A Few Words About A few words about...™ Gentlemen Prefer Blondes -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

Modified 8/5/12

Howard Hawks' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), was one of the last of its kind. Especially for Fox.

Three-strip Technicolor, 1.37, monaural.

As a Marilyn Monroe film, it was only her fourth with star billing, although home video packaging might have you believe otherwise, especially when it comes to earlier titles.

As a Blu-ray, I'm not quite certain what to make of it.

Color looks correct, with rich blacks, and the normal Tech look for the era. Grain is virtually unseen. And the grain that is on screen is abnormal, some of it hanging in backgrounds, immobile. The image was harvested from the original Technicolor safety negatives, but I'm trying to figure out what then occurred.

I'm afraid that this is another of those titles that will look fine up to around 60 inches or so. But the grain structure, for those who have an interest in such things, and how it looks on screen, may not come into play until one gets a third or more larger.

Image - 3.5

Audio - 4

RAH

 

[JohnS]

Thank-you Robert for your input.
It seems that there are a lot of others who share your opinion that this doesn't really look like film.
I still want this movie though, the whole set actually.
I guess we won't see a better version, a version where the three-strip look of cinema is intact?

 

[Powell&Pressburger]

Yeah I felt like this wasn't exactly Singin' in the Rain Technicolor from WB... I still have my DVD copy which makes the gals dressing room in the start of the film look tinged yellowish/green at times. While the BLU seems more white so there is improvement just wish it were a flawless transfer. my largest screen is a 50" plasma so it will seem tighter than those with larger screens and projectors. Sorry to hear it didn't rate higher.

I know many were hoping for Niagara on BLU but that film to me on DVD looked like it needed a LOT of work. You could tell the film layers were degraded a lot of hallowing on specific scenes. Will be interesting to see it on BLU hopefully for a second round of Marilyn flicks. I have a feeling NIAGARA would cost some money to fix.

 

[Doug Bull]

There is a short snippet from NIAGARA in a documentary on the Seven Year Itch disc.
It looks gorgeous (pure IB Technicolor) now if only they can get it to look like that in any future release.
I am also disappointed at the PQ of "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes"
It looks more like Video than Film.

 

[haineshisway]

I'm beginning to think that those of us who have displays under sixty-five inches are at a decided advantage - because on mine this looks pretty terrific, with really good color. Go know.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by haineshisway /t/322803/a-few-words-about-gentlemen-prefer-blondes-in-blu-ray#post_3958341
I'm beginning to think that those of us who have displays under sixty-five inches are at a decided advantage - because on mine this looks pretty terrific, with really good color. Go know.

We are and those ignorant of these issues are happy in bliss.





Crawdaddy

 

[Robin9]

I'm beginning to think that those of us who have displays under sixty-five inches are at a decided advantage - because on mine this looks pretty terrific, with really good color. Go know.

I have many, many discs - both SD and HD - which look really good on my 50" plasma but which don't look good when projected onto a 10' wide screen.

 

[Douglas R]

I'm beginning to think that those of us who have displays under sixty-five inches are at a decided advantage - because on mine this looks pretty terrific, with really good color. Go know.

I have an even greater advantage because on my 47" screen (which all my friends and acquaintances think is HUGE - I don't think we really do big in Europe) absolutely every BD looks great . The disadvantage is that they sometimes don't look vastly better than the DVD .

 

[Lidenbrock]

I see the same DNR on my 120" screen and my 24" monitor.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Lidenbrock /t/322803/a-few-words-about-gentlemen-prefer-blondes-in-blu-ray#post_3958383
I see the same DNR on my 120" screen and my 24" monitor.

Sharp eyes!

 

[Lidenbrock]

Sharp eyes!

Sharp eyes? Watching a video at a distance of 18 inches from a 24” computer monitor? A monitor which I usually use to edit images ( light DNR among other filters) in Photoshop? If I didn’t see the DNR, then using monitors for photo-editing would be worthless, and then I´d have to connect the computer to the projector every time I use PS.

 

[TravisR]

I have an even greater advantage because on my 47" screen (which all my friends and acquaintances think is HUGE - I don't think we really do big in Europe)

Be it the U.S. or Europe, the only place that you'll find people who don't think a 47 inch TV is huge is boards like this.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Be it the U.S. or Europe, the only place that you'll find people who don't think a 47 inch TV is huge is boards like this.

Too funny...but, also, too true.

I recently let slip that I'll be upgrading my monitor later this year from my current 32" display to something more along the lines of 50" and was immediately told by a couple of members here that it still wasn't big enough--I HAD to go into the 60" range! And that's with them not knowing ANYTHING about the size of my room seating, etc.

A funny place, this HTF.

 

[Chuck Pennington]

As a Blu-ray, I'm not quite certain what to make of it.
Color is very good, but not spectacular.  Grain is virtually unseen.  I'm actually shocked that it doesn't look better.  Not terrible by any means, and a welcome addition to any Monroe collection, but that three-strip look of cinema is all but missing.
Image - 2.5

I'm glad to hear your opinion that something is off, Robert. I knew I would get a lot of negative posts after I questioned what I was seeing, so I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels something went awry.
Are you listening, Bruce?

 

[haineshisway]

I'm glad to hear your opinion that something is off, Robert. I knew I would get a lot of negative posts after I questioned what I was seeing, so I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels something went awry.
Are you listening, Bruce?

Apparently more than you. Scroll up and you'll see my response - then think twice before you post. And stop making this personal, Chuck, really. Really. As I just said in the other thread, Chuck, Mr. Harris who I consider a friend and a great guy, well, sometimes we disagree, Chuck. This is one of those times, Chuck. It happens, Chuck. Sometimes we agree completely, Chuck. I don't feel the need to personally attack him when we disagree because I understand the concept of opinions and having the freedom to state them in an even-handed manner. You, on the other hand, in the other tread, went on the attack. Had Mr. Harris posted the opposite opinion to yours here, what would you be posting right now? Funny how that works, isn't it, Chuck? Are you listening, Chuck?

 

[Robert Harris]

Apparently more than you. Scroll up and you'll see my response - then think twice before you post. And stop making this personal, Chuck, really. Really. As I just said in the other thread, Chuck, Mr. Harris who I consider a friend and a great guy, well, sometimes we disagree, Chuck. This is one of those times, Chuck. It happens, Chuck. Sometimes we agree completely, Chuck. I don't feel the need to personally attack him when we disagree because I understand the concept of opinions and having the freedom to state them in an even-handed manner. You, on the other hand, in the other tread, went on the attack. Had Mr. Harris posted the opposite opinion to yours here, what would you be posting right now? Funny how that works, isn't it, Chuck? Are you listening, Chuck?

We actually agree, to occasionally disagree. I was very much on the fence on the GPB rating. It may come up a bit, but I've asked for some background, and need to re-visit. This is a film that I believe Mr. Kimmel knows far better than I.
RAH

 

[DavidJ]

Too funny...but, also, too true.
I recently let slip that I'll be upgrading my monitor later this year from my current 32" display to something more along the lines of 50" and was immediately told by a couple of members here that it still wasn't big enough--I HAD to go into the 60" range!  And that's with them not knowing ANYTHING about the size of my room seating, etc. 
A funny place, this HTF. 

Hey now Mike, that's not exactly how I put it. I did after all say taking into account budget, view distance (a function of the room), etc.
Besides, you've cost me a lot of money with your round-ups. I'm just trying to return the favor.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Originally Posted by DavidJ /t/322803/a-few-words-about-gentlemen-prefer-blondes-in-blu-ray#post_3958667
Hey now Mike, that's not exactly how I put it. I did after all say taking into account budget, view distance (a function of the room), etc.
Besides, you've cost me a lot of money with your round-ups. I'm just trying to return the favor.

No worries, David! I was just a bit amused thinking that 50" was going to be such a big upgrade for me (and it might just be 47--who knows?)...but then when you guys started to talk up even bigger sets...

I'm looking forward to getting even more input from everyone as I get closer to an actual purchase.

 

[RKR1970]

 The image was harvested from the original Technicolor safety negatives, but I'm trying to figure out what then occurred.

What occurred was a restoration performed at Lowry Digital.

 

[Robin9]

I'm looking forward to getting even more input from everyone as I get closer to an actual purchase. 

My input is quite simply this: Once you've graduated to a large display unit, there's no going back. You quickly become used to the bigger screen and pretty soon start to wonder how you ever tolerated your previous smaller screen. After a while you ask yourself if an even bigger screen would be better . . . . and surely it wouldn't take up too much room and quite definitely the inconvenience would be very minor and after all it would be a good long term investment and of course . . . .