicolor 3-strip negative[COLOR=FF00AA]s[/COLOR] - implying that they rescanned the three original elements and then re-combined them - basically re-doing the Ultra Resolution.

Something was scanned. Not the OCN, which was lost in a fire, along with a myriad of other important titles.

RAH

 

[JoHud]

I read someone confirming that the PBS documentary took up the second non-movie DVD, which makes sense. I know one is the DVD edition on the film, like in all of the UEs released recently, but I guess it seems like the contents of the second DVD aren't entirely confirmed.

 

I like the umbrella. I think it is cute and will look nice displayed with other movie themed collectibles.

 

[Deepak Shenoy]

Maybe I'm mistaken, but I think ALL of the video content is on the one blu-ray disc. The three discs in the big box package are the blu-ray and the 2 discs that make up the DVD version of the same stuff.

I don't think they will have the same extras on multiple discs. If I had to guess the Blu-Ray disc will have the movie and the new documentary. One of the DVDs will of course have the movie but the other DVD will have the remaining extras (which are duplicated from the old 2-disc DVD set anyway). I think I will get the single-disc Blu-Ray and keep my old set for the extras.
-D

 

[theonemacduff]

Single disc for me. I can go to my local blank BR box provider, get a 2-disc BR case, and port over the special features disc from my DVD set. A new documentary? All too often these turn out to be relatively content-free zones. Was not the Arthur Freed doc already on the SE DVD?

 

[Charles Smith]

I'll do what it takes to get all the disc content, but definitely no big box for me on this one. I'm probably in a minority no matter what group you poll, but I'm not so totally crazy about this film, so even a book holds relatively little appeal. And this particular batch o' swag is just silly. For my mileage, anyway. Which varies.

 

[NY2LA]

Maybe I'm mistaken, but I think ALL of the video content is on the one blu-ray disc. The three discs in the big box package are the blu-ray and the 2 discs that make up the DVD version of the same stuff.

I don't think they will have the same extras on multiple discs. If I had to guess the Blu-Ray disc will have the movie and the new documentary. One of the DVDs will of course have the movie but the other DVD will have the remaining extras (which are duplicated from the old 2-disc DVD set anyway). I think I will get the single-disc Blu-Ray and keep my old set for the extras.
-D

While the press release lists the new HD doc as being in both the Ultimate and Anniversary editions, I was guessing that maybe you're both right, the precedent being that the Warners' 2 disc Zhivago BRD set reportedly just duplicated the 2nd disc of extras from the 2nd disc of the SE DVD set.
The SE DVD set of SITR does indeed have all the extras (including the Freed doc) on the second disc.
So now even I'm leaning toward the one disc BRD, and using my DVD package (which also has my ticket to the Academy screening under the clear plastic tray) and putting the BRD where the SD feature disc is now. I'm doing that with a couple other new BRDs with really inferior packaging.
BUT.... eventually the price will drop on the box and then, like Goonies, Back To The Future, Citizen Kane and Willy Wonka, It'll be cheap enough to pick it up.

 

[rsmithjr]

I'll do what it takes to get all the disc content, but definitely no big box for me on this one.  I'm probably in a minority no matter what group you poll, but I'm not so totally crazy about this film, so even a book holds relatively little appeal.  And this particular batch o' swag is just silly.  For my mileage, anyway.  Which varies.

I have mixed feelings about the film. Everytime I see it, I thoroughly enjoy myself. The film is virtually perfect, just completely right. Seeing it in archive archive dye-transfer Technicolor is always a dazzling experience.
However, it SITR doesn't have an emotional appeal for me. I am a big fan of musicals and any number of films (A Star is Born, South Pacific and other R&H, The Red Shoes, My Fair Lady) are musicals that really have an effect on me every time I see them. Even flawed films (Camelot, Goodbye Mr. Chips, Oliver!) are stronger emotionally. Just my opinion.

 

[David Weicker]

I have mixed feelings about the film. Everytime I see it, I thoroughly enjoy myself. The film is virtually perfect, just completely right. Seeing it in archive archive dye-transfer Technicolor is always a dazzling experience.
However, it SITR doesn't have an emotional appeal for me. I am a big fan of musicals and any number of films (A Star is Born, South Pacific and other R&H, The Red Shoes, My Fair Lady) are musicals that really have an effect on me every time I see them. Even flawed films (Camelot, Goodbye Mr. Chips, Oliver!) are stronger emotionally. Just my opinion.

For me, musicals tend to fall into two categories - the stories with music, and the performance based. From what you listed, you seem to prefer the former, while SITR (as well as the Astaire, Berkeley, etc) fall into the latter category.
There may be more emotional content in the former, but the latter usually have more Wow factor. Plus, with the story based, not meaning any disrespect, the performers, in many cases, could be replaced with someone equally talented. With the performance based, the opposite is true. So we end up listing the story based musicals by their composers or writers, while we list the latter by who's in it (or in Busby's case, who directed it).
I find both equally enjoyable.
PS. I wonder why you put Oliver - a Best Picture - into your 'flawed' list

 

[Ethan Riley]

I'll give you that Goodbye Mr. Chips is a flawed musical. It wouldn't have been had it been a straight remake and they left the songs out--which I believe to be Bricusse's weakest, ever...! Other than that, Peter O'Toole was perfect in that role, although he was a tad young. I have no idea why "Oliver" would be flawed?? I think the current dvd is flawed from a presentation standpoint, but the film itself is flawed? Yes, I too would like to hear your reasoning, Robert!

 

[Douglas Monce]

I'm not a huge musical fan, but there are a few that I enjoy. Band Wagon is a fun film. White Christmas is another. Having said that, Singin' In The Rain is one of my favorite films of all time. Something about the way the story is meshed with the music, I don't find the musical numbers off putting or distracting. They often advance the story, which is my complaint with many musicals that don't.
I'll be picking this one up. And for the record I like the box with stuff. I love the reproductions of lobby cards and what not. For me the packaging is all about showmanship.
Doug

 

[Rick Thompson]

I'll give you that Goodbye Mr. Chips is a flawed musical. It wouldn't have been had it been a straight remake and they left the songs out--which I believe to be Bricusse's weakest, ever...! Other than that, Peter O'Toole was perfect in that role, although he was a tad young.

I very much liked Goodbye Mr. Chips. Yes, some of the songs were weak ("What a Lot of Flowers," "And The Sky Smiled" and "Apollo" spring to mind here) but others are very good. Among those: "London Is London," "You and I," "Fill the World With Love" and "Walk Through the World." I agree about Peter O'Toole; he was excellent. I think Petula Clark was excellent also. All told, it's a picture with heart, and in age where films seem to be about CGI, I find that refreshing
As for the subject of this thread, Singin' in the Rain has only one clunker sequence: Gene Kelly's self-consciously art "Broadway Melody." Isn't it interesting that the one time he tried to be artistic and timeless is the one time the film is pretentious and dated?

 

[Ejanss]

As for the subject of this thread, Singin' in the Rain has only one clunker sequence: Gene Kelly's self-consciously art "Broadway Melody." Isn't it interesting that the one time he tried to be artistic and timeless is the one time the film is pretentious and dated?

Accdg. to the commentary, the sequence was added at the last minute:
In the original storyline, "The Dancing Cavalier" called for a vaudeville number at the beginning, so Cosmo (O'Connor) and Don (Kelly) go full circle and get to do "Singin' in the Rain" in their old vaudeville style again, just like the old days. (This was later replaced by O'Connor and Kelly going to town in "Moses Supposes", also added at the last minute.)
Unfortunately, the entire Singin' production was in the shadow of "An American in Paris", which had just then won the Oscar, and now everyone expected a pretentious prestigious (and film-stopping) ballet in the next MGM Kelly movie.
Audiences at the time even considered Singin' "inferior" because it was too frivolous and couldn't live up to its big Vincent Minelli brother's reputation.