International 55 DAYS AT PEKING (PRE_ORDER) (1 Viewer)

[*]Actors: Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, David Niven, Flora Robson, John Ireland
[*]Directors: Nicholas Ray, Andrew Marton
[*]Producers: Samuel Bronston
[*]Region: Region B/2 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)
[*]Number of discs: 1
[*]Classification: To be announced
[*]Studio: Anchor Bay Entertainment UK
[*]DVD Release Date: 7 April 2014
[*]Run Time: 147 minutes
[/list]Available for pre-order from AMAZON.UK Release Date: April 7.
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I wonder if a release here in the US may be in the cards for the near future?

The French Blu Ray runs 162 minutes.
The cover is the original artwork not the dreadful UK cover.
Restored from the original 70mm camera negative.
It was 19 euros.

Ken Koc said:

The French Blu Ray runs 162 minutes.The cover is the original artwork not the dreadful UK cover.Restored from the original 70mm camera negative.It was 19 euros.

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But on Amazon.Fr it's listed as 146min running time. I actually did not order it because of the differences stated in the running times.

Ken Koc said:

The French Blu Ray runs 162 minutes.
The cover is the original artwork not the dreadful UK cover.
Restored from the original 70mm camera negative.
It It was 19 euros.

Click to expand...

The Negative for this film was 35mm Technirama.

On the Blu Ray itself it states it was restored from the original 70mm Super Technirama camera negative from Pinewood.
Furthermore there is an 11 minute restoration demonstration on the disc which also shows the difference between the 70mm version and the 35mm version.
The disc is stunning ....demonstration quality. In fact at FNAC in Paris it was being shown on all the monitors in their huge store.

Ken Koc said:

On the Blu Ray itself it states it was restored from the original 70mm Super Technirama camera negative from Pinewood.
Furthermore there is an 11 minute restoration demonstration on the disc which also shows the difference between the 70mm version and the 35mm version.
The disc is stunning ....demonstration quality.

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I think this is going on.

The best materials for the Bronston films are a set of 70mm negatives used for preparing European release prints. These were not the OCN's. 55 Days at Peking was indeed filmed in "Super Technirama 70", which means an 8-perf 35mm negative with anamorphic squeeze.

For many years these films were believed lost in their original formats and lengths until these 70mm negatives were found.

Figures that somebody would release this movie on DVD someday.

The end battle is the only good thing about this movie (and it's a guilty pleasure for me to do so): I'd like to see a Ghostbusters sequel with this movie's ending in which a multinational contingent of Ghostbusters franchises converge on New York to relieve the heroes.

rsmithjr said:

I think this is going on. The best materials for the Bronston films are a set of 70mm negatives used for preparing European release prints. These were not the OCN's. 55 Days at Peking was indeed filmed in "Super Technirama 70", which means an 8-perf 35mm negative with anamorphic squeeze. For many years these films were believed lost in their original formats and lengths until these 70mm negatives were found.

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When and where were these 70mm negs found and was EL CID and FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE amongst them?

When and where were these 70mm negs found and was EL CID and FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE amongst them?

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I understand there's a whole warehouse full of treasures at Pinewood Studios. About 15 years ago I was doing some stuff for Canal Plus & was talking to someone (I can't remember who) who was telling me that they didn't know half of what they had at Pinewood then (they'd just taken delivery of many large vans full of film elements), so many original negatives. I'm sure it's all been catalogued by now. I was given the original cut negs. of a few Cliff Richard musicals, to transfer from for DVD; The Young Ones, Summer Holiday & Wonderful Life, & they were all in great condition & not faded at all. We also did tests on El Cid & Circus World. These were from anamorphic 35mm b/w separation masters (probably made for insurance reasons). There is a lot of stuff in good condition out there, if only more people bought Blu-rays of old films!I haven't read a bad thing about the 55 Days At Peking Blu-ray, & am looking forward to seeing it when it's released, I shall give it the road show treatment...a Saturday evening viewing!

Ken Koc said:

The French Blu Ray runs 162 minutes.
The cover is the original artwork not the dreadful UK cover.

Click to expand...

Indeed, that UK cover is all kinds of awful. The French cover still messes with the original artwork a bit, but miles better than the UK one.
I feel a custom cover coming on

Just received the blu-ray from Amazon UK and did a comparison to my TCM broadcast copy and WOW! This is one sharp and rich colored blu-ray and what a print of the film! Very happy i did buy a all region player to watch movies like this one and recomend this disc as a must buy!

I'll probably pick this up. One of those I'm almost positive won't get a Region A release in the foreseeable future

The restoration at Pinewood 2013 for 55 Days at Peking looks excellent like a Criterion release. Colors are very natural looking with lots of detail lots of depth. I previously owned both the Laserdisc and Korean DVD and this Blu-ray is 100 times better. The packaging contains incorrect information. It is important to note the Blu-ray is REGION-LOCKED "B".

Video: 1080P/24
Audio: DTS MA
Running Time: 163 Minutes
Overture: Yes
Language: English
Region-Code B
Distributor: Anchor Bay

I understand that the this version is dubbed in French and cannot be played in English; only English subtitles. Is that true>

sonomatom1 said:

I understand that the this version is dubbed in French and cannot be played in English; only English subtitles. Is that true>

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I have the UK release which is fine, but it is locked to region B. The French release is multi-region, has English & French sound & no forced subs. I understand that the extras are just in French (but no extras at all on the UK version). So, if you don't have a multi-region machine (I don't), & are in the US, you need to buy the French release, a bit more expensive but you do get a nice cover.

http://www.amazon.fr/55-jours-P%C3%A9kin-Blu-ray/dp/B00GCM1R8E/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1399796243&sr=1-1&keywords=55+days+at+peking+blu

No one has yet mentioned but does the UK 55 Days At Peking blu have the roadshow overture, intermission, entrac'te and exit music intact?

Thomas T said:

No one has yet mentioned but does the UK 55 Days At Peking blu have the roadshow overture, intermission, entrac'te and exit music intact?

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Yes.

The transfer on the UK Blu-ray is incredible, and yes, the UK cover art is incredibly boring. I just finished this and uploaded it to EuphoricFX.org if anyone is interested. Not quite the professional finish of a Nissen cover, but certainly prettier to look at than the UK cover. This is also sized for a standard Blu-ray case, not the thicker UK cases.

View attachment 10378

Just got my British import 55 Days At Peking in the mail today and scanned it so I can add my voice to the chorus of approvals. A gorgeous pristine transfer and it sounds quite nice too. I'll have to check out Circus World next.