DVD Review HTF Review: Casablanca - 2 Disc SE (Highly Recommended) (1 Viewer)

[Bill Burns]

"Someone" is probably (though I can't find confirmation of this) LDI, who has also done work on next month's Treasure of the Sierra Madre (which I did read somewhere ). Ferreting out the specific releases on which they work can be a chore, but Casablanca is a probable candidate, particularly given the upcoming Sierra Madre. Whether they've done either primary or ancillary work on The Adventures of Robin Hood remains unclear -- that may be a WB only restoration (various reports have LDI providing clean-up and "anti-flare" services, at the least, on Singin' in the Rain, so ... the plot thickens).

Gary's site is the only place that seems to be addressing cropping, but off hand I'd back Gordon's assumption: telecine discrepancies in line with all home video transfers. I just bought the release today (Best Buy has it for $17.99 this week, in accord with their usual "WB digipak first week discount"), but haven't had a chance to watch it yet.

 

[BrettB]

Minor nitpick; It seems they employed the "auto-play" feature which I absolutely despise.

BTW, great review Herb.

 

[Peter Kline]

"Auto-play"?? I had to click on Play Feature on menu before I could play the film.

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Really, Peter? That's weird; on my copy, the film will automatically begin after a while if it is left on the main menu! Which I don't like. If I am getting things ready before I watch a DVD, the last thing I want is the film to begin while I'm arranging chips, dips and in the case of a film like this - the Martinis!


Gordy

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Almost all WB discs will go into auto-play after the main menu runs for a few minutes.

Most never notice bcs they hit play manually within this time-frame.

It's a safety feature so that the menu doesn't cause burn-in to your CRT or plasma by just hanging there for hours and hours if you happen to forget the DVD was left in the player.

It's one of the reasons we'd often use WB DVDs as "demo discs" in the AV shop where I used to work...never had to worry about the DVD ending and going back to the main-menu which would just sit there and burn in the displays...the movies wouuld play over again and "loop" a few minutes after the menu would come up.

 

[Bill Williams]

I picked up my copy of Casablanca this weekend and checked out some of the material on the disc, and I have to admit, this is one mighty fine DVD for a 60-year-old movie! Right up there with Warner's DVD of Citizen Kane.

One thing I noticed about the theatrical trailers: the original trailer looked really wonderful - they don't make them like that anymore! The 1992 re-release trailer, however, didn't look as good as the original trailer. There was some obvious distortions on the left hand side of the screen.

The Casablanca tribute feature, in which Lauren Bacall talks about the different versions of the film over the years, was quite informative. Who'd have known there were different versions along the way? I remember the 1980's TV series, and somehow that one just didn't have the feel of the movie. But the Looney Tunes cartoon short "Carrotblanca" was absolutely wonderful!

And who would have thought that some of the classic moments of the film involved models, matte paintings, trick photography, etc., a la Citizen Kane? We don't think about such things today because we're used to seeing them all the time, but back then that was mighty impressive.

That has me thinking... if they did Casablanca today in 2003, who knows who would have played the roles? I could probably see Harrison Ford as Rick, but that's about it. Let's face it, they just don't make 'em like this anymore, this is one beautiful film, and Warner did it justice with this DVD. Well done!

 

[WilliamG]

Well, I bought this DVD 3 weeks ago, but just got around to watching it yesterday afternoon. Having never seen it (I KNOW, I KNOW!) I was literally stunned. I mean, I've always WANTED to see it, but the acting was superb, watching Bogart's Rick wielding a great power of authority within the Cafe Americain, and being a sentimentalist at heart. And Bergman- whoa! What a beautiful woman and wonderful actress.

Now, I'm not as young as most of you are-I'm 45- but seeing this movie really makes me appreciate those classics of yesterday. I couldn't get over, after seeing part of a commentary on the 2nd disc and the quality of the film prior to its restoration, the quality of this disc. This has quickly become one of my most treasured DVD's.

Thanks for the great review!

 

[John Hodson]

I didn't think there would be much of an improvement over my existing R2 copy, but I was completely blown away. Another fabulous triumph from Warners.

Citizen Kane, Now Voyager, Mildred Pierce, Casablanca, The Prince and The Pauper; the restorations, the standard of the transfers just gets better and better.

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So many films, so little time...

 

[richardWI]

That has me thinking... if they did Casablanca today in 2003, who knows who would have played the roles?

J-Lo and Affleck... or Britney Murphy and Aston Kuthcher! "Dude, we'll SO always have Paris!" :p)

 

[Kevin Porter]

"Dude, we'll SO always have Paris!"

HAHA!