- Joined
- Feb 8, 1999
- Messages
- 18,311
- Real Name
- Robert Harris
Joseph L. Mankiewicz' adaptation of Frank Loesser's timeless Broadway musical Guy and Dolls, is the first of the Samuel Goldwyn productions to come from the new pact with Warner Home Video, and it provides not only an impressive debut, and a peek at potential future quality.
Mr. Goldwyn, a consummate producer and showman, spared no expense to bring the correct talent to this production, and it shows, sixty years later.
Photographed in the still relatively early Eastman Color process -- Mr. Goldwyn had kept the Technicolor lab producing prints for him since at least as far back as 1924, with two color sequences for Cytherea. Whoopee! (1930) was two color. Kid Millions, with Eddie Cantor, 1934, used three-strip. Among other Technicolor productions, which we anticipate using Warner's Ultra-rez process, were the works of Danny Kaye.
But as far as Eastman Color was concerned, there were but two. Mr. Goldwyn's final productions, Guys and Dolls, and Porgy and Bess, which originated in 65mm.
This is a simple one.
Great musical. Beautiful production values. Stands the test of time in spades.
Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra, Vivian Blaine... the list goes on.
Warner has been able to harvest a very good looking image from the early Eastman element. Color is on the warm side, which is fine, as it also hides what may be the tiniest bit of fade. Flesh tones are generally very nice. Dark reds stand out, especially in uniforms. Grain structure is proper.
CinemaScope (2.55) looks as it should for the era.
A lovely Blu-ray of a great and important film.
Image - 4.25
Audio - 5 (4.0 discreet)
Very Highly Recommended.
RAH
Mr. Goldwyn, a consummate producer and showman, spared no expense to bring the correct talent to this production, and it shows, sixty years later.
Photographed in the still relatively early Eastman Color process -- Mr. Goldwyn had kept the Technicolor lab producing prints for him since at least as far back as 1924, with two color sequences for Cytherea. Whoopee! (1930) was two color. Kid Millions, with Eddie Cantor, 1934, used three-strip. Among other Technicolor productions, which we anticipate using Warner's Ultra-rez process, were the works of Danny Kaye.
But as far as Eastman Color was concerned, there were but two. Mr. Goldwyn's final productions, Guys and Dolls, and Porgy and Bess, which originated in 65mm.
This is a simple one.
Great musical. Beautiful production values. Stands the test of time in spades.
Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra, Vivian Blaine... the list goes on.
Warner has been able to harvest a very good looking image from the early Eastman element. Color is on the warm side, which is fine, as it also hides what may be the tiniest bit of fade. Flesh tones are generally very nice. Dark reds stand out, especially in uniforms. Grain structure is proper.
CinemaScope (2.55) looks as it should for the era.
A lovely Blu-ray of a great and important film.
Image - 4.25
Audio - 5 (4.0 discreet)
Very Highly Recommended.
RAH