- Joined
- Jun 20, 2004
- Messages
- 3,527
- Real Name
- Richard W
One-Eyed Jacks proliferates in public domain editions. Without exception, all public domain editions are ports of Paramount's laser disc. To find the best quality DVD, I surveyed 19 different editions and several duplicates with the cover art changed. It is hard to keep track of which is which because public domain labels keep reissuing the same transfer with different covers. Many, but not all, of the editions are pictured here:
http://www.dvdaf.com/search.html?has=one+eyed+jacks%2F%2F&init_form=str0_has_one+eyed+jacks%2F%2F
The cleanest, sharpest, steadiest print appears on FRONT ROW FEATURES, widescreen but not anamorphic:
Copies can often be found on ebay, but be cautious: if the cover isn't the same as above you're buying the wrong one. So far as I know, Front Row Features is no longer in business and their best edition of One-Eyed Jacks is out of print.
Second-best was issued by BRENTWOOD. Picture quality is very close to the Front Row Features. Brentwood issued its port in various editions, singly and in packages, usually with a still from The Missouri Breaks on the cover, showing Brando raising a gun, two of which are pictured here:
http://www.amazon.com/Legends-West-Jack-Palance/dp/B000068TOO/ref=sr_1_64?s=STORE&ie=UTF8&qid=1282712392&sr=1-64
http://cgi.ebay.com/Marlon-Brando-One-Eyed-Jacks-1961-new-DVD-bargain-/370287775488?pt=US_DVD_HD_DVD_Blu_ray
Both FRONT ROW FEATURES and BRENTWOOD are ported from the laser disc. Be advised they are not state of the art transfers, nor are they progressive, but they are quite enjoyable with a nice photo-chemical look and true to the original film. There are many widescreen editions on other public domain labels, but picture quality is not as good, probably because some are porting the transfer from each other instead from the laser. I would say Digiview is one of the worst.
PARAMOUNT released the laser disc transfer to DVD in France under the title La Veangeance aux deux visages. What does that mean? The French DVD is not a port of the American laser disc. How do I know? The picture quality is better than the laser disc (which I have). But the blemishes are the same. It's the same transfer as the laser disc in slightly better quality. It also came out under the LES FILMS DE MA VIE label. Both are out of print. Check out the PARAMOUNT here:
http://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0007XT5P6/dvdaficiona01-21
Be advised the French editions are PAL in which the 4% speed-up plays hell with the pitch of the music, raising the voices too high, and the action too fast. This bothers me, but I hear some people never notice it.
On a related note, Screen Archives has announced the release of Hugo Friedhofer's soundtrack in a special 2-disc limited edition August 31. Order it here:
http://www.screenarchives.com/title_detail.cfm/ID/14274/ONE-EYED-JACKS-2CD-1000-EDITION-PRE-ORDER/
http://www.dvdaf.com/search.html?has=one+eyed+jacks%2F%2F&init_form=str0_has_one+eyed+jacks%2F%2F
The cleanest, sharpest, steadiest print appears on FRONT ROW FEATURES, widescreen but not anamorphic:
Copies can often be found on ebay, but be cautious: if the cover isn't the same as above you're buying the wrong one. So far as I know, Front Row Features is no longer in business and their best edition of One-Eyed Jacks is out of print.
Second-best was issued by BRENTWOOD. Picture quality is very close to the Front Row Features. Brentwood issued its port in various editions, singly and in packages, usually with a still from The Missouri Breaks on the cover, showing Brando raising a gun, two of which are pictured here:
http://www.amazon.com/Legends-West-Jack-Palance/dp/B000068TOO/ref=sr_1_64?s=STORE&ie=UTF8&qid=1282712392&sr=1-64
http://cgi.ebay.com/Marlon-Brando-One-Eyed-Jacks-1961-new-DVD-bargain-/370287775488?pt=US_DVD_HD_DVD_Blu_ray
Both FRONT ROW FEATURES and BRENTWOOD are ported from the laser disc. Be advised they are not state of the art transfers, nor are they progressive, but they are quite enjoyable with a nice photo-chemical look and true to the original film. There are many widescreen editions on other public domain labels, but picture quality is not as good, probably because some are porting the transfer from each other instead from the laser. I would say Digiview is one of the worst.
PARAMOUNT released the laser disc transfer to DVD in France under the title La Veangeance aux deux visages. What does that mean? The French DVD is not a port of the American laser disc. How do I know? The picture quality is better than the laser disc (which I have). But the blemishes are the same. It's the same transfer as the laser disc in slightly better quality. It also came out under the LES FILMS DE MA VIE label. Both are out of print. Check out the PARAMOUNT here:
http://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0007XT5P6/dvdaficiona01-21
Be advised the French editions are PAL in which the 4% speed-up plays hell with the pitch of the music, raising the voices too high, and the action too fast. This bothers me, but I hear some people never notice it.
On a related note, Screen Archives has announced the release of Hugo Friedhofer's soundtrack in a special 2-disc limited edition August 31. Order it here:
http://www.screenarchives.com/title_detail.cfm/ID/14274/ONE-EYED-JACKS-2CD-1000-EDITION-PRE-ORDER/