A Few Words About A few words about...™ The Big Country -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford
RAH,

By the way, during the opening credit sequence for The Big Country with the stagecoach and specifically with the sepia shots involving the wheels from the stagecoach. The BRD has it more blSUBMITack and white than the copper-like look from some previous viewings I've witnessed over the years. Do you know which is the correct look for that sequence?

That Main Title sequence was created by the great Saul Bass.

Over half a century later, his work shines.

RAH

 

[Robert Crawford]

Originally Posted by Robert Harris
Quote:
That Main Title sequence was created by the great Saul Bass.

Over half a century later, his work shines.

RAH

So I take it your happy with that sequence despite the lack of the copper color in it?





Crawdaddy

 

[Robert Harris]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Crawford
So I take it your happy with that sequence despite the lack of the copper color in it?

Crawdaddy

I have great faith in the work done by the Academy Archive. What occurred after they created their dupe, I have no idea, and I don't know the specifics of the film well enough to comment.

I'd be going for an original print as reference.

RAH

 

[ScottHM]

Originally Posted by Robert Harris
How does it look on Walmart Blu-ray?

Generally, gorgeous.

I agree. Overall the picture looks very good to me, but there seem to be several scenes where the background pulsates, almost as if its breathing. This is particularly noticable beginning at about the 1:07:00 mark. Is this something in the original film, or some kind of artifact of the Blu-ray?

---------------

 

[Robert Harris]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottHM
I agree. Overall the picture looks very good to me, but there seem to be several scenes where the background pulsates, almost as if its breathing. This is particularly noticable beginning at about the 1:07:00 mark. Is this something in the original film, or some kind of artifact of the Blu-ray?

---------------

Processing defect in the separation masters.

 

[Doug Wallen]

Thanks to all the comments about this movie, I asked for this as a Father's Day gift. Just finished the film and I can only say WOW. This was a blind buy (gift) as I have never seen this movie. I was amazed at the story. I did not realize how fast three hours would fly by.

Thanks again to everyone who recommended this film. What an enjoyable western.

Doug

 

[Ed Lachmann]

Just sat through this wonderful blu-ray last night. I purchased it from the Walmart online store some weeks ago, but did see it at a Portland store last week. Totally agree with all the positive comments. It is a very complex and thoughtful tale with so much said in glances. What a cast; Peck, Heston, Baker, Simmons, Ives and Conners! The crispness of the vivid images puts you right into the story. This is exactly why these wide-screen colorful epics should all eventually be available in blu-ray. They were meant to be seen this way and are such a HUGE improvement over the standard DVD releases. The recent MGM blu's have been really nice in my estimation (the Aussie release of "Taras Bulba" is truly gorgeous). This certainly makes me pine for "Solomon and Sheba", "Kings of the Sun", "Alexander the Great" and "Khartoum". And, as a Wyler fan, I would love a blu of "Friendly Persuasion" from Warners someday, too. But, can't complain, as it's been a great year so far for classic film lovers. And, "The Egyptian" ships in a couple of weeks!

 

[Robert Harris]

With Walmart having now licensed more studio titles, the question begs to be asked...

Is there any reason that the public should be paying more than $10 for a bare bones Blu-ray?

RAH

 

[dana martin]

Robert,

That is a great question, but it goes well beyond that, for all the venom that is spewed about Walmart, the price is a driving force, not just the MGM/Fox titles, the recent Taxi Driver at $13, not exactly bare bones and that is the same price as Amazon. Some Like it Hot not quite bare bones was released at $10 there as well.

I personally think this is a good thing if it is a solid transfer, and gets great classic titles out to the public. As time has changes and buying habits along with it, I have complained as much as others sometimes that I won’t buy a title if the price is too high, I will wait for it to come down to what I think is fair value.

The odd part is thinking 5 ½ months from now, as the big box stores will heavily discount a lot of this years titles, starting black Friday, I can see these $10 titles going the $5-$6 early morning sale.

This is the world we live in, I missed out on laser, but I don’t want to remember how much I paid for my first videotape, back when there was a delay between rental and sale.

 

[Joe Caps]

Has MGG found the missing stereo prints for this film.

In the past thirty years I have been at TWO private showings of collectors prints.

Both wer three channels, behind the screen with no surrounds.
Both were strictly mag stereo, NOT mag-optiacls with a wide ration of 2:55 to 1

 

[jaaguir]

I guess this is a silly question but can't help being curious about it, and maybe someone can explain:

I've seen some screencaps of this blu-ray, and I readily noticed how actor's heads (and obviously everything else, but it's just so noticeable with faces) were deformed (horizontally stretched out), even in medium shots, not just close-ups. I thought this was a Cinemascope problem, and since this is a Technirama production, what's the problem? Maybe anamorhpic lenses didn't get better until much later?

Thanks

 

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by jaaguir
I guess this is a silly question but can't help being curious about it, and maybe someone can explain:

I've seen some screencaps of this blu-ray, and I readily noticed how actor's heads (and obviously everything else, but it's just so noticeable with faces) were deformed (horizontally stretched out), even in medium shots, not just close-ups. I thought this was a Cinemascope problem, and since this is a Technirama production, what's the problem? Maybe anamorhpic lenses didn't get better until much later?

Thanks

Link, please.

 

[TonyD]

Lucky day today. I was in a walmart off the beaten path today and they actually had a couple copies on the shelf. Very bottom and I didn't notice it the first pass by.
No Quigleys though.

 

[Dave Blair]

I first saw The Big Country on a small B&W TV when I was an adolescent. All of the psychological underpinnings and motivations blew right past me. I did, however, love the score and listened to the main theme on a compilation LP I purchased (one of the few LPs I owned).
I was amazed at what I saw on my 65 inch plasma and immediately wanted a larger screen.
IMDB notes that much of the film was shot in Marysville, Ca. I lives near there and was amazed how the areas look translated on the screen.
As an older adult I found the film to be wonderful. I was transfixed at certain points. Great.
I noted some color shifts and a strange banding during a night scene, that said, I thought it fantastic. I haven't been so excited about a film in some time.
I think there are many film fans like myself who find much more pleasure in owning a first class edition of a film classic than in a pristine copy of a recent movie.
Thanks for your review, Robert.

 

[Doug Wallen]

Originally Posted by Dave Blair
I think there are many film fans like myself who find much more pleasure in owning a first class edition of a film classic than in a pristine copy of a recent movie.
Thanks for your review, Robert.

A big AMEN brother.

Doug

 

[Ed Lachmann]

A first class edition is also a key selling point for me, as well. It is, I suppose, why I look forward to a Criterion release with its book full of thoughtful essays and information about a beloved film. It's also why I jumped on the Twilight Time blu-ray of "The Egyptian", ordering two. You know that it will have some wonderful literature included. I have the fantastic La-La Land release of the score for "The Big Country" which includes a 20 page booklet all about the film and its history. It added much to my appreciation of the film after seeing it in its 1080p glory.

 

[Phoebus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Harris
Link, please.

I'd presume that this refers to the screenshots in the blu-ray.com review.

The stretched appearance may well be due to some manual lowering of the resolution to fit on the page.

 

[FoxyMulder]

No Walmart here in Scotland, although they do own Asda.

I Iwant the movie though, one of my favourites, does Walmart import to the UK. ?

 

[FoxyMulder]

Originally Posted by Robert Harris
Link, please.

Heres a link. I'm not seeing the issue myself but maybe your eyes are better.

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Big-Country-Blu-ray/21691/#Screenshots

 

[John Hodson]

Originally Posted by FoxyMulder
No Walmart here in Scotland, although they do own Asda.

I Iwant the movie though, one of my favourites, does Walmart import to the UK. ?

No, only to US Military Personnel overseas - I've tried the US Navy (Submarine Corps) without success. However, my papers are in for the Marines; I know all the words to 'From The Halls of Montezuma...", so I should be a shoo in...

Failing that, there is a German edition up for grabs at Amazon.de