TARZAN Gordon Scott & Mike Henry - Page 2

According to the tracking notice mine should arrive tomorrow (Wednesday). I will be interested to see how these rate visually compared to the other prior tarzan releases.

Same here, I guess I have got my plans for Wednesday night in place. 

My set arrives on Thursday according to the tracking information. I was happy with the Barker Tarzans. I hope these will also be in nice shape.

 I never bought  movies from Warner Archive before. The Gordon Scott Tarzans are the first and I am looking forward to them. This question was probably  asked before but I would like to know how does DVR-R compare to regular DVDs as far as the way they should be handled. I was told  DVD-R are much more sensitive to mishandling and one should not expose them to direct sunlight or extreme heat. I do not know if this is true or not but I heard long pauses is also not good for them because of the way the film content was burned on it.  I find it very difficult to believe but is there any truth to this?

-Claude

Just got mine today and have been spot-checking them.  If you were satisfied with the Lex Barker's, then you should be happy with these.  All the widescreen prints are anamorphic, color is generally good where applicable and there is grain and specks as the prints are not cleaned up.  Pretty much what you'd expect.  I didn't notice any combing so it's likely these are progressive scan.

Anyone get TARZAN AND THE TRAPERS? I'm curious to know what type of shape the print is in compaired to the public domian releases.

The print is widescreen anamorphic.  For some reason the opening credits appear really soft to me, likely due to the movie's origins as an aborted TV series, but after that the print is pretty solid throughout.  I'm not familiar with the various PD offerings of this title, but if they're like most PD releases then this should be an improvement.
Edited by mdnitoil - 11/11/09 at 4:55am

It is really hard to say yet about DVD-R's and their longevity. It is hard to tell the myth from the facts with all that is posted. I've read where some say not to use permanent markers on DVD-R's because of the chemical composition of the marker can eat through the top protective layer over time if it is not thick enough. Believe it or not.

I think it is straight forward that the ink substance within a DVD-R is affected by the heat of the laser when burned to imprint the content. But you can't burn it twice so it must go into some inactive state. But does prolonged exposure to heat mess with the content over time? Can the content degrade over time, faster then an pressed DVD? If so, is the time an issue for us (e.g., 5 years, 20 years, 100 years)?

I have DVD-R's I've made for my kids that start freezing and pixelating after a few years of use with no direct abuse to the disks themselves. But these have been viewed a gazillion times in kids terminology.

From what I've read from a study performed on DVD disks is that a DVD-R should last longer then we will ever need it to last if properly cared for. I also believe from personal experience heat can impact them orver time (players can get very hot internally and then their is the laser itself). So if you avoid contact with the content surface, avoid scratches and other types of abuse to the surface, keep them in their cases when not used, and don't typically watch them 100+ times each, they should last a life time. We will know better in 10+ years how these archive disks last.

Of course this is just my perspective. I'm not an expert in the field, so take it however you like. Maybe other will chime in with their experiences.

I have some DVD-r's that are over ten years old from other Internet companies that still play just fine.  Again they are ones that I do not play over and over.  The DVD-r's that I have made myself off of TCM and other networks are all having problems.  I had used a Phillips DVD/VHS recorder.  I have since replaced that with a Sony DVD/VHS unit and have had much better results.  I think that the one element in the longevity question is the quality of the recording.  I would hope and assume (I know what assume means) that the Warner Archive and the TCM/Universal DVD-r's are handled in a professional manner. 

Brad is correct in that the longevity of any DVD-r and DVD depends on how you handle and store it.

Direct sunlight should be avoided for prolonged periods.  The UV rays start to degrade the chemical layer which obviously is a bad thing.

DVDr's are also often sensitive to the DVD player so you should always trying playing it in another player (or 2) before writing it off.

A director sent me a DVD-r copy of a film I worked on a few years ago and it plays like silk on my Toshiba DVD player and my Toshiba laptop. Yet when I take the same DVD-r to a friend's or relative's house, for some of them it won't play on their system. 

 Thanks for your input on the keeping qualities of DVD-R discs, guys. I guess only time will tell how long the discs we buy from Warner's Archive and others  will last. I was glad to hear the positive comments  Mdnitol had made about the quality of the Gordon Scott Tarzan films from Warners Archive he had already received. I  wanted two day shipping for my Gordon Scott movies but I live in Hawaii and the service is only available within the continental United States excluding Alaska.      Bummers!

I received my copies today but have only had a chance to do a quick look at each:

Tarzan's Hidden Jungle: B/W. While it says it is widescreen it is only a slight bit bigger then the standard aspect ratio. Looks as good as the previous Weismuller and Barker disks.

Tarzan and the Lost Safari: Color. Similar widescreen as above. I've typically found that lesser quality B/W looks better then Color of similar same quality. All I can think is that color provides more opportunity, which also makes the flaws more noticeable. Staged scenes look pretty good, but the stock jungle scenes are weak. All in all, not bad, but for me the B/W Hidden Jungle is easier to watch.

Tarzan and the Trappers: B/W. Probably the worst quality in the bunch. I recall seeing above that this was three episodes of a failed TV attempt strong together to make a movie. It appears the production costs might have been lower which shows a bit. The image is softer then the others. Watchable but a bit less then what we are used to based on the previous releases.

Tarzan's Fight for Life: Color. More traditional widescreen release. Some of the same issues as Lost Safari with respect to color vs. B/W with the older releases, but this one manages to be a bit better. Especially, with the staged scenes. The only thing I noticed wrong was some momentary pauses every few minutes. I would like to hear if others experienced the same thing or if I have issues with copy that could be fixed with a replacement. Otherwise, it looked pretty good.

Tarzan's Greatest Adventure: Color. More traditional widescreen release. Unfortunately, mine was a bad burn and wouldn't play. It also had some odd discoloration on the content side of the disk that I noticed right away. I will have to get a replacement.

Tarzan the Magnificent: Color. More traditional widescreen release. Obviously, a bigger budget release and shows. Pretty desent video quality for this type of release.

I test drove them on a 92" screen sitting from about 13' back. They were definitly watchable and of similar quality to the previous Tarzan releases. But like I said above I think color is less forgiving at this quallity level. Hopefully, the momentary paused is "Fight for Life" was a defective burn that can be fixed with a replacement.

When it comes to DVD-R there's two factors, the quality of the media and the quality of the burner.

 Unlike Brad, I do not have a 92 inch screen but only a 26 inch 1080p Samsung HDTV and  a Panasonic Blu-Ray player that does an excellent job of up converting DVDs. As I had mentioned previously, all of the clips of the six Gordon Scott movies at the Warner Archive site  look great and I know the DVD-R of the movies will look fantastic on my small screen. Although it is very nice to have the largest screen possible to view movies at home, a small screen does not show most of the flaws that is visible on a large screen.  That is the reason I am very happy with what I have.

Brad has mentioned, his TARZAN's GREATEST ADVENTURE" is defective. Has this been a common problem with other archive discs from Warner.? If so, how good is their Customer Service when it comes to promptly replacing deffective discs. How good are they when a disc plays fine at first but for some reason it becomes unplayable despite the fact that the disc was scratch and smudge free and in excellent condition? Will they replace such a disc after a period of time like Criterion recently did when the replaced my copy of A NIGHT TO REMEMBER after it became unplayable over a span of about four years?

-Claude 

Well, the Archive program isn't even a year old so there really is no track record on long term support.  Immediate issues have been mentioned before and all have been dealt with in a timely fashion, from what I could gather.

Brad,

Thanks for your excellent Scott Tarzan set video reviews!  I haven't planned on getting the set since I'm not a big Gordon Scott "Tarzan" fan but I might get it down the road if prices drop.

92"?  Man, that's way out of my league :)  I watch on a 50" Panasonic Plasma (1080p) set via a region-free std upconvert player.  I'm about 9 ft from my screen.

I received my Scott Tarzan set today. Having read the above post on Tarzan's Greatest Adventure i checked my copy and sure enough it doesn't work on any of my players. The playing surface doesn't look right. Good news is they replace them with little hassle.  They told me they have received many  calls on that title. So they are contacting the warehouse and having them fix the problem before they send out a replacement.

I have now had at least 1 title defective in my last 4 orders. Not a very good percentage. I hope they get these problems worked out. It sucks to have to call and get a replacement every time you order.

Claude, the main reason I provided screen size and distance is so what I see can be kept in perspective. Obviously, if one sits much closer they can get a similar effect since it is the ratio that counts. But I am also very forgiving in video quality. For example, I watched one of those ten film John Wayne tins of movies from the 30's. Talk about shakey quality but in the end I enjoyed seeing what Wayne was like in the early days.

As for service, well...that is what I am going to find out. On there site they say you have to pay shipping back, which I'm going to try to avoid. Especially, since this not a shipping damage issue but a failure to QC something they produced before shipping it out. If you saw the bottom of the disk it should be obvious based on the pattern that something is wrong.

I'm only waiting because I want to find out if anyone else is getting mementary pauses in the film Tarzan's Fight for Life. I only watched the first 5 minutes or so but I saw about three very quick pauses. I want to know if this is inherent to the transfer itself or the copy I have. I want to only deal with sutomer service once on this order.

I guess it would help to read down further before replying.   I didn't see your post unilt after replying to Claude's. So it is a bigger issue then just me. It was an odd looking disk.

Boris, could you check your copy of Tarzan's Fight for Life and let me know if you get any pauses in the first 5 minutes, Thanks.

Thanks, my HT is a long time dream since as a kid I took out our family 8mm projector back in the mid 1970's. They use to sell these 8mm versions of movies with subtitles (no sound). Basically, Frankenstein and others cut down to like 10 minute excerpts. I watched them on my bedroom wall. Finally, 5 years ago I was able to give myself a new toy to replace my old memories.

These days many have larger screens, but I find this to be a good size for watching a variety of content of varying qualities.

 Of all of the movies in the Gordon Scott collection, TARZAN's GREATEST ADVENTURE was the primary title I was looking forward to receiving  and I am glad the  problem with that disc was discovered  before they shipped my order. I was told my discs were going to be shipped today but  I understand now  why I did not get a shipment notice by email. I hope the problem will not take too long to resolve.

-Claude 

I went back and double-checked and my copies of GREATEST ADVENTURE and FIGHT FOR LIFE play just fine.  Tried them in both a standalone player and the computer.  No problems with either.  I also didn't have an unusual looking disc surface so that might be a giveaway.

That sounds like me! I also had the Super 8 Castle digests of the classic horror films, and dreamed of the day when I could own the whole movie. Once I got a VHS player, I abandoned the movie projector(although I did collect 16mm for a short time, too). Now I have a 1080p projector with a smaller screen than yours-84", which is fine with me, and it brings back the old Castle film nostalgia(only with better picture and sound!).

On topic: I watched TARZAN'S GREATEST ADVENTURE tonight, and it played without a hitch on my Playstation 3. A nice, filmlike transfer; nothing done to the print, but that's fine with me. It looked pretty nice.

 I used to fool around with 8mm films too and when Super 8mm with sound was introduced, I bought a Elmo projector that could handle a large reel that can hold an hour of film. There was a dealer at that time that was selling complete Paramount films by mail order and the selection  offered included GODFATHER #1, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, THE WARRIORS, GREASE", SATURDAY NIGHT FEAVER' MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS and a few others. I bought GREASE, SATURDAY NIGHT FEAVER and MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS. I wanted to purchase GODFATHER and THE TEN COMMANDMENTS but they cost twice as much as the ones I had bought because of the extreme running time. Although the films I bought are now available on Blu-Ray and DVD in widescreen, the super 8 films were panned and scanned but I did not mind at that time. Just the joy of being able to own my very own film print was enough. The image quality and the sound was nothing to write home about but it was more than adequate. I used to invite neighbors and we used to have showings in the back yard during our warm Hawaiian evenings.

I am glad some of you are not having problems with your copy of TARZAN'S GREATEST ADVENTURE.

-Claude 

I received my Scott Tarzan's and the title I have trouble with is TARZAN AND THE LOST SAFARI. The picture starts to pause and break up at the 30 minute mark and then jumps to the 40 minute mark. The image side of this disc has a pattern of eight or so rings going around the hub.

I still have Tarzan the Magnificent, Trappers, and two westerns to watch and check from this same order before I call in for a replacement.
 

My Tarzan's Fight for Life seems to be a non-issue. I watched most of it last night and it played fine. It is quite possible that the playback was affected by the DVD player after failing to start Greatest Adventure. That is all I can think off.

But it sounds like it might be worth just watching them all to know for sure. Although the way the surface looks seems to offer a good clue as to which one's work. My Greatest Adventure disk had a series of jagged rings at the hub.

So far i've watched just Hidden Jungle. That played and looked fine. I will check fight for life today.

I just looked closely at my discs.None have the series of rings like Greatest Adventure. But a couple seem to have like one small ring. I'm not sure if these are affected .But i plan on watching at least two of them tonight.

As i mentioned before, i'm not happy at all with the quality control of the Archive discs. Over the last few months i've had many problems with discs. The only good part is they replace them without a problem. But if this continues i may have to put my buying from them on hold.

TARZAN'S GREATEST ADVENTURE definitely has some sort of authoring error so I would suggest NOT purchasing this title until WB admits and comes clean that there is something wrong here.  It played fine on my first deck (Philips) up until about 31 minutes in and then starts pixelating and becomes completely unwatcheable soon afterwards.  I ejected it and tried it on my computer at that point and it went through that bad section fine.  My other DVD player (JVC) seemed to go through that section fine as well, but I am not going to watch the entire film on all 3 players just to see if it will play all the way through on each.  I put it back in the Philips and it still will not play correctly after the 31 minute mark no matter how many times I try.   I have never had any disc not play correctly in the Philips.  This is the first one that's ever had an issue.   Since the disc may play OK in some players, that is why some here seem to have had no problems with it.  That already a few of us have experienced some issues with this disc proves this is more than just some random isolated problem.  Even if some players may play it correctly, that's simply not good enough if the player I'm watching it on won't.  There is no discoloration or visible defect on the disc itself, either.

Considering this is easily the most desired title out of this latest batch, and even features a major role by a young Sean Connery, it's truly appalling that Warners continues to have such low quality control on their overpriced DVD-R program.  OK, we'll pay the exorbitant price sometimes because we want a certain movie, but at least make the discs playable NOW.   People are questioning if these DVD-Rs will play in five years.   Ha!   What about having them play right now???   Unbelievable.