- Joined
- Feb 8, 1999
- Messages
- 18,397
- Real Name
- Robert Harris
Everyone with a bent toward film history is aware that 1939 was a golden year in the history of the cinema. It was a year that three-strip Technicolor came to the fore.
Twilight Time's release of the Blu-ray is as good as it's going to get. With the original elements junked, we have what we have, and the work performed by Fox in digitally affecting what they did have was a last ditch effort to save the films. Ain't no more to be done.
The color of the Blu-ray accurately reflects the work digital work done c. 2006, and properly represents the data captured and taken back to film.
That said, the original cinematography by Bert Glennon and Ray Rennahan is but a shadow of it's original glory.
The color is there, but heavily affected by an Eastman Color intermediate and poorly performed duping. Shadow detail is nonexistent. Fortunately, resolution holds rather well. Facial highlights are nil, and night scenes are almost non-existant.
But it is what it is.
And as a superbly crafted John Ford production, and his first in Technicolor, I'm pleased to have it is good as it is. He would not return to Technicolor for an entire decade, for Three Godfather in 1948, and would only use the process four times thereafter. The final time with the great Freddie Young at the camera for his remake of Red Dust.
Image - 3
Audio - 4
My complaints about color, densities and lack of shadow detail should not keep anyone from purchasing this disc. As noted, it's as good as it will get, and thus, is...
Recommended
RAH
