Bronston epics and Land of the Pharaohs coming at last! (2 Viewers)

[RolandL]

It says 4.0 but, I could not hear anything coming out of the surround speakers.

 

[Douglas R]

Are you sure it's even stereo? I've not come across any DVDs of this title which are other than 2 channel mono - and none seem to have the Overture, Intermission etc. I saw the film in Cinerama but, frankly, the film isn't very good and it's only worth having if presented in it's original roadshow presentation.

 

[WadeM]

My initial review was based off of memory, so to make sure my mind wasn't playing tricks on me, I just popped the DVD back in, and there's definitely music coming out of the rear speakers--and not only that, since I was paying closer attention this time, it's actually 5.1. There's definite bass coming out of my subwoofer and the center speaker is loud and prominent.

The ISDN on the back of mine is 8809151402761 . The files on my DVD are dated 4/26/07, although the date on the back of the cover is 2004 -- so maybe I got an upgraded one??

Mine is definitely English 5.1 surround, with the packaging stating 4.0.

 

[RolandL]

My DVD also has the ISDN of 8809151402761, the files are dated 4/26/07 and my system reads it as 5.1. The front three speakers are very active but, there is nothing coming out of the surround or subwoofer speakers. I just watched the latest Mummy movie and all six speakers are very active during the film so, my set up is correct.

 

[Mike*HTF]

Only Japanese subs on the Tohokushinsha release, Wade.

 

[WadeM]

That is interesting... I know my mono and surround DVDs play correctly. I'll have to check sometime on a stereo release to see that it plays correctly on my setup... most of mine are mono or surround, so I'll have to dig some day.

 

[ptb2007]

Just taken delivery of my Korean copy of '55 Days'.
Visually very good, corrrect shape for 70 mm, nice colour, but the sound is not that great, a bit woolly at the start. Does have the overture music over the menu though.

 

[Eric Huffstutler]

I had picked up the Limited Edition 3-disc set for "The Fall of the Roman Empire". From what I gather in the commentary concerning edits that the original negative hasn't been found? Whatever they did use was very acceptable even on my 1080p 120Hz set. I just ordered "El Cid" hoping the same.

The sets for Roman were gorgeous BUT you can tell that the director made a movie around them rather than the other way around. The acting was cardboard, battles looked as though they were trying to avoid hurting one another and child's play, I have never seen so many horses fall down with the rider in any movie as though they were as one, and I was about to scream seeing over and over the troops marching up and down the road to show off the numbers of extras. Character development was virtually non-existent and everyday chores overlooked. The extras were great for this limited edition set and have ordered the same for El Cid not knowing if these titles will ever get to a major studio for release. I am pleased with what Genius did and can only hope their Toho titles would or will be as good?

Eric

 

[Charles H]

I just looked at THE SILVER CHALICE and its absolutely gorgeous (I'm almost sorry to say). It's very stylized, almost avant garde with painted, almost surrealistic backdrops. Yes, it's a howler, but it's a magnificent accident that you can't take your eyes off (particularly during the cuckoo climax). Great letterboxed transfers also do marvels with WHEN TIME RAN OUT and Michael Curtiz's THE HELEN MORGAN STORY (the only black-&-white CinemaScopr film ever produced by WB).

 

[Eric Huffstutler]

No one mentioned if there is a descent NTSC All region (0) copy of 55 Days available to play in Region 1 (for someone without a Region Free player)? Can you point the way?

 

[RolandL]

DVDBEAVER has a review on this page - Nicholas Ray's 55 Days at Peking DVD Review . You can buy the Korean version (which should be the same) on Amazon.com or on Ebay for less than $10.

 

[Douglas R]

I just got hold of the recently released Spanish version of The Manificent Showman (El Fabuloso Mundo) which says it is newly remastered. It's 2.35:1 anamorphic with OK but not brilliant picture quality. It doesn't include the original Overture, Intermission or Exit music. The sound is stated on the box to be 2 channel stereo but actually is a mono spread (there is no left/right separation of music or sound effects). I wonder if the korean release previously mentioned is also a mono spread. I'm beginning to doubt that this film will ever receive it's original road show version on disc.

 

[RolandL]

I have the Korean DVD and there is no Overture, Intermission or Exit music. But, you aren't missing much as the laser disc had them and they just played the same song 'Its the Circus..." that is played with the opening titles for the Intermission and Exit music. The Overture on the laser disc was only 15 seconds. The sound on the Korean disc is 4.0 and there is separation on the front three channels but I hear no sound coming out the surrounds.

 

[Eric Huffstutler]

Roland L. Are you sure the Korean version is 4-channel? I have "55 Days at Peking" and "Circus World" - both made by the same company and both are 3-channel. I also mentioned on another thread that the Korean releases look fine even on HD but suffer from print shrinkage issues and "Circus World" has some noticeable dirt and scratches in places especially at reel changes.

It is too bad that Weinstein cancelled their releases. I have the Special Collectors box sets for "El Cid!" and "Fall of the Roman Empire" and both are class packages. They were even numbering the spines like Criterion. I am not sure why they didn't sell? The retail was at $50 and I am sure you could have gotten them a lot less at online retailers which would equate to a Criterion but these releases had a whole LOT more and restorations were beautiful!

The Korean versions of his other two epics will work for now. I am a bit disappointed with "Circus World" because this was Bronston's last big film and you can see the budget was cut (he was in bankruptcy when this was made) and they used a lot of green screen unlike real live shots in his other films which gave it a depth of believability.

I am also surprised his very first epic... "John Paul Jones" (1959) hasn't been released on DVD? It was released on VHS in 1994. Especially when Bette Davis is in it!?!

And wondering why his "Jack London" (1943) hasn't received a decent transfer either?

Eric

 

[Bob Graham]

...and Charles Coburn as Ben Franklin, and Peter Cushing as the Captain of the Seraphis (who surrenders to Jones after the climatic battle), and a very young Mia Farrow (her father directed)..."

This title is controlled by Warner, so I'm hoping we'll at least get a Warner's Archive release

 

[WadeM]

I seem to be the only one who hears surround on that title, as Roland stated, he "hears no sound coming out the surrounds." I only hear it during the music sections, and at that time, I hear it out of my surrounds, and bass in my subwoofer. I haven't checked other stereo DVD releases to see if there's something in my sound system, but I do know that mono and surround play correctly, as I'm sure it does on your systems. Is it a defect? I don't know.

I would love for WB to release John Paul Jones !!! Even as part of the Archive collection.

Also would like Jack London.

 

[RolandL]

4.0 is displayed on my receiver and on the screen when I select "Display" on the Blu-ray player.

 

[RolandL]

What do you have selected on your receiver for sound? Is it one of those "enhanced" selections like the "Movie", "Stereo", etc. that I have on my Yamaha? I always use "Straight" so nothing extra is added.

 

[Stefan Andersson]

So Vivendi bought all rights from Genius. What happens to the Bronston titles?

 

[ahollis]

The Bronston titles are still owned by The Weinstein Company. Weinstein had an agreement with Genius to release their DVD product. An interesting note is that yesterday it was announced that The Weinstein Company signed a DVD distribution deal with Vivendi for catalog titles. The announcement did not speak of new film DVD releases, but in the case of Inglorious Basterds, it will be handled by Universal.

Not sure what all this means for 55 Days and Circus, but their could be a little light there.