Where's Robert Harris When You Need Him?

 Err, probably because he is busy restoring films that we will then get to drool over when they are released on Blu-ray.

When I saw King of Kings on TCM a few years back, I compared it to the dvd. TCM presented it in a 2.20 ratio and there was fair amount more on top/bottom and a lot less on the sides. I wonder what elements were used for the blu-ray? It looks spectacular, but I'm just wondering about the ratio.

I am pretty sure he would give both the Bible and King of Kings a recommended or highly recommended and TGSET a resounding FAIL of more or less Spartacus proportions. 

I have seen two reviews for TGSET that give it 3/5 which would indicate it is still passable but from what I can see they used the old HD master that I have had the displeasure to check out recently and even factoring in that it might look a tad better on Blu-Ray because of the higher bitrate and less compression the more appropriate rating for TGSET would be around 2 out of 5 if we want to stay within the context of a score system.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor Echo 

Not even just a few words about KING OF KINGS, THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD or THE BIBLE?

 

Why has he forsaken us?

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by eric scott richard 

When I saw King of Kings on TCM a few years back, I compared it to the dvd. TCM presented it in a 2.20 ratio and there was fair amount more on top/bottom and a lot less on the sides. I wonder what elements were used for the blu-ray? It looks spectacular, but I'm just wondering about the ratio.

King of Kings is 2.35:1 as with the old dvd. Technirama's unique 8-perf neg ratio allows both aspect ratios to be considered correct.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor Echo 

Why has he forsaken us?

 

He hasn't, but RAH has indeed been working on a few projects and is only now starting to catch up on a backlog of viewing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OliverK 

I am pretty sure he would give both the Bible and King of Kings a recommended or highly recommended and TGSET a resounding FAIL of more or less Spartacus proportions. 

 

I have seen two reviews for TGSET that give it 3/5 which would indicate it is still passable but from what I can see they used the old HD master that I have had the displeasure to check out recently and even factoring in that it might look a tad better on Blu-Ray because of the higher bitrate and less compression the more appropriate rating for TGSET would be around 2 out of 5 if we want to stay within the context of a score system.

 

 

 

With all due respect to RAH, those of us that have viewed the King of Kings blu-ray, really don't need RAH to confirm what an excellent presentation it is.  Furthermore, those that haven't viewed the BRD can read the many positive reviews across the internet about it from reviewers and non-reviewers.  The opposite can be said about The Greatest Story Ever Told BRD.

Crawdaddy

Very true Robert, I was just answering to the original post of Professor Echo.

The feedback for KoK is very positive everywhere even where it isn't at other times. The screencaps look nice, too and everybody seems to be happy. Now don't get me started about TGSET though....
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford 

With all due respect to RAH, those of us that have viewed the King of Kings blu-ray, really don't need RAH to confirm what an excellent presentation it is.  Furthermore, those that haven't viewed the BRD can read the many positive reviews across the internet about it from reviewers and non-reviewers.  The opposite can be said about The Greatest Story Ever Told BRD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crawdaddy

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by OliverK 

Very true Robert, I was just answering to the original post of Professor Echo.

 

The feedback for KoK is very positive everywhere even where it isn't at other times. The screencaps look nice, too and everybody seems to be happy. Now don't get me started about TGSET though....
 

 

 

Oliver, my post with your quote wasn't a direct reply to what you stated, but just my opinion regarding this thread and the need for RAH's input regarding those BR releases.

Crawdaddy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor Echo 

With all due respect to other reviews by critics/consumers, most of which I do reference and consider, I still appreciate and invest in Robert Harris' expertise for titles of this caliber and specifically from this era.

It's not necessarily as a buying guide, but as intellectual curiosity. As I previously posted, I may not always concur with his critical judgments, but his extensive technical knowledge of film history is both learned and comprehensive. Seeking his professional investigations and examinations toward same should not indicate any lack of research or confidence in other sources.

Yet, I don't want him to feel obligated to comment on every Blu-ray release that a HTF member is wondering about because his valuable time is compromised by the great work he does for a living.

Crawdaddy

Just to chime in.  I've had a chance to spot check King of Kings, and it looks precisely as it should.  This is a project that should have been a simple image harvest toward the creation of an HD master.  Beautiful disc.

I have not yet seen either GSET or Bible.

What is it with religion and April?

RAH

April? I think it might have something to do with Easter; just a guess. Personally, I just want to see Jeff Hunter in the role once again. Saw it when I was about 11, and have never forgotten the impact it made. I was actually disappointed that Mel's Mighty Masochistic Epic lacked the political dimension of KOK. 

In marketing terms, I think the studios are aiming not so much at collectors or even nostalgia buffs, but at buyers in non-big-city areas, who are going to be less discriminating, or so it is felt, in terms of picture and audio quality. I believe they're wrong. Every time I travel up country I see dozens of remote ranches and farms, each with its cluster of satellite dishes, and I'd be willing to bet quite a few of those folks are watching HD. I believe quality sells, and that even someone living in the country with only a few BR discs will be able to spot the difference in quality. 

i whole heartly agree, the job done by the reviewers are outstanding, and as for Robert, well there is an insight there that isnt availabe everywhere else. as stated in another post, his references to the film, and the way it was filmed, filtered presented and the current presentation is always a great read. its like listening to rudy belmer, just so much great info.

as for the rest, everyone on here has my respect, i have made many wise choices by what i have read from the reviews on this site.

and lastly April and religous films, well the tie in is good friday-easter and passover, and people are drawn in at that time, its less comercial than christmas.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor Echo 

Well, let me just diplomatically say that my guess is everyone, both invited guest reviewers of HTF and the rest of us who post and read, all consider their time to be valuable and perhaps too that our respective professions and pursuits are as equally invaluable as those of Robert Harris.

My request was simple and polite and intentionally humorous and certainly did not impose any obligation on anyone. This thread could just as easily faded away without any input of any kind from Robert Harris or anyone. I am grateful that he did choose to respond at least in part and gave us a mini-review for one of the titles I asked about. Thank you.

Yet, the rest of us don't have a thread started with our name in it despite it being intentionally humorous.  Anyhow, I made my point and RAH gave us his thoughts on the title he viewed.

Crawdaddy
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Harris 

Just to chime in.  I've had a chance to spot check King of Kings, and it looks precisely as it should.  This is a project that should have been a simple image harvest toward the creation of an HD master.  Beautiful disc.

 

I have not yet seen either GSET or Bible.

 

What is it with religion and April?

 

RAH

I think RAH was joking with that question.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor Echo 

Well, let me just diplomatically say that my guess is everyone, both invited guest reviewers of HTF and the rest of us who post and read, all consider their time to be valuable and perhaps too that our respective professions and pursuits are as equally invaluable as those of Robert Harris.

My request was simple and polite and intentionally humorous and certainly did not impose any obligation on anyone. This thread could just as easily faded away without any input of any kind from Robert Harris or anyone. I am grateful that he did choose to respond at least in part and gave us a mini-review for one of the titles I asked about. Thank you.

My pleasure.  I've been re-working my projection system, and finally was able to have it tuned today.  There are wonderful reviewers on HTF and elsewhere, who can generally act as guides toward quality.  ISF, Kevin Miller, who is one of a very few people that I trust with my gear, spent a number of hours today, getting things into shape.  The trick is finding the ISF member in your community that really knows their stuff.  I've been fortunate over the years to have worked with both Joe Kane and Kevin, and am probably spoiled that I receive precisely what I request.  Hopefully, once I get my hands on a copy, I can reference The Bible.

One of the unfortunate things about biblical or religious based films, is that they generally aren't very good.  Ben-Hur is the winner, along with Spartacus.  King of Kings is a pretty film, but not a great one.  Greatest Story Every Told is problematic, and one of the most uneven is Exodus.  More modern, and following the birth of the State of Israel, it's form involves a multitude of acting styles, some bad dialogue, and oft-problematic direction.  Which leaves us with the consummate classic kitsch of The Ten Commandments, which has its own peculiar charm.

At least problematic religious films play no favorites.  All religions are treated equally.

RAH

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford 

I think RAH was joking with that question.

 

Thank you!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor Echo 

It's a great read. I'm sure you will find it to be of interest.

I've heard it's more than 528 pages.  My current limit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor Echo 

It's a great read. I'm sure you will find it to be of interest.

They made a novelization of that movie??

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Harris 

My pleasure.  I've been re-working my projection system, and finally was able to have it tuned today.  There are wonderful reviewers on HTF and elsewhere, who can generally act as guides toward quality.  ISF, Kevin Miller, who is one of a very few people that I trust with my gear, spent a number of hours today, getting things into shape.  The trick is finding the ISF member in your community that really knows their stuff.  I've been fortunate over the years to have worked with both Joe Kane and Kevin, and am probably spoiled that I receive precisely what I request.  Hopefully, once I get my hands on a copy, I can reference The Bible.

 

One of the unfortunate things about biblical or religious based films, is that they generally aren't very good.  Ben-Hur is the winner, along with Spartacus.  King of Kings is a pretty film, but not a great one.  Greatest Story Every Told is problematic, and one of the most uneven is Exodus.  More modern, and following the birth of the State of Israel, it's form involves a multitude of acting styles, some bad dialogue, and oft-problematic direction.  Which leaves us with the consummate classic kitsch of The Ten Commandments, which has its own peculiar charm.

 

At least problematic religious films play no favorites.  All religions are treated equally.

 

RAH

 

"The trick is finding the ISF member in your community that really knows their stuff".

Truer words were never spoken, Robert. The first calibration I ever had done (ca. 1995, on a tube set) by an ISF-trained technician was a beaut. That guy quit to concentrate on another business so I didn't have anything done with subsequent sets until I got into Hi-Def and bought a 50" Panasonic Pro job that looked fabulous out of the box. The old nagging feeling that it might look even better got the better of me so I emailed Joe Kane to recommend someone from my area. I was always under the impression that calibration was not a subjective thing, but while the movie he used looked terrific after he was done, every other BR I loaded up afterwards looked hotter (color, contrast and the rest) than what you see at your local Walmart. It was extraordinary the amount of dialling back I had to do to get it to look natural. The only explanation I could come up with was that the set required minimal, if any, adustment (he did more talking than tweaking!) so he had to give it that 'wow' factor the big-box stores use to compensate for a billion watts of neon.
 

The Greatest Story Ever Told should be renamed The Greatest Bore...... It's amazing to think that George Stevens helmed this turkey. More shocking is that the awful scene with Jose Ferrer, who comes across as stiff and amateurish, was directed by your friend, the great master himself, David Lean, one of several asked by Stevens to help out on a very troubled production. Lean was in Los Angeles at the time for the premiere of a little desert movie he had made, in which the same Ferrer is sublime. I've never been able to sit through more than twenty minutes of TGSET (and that was ages ago) but I can only presume that the script was the culprit. If I can work up the courage, I might take another crack at it. Not even a Stevens or Lean can make the proverbial silk purse out of a sow'sear!

The Ten Commandments is kitsch, but of the most sublime kind (thanks for the great review!) It's another of my obsessions which I own every iteration of, including the current box set. I still have the souvenir book (a masterpiece in itself that utilized paintings of scenes instead of mere photos) from when (gasp!) it was premiered at the Ambassador in Dublin. I can still see myself walking away from the box office clutching the huge, specially printed ticket in its matching envelope, the first time, as far as I'm aware, that advance bookings were taken for a movie in Ireland. 

I agree with your opinion of Exodus. Uneven isn't the word! It's by no means unwatchable, but Newman's attempt at a British accent marks a low point.

I don't see SPARTACUS or EXODUS as Biblical or religious films, but they are a cut above most of the rest mentioned.

Who was it who once described George Stevens as "the water buffalo of film art."  

“God is unlucky in The Greatest Story Ever Told. His only begotten son turns out to be a bore... George Stevens' direction is plodding and repetitious: whenever he has what he thinks is a fine shot, he is sure to repeat it several times; his groupings are studiedly picturesque, and a sequence like Christ's temptation in the wilderness is ludicrous throughout. Or take the scene in which the evils of everyday life are depicted in newsreel style with grainy photography, absurd in cinerama and color. Here a robbery, there a rape, yonder a murder - all taking place side by side along the main street, for Christ to look at, suffer and do nothing about. It is sheer nonsense. As for pacing, the picture does not let you forget a single one of its four hours for a moment." (John Simon)

"A big, windy bore." (Bruce Williamson, Playboy)

And I agree (though I can't remember "newsreel style grainy photography") but I still bought the DVD as soon as it was released. :)

Not sure I'll bother with the Blu-ray though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdrianTurner 

Who was it who once described George Stevens as "the water buffalo of film art."  

Apparently Manny Farber (though I'm sure your question was rhetorical) in his 1971 book of essays, 'Negative Space'. Other 'water buffaloes' included Billy Wilder, Vittorio De Sica and Georges Clouzot, all of whom he compare unfavourably with the 'actioneers' Raoul Walsh, William Welllman, Anthony Mann and John Farrow. As the old sawhorse goes, 'One man's poison...', because my tastes lie more with the work of the 'buffaloes' than the latter group.

I needn't remind as brilliant a writer as yourself that the pen is mightier than the sword - especially when the wielder is as acerbic and influential as Farber apparently was - but sites like Rotten Tomatoes or shows that have more than one critic/reviewer remind us how subjective opinion is. Bosley Crowther hated Lawrence of Arabia with a passion but considered Battleground a masterpiece, yet he reigned supreme at the mighty N.Y. Times and some fools considered his word gospel. If I had editorial control over 'critics' I'd force them to start their critiques with the words, 'In my opinion.....' or even, in the case of Crowther, preface 'opinion' with 'humble'......

On the other hand, some critics are capable of zingers that I'd kill to have written. My favorite is the one (can't remember who it was) who said of 'The Agony and the Ecstasy': 'More Agony than Ecstasy'. Of course, some titles just beg for trouble.

Thanks for that Marsnkc.  I had a hunch it was Farber and I'd pretty much agree with those rankings except, of course, for Mr Wilder's inclusion in the herd of buffalos.  But about Mr Stevens's Greatest Story Ever Told.  I have seen it many times - including some showings in its original Cinerama version - and it's an easy target for ridicule, what with those appalling cameos from, inter alia, Shelley Winters ("I'm cured!") and John Wayne ("Truly this man was the son of Gard.").  I remember a hilarious and undoubtedly blasphemous hatchet job written by the late, great Ray Durgnat in Films and Filming in which he summaries Jesus's ability to cure people - "Of course, I only cure people with psychosomatic diseases."  Yet Von Sydow is truly impressive in the role and there's a Renaissance-style, painterly quality to the picture that has its own integrity.  My favourite description of the picture, though, comes from Derek Elley's seminal book The Epic Film in which the picture is described as "Brucknerian."  And that makes perfect sense.