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Roadshows that need a bluray release

post #1 of 66
2/10/12 at 4:48pm
Thread Starter 
STAR- HELLO DOLLY- DOCTOR DOLITTLE - AGONY AND ECTASY
PAINT YOUR WAGON
FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
GOODBYE MR CHIPS
HAWAII
ICE STATION ZEBRA
RYANS DAUGHTER
SHOES OF THE FISHERMAN
MAGNIFICENT MEN IN FLYING MACHINES
OLIVER
FUNNY GIRL
SWEET CHARITY
SONG OF NORWAY
LION IN WINTER
MAN FOR ALL SEASONS
THE BLUE MAX
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD
IS PARIS BURNING?
NICOLAS AND ALEXANDRA
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post #2 of 66
2/10/12 at 4:58pm
Thread Starter 
KHARTOUM
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post #3 of 66
2/10/12 at 5:13pm
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS
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post #4 of 66
2/10/12 at 5:23pm
I second "Around the World in 80 Days". This is probably my third favorite film of all time.
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post #5 of 66
2/10/12 at 5:24pm
Let me add the most neglected and unfairly treated of the 70mm films: Porgy and Bess.
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post #6 of 66
2/10/12 at 5:32pm
I fear any of the majors doing Blu Rays of my favorites on this list in the near future since they are more clueless than ever as to what roadshows are or how they should be handled.

I propose doing a PSA video like Scorcese and Roger Ebert did for letterboxing.

I would begin by making a list of what movies have what roadshow elements and alert studios to stop leaving them out, (Scrooge) misplacing them (Cleopatra) mishandling them (West Side Story) and list a set of specs for how best to handle these films.

Example: Onscreen menu should function/look like a show scrim in a legit theatre because we may have guests over and want to just have the title logo art on the screen silently instead of noisy repetitive animated short video loops that use music or images we will see soon in the movie.

Roadshows should be authored with different play options: in addition to "play entire movie" add "Roadshow presentation" with "act one" "act two" options so the playback would stop at the intermission. Another option to play through the movie with at least enough of a pause after the intermission title to give the viewer a chance to stop play before the Entracte comes up.

Never throw up the words "Overture" "Entracte" "Exit Music" on screen, offer choice of black screen options or an image of curtains or something that looks like a show drop with the original ad art. it should be explained to studio folks that the Entracte is not the intermission, so they should stop putting the intermission title over the Entracte.

I'd like to see them add images of the souvenir book big enough to read on screen and an option to print one out as a PDF.
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post #7 of 66
2/10/12 at 5:55pm
Thread Starter 
LORD JIM
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post #8 of 66
2/10/12 at 5:59pm

Let's add -

 

The Alamo

Circus World

El Cid

The Hallelujah Trail

 

And I agree with NY2LA suggestions. 

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post #9 of 66
2/10/12 at 6:10pm
A few that come to mind that haven't been mentioned...

Cheyenne Autumn
Barabbas
Judgment at Nuremberg
The Big Fisherman
Exodus...R1
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post #10 of 66
2/10/12 at 6:29pm
Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm

Thoroughly Modern Millie

The Happiest Millionaire



Oh, and as much as possible, include photos of theatres that played the original roadshow engagements, so people could see how special these engagements were; always include the original presentation cues wherever available.

How about PDFs that could also be printed small enough to slip into booklet clips of case? Or big enough to be posters...
Edited by NY2LA - 2/10/12 at 6:43pm
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post #11 of 66
2/11/12 at 9:19am
The Great Race
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post #12 of 66
2/11/12 at 9:35am

DVR alert, till hopefuly it shows on Blu soon, but sunday TCM has the Restored Roadshow Version of Funny Girl at 8PM EST 

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post #13 of 66
2/11/12 at 10:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dana martin View Post

DVR alert, till hopefuly it shows on Blu soon, but sunday TCM has the Restored Roadshow Version of Funny Girl at 8PM EST 

I'll check that out when it turns up on Sony's HD channel or Hdnet Movies.
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post #14 of 66
2/11/12 at 11:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by NY2LA View Post

I fear any of the majors doing Blu Rays of my favorites on this list in the near future since they are more clueless than ever as to what roadshows are or how they should be handled.
I propose doing a PSA video like Scorcese and Roger Ebert did for letterboxing.
I would begin by making a list of what movies have what roadshow elements and alert studios to stop leaving them out, (Scrooge) misplacing them (Cleopatra) mishandling them (West Side Story) and list a set of specs for how best to handle these films.
Example: Onscreen menu should function/look like a show scrim in a legit theatre because we may have guests over and want to just have the title logo art on the screen silently instead of noisy repetitive animated short video loops that use music or images we will see soon in the movie.
Roadshows should be authored with different play options: in addition to "play entire movie" add "Roadshow presentation" with "act one" "act two" options so the playback would stop at the intermission. Another option to play through the movie with at least enough of a pause after the intermission title to give the viewer a chance to stop play before the Entracte comes up.
Never throw up the words "Overture" "Entracte" "Exit Music" on screen, offer choice of black screen options or an image of curtains or something that looks like a show drop with the original ad art. it should be explained to studio folks that the Entracte is not the intermission, so they should stop putting the intermission title over the Entracte.
I'd like to see them add images of the souvenir book big enough to read on screen and an option to print one out as a PDF.



I agree with you, though I don't mind the words "Overture" "Entracte" "Exit Music" on screen - at least when over a black field.

 

Most Roadshows are better than regular films in terms of presentation quality - mainly because they were shot in 70MM and had elaborate suround sound mixes.

 

Roadshows were also more expensive and most of the time that expense showns on the screen.

 

Last night I watched the new Blu-ray of "Shakespeare in Love" (A wonderful film by the way) it looked fantastic on blu - then I watched the 1962 "Mutiny on the Bounty"  - the quality of this 50 year old film looked just as good as "SiL" (1998) - mainly due to the fact it was a 70MM production (and being a period piece it didn't seem stuck in 1962 - the film could have been made last year - it looks that good)

 

Some Roadshow films will look incredible on Blu-ray:

Ryan's Daughter

Hello, Dolly

Cleopatra

Lawrence of Arabia

Those Maginificent Men in their Flying Machines

 

"Patton" (when issued with out excessive DNR)

 

"My Fair Lady" (When issued from the stored 70MM elements and not the 35MM DVD transfer slapped on to blu-ray as CBS issued last October)

 

 

Other Roadshows were 35MM blow-ups - they will also look good but not as good as the films listed above.  These include "Funny Girl" "Oliver"  "The Lion in Winter (which need a digital restoration to remove the white flecks and specs) "The Blue Max" "A Man For All Seasons"

 

These films should be handled the way Criterion handles their film - since they really are above average and many considered cinema classics in their own right

 

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post #15 of 66
2/11/12 at 11:48am
Thread Starter 
DOCTOR DOLITTLE will also look great with a TODD-AO transfer. Saw it in TODD-AO in Detroit at the United Artists theater and it looked almost 3-D.
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post #16 of 66
2/11/12 at 12:02pm

Best Roadshow releases on Blu-ray (from a Tech level, and not judging the artistic quality of the actual movie):

 

The Best Roadshow releases on Blu-ray to Date (Highly recommended)

Gone With the Wind (Warner Bros.)

The Ten Commandment (Paramount)

Bridge on the River Kwai (Sony)

South Pacific (Fox)

Ben Hur (Warner Bros.)

King of Kings (Warner Bros.)

Mutiny on the Bounty (Warner Bros.)

How the West Was Won (Warner Bros.)

The Sound of Music (Fox)

Doctor Zhivago (Warner Bros.

Battle of the Bugle (Warner Bros.)

The Bible (Fox)

The Sand Pebbles (Fox)

Grand Prix (Warner Bros.)

2001 a Space Odyssey (Warner Bros.)

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (MGM)

Fiddler on the Roof (MGM)

 

Not bad but could have been better - but still worth purchasing

MGM releases that come close but missed along the way (like missing overtures or transfer errors)

It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (MGM)

West Side Story (MGM)

 

 

 

The Worst Roadshow releases on Blu-ray to Date (Avoid at all costs)

My Fair Lady (Paramount/CBS) transfer/element problems

The Greatest Story Ever Told (MGM) DVD transfered to Blu-ray with no effort in quality
Patton (Fox) - DNR problems

The Longest Day (Fox) - DNR problems

Spartacus (Universal) - DNR/transfer (not as good as Criterion's DVD)

 

Note this is not a complete list


Edited by GMpasqua - 2/12/12 at 9:31am
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post #17 of 66
2/11/12 at 12:11pm

I would add Gone With the Wind to Best Roadshow Releases To Date.

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post #18 of 66
2/11/12 at 2:24pm
A few notes:

-- Was The Bridge on the River Kwai considered a roadshow (in the US at any rate)? I never heard that it was.
-- King of Kings was a road show and the Blu-ray is pretty good.
-- There are a few other titles not released in the US yet such as Cleopatra, El Cid (and other Bronston)

Otherwise, good list.
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post #19 of 66
2/11/12 at 2:44pm
SOLOMON AND SHEBA hasn't been mentioned. Picture quality looks great on the MGM HD channel.
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post #20 of 66
2/11/12 at 3:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rsmithjr View Post

A few notes:
-- Was The Bridge on the River Kwai considered a roadshow (in the US at any rate)? I never heard that it was.
-- King of Kings was a road show and the Blu-ray is pretty good.
-- There are a few other titles not released in the US yet such as Cleopatra, El Cid (and other Bronston)
Otherwise, good list.



I have "King of Kings" but wasn't impressed with the movie - found the film long and boring

The Blu-ray on the other hand is of excellent quality and I'll add it to the list

 

I believe "Bridge over the River Kwai" was a reserved seat attraction at least in New York

 

 

 


Edited by GMpasqua - 2/12/12 at 9:30am
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post #21 of 66
2/11/12 at 4:32pm
add 55 Days at Peking
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post #22 of 66
2/11/12 at 4:47pm
NOT IMPRESSED THAT MUCH WITH THESE:

Mutiny on the Bounty (Warner Bros.)
Battle of the BULGE (Warner Bros.)
Grand Prix (Warner Bros.)
2001 a Space Odyssey (Warner Bros.)

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (MGM)


KING OF KINGS imo is a perfect representation of what the movie once was which cannot be said for the other 5 that have various issues and for most of their runtimes are more problematic to me than especially IAMMMMW. Personally I would make it a point to avoid Bounty and Battle of the Bulge as they are really not that good by todays standards, Grand Prix, 2001 and CCBB are better although the first and last one look too clean and the middle one has too much ringing. Regarding what constitutes a good movie I will rather watch King of Kings again than Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Sound of Music or The Bible but that has nothing to do with how good these movies are on a technical level and ultimately comes down to personal taste.

For those who are looking into European Blu-Ray releases it should also be noted that Zulu, El Cid and Fall of the Roman Empire have issues in their Blu-Ray versions with all three being treated to too much of a not so good thing which in these cases probably means automated dustbusting tools applied too liberally. It should be noted that while with Zulu this is the main issue of the Blu-Ray that otherwise could look very nice the other two have other problems, and overall they should be avoided as much as Spartacus and Patton.
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post #23 of 66
2/11/12 at 5:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GMpasqua View Post




I have "King of Kings" but wasn't impressed - found the film long and boring

I believe "Bridge over the River Kwai" was a reserved seat attraction at least in New York



Bridge on the River Kwai played Roadshow at the Palace Theatre in NYC.
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post #24 of 66
2/11/12 at 8:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul Rossen View Post


Bridge on the River Kwai played Roadshow at the Palace Theatre in NYC.


Then was followed by ROOTS OF HEAVEN in the only US Roadshow engagement for two weeks before it changed to continues performance due to poor business. smile.gif

 

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post #25 of 66
2/12/12 at 9:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by rsmithjr View Post

A few notes:
-- Was The Bridge on the River Kwai considered a roadshow (in the US at any rate)? I never heard that it was.
-- King of Kings was a road show and the Blu-ray is pretty good.
-- There are a few other titles not released in the US yet such as Cleopatra, El Cid (and other Bronston)
Otherwise, good list.


Roadshow rumors for 2012 include:

 

Lawrence of Arabia (Europe in June)

Cleopatra (UK /France/Japan currently available)

Oklahoma (UK Fall)

Doctor Dolittle  (Available in Germany - though reviews have indicated it is not a quality transfer and drained of color)

 

 

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post #26 of 66
2/12/12 at 10:01am
Don't forget the winner of this year's HTF most requested title: RAINTREE COUNTY!
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post #27 of 66
2/12/12 at 1:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew Budgell View Post

Don't forget the winner of this year's HTF most requested title: RAINTREE COUNTY!

While certainly produced with the intentions of being a roadshow. Did Raintree County ever play roadshow? Was it ever presented in 65mm?
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post #28 of 66
2/13/12 at 8:01am



 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul Rossen View Post


While certainly produced with the intentions of being a roadshow. Did Raintree County ever play roadshow? Was it ever presented in 65mm?


It was not presented in 70mm and the story is that all the 70mm theatres were running Around The World In 80 Days at the time of Raintree's release.  Whether that was the true story or not is up for debate.  The major cities still ran it as a Roadshow with overture and intermission, but in 35mm.  This was not unusual during that time for 70mm theatres were not numerous for they were only equipped in 1955 for Oklahoma in TODD-AO.  As an example Bridge on the River Kwai played The Palace in NYC as a Roadshow engagement in late 1957 in 35mm.

 

http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/widescreen/wingup2.htm

 

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post #29 of 66
2/13/12 at 10:08am

It appears "Raintree County" opened in Los Angeles as a reserved seat engagement in Sept 1957, it opened wide in LA on Jan 22 1958

An article the LA times mentions the film was cut between it's opening in Sept and December 1957

 

In New York it opened  December 20th but at two theaters - with continuous performances.

I do not know if this film opened a reserve seat engagement anywhere else.

see ads below:

htf raintree.jpg

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post #30 of 66
2/13/12 at 11:37am
Wasn't The Sand Pebbles a Roadshow feature? The regular cinema version is on the Blu-ray disc whilst the Collector's Edition DVD includes the Roadshow version as a second disc.
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