"A Hard Day's Night" 50th Anniversary restoration Criterion blu-ray confirmed... (1 Viewer)

[Jari K]

"Have you noticed that when you watch a Blu-Ray on a more recent TV set, the movement looks like videotape at times?"With this film or with all of them? Anyway, remember to turn "off" any video processing from your tv set (like "motionflow" etc: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_interpolation ). They can make a film look funny.

 

[FoxyMulder]

"Have you noticed that when you watch a Blu-Ray on a more recent TV set, the movement looks like videotape at times?"With this film or with all of them? Anyway, remember to turn "off" any video processing from your tv set (like "motionflow" etc: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_interpolation ). They can make a film look funny.

I think he was joking.

 

[Jari K]

Ah! Sorry about that.

 

[Vahan_Nisanain]

I think he was joking.

Nope. I was serious.

 

[larryKR]

Have you noticed that when you watch a Blu-Ray on a more recent TV set, the movement looks like videotape at times? I hope I am not the only one who notices this.

If by more recent TV set you mean LCD/LED, that is a problem with the technology. As already mentioned you can somewhat remedy the problem with turning off motionflow. Plasma never had this problem but they are almost all gone now.

 

[Filmdoctor]

Have you noticed that when you watch a Blu-Ray on a more recent TV set, the movement looks like videotape at times?

I hope I am not the only one who notices this.

I noticed the titles are off the screen.

 

[Vahan_Nisanain]

I noticed the titles are off the screen.

Do not know what you mean. Can you please post a picture comparison?

At least it isn't like the awful echoing on the Miramax DVD. Martin Lewis had no right to do that.

 

[Filmdoctor]

Do not know what you mean. Can you please post a picture comparison?

At least it isn't like the awful echoing on the Miramax DVD. Martin Lewis had no right to do that.

No, well maybe.

I have no comment on the previous soundtracks and the abominations done to it. It was bad.

 

[Jari K]

"Plasma never had this problem"It's not really a "problem" if (usually when) you can turn it off.

 

[Tony Bensley]

From Ron:

Yes, it began with just the UA logo and went right into the film.

Note: the song played complete with NO screaming heard until the fade out. The screaming and Walter's new title card were added to the 1980's/90's re-releases.

Hi Bob!

Based on your post regarding the A HARD DAY'S NIGHT opening audio, I gather that the BFI National Archive's Monaural Audio for Reel One that's used for the Criterion Edition is NOT the original, then? With screams and all, it sure sounds a lot more natural (To my ears, at least!) than the "Roll Off" effect that's present on the Miramax DVD Set!

Knowing that your brother Ron restored the mono soundtrack, perhaps you might be able to answer this question: When Norm & Shake show up at the Night Club to collect the Beatles, was their dialogue originally audible?

CHEERS!

Tony

 

[Tony Bensley]

Let It Be has never been on DVD (or blu-ray). It was released on laser disc, VHS and CED in the 1980s.

Michael Lindsay-Hogg said about four years ago he expected the film to be released on DVD in 2013. That didn't happen. There's a Let It Be thread here on HTF with more info.

Hi Sam!

When I type "Let It Be" and select "Forum Search," all that happens is I end up with a "no results" for the word let!

I'm wondering whether anyone can kindly explain why this is, and is there a way around it, or has this topic been somehow eradicated from HTF?

CHEERS!

Tony

 

[Tony Bensley]

Please kindly disregard my above post! Adding "Beatles" somehow remedied my "Let It Be" search issue. Most irregular, to say the least!

CHEERS!

 

[Tony Bensley]

Having played the opening sequence of the Criterion DVD in monophonic sound, and listening to this with my Headphones, it is my opinion that the Cheers DO belong there!

Regarding A HARD DAY'S NIGHT'S Home Video Release history, it seems that the biggest issues are proper Aspect Ratio and just what sounds belong and what sounds don't.

Having been only a couple of months old during A HARD DAY'S NIGHT'S original Theatrical run, I cannot say first hand just how it sounded then, and I've been told by older family members that nobody could hear it for all of the screaming in the Theaters, anyway! The Drive-In showings that came about a year later were the only viable way to hear the Film during the Beatles first wave of popularity. Even then, Drive-In Speakers were never known for producing great sound reproduction!

In short, outside of a few Film Industry insiders, along with those who actually worked on A HARD DAY'S NIGHT (IE. Richard Lester!), is there actually anyone who can say with absolutely infallible certainty just how this Film originally sounded?

As A HARD DAY'S NIGHT Director Richard Lester approved the Print that is on the Criterion Blu-Ray/DVD Release, I can only assume that it is as right as can be with whatever extant elements were available, though I do wonder what his views are regarding the Film's opening cheers and the original audio for the end of the Beatles' Night Club sequence?

Perhaps somebody should ask him?

CHEERS!

 

[Filmdoctor]

Having played the opening sequence of the Criterion DVD in monophonic sound, and listening to this with my Headphones, it is my opinion that the Cheers DO belong there!Regarding A HARD DAY'S NIGHT'S Home Video Release history, it seems that the biggest issues are proper Aspect Ratio and just what sounds belong and what sounds don't.Having been only a couple of months old during A HARD DAY'S NIGHT'S original Theatrical run, I cannot say first hand just how it sounded then, and I've been told by older family members that nobody could hear it for all of the screaming in the Theaters, anyway! The Drive-In showings that came about a year later were the only viable way to hear the Film during the Beatles first wave of popularity. Even then, Drive-In Speakers were never known for producing great sound reproduction!In short, outside of a few Film Industry insiders, along with those who actually worked on A HARD DAY'S NIGHT (IE. Richard Lester!), is there actually anyone who can say with absolutely infallible certainty just how this Film originally sounded?As A HARD DAY'S NIGHT Director Richard Lester approved the Print that is on the Criterion Blu-Ray/DVD Release, I can only assume that it is as right as can be with whatever extant elements were available, though I do wonder what his views are regarding the Film's opening cheers and the original audio for the end of the Beatles' Night Club sequence?Perhaps somebody should ask him?CHEERS!

I can, having listened to both the American and British Versions on prints from 1964. There is a Walter Shenson story behind the American Version. He told the technicians to "turn it up!", because the sound was drowned out by screaming. The results were severe over modulation.

 

[Tony Bensley]

I can, having listened to both the American and British Versions on prints from 1964. There is a Walter Shenson story behind the American Version. He told the technicians to "turn it up!", because the sound was drowned out by screaming. The results were severe over modulation.

Hi Paul!

Based on your above post, it's no wonder the A HARD DAY'S NIGHT soundtrack has been tinkered with so much through the decades! While I do believe that Walter Shenson's "turn it up" order made sense in 1964, given the Beatles insane popularity at the time, this decision forever rendered restoration of the American soundtrack to its original state most undesirable, and in my opinion, very likely contributed to the often convoluted mess of Audio tinkering that has occurred with this film through the decades! There is a section in the Criterion Collection's A HARD DAY'S NIGHT Booklet which, on its "About The Transfer" section on page 77 makes reference to the most complete soundtrack sources being "unusably overmodulated" (Which I now assume to be the American Source Prints!), but it doesn't detail the reason behind it.

Do you recall whether the screams in the opening were present on the aforementioned 1964 U.S. and/or UK Prints? I ask this as there seems to be some debate about the screams having been added in the early nineties, though I tend towards sceptibility regarding that, especially given that in the A HARD DAY'S NIGHT Audio reconstruction, Director Richard Lester gave his input in regards to which sounds and effects were right for a given part of the Film. This was apparently necessary "as some sources exhibited dramatically different tonal character and even alternate effects mixes."

It's most unfortunate that the Restoration team behind the Criterion Release didn't have the British Print that you spoke of, as it might have simplified their Audio Restoration Process for the Monophonic Soundtrack, at least!

CHEERS!

Tony

 

[Filmdoctor]

Hi Paul!

Based on your above post, it's no wonder the A HARD DAY'S NIGHT soundtrack has been tinkered with so much through the decades! While I do believe that Walter Shenson's "turn it up" order made sense in 1964, given the Beatles insane popularity at the time, this decision forever rendered restoration of the American soundtrack to its original state most undesirable, and in my opinion, very likely contributed to the often convoluted mess of Audio tinkering that has occurred with this film through the decades! There is a section in the Criterion Collection's A HARD DAY'S NIGHT Booklet which, on its "About The Transfer" section on page 77 makes reference to the most complete soundtrack sources being "unusably overmodulated" (Which I now assume to be the American Source Prints!), but it doesn't detail the reason behind it.

Do you recall whether the screams in the opening were present on the aforementioned 1964 U.S. and/or UK Prints? I ask this as there seems to be some debate about the screams having been added in the early nineties, though I tend towards sceptibility regarding that, especially given that in the A HARD DAY'S NIGHT Audio reconstruction, Director Richard Lester gave his input in regards to which sounds and effects were right for a given part of the Film. This was apparently necessary "as some sources exhibited dramatically different tonal character and even alternate effects mixes."

It's most unfortunate that the Restoration team behind the Criterion Release didn't have the British Print that you spoke of, as it might have simplified their Audio Restoration Process for the Monophonic Soundtrack, at least!

CHEERS!

Tony

Hi Tony,

I believe there was screaming at the beginning. I would have to double check Ron's DAT. But the maintitle is sterile without it. The tragedy here is that the original mag tracks, along with the stems, are gone. That's what has caused all the trouble with the audio.
Also, Criterion did have a British print and rejected it.



Paul.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Ron sent me this note in May:

The song played complete with NO screaming heard until the fade out. The screaming and Walter's new title card were added to the 1980's/90's re-releases.

 

[Filmdoctor]

Ron sent me this note in May:

The song played complete with NO screaming heard until the fade out. The screaming and Walter's new title card were added to the 1980's/90's re-releases.

Hi,

I just listened to the Miramax DVD. No screaming. And yes, the Walter Shenson card was added for this release. The UA card is back in the FGM, but Criterion didn't keep it.

Paul
https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=paul+rutan+a+hard+days+night&safe=off

 

[Filmdoctor]

The Criterion sound is MUCH better than the other versions.

 

[bigshot]

That is certainly true, but the 5:1 mix is pretty flat overall. If they were going to go in and remix, I would think that they could do a little more than that. Yellow Submarine's 5:1 track flies all over the room. Maybe that approach isn't as suitable for Hard Day's Night, but a little bit of surround placement of sound effects and a little bit of soundstage spread on the music would be nice.