Will EL CID, THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, and 55 DAYS AT PEKING ever get a proper restoration and h (1 Viewer)

[Brent Avery]

It might take a week or so for me to get around to watching something on my projector but I should take some shots of a few images from the U.K. El Cid I have as I thought it looked decent on my 128" 2:35 screen from what i remember, certainly worth buying if you come across a copy that is not too much - Zavvi sells it for 8.99 ( pounds ) and their shipping cost is inexpensive as well so it would be under $20.00. probably around 16 - 17.00.

 

[Doug Bull]

Just to confuse me even more, I've just discovered that the "EL CID" Blu-ray has been released here in Australia by Umbrella Entertainment at AUD$15.18.

I'm thinking that most likely it will be the UK transfer, as the cover art is identical, although it contains just the one disc.
Price isn't bad, so I might yet give it a go.

Who knows? it might be better (or worse) than the UK and German discs.
Anybody here bought the Aussie Blu-ray?

Doug.

 

[calvinm]

Anchor Bay will be releasing 55 Days in Peking in the UK on April 7th. Judging by their releases of El Cid and The Fall of the Roman Emperor, I would say it will be region B locked.

 

[Douglas R]

Anchor Bay will be releasing 55 Days in Peking in the UK on April 7th. Judging by their releases of El Cid and The Fall of the Roman Emperor, I would say it will be region B locked.

Well let's hope Anchor Bay don't delete the Overture as they did with FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

 

[Doug Bull]

Well let's hope Anchor Bay don't delete the Overture as they did with FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

The Koch German Blu-Ray of "Fall Of The Roman Empire" contains the Overture.

 

[Douglas R]

The Koch German Blu-Ray of "Fall Of The Roman Empire" contains the Overture.

I know Doug. I bought that one as well!

 

[Doug Bull]

I wonder if the upcoming French "55 Days at Peking" and the Anchor Bay UK disc will share the same transfer.
If they do then possible forced Sub-titles might push me to the UK disc.

Either way I'm really looking forward to a hopefully decent Blu-ray version.

Doug.

 

[OliverK]

I know Doug. I bought that one as well!

Do the UK and the German version otherwise look identical or does the UK version of Fall also have different color timing?

 

[Douglas R]

Do the UK and the German version otherwise look identical or does the UK version of Fall also have different color timing?

They look exactly the same to me.

 

[OliverK]

They look exactly the same to me.

Thanks, in this case not a good thing but to be expected.

 

[Mark Edward Heuck]

Something to ponder: Paramount apparently still have TV and streaming rights to FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE and CIRCUS WORLD, and I have seen both available from their various VOD channels on YouTube and Amazon. I am guessing their transfer of FALL is the same as the Weinsteins, but has anyone looked at their print of CIRCUS WORLD? Maybe that would be a decent indication of what TWC would have to offer.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Here is dvdbeaver's review of the Filedia region free Blu-ray release for 55 Days At Peking and it looks very good.

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film4/blu-ray_reviews_61/55_days_at_peking_blu-ray.htm

 

[haineshisway]

It's beyond good - it's just about perfect. I meant to post about this last week so happy this thread got bumped. There were those speculating that this was from 70mm negative, but that isn't the case, at least as stated on the disc.

 

[ahollis]

It's beyond good - it's just about perfect. I meant to post about this last week so happy this thread got bumped. There were those speculating that this was from 70mm negative, but that isn't the case, at least as stated on the disc.

Overture, Intermission, Enter acta, and Exit Music?

 

[John Hermes]

Overture, Intermission, Enter acta, and Exit Music?

Yep, has all that with Andy Williams crooning the exit music. Looks and sounds fantastic.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

I just looked at the only copy of the movie i have and it's from a TCM broadcast from last year and it has the overture, entr'acte and that's it no exit music. The print TCM used is a very clean one with no print damage and bright colors so i guess they used a good print of the film. I will buy this blu-ray for sure when it goes on sale.

 

[haineshisway]

Overture, Intermission, Enter acta, and Exit Music?

It's complete and has all the music you've listed. It's a really entertaining film all the way down the line. In fact, I know it's heresy, but I like it better than the two Bronston/Mann films - I like those, but for me King of Kings and 55 Days are the best of them - Nick Ray was really superb. According to the little card that precedes the film, this was restored from the 8-perf Technirama camera negative.

 

[OliverK]

It's beyond good - it's just about perfect. I meant to post about this last week so happy this thread got bumped. There were those speculating that this was from 70mm negative, but that isn't the case, at least as stated on the disc.

They would obviously have been misinformed as there only was a 65(not70)mm negative for Fall of the Roman Empire.

 

[haineshisway]

They would obviously have been misinformed as there only was a 65(not70)mm negative for Fall of the Roman Empire.

Is it really your mission to question everything I post? Seriously? I said specifically that THIS transfer for THIS film (55 Days) is from the 8-perf Technirama camera negative. If you don't understand that perhaps someone else can explain it to you, but your agenda with me is not good, sir, and I wish you'd stop.

 

[OliverK]

It's complete and has all the music you've listed. It's a really entertaining film all the way down the line. In fact, I know it's heresy, but I like it better than the two Bronston/Mann films - I like those, but for me King of Kings and 55 Days are the best of them - Nick Ray was really superb. According to the little card that precedes the film, this was restored from the 8-perf Technirama camera negative.

I had never seen 55 Days until a few years ago and was pleasantly surprised when I first managed to attend the screening of a faded 70mm print. A very entertaining movie despite its troubled production history. And I completely agree that King of Kings is very enjoyable if not historically accurate which does not bother me. I also like Fall of the Roman Empire but it is not a movie that is enjoyable on the same level as the other two and it is also lacking a strong central character - not as easy to watch if you will. If only it could be properly appreciated on Blu-ray...

And I will have to reserve judgement on El Cid until I get to watch it theatrically or until a decent Blu-ray is released - one kind of feels cheated out of a proper movie viewing experience with the current Blu-ray. I think that at least indirectly we can "thank" Weinstein for not getting the same quality Blu-ray that we got with 55 Days for El Cid.