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

[Kyrsten Brad]

First time viewing now, roadshow version.

Nice way to spend a stormy Florida afternoon.

 

[Chuck Pennington]

An update...

I ended up buying the Kino Lorber SWEET CHARITY even though I though the French release (and my hybrid putting back the entr'acte and exit music) would suffice. Some observations:

* The scene missing from the DVD is back in the "roadshow" version, but it is NOT in the alternate version. I'm assuming a reel from the shorter cut was used when making the DVD and that would explain its absence. The scene is presented here:



* The sound synchronization on the last two sections of Rich Man's Frug look perfect on Kino's release whereas those same sections are off a bit on the French Blu-ray.

* The new commentary track is only on the shorter alternate cut of the film. The commentator makes no more of the extended dialogue scene missing on that cut.

* The trailer and bonus vintage featurettes are the same standard definition, dot crawl filled transfers as were on the DVD.

* The intermission card created for video stays on the screen for nearly 30 seconds with no audio. As the entr'acte is missing, the audio suddenly fades in as the second half of the film begins.

* The gate weave that has always been in the opening credits has been stabilized.

* Opticals still stick out but the difference between them and the surrounding footage is less pronounced when compared to prior releases.

* The contrast for the feature is a bit lighter, revealing a bit more to see in the darker areas of the frame and black costumes.

* The feature has a less gritty look now, which is pleasing and subtle. The grain is now quite slight and the lower contrast reveals a bit more details in the costumes. Solid colors (like the hot red background during The Rich Man's Frug sequence) no longer have the noticeable swimming grain breaking up the hue as before.

 

[Chuck Pennington]

It might have been in this thread but it The Rich Man's Frug out of sync?

That was me.

This sequence is in sync on the Kino Lorber Blu-ray release. The last two sections of The Rich Man's Frug are NOT in sync on the French Blu-ray of several years ago. The dancers don't punch on the beat on that release but they do on this new one (and the old DVD).

 

[JohnMor]

An update...

I ended up buying the Kino Lorber SWEET CHARITY even though I though the French release (and my hybrid putting back the entr'acte and exit music) would suffice. Some observations:

* The scene missing from the DVD is back in the "roadshow" version, but it is NOT in the alternate version. I'm assuming a reel from the shorter cut was used when making the DVD and that would explain its absence. The scene is presented here:



* The sound synchronization on the last two sections of Rich Man's Frug look perfect on Kino's release whereas those same sections are off a bit on the French Blu-ray.

* The new commentary track is only on the shorter alternate cut of the film. The commentator makes no more of the extended dialogue scene missing on that cut.

* The trailer and bonus vintage featurettes are the same standard definition, dot crawl filled transfers as were on the DVD.

* The intermission card created for video stays on the screen for nearly 30 seconds with no audio. As the entr'acte is missing, the audio suddenly fades in as the second half of the film begins.

* The gate weave that has always been in the opening credits has been stabilized.

* Opticals still stick out but the difference between them and the surrounding footage is less pronounced when compared to prior releases.

* The contrast for the feature is a bit lighter, revealing a bit more to see in the darker areas of the frame and black costumes.

* The feature has a less gritty look now, which is pleasing and subtle. The grain is now quite slight and the lower contrast reveals a bit more details in the costumes. Solid colors (like the hot red background during The Rich Man's Frug sequence) no longer have the noticeable swimming grain breaking up the hue as before.

That explains a lot about the cut dialogue on the dvd. Very interesting.

Any thoughts on the sound quality/levels on the Kino vs. the French, Chuck?

 

[haineshisway]

An update...

I ended up buying the Kino Lorber SWEET CHARITY even though I though the French release (and my hybrid putting back the entr'acte and exit music) would suffice. Some observations:

* The scene missing from the DVD is back in the "roadshow" version, but it is NOT in the alternate version. I'm assuming a reel from the shorter cut was used when making the DVD and that would explain its absence. The scene is presented here:



* The sound synchronization on the last two sections of Rich Man's Frug look perfect on Kino's release whereas those same sections are off a bit on the French Blu-ray.

* The new commentary track is only on the shorter alternate cut of the film. The commentator makes no more of the extended dialogue scene missing on that cut.

* The trailer and bonus vintage featurettes are the same standard definition, dot crawl filled transfers as were on the DVD.

* The intermission card created for video stays on the screen for nearly 30 seconds with no audio. As the entr'acte is missing, the audio suddenly fades in as the second half of the film begins.

* The gate weave that has always been in the opening credits has been stabilized.

* Opticals still stick out but the difference between them and the surrounding footage is less pronounced when compared to prior releases.

* The contrast for the feature is a bit lighter, revealing a bit more to see in the darker areas of the frame and black costumes.

* The feature has a less gritty look now, which is pleasing and subtle. The grain is now quite slight and the lower contrast reveals a bit more details in the costumes. Solid colors (like the hot red background during The Rich Man's Frug sequence) no longer have the noticeable swimming grain breaking up the hue as before.

I find it astonishing that you don't mention the lower than low sound - it's so obviously botched. Yes, you can turn it up about 10db and it will match the French Blu or any other movie, but something clearly went wrong and no QC was done at all.

 

[TJPC]

I find it astonishing that you don't mention the lower than low sound - it's so obviously botched. Yes, you can turn it up about 10db and it will match the French Blu or any other movie, but something clearly went wrong and no QC was done at all.

I watched this on our “everyday” TV which only has a sound bar, and noticed no deficiency in the sound what so ever. Now, lately we have been going to bed too late. I start a movie, and my wife, who is only 1/2 watching anyway, falls asleep. Then I put the sound way down and turn on the subtitles. Perhaps that was also the case this time, so I didn’t notice.

 

[Mark B]

This could have been a stellar release, yet due to so many sloppy production errors it ranks as only OK. The missing music is a bone headed screw up, the commentary is on the wrong disc and sounds like it was thrown together after watching the featurette on Fosse and a Google search, the sound is adequate but frustrating, and I feel if they were going to produce a second disc they may as well have given us the shredded version that eventually hit neighborhood movie houses, as that would be interesting to see. I find it hard to believe that this particular trailer was what was seen prior to release. It feels like a last ditch effort to drum up some business. Honestly, as much as I like the film, the trailer we have been seeing for 30 years on home video does the film no favors and almost calls out the film as a "turkey." Overall, a missed opportunity for no reason other than carelessness.

 

[haineshisway]

I watched this on our “everyday” TV which only has a sound bar, and noticed no deficiency in the sound what so ever. Now, lately we have been going to bed too late. I start a movie, and my wife, who is only 1/2 watching anyway, falls asleep. Then I put the sound way down and turn on the subtitles. Perhaps that was also the case this time, so I didn’t notice.

Ya think? Because if you put on any other movie and set a comfortable sound level and then put on this disc if you don't notice it then new ears are in order - it's BLATANT - it's not just a db or two lower - it's TEN db lower.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

Sounds like the volume issues with the Todd-AO version Blu ray 'Oklahoma'.

 

[Ethan Riley]

Ya think? Because if you put on any other movie and set a comfortable sound level and then put on this disc if you don't notice it then new ears are in order - it's BLATANT - it's not just a db or two lower - it's TEN db lower.

Truth. I have a very sophisticated sound system--I had to put the poor thing on blast for this movie.

 

[Robert Harris]

I’ve gotten to the point with the way that tracks are being mastered, along with some corporate logos, ie the occasional Lionsgate (that comes on way above normal levels) that I no longer look at levels as a norm. On my system, I’m generally running anywhere from 58-73.

I’ll have to recheck SC, and see where it falls.

 

[Paul Penna]

I’ve gotten to the point with the way that tracks are being mastered, along with some corporate logos, ie the occasional Lionsgate (that comes on way above normal levels) that I no longer look at levels as a norm.

I have the mute button on my Denon receiver set to -20db below normal listening level and have learned to always engage it when starting a disc, just to avoid blasting logos and menu music.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I just sampled both discs in my home office HT and I'm not noticing anything unusual with the audio level. I'll try to sample it again in my main HT to see if I notice anything with that system.

 

[Gary16]

Sounds like the volume issues with the Todd-AO version Blu ray 'Oklahoma'.

I had no sound issues with “Oklahoma.”

 

[Robert Crawford]

I had no sound issues with “Oklahoma.”

Perhaps, some of us normally have the volume set higher than others? That may explain why some of us didn't notice such sound issues.

 

[usrunnr]

I’ve gotten to the point with the way that tracks are being mastered, along with some corporate logos, ie the occasional Lionsgate (that comes on way above normal levels) that I no longer look at levels as a norm. On my system, I’m generally running anywhere from 58-73.

I’ll have to recheck SC, and see where it falls.

Mr. Harris, what is your opinion of the quality of the sound as originally recorded?

 

[Robert Harris]

Mr. Harris, what is your opinion of the quality of the sound as originally recorded?

Not a clue. One would have to sample the original full-coats, but knowing Universal, I’d bet they’d be superb.

 

[haineshisway]

There's nothing really wrong with the sound on the Kino other than some person decided to make it ten db lower than most Blu-rays. No reason to do so and perhaps an error, but it's really annoying.

 

[Robert Crawford]

There's nothing really wrong with the sound on the Kino other than some person decided to make it ten db lower than most Blu-rays. No reason to do so and perhaps an error, but it's really annoying.

I didn't need to adjust my volume when sampling this Blu-ray. It's at the same volume level as when I played "Reap the Wild Wind" this afternoon.

 

[haineshisway]

I didn't need to adjust my volume when sampling this Blu-ray. It's at the same volume level as when I played "Reap the Wild Wind" this afternoon.

Well, I'm not at your house so I don't know your set-up. I'm not the only one who's said this, you know. There are several people who've pointed it out and we're certainly not making it up. I have a standard volume level and most Blu-rays and DVDs are perfect at that level. So, it's really easy to tell when one is mastered way too hot or way too low.