A Few Words About A few words about...™ Laurel & Hardy: The Definitive Restorations - in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[OliverK]

Did prices for higher-end LG OLEDs decline after they removed 3D?

Hard to say as for any given technology there is usually a downward trend in its lifecycle, so I do not think that 3D made that much of a discernible difference in the middle tiers and above.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Hard to say as for any given technology there is usually a downward trend in its lifecycle, so I do not think that 3D made that much of a discernible difference in the middle tiers and above.

That was my impression as well - and that's why I don't really understand why LG wouldn't throw a bone for buyers of higher-end sets and make at least one model available with 3D!

 

[Bagenz]

Seems sprocket were 100% responsible, here is their post.

 

[Mysto]

Mine came in last night. I agree with both sides. Sons of the Desert is the best I've ever seen. Perfect no, but not bad and a treat to watch.

Way Out West - I have to agree with Mr. Harris. There is a greater degree of detail (I can clearly see the rear projection screen line at the floor during the dance) but overall the appearance is scrubbed. Not a bad copy but it does lack some of the texture we have found in other restorations.

Final judgement - I am pleased. Could I have wished for more (always) but as a Laurel and Hardy fan this set appears to be better than anything else out there and probably the best I'll ever see.

 

[Robert Harris]

Seems sprocket were 100% responsible, here is their post.

Where did this post originate? They've not answered a single question.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Seems sprocket were 100% responsible, here is their post.

I do recall reading that for preservation, the 16mm print of THE BATTLE OF THE CENTURY (1927) reel 2 was scanned digitally in 2K by Serge Bromberg.

CHEERS!

 

[Robert Harris]

I do recall reading that for preservation, the 16mm print of THE BATTLE OF THE CENTURY (1927) reel 2 was scanned digitally in 2K by Serge Bromberg.

CHEERS!

Doesn't really explain anything. But adds more questions. Why would Serge Bromberg be scanning?

 

[Tony Bensley]

I do recall reading that for preservation, the 16mm print of THE BATTLE OF THE CENTURY (1927) reel 2 was scanned digitally in 2K by Serge Bromberg.

CHEERS!

Doesn't really explain anything. But adds more questions. Why would Serge Bromberg be scanning?

Specific to that particular silent short. It might also be more accurate to say that Serge Bromberg had it scanned in 2K. I know the scanning was purely for preservation of the then recently discovered Reel 2 at the time (2015), as home video release rights for BOTC were in a massive snarl.

 

[Bagenz]

Where did this post originate? They've not answered a single question.

It came from sprocket vault film Facebook page

Sprocket Vault Classic Films

Sprocket Vault Classic Films. 2,082 likes. Kit Parker Films/The Sprocket Vault offers classic movies on DVD and Blu-Ray, streaming & YouTube

www.facebook.com

 

[Robbie^Blackmon]

Blu Ray in hand, finally. The shorts that I have watched so far, The Music Box, The Chimp, Battle of the Century, Busy Bodies, still fare better than Sons of the Desert in HD as presented in this set, as was the case for the dvd version. The image of the Blu does not suffer as much as the lower resolution dvd and, to me anyway, the first reel of Battle of the Century looks so much better on the Blu, that reel 2 looks, by direct comparison, all the worse.

The short films on Blu are also ever so slightly less cropped than the dvds-- you'll notice this first on the opening lion roar and the bottom of the MGM logo.

Sons of the Desert is marginally improved from the dvd version but still not a "wow". Mostly. It starts out giving that impression that it will be just pristine with those still frame titles. In the body of the film, however, the image quality, density, contrast and brightness and such, varies from shot to shot as, indeed, it has on every home video version. There are even some medium-to-close shots that have too much detail, like being able to see all the retaining metal in Charley Chase's dental work.

Just as an example of what the image in the main film is lacking, the Spanish trailer for Sons of the Desert includes an outtake that gives us a more detailed look at Charita's hula girl costume, betraying the "topless" look (not that I noticed, or anything) by actually revealing the seams of the strategically decorated overlay nylon/chiffon material covering the fleshy color camisole underneath.

You might notice also that, in the same trailer, some shots of Chase and The Boys look just as soft and dreadfully lacking in detail as they do in the main film. It is a mixed bag-- always has been for me, anyway, and I guess it always will.

It is pleasing enough just to have such a clean presentation of Sons of the Desert in a high def format, at the correct audio pitch, splice and edit-free, even if it might, at times, look like it is being shown through an extra layer of glass. Or something.

These films as presented on the Blu Rays are not perfect but, warts and all, they are quite an upgrade from previous video versions.

There's still tons to explore. The commentaries are beyond fantastic and packed with information, enthusiasm and a genuine love for the work being dissected and discussed. Overall, this is the kind of labor of love that has been so needed for Laurel and Hardy for these many years. The comedy is timeless, the elements precious, well-worn and now preserved for the foreseeable future.

And I hope there is more to come.

And-and, you know what? If these got released again looking even better, I would upgrade again.

 

[Robert Harris]

Blu Ray in hand, finally. The shorts that I have watched so far, The Music Box, The Chimp, Battle of the Century, Busy Bodies, still fare better than Sons of the Desert in HD as presented in this set, as was the case for the dvd version. The image of the Blu does not suffer as much as the lower resolution dvd and, to me anyway, the first reel of Battle of the Century looks so much better on the Blu, that reel 2 looks, by direct comparison, all the worse.

The short films on Blu are also ever so slightly less cropped than the dvds-- you'll notice this first on the opening lion roar and the bottom of the MGM logo.

Sons of the Desert is marginally improved from the dvd version but still not a "wow". Mostly. It starts out giving that impression that it will be just pristine with those still frame titles. In the body of the film, however, the image quality, density, contrast and brightness and such, varies from shot to shot as, indeed, it has on every home video version. There are even some medium-to-close shots that have too much detail, like being able to see all the retaining metal in Charley Chase's dental work.

Just as an example of what the image in the main film is lacking, the Spanish trailer for Sons of the Desert includes an outtake that gives us a more detailed look at Charita's hula girl costume, betraying the "topless" look (not that I noticed, or anything) by actually revealing the seams of the strategically decorated overlay nylon/chiffon material covering the fleshy color camisole underneath.

You might notice also that, in the same trailer, some shots of Chase and The Boys look just as soft and dreadfully lacking in detail as they do in the main film. It is a mixed bag-- always has been for me, anyway, and I guess it always will.

It is pleasing enough just to have such a clean presentation of Sons of the Desert in a high def format, at the correct audio pitch, splice and edit-free, even if it might, at times, look like it is being shown through an extra layer of glass. Or something.

These films as presented on the Blu Rays are not perfect but, warts and all, they are quite an upgrade from previous video versions.

There's still tons to explore. The commentaries are beyond fantastic and packed with information, enthusiasm and a genuine love for the work being dissected and discussed. Overall, this is the kind of labor of love that has been so needed for Laurel and Hardy for these many years. The comedy is timeless, the elements precious, well-worn and now preserved for the foreseeable future.

And I hope there is more to come.

And-and, you know what? If these got released again looking even better, I would upgrade again.

To be clear, “preserved” would mean for home theater. Any films that went through digital processing, and have not been recorded back to estar-based film, are not preserved in that form.

 

[aluecke]

Do you know Robert what was the condition of the original nitrate elements on some of the shorts and features? And can you please tell us what could have been done to make them look better?

 

[Robert Harris]

Less digital cleansing, or alternatively Proper low-level digital processing combined with more manual cleaning. I’ve offered to clean a sample of Music Box, which should have been magnificent.

 

[sbeamish]

To be clear, “preserved” would mean for home theater. Any films that went through digital processing, and have not been recorded back to ester-based film, are not preserved in that form.

Richard Bann addresses this in his commentary for BATTLE OF THE CENTURY.

 

[aluecke]

Blu Ray in hand, finally. The shorts that I have watched so far, The Music Box, The Chimp, Battle of the Century, Busy Bodies, still fare better than Sons of the Desert in HD as presented in this set, as was the case for the dvd version. The image of the Blu does not suffer as much as the lower resolution dvd and, to me anyway, the first reel of Battle of the Century looks so much better on the Blu, that reel 2 looks, by direct comparison, all the worse.

The short films on Blu are also ever so slightly less cropped than the dvds-- you'll notice this first on the opening lion roar and the bottom of the MGM logo.

Sons of the Desert is marginally improved from the dvd version but still not a "wow". Mostly. It starts out giving that impression that it will be just pristine with those still frame titles. In the body of the film, however, the image quality, density, contrast and brightness and such, varies from shot to shot as, indeed, it has on every home video version. There are even some medium-to-close shots that have too much detail, like being able to see all the retaining metal in Charley Chase's dental work.

Just as an example of what the image in the main film is lacking, the Spanish trailer for Sons of the Desert includes an outtake that gives us a more detailed look at Charita's hula girl costume, betraying the "topless" look (not that I noticed, or anything) by actually revealing the seams of the strategically decorated overlay nylon/chiffon material covering the fleshy color camisole underneath.

You might notice also that, in the same trailer, some shots of Chase and The Boys look just as soft and dreadfully lacking in detail as they do in the main film. It is a mixed bag-- always has been for me, anyway, and I guess it always will.

It is pleasing enough just to have such a clean presentation of Sons of the Desert in a high def format, at the correct audio pitch, splice and edit-free, even if it might, at times, look like it is being shown through an extra layer of glass. Or something.

These films as presented on the Blu Rays are not perfect but, warts and all, they are quite an upgrade from previous video versions.

There's still tons to explore. The commentaries are beyond fantastic and packed with information, enthusiasm and a genuine love for the work being dissected and discussed. Overall, this is the kind of labor of love that has been so needed for Laurel and Hardy for these many years. The comedy is timeless, the elements precious, well-worn and now preserved for the foreseeable future.

And I hope there is more to come.

And-and, you know what? If these got released again looking even better, I would upgrade again.

Do you know Robert what was the condition of the original nitrate elements on some of the shorts and features? And can you please tell us what could have been done to make them look better?

 

[haineshisway]

Yeah, that little puff blurb from Sprocket Whatever answers nothing.

 

[warnerbro]

I just have one request for the manufacturer of this set, please give us a PLAY ALL selection.

 

[Tony Bensley]

I just have one request for the manufacturer of this set, please give us a PLAY ALL selection.

Agreed! "The Essential Collection" DVD set doesn't have a PLAY ALL option, either!!

CHEERS!

 

[BobO'Link]

It's a little late for that option. It'll be there or not and, considering "not" on the DVDs, likely not on the BR. I never use that option so won't miss it.

 

[warnerbro]

This print of SONS OF THE DESERT seems to be the exact one they played on TCM a year ago. It even has the same restoration credits.