A Few Words About A few words about...™ Vertigo -- in Blu-ray (2 Viewers)

[Richard--W]

Now, with digital technology, and via a process that we proved could work, and perfected over a five year period, anything can be done, with the requisite elements, to bring a film back to the way that it appeared on day one.

Is this the same process you referred to regarding The Searchers?
Would you explicate this process for us?
How does it work, what does it work with, what does it do, and is it photochemical or a software?
Does this process have a name? a trademark?

 

[Mikey1969]

Thanks Robert for your comments, and especially your efforts to preserve this masterpiece for the ages. It may not be the blu-ray that some have been hoping for, but it could have been much worse. With home media drying up, I worry that studios will be less inclined to invest in preserving their older films and offering them on blu-ray. I was on the fence about getting this set but think I will pick it up now based on what I've heard so far.

 

[WilliamMcK]

I believe it has been stated many times that the original mono track is on the US set.

That's been the supposition, I've yet to hear it 100% confirmed. I'd also like to know what the condition of the mono track is.

 

[JoeDoakes]

Mr. Harris:
1. Did Universal know that Vertigo would be voted the greatest film of all time when they were making their financial decisions about this?
2. I was concerned about what you said regarding the elements evolving not in a good way. Have sufficient asset protection steps been taken that, when technology improves and costs fall, we might see a "perfect" Vertigo at some point in the future? Is it even possible to fully protect film elements from further deterioration without fully restoring the film?
Thanks

 

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by JoeDoakes /t/324701/a-few-words-about-vertigo-in-blu-ray#post_3993162
Mr. Harris:
1. Did Universal know that Vertigo would be voted the greatest film of all time when they were making their financial decisions about this?
2. I was concerned about what you said regarding the elements evolving not in a good way. Have sufficient asset protection steps been taken that, when technology improves and costs fall, we might see a "perfect" Vertigo at some point in the future? Is it even possible to fully protect film elements from further deterioration without fully restoring the film?
Thanks

1. I cannot see how they could have known.

2. The film would need to be properly restored asap in order to protect it, as should have been done in this case. Imho, the work performed toward this Blu-ray, although done with the best of intentions, is wasted without doing things properly toward full asset protection, at this time.

Anything less is simply a gamble that acetate doesn't turn to vinegar on the current watch.

RAH

 

[JoeDoakes]

That's disconcerting. Hopefully, the publicity from the critics' vote will prompt Universal to put more resources into it and maybe rerelease Vertigo on blu it as a super special edition. BTW: are you going to give your views of the Rear Window blu? It's my favorite Hitchcock film anyway.

 

[haineshisway]

That's been the supposition, I've yet to hear it 100% confirmed. I'd also like to know what the condition of the mono track is.

I believe it was on the release announcement and I don't think it's a supposition at all.

 

[JoeDoakes]

I couldn't edit my post. I just saw that you commented on Rear Window today. Thanks

 

[WilliamMcK]

I believe it was on the release announcement and I don't think it's a supposition at all.

As it was for the Legacy DVD... but what we got was a 2.0 mix down of the 5.1. I would actually love to hear from somebody who has listened to all the tracks and can confirm that the original mono is on there... and what condition it's in.

 

[KMR]

With home media drying up, I worry that studios will be less inclined to invest in preserving their older films and offering them on blu-ray.

But Blu-ray is not the only use for a digital transfer. We are very quickly approaching the time when virtually all exhibition will be digital. It only makes sense that the owners and custodians of the properties should do everything possible to preserve them. Of course, we all know that most of the people making the final decisions on these things seem to be much more concerned with only the next quarter's financial statement, not the long-term health of their intellectual property assets.

 

[haineshisway]

As it was for the Legacy DVD... but what we got was a 2.0 mix down of the 5.1. I would actually love to hear from somebody who has listened to all the tracks and can confirm that the original mono is on there... and what condition it's in.

Excuse me? No. What I got (I don't know what YOU got) on the transfer in the velvet box set is the ORIGINAL mono track. That's not supposition, that is fact and I am assuming what you are calling the "Legacy" edition is the same as the velvet box transfer, that set being called The Masterpiece Collection. It is most certainly not a mixdown and I have no idea where you would get such information, and a simple listen to the track would surely tell you it's original, given the condition of it.
From the DVD Beaver: NOTE: Vertigo's mono track has some crackles and pops - it is from a 4th or 5th generation 35 mm print and is not the 'original mono' (which does not exist). It still does, however sound very good and better than the old 5.1 remix.

 

[WilliamMcK]

Excuse me? No. What I got (I don't know what YOU got) on the transfer in the velvet box set is the ORIGINAL mono track. That's not supposition, that is fact and I am assuming what you are calling the "Legacy" edition is the velvet box transfer. It is most certainly not a mixdown and I have no idea where you would get such information, and a simple listen to the track would surely tell you it's original, given the condition of it.

What the HELL is your problem? I said the LEGACY DVD, not the Masterpiece velvet boxed set. The LEGACY stand alone DVD was advertised as containing the original mono track (just *like* the Masterpiece box set), but contained a 2.0 mix down of the 5.1 (UNlike the Masterpiece Velvet Boxed Set). This has been well-documented, and I wrote to Universal at the time. It was important to me then, because the LEGACY edition was a modest visual upgrade from the Masterpiece Velvet Boxed Set and it irked me that I could not enjoy the best picture quality possible with the soundtrack that Hitchcock had signed off on. It would piss me off even more now.

 

[Moe Dickstein]

The Legacy DVD dropped the original Mono track from the Masterpiece Box Set, as the Blu Ray set has now dropped the group commentary that goes back to the original LD/DVD release of the restoration...

 

[haineshisway]

What the HELL is your problem? I said the LEGACY DVD, not the Masterpiece velvet boxed set. The LEGACY stand alone DVD was advertised as containing the original mono track (just *like* the Masterpiece box set), but contained a 2.0 mix down of the 5.1 (UNlike the Masterpiece Velvet Boxed Set). This has been well-documented, and I wrote to Universal at the time. It was important to me then, because the LEGACY edition was a modest visual upgrade from the Masterpiece Velvet Boxed Set and it irked me that I could not enjoy the best picture quality possible with the soundtrack that Hitchcock had signed off on. It would piss me off even more now.

Perhaps I misunderstood or perhaps you weren't being clear - you were acting like the original mono track had never been available, at least that's the way I read it. My understanding with this Blu-ray is that it has the original mono track from the velvet box. Until I hear otherwise, that's MY assumption Of course, I'll know next Tuesday. Why they would have changed the mono track for what you call the "legacy" edition is a head-scratcher - I have both, BTW, and I found no picture upgrade whatsoever, since it's from exactly the same element.

 

[Moe Dickstein]

Universal is good at providing head-scratchers.

 

[rsmithjr]

The original mono track is on the 1985 LD. I have compared it to the 1997 LD and also one of the DVD's, especially WRT foley issues.

 

[WilliamMcK]

Bruce,
Here is what I asked in post #13 [which you quoted in post # 15]:
"Is the original mono track an option? And if so, is it the same one that was on the Masterpiece Box Set DVD?"
What didn't you understand? And how could this lead you to think I was implying that the mono track had never been available?
Your belittling comment -- "what you call the "legacy" edition" -- is inaccurate. I didn't call it the Legacy Edition, Universal did. I merely accurately referred to it as such.
Meanwhile, has anyone been able to confirm if the track is on the blu-ray, and what its condition is?

 

[Moe Dickstein]

Regardless of the presence of the original mono on this release, it seems like the now correctly mixed 5.1 will DEFINITELY be the way to go for Vertigo.

 

[DavidJ]

RAH thank you for the honest and clear appraisal of Vertigo on Blu-ray. I'm glad that most of it looks quite good. I do hope that they take the steps to properly preserve Vertigo for the future.

 

[David Coleman]

I'm so looking forward to seeing this Bluray. My favorite Hitchcock and a film that made me fall in love with San Francisco!!