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A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

#1
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11/8/06 at 11:48am
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What an incredible gift from WB!

Decades ago I acquired a very old 16mm print of Casablanca, printed on DuPont stock, which still had the luxury of high silver content. Details which became undiscernible in later printings almost glowed in that print.

Warner Home Video's newest edition of the film, now scanned, scrubbed, restored and converted to HD, makes that print seem like one was viewing this film classic through a screen door.

Details in facial highlights, make-up, costumes and lighting are fully visible, and while possibly not for the first time, as 35mm prints struck from the original negative six and a half decades ago, must have glistened, they appear for the first time in generations.

Casablanca in HD is a joy to behold. Brimming with special edition extras, this single disc will be one of the very special gifts of the 2006 Holiday season for the cinephile on many people's lists.

Brilliantly processed and brought to HD!

Casablanca comes with the Highest possible recommendation!

and RAH approved.

"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. This I did."  T.E. Lawrence

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#2
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11/8/06 at 1:22pm
  • Joined: July 2006
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

I just got goosebumps. It seems that only Warner Brothers has the good sense to treat their catalog of historic films with the respect they deserve. I never thought that I would be more excited about the high definition release of these classic films rather than the various studios' more recent output. I guess it just illuminates how contemporary Hollywood pales in comparison. Thank you Mr. Harris for the good word.
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#3
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11/8/06 at 1:23pm
  • Joined: February 2002
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

Is this the version processed by Lowry or did they redo the show? I saw some of the Lowry version on 2K DLP 2 years ago and it looked 'processed' (e.g. artifacts).
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#4
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11/8/06 at 1:53pm
  • Joined: July 2001
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

I have been waiting for Mr. Harris’s take on this. I wasn’t sure I was going to purchase this right away because of the fine SD special edition, but I may have to modify my plans.
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#5
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11/8/06 at 2:00pm
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

I've been planning on upgrading my SD DVD version merely because "Casablanca" will be the first classic Academy ratio B&W film ever released on HD-DVD. With a ringing endorsement like this that decision is even easier. Thanks for your impressions Robert!

Careful man! There's a beverage here!

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#6
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11/8/06 at 2:44pm
  • Joined: August 2001
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

Awesome! This is a must buy for me.

Laters,
Jeff

...wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world...

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#7
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11/8/06 at 3:22pm
  • Joined: August 2006
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Savage
Awesome! This is a must buy for me.

Laters,
Jeff

Already have it on order. This is one of my top 50 Fav. films

Thomas Eisenmann(Last updated 12/02/08) HD-DVD CollectionBlu-Ray CollectionDVD CollectionToshiba HD-XA2, HD Add-on, Panasonic DMP-BD55KPioneer VSX-94TXH, Panasonic PT-AE 3000U 1080p 252 HDs, 167 BDs, 1560 - DVDs and going down

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#8
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11/8/06 at 4:05pm
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

Excellent news. I pre-ordered this as soon as it showed up on Amazon. This will be the third time I have purchased this title!

For ordinary men, it's a burning, fiery furnace.
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#9
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11/8/06 at 5:21pm
  • Joined: June 2000
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

Quote:
acquired a very old 16mm print of Casablanca, printed on DuPont stock, which still had the luxury of high silver content. Details which became undiscernible in later printings almost glowed in that print.

Warner Home Video's newest edition of the film, now scanned, scrubbed, restored and converted to HD, makes that print seem like one was viewing this film classic through a screen door.


Wow! I can't wait.
My Movies
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#10
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11/8/06 at 5:41pm
  • Joined: February 1999
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

In answer to Mr. Hafner's question, the image has gone through processing, but what has emerged as a product is clean, and without negatives.

The film elements on Casablanca have not been treated kindly over the decades. Dupes abound, with a sometimes heavy and unnatural grain structure.

The HD makes the film appear as it might have at the time of its release.

RAH

"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. This I did."  T.E. Lawrence

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#11
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11/8/06 at 5:49pm
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

King Kong, DVE & Casablanca... I'm going to need a loan.
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#12
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11/8/06 at 6:26pm
  • Joined: January 1999
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

Goosebumps indeed! Highdefdigest did their review too and like RAH....were very, very impressed. Cannot freakin' wait to get this baby in my little hands next week!
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#13
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11/8/06 at 6:31pm
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Glover
Goosebumps indeed! Highdefdigest did their review too and like RAH....were very, very impressed. Cannot freakin' wait to get this baby in my little hands next week!

For those who would like to read the review....
Quote:
'Casablanca' received a painstaking, grade-A remaster for a standard-def DVD reissue back in 2003, that Warner is now giving it its HD DVD debut. The results were glorious then, and they are glorious now -- this is the way we dream our favorite classics will look when they come to home video. It is also a transfer so superior that even if I could find anything to remotely nitpick about, it would be pretty useless.
Casablanca Review

Thomas Eisenmann(Last updated 12/02/08) HD-DVD CollectionBlu-Ray CollectionDVD CollectionToshiba HD-XA2, HD Add-on, Panasonic DMP-BD55KPioneer VSX-94TXH, Panasonic PT-AE 3000U 1080p 252 HDs, 167 BDs, 1560 - DVDs and going down

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#14
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11/8/06 at 6:39pm
  • Joined: May 2001
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

WoW
How exciting to come to the HTF's HD software forum tonight & see this at the top!
Thanks, Mr, Harris.
Thanks, WB.
Thanks, Casablanca.
Thanks, Boggie.
Thanks, Motion Picture Academy.
Thanks, HD.
Thanks, etc.
Thanks, everyone!!!

Movies are: "The Greatest Artform".
HD should be for EVERYONE!

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#15
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11/8/06 at 6:49pm
  • Joined: January 1999
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed St. Clair
WoW
How exciting to come to the HTF's HD software forum tonight & see this at the top!
Thanks, Mr, Harris.
Thanks, WB.
Thanks, Casablanca.
Thanks, Boggie.
Thanks, Motion Picture Academy.
Thanks, HD.
Thanks, etc.
Thanks, everyone!!!

Amen Ed. Amen
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#16
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11/8/06 at 6:52pm
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

i have this on order and wll order Bounty too.

i wish i would hav e taken mr. Harris' silence on sparticus
as advice.
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#17
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11/8/06 at 7:30pm
  • Joined: January 1999
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

I've already pre-ordered Casablanca too Tony. Never really liked Spartacus that much myself....

Looking forward to seeing the Casablanca HD-DVD during the holidays with my parents. They will be in AWE.
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#18
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11/8/06 at 10:15pm
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

hubba hubba!!
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#19
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11/8/06 at 10:23pm
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

Well, RAH just helped sell one more copy of "Casablanca." My defenses were overcome.

And for those of you who haven't seen a high-quality print of a vintage black and white film in several years (or ever), you will not believe your eyes. The textures, the detail, and the clarity of these films can often put color prints to shame.
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#20
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11/9/06 at 9:17am
  • Joined: January 2002
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

I remember showing this movie to my then-girlfriend-now-wife for the first time and having her fall in love with it. I also saw this on the Big Screen a few years back in Seattle in the 5th Avenue Theater. Can't wait for this release!

And you believe, at heart, everyone's a killer...
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#21
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11/9/06 at 9:30am
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

This is going to be one of my 3 free HD-DVD selections with the Toshiba promotion. Looking forward to it.
There are three things I can't stand: 1) Intolerance; and 2) People who can't count.
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#22
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11/9/06 at 9:33am
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

Here I am, cruising along, not worrying about getting an HD player until prices come down, etc, and now my heart skips a beat, the drool starts running, and I have to start thinking about getting a dang HD player....thanks WB (sarcasm).....THANKS WB (no sarcasm)!
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#23
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11/9/06 at 2:39pm
  • Joined: May 2006
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

A little question:

I have readed in this review here http://hddvd.highdefdigest.com/casablanca.html
that the aspect ratio of the movie in this HD DVD is 1.33:1.

Question:
I know that many movies made before 1955 was in the 1.37:1. Was Casablanca one of this?

Anyway, for a 1.37:1 movie can be possible in HD DVD to have the 1.37:1 aspect ratio or it must became a 1.33:1 with a little crop on the left and on the right?
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#24
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11/9/06 at 4:16pm
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

If I don't misremember completely, although the Academy Ratio frame is technically 1.37:1, the SMPTE has been telling everyone for decades to use a 4:3 aperture plate. In any case, it doesn't make any noticable difference, as the extreme edges of the frame are generally cropped in projection, and that's understood when the photography is done.


Resources for :
Anime on LaserDisc
Everything on LaserDisc
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#25
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11/9/06 at 4:43pm
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

The important tell-tale sign that Casablanca has been handled correctly, is that toward the beginning of the film, as we initially meet Rick, he is signing a form. In a number of transfers, the date (1941) is cropped.

Here we properly are given the year.

As I've noted in the past, aspect ratios really don't tell the entire story, and are only part of a proper presentation.

RAH

"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. This I did."  T.E. Lawrence

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#26
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11/9/06 at 7:34pm
  • Joined: December 1998
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Harris
The important tell-tale sign that Casablanca has been handled correctly, is that toward the beginning of the film, as we initially meet Rick, he is signing a form. In a number of transfers, the date (1941) is cropped.

Here we properly are given the year.

As I've noted in the past, aspect ratios really don't tell the entire story, and are only part of a proper presentation.

RAH
Well, that settles a big argument on whether showing the complete year was intended or not.




Crawdaddy
G.W. McLintock: Camille, you're on your own.
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#27
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11/10/06 at 4:16am
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

Quote:
Originally Posted by ChristopherDAC
If I don't misremember completely, although the Academy Ratio frame is technically 1.37:1, the SMPTE has been telling everyone for decades to use a 4:3 aperture plate. In any case, it doesn't make any noticable difference, as the extreme edges of the frame are generally cropped in projection, and that's understood when the photography is done.

It is possible that SMPTE has been telling to use a 4:3 beccause the original TV system (NTSC or PAL, the standard television) is 1.33:1. But now the HD television is here.

In general someone know if can be tecnically possible to have a old movie shotting in 1.37:1 in the same 1.37:1 on HD DVD?


Danilo
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#28
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11/10/06 at 8:10am
  • Joined: October 1999
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

Believe it or not, I have never ever seen Casablanca. I guess this will be a purchase so I can watch it.
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#29
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11/10/06 at 3:25pm
  • Joined: October 1998
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

Quote:
Originally Posted by Romar Armas
Believe it or not, I have never ever seen Casablanca. ...


It's a bonifide Classic!!!!

Quote:
Warner Home Video's newest edition of the film, now scanned, scrubbed, restored and converted to HD, makes that print seem like one was viewing this film classic through a screen door.

Thanks Robert - looking forward to my pre-ordered copy!

Phil

My HT Enthusiasts GeoCities Website
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#30
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11/12/06 at 10:23am
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Re: A few words about...™ Casablanca -- in HD-DVD

Just finished watching "Casablanca", "Mutiny On the Bounty" and "Spartacus" this weekend.

All three really have incredible HD transfers, with "Casablanca" and "Mutiny On the Bounty" being absolutely stunning. I can't agree with some negative comments on "Spartacus". The HD-DVD is far superior to both the Universal and the Criterion releases as concerns detail and depth.

I never could have imagined a b/w film from the early 40's looking so detailed and to spot such a fantastic gray scale... Real winners and all three definitely must-own HD-DVDs.
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