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Around The World In 80 Days (1956)

post #1 of 10
2/9/09 at 6:58pm
Thread Starter 
Robert, I know you and James Katz were going to do a restoration of this when it was determined that the matrials were in such poor shape, that the restoration would be very expensive and the studio did not want to spend the money (I remember a photo of the negative in an AMC magazine, when AMC was good). No one ever talked about it and on The Digital Bits I never heard your thoughts. What did Warner's do for the DVD to make it look good. To me from what I heard the situation was with the negative and from all my life watching the pan and scan video tape, the DVD was incredible and that's when I put my faith in Warners. Any thoughts on what Warner's did ...I know this goes back to 2004, when it came out.
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post #2 of 10
2/11/09 at 5:25pm

Re: Around The World In 80 Days (1956)

Curiously, the PlayStation Store has recently added this title as an HD rental download.
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post #3 of 10
2/11/09 at 6:03pm

Re: Around The World In 80 Days (1956)

I'd love to see a proper restoration of both cuts. This is one of my favorite films (as evidenced by a review the mods let me do years ago).

Warner's DVD looks quite good. Color is terrific. But it's not quite as sharp as other 65mm productions and it seems that barely any digital cleanup was applied. The 5.1 (re)mix is excellent, without knowledge on whether or not it's faithful to the original 6-track mag mix.

One aspect about the DVD that's unfortunate is that they seemed to overlook all of the extensive Library of Congress holdings. They have the deleted scenes like the alternate prologue, as well as hours of 16mm behind-the-scenes footage.

Count me in for a full-scale restoration and BluRay release with both 1080p/24fps and 1080p/30fps versions.
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post #4 of 10
2/12/09 at 4:35am

Re: Around The World In 80 Days (1956)

This is a film that is in need of a ground-up restoration. There are element problems exacerbated by various other missing elements. As I recall, I believe the current video version is derived from the generic 24fps version. This can be checked by looking at instances of background footage (without actors). If things move slowly, it isn't the Todd-AO version.

RAH
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post #5 of 10
2/12/09 at 3:23pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Around The World In 80 Days (1956)

I would be in favor of a full restoration also. There are so many still out there. I still can't believe the studios have not wised up. I don't know if this is Warner's fault or United Artists as I believe it was a U/A film first. So the matrials must have been in poor shape when Warners got the rights.
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post #6 of 10
2/12/09 at 7:40pm

Re: Around The World In 80 Days (1956)

It was owned by Michael Todd's estate until it was sold to WB and was messed up already.

By the way, what's the history on the multiple cuts?

The VHS and laserdisc editions were pan & scan, but were "uncut". The old TV version is missing the intermission and exit music. Both are pan & scan. The DVD adds back the original intermission card and a lengthy scene with Cantinflas on horseback.

Back when TCM aired the letterboxed version for the first time, they had to use the 1983 version that's about 20 minutes shorter. They ended up showing the longer P&S version a few more times before switching to the DVD version.

Did that shorter cut exist for the 1957 general release or did Warner put together that version for the re-release?
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post #7 of 10
2/23/09 at 9:51pm

Re: Around The World In 80 Days (1956)

Here's what Wikipedia says - it seems to contradict itself regarding what was used for the DVD:

Around 1976, after its last network television broadcast on CBS, UA lost control of the film to Elizabeth Taylor. In 1983 Warner Bros. acquired the rights to the film and reissued it theatrically in a re-edited 143-minute version. In the years that followed, a pan-and-scan transfer of the 35mm version (presented at its full 183-minute length) was shown on cable television.

In 2004, WB issued a digitally restored version of the 35mm incarnation on DVD, also at its full 183-minute length, including the original intermission, Entr'acte, and exit music that were a part of the original theatrical release, and for the first time on home video at its original 2.2:1 aspect ratio.

This restored version was reconstructed from the best available elements of the 35mm version WB could find, and was subsequently shown on TCM. The original elements from the 70mm Todd-AO version (as well as the original prints derived from these elements) still exist, albeit in faded condition but remain to be formally restored by WB.

Warner's retained Andy Pratt Film Labs who in conjunction with Eastman Kodak developed a method to remove the cracked and fading to brown, clear lacquer from the original 65mm Technicolor negative. WB did nothing further to restore the negative.

The 65mm roadshow print negative was used for the DVD. Had any 35mm anamorphic elements been used, the aspect ratio would have been 2.35:1. Mike Todd had limited 35mm anamorphic prints made with a non-standard compression ratio to provide a 2.21:1 viewing experience. These special 35mm prints are called Cinestage, the same name of Mike Todd's showcase theatre in Chicago.

The best available prints of the 70mm version have recently been exhibited in revival movie houses worldwide. As of 2007, WB remains the film's rights holder.
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post #8 of 10
7/6/09 at 11:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by marknyc View Post

Here's what Wikipedia says - it seems to contradict itself regarding what was used for the DVD:

Around 1976, after its last network television broadcast on CBS, UA lost control of the film to Elizabeth Taylor. In 1983 Warner Bros. acquired the rights to the film and reissued it theatrically in a re-edited 143-minute version. In the years that followed, a pan-and-scan transfer of the 35mm version (presented at its full 183-minute length) was shown on cable television.

In 2004, WB issued a digitally restored version of the 35mm incarnation on DVD, also at its full 183-minute length, including the original intermission, Entr'acte, and exit music that were a part of the original theatrical release, and for the first time on home video at its original 2.2:1 aspect ratio.

This restored version was reconstructed from the best available elements of the 35mm version WB could find, and was subsequently shown on TCM. The original elements from the 70mm Todd-AO version (as well as the original prints derived from these elements) still exist, albeit in faded condition but remain to be formally restored by WB.

Warner's retained Andy Pratt Film Labs who in conjunction with Eastman Kodak developed a method to remove the cracked and fading to brown, clear lacquer from the original 65mm Technicolor negative. WB did nothing further to restore the negative.

The 65mm roadshow print negative was used for the DVD. Had any 35mm anamorphic elements been used, the aspect ratio would have been 2.35:1. Mike Todd had limited 35mm anamorphic prints made with a non-standard compression ratio to provide a 2.21:1 viewing experience. These special 35mm prints are called Cinestage, the same name of Mike Todd's showcase theatre in Chicago.

The best available prints of the 70mm version have recently been exhibited in revival movie houses worldwide. As of 2007, WB remains the film's rights holder.
I personally wrote the Wikipedia section in question, which no doubt will be corrected by me at some point this week to make it make a little more sense.  But after reading all of the posts on this film, it is safe to say that WB is to be commended for at least restoring SOME version of the film, the 24fps incarnation.  So at least we know we will have some version of the film that will continue to be shown for many decades to come, assuming WB takes proper care of this film.  Yes, we have to put some trust in TimeWarner on this classic epic film.

The 70MM Todd AO version is a different beast.  Yes, work does have to be done on this version, but with today's digital technology there is no reason why it should not be restored.  It is just a question of money, and since TimeWarner is a corporate empire, I am confident they will get the job done.  They did with "Blade Runner" and "Superman", so...
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post #9 of 10
9/9/11 at 9:47pm
Have there been any rumors of a Blu-ray for this film?
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post #10 of 10
2/14/12 at 6:16pm
  • The DVD version sounds like they applied some dynamic range compression. The original 70 mm version had one of the most dynamic, best soundtracks to this day!
  • Ironically, one of the two VHS versions sounds less compressed, but has some dropouts, and other damage. If you have the stereo VHS-HiFi version and the DVD, you can compare the dynamics by running the sequence in Paris in which Cantinflas takes his leave of Niven to go greet his "cousin" and she slaps his face, because she is not his cousin. The music is much louder in proportion to the dialog on the VHS here (and nearly everywhere). In this, the VHS more nearly resembles the 70 mm version (of course, the color is much better on the DVD). The music for 80 Days, especially on the 70 mm soundtrack, was not background music -- it was foreground music, which helped give the movie its incredible bounce. The 6 channel stereo was incredible; it is possible that the movie was played "double system," with the sound channels on a separate piece of magnetic full coat 35 mm film in sync with the 70 mm image film, as was done in some theaters with the Todd-AO predecessor to 80 Days, Oklahoma!
  • People wonder what all the fuss was about 80 Days, why it was such a hit, and why it beat out so many other fine films in 1956 in every award ceremony. If it can be carefully restored and put on Blu-ray with full dynamics, they will find out! It was a joy, a romp, and was near hypnotic.
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