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A Few Words About A few words about...™ It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

Robert Harris

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This is a favorite film, which I found at a physical Walmart location, after going on line and per their website being told that
it was on-line only, and sold out.

First and foremost, having now spent over three hours with techs from Oppo and Anthem, the sync problem is almost fixed, and
will get fixed the rest of the way via offset on the Anthem. What I was originally seeing, an advance of almost two frames, is now
down to under one, which is fine.

I have no idea why this occurred, nor do any of the techs. These things just happen, and I apologize for any concerns.

To the technical.

Aspect ratio is around 2.65 or thereabouts, which is terrific.

Appears to be from a 65mm element, but with the Main Title sequence prepared for 35mm printing. A bit of fade shows on the sides of the dupes, but nothing of concern, as the problem
has been corrected and is not serious.

Color is very nice. Contrast a bit too high, with intrusion on shadow detail.

Nice clean-up, with occasional minus density, helping the film look, which is very nice.

Quality audio.

Those who are holding out for a Roadshow version might consider that the $10 investment gets you the film that everyone loves at a bargain price.

Lastly, let me make the point again, as the word restoration has been used, that this version of the film, outside of some dupe sections, really needs no
restorative work. The film was shot on 5250 and 5251, which had superb resistance to fade, and all is well.

Recommended.

RAH
 

GMpasqua

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Harris /forum/thread/312786/a-few-words-about-it-s-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world-in-blu-ray#post_3829340


One of my favorite all time films.



Found a Blu-ray at a Walmart along with the other Exclusive releases.



Here's what I'm seeing.



Aspect ratio is around 2.65 or thereabouts.



Appears to be from a 65mm element, but the 35mm version, inclusive of the 35mm Main Title sequence, which shows fade on the sides. There have been corrections, and the problem is not serious.



Color is very nice.



Contrast far too high, with intrusion on shadow detail.



Nice clean-up.



Quality audio.



Not the one that I'd want in my library, and I'm not speaking of version, ie. general release vs. premiere.



Sync problems should have been caught. For eight bucks I might have been willing to adjust sync, but if I'm putting out ten for a Blu-ray...



Fail.



Recall.



RAH







Mr Harris your post is a bit confusing - is it from a 65mm element or 35mm?
How can you have quality audio if the soundtrack is out of sync?
 

Bob Jones

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I just finished watching this movie tonight. I found the picture quality, color and detail amazing for a film of this age. I do agree that the contrast is a tad bit too high, but overall I have found this film far superior to any other version I've seen. I have found no problem with the audio sync whatsoever on my PS3. Highly, highly recommended. :)
 

Robert Harris

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Originally Posted by GMpasqua

Mr Harris your post is a bit confusing - is it from a 65mm element or 35mm?
How can you have quality audio if the soundtrack is out of sync?
All Main Titles sequences were originally in 65mm. For domestic, there were two. One lacking the Cinerama credit, which was produced for reduction printing. This is specific 35mm intended element.

Am re-checking sync problems, which could be weather (storm) related.

RAH
 

mercyflight

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Hope the titles are in the correct color. I remember that the screen should open with a greenish background, not red.
I'm still hoping there can be a 50th Anniversary disc presentation, we have been stockpiling lots of extras - "Then & Now" location featurettes, rare color slides taken by the sound man, Tania Rose on "Mad World", audio commentary featuring stoires shot but not included in the 1990 documentary, Wonderful to include "Stanley Kramer's Funny Men of Film" (ABC TV presentation), the Stan Freberg spots...We're trying!
Paul
 

RickER

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I watched an hour of this last night. Had no sync issues ( at least none to the point I was watching). Unlike The Magnificent Seven, which does have sync issues...at just over an hour into it until the end.
The contrast was the only thing I noticed. But this is the best video version I have seen of the movie, so far. I have owned the LD, DVD, and now the BD.
I am very happy the extras carried over too.
Edit: Paul the title backgrounds change color, starting with a green. They are a bit faded on the outer edge, however.
 

mercyflight

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RickER said:
I watched an hour of this last night. Had no synch issues ( at least none to the point I was watching). Unlike The Magnificent Seven, which does have synch issues...at just over an hour into it until the end.
The contrast was the only thing I noticed. But this is the best video version I have seen of the movie, so far. I have owned the LD, DVD, and now the BD.
I am very happy the extras carried over too.
I'm very happy to hear that too!! We only had about a week to get that documentary together, we had no money. It's certainly not defintive, but at least we captured some of the folks involved who since passed away. I would have loved to have made a newer expanded version of it. The best fact that came out of it all was that everyone truly liked Stanlley Kramer, and so many remained friends with him over the years.
 

Robert Harris

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Originally Posted by Douglas R
What happened to the Entr'acte music? Extremely disappointing that it's not on the Blu-ray, especially when it was on the DVD.
Entr'acte music should not be on this Blu-ray. Nor should the Overture or Intermission slug. This is the 35mm version of the film.

RAH
 

Stefan Andersson

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Hi Paul! Glad to hear the Blu edition is good apart from the deficiencies reported by Mr. Harris.
I too would very much like a 50th Anniversary Edition. Hopefully using branching technology to let viewers choose between general release version and the roadshow reconstructed for the laserdisc. I know the reconstruction isn´t final but I think it gives a fair idea of the screenwriters intentions in regard o pacing and rhythm (all those subtle gags and pauses, apparently planned out during writing, using an index card system) in between the big slapstick bits.
Hopefully you can also use the TV ads with many of the big stars in the same room talking about the movie (available on YouTube).
On another Mad World HTF thread someone mentioned that half a line of dialogue (spoken by Jonathan Winters) is missing from the little old lady monologue (there is an audio jump cut on the laserdisc audio). On the same thread Mr. Harris reported that the original audio for Monica Crump´s spinning scene is available.
 

Eric Vedowski

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mercyflight said:
Hope the titles are in the correct color. I remember that the screen should open with a greenish background, not red.
I'm still hoping there can be a 50th Anniversary disc presentation, we have been stockpiling lots of extras - "Then & Now" location featurettes, rare color slides taken by the sound man, Tania Rose on "Mad World", audio commentary featuring stoires shot but not included in the 1990 documentary, Wonderful to include "Stanley Kramer's Funny Men of Film" (ABC TV presentation), the Stan Freberg spots...We're trying!
Paul
UCLA has a Jerry Lewis Show (11/02/63) with a good chunk of the cast promoting the movie.
 

mercyflight

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Hi Stefan,
Yeah, we did not have much to work with 20 years ago(!) The little old lady monologue made up of two trims, therefore the jump. To me, that was a lttiel scene that indeed did add to the film and to Jonathan's role. Back tnen, the Spin-Around scene we had was in very bad shape, but we knew what the music was, because it existed on the score album, and fit perfectly. Would give anyhting to hear the actual soundtrack. I think we did okay with this demo at http://www.scrabo.com/santarosita2.html
IMO, the general release version is the version that gave the film its reputation and is a masterful cut, and should always be available. Kramer was happy to make a "special editon" with the trims we had, and at least it provled the this film was indeed an epic experiment. A 3 hour comedy where the story takes place in about three hours. What we had was in bad shape, but to us back then it was gold. The film was also not only cut but re-arranged in areas over time, and all we had back then was the second draft screenplay and the half-frames on the trims as continuity, Some cuts I felt improved the film, certainly the entrances and exits. Some feel, myself included, that the deletion of the Tracy/Keaton phone call gave the second half more audience involvement, made it more interesting, and I'll alwayd feel that Stanley deciided to delete it himself. It gives away too much too soon , makes Culpeper just "one of the bunch", and there is a loss of tension.
No Entre Acte music on the BluRay..!??
 

GMpasqua

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Harris /forum/thread/312786/a-few-words-about-it-s-a-mad-mad-mad-mad-world-in-blu-ray#post_3829410






Viewed last night on three totally segregated systems, and each had sync problems. Could be weather related.



RAH





How does the weather effect the sound?
 

mercyflight

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Eric Vedowski said:
UCLA has a Jerry Lewis Show (11/02/63) with a good chunk of the cast promoting the movie.
Yes, Eric, I was thinking of that as well! I remember watching it live when I was a kid! And I do remember somehting like this -
Sid Caesar - Yeah, everyone's in it. (pause) Well, YOU'RE in ti, right?
Jerry Lewis - (thinking quickly) No. No. They, uh, wanted me in it, but I couldn't make it....
 

Douglas R

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Robert Harris said:
Entr'acte music should not be on this Blu-ray.  Nor should the Overture or Intermission slug.  This is the 35mm version of the film. RAH 
It's irrelevant whether the Blu-ray has come from a 35mm or 70mm print. It is still the same length version which was widely shown as a roadshow attraction with Overture, Entr'acte and Exit music, so those should all be included for completeness. I saw it in 70mm and also later on 35mm on general release. The 35mm version still had an intermission and may also have retained the Overture and Exit music (too long ago to be sure).
 

Robert Crawford

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Originally Posted by Douglas R
It's irrelevant whether the Blu-ray has come from a 35mm or 70mm print. It is still the same length version which was widely shown as a roadshow attraction with Overture, Entr'acte and Exit music, so those should all be included for completeness. I saw it in 70mm and also later on 35mm on general release. The 35mm version still had an intermission and may also have retained the Overture and Exit music (too long ago to be sure).
Well, one of you is wrong about this issue.






Crawdaddy
 

Robert Crawford

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Originally Posted by Ensign Eddie
I haven't noticed any sync problems. At least not a whole two dollars' worth.
Yeah, I thought that was pretty funny too.





Crawdaddy
 

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