Around The World In 80 Days (1956) (1 Viewer)

[avroman]

I stated in another Post that "80 Days " has always been special for me.

I still have such fond memories of when I screened it in my theatre in

the late 1950's using the 35mm " Cinestage " Print .

The Print was magnetic 4 stripe, with the Track 3 Surround Channel

encoded to split Left and Right Surround Speakers,

The Anamorphic squeeze ratio was a unique 1.5:1 which resulted in

a projected Aspect Ratio of 2.20:1 , which was identical to the 70mm

TODD AO Prints.

The projected result was magnificent.

In the 1950's there were no 70mm installations in Australia in time

for the "80 Days " release Date.



The lighthearted mood and the lavish spectacle and warmth of this

fabulous film has remained with me all these years since , and I look

forward with Great Expectation to it's Restored and Remastered

Release on Bluray ( hopefully ) next Year, it's 60th Anniversary.


Warren Thomson, avroman.

 

[Keith Cobby]

We need to show our appreciation for this wonderful film and its magnificent cast in the hope that it will be restored and released during 2016.

 

[Richard V]

Sadly, this is starting to remind me of The Alamo and Raintree County threads.

 

[ljgranberry]

This is on my Wish List title, but I fear the powers that be may fritter too much time away. Warner - you're one of the best! Don't turn into MGM!

 

[Dr Griffin]

It's looked fantastic on TCM HD! I'm saving it on the DVR for now.

 

[avroman]

OOPS! Sorry about my previous post , I'm a lousy typist.

Warren Thomson, avroman.

 

[Douglas R]

It's looked fantastic on TCM HD! I'm saving it on the DVR for now.

I have it on HD from a UK TV broadcast. Excellent picture definition and color in a ratio of about 2.20:1 but extremely distorted image at left and right.

I saw it when first released but as a 35mm roadshow presentation, not a 70mm showing. Prior to the film going on general release and after (or maybe parallel) with the 70mm showing in Central London, it was presented in selected outer London cinemas as a reserved seat 35mm and stereo sound showing.

 

[youworkmen]

I have it on HD from a UK TV broadcast. Excellent picture definition and color in a ratio of about 2.20:1 but extremely distorted image at left and right.

I saw it when first released but as a 35mm roadshow presentation, not a 70mm showing. Prior to the film going on general release and after (or maybe parallel) with the 70mm showing in Central London, it was presented in selected outer London cinemas as a reserved seat 35mm and stereo sound showing.

Would that be the BBC2 broadcast from a week or two back ?

I recorded that on my Panasonic Bluray recorder but have yet to transfer it to disc.

Its in the correct ratio and looks good from the casual browse I gave it .

 

[Douglas R]

Would that be the BBC2 broadcast from a week or two back ?
I recorded that on my Panasonic Bluray recorder but have yet to transfer it to disc.
Its in the correct ratio and looks good from the casual browse I gave it .

No it was a Sky Movies showing of about 2 years ago. I didn't see the BBC broadcast.

 

[Robert Harris]

It's looked fantastic on TCM HD! I'm saving it on the DVR for now.

Are you quite certain that this is HD?

Afaik, there is no HD of the 30. Possibly 24, but who wants to see the 24?

This thread is reminding me of other TCM threads such as comments about The Pirate in HD. I'm unaware of any such animal.

 

[GlennF]

No, THE PIRATE on TCM was most definitely not an HD master. I watched part of it hoping it would be as I find the DVD lacking. I saw it was the same old master/print/whatever... and turned it off.

 

[cinerama10]

I saw this film in many times originally in the fifties and also when it was rereleased in 70mm in the sixties.It was very impressive when the film slowly went from the small screen up to the huge curved 70mm screen. I always avoided the heavily cut version that was later approved by Elizabeth Taylor ,who owned the rights.It was also shown on our giant Cinerama screen but with a slightly smaller screen as the full Cinerama screen was copyrighted.Truly a classic to behold.

 

[Player of Many Parts]

I agree - and I registered on this forum specifically to say this - that this Best Picture winner needs to be preserved in its original 30 fps 70mm glory. The 60th Anniversary of 'Around the World in 80 Days' is next year, and there are generations of fans who remember seeing this one on the big screen who would be willing to pay to see a proper 4K restoration à la 'Lawrence of Arabia'. Yes, there is painstaking work to be done on the original prints, but it certainly can be done as long as they muster the will to do it. Hell, they aren't working with cracked negatives seared by the desert heat in this case, this is a print that can still be saved if action is taken before it is too late. There is more money to be made on this than I suspect the studio realizes, this film is perfect for 4K release.

 

[john a hunter]

I saw it when first released but as a 35mm roadshow presentation, not a 70mm showing. Prior to the film going on general release and after (or maybe parallel) with the 70mm showing in Central London, it was presented in selected outer London cinemas as a reserved seat 35mm and stereo sound showing.

Doug,I don't think that it was ever shown in 70mm during its initial run at the Astoria. It has been well recorded that it was a 34mm print with a separate mag soundtrack. Todd shaved off a mill from a 35mm print to avoid paying import duty on the film. It was also shown with a different squeeze on the anamorphic lens to produce a 2.20:1 aspect ratio. A poor man's Todd AO!

 

[rsmithjr]

Doug,I don't think that it was ever shown in 70mm during its initial run at the Astoria. It has been well recorded that it was a 34mm print with a separate mag soundtrack. Todd shaved off a mill from a 35mm print to avoid paying import duty on the film. It was also shown with a different squeeze on the anamorphic lens to produce a 2.20:1 aspect ratio. A poor man's Todd AO!

The process was called Cinestage, which also named the theatre in Chicago.


Long gone but the front remains.

 

[Douglas R]

Doug,I don't think that it was ever shown in 70mm during its initial run at the Astoria. It has been well recorded that it was a 34mm print with a separate mag soundtrack. Todd shaved off a mill from a 35mm print to avoid paying import duty on the film. It was also shown with a different squeeze on the anamorphic lens to produce a 2.20:1 aspect ratio. A poor man's Todd AO!

Thanks for jogging my memory John. I remember reading about that 34mm print now!

 

[youworkmen]

No it was a Sky Movies showing of about 2 years ago. I didn't see the BBC broadcast.

I'd have a Sky Movies sub if it was possible to put the HD movies onto disc but I make do with my Panasonic Bluray recorder which is limited to Freeview .

Its been useful . Apart from Around the World (looking excellent) the Xmas Radio Times also offered up HD broadcasts of other non Bluray movies like The Valley of Gwangi , The Parent Trap and The 3 Worlds of Gulliver . Unfortuntely the BBC's Pollyanna was listed as HD but wasn't.

Earlier in the year BBC2 offered up the Hammer film Sword of Sherwood Forest also in 2.35:1.

Its worth checking out the listings for some rarities

 

[Brian McP]

As RAH says, this is a movie that needs restoration from the ground up.


If ever there was a movie that would benefit from a Dolby Atmos makeover and be released in the new 4K bluray format, it would be this one. If the studios want those new players to sell, they'd be wise to go with title releases that no true cinephile would be able to resist -- I'd like to add this and the reconstructed/restored/rescued version of "The Alamo" to the top of this 4K Bluray nominees list.

 

[avroman]

I re-kindled this Topic on January 8 , (it had been dormant since September 2012) with the aim of instilling some urgency into raising the tide of interest in "80 Days" restoration and ultimate release on Bluray, to reach the ears of Warner Bros. executives responsible for these decisions. It seems to have started well .

It is a much too important film to languish in a dark vault until it eventually crumbles to dust.

The restoration of "Oklahoma " , the first TODD AO movie , had a beautiful result, and now it's drawing near the time to repeat the effort with the second TODD AO extravaganza , Michael Todd's own masterpiece "Around the World in 80 Days ".

We need a 60th Anniversary release next year !


Warren Thomson avroman.

 

[Robert Harris]

The folks at WB are very aware.

RAH