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  1. rsmithjr

    A PEEK AT THE COURT JESTER

    Yes of course if you are referring to 8-perf horizonal print. However, I have always heard term "VistaVision print" to mean the original dye-transfer prints that were mostly all we had but, as you say, were "spectacular".
  2. rsmithjr

    Blu-ray Review Song of Norway Blu-ray Review

    Ok, finally got to see this only 50 years after release! It is different than I thought. It is largely a pretty serious biography with a lot of subtle emotions and issues. I gather that his life was actually worse in some ways. The music and songs work well. I had expected largely...
  3. rsmithjr

    Blu-ray Review Song of Norway Blu-ray Review

    My copy of Norway just arrived and I will be watching it this weekend. Much appreciate getting this, even though it is missing the overture and intermission as I understand it. As a lover of musicals, onstage and onscreen, I love the musicals of the late 60s and early 70s. They are...
  4. rsmithjr

    International John Huston’s “Moulin Rouge” Region B BFI Blu-Ray

    Let me explain my history on this issue. 1. I used to buy Japanese LD's. I discovered that inevitably US versions became available that were of higher quality. 2. I bought an all-region DVD player, and subsequently bought a number of DVD's. I discovered that the quality was often poor, and...
  5. rsmithjr

    A Few Words About While we wait for A few words about...™ Lawrence of Arabia -- in 4k/UHD Blu-ray

    Yes, exactly why I do not use streaming for anything I am serious about. And I have a very good Internet connection. If it is hard for a professional reviewer to review, it is hard for me to watch. Streaming is the modern version of watching a movie on a 16mm print broadcast from your...
  6. rsmithjr

    CIMARRON is a great film!!! Yes the 1960 "new" version.

    The film never found its audience. MGM tried to market it as a roadshow after the success of Ben-Hur. It was only shot in 35mm and the efforts backfired in my opinion. I saw it in second run after the roadshow flopped and I was surprised that it was a decent piece of history.
  7. rsmithjr

    Pre-Order Outcast of the Islands (1951) (Blu-ray) Available for Preorder

    This is an extraordinary movie. I first saw it shortly after I had installed a 35mm system in my parents's basement and was hungry to get films to show there. I did have good contacts, and came across a treasure trove of Lopert Films releases that included this one. It has: -- amazing...
  8. rsmithjr

    Star Wars: a brief history of the original trilogy on video

    Hmm. For most people, if they see something 3 times, they liked it.
  9. rsmithjr

    Star Wars: a brief history of the original trilogy on video

    Thanks, much wisdom in your post. Steadies the force. I do think that not making the original versions of the first trilogy available is petty and unfair to customers. I have the "definitive" LD set and the many other LD's of the films and have chosen not to buy the modified films until...
  10. rsmithjr

    Press Release Cats (2019) (4k UHD) (Blu-ray) Available for Preorder

    The list of movies edited during initial release would be very long indeed. I am not sure there are many that were taken from "flop" to "classic" status by such edits.
  11. rsmithjr

    International John Huston’s “Moulin Rouge” Region B BFI Blu-Ray

    One reason I shy away from non-region-A disks is that I have had enough experience with buying DVD's and LD's from abroad that were not as good as the eventual US product. It seems wiser to wait and have a choice.
  12. rsmithjr

    If Santa could transfer any film to 4K which 10 would you like him to place under your tree?

    My choices would be mostly if not all 70mm or VistaVision titles (or maybe 3-strip Cinerama for a few). Many worthy titles are simply not going to be much helped by 4K over Blu-ray.
  13. rsmithjr

    For Those Who Still Think Physical Media Has No Place in the 21st century…

    If there is something you care about, there is nothing like a physical media copy to ensure you have continued access to the item (and the version you prefer). My only copy of Star Wars is the "Definitive" laserdisc collection. It may be over 20 years old, but it has not suffered the...
  14. rsmithjr

    A Few Words About A few words about...™ West Side Story -- in Blu-ray

    Ok. So what we now have is: A. Ethnically-correct casting?? 1. The new movie will feature Puerto Rican actors. The Puerto Rican demographic is 60-70 European, so it will be interesting to see if this fact is observed in the casting, or if they will all be dark-skinned. 2. The role of Tony...
  15. rsmithjr

    The first hints of Star Wars in 4k....

    If the original 3 films (unhacked) are made available in quality 4K disks I will make a purchase. Otherwise, the LD box set will remain my record of SW. I gave away my DVD's and never bought the Blu-ray's. It's all about the customer.
  16. rsmithjr

    Poll: What to do with your Colorized IAWL Blu-ray disc

    I personally watch IAWL in a theatre in 35mm with carbon arc projection. The theatre is the Stanford in Palo Alto. So I do side with those who say we should only watch things in theatres. Generally, I like seeing things as close to what I originally saw theatrically or would have seen had I...
  17. rsmithjr

    The Best-Placed Intermission Cards Of All-Time (On Blu-ray)

    Most of the great roadshows that were built with intermissions have a great lead up. My personal favorite, as several others have said, is Dr. Zhivago. I projected this 175 over a year's time in 1966. I always had my face glued to the glass in the projection port hole during this part of the...
  18. rsmithjr

    The Major And The Minor coming from Arrow

    I first saw this on TV in 1957 (age 12) and really liked it. I immediately put Billy Wilder on my must watch list. Even then, no way she looked like a 12-year-old, I knew some of them. Today it just doesn't hold up for me. The impersonation goes on too long. Some Like It Hot keeps the movie...
  19. rsmithjr

    A Few Words About A few words about...™ West Side Story -- in Blu-ray

    Arthur Laurents discusses how he used dialogue that SOUNDED contemporary and hip but really was an effort at being timeless. He didn't want to date himself. It will be interesting to see what Mr. Kushner comes up with.
  20. rsmithjr

    A Few Words About A few words about...™ West Side Story -- in Blu-ray

    Rewriting Arthur Laurents and Ernest Lehman together is a risky business.
  21. rsmithjr

    A Few Words About A few words about...™ West Side Story -- in Blu-ray

    Virtually unprofessional. This can't be Spielberg. It does underscore my belief that this film should not be remade.
  22. rsmithjr

    Effects of incoming 8K format on current and future 4K content

    8K will become the next standard for TV sets because that is all that they will build. Most of the content displayed will be uprezzed. I would not be shocked to see 8K content in some form but likely not in physical media.
  23. rsmithjr

    No 4K release for Gone With The Wind’s 80th Anniversary?

    Flip Wilson is an icon to the gay community. Never said or did anything offensive.
  24. rsmithjr

    Effects of incoming 8K format on current and future 4K content

    I am guessing that 8k will become the default size for a new TV (just as 4K is now) but there may be little if any actual 8K content for home use. Perhaps streaming. The Blu-ray format would support it with more layers but would require new hardware. I am buying 4K for newly purchased...
  25. rsmithjr

    A Few Words About A few words about...™ Cleopatra (1963) - U.S. Release -- in Blu-ray

    Cleopatra exhibits the recent trend of Fox to color-time toward blue. Fortunately, Cleopatra is somewhat correctable by judicious use of the controls on my projector. I have a list of these Fox Blu-rays together with the correction settings for each title. The one that is completely...
  26. rsmithjr

    Blu-ray Review Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? Blu-ray Review (Twilight Time)

    I was very fond of Fox CinemaScope and tried to see movies when they first opened in the best theatre I could get. Later I was a theatre projectionist through college. I have tried to collect many of these films. Unfortunately, many of the recent Blu-rays are just too blue! So, I made up a...
  27. rsmithjr

    A Few Words About While we wait for A few words about...™ Lawrence of Arabia -- in 4k/UHD Blu-ray

    I took my girlfriend to "Ryan's Daughter" in 1970. She loved it. We got married and are still together.
  28. rsmithjr

    A Few Words About While we wait for A few words about...™ Lawrence of Arabia -- in 4k/UHD Blu-ray

    A true story: -- In the summer of 1963, we were running Lawrence in 70mm at the Capri in Des Moines, IA. The audience kept complaining that the air conditioning was broken. We showed people the thermometer that was in the 60's. -- In 1966, we were running Zhivago (35mm 4 track) at the...
  29. rsmithjr

    A Few Words About While we wait for A few words about...™ Lawrence of Arabia -- in 4k/UHD Blu-ray

    I don't think the new 70mm prints look as good either. I have seen the 89 70mm prints, the recent digital out prints, and also the 4K DCP at the Castro Theater. For my money, the 89 prints were the best, despite issues fixed digitally. IMHO 4k is simply not enough for 70mm either for DCP...
  30. rsmithjr

    A Few Words About While we wait for A few words about...™ Lawrence of Arabia -- in 4k/UHD Blu-ray

    Lawrence in 70mm at the Castro in SF on Aug 10 and Aug 11. It is pretty much an annual event in Aug or Sept.
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