Question on Rollercoaster 1977, Two-Minute Warning 1976, and The Hindenburg 1975 (1 Viewer)

[Bob Cashill]

Must-read article about TWO-MINUTE WARNING's TV transformation; great stuff: http://originalvidjunkie.blogspot.com/2012/06/on-celluloid-chopping-block-two-minute.html?zx=78d8f94f09570436

 

[Brian McP]

Charles -- if you want to get some 'Sensurround' rumble into your life (and you still have a working laserdisc player), pick up both "Earthquake" and "Midway" as both have the low level rumble effects if played through a left and right stereo system (and the trailer for "Midway" has the Sensurround effects as well)
In contrast, the laserdisc for "Rollercoaster" has no Sensurround rumble at all -- absolutely nothing, deleted as if on purpose (and I suspect, it is this transfer that made it on to dvd). There was a reissue of "Earthquake" on dvd in both 5.1 and 3.1 Sensurround -- according to a reviewer on Amazon, it isn't all that great (and he goes to great lengths to explain why as he some kind of 'Sensurround' expert) -- but it might do the trick for you there in your living room -- at least it would be better than those LA simulcasts (can you imagine somebody tuning in that night to listen to some easy music and having the sound of LA being destroyed and Ava Gardner bellowing at Charlton Heston, coming through their car radio?)

 

[walter o]

In contrast, the laserdisc for "Rollercoaster" has no Sensurround rumble at all -- absolutely nothing, deleted as if on purpose (and I suspect, it is this transfer that made it on to dvd).?)

Maybe it has something to do with music clearence issues? I recall my video tape said "Home video version" on it, so maybe when it came out on LD, they went with a already mixed mono sound with the problematic tunes removed from the 3 stripe mag, so the full surround effect couldnt have been recreated?

 

[Louis Letizia]

Must-read article about TWO-MINUTE WARNING's TV transformation; great stuff: http://originalvidjunkie.blogspot.com/2012/06/on-celluloid-chopping-block-two-minute.html?zx=78d8f94f09570436

Excellent and in depth article. I remember seeing this version as late as the early 2000s on cable.
There had to be some substantial costs involved in this reworking. You would think Bluray was made for this where both versions could be on one disc.
Besides this and EARTHQUAKE....was MIDWAY reworked for television with Susan Sullivan's role reinstated.

 

[Charles Smith]

Thanks for the tips and the article. Will be reading it later.

 

[Charles Smith]

Enjoyed that description of the TV version, till I felt my brain turning to jelly about two-thirds of the way through and had to stop. Good lord.

 

[donidarko]

Must-read article about TWO-MINUTE WARNING's TV transformation; great stuff: http://originalvidjunkie.blogspot.com/2012/06/on-celluloid-chopping-block-two-minute.html?zx=78d8f94f09570436

Thank you so much for that very in depth analysis of the "Two-Minute Warning" transformation from a decent, violent, and tense thriller to a silly 4hr filler for an NBC movie slot. As noted above , the network performed this little trick on MIDWAY, AIRPORT '77 and completely destroyed whatever logic Michael Winner's THE SENTINEL had when it was revamped for their network runs. I was only around 16 then and when I saw what NBC was doing to these films, I figured NBC had become the nun/pope network.
Thanks again, Bob.

 

[Bob Cashill]

Thank writer William S. Wilson, who nobly undertook this insane task.

 

[donidarko]

Thank writer William S. Wilson, who nobly undertook this insane task.

I wholeheartedly thank Mr. William S. Wison for his superb input and Mr. Cashill for posting thew link. Kudos!

 

[Bob Cashill]

Much obliged. We both post on the Mobius Home Video Forum: http://www.mhvf.net/

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Bob Cashill /t/317783/question-on-rollercoaster-1977-two-minute-warning-1976-and-the-hindenburg-1975/30#post_3939980
Thank writer William S. Wilson, who nobly undertook this insane task.

That was an exhausting read, but well worth the time. Thanks for sharing the link and I think I found another interesting Blog to look at ever so often.

 

[FoxyMulder]

The Hindenberg was show on Film4 over here in the UK not so long ago, nice looking 2.35:1 widescreen edition, Robert Wise really knew how to frame a film.



Incidentally if anyone wants to compare extra's and different versions of movies then the site below is quite good for this.



http://www.dvdcompare.net/index.php

 

[Bob Cashill]

Hey, Shout Factory! As you expand into Blu-rays of Universal titles (and provided that the studio has no interest of its own) how about the 70s disaster films: EARTHQUAKE, TWO-MINUTE WARNING, ROLLERCOASTER, THE HINDENBURG, GRAY LADY DOWN, the other AIRPORTs? You'll have several buyers guaranteed...

 

[Jeffrey:K]

Originally Posted by Bob Cashill /t/317783/question-on-rollercoaster-1977-two-minute-warning-1976-and-the-hindenburg-1975/30#post_3960898
Hey, Shout Factory! As you expand into Blu-rays of Universal titles (and provided that the studio has no interest of its own) how about the 70s disaster films: EARTHQUAKE, TWO-MINUTE WARNING, ROLLERCOASTER, THE HINDENBURG, GRAY LADY DOWN, the other AIRPORTs? You'll have several buyers guaranteed...

I'd love blu-rays of all of these, especially TWO-MINUTE WARNING. And even though it's not a disaster film, throw in MIDWAY for Sensurround completists.

 

[Louis Letizia]

And while we are at it.....SILENT RUNNING....THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN and COLOSSUS:THE FORBIN PROJECT and JOURNEY TO THE FAR SIDE OF THE SUN were never treated properly on DVD.
Horrors if the 70s......SSss.....THE LEGACY.....THE SENTINEL.....
And the underrated PARADISE ALLEY would look amazing

 

[Charles Smith]

There's a nice UK Masters of Cinema Silent Running for those who would like it right now and can play Region B.

 

[Nebiroth]

The R1 DVD of Silent Running is at least anamorphic - the R2 isn't.
The Goodtimes release of The Sentinel is horrendous - sub-VHS quality with nasty print damage and butchered into 4:3 to boot! But there are at least decent releases from Universal in R1, or MediumRare in R2
And Collossus: The Forbin Project isn;t brilliant in R2, but at least it's anamorphic OAR - the R1 is pan-and-scan, extraordinary given that it was made in Panavision and the DVD release is relatively recent. Forgivable in a 1999 DVD, but after that...not really.

 

[Bob Cashill]

William S. Wilson strikes back, with a report on the TV version of EARTHQUAKE. Enjoyable reading: http://originalvidjunkie.blogspot.com/2012/08/on-celluloid-chopping-block-earthquake.html?zx=9266f5e27fae0eaa
SILENT RUNNING is a fine RB Blu. The UK SENTINEL has a funny Michael Winner commentary. And Amazon Germany apparently has a remastered COLOSSUS but I haven't seen it: http://www.amazon.de/Colossus-Forbin-Project-Widescreen-Remastered/dp/B004C4IIUY/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1344819121&sr=1-1
Hit us with it all, Shout!

 

[Brian McP]

And if it could be managed, Charlton Heston's 1973 epic Skyjacked for good measure -- pretty sure the success of this picture got him Earthquake, Airport 1975, Grey Lady Down and all the rest.

 

[Bob Cashill]

SKYJACKED is MGM, though.