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SHE (1936): Fun Movie, Irritating Harryhausen Commentary (1 Viewer)

Dick

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I admire Ray Harryhausen as much as the next guy (I own the Masters Of the Majiks books, which are not inexpensive). My favorite fantasy film since I was young remains THE 7th VOYAGE OF SINBAD. Many of Mr. Harryhausen's commentaries are excellent, especially the one on the Criterion laser disc of JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS. But his commentaries for the films that were colorized by Legend Films (three of the Columbia Sci-Fi's, plus this one) are little more than feature-length adverts for the horrifying Legend Films colorization process. I would find it hard to believe I was alone in positing that our hero Harryhausen was offered some unspoken money and/or bennies for continually mentioning during his commentaries how wonderful the "color" is in these films. C'mon -- could this man, whose special effects were almost always a visual wonder, actually believe that the crap "color" added to his or another's films look, even if the original dream of the respective directors were that these films be made in (real) color? Colorization is invariably pasty, with seriously un-lifelike flesh tones, the color palette narrowed to a few dull choices, and will never, NEVER look natural in its current state. Although I haven't gone back and counted, I swear that Harryhausen and his not very helpful moderator Bob Burns return to this colorization process fifty times during the course of a 102-minute film. Constantly, Bob Burns asks the master, "How did you decide on the color of [name scene or character or costume]?" Harryhausen, for his part, deifies Legend's colorization by saying that the film literally burst to life now, whereas the black and white original was way-y- inferior. REALLY? Colorization looks like shit, and I think Ray and Bob knew it, but they were hooked into some kind of agreement with Legend to promote this sleezy practice. I can never listen to the SHE commentary track again. It's an infomercial, and from respectable filmmakers to boot. I hate to speak against the dead, especially one of my heroes, but I truly believe Mr. Harryhausen sold out here.
 
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JoHud

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I believe he did sell out during his last years and he would plug it a lot in the bonus features. I think the appeal of colorization in his perspective was to hide the rear projection seams and marginal texture differences. Which is slightly ironic because the strength of B&W is that it helped hide these sorts of combined footage film tricks better than color films.....in general, as there were some skillful exceptions.

It didn't bother me too much, but then again I never listed to one of his commentaries.
 

BobO'Link

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I've never listened to the commentaries, BUT I have watched 3 of the colorized films, She, 20 Million Miles to Earth, and It Came from Beneath the Sea. I found the colorization to be the best I've seen, but that isn't really saying much and it still suffers from many of the issues I have with the process. It was somewhat entertaining to watch the films *once* colorized just to see what colors were chosen for certain objects, but I doubt I'll ever do it again as it just doesn't work that well or truly look that good. Certainly not as good as it sounds like from the comments about what was said in the commentary. I may have to give one of them a listen "just because" now...
 

John Sparks

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When you see THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD and they're out in the snow, it looks like it was filmed in the snow. When they colorized it, you could then tell that it was a backdrop. Almost everything that Legend colorized didn't look to bad. If I did buy a particular DVD from them, it was not for the colorization, but for a better B&W print.
 

Brent Reid

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The OP is a disrespectful rant against a man who brought - and continues to bring - untold joy to millions. Would that you could achieve 1/10th as much in your lifetime. Boo-hoo, so you don't agree with every single one of the choices this great man made in his stellar, 70-odd year career? Well there are certainly nicer ways of saying so.

Paragraphs are your friends.

She was actually released in 1935, not 1936.
 

BobO'Link

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...Almost everything that Legend colorized didn't look to bad. If I did buy a particular DVD from them, it was not for the colorization, but for a better B&W print.
This. I have quite a few of their colorized films for this reason alone. IMHO they're welcome to colorize all old BW films just so we can get good BW copies.
 

Dick

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Also, I do realize I can watch the film without commentary (which is the only way you can watch the original black and white versions anyway), and those transfers are superior as another post mentioned, so it was worth the purchase.
 

Dick

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The OP is a disrespectful rant against a man who brought - and continues to bring - untold joy to millions. Would that you could achieve 1/10th as much in your lifetime. Boo-hoo, so you don't agree with every single one of the choices this great man made in his stellar, 70-odd year career? Well there are certainly nicer ways of saying so.

Paragraphs are your friends.

She was actually released in 1935, not 1936.


In your post you sound more like a Facebook cyberbully than a member of HTF, Brent. "Boo-Hoo"?

[New Paragraph] I have overwhelming respect for Mr. Harryhausen's legacy, as I believe my original post expressed quite clearly. He has been a huge hero of mine since I was eight and saw SINBAD, and with my post I am in no way demeaning the man's animation work, or even his decision to aid in the colorization of these films, although I also expressed how much I disdain the process and its results. My issue is with the commentaries alone, which are less informative than they are three or four dozen audio product placement ads. Ray's commentaries for non-Legend titles (KING KONG, JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS, etc) are superb

[New Paragraph] You complain that I am being disrespectful and ranting. Re-read your post. Heard of the pot and kettle? 'Nuff said.

P.S. You are correct regarding the year of release. It was 1935. Thank you for that, anyway.
 

Brent Reid

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Don't try to pull the "cyberbully" card with me. I've a personal rule about always speaking online to people in the same manner I would if we were having a face-to-face conversation. That means I'm polite and respectful to those that deserve it. Certainly, you're receiving more respect than you afforded your target:
  • "I would find it hard to believe I was alone in positing that our hero Harryhausen was offered some unspoken money and/or bennies...#" [slang for Benzedrine, a form of amphetamine]
  • "C'mon -- could this man... actually believe that the crap "color" added to his or another's films..."
  • "Colorization looks like shit, and I think Ray and Bob knew it, but they were hooked into some kind of agreement with Legend to promote this sleezy [sp. sleazy] practice."
Would you speak like that to his face? If so, it's as well for him that you'll never have the opportunity.

Now you're contradicting yourself too:
  • "I am in no way demeaning... his decision to aid in the colorization of these films..."
Really? Your entire OP is demeaning his decision.

Your whole rant is nothing short of insulting to Ray and you're attacking an elderly man who is no longer around to defend himself. An easy victim and actually the very epitome of bullying.
 
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Dick

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Whoa, Nellie, whoa! We each said what we said, it's "out there" and irretrievable, and this could get really nasty if allowed to continue to the point where the mods have to step in, so let's just part company, shall we? I am walking away from it knowing what my intent was in my OP and I do not need to defend it further. You can keep coming back at me if you choose, but I'm done. Enjoy the remainder of your day.
 
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