![The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) [HD DVD]](http://cdn.hometheaterforum.com/3/3e/50x50px-ZC-B000I0RR76-513CSOAGuWL.jpg)
This is one of the classics for which I (and possibly a few others) have been waiting.
How precisely would all of the 2k restoration work done by Warner Bros. translate to the shiny new HD-DVD discs?
The answer is interesting, and more complex than one might assume.
When a 1937 three-strip production entitled The Adventures of Robin Hood was released in April of 1938, the new Technicolor process was really still in its infancy. You could count the number of completed productions and not reach double digits.
Prints struck during the original era were softer than one might expect due to the technology of the process, and while they looked magnificent on screen, with rich velvety textures, and a faux sharpness as a result of contrast, they were still soft.
As I understand the facts, most of the original negatives survive, while certain reels do not, which necessitate the use of dupes.
Viewing the film on HD-DVD almost seven decades later, a line in the Variety review of the time still rings true.
"It is cinematic pageantry at its best."
And the words to describe The Adventures of Robin Hood in HD?
Unlike your grandfather's Robin Hood.
The disc has been rendered sharper than ever seen before, with a full palette of rich hues, striking trademark Technicolor blues and reds, and a grain structure that could not be more perfect for the era.
With what was earlier a second disc's worth of extras, the HD version has now been upgraded with three-strip shorts and Looney Tunes in HD that have color that almost appears to drip off the screen.
This is a DVD that will serve as marker and cause of action for many of those waiting to head into the new format.
What a DVD!
The Adventures of Robin Hood in HD comes with the Highest Possible Recommendation, and should have a huge "RAH Approved" sticker on its packaging.
It doesn't get any better than this.
Congratulations to all involved in its creation!
RAH
How precisely would all of the 2k restoration work done by Warner Bros. translate to the shiny new HD-DVD discs?
The answer is interesting, and more complex than one might assume.
When a 1937 three-strip production entitled The Adventures of Robin Hood was released in April of 1938, the new Technicolor process was really still in its infancy. You could count the number of completed productions and not reach double digits.
Prints struck during the original era were softer than one might expect due to the technology of the process, and while they looked magnificent on screen, with rich velvety textures, and a faux sharpness as a result of contrast, they were still soft.
As I understand the facts, most of the original negatives survive, while certain reels do not, which necessitate the use of dupes.
Viewing the film on HD-DVD almost seven decades later, a line in the Variety review of the time still rings true.
"It is cinematic pageantry at its best."
And the words to describe The Adventures of Robin Hood in HD?
Unlike your grandfather's Robin Hood.
The disc has been rendered sharper than ever seen before, with a full palette of rich hues, striking trademark Technicolor blues and reds, and a grain structure that could not be more perfect for the era.
With what was earlier a second disc's worth of extras, the HD version has now been upgraded with three-strip shorts and Looney Tunes in HD that have color that almost appears to drip off the screen.
This is a DVD that will serve as marker and cause of action for many of those waiting to head into the new format.
What a DVD!
The Adventures of Robin Hood in HD comes with the Highest Possible Recommendation, and should have a huge "RAH Approved" sticker on its packaging.
It doesn't get any better than this.
Congratulations to all involved in its creation!
RAH
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