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KING RICHARD warenre archive beware (1 Viewer)

Joe Caps

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Several times over the years, Warner Archive has been asked about the release of the 1954 scope film, King Richard and the Crusaders.
We were told we had to wait for some restoration work.
Even if the work is done, that does not mean that the person transferring the film from film to tape will do a good job.
This film was previously on VHS from around the late eighties or early nineties.
I have it. It is pan/scan and stereo. the Credits are widescreen.
The film has pretty good color and is razor sharp.
Not so the Warner Archive DVD. Not once in the entire running time does it ever look truly in focus.
Very dissapointing.
Nic extra is the original trailer, which I have never seen before. IT is in focus. What a difference that makes !!!!!
 

JoeDoakes

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Ray
Joe Caps said:
Several times over the years, Warner Archive has been asked about the release of the 1954 scope film, King Richard and the Crusaders.
We were told we had to wait for some restoration work.
Even if the work is done, that does not mean that the person transferring the film from film to tape will do a good job.
This film was previously on VHS from around the late eighties or early nineties.
I have it. It is pan/scan and stereo. the Credits are widescreen.
The film has pretty good color and is razor sharp.
Not so the Warner Archive DVD. Not once in the entire running time does it ever look truly in focus.
Very dissapointing.
Nic extra is the original trailer, which I have never seen before. IT is in focus. What a difference that makes !!!!!
I am not quite sure what you mean by that. Are you sure its not your equipment? If you think its the transfer, what do you think the cause is? Did they try to correct for the scope buldge and screw it up? Anyway, WA should be notified if true. Perhaps someone could review this for some online publication.
 

Joe Caps

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No, it is not my equipment.
this looks like a very fast and cheap transfer. Its just not a good transfer. thats all.
 

Randy Korstick

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I Haven't seen this disc but it looked good on TCM a few months ago so I wonder what happened, they usually look better than TCM.
 

JoHud

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I have the disc, and while it does look a bit soft, it's hardly a deal breaker. It probably has more to do with problematic WarnerColor Cinemascope stock than focus, something only a full restoration would fix. Not nearly as bad as this thread is making it out to be.
Also, I really don't see the trailer looking any better
Edit: Upon further inspection, there is a noticeable difference between the trailer an the main feature, but not in the way Joe Caps describes. The color is markedly different during some scenes and it appears because the reds/browns in the feature Cinemascope print have become less consistent. It definitely seems rooted to the Eastman Kodak "WarnerColor" film stock, which looks like it has worn over the years compared to the trailer. However, I still disagree with Joe Caps that it's a transfer problem.
Feature screenshots
Trailer screenshots
 

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