- Joined
- Feb 8, 1999
- Messages
- 18,396
- Real Name
- Robert Harris
I locked and hid the current commentary on Stanley Donen’s Funny Face, as I didn’t wish members to waste their time commenting. No other reason.
My initial comments will remain, although I’ve now had the chance to view properly, via the courtesy of Joe Kane – on two different systems.
For the record, I asked HTF’s Kevin Koster to join me, and our comments were in sync.
First we screened select sequences on a Samsung 84” 4k panel. An extremely impressive piece of hardware.
Following that we moved to Mr. Kane’s DLP projector, which he designed, viewing on approximately a 7 ½ foot screen.
Here’s what I saw apart from my 42” LG.
Funny Face has been de-grained, and scrubbed of all high frequency detail. While on a 42” panel it can look quite nice, when properly viewed on either a large flat panel, or in projection, the image fails from any perspective.
It appears that once de-grained, the image (shades of Patton 1) was sharpened to give it (as Mr. Willis would say) balls.
That also failed, as there are noticeable rings around virtually everything.
Bottom line as viewed on higher end home theater hardware.
While color is fine, as are densities, the overall look of the Blu-ray is a failure.
Image – 1
Audio – 5
Not Recommended.
My original unedited comments are below. As far as my 42” LG, I’m locked out of all major controls, which makes viewing older films sometimes problematic.
I did however, get the chance to examine a number of other discs courtesy of Mr. Kane, and t hose comments will arrive over the next days, as I can find time.
As a test, we also screened Paramount / WB's Gunfight at the OK Corral, which looked superb.
RAH
As I'm currently unable to project Blu-rays on a continuing basis, ratings may be subject to change in the future, although the general tenor of my notes should hold true.
Two of the most interesting and in their final states, high quality, taking concepts were based upon the Lazy 8 camera, with and without an anamorphic attachment. VistaVision (VVLA), with a moveable aspect ratio anywhere from 1.66 to 2:1 was a spherical format, losing real estate both top and bottom.
Technirama (TLA) was the same concept, albeit using the entire frame for exposure and a 50% anamorphosis. Both yielded superior imagery.
To my mind, Stanley Donen's Funny Face (1957), has always been one of the most beautiful, as well as entertaining.
If I'm remembering correctly, the new Blu-ray of Funny Face as released by WB via Paramount, was based upon a scan of an 8-perf IP. The resultant Blu-ray, as viewed on my huge 42" LG LCD is crisp and clean. Colors appear proper, mimicking original dye transfer prints within reason.
As I currently have no real means of ascertaining true audio quality from older tracks or some newer, especially 7.1 mixes, I'll not note audio, except to mention that it seems to be high end for the era.
While I seldom venture into extras, I did peek at the VistaVision featurette, and it seems to be well done.
Great film, especially for $17. Decades ago, I seem to recall paying $450 for a 16mm print with an emulation scratch in the middle of reel two, and the sides cropped.