A Few Words About A few words about...™ Roman Holiday -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Johnny Angell]

@Cameron Yee That makes it clear. Thanks.

 

[Mike Frezon]

My copy arrived today from Amazon. I am hoping to have time to watch it this weekend.

From Variety.com:

Why Restoring 1953’s ‘Roman Holiday’ Was No Day at the Beach for Paramount’s Preservation Team

 

[Citizen87645]

Cool, I'm looking forward to reading the article.

ERP -- already see a red flag – “'Roman Holiday' in 4K on Blu-ray..."

IT IS???

 

[The Obsolete Man]

I've been complaining about the lack of Roman Holiday on Blu for... well, since I've had a Blu-ray player.

But if they waited until they did a new, major restoration to it, it was worth it.

I see the article also mentioned a Breakfast at Tiffany's restoration, so I assume that'll be released somewhere in the Paramount Presents line soon enough.

 

[Citizen87645]

Breakfast was restored in 2016 and released on BD in 2017. I would imagine if it appears in the Paramount Presents line up, it would merely be a repackaging of the previous release.

Which continues to beg the question, what took so long for Roman Holiday to show up on BD when it was restored in 2015 and Breakfast at Tiffany's was done a year after that and saw a BD release within the following year?

I've been complaining about the lack of Roman Holiday on Blu for... well, since I've had a Blu-ray player.

But if they waited until they did a new, major restoration to it, it was worth it.

I see the article also mentioned a Breakfast at Tiffany's restoration, so I assume that'll be released somewhere in the Paramount Presents line soon enough.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

Breakfast was restored in 2016 and released on BD in 2017. I would imagine if it appears in the Paramount Presents line up, it would merely be a repackaging of the previous release.

Which continues to beg the question, what took so long for Roman Holiday to show up on BD when it was restored in 2015 and Breakfast at Tiffany's was done a year after that and saw a BD release within the following year?

Is that the new restoration, or just a rerelease of the 2011 version that happened when Paramount took their catalog titles back from WB?

From what I can find, it looks like a straight rerelease with nothing changed but the legalese on the back, meaning the it's due for a new, sparkling rerelease. But I'd be happy to see I'm wrong.

 

[Citizen87645]

Yes, you're right the dates are confusing, so the 2017 release is very likely the 2011 repackaged re-SKU'ed. However, there were raves about the quality in 2011, so maybe we'd see a 4K release now?

https://www.hometheaterforum.com/community/threads/a-few-words-about-%E2%84%A2-breakfast-at-tiffanys-in-blu-ray.308215/#post-3736891

Also, presuming that article from 2016 was referencing the work done for 2011, it took 5 years to do a Fathom Events run? This is all wonky.

 

[filmnoirguy]

As a sidebar: In last Sunday's Parade there's an blurb about this Blu-ray release. It says that Cary Grant turned down the role of the American journalist opening the door for Peck. The first two choices for the princess were Jean Simmons and Elizabeth Taylor, but both were not available. After filming, Peck insisted that Hepburn get bigger billing because he suspected she could win the Oscar for the role, which she did. Even though many films that year were being shot in color, Wyler chose to shoot in B&W so the story and the characters would get the focus, not the location.

 

[John Morgan]

And being a 34 mm fine-grain, I am sure that created duplication problems.

 

[willyTass]

I think that Variety article has some inaccuracies

 

[davidmatychuk]

Amazon Canada didn't get any stock, so I went with WOW HD.

I got mine from an honest-to-goodness staffed-by-human-beings bricks-and-mortar store, Videomatica in Vancouver. I order everything from them, and if it’s not some kind of Amazon exclusive (I’m looking at you, “Western Stars”) they‘ll get it for me. The “Roman Holiday” Blu-Ray I got from them is the identical disc that’s in the “Paramount Presents” series, but with no cardboard outer sleeve. I have a couple of those, also from Videomatica, and they were quite a bit more expensive than “Roman Holiday” was, which means that they were U.S. imports. That packaging is no big deal if you ask me.

 

[SultanOfWhat]

I saw a review on Amazon that stated the audio on the new blu-ray was out of sync. Has anyone noticed this?

I have a copy, but I haven't opened it yet, as I streamed the film recently on Amazon.

I'd never seen the entire film before, but it was a treat. Truly a great film. Funny, heartfelt, with great location shots, and featuring a luminous Audrey. No wonder this film made her a star.

 

[Citizen87645]

I watched it last night. I didn't notice any audio sync problems.

 

[PMF]

Hats off to Paramount for this excellent restoration of Roman Holiday.

The work seen here on this BD has left me feeling quite fortunate.

 

[Nelson Au]

My copy arrived a few days ago, I look forward to seeing this. I’m glad to read it’s a well done transfer.

I guess we will never know the exact story about why the 2020 version of To Catch a Thief on blu ray has the controversial new mastering.

 

[Johnny Angell]

After filming, Peck insisted that Hepburn get bigger billing because he suspected she could win the Oscar for the role, which she did.

That was an act of unusual and generous courtesy. Peck is a favorite actor and I loved reading this.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

A great and generous move on his part which all his fans loved. It did him no disservice, but kudos instead.

 

[Robin9]

That was an act of unusual and generous courtesy. Peck is a favorite actor and I loved reading this.

A great and generous move on his part which all his fans loved. It did him no disservice, but kudos instead.

Gregory Peck is one of the few actors about whom no-one ever says anything bad. It's a very small group: Tyrone Power, Roger Moore, David Niven, one or two others but not many.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

You could add Myrna Loy and William Powell .. and everyone seemed to like Peter Lorre.

 

[willyTass]

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