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Have to say, my immediate thought on seeing a preview of this was, Thomas Kinkade eat your heart out!

One title I recall listed as being in 3D in at least one older film guide, was Arrowhead (1953), and it does beg the question about other flat movies creating a false memory. The film uses opening credits with a bit of standout effect, but then so do many others from that time.

I think people often don't remember 'normal' colour as much as unusual or exceptional colour. I've heard those who saw early colour in the 30s describe it as 'bright', but we are often left with trade reviews to puzzle it out. There are a few that do this, and if you look up C. A. Lejeune's...

Something this brings to mind, is it it ever was thought possible in 1953 to back project in 3D? Technically this is (I think) possible, using filters on the camera lenses and projectors. Was it ever tried? Doubtful as probably not enough light and a clean view for each eye.

For a very long time, I also thought The Ladykillers was the last film shot and released that used the three-strip cameras. It is now thought to be The Feminine Touch, released in March 1956. I was not convinced! Even though the photography has that distinctive look, but having now seen...

Yes, postal charges might be a huge factor. Just a small 100g letter to U.S. or Canada from the U.K. is about £2.50, which is about $3.20. In contrast it might be something around $1.65 USD or $1.90 CAD to do the reverse postage. I think there was a lack of confidence too, as I know unless you...

The recent Blu-Ray of Sixty Glorious Years (1938) was scanned from print elements dervived from the BFI, as this is one production where the negatives are now long lost. People have described it as pastel, but I think it stands up very well. Though worth nothing that a 1944 UK review of the...

I had a French Gaumont disc that jammed right in the middle section. Almost exactly halfway through.

Some discs show mottling or have hazy cloud type formations, usually under the surface. Others look pristine.

I remember two film collectors who invested in Disney features on Super 8mm. Within ten years, a few prints were showing signs of fading. They were heartbroken. You might have expected that for multilayer film stock, but Blu-ray seemed to be as durable as CD, so perhaps the manufacturing has had...

The worst case of this problem I have seen is a DVD set that stopped playing entirely after only two years. That one was not something manufactured twenty years ago, but in 2020. Given most people are still playing CDs forty years on, and allowing for the more complex structure of video as an...

Having now had a look at this, some quick thoughts. It almost seems to be a film that shouldn’t exist, having fallen through cultural cracks to the point where few today recognise it as the first MGM film in full colour. And as a sort of warmup to THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939), drafting in Nelson Eddy...

I cannot remember the name of the British critic who once wrote with venom, something like, "Cornell Wilde uses both of his facial expressions throughout this film."

UK TV nostalgist Denis Norden was keen to point out unintended amusement from lines like: 'I'm tired of playing second fiddle to the ghost of Beethoven.'

I have heard the early magnetic stereo, which AFAIK came from a mint print of Knights of the Round Table. The print was (I assume) IB Tech, as it was as bright as a button with no fade, but the sound mix had a hissy surround track. You kept hearing the surround kicking in, which I thought...

Here's a 1954 exhibitor letter to Harrison's Reports about Perspecta: " We wish to express ourselves concerning Perspecta Sound. As we see it, Perspecta sound affords absolutely nothing than the shifting of the sound from one speaker to the other on the stage. The quality of the sound has not...

I had a look (quotes below) at what The Times thought of the London premiere, being the: "...first film to be shown in this country in Vistavision. Gives remarkable clarity to objects in the middle and farther distances, but the main characteristic is the height of the screen. The screen is...

I remember the BBC film critic Barry Norman being typically ambivalent about the 1925 Ben-Hur, in that way that people used to offer begrudging praise to silents. A shame. For a start it is a demonstration piece to anyone who might think silent features are anathema. Yes, it it often resembles...

The Blu-ray looks better than a near mint IB Tech print I saw in the 1990s, though it looks a lot more golden in tone. The 35mm print rather more subdued, but notably deep reds.

Brimming with atmosphere, and some clever moments, it is well worth seeing. Train buffs would surely be ecstatic with the visual trimmings. The historical perspective heightens the drama. One of those films you might discover decades ago on a late night TV slot, and always hope to see again. The...

Quite fascinating comparing this to Redskin (1929), as they follow similar concepts, and even Dix looks much about the same poise and costume.

The Best Things In Life Are Free (1956) comes to mind as a Fox title typically seen in ancient pan and scan mono. I think it used to be available on 16mm, but not in scope. The question of the junked negatives is now well-known. The recent release of Sixty Glorious Years (1938) by Network via...

I'm struggling to think of an example of a cemented 2-color Technicolor insert that has survived unfaded. Apart from those where they were also later printed by dye transfer. The cemented green dye always fades, leaving a reddish image. We are fortunate to have The Black Pirate, and most of Toll...

I've heard many say they don't know what Fight Club is about. Well, what about saying it is about dissociative anarchy in an age of transitional emasculation? The end of a century, in fact a millennium. And the shifting social roles and expectations once rooted in strength, dominance, and...

The old Blu-ray had fringing and was soft. It now looks superb. The film itself, once considered a bit controversial, several critics not amused. Today, I think it hold up better than some of the better-regarded Ealing comedies.

Brad Pitt says he's now so old he cannot remember the first rule of Fight Club. I do remember the scathing review from Alexander Walker (London Evening Standard).

In short, they have no stock yet.

Sounds like the price is a bit high for an import, even if it is a very good film as this is. The decision depends on how much you value the potential improvements, on what medium you watch films, and if a collector or just seeking better quality.

Thank you for the review. A brilliant film. And you could not help but think of parallels today? It is just as relevant now as it was then, and even more so perhaps. We might like to think 2024 is much more sophisticated than 1949, but the aspirations of politics do not change much. Must be one...

Hope you enjoy it. An interesting film in being very much a stage piece transferred. The acting holds it together, though I felt it had the quality of a fairly slow social studies drama, and wondered if the typical 1950s Saturday night British cinemagoing audiences might have wished for a good...