Dracula (1979) (Blu-ray) Available for Preorder (1 Viewer)

 

Thanks Ordered.

Wow I like this DOLBY STEREO score by John Williams, it as a chilling creepy feeling I can feel in the seats with bass mid buzzing and vibrating the frequency feels like static electricity with my hands on the armrests and feel the score all over the seats.

I'll have to order someday. I first saw this on late night BBC1 around 1981 at my aunties, and videoed it and watched it for days.

Pre-ordered!

I saw Frank Langella in the Broadway version with the Edward Gorey sets back when I was in high school, I still have the Broadway program and souvenir booklet somewhere. I forgot a subsequent film version was made a few years later, (without Edward Gorey's sets.) I am eager to see this version after so many years.

I liked the film and how it ended for the poor creature of night looking for love, floats off into the wind at the end?



Wow the end credits has brutal slam bass mid that was kicking my cinema seats.

As mentioned in this thread about the French release:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/topic/332388-dracula-1979-france-region-free-sept-2-2014/#entry4104043

Original color design or no sale.

andySu said:

Wow I like this DOLBY STEREO score by John Williams, it as a chilling creepy feeling I can feel in the seats with bass mid buzzing and vibrating the frequency feels like static electricity with my hands on the armrests and feel the score all over the seats.

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If you haven't done so already, check out John Williams' score for THE FURY. Along with DRACULA, my two favorite scores from him.

As for the original color design, while I would gladly eat crow to be proven wrong, I am 100% certain this BD will be a direct port of the DVD release which utilized the director's preferred pseudo-black & white scheme. Very frustrating to think we may never see the beautiful color version of this again.

Wouldn't the obvious thing to do is to include both versions of the film? The director's cut and the original theatrical version? That way everybody's happy. Call me perverse but I saw the film during its initial theatrical run in 1979 and I much prefer the more atmospheric near B&W version.

Very nice! The last version of this I owned was on Laserdisc.

Thomas T said:

Wouldn't the obvious thing to do is to include both versions of the film? The director's cut and the original theatrical version? That way everybody's happy.

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That sounds much too sensible. We'll probably just get the B&W version.

Thomas T said:

Wouldn't the obvious thing to do is to include both versions of the film? The director's cut and the original theatrical version? That way everybody's happy. Call me perverse but I saw the film during its initial theatrical run in 1979 and I much prefer the more atmospheric near B&W version.

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Okay... you're perverse!

Seriously, I LOATHE the revamped/devamped color, but I'm sure that's what will be put out, so no sale for me. (But I'd love it if they had the sense to put both out.)

The last time I watched the DVD version I dialed up the color saturation to the Max on my 60" Pioneer Elite and the colors came back. I believe they are there, just dialed down. Try it and let me know what you think.

HarleyDog said:

If you haven't done so already, check out John Williams' score for THE FURY. Along with DRACULA, my two favorite scores from him.

As for the original color design, while I would gladly eat crow to be proven wrong, I am 100% certain this BD will be a direct port of the DVD release which utilized the director's preferred pseudo-black & white scheme. Very frustrating to think we may never see the beautiful color version of this again.

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Already have The Fury on region 2 DVD and what an odd mix?

Dolby 4.0 and the way it sounds is like this.

Left and Right are duel mono with centre discrete and discrete mono surrounds. Strange mix? Either the left and right are suppose to be stereo or someone has mixed it with switch on console set to mono for left and right?

If you want to hear The Fury properly, check out this album: http://lalalandrecords.com/Site/FuryThe.html

Release Date: 9/2/2014 DRACULA (1979) Product Source: Theatrical Theatrical Studio: Universal Theatrical Release: 7/20/1979 Synopsis: Blu-ray Widescreen (61131593) : Disc 1 (Side A) Format: Blu-ray UPC: 0-2519-22315-5-1 Unit Type: Standard Number of Media: 1 Street Date: 9/2/2014 PreOrder Date: Run Time (HH:MM): 1 Hour 50 Minutes Language: English Disc Type: BD-50 (Single Sided) Packaging: Snap Case Layers: Single Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Subtitles: English SDH French Edition: - Picture: Widescreen Version: Blu-ray + DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet Color/B&W COLOR Rating: R CARA Rating: - Bonus Features: • Digital Copy of Dracula (1979) (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.) • Includes UltraViolet (Subject to expiration. Go to NBCUCodes.com for details.) • The Revamping of Dracula • Feature Commentary with Director John Badham • Universal Classic Monsters Trailer • Dracula TV Series Trailer DVD Widescreen (61021238) : Disc 1 (Side A) Format: DVD UPC: 0-2519-21238-2-5 Unit Type: Standard Number of Media: - Street Date: 8/30/2009 PreOrder Date: Run Time (HH:MM): 1 Hour 50 Minutes Language: English Disc Type: DVD-9 (Single Sided) Packaging: Snap Case Layers: Single Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: English SDH French Spanish Edition: - Picture: Anamorphic Widescreen Version: - Color/B&W COLOR Rating: R CARA Rating: [deleted]N/A Bonus Features: • Feature Commentary with Director John Badham • Photo Gallery • Making of "The Revamping of Dracula" DVD Widescreen (61163894) : Disc 1 (Side A) Format: DVD UPC: 0-2519-22506-0-6 Unit Type: Standard Number of Media: 1 Street Date: 9/2/2014 PreOrder Date: Run Time (HH:MM): 1 Hour 50 Minutes Language: English Disc Type: DVD-9 (Single Sided) Packaging: Snap Case Layers: Single Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo Subtitles: English SDH French Spanish Edition: - Picture: Anamorphic Widescreen Version: - Color/B&W COLOR Rating: R CARA Rating: [deleted]N/A Bonus Features: • Feature Commentary with Director John Badham • Photo Gallery • Making of "The Revamping of Dracula"

I also posted this in the other Dracula thread...

"And Will, count me as one who prefers John's intended look for the film.

Since I work with John regularly, I've been able to ask him about this in depth. The early home transfers that everyone remembers are overly boosted from even what was in original prints.

JB and his collaborators DESIGNED the film to have a muted palette of color - this production was based on the Broadway revival with an essentially monochrome set design.

The labs at Universal were unable to achieve the right look in 1979, and so the film went out as close as they could get it.

Then the early video masters were very boosted, and it wasn't until the DVD that John was finally able to get the film looking the way it was meant to.

If you want to follow the director's intent on another of his films, turn the color totally off on Who's Life is it Anyway?. That he wanted to release in true b&w, but the studio refused.

John is truly one of the kindest people I've had the pleasure of knowing in this industry, and it pains me to read comments like these. Why does someone who creates a piece of art have no say in how that work should be perceived, just because you like some pretty colors?"

Will Krupp said:

As mentioned in this thread about the French release:

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/topic/332388-dracula-1979-france-region-free-sept-2-2014/#entry4104043

Original color design or no sale.

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The current version is the ORIGINAL color design.

You want the 1979 Theatrical release color design, or perhaps the boosted original video color design

The Broadway version on which it was based was very black-and-white in design. Again, people basing all their knowledge on a previous home video release, never a good idea.

Thank you Moe for your excellent post. I have enjoyed this film since it was first released in 1979. I remember the colorful on-screen experience in 1979. For the last 35 years I have NEVER read any response from the Director regarding his original intentions regarding the intended desaturated color look of Dracula. I am sorry that it was not released properly the first time and that all video releases until the DVD were incorrect as well. I have never spoken disrespectfully of the Director. However, in defense of the many fans of this movie, what other conclusions were we to draw with silence from the Director on his true purposes (if he commented somewhere else, I missed it and am sorry). At any rate, thank you for putting this to rest.