TCM: Finally in Real HD? (1 Viewer)

[Johnny Angell]

Peter, thanks for the info about the cue marks. Could you post a pick of that cue tool or describe how it works?

I don't think there's much of a controversy about cue marks, but I would add my yes vote to keeping them when possible. They are like a time machine for me. When I see them, I end up in a theater seat for a few seconds.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Peter, thanks for the info about the cue marks. Could you post a pick of that cue tool or describe how it works?

I don't think there's much of a controversy about cue marks, but I would add my yes vote to keeping them when possible. They are like a time machine for me. When I see them, I end up in a theater seat for a few seconds.

Sure, here's the device:

You lay the film into it emulsion side up aligning the frame lines across the 4 frames. Then you take that little pen-like item and insert it into each of the 4 holes, giving it a few twists in each hole.


And what they look like:


View attachment cue.jpg


Many lab cues are made with a hole puncher in the negative, which results in a solid black dot on screen.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Thanks Peter for that photo and explanation. That tool looked like it's been around a while.

 

[Joel Fontenot]

Tony,

There is no such divided issue. No one has ever advocated for the inclusion of reel changeover cues for home video releases. Digital manipulation to remove them is only necessary on versions that were sourced from actual prints. A lot of the films being restored today are being sourced from the original camera negatives which of course do not contain cue marks.


In Joel's post, his issue is not with cue marks. He is questioning why TCM is not using Warner's beautiful HD master that is on the Blu-ray.

Yeah, I really didn't mean to derail this thread into a discussion about the marks themselves.


Although, the photo of the tool used to make one of the types of marks was cool.


I will add that I've known of the term "cigarette burns" or "marks" for those cue marks since i was a kid, and Fight Club (which I never saw) came out when I was 34. Maybe it wasn't coined or used by professional projectionists, but instead coined by the movie watching public at large, who saw these movies all those years (before the film platter or digital) with those little marks and just came up with the closest thing it looked like to them to describe it.


But, back to my original question.... Could a print have been made of the restoration? And, would TCM really use a transfer of a print made from a high def digital restoration? And even if they made a print for theatrical presentation, would it still be separated out into reels, or would it be wound up on those newer film projector patters? So many questions about it from that airing.

 

[SilverWook]

I associate cue marks with cigarettes, because of all the times I remember a film reel completely running out back in the 70's, and being treated to a blank screen. I always presumed the projectionist mistimed his smoke break.


Seeing Skyfall at the local bargain house was my last 35mm experience to date. Hearing the whirr of the projector above and behind me, and seeing the cue marks was strangely comforting.

 

[bujaki]

Back to TCM HD. This past week I saw RALLY 'ROUND THE FLAG, BOYS; FROM THE TERRACE; THE HUNTERS; THE ENEMY BELOW; all Fox Cinemascope films, shown in 16:9 with great color. Don't know how old the masters may be, but they were a joy to behold.

 

[Mike Boone]

I recently DVRed TCM HD's showing of A Man For All Seasons when, sadly I think, it was presented at the not too opportune time of 2:15 in the morning eastern time. Anyway, TCM's high def presentation was seriously outclassed in quality by the magnificent Twilight Time Blu-ray which was recently released.


For anyone who has not seen A Man For All Seasons, I would say that you would be in for one terrific experience if Screen Archives Entertainment still has copies left from the limited Blu-ray production run of what is undoubtedly one of the wittiest, most intelligent films ever produced.


But, if Blu-rays of the film turn out to no longer be available, at least, as shown on TCM, A Man For All Seasons still looks very good, being quite an improvement over the DVD.


I know that the TCM HD channel is the focus of this thread, but I wanted to briefly say that personally, I am not aware of any film that equals A Man For All Seasons in replay value, as the movie contains scenes of verbal sparring that I find to be more stirring than any of my favorite movie action scenes.

And while Lawrence of Arabia is a personal favorite for its magnificent photography and Peter O'Toole's towering performance, it would be awfully tough

choosing between it and A Man For All Seasons, if I could only have one film to watch on that proverbial desert island.

 

[revgen]

The Thing From Another World (1951) is being shown in HD on TCM-HD. Unfortunately, someone decided to crop the top and bottom even though it's an academy film.

 

[Ken H]

The Thing From Another World (1951) is being shown in HD on TCM-HD. Unfortunately, someone decided to crop the top and bottom even though it's an academy film.

Yes, it appears when this particular HD transfer was done, they zoomed in to get 16:9. I'd guess they got an original 35mm print and only had to zoom slightly, similar to what was done with 'Seinfield'.

 

[revgen]

Zoomed or not, heads were chopped off throughout the film. TV shows like Seinfeld are given headroom to compensate for broadcast and TV overscan. Academy films were shot for the theaters, which don't overscan at all.


Hopefully, Universal doesn't release this film on Blu-Ray like this.

 

[GlennF]

Was looking forward to watching the MAN WHO WOULD BE KING again on Saturday night. However, it was not the 2.35:1 ratio it was shot in (it was cropped to fill the screen) and the sound was not good. I turned it off. I would rather rent the Blu-ray and watch it properly. However, I did notice, like Jose mentioned above, that a lot of films last week, that I would not have expected to be in high-def, were. (Rally 'Round the Flag, Enemy Below, Wings of Eagles). It was a pleasant surprise.

 

[Ken H]

Zoomed or not, heads were chopped off throughout the film. TV shows like Seinfeld are given headroom to compensate for broadcast and TV overscan. Academy films were shot for the theaters, which don't overscan at all.


Hopefully, Universal doesn't release this film on Blu-Ray like this.

Agree 100%.

 

[Ken H]

"Close Encounters Of The Third Kind" was on Sunday night (6/7/15). It was the best HD transfer I've ever seen of it, and OAR 2.35:1 to boot. TCM says the run time is 135 minutes, which would make it the original Theatrical Version.

 

[aPhil]

Add me to those who were shocked at the TCM 1.78 to 1 transfer of 1951 The Thing From Another World. Heads were cut off and it's hard to imagine anyone doing this.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

"Close Encounters Of The Third Kind" was on Sunday night (6/7/15). It was the best HD transfer I've ever seen of it, and OAR 2.35:1 to boot. TCM says the run time is 135 minutes, which would make it the original Theatrical Version.

I saw it too and it was a very good showing of the film but the showing of A Man For All Seasons was not the best with some print damage.

 

[RolandL]

Brigadoon on right now, looks like HD to me.

 

[TonyD]

Walter Mitty was on tonight.
PQ looks much better then last time it was on a few months ago. Clearly a different version.
Last time it was on looked like a dvd broadcast, not this time.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Yesterday TCM broadcast Capra's "Lost Horizon" which is one of my favorite Capra films and they did use a brighter, sharper looking print of the film and I did a comparison to my dvd and the TCM print had a lot less film damage. A good sign and the best version I have seen of the film so far so I hope a Blu-ray release soon.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Yesterday TCM broadcast Capra's "Lost Horizon" which is one of my favorite Capra films and they did use a brighter, sharper looking print of the film and I did a comparison to my dvd and the TCM print had a lot less film damage. A good sign and the best version I have seen of the film so far so I hope a Blu-ray release soon.

It's one of my favorite Capra movies too, if not my very favorite. Sony did a 4K restoration back in 2014, and it's available as a DCP for repertory theaters. I also hope this makes it to Blu-ray one day, preferably sooner than later. Last year for Christmas, Sony put out "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington" on Blu-ray under a "Capra Collection" banner, and this year they're doing "You Can't Take It With You" - so it seems like it'll come out one of these Decembers!

 

[Mark-P]

Cheyenne Autumn is playing in HD on TCM right now. It looks to have been restored. Perhaps this bodes well for a Blu-ray release.