*** Official Warner Archive DVD Review Thread

#211

Rating: 0

8/10/09 at 6:25pm

jdee28
John
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I doubt All the Marbles was remastered specifically for the Warner Archive program. I think the possibility of future TV airings has a more important role. It's widescreen, in color, made less then 30 years ago; it's a good candidate to resurface somewhere some time on an HD TV channel. The films for the 30s and 40s however are not so lucky.

#212

Rating: 0

8/10/09 at 7:00pm

JeffMc
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Re: URGH! A MUSIC WAR - again.....

I scanned through the disc and there is one performance missing: SPLODGENESS ABOUNDS - "Two Little Boys". That track lasts just under 3 minutes which makes the 124-minute running time correct for the uncut version. The Archives disc runs just under 121 minutes. Splodgeness Abounds is a decent performance that you can at least watch on youtube. Wonder what the legal deal was with that band that it had to be cut. It's not like they were ever a big name.

Anyway, still cool to get most of the movie intact and I'd rather have Numan than Splodgeness.

#213

Rating: 0

8/10/09 at 8:43pm

Chuck Pennington
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I didn't mean it had been remastered just for the Warner Archive. I meant that obviously a new HD master was created at some point and it was used on this disc. I haven't seen the movie pop up on any cable channels as far back as I can remember, especially in HD, so why the expense and time was spent to master it this way without a DVD or cable release eminent I don't know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdee28

I doubt All the Marbles was remastered specifically for the Warner Archive program. I think the possibility of future TV airings has a more important role. It's widescreen, in color, made less then 30 years ago; it's a good candidate to resurface somewhere some time on an HD TV channel. The films for the 30s and 40s however are not so lucky.

#214

Rating: 0

8/10/09 at 9:49pm

Jon Hertzberg
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Thanks so much for the review and comparison caps, Chuck! Looking forward to receiving mine tomorrow.

#215

Rating: 0

8/10/09 at 9:51pm

Jon Hertzberg
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Thanks for looking into this, Jeff. Great to know that the Numan track is intact. I don't remember the Splodgeness Abounds track--was it in the original theatrical version or the version aired on Sundance Channel in the past?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffMc

Re: URGH! A MUSIC WAR - again.....

I scanned through the disc and there is one performance missing: SPLODGENESS ABOUNDS - "Two Little Boys". That track lasts just under 3 minutes which makes the 124-minute running time correct for the uncut version. The Archives disc runs just under 121 minutes. Splodgeness Abounds is a decent performance that you can at least watch on youtube. Wonder what the legal deal was with that band that it had to be cut. It's not like they were ever a big name.

Anyway, still cool to get most of the movie intact and I'd rather have Numan than Splodgeness.

#216

Rating: 0

8/11/09 at 5:08am

JeffMc
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It was not part of the original theatrical, but was one of the songs restored for the uncut VHS version. I've never seen the print shown on Sundance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon Hertzberg

Thanks for looking into this, Jeff. Great to know that the Numan track is intact. I don't remember the Splodgeness Abounds track--was it in the original theatrical version or the version aired on Sundance Channel in the past?

#217

Rating: 0

8/11/09 at 5:53pm

Jon Hertzberg
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Did anyone else here order RECKLESS? My copy arrived today and while the film plays fine, the trailer does not. When one clicks on the "Play Trailer" option, the DVD instead plays the first few minutes of the film. Anyone else experience the same?

#218

Rating: 0

8/11/09 at 5:55pm

bgart13
Ben
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Here's some info on the URGH! dvd I posted at AV Maniacs re: the dvd.

Length: 2:00:40
16x9/anamorphic
Dolby AC-3, 2 ch. audio
Feature size: 3,968 MB

Performances:
The Police – Driven to Tears
Wall of Voodoo – Back in Flesh
Toyah Willcox – Danced
John Cooper Clarke – Health Fanatic
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – Enola Gay
Chelsea – I’m on Fire
Oingo Boingo – Ain’t This the Life
Echo & the Bunnymen – The Puppet
Jools Holland – Foolish I Know
XTC – Respectable Street
Klaus Nomi – Total Eclipse
Athletico Spizz 80 – Where’s Captain Kirk?
The Go-Go's – We Got the Beat
Dead Kennedys – Bleed for Me
Steel Pulse – Ku Klux Klan
Gary Numan – Down in the Park
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts – Bad Reputation
Magazine – Model Worker
Surf Punks – My Beach
The Members – Offshore Banking Business
Au Pairs – Come Again
The Cramps – Tear It Up
Invisible Sex – Valium
Pere Ubu – Birdies
Devo – Uncontrollable Urge
The Alley Cats – Nothing Means Nothing Anymore
John Otway – Cheryl’s Going Home
Gang of Four – He’d Send in the Army
999 – Homicide
The Fleshtones – Shadowline
X – Beyond and Back
Skafish – Sign of the Cross
UB40 – Madame Medusa
The Police – Roxanne
The Police (plus other Urgh! performers) – So Lonely
Klaus Nomi – Aria (Over the end credits sequence)

What's missing is that Splodgenessabounds performance, it seems. So...whatever!

Some caps. You'll notice the amount of grain present. IMO, I love seeing grain when below it doesn't detract from the image. The URGH! transfer keeps it looking like a film -- what I'm happy about. The grain isn't as noticeable when the image is moving. The caps don't do the dvd transfers itself justice.

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/5198/vlcsnap10799873.png
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/8075/vlcsnap10800162.png
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/2558/vlcsnap10801706.png
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/3355/vlcsnap10802217.png
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/6999/vlcsnap10809228.png
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/1408/vlcsnap10810466.png

#219

Rating: 0

8/11/09 at 6:07pm

JeffMc
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Ya, I got that disc, too. The so-called "trailer" is just the first 3 minutes of the film. Either it was a technical goof on WB's part, or they just couldn't find the actual trailer to use for the disc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon Hertzberg

Did anyone else here order RECKLESS? My copy arrived today and while the film plays fine, the trailer does not. When one clicks on the "Play Trailer" option, the DVD instead plays the first few minutes of the film. Anyone else experience the same?

#220

Rating: 0

8/12/09 at 6:28pm

Jon Hertzberg
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Just watched MIKE'S MURDER for the first time. It was a blind purchase and while I was highly satisfied with the film itself, the DVD presentation left something to be desired. The image was consistently dirty and hazy. Fleshtones had an overly orange hue throughout. To me, it undermined some potentially stunning compositions from d.p. Reynaldo Villalobos. Not having seen the film before, particularly projected in 35mm, it's hard for me to judge if some of what I'm seeing as shortcomings are indicative of the intended visual style.

After watching the film, I watched the 4x3 theatrical trailer and was struck by how much cleaner the trailer looked in comparison to the feature. Saying all this, I realize the trailer is not really a great barometer for the filmmakers' true visual intentions.

I was under the impression that newer films, previously unavailable in widescreen, would have relatively new transfers. I'm quite certain this isn't the case with MIKE'S MURDER. This is an excellent film and I'm glad I have it. I am, however, disappointed that the film, which has a lot going for it in visual terms, is presented here in such mediocre fashion.

#221

Rating: 0

8/12/09 at 6:45pm

Jon Hertzberg
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Thanks for the confirmation, Jeff. It's too bad because the trailer is available to view online and it's actually pretty good. I happen to have it in 35mm--an eBay purchase from about 10 years ago when that sort of thing was still sold there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffMc

Ya, I got that disc, too. The so-called "trailer" is just the first 3 minutes of the film. Either it was a technical goof on WB's part, or they just couldn't find the actual trailer to use for the disc.

#222

Rating: 0

8/19/09 at 12:31pm

Mike Frezon
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Location: Rensselaer, NY
Post Count: 18,268

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon Hertzberg

Just watched MIKE'S MURDER for the first time. It was a blind purchase and while I was highly satisfied with the film itself, the DVD presentation left something to be desired. The image was consistently dirty and hazy. Fleshtones had an overly orange hue throughout. To me, it undermined some potentially stunning compositions from d.p. Reynaldo Villalobos. Not having seen the film before, particularly projected in 35mm, it's hard for me to judge if some of what I'm seeing as shortcomings are indicative of the intended visual style.

After watching the film, I watched the 4x3 theatrical trailer and was struck by how much cleaner the trailer looked in comparison to the feature. Saying all this, I realize the trailer is not really a great barometer for the filmmakers' true visual intentions.

Maybe the trailer is not a "great barometer"...but those screencaps almost make the film look composed for 4:3 rather than those abysmally framed 16:9 caps.

Since we're talking about an '84 film (and IMDB lists 1.85:1) I'm sure the 16:9 is correct...but there are a lot of missing head tops in those two captures!

=============

Did Debra Winger's real life mom play her character's mom in this film?!? That'd be cool.

Oh. I see:

Quote:

(Ruth Winger) Did a voice-over on an answering machine as mother to the heroine, played by her real-life daughter Debra Winger in the film, "Mike's Murder" (1984).

There's Jessie the yodeling cowgirl. Bullseye, he's Woody's horse. Pete the old prospector. And, Woody, the man himself. Of course, it's time for Woody's RoundUp. He's the very best! He's the rootinest, tootinest cowboy in the wild, wild west!

Top Ten Ways to Find Good Deals on DVDs and Blu-ray...

#223

Rating: 0

8/19/09 at 6:02pm

Chuck Pennington
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It isn't that. The framing is obviously wrong on the DVD. It was matted to 1.85:1, but whoever did the transfer used for the DVD did not matte it appropriately, cropping far too much at the top and nowhere near enough at the bottom.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Frezon

Maybe the trailer is not a "great barometer"...but those screencaps almost make the film look composed for 4:3 rather than those abysmally framed 16:9 caps.

Since we're talking about an '84 film (and IMDB lists 1.85:1) I'm sure the 16:9 is correct...but there are a lot of missing head tops in those two captures!

#224

Rating: 0

8/19/09 at 8:33pm

Mike Frezon
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Post Count: 18,268

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck Pennington

It isn't that. The framing is obviously wrong on the DVD. It was matted to 1.85:1, but whoever did the transfer used for the DVD did not matte it appropriately, cropping far too much at the top and nowhere near enough at the bottom.

I thought that's what I said, Chuck.

Quote:

Maybe the trailer is not a "great barometer"...but those screencaps almost make the film look composed for 4:3 rather than those abysmally framed 16:9 caps.

Since we're talking about an '84 film (and IMDB lists 1.85:1) I'm sure the 16:9 is correct...but there are a lot of missing head tops in those two captures!

If it's NOT what I said, it's what I meant.

There's Jessie the yodeling cowgirl. Bullseye, he's Woody's horse. Pete the old prospector. And, Woody, the man himself. Of course, it's time for Woody's RoundUp. He's the very best! He's the rootinest, tootinest cowboy in the wild, wild west!

Top Ten Ways to Find Good Deals on DVDs and Blu-ray...

#225

Rating: 0

8/26/09 at 3:52pm

Brandon Conway
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Definitely a Back to the Future type misframing of the matting issue on that one.

My DVD/BD Collection
Criterion DVD/BDs Owned: 60, Total DVDs Owned: 533, Blu-ray Discs Owned: 242

#226

Rating: 0

8/27/09 at 3:40am

Joe Karlosi
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BAD RONALD (1974)

Last night I watched the Archive DVD and it looked pretty weak, I mean to the point where it distracted me and I was constantly aware of that fact. Mostly with a brownish tint, and faded colors. There was a scene with a girl locked in a basement, and it was so dark that you could not see her facial reactions, and I distinctly remember being able to whenever I saw this TVfilm. And the sound was poor as well; had to keep turning the volume up to catch certain things, and then other noises like screams would be too loud so I'd have to go back down with the sound.

So I'd give the DVD-R of BAD RONALD a thumbs down. But then again, so would I for the movie itself. Here's an example of something that was better when you were 12.

I have to confess that I did feel kind of 'gypped' while watching this, thinking it looked like some kind of inferior bootleg. Yeah, it was only $14.95 instead of $20, but I still felt taken. I think I still have a VHS of this movie recorded off cable, somewhere. Maybe I'll check it out and compare.

#227

Rating: 0

8/27/09 at 5:46am

Kowalski
xxxxxxx
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Thanks for the review Joe. This was one I was considering but will pass on now. It's funny what you said about thinking something was good when you were 12. I felt this way about "The Lords of Flatbush" but when I rented it years later on DVD I couldn't believe how bad it was.

#228

Rating: 0

8/27/09 at 2:52pm

Joe Karlosi
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I'm still a fan of THE LORDS OF FLATBUSH (I saw it at 12 also - co-featured with AMERICAN GRAFFITI), but it was always weak tea to me, even then. Still, I do enjoy it even now... more for nostalgic reasons.

#229

Rating: 0

8/31/09 at 10:03am

Ken_McAlinden
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Location: Livonia, MI USA
Post Count: 5,521

I just posted a forum review for The Our Gang Collection, available tomorrow, at the following link:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/292269/htf-dvd-review-the-our-gang-collection-warner-archives

This is the first Archive title for which they have sent us an advance review copy.

Regards,

Ken McAlinden
Livonia, MI USA

#230

Rating: 0

9/3/09 at 9:13am

GlennH
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Just FYI, for those who may be interested. I don't know if it's already been mentioned, but dvdtimes has posted reviews of some Warner Archive titles in the past month. Looks like there are three so far:

The Mad Miss Manton

Party Girl

The Beast of the City

#231

Rating: 0

9/3/09 at 9:58am

JoHud
Joe Hudak
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Also, while it is more a review of the film itself, Roger Ebert's review of Souls For Sale is based off of the Archives DVD amd mentions that it looks "remarkably good"

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090729/REVIEWS08/907299989/1004

#232

Rating: 0

10/26/09 at 6:06am

Ken_McAlinden
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Post Count: 5,521

My official forum review of The Tall Target is available at this link:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/294334/htf-dvd-review-the-tall-target-warner-archive

I was recently sent 15 Archive titles to review including The Tall Target. I am in the process of reviewing Green Mansions, and, unfortunately, Hot Millions arrived as an unplayable coaster (you could tell it was screwed up by looking at the disc surface, and it would not play on any DVD player I own). I will list the remaining 12 titles in this thread after I get home this evening and prioritize my subsequent reviews based on the ones you indicate you want the most.

Regards,

Ken McAlinden
Livonia, MI USA

#233

Rating: 0

10/26/09 at 11:18am

Mike Frezon
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Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken_McAlinden

and, unfortunately, Hot Millions arrived as an unplayable coaster (you could tell it was screwed up by looking at the disc surface, and it would not play on any DVD player I own).

That comment might be more important then anything you write in your reviews, Ken!

There's Jessie the yodeling cowgirl. Bullseye, he's Woody's horse. Pete the old prospector. And, Woody, the man himself. Of course, it's time for Woody's RoundUp. He's the very best! He's the rootinest, tootinest cowboy in the wild, wild west!

Top Ten Ways to Find Good Deals on DVDs and Blu-ray...

#234

Rating: 0

10/26/09 at 12:37pm

RUrahrah
Jim Almoney
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My 'Hot Millions' was great, definitely better than what I taped from satellite in SP on SVHS.

#235

Rating: 0

10/26/09 at 3:26pm

Ken_McAlinden
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Location: Livonia, MI USA
Post Count: 5,521

Here are the remaining titles that I have available to review. Any preferences? I am personally leaning towards "Pride of the Marines" next, but would like your input...

The Patsy (1928 - Marion Davies/Dir. King Vidor)
Wonder Bar (1934 - Al Jolson)
Pride of the Marines (1945 - John Garfield/Dir. Delmer Daves)
The Search (1948 - Montgomery Clift/Dir. Fred Zinneman)
Highway 301 (1950 Film noir)
Rhapsody (1954 - Elizabeth Taylor)
Top Secret Affair (1957 - Kirk Douglas/Susan Hayward)
Mary Mary (1963 - Debbie Reynolds)
Never too Late (1965 - Connie Stevens/Paul Ford)
Nutcracker: Money, Madness, and Murder (1987 TV mini-series - Lee Remick)
Men Don't Leave (1989 - Jessica Lange)
Wrestling Ernest Hemingway (1993 - Robert Duvall/Richard Harris/James Earl Jones)

Regards,

Ken McAlinden
Livonia, MI USA

#236

Rating: 0

10/26/09 at 7:21pm

Jon Hertzberg
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Location: Chicago, Formerly Bklyn.
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Would be interested to hear your thoughts on PRIDE OF THE MARINES.

#237

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10/26/09 at 7:36pm

MattH.
Matt Hough
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My top picks to see your reviews of would be Wonder Bar, The Search, and Mary, Mary.

#238

Rating: 0

10/26/09 at 8:01pm

borisfw
Frank
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Post Count: 219

My top picks would be

Top Secret Affair

Never Too Late

Mary Mary

Wonder Bar

#239

Rating: 0

10/27/09 at 9:15am

Rob_Ray
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Location: SoCal
Post Count: 265

I'd like to hear your thoughts on:

The Patsy

Wonder Bar

Mary, Mary

#240

Rating: 0

10/27/09 at 12:17pm

Ken_McAlinden
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Location: Livonia, MI USA
Post Count: 5,521

My official forum review of Green Mansions is available at this link:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/294373/htf-dvd-review-green-mansions-warner-archives

Next up will be Pride of the Marines, Wonder Bar, and Mary Mary, although I may sneak in some reviews of good old fashioned pressed-disc releases in between as well. Even if I do not do a full blown review, I will try to post at least "spot check" comments on the A/V quality for any of the titles for which an interest is expressed in this thread.

Regards,

Ken McAlinden
Livonia, MI USA

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