A few words about…™ Show Boat (1951) – in Blu-ray

One of the Great Technicolor M-G-M musicals, the George Sidney / Arthur Freed Show Boat, has come to life in a huge way via Warner Archive’s new Blu-ray.

Based upon new scans of the original camera negatives, color literally jumps off the screen. This is one of those productions that cry out for a huge screen. And when I tell you the color and resolution is off the charts gorgeous, just believe.

Everything is absolutely perfect.

And then, there’s the audio, with a bit of major history behind it. Early jacket inserts may note DTS-HD MA 2.0 mono, but the new release actually has two tracks, the original mono, as well as a stereo track produced from music stems for the 1994 laserdisc release, and apparently unheard since that time.

But the history is something that those with higher end systems will easily hear.

Show Boat was a major step forward in audio recording in 1951. When you get to William Warfield’s majestic rendition of Ol’ Man River, you’ll be hearing the very first experimental magnetic music recording at M-G-M.

Don’t give this one a second thought. Just grab a copy.

Pictorially magnificent, with great audio, it’s a cinephile’s necessity.

Image – 5

Audio – 5

Pass / Fail – Pass

Upgrade from DVD – Yes

Very Highly Recommended

RAH

[parsehtml]
<iframe style=”width:120px;height:240px;” marginwidth=”0″ marginheight=”0″ scrolling=”no” frameborder=”0″ src=”//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=htfbluraypricedrops0e-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B08T18QX4X&asins=B08T18QX4X&linkId=496c830b9032a2859b19fb0e817d00fa&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true”></iframe>
[/parsehtml]

Robert has been known in the film industry for his unmatched skill and passion in film preservation. Growing up around photography, his first home theater experience began at age ten with 16mm. Years later he was running 35 and 70mm at home.

His restoration projects have breathed new life into classic films like Lawrence of Arabia, Vertigo, My Fair Lady, Spartacus, and The Godfather series. Beyond his restoration work, he has also shared his expertise through publications, contributing to the academic discourse on film restoration. The Academy Film Archive houses the Robert A. Harris Collection, a testament to his significant contributions to film preservation.

Post Disclaimer

Some of our content may contain marketing links, which means we will receive a commission for purchases made via those links. In our editorial content, these affiliate links appear automatically, and our editorial teams are not influenced by our affiliate partnerships. We work with several providers (currently Skimlinks and Amazon) to manage our affiliate relationships. You can find out more about their services by visiting their sites.

Share this post:

View thread (83 replies)

Robin9

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2006
Messages
7,689
Real Name
Robin
I'm so pleased this has turned out so well. For many years I was led to believe the elements for this film were so bad that there was no possibility of a high quality transfer being produced. That inadequate DVD will now be given away!
 

compson

Second Unit
Joined
Sep 4, 2006
Messages
437
Real Name
Robert
So is Lawrence of Arabia. And quite a few others. I was wondering when someone would bring up the ‘36.

And how about that part talkie version?
I haven’t watched LOA in awhile, but I’m pretty sure it tells a different story. It was definitely set in a different location. From the clips I’ve seen of the 1929 movie, I’d judge the 1951 movie to be superior, so it does clear that bar.
 

ColbyCo82

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Nov 5, 2007
Messages
178
Real Name
Steven
So is Lawrence of Arabia. And quite a few others. I was wondering when someone would bring up the ‘36.

And how about that part talkie version?
Hopefully the 1929 version will follow soon...at least on DVD if they dont think it can justify a Blu-ray. All three are worth owning for different reasons.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PMF

David_B_K

Advanced Member
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2006
Messages
2,606
Location
Houston, TX
Real Name
David
I have never been a fan of any of the versions of Showboat, and I was not going to order this. I guess I've also never been a fan of Edna Ferber's sprawling multigenerational stories, either. However, the recent rash of stunning MGM musicals from Warner Archive has gotten me addicted to the Technicolor eye candy. It looks like this one will pop off the screen, and have great sound to boot. So, I have pre-ordered it and am actually looking forward to it. (At least it is a shorter version of the story).
 

Mark B

Screenwriter
Joined
Sep 27, 2003
Messages
1,070
Location
Saranac Lake, NY
Real Name
Mark
(At least it is a shorter version of the story).
Shorter because they eliminated the meat and condensed the confection resulting in a flashy film with little substance or emotional impact. But, in spite of that Marge and Gower have a couple of great routines and William Warfield's warbling is moving.
 

warnerbro

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jun 22, 2010
Messages
971
Location
Burbank, California
Real Name
Darrell
Ava Gardner's voice is just fine. I'm not sure why they dubbed it. What is left of the 1929 version has been cobbled together on the Criterion 1936 version. It's interesting. Looking forward to seeing and hearing this one.
 

RobertMG

Premium
Senior HTF Member
Deceased Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2006
Messages
4,671
Real Name
Robert M. Grippo
Off topic but the sweeping King Solomon's Mines has always suffered from shoddy video releases - wonder if the OCN was lost at the Eastman fire? But back to SHOWBOAT have a Super 8 print and the color is great - but this blu along with The Great Caruso will have places on my top shelf of classics!
 
Most Popular