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post #211 of 226
6/18/09 at 11:06am

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

I wondered why movies like "Moon Pilot" weren't out on DVD ... now I know.

How long will those exclusives BE exclusive? Won't they ever have regular DVD releases?
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post #212 of 226
6/18/09 at 10:31pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard--W
The other half of the problem is that once you get your hands on the DVD set, the day-for-night scenes which are about 50% of the film are completely screwed up in the digital remastering. A film in which you can't see who's talking to who or what's going on is difficult to enjoy. I'm surprised the DVD set passed quality control inspection. Or maybe I'm not surprised.
I haven't seen Syn for myself, but according to DVD Talk's review, it's a photography issue rather than a remastering one.

Nevertheless, Disney has made me very wary in regards to QC on anything they release to home video. While the last couple Treasures have looked great (mostly), I still haven't forgotten - four years later - the mistreatment they gave the Donald 2/Rarities wave.
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post #213 of 226
6/19/09 at 5:46pm
Thread Starter 

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

The Walt Disney Treasures are rapidly disappearing, so get'em while you can as fast you can from the Disney Movie Club.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Lugoff
I wondered why movies like "Moon Pilot" weren't out on DVD ... now I know.

How long will those exclusives BE exclusive? Won't they ever have regular DVD releases?
Who knows? There seems to be no set rule. Some Exclusives never get a general release. I bought The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men (1953) as an Exclusive, and now it's being released on DVD in a couple of weeks. I hope the transfer is new because the Exclusive is in serious need of an upgrade (an adult Robin Hood film by the way and a significant development in genre films about that character). Other Exclusives to get into general release are The Reluctant Dragon, So Dear To My Heart and Donald In Mathmagic Land. Many Disney fans joined the Movie Club in order to get access to Zorro, albeit the colorized version, and now, three months after the second season is issued as an Exclusive and we've all bought it, Disney announces the release of both seasons remastered from original negatives for widespread release in the Walt Disney Treasures series.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Traveling Matt
I haven't seen Syn for myself, but according to DVD Talk's review, it's a photography issue rather than a remastering one.
I respectfully disagree with DVD Talk's reviewer on several points. It is a timing issue, not a photography issue. I've seen the film before, and on VHS, where the day-for-night scenes are properly graded. Further, Paul Beeson knew what he was doing. Nothing wrong with his night reel. He was one of England's finest dp's. Just look at the day-for-night scenes in all his other films. The DVD should look much different and much better than it does.

What's the story with the 2nd Wave?
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post #214 of 226
6/20/09 at 6:48pm

Re: the problem with Disney Treasures: Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard--W
What's the story with the 2nd Wave?
It was the ball they dropped in the remastering department. Not one Donald short, except the previously-released wartime films, was cleaned up. No Sail, in particular, looked like a third or fourth generation VHS dupe. I had never seen such shoddy work on a classic animation DVD before, and haven't since. Same story with Rarities.

I seem to remember the following wave being a significant improvement, but it took awhile to return to the standard set for the series at the beginning of the decade.
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post #215 of 226
8/10/09 at 8:20am
Thread Starter 
Here's a question for U.K. members of HTF.

When did DR, SYN: ALIAS THE SCARECROW open theatrically in England?
This was the feature-film edit that screened around Christmas-time 1963 on a double-bill with THE SWORD IN THE STONE.
What is the exact date of the opening, how long did it play, and which film was at the top of bill?

The fact that THE SCARECROW OF ROMNEY MARSH was shot both as a feature for the U.K. / Europe and as a mini-series for the USA is well-documented in all Disney histories as well as in the supplements on the Treasures tin, but nowhere is an actual date of release supplied. There's no entry for the theatrical release on the imdb, which is a particularly glaring omission. The feature film DR. SYN, ALIAS THE SCARECROW was released in the USA in the mid-1960s and again in late 1975. I saw it several times in late 1975 and bought the newly published paperback novelization (which I still have).
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post #216 of 226
8/10/09 at 9:54am
It should be noted (for those who have multi-region players) that some of the Treasures not available here are still available in the UK.  I recently got Silly Symphonies and Mickey in Color Vol. 1 for 5.98 and 4.08 (GBP) respectively, from amazon.co.uk.  I believe SS is higher now, but Mickey is still pretty cheap.
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post #217 of 226
8/10/09 at 12:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard--W View Post

Here's a question for U.K. members of HTF.

When did DR, SYN: ALIAS THE SCARECROW open theatrically in England?
This was the feature-film edit that screened around Christmas-time 1963 on a double-bill with THE SWORD IN THE STONE.
What is the exact date of the opening, how long did it play, and which film was at the top of bill?

The fact that THE SCARECROW OF ROMNEY MARSH was shot both as a feature for the U.K. / Europe and as a mini-series for the USA is well-documented in all Disney histories as well as in the supplements on the Treasures tin, but nowhere is an actual date of release supplied. There's no entry for the theatrical release on the imdb, which is a particularly glaring omission. The feature film DR. SYN, ALIAS THE SCARECROW was released in the USA in the mid-1960s and again in late 1975. I saw it several times in late 1975 and bought the newly published paperback novelization (which I still have).

 

I saw THE SWORD IN THE STONE when it was first released at a London suburban cinema but it wasn't as a double bill with DR SYN. I think there was only a short shown with SWORD. If DR SYN was theatrically released in the UK it must have been a fairly limited release because I don't recall it being advertised. I saw the film for the first time when I got the DVD.
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post #218 of 226
8/11/09 at 12:14pm
Doctor Syn and The Sword in the Stone were generally released together on a double-bill around the UK's cinemas on 22 December 1963, mainly on the Rank circuit like all Disney films at that time.  I first saw it in early January 1964.

Dr Syn's running time was 98 minutes and Sword in the Stone was 80 minutes.

Hope that helps.
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post #219 of 226
8/12/09 at 6:08am
Thread Starter 
Many thanks.

That's the information I was looking for.

I assume you checked the ad-mats or the release certificate or something.

I'll try to upload the theatrical release info to the imdb.
"The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh" is listed on the imdb as three episodes of Disney Wonderful World of Color, but Dr Syn Alias the Scarecrow is not listed, not as a feature.
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post #220 of 226
8/12/09 at 11:44am
Actually I lifted the information from the F. Maurice Speed Film Review Annual for 1964/65 which, a little confusingly, lists all films released in the UK from 1 July 1963 to 30 June 1964. 
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post #221 of 226
8/13/09 at 8:14am
Thread Starter 
I appreciate your looking that up, KenNew.
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post #222 of 226
8/16/09 at 3:24am

You're welcome. It's good to able to use the Film Reviews now and again.

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post #223 of 226
11/13/10 at 5:41pm

If you haven't seen the Disney DVD release of DR. SYN,  then you can neither talk honestly or critically about it.  I OWN AND HAVE VIEWED THE DVD
SET, and I'll tell you it is a TRIUMPH ALL ROUND.  Beautiful transfer with a sizzling soundtrack to match. Don't waste our time on something you know nothing about. There  are other avenues to satisfy your ego.

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post #224 of 226
11/13/10 at 8:09pm

Interesting 1st post -- you dredge up a thread dead for 18 months to insult some poster (actually impossible to ID since you give no reference to which post you are

disagreeing) who likely has long forgotten he/she ever posted here.

 

Welcome to HTF, but please drop the personalized insults -- not kosher on these hills.

 

 

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post #225 of 226
11/14/10 at 8:39am
Thread Starter 

Brainwave is probably referring to me.

I did get hold of the DVD eventually, in fact I bought two copies of it.

I've watched it many times and I reviewed it elsewhere.

I suspect Brainwave is actually Iand / James Tiger Lee, a cyber-bully and cyber-stalker who was banned a while back for signing up under multiple identities.

 

Richard

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post #226 of 226
11/14/10 at 11:47am

Brainwave is more likely referring to Traveling Matt:
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Traveling Matt View Post
I haven't seen Syn for myself, but according to DVD Talk's review, it's a photography issue rather than a remastering one.

Nevertheless, Disney has made me very wary in regards to QC on anything they release to home video. While the last couple Treasures have looked great (mostly), I still haven't forgotten - four years later - the mistreatment they gave the Donald 2/Rarities wave.

 


Which doesn't excuse the hostile tone.
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard--W View Post

I suspect Brainwave is actually Iand / James Tiger Lee, a cyber-bully and cyber-stalker who was banned a while back for signing up under multiple identities.

 

For reasons I won't detail, this is highly unlikely.

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