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

[haineshisway]

I don't think RAH is suggesting any such thing as it pertains to this Shane BD as he's not sure of the minor problem he noted in his comments.

Yes, Mr. Neski seems to have missed Mr. Harris's point here - which is humorous and in his usual style - he is saying that this is the ONLY thing he could find to nitpick, this one shot of however long duration and that it may not be a problem of the transfer at all - his tongue if firmly in cheek. Shane is an amazing transfer - I don't see how it could be better. The Quiet Man is a mediocre transfer that could be better in just about every way.

Beyond the transfer, though, Shane is just such a great film - filled with warmth and emotion and simplicity and humanity. Ladd has never been better, Van Heflin has never been better, Jean Arthur has never been better, and Brandon de Wilde is amazing.

 

[Cinescott]

Given all the bickering that goes on for bad transfers or those with numerous flaws, there ought to be praise for the opposite end of the spectrum as well. Paramount did a magnificent job with Shane, a culturally-important and highly entertaining western classic.

I can't imagine it being better.

The snow on the Tetons during the final shot looks as previous video transfers have looked to me (being too young to have seen Shane theatrically). I believe the look RAH mentions is inherent in the source. Nothing to do with the beautiful quality of the Blu-ray as a whole.

 

[cannon1]

By the way if no one else mentioned it before this version is on Neflix now

Not sure whether you are referring to the Blu disc being available from Netflix through the mail or the fact that 'Shane' is available streaming through Netflix. The streamed version is not in HD, which made me wonder what you meant by 'this version' is available on Netflix?

 

[Peter Neski]

well I didn't check if it was HD ,but it was the "same" version ,not the old one they have been showing in the pastwhatever it is ,its not the BR

 

[cannon1]

well I didn't check if it was HD ,but it was the "same" version ,not the old one they have been showing in the pastwhatever it is ,its not the BR

I am contemplating ordering the Blu ray, but if this version on Netflix appears to be the very same transfer/restoration,
only not being broadcast in HD, I may satisfying myself with this for now. This is why I'm asking what the basis was for
your saying the streamed version on Netflix is the 'same version' as the Blu (Restored 3 strip transfer)

 

[Bill Huelbig]

Contains spoilers:

The day-for-night scenes on the DVD were terrible - way too dark. In the final shot, there was no way to see that Shane was riding through the graveyard, a very important detail which I always interpreted as Shane slowly dying from his gunshot wound. The Blu-ray has thankfully corrected this. It's still dark, as intended, but not dark enough to obscure the graves, or the tears on Joey's face. Joey's final line has also been restored: "Bye, Shane!"

I've seen Shane close to 100 times, and for the first time I noticed that Torrey was wearing a Confederate States of America (CSA) belt buckle in his showdown with Wilson. Things like this are why I love Blu-ray.

 

[David_B_K]

Contains spoilers:

The day-for-night scenes on the DVD were terrible - way too dark. In the final shot, there was no way to see that Shane was riding through the graveyard, a very important detail which I always interpreted as Shane slowly dying from his gunshot wound. The Blu-ray has thankfully corrected this. It's still dark, as intended, but not dark enough to obscure the graves, or the tears on Joey's face. Joey's final line has also been restored: "Bye, Shane!"

As many times as I've seen the movie, I'm not sure I ever noticed the graveyard at the end. Maybe I did, and it just didn't register. On the Blu-ray, I thought it had a chilling effect. It could mean what you suggest; it could mean Shane is leaving the killing behind. In any case, it needs to be seen and the Blu-ray shows it quite clearly.

Speaking of day-for-night: I wonder if some here can esplain when and how the night-time filters are applied to such scenes? Are they added when prints are made? For instance, in the trailer for Shane, he is seen riding off in unfiltered daylight. I assume there are instructions as to where/when to use them?

I believe some here have mentioned that there is a scene in the Blu-ray of The Egyptian that is supposed to be set at night but was rendered as day on the Blu-ray. I noticed several scenes in the Optimum Blu-ray of the 1973 The Three Musketeers that seemed to be lacking filters. In the scene where the chess game is occuring with live animals, the scene is way too blindingly bright and glaring. One feels the need to don sunglasses to watch it as it. Previous DVDs had some sort of filter applied which toned the effect down. And in the scene where D'Artagnan accosts the Duke of Buckingham and Constance in the street, this was always rendered as a nighttime scene, but on the Blu-ray it looks like afternoon sunshine.

So, I'm hoping someone can explain how day-for night filtering is done in films.

 

[Bill Huelbig]

I guess whether or not Shane dies at the end has been a point of debate for 60 years now. You can clearly make up your mind either way, one of the reasons it's such a great ending, but I was always struck by one of Shane's lines to Joey in their final scene: "There's no living with a killing." Add that to the fact that the last time we see him, he's in a graveyard, and you can see which side of the debate I come down on .

 

[John Hodson]

He dies.

But I'd rather believe that he doesn't.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I guess whether or not Shane dies at the end has been a point of debate for 60 years now. You can clearly make up your mind either way, one of the reasons it's such a great ending, but I was always struck by one of Shane's lines to Joey in their final scene: "There's no living with a killing." Add that to the fact that the last time we see him, he's in a graveyard, and you can see which side of the debate I come down on .

I don't think he died there. I think the scene was symbolic that eventually he will have to pay for his sins as all gunfighters sooner or later meet the same fate.

 

[Robert Crawford]

He dies.

But I'd rather believe that he doesn't.

Why you think that?

 

[Robert Crawford]

It's too bad George Jr. couldn't address that point of contention as he probably knows what his father intent was with that final scene.

 

[Bill Huelbig]

I don't think he died there.

I also don't think he died in the graveyard, but probably somewhere up in the Grand Tetons - cold, all alone - I'm getting choked up here. I only hope his horse made it back to civilization.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I also don't think he died in the graveyard, but probably somewhere up in the Grand Tetons - cold, all alone - I'm getting choked up here. I only hope his horse made it back to civilization.

It's funny how his arm was bloody when Joey grabbed him, but he was still able to pat Joey's head with the same bloody arm. Sure, he rode on his horse like an injured man, but he didn't sound like a guy with a mortal wound.

The real question is how did Shane end up on that ranch as some have question whether Shane and Miriam knew each other earlier in their lifes?

 

[John Hodson]

Why you think that?

For precisely the same reasons that Bill outlines; the ride into Boot Hill is the symbolic clincher. The warrior has triumphed over evil, and now he enters Valhalla; it's a beautifully romantic ending.

I wish my damn BD would arrive...

 

[Mark-P]

Wow. In all my years of watching Shane, I've never had even an inkling of a notion that he dies in the end. A quick google search finds that this is a widely-held belief among fans!

Now let's take Titanic. Of course I know that the implication is very strong that at the end Rose dies in her sleep and goes to Titanic heaven, but that is such an affront to my personal beliefs that I choose to interpret it that she is just asleep and having a dream!

And if I've just spoiled the end of Titanic for you, then tough, because anyone who still hasn't seen Titanic deserves to have the movie spoiled for them!!

 

[Robert Crawford]

Let the debate of Shane's survival begin in this polling thread. Let's have some fun exchanging our opinion regarding the questions in hand. Play nice as there isn't any wrong answer except to those that disagree with my opinion. Just kidding folks!

 

[haineshisway]

In the novel, it is clearly implied that Shane is wounded but alive and will survive. As one character says, "No bullet could stop him."

 

[Bill Huelbig]

Mark-P, I'm with you on the ending of Titanic. It never crossed my mind that Rose had died at the end until I read it in a review somewhere.

 

[DVDvision]

So indeed, Shane ended up boxed finally.