SCROOGE (Albert Finney) is coming this October to Blu-ray! - Page 4

Deleted
Edited by ChrisCook - 10/2/11 at 11:39am

Just checked my DVD. I think it's because off odd authoring that Mr. Kauffman doesn't see the overture. On my DVD the overture is actually a secondary menu. In the primary menu when you select "Play movie with overture" (there is no play movie without overture option) it takes you to another menu screen where the overture plays and when the overture finished it takes you to the beginning of the movie. In this overture menu there are two selectable options: "Play movie" and "Menu."

I think perhaps Mr. Kaufman's player is choking over the authoring and bypassing the overture menu.

Hello, and thanks to everyone for their interest in my review of "Scrooge" on Blu-ray.com. As Ron will confirm, I initially thought that my DVD did indeed have an Overture, but in checking it again, hitting the "Play Film With Overture" simply took me to the opening credits, so I assumed the Overture had simply been mislabeled and I was misremembering. I am in no way confused about what an Overture is, LOL. As many who follow my reviews on Blu-ray.com know, I am a professional musician-composer with many orchestral, choral and stage works (as well as a few television soundtracks) to my credit.

However, I just discovered something fascinating--my DVD does indeed have an authoring error. About every 3 times (it hasn't been consistent), it will indeed go to the Overture. The other times it simply starts with the opening credits. Hence this 24 hour or so period of much confusion. I have updated my review accordingly.

Finally, there is NO Overture on the BD. None, nada, zilch, bupkis. If any of you find an Overture on your BD, my head will promptly explode.

Thanks for the clarification, Jeff.

Glad to have the issue settled, but what a CRUSHING disappointment!

 

 

 

Yes a big disappointment, but will keep pre-order and keep DVD. 
 

By the way an exceptional review Mr. Kauffman.  It was well written and informative. 

 

First, I want to thank Mr. Kauffman for contributing here.

 

I actually came to him after reading his exceptional review.

I was really taken back as to how well-written that piece was.

 

I am also somewhat disappointed the overture is not included.

 

Who at Paramount felt that it was necessary to drop it?  Why

make the Blu-ray something less than what the DVD was?

 

You know, some of us feel that Blu-ray may be one of the

last formats (outside of possibly 4k), and that anything the

studios are releasing to it, should be handled with the utmost

care.  

 

If this were one the last opportunities to own this film on 

packaged media I would be upset that the studio decided to

cut corners by removing the overture from the film.

It could have been an oversight....perhaps we could ask and they could add it.

Deleted
Edited by ChrisCook - 10/8/11 at 7:23am

Enough, enough !!

Paramount released this film before, withoverture, even if in a strange way.

Its not like they did ot know. I just cancelled my order.

DEAR PARAMOUNT, MY FAIR LADY HAS INTERMISSION MUSIC. DON'T FORGET IT !!!!

Wasn't there an oddity on the My Fair Lady dvd that was released by Paramount? Didn't it have a different Intermission card or something? I remember reading something about it when Paramount released its version.

Boy was I lost there for a bit. I saw the title and dates on the first few posts and then I figured I might as well skip to the end and suddenly my brain started singing With a Little Bit of Luck. Glad I'm okay.

Anyhow, I found the link to buy Scrooge and support HTF, and that lead me to search Amazon for a blu-ray version of A Christmas Carol with Alastair Sim.

A Christmas Carol at Amazon

This is one of hubby's favorite Christmas movies and I'd love to pick up a better copy (we have an older DVD and it's a bit scratchy and the sound track isn't so grand). I searched here, but didn't find a thread (but might have missed it as I'm still a bit puzzled with the board software), so I have 2 questions:

1. Does anyone know if this is a good blu-ray reproduction?
2. If it's a good copy, how do I buy it and support HTF?

Paramount should have included the Overture . ..some one messed up?

 

"My Fair Lady"  Does have an intermission and there is entrance music into act two - though this was always over a black field in the theater - any intermission card was made specifically for home video so I would not be surpirsed if Paramount uses a different one.

I've seen MFL many times in a theater but I do not recall any intermission card, but I mat be wrong. Some Roadshows didn't use an intermission card and they were only devised for home video releases (or may have been added for the restoration in 1994) Only Mr Harris would know

 

Paramount only released two Roadshow musicals during the Roadshow era "Paint Your Wagon" and "Half a Sixpence"  Neither one had an overture in the theater or on home video.

 

Scrooge and MFL are new to Paramount.  "Scrooge" is the only one which had an overture played over a dark screen in the theater.

 

 

 

If it is the VCI Entertainment Blu-ray, then there should not be a problem.  I did hear that VCI is doing another transfer on Blu-ray and release it in about a month, so you might want to wait for that one.  It is still an old film, but VCI used a very decent print for the transfer and the reviews have been positive.

 

I think if you click any Amazon logo on this web site you can type in any thing you wish to purchase in search and HFT gets the credit.  Please someone correct me if I am wrong. 
 

 

The overture for Scrooge was brought up multiple times on this forum including the very thread they were monitoring interest. And I clearly remember someone saying they wish to see it on the same layer as the film unlike the 2003 DVD. Even TCM HD aired it last year with the overture and exit music intact.
Edited by ChrisCook - 10/4/11 at 2:04pm

I check for the HTF tag in the Amazon link before adding it to the cart.
Edited by ChrisCook - 10/4/11 at 2:06pm

I thought there was always an intermission card, with the end music from act 1 playing over it. It was on the last pre-restoration VHS tape. It must have been part of the original release, as it had the word "Intermission" in the same font as the opening credits over a floral background.

It is from VCI and I was glad to see it had English subtitles. Where would I find info on a newer release?

Thanks to you, and ChrisCook, for the info on the shopping link.

 

VCI is supposed to be the one to do the transfer again. Here you go.  It is to be released 11/1/11.  It is said to be a new transfer, so if it is an improvement over the last one then it will the best ever.  I did not get the first one, but this one is on my list.  The only change is that Patrick Macnee did an introduction in the other releases and Leonard Maltin does the introduction on this one. 

 

A Christmas Carol - 60Th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray. 

 

Click to enlarge   Alastair Sim's tour-de-force performance as the ultimate miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, has almost single-handedly made this beloved version of Charles Dickens's story into one of the best-loved Christmas films of all time. Some of Britain's best filmmakers united behind Sim, who was joined by a delightful cast of accomplished and acclaimed English actors; creating what many today believe to be the best and most faithful production of Dickens' immortal tale. Cranky and curmudgeonly Scrooge learns the error of his unkind ways and is taught the true meaning of the holidays when he is visited by the ghost of his late business partner and the spirits of Christmas past, present and future. This Blu-ray edition has been digitally restored from a new 1080p, 24fps high definition transfer master produced from the 35mm negative and fine grain.   Starring: Alastair Sim, Kathleen Harrison, Jack Warner, Mervyn Johns, Hermione Baddeley, Michael Hordern, George Cole, Rona Anderson, John Charlesworth, Glyn Dearman, Clifford Mollison, Patrick Macnee Directed by: Brian Desmond Hurst Produced by: Brian Desmond Hurst Executive Producer: George Minter Short Actors: Alastair Sim, Kathleen Harrison Short Description: Dickens' holiday masterpiece with Alastair Sim as the definitive Scrooge. The holiday picture of all time! Also Includes the Standard DVD with both 4x3 and 16x9 versions. Written By: Noel Langley Book By: Charles Dickens Photography By: C. Pennington-Richards Music By: Richard Addinsell, Muir Mathieson Sub Genre 1: Family Bonus Features: Commentary Tracks By Marcus Hearn and George Cole, INTRODUCTION BY LEONARD MALTIN, and much more! Runtime: 96 minutes Year: 1951 Color: B&W Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 MPAA Rating: NR Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 Language: English Subtitles: English, Spanish Country: UK Region Code: All Region Release Date: 11/1/2011 Format: Blu-Ray UPC: 089859906022 ISBN: 1-55739-795-3

Sorry that after all these years I still can not post anything right!

 

There's a very good chance I may be wrong.

 

I had thought in the theater the word "Intermission" appeared against a black background, but for the video releases the word appears against a photo of red roses. I didn't remember the flowers in the theater and they may have been added for the video releases. But then I may be remembering incorrectly

 

Overtures were always against a black screen except for "West Side Story" which add the NYC graphics in different colors before the title West Side Story came on (there were no other opening credits), and  "My Fair Lady" which started it's overture against a background of flowers - this was done so the theaters would not cut the overtures as was often done to reduce run time.

 

For the home video release of many films an Overture card was created so people wouldn't think something was wrong with their tv sets. Some used art from the original film poster, some (mostly FOX) used landscape still shots from the actual film (South Pacific, Oklahoma)

 

 

I always prefer the black screen (reduces burn in from a 5 minute overture with a still shot of the poster art)