HAMMER FILM BLU-RAYS IN THE U.K. ... getting closer to the Holy Grail (DRACULA, 1958)... (1 Viewer)

[John Hodson]

Mmm, you're not going to get rich reds & greens with a cold tone, & I still don't know how the BFI "restored" this, apart from inserting a few shots from a Japanese print (which I'd rather not have ,they weren't there on any UK cinema showings at the time). As far as I know (which is not much), Warner printed an interpositive. from the original negs & sent it to the BFI, & they worked from that, hardly a restoration. Oh well, not long now.

The BFI have had no involvement whatsoever in restoring any part of the Japanese print to the film. I've said before; I saw the restoration digitally projected in 2007 and it was quite wonderful with beautifully rich reds and greens - if this BD replicates that as they claim it will, then all will be well.

 

[haineshisway]

Mmm, you're not going to get rich reds & greens with a cold tone, & I still don't know how the BFI "restored" this, apart from inserting a few shots from a Japanese print (which I'd rather not have ,they weren't there on any UK cinema showings at the time). As far as I know (which is not much), Warner printed an interpositive. from the original negs & sent it to the BFI, & they worked from that, hardly a restoration. Oh well, not long now.

This is a very confusing post in terms of color. I really think the use of "warm" and "cold" causes nothing but confusion. In the caps printed from this film what people are calling the "cold" or "blue" look absolutely have rich reds and greens - properly timed unlike the brown DVD where the reds are orange and the greens are not true deep green. This all stems from most folks not knowing how rich the IB Tech colors were on these 50s films - nothing like them really. So you will absolutely get rich reds and greens with what you are calling a "colder" look. There are hundreds of transfers like that, all properly timed. Again, you cannot base anything on what older substandard video transfers looked like - too bright, too pale, etc. I suspect if people were sat down and shown an IB tech print of Horror of Dracula via carbon arc projection (which is how they were shown), all would sheepishly disappear into the woodwork about the color. Mr. Hodson above has seen the transfer from a few years ago - and I'm sure the Blu-ray will replicate it in terms of its color, but even in those awful screencaps you can see rich reds and greens, properly timed.

 

[EddieLarkin]

Frankenstein Created Woman will be the next Hammer Blu-ray after Dracula: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Frankenstein-Created-Woman-Blu-ray/dp/B00BM8W9QW I believe they said last year that Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell would be coming in 2013 too.

I still don't know how the BFI "restored" this, apart from inserting a few shots from a Japanese print (which I'd rather not have ,they weren't there on any UK cinema showings at the time).

The Blu-ray will include the film in two versions, with the new footage and without it, as it appeared in cinemas.

 

[Yorkshire]

Their technical knowledge seems limited. I remember when they posted this image on their site last year and suggested that DRACULA was composed for 1.37.

I'm quite confused. Was it not obvious that this was a joke? Steve W EDIT - Ah, I see Jason beat me to it. SW

 

[John Hodson]

What was genuinely amusing was that Hammer appeared blissfully unaware that Dracula had been hard matted in camera until folks like Jack Theakston made the point, and then they came up with a comment that was not unlike Captain Mainwaring's: "Yes, well done - I wondered who would be the first to spot that..." As for the 'joke', a feeble attempt at a post 'Curse' wind-up; no, I didn't laugh...

 

[Yorkshire]

What was genuinely amusing was that Hammer appeared blissfully unaware that Dracula had been hard matted in camera until folks like Jack Theakston made the point, and then they came up with a comment that was not unlike Captain Mainwaring's: "Yes, well done - I wondered who would be the first to spot that..." As for the 'joke', a feeble attempt at a post 'Curse' wind-up; no, I didn't laugh...

John, fair enough you didn't laugh (it wasn't hilarious, granted). But I think you realised it was supposed to be a joke. Steve W

 

[John Hodson]

I think the problem is that with Hammer, *anything* is conceivable, and thus I quite understand anyone who didn't see it for what it was. I thought it was a joke when they said that the reason they felt 'Curse' was shot Academy was that Fisher was an auteur. And I didn't laugh at that either.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

I'm still trying to figure out the "Rule of Feet..."

 

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by Bob Furmanek
I'm still trying to figure out the "Rule of Feet..."

Easy. According to the Hammer website, 1.85 productions run at 67.5 per minute. 1.37 would be 90. And Techniscope at 45. Their single CS 55 runs at 180, same as VVLA, but in a direction 90 degrees opposite, and obviously not left to right.
Speed is said to also be amplified or reduced dependent upon the level of color intensity of the check print. Fujicolor prints normally track at 5% lower speed. Agfa 5% higher.
As you can see, everything is ultimately dependent upon that check print. If one is using an incorrectly color timed check print as a guide,
speed will naturally be off. Be aware that results may vary.
Cease using this information immediately, and see your doctor if the problem persists.
Hope that clears it up.
RAH

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Thanks Bob, I should have known that. I feel like such a heel!

 

[John Hodson]

Via The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society:

NEWS: REPORTED IN U.S.VARIETY TRADE PAPER TODAY! Millennium to Release Hammer Titles in U.S. Deal covers pics including 'Dracula: Prince of Darkness,' 'Frankenstein Created Woman' Millennium Entertainment will distribute titles from Exclusive Media’s Hammer library in the U.S. in a deal that covers Hammer titles going back to 1966’s “Dracula: Prince of Darkness.” Millennium said the alliance will introduce the Hammer Horror brand to a new audience not familiar with the Hammer titles classic line and provide limited edition Blu-rays and Collector’s Sets over the next several years. First three-film set will be released in April and include “Dracula Prince of Darkness,” Peter Cushing in “The Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires” and “Frankenstein Created Woman.”

 

[WadeM]

Next month. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Mark Cappelletty]

Via The Peter Cushing Appreciation Society:

That's pretty awesome-- curious if these titles will eventually be released on Blu-Ray. I have the Anchor Bay double-DVD set of FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN and THE LEGEND OF THE 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES and hoping that (a) they carry over the special features and (b) release 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES with an anamorphic transfer; the Anchor Bay one is a letterboxed 2.35:1 print.

 

[John Hodson]

That's pretty awesome-- curious if these titles will eventually be released on Blu-Ray. I have the Anchor Bay double-DVD set of FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN and THE LEGEND OF THE 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES and hoping that (a) they carry over the special features and (b) release 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES with an anamorphic transfer; the Anchor Bay one is a letterboxed 2.35:1 print.

Those first three titles will be on DVD only (already up for pre-order at Amazon); Hammer say they've been mastered from the 'best SD materials available' and are intended as a low-price point, supplement free 'taster', but say that titles will come along on BD at some point from new HD masters.

 

[WadeM]

Oh, then I'll wait. My current copies will do.

 

[John Hodson]

Copies are now shipping, but while we drum our fingers in anticipation, I think this Hammer blog post is worth a look:

 

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by Don Kraar First of all, I saw HORROR OF DRACULA first run in its original U.S. release in 1958. Over the years I have seen American IB Technicolor prints in both 35mm & 16mm many times. Let me urge everyone who is actually interested in film restoration to visit this site: http://www.widescreenmuseum.com. It will give you technical information on aspect ratios and color printing. Now as to the new Blu-Ray remastering of DRACULA: It sounds like the BFI referenced an original check print, or “answer print”. Such a print would have had correct exposures for every shot, following Jack Asher’s original printing instructions to the laboratory. It would probably be an IB Technicolor print for Technicolor London facility. Seperation matrices would have made from the original camera negative. Referencing such a print was absolutely the right thing to do! The different Technicolor labs in Hollywood, New York, London, & Rome could yield strikingly different results when printing the same photographic material. Dye transfer Technicolor printing involved bathing the celluloid in a solution. The mineral content of the water could affect the result, because the minerals were “imbibed” into the celluloid along with the petroleum based pigments. HORROR OF DRACULA was released by Universal-International in the U.S. American Technicolor would have made the dye transfer prints for U.S. release with a much “hotter” color balance, the way U-I typically wanted their pictures to look. Call it a house style. However, British Technicolor was known for having a more delicate, subtle color balance. I can easily believe that this was what Terence Fisher & Jack Asher would have wanted!
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This post falls apart at the word "sounds like." I'm interested in the petroleum based minerals also.
This situation, as the noble Mr. Kimmel has wisely spoken, remains as "wait and see."
RAH

 

[Reed Grele]

Mine should arrive within the next 7 days. Have already lined up 2 additional HTF "witnesses" for a viewing. Any others in or around the New Haven/Waterbury CT area are welcome to attend. Details to follow (after we come back online from the move of course.)

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Robert: In your experience, have you come across many instances of British Technicolor timing a film different than the U.S. release? Also, would the UK water generally create a dye-transfer print that has a much bluer bias?

 

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by Bob Furmanek
Robert: In your experience, have you come across many instances of British Technicolor timing a film different than the U.S. release?
Also, would the UK water generally create a dye-transfer print that has a much bluer bias?

Generally, a set of printing matrices would have shipped with an approved reference print. Also, generally, comparing UK with US prints, I've found the UK to be just a bit warmer overall. Aside from that, they're very close on first printings.
Technicolor had very close tolerances on first printings. Re-issues, not so much.
The point is that a dye transfer print, unless known to be vaulted reference, should not be considered as such. If it is, then all's well.
RAH