"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" coming from MGM/UA to Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Brian Sharp]

In the UK there was the BBFC certificate followed by, IIRC, the UA TransAmerica logo and then the sound of the racing cars. Sort of spoiled the opening effect as half the audience thought that the projector lamp had gone out!

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Rob_Ray





When I saw the film theatrically back in 1968, the lights in the theatre were full up and the curtain remained closed as the roars of the racing cars darted about the auditorium. The lights slowly started to dim but the curtain did not begin to part until there was an image on the screen. It was a thrilling bit of showmanship.


"Airport" had a similar opening. The auditorium lights remained up and the curtain remained closed as we were startled by the announcement that "Continental Airlines announces the departure of Flight Such-and-Such..." Only then did the lights dim and the curtain parted to begin the show...

There had been a lot of talk about the opening of Airport. The 70mm roadshow opened with the dark screen with airport calls on the soundtrack and the Universal logo was attached at the end of the film. When the film was put in general release the Universal logo came first with a dark screen with the calls and then the titles. When the DVD came out six years ago there were a lot of people up in arms that the Universal logo was at the end of film and was not at the beginning where they saw it and insisted it should be. Many cried tampering with it and would not even think that the logo was ever placed at the end. Funny how people can be.


I also recall the the racing cars acting as an overture for the curtain to open and lights go down. Wish we could see that today. How thrilling it would be to have an overture for Harry Potter, but most people would think something was wrong with the projection bulb.

 

[Felix Martinez]

Oh my gosh. Just saw this today. It's stunning.

 

[GMpasqua]

Originally Posted by Stephen_J_H

Alas, modern audiences need a hint beyond sound starting up that the film is beginning, so the recent Ontario example is probably one of the best compromises I can think of.


Re: the logo, MGM is notorious for replacing logos as they see fit.

Usually if a film had an overture there were no trailers, no commercials. The lights dimmed, the overture started, the lights went black, the curtain opened, film started


usually a resevred seat presentation with expensive tickets - the audience expected the overture.

 

[Lord Dalek]

Originally Posted by GMpasqua

[SIZE= 11px]Films shot in 70MM (does not include 70MM blow-ups) [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px][COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 255)]Blue titles on Blu-ray - [/COLOR][/SIZE][COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 255)][SIZE= 11px]to date only 8 70MM features have made it to Blu-ray[/COLOR][/SIZE]


[SIZE= 11px]Oklahoma! (1955) – Todd-AO [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Around the World in Eighty Days (1956) – Todd-AO [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Raintree County (1956) – MGM Camera 65 [/SIZE]

[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 255)][SIZE= 11px]South Pacific (1958) – Todd-AO [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Ben-Hur (1959) – MGM Camera 65 [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Porgy and Bess ([/SIZE][SIZE= 11px]1959) – Todd-AO [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]The Big Fisherman (1959) – Super Panavision 70 [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Scent of Mystery (1960) – Todd-70 Can-Can (1960) – Todd-AO [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]The Alamo (1960) – Todd-AO Exodus (1960) – Super Panavision 70 [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]West Side Story (1961) – Super Panavision 70 [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Lawrence of Arabia (1962) – Super Panavision 70 [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Mutiny on the Bounty (1962) – Ultra Panavision 70 [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) – Ultra Panavision 70 [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Cleopatra (1963) – Todd-AO [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) – Ultra Panavision 70 [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]My Fair Lady (1964) – Super Panavision 70 [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Cheyenne Autumn (1964) – Super Panavision 70 [/SIZE]

[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 255)][SIZE= 11px]The Sound of Music (1965) – Todd-AO [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965) – Todd-AO [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965) – Todd-AO [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) – Ultra Panavision 70 [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]The Hallelujah Trail (1965) – Ultra Panavision 70 [/SIZE]

[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 255)][SIZE= 11px]Battle of the Bulge (1965) – Ultra Panavision 70 [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Lord Jim (1965) – Super Panavision 70 [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Khartoum (1966) – Ultra Panavision 70 [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Grand Prix (1966) – Super Panavision 70 [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]The Bible: In The Beginning (1966) – Dimension 150 (credited as D-150) [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Doctor Dolittle (1967) – Todd-AO [/SIZE]

[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 255)][SIZE= 11px]2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) – Super Panavision 70 [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Ice Station Zebra (1968) – Super Panavision 70 Star! (1968) – Todd-AO[/SIZE]

[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 255)][SIZE= 11px]Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) – Super Panavision 70 [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Hello, Dolly! (1969) – Todd-AO [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Krakatoa, East of Java (1969) – Todd-AO and Super Panavision 70 [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Mackenna's Gold (1969) – Super Panavision 70 [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Airport (1970) – Todd-AO [/SIZE]

[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 255)][SIZE= 11px]Patton (1970) – Dimension 150 [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Ryan's Daughter (1970) – Super Panavision 70 [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Song of Norway (1970) – Super Panavision 70 The Last Valley (1970) – Todd-AO [/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Far and Away (1992) – Panavision System 65 [/SIZE]

[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 255)][SIZE= 11px]Baraka (1992) – Todd-AO, documentary [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 11px]Map of the Human Heart (1993) – Panavision System 65 [/SIZE]

[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 255)][SIZE= 11px]Hamlet (1996) – Panavision System 65 [/COLOR][/SIZE]

Are we not counting Big Trail and The Bat Whispers?


Also you forgot Tron.

 

[MrScan]

I have read with a touch of personal pride the comments of the forum posters.

I am responsible for the 4K film scan used to master this Blu-Ray release and I can't wait to acquire this title for my library.

I am but one member of a talented team of professionals and I can't begin to describe the pleasure of seeing a project of this quality unfold one pain-staking frame at a time.

I count myself as extremely lucky in that I get "first eyes" on the raw 4K scans from the 65mm I.P. and I hope that the HD experience translates as well for the viewers of the BR.


Frank Jenks

Director of Film Services

HTV / illuminate

 

[Mike Frezon]

Mr. Jenks:


Welcome to the HTF! And I'm so glad she did.

 

Frank, you guys did an awesome job! I have a question....the Entr'Acte goes into the second half differently than it did before. Before, the Entr'Acte title faded out and part two slowly faded in. On the blu-ray, the Entr'Acte title stays on screen until part two pops onto the screen with no fade. Is this a correction? Do you know? Anyway, hats off for one of the best catalogue blu-rays yet released!

 

[MrScan]

It was an exciting project to be involved in and it is I that am thankful for the chance to help bring a much beloved title of my youth to new life.

I also feel very fortunate to call the talented team responsible for the restoration work, my co-workers. They are great people that did a fantastic job with a very quick turn-around time.


We provided the client with all of the restored program elements and the client specified/approved all of the editorial timings for constructing the compression master.


Thank you for your kind and generous words regading the look of this film. Everyone involved has an affection for this title and we really wanted to do a superior job on this very deserving film.


Frank Jenks

Director of Film Services

HTV / illuminate

 

[Mark B]

Great job, Frank. It's the best looking Blu-Ray in my collection.

 

[Charles Smith]

Yes, thank you for everything.


In 1968 I had just gone away to school, and I got so involved in things other than keeping up with movies, that this film (along with many others) flew right under my radar and we just never connected. Therefore, except for having seen excerpts here and there over the years, I am one of those who comes to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as an adult. And believe me, I know what that means in having missed a very important boat! I bought the Blu-ray on its day of release and popped it in to check it out briefly, and it looks absolutely mouthwatering. I look forward to enjoying it properly over the Thanksgiving weekend.

 

[GMpasqua]

Frank - you did an execellant job! Best Blu-ray I own to date. I hope you get to work on more 70MM projects!

 

[MatthewA]

Frank,


It's great to have more people from the industry here, especially one who got to do a scan of a 65mm IP. I own Chitty but have yet to watch it, but every review has me excited for when I finally do. I hope we see more 65mm from Fox and others.

 

[in2video2]

What a wonderful opportunity to thank you, Mr Jenks, and the hard-working team you have been part of. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang looks and sounds fantastic and your labor of love shows through. Along with The Sound of Music and South Pacific the people at Fox are raising the bar and able to show us all how well film restorations of 65mm movies from the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s can be preserved and brought back to brilliant life. Hopefully our friends at Fox will not stop here. Your Blu-Ray audiences is waiting. Thank you.

 

[RobertSiegel]

Originally Posted by Chas in CT

One more annoying nitpick, just to reiterate what a couple of people have already mentioned, but more in passing. Those humongous THINGS on your screen when you pause or fast forward or fast reverse -- AND when you resume play... WHY??


I was surprised at how often I was pausing, rewinding, slo-mo-ing, etc. throughout The Sound of Music, of all things. There's just so much to take in and savor. But that DISTRACTION lasting for several seconds every time you hit a button... why in the name of all that's holy isn't that an OPTION?


I forget who started it. Disney? Hated it then. Now Criterion's doing it. (Right?) I especially regret seeing it on the gorgeous new releases under discussion right here. And is it my imagination, or are these displays getting bigger and more distracting with every new release? On The Sound of Music there are TWO things, for crying out loud. Picture momentarily obliterated. A totally infuriating distraction.

I'm going on about this at the risk of blowing it out of all proportion. But it matters. When I put in a great film to watch and study, I don't want crap on my screen that makes me think I'm watching crap TV. Can this please be nipped in the bud ... now??

I totally agree with you. At least give us the option of getting rid of it. I have had my Sound of Music disc in almost every day savoring it's beauty, and scanning scenes is very annoying with that popup. I can't stand it.

 

[RobertSiegel]

Originally Posted by MrScan

I have read with a touch of personal pride the comments of the forum posters.

I am responsible for the 4K film scan used to master this Blu-Ray release and I can't wait to acquire this title for my library.

I am but one member of a talented team of professionals and I can't begin to describe the pleasure of seeing a project of this quality unfold one pain-staking frame at a time.

I count myself as extremely lucky in that I get "first eyes" on the raw 4K scans from the 65mm I.P. and I hope that the HD experience translates as well for the viewers of the BR.


Frank Jenks

Director of Film Services

HTV / illuminate

MrScan, what a beautiful job done on this classic that I grew up with. It's absolutely stunning!

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Originally Posted by MrScan


_Man_

 

[RobertSiegel]

Now that Chitty has come out, the first classic musical from the United Artists library, I am really hoping for Fiddler on the Roof and West Side Story. Fiddler has been running on MGM HD and looks quite nice plus the soundtrack has been beautifully remastered. I can imagine how nice it would be with lossless audio. I would also love to see Man of La Mancha, which is another UA film but chances for that one are not nearly as high as the other 2. The singing in La Mancha isn't great but Peter O'Toole's performance is in my opinion one of his best.

 

I hope West Side Story is done correctly. The first dvd release was missing a whistle on the soundtrack before the rumble and the special edition had lip sync problems during "Tonight."

 

[GMpasqua]

Quote: Originally Posted by RobertSiegel Now that Chitty has come out, the first classic musical from the United Artists library, I am really hoping for Fiddler on the Roof and West Side Story. Fiddler has been running on MGM HD and looks quite nice plus the soundtrack has been beautifully remastered. I can imagine how nice it would be with lossless audio. I would also love to see Man of La Mancha, which is another UA film but chances for that one are not nearly as high as the other 2. The singing in La Mancha isn't great but Peter O'Toole's performance is in my opinion one of his best.



Robert, "Man of La Mancha" is one of my favorite films - true the singing could be better - but the film is very well done and the acting is excellent. THe film didn't run long in theaters and the last DVD looked great. The Blu-ray should also look great! I only hope it comes to blu-ray and that the overture is included with the film and not as an extra