A Few Words About A few words about...™ Casablanca (70th Anniversary) -- in Blu-ray (2 Viewers)

[NY2LA]

Strange thing is, that early memories are more vivid as you get older ... I went last weekend to our Astor Theatre here in St Kilda, Melbourne, Australia, to see on the big screen the Cinemascope version of 'Oklahoma!' in a 2k digital projection.
I saw this move at least four times when I was around 12 - 13 years of age, and I can still remember the sharpness and the vibrancy of the image. I saw it mostly in Cinemascope, and at least once in its separately-filmed Todd-AO version.
The experience last week showed me that from now on I'll avoid these big-screen revivals until they can replicate the film experience. The image was indistinct and fuzzy for much of the time except in close-ups, but even then the colour palette lacked sophistication .. a lot of ruddy flushing of faces. My daughter, whose idea it was to see the movie, wasn't too upset as she's never seen it on the big-screen before .. but I'm surprised and upset that it was made available for commercial screening in this form. Ah well, I have my memories ...
Anthony, Woodend, Vic Australia

I understand that your Astor is a hell of a theatre, and most of us, even in big cities like LA have nothing like it for seeing vintage films.

 

[NY2LA]

I still don't understand how that can be possible - any optical work doesn't exist on the negative and the OCN hasn't been properly colour timed. How can it be used to strike release prints?

I'll leave that answer to RAH. I can say that such prints were not automatically/mechanically run-off at high speed like a Xerox machine, (or modern wide-release prints) and the process included things like timing.

 

[NY2LA]

Something I find of great interest in this edition has not been mentioned here...
Being very fond of old-school movie showmanship, and hating how much movies are handled and presented as software today, particularly in the authoring/programming of DVDs, I have long wished for more releases that did what Warner occasionally did with some titles on VHS: program a complete Night at the Movies show, with trailers, shorts, cartoons, etc before the feature. Warner has dabbled in this on DVD by adding similar extras, but never offering a play all option. I remember Disney did it a couple times where they gave the option of playing the original cartoon that went out with the movie right before the feature. Such things can add a lot of pleasure to a viewing of a movie, but SO FEW studio video folks have the creativity to even think of programming such options.
I've been wanting a "play a full show" option for a long time on discs that have cartoons and shorts added. A review i read on another site mentioned that this release has actually programmed a Warner Night at the Movies play option. I'm kinda surprised no one has mentioned it. I'm not in a position right now to buy a lot of movies, but this feature really pushes my button. Any else care to comment on this feature, how it plays out, and what exact shorts/cartoons are included?
I've posted elsewhere about the Disney Intermission pause option on the new Muppets movie, and however we feel about its execution, it opens up a new door for those of us fond of roadshows and how playback options could easily be programmed for those who want a really classic theatrical experience. If only some studio people had the creativity to expand this inexpensive option to its full potential

 

[TonyD]

Wonder why Disney stopped the play all feature.

 

[Will Krupp]

Originally Posted by Worth /t/319152/a-few-words-about-casablanca-70th-anniversary-in-blu-ray/150#post_3912622
I still don't understand how that can be possible - any optical work doesn't exist on the negative and the OCN hasn't been properly colour timed. How can it be used to strike release prints?

I THINK he's referring to the final "printing negative" with the opticals already cut in, the same negative from which dupes and internegatives would also be made.

 

[dpippel]

Originally Posted by NY2LA /t/319152/a-few-words-about-casablanca-70th-anniversary-in-blu-ray/150#post_3912632
Trusting Mr. Harris as my system is quite nice but not extreme enough for the differences he mentions to matter.
Re Amazon, trade-ins do not yield the financial benefit of getting a (free) Amazon merchant account and simply listing an item for sale. I keep my discs in as close to pristine condition as possible, and can list them as "like new." The result of these sporadic sales, and careful handling, earned me a 100% 5 star merchant rating so i can sell at the top or upper range of what others are priced at. They take a commission, but pay for postage. Upgrading this way often pays half or more of the price for the new version, especially when I keep an item I want in the shopping cart a while before buying it, because each time you click back to view the cart, a banner appears with any price changes. I usually wait until a boxed set drops in price, and eventually they do, often dramatically.

Selling used via an Amazon merchant account is fine but, like eBay, Craiglist, etc., you have to wait for a buyer to come to YOU. Trading it in for an Amazon gift card gives you "money" almost instantly, and they pay the postage for sending the item to them. You may not be squeezing every last penny out of your used Blu-ray, but you're not sitting on it for days, weeks, or months either.

 

[Charles Smith]

I'm curious -- what does Amazon do with the traded-in DVDs?

 

[Robert Harris]

Originally Posted by Worth /t/319152/a-few-words-about-casablanca-70th-anniversary-in-blu-ray/150#post_3912622
I still don't understand how that can be possible - any optical work doesn't exist on the negative and the OCN hasn't been properly colour timed. How can it be used to strike release prints?

Printing from original negatives usually involves multiple negative rolls, A, B, C, etc. Normally only two are involved in a sort of checkerboard pattern. If a dissolve is programmed into printing, the A side will run long, occasionally including unseen footage after a take, while the B side begins early, and they overlap with a fade out / fade in of each element. Negs can also be printed in a single strand on an optical printer, with both the negative and print stock moving foreword and reverse to encode dissolves, fades, etc. This situation is called auto-select, and can be used to strike prints in long/short/domestic/foreign versions, predicated upon how the negative and printer are programmed.

OCNs can also hold dupe opticals for printer functions, which you'll see popping on and off, as they are cut into older films.

Things can become far more complex, but those are the basics.

For the reasons above, all original 65mm negatives from the '50s-'70s are generally well used. The more popular the film, the more damage, wear and dupes.

RAH

 

[NY2LA]

Selling used via an Amazon merchant account is fine but, like eBay, Craiglist, etc., you have to wait for a buyer to come to YOU. Trading it in for an Amazon gift card gives you "money" almost instantly, and they pay the postage for sending the item to them. You may not be squeezing every last penny out of your used Blu-ray, but you're not sitting on it for days, weeks, or months either.

Well you'd be surprised how quickly they can sell, you can control that by the pricing, and it's well worth it, where I find their trade-in prices are SO LOW, it's practically giving the item away. Often I have the original sold before the new one ships. We're not talking about pennies here, I assure you. Oh and the money goes to your BANK ACCOUNT, not as a gift certificate, so you can spend it anywhere you want.

 

[dpippel]

Originally Posted by NY2LA /t/319152/a-few-words-about-casablanca-70th-anniversary-in-blu-ray/150#post_3912754
Well you'd be surprised how quickly they can sell, you can control that by the pricing, and it's well worth it, where I find their trade-in prices are SO LOW, it's practically giving the item away. Often I have the original sold before the new one ships. We're not talking about pennies here, I assure you. Oh and the money goes to your BANK ACCOUNT, not as a gift certificate, so you can spend it anywhere you want.

You'd be surprised how long items posted for sale online can languish too. In the case of DVD/Blu-ray it's almost totally title-dependent. In the case of this release of Casablanca, why would someone pay a premium for the old version when they can buy the 70th Anniversary Blu for a paltry fifteen bucks?

Personally I think that getting $10.25 for a Blu-ray that I paid $15 for almost 3 years ago is a pretty good "return on investment". And, since I shop frequently on Amazon, the gift card aspect of the transaction isn't an issue for me at all.

 

[NY2LA]

I'm curious -- what does Amazon do with the traded-in DVDs?

They list them in the same place as Amazon merchants, with a much higher markup. Compared to the merchant deal it's just a ripoff. After years of successful merchant sales (of just stuff I occasionally sell off when I want new stuff) I wouldn't even consider the trade-in. It's like they give you ten cents on the dollar of what you would usually get if you sold it yourself.

 

[NY2LA]

You'd be surprised how long items posted for sale online can languish too. In the case of DVD/Blu-ray it's almost totally title-dependent. In the case of this release of Casablanca, why would someone pay a premium for the old version when they can buy the 70th Anniversary Blu for a paltry fifteen bucks?

Since I have actually been selling things, no I wouldn't be surprised. Again you would be surprised what stuff actually goes for. And if one is not out for instant gratification, one can hold for a certain price and eventually get it. Want to sell quickly, just undercut the others. Don't forget Amazon charges for shipping unless you spend $25 or more. Whatever the reason, people can and do pay more than you seem to think.

Personally I think that getting $10.25 for a Blu-ray that I paid $15 for almost 3 years ago is a pretty good "return on investment".   And, since I shop frequently on Amazon, the gift card aspect of the transaction isn't an issue for me at all.

That would be an exception rather than the rule. Rarely have I ever seen their offers being anything worth considering, but doubtless they make a lot of extra money on folks who believe otherwise. No reason for me to try the trade in option 'cause I always get more money the other way. You might try the marketplace yourself and see. But hey, to each his own.

 

[dpippel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NY2LA /t/319152/a-few-words-about-casablanca-70th-anniversary-in-blu-ray/150#post_3912764
That would be an exception rather than the rule.

I agree that the trade-in price Amazon is offering for the old Casablanca is high, but that IS the title and the deal we're discussing here after all.

 

[NY2LA]

I agree that the trade-in price Amazon is offering for the old Casablanca is high, but that IS the title and the deal we're discussing here after all. 

Just out of curiosity, has anyone here ever actually traded in anything with Amazon? I just checked out the details and it's a pretty dicey process. They don't even guarantee the listed credit.

 

[NY2LA]

Has anyone here tried this new Casablanca with the Warner Night at the Movies Feature?

 

[NY2LA]

Wonder why Disney stopped the play all feature.

What I referred to with Disney was only a couple of special editions like I think Parent Trap and Polyanna, where you, if you found it in the menu, could play the movie and cartoon together. This is not to be confused with their "autoplay" thing where the disc just plays all the stuff on it, ads and promos and all, when you put it in, which is less like a show and more aimed at kids who can't work the remote.

 

[DavidJ]

Has anyone here tried this new Casablanca with the Warner Night at the Movies Feature?

I haven't, but I was pleased that they included it. I really liked it on many of their classic DVD releases.

 

[dpippel]

Originally Posted by NY2LA /t/319152/a-few-words-about-casablanca-70th-anniversary-in-blu-ray/150#post_3912786
Just out of curiosity, has anyone here ever actually traded in anything with Amazon? I just checked out the details and it's a pretty dicey process. They don't even guarantee the listed credit.

I've done it plenty of times. You rate the condition of your item and mail it to them. They cover the postage. Once it's received you get the trade-in amount if it's in the condition you indicated. If it's not you can choose to have Amazon return it to you AT THEIR COST or accept a lesser trade-in amount based on their assessment of condition. What's "dicey" about that? Nothing.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I have done it often. Works great.

They even pay for the postage. You just print the label.

 

[KPmusmag]

Has anyone here tried this new Casablanca with the Warner Night at the Movies Feature?

I have and I think it is a lot of fun, and gives a sense of the context of the time the movie was made. I also like the Night at the Movies included with the blu-ray of THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD. Another one that comes to mind is a short included on the DVD of Bette Davis' OLD ACQUAINATNCE called "Stars on Horseback". I think it is great that Warner's includes these goodies, and they have been doing it for a long time. I bought the Night at the Movies edition VHS of DAYS AND WINE AND ROSES way back in 1983 and it included a trailer for GYPSY and a Looney Tune called "Martian in Georgia". I can't recall if there were any other shorts as I lost the tape in a move, but at the time I thought it such a great idea. Of course, it is really just the shorts playing one after another, there is no filler of dancing hot dogs or El Capitan-style Hooray for Hollywood hoopla. But try putting the lights at half as Night at the Movies starts, getting your snacks and drinks, and then dim the lights all the way as the feature starts. Just like going to the movies in the good old days.