A Few Words About A few words about...™ I Wake Up Screaming -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Keith Cobby]

I like it very much, in fact it is my favourite Betty Grable film. After 10 years of the format I accept that not every film will be (can be) restored to a pristine condition. Glad to get this on blu ray with any improvement on the DVD.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I'm actually going to watch both the Blu-ray and the DVD discs in their entirety to judge for myself. One viewing will be without the Muller commentary and other viewing I'll finally listen to Muller's commentary.

Okay, I finally found a good price for this BD release with a coupon so I'll have this disc sometime next week.

 

[atfree]

I do blame Fox. Although I agree that Kino Lorber should exercise their right to reject sub-standard masters, that does not let Fox off the hook. They proved with numerous discs that they know what high standards are. For some reason, they are now putting out low-quality material and by doing so, they are betraying both their customers and themselves. There may be a reason but there is no excuse.

There is a reason..... licensing $$$$

 

[Nick*Z]

Let's be clear about something. There are modest fixes and then there are full blown 'ground up' restorations. I would have been happy if Fox had even attempted the former in favor of the latter; a new master without any embellishments and/or clean up, simply to fix the distracting gate weave and haloing effects. But what's here is identical to the flawed master they committed to, to create the DVD. If you are noticing ANY improvement at all it's merely from Blu-ray's advanced bit rate that, invariably, will crisp up the image over the DVD. But that does not equate to being marketed as a NEW transfer. And as for Road House - the aliasing and shimmering of fine details would have been easily corrected if Fox had committed to a new scan - again, without applying any further digital tinkering/clean-up, etc. Road House, like I Wake Up Screaming on Blu-ray is culled from the same screwy digital files used to master the DVD. Badly done is badly done - period.

I concur not every movie is deserving of the complete restoration. But EVERY movie worth a Blu-ray release is at least worthy of a scan made to compliment the vastly superior disc space requirements inherent in the Blu-ray format. And while we're on that subject, I think one need only look to the Warner Archive to see how even a movie most anyone outside this community would judge as obscure, like say 'On Dangerous Ground' is able to receive the time, money and love it is due and still turn a profit for WAC in the end. If Warner can do it, Fox can too. The difference is in the executive mentality behind the madness and the mastering...or lack thereof.

 

[Robert Harris]

Let's be clear about something. There are modest fixes and then there are full blown 'ground up' restorations. I would have been happy if Fox had even attempted the former in favor of the latter; a new master without any embellishments and/or clean up, simply to fix the distracting gate weave and haloing effects. But what's here is identical to the flawed master they committed to, to create the DVD. If you are noticing ANY improvement at all it's merely from Blu-ray's advanced bit rate that, invariably, will crisp up the image over the DVD. But that does not equate to being marketed as a NEW transfer. And as for Road House - the aliasing and shimmering of fine details would have been easily corrected if Fox had committed to a new scan - again, without applying any further digital tinkering/clean-up, etc. Road House, like I Wake Up Screaming on Blu-ray is culled from the same screwy digital files used to master the DVD. Badly done is badly done - period.

I concur not every movie is deserving of the complete restoration. But EVERY movie worth a Blu-ray release is at least worthy of a scan made to compliment the vastly superior disc space requirements inherent in the Blu-ray format. And while we're on that subject, I think one need only look to the Warner Archive to see how even a movie most anyone outside this community would judge as obscure, like say 'On Dangerous Ground' is able to receive the time, money and love it is due and still turn a profit for WAC in the end. If Warner can do it, Fox can too. The difference is in the executive mentality behind the madness and the mastering...or lack thereof.

Agree, generally, in concept.

But all should be aware that a new scan is not simply for Blu fodder. Cable, DCP, foreign, DVD...

 

[Robert Crawford]

I must say that I don't share the same opinion of this film as RAH. I think as one of the first film noirs and is actually Fox's first of that genre that I agree with Eddie Muller that this is an important film that influenced future film noirs. It was actually filmed during the summer of 1941, as was the Maltese Falcon. Elisha Cook had a busy summer. What's really revealing about this film noir are the film techniques used for this movie production were completed by filmmakers not associated with this genre. These techniques were definitely copied by other film noir directors and directors of photography. With that said, they did go overboard in their use of "Over the Rainbow" throughout this film.

 

[Robin9]

. . . I agree with Eddie Muller that this is an important film that influenced future film noirs.

It also "influenced" The Usual Suspects, that most plagiaristic of films. The whole business of the investigator bullying, harassing someone while, under his nose and in plain sight, an ignominious nonentity was the real culprit, comes from I Wake Up Screaming.

By the way, you haven't told us if you think this is a worthwhile upgrade from the DVD.

 

[Robert Crawford]

It also "influenced" The Usual Suspects, that most plagiaristic of films. The whole business of the investigator bullying, harassing someone while, under his nose and in plain sight, an ignominious nonentity was the real culprit, comes from I Wake Up Screaming.

By the way, you haven't told us if you think this is a worthwhile upgrade from the DVD.

On my second viewing with the DVD and audio commentary I was too busy multi-tasking to pay enough attention video-wise to make that final determination. I'm going to have to do some comparison testing between the two discs for about a 15-20 minute period. I will say that RAH makes a valid point that DVD with the lesser resolution and detail does mask some of issues that become more apparent on the Blu-ray.