- Joined
- Feb 8, 1999
- Messages
- 18,422
- Real Name
- Robert Harris
The fact that Howard Hawks' His Girl Friday has made to Blu-ray is a small miracle, and that miracle has arrived via a wonderful Christmas gift from Criterion.
The general feeling among serious film buffs is that 1939 was a "golden" year, that produced some of the greatest films ever made.
Although released in the second week of 1940, His Girl Friday fits the M.O. for 1939 films perfectly, except that it was far more modern, with it's overlapping dialogue, and quick patter.
Presumed to be, and treated as public domain for decades, although it probably could have been protected by underlying lit (the 1928 play) the film has been extremely difficult to view in anything close to high quality.
Thanks to Columbia, and their continuing efforts to protect and defend their library, this Blu-ray is based substantially upon a new scan of the original camera negative. Where footage was damaged or missing, a dupe came to the rescue.
I recall that during the opening of the film, there was always either several frames covered by clear tape, with a tear running through them, or later, slugs where the errant frame had been.
No longer.
This representation of the film in all it's black & white glory is a His Girl Friday, the likes of which I've never seen.
Perfect?
Just about.
Several digitally squashed frames at cuts, but nothing that anyone is apt to notice.
Black levels and gray scale are magnificent, as is the audio.
But wait, there's more!
The Academy was able to get the cooperation of the Hughes Corporation enabling the release of the original Lewis Milestone 1931 The Front Page, based on something also unseen in decades. A 35mm print.
This restoration, produced by the Academy Film Archive with funding from the George Lucas Family Foundation, and The Film Foundation, is a tale in itself, and I highly suggest that after you grab a copy of this release, that you visit the restoration discussion in the extras, as it's one of the finest of its kind that I've had the pleasure to view. In it, the point is made that the audio for The Front Page was harvested directly from the metal master used to strike the original disc master for the film.
Another extra of note, is a superb featurette in which historian David Bordwell guides us through the background and history of Mr. Hawks and the making of His Girl Friday.
This is a set of discs that one should not be able to turn down. For those who may have somehow missed His Girl Friday, the film is quintessential Grant and Russell, and not to be missed.
Image
His Girl Friday - 5
The Front Page - 3
Audio - 5
4k Up-rez
His Girl Friday - 5
The Front Page - 3.5
Pass / Fail - Pass
Very Highly Recommended
RAH
The general feeling among serious film buffs is that 1939 was a "golden" year, that produced some of the greatest films ever made.
Although released in the second week of 1940, His Girl Friday fits the M.O. for 1939 films perfectly, except that it was far more modern, with it's overlapping dialogue, and quick patter.
Presumed to be, and treated as public domain for decades, although it probably could have been protected by underlying lit (the 1928 play) the film has been extremely difficult to view in anything close to high quality.
Thanks to Columbia, and their continuing efforts to protect and defend their library, this Blu-ray is based substantially upon a new scan of the original camera negative. Where footage was damaged or missing, a dupe came to the rescue.
I recall that during the opening of the film, there was always either several frames covered by clear tape, with a tear running through them, or later, slugs where the errant frame had been.
No longer.
This representation of the film in all it's black & white glory is a His Girl Friday, the likes of which I've never seen.
Perfect?
Just about.
Several digitally squashed frames at cuts, but nothing that anyone is apt to notice.
Black levels and gray scale are magnificent, as is the audio.
But wait, there's more!
The Academy was able to get the cooperation of the Hughes Corporation enabling the release of the original Lewis Milestone 1931 The Front Page, based on something also unseen in decades. A 35mm print.
This restoration, produced by the Academy Film Archive with funding from the George Lucas Family Foundation, and The Film Foundation, is a tale in itself, and I highly suggest that after you grab a copy of this release, that you visit the restoration discussion in the extras, as it's one of the finest of its kind that I've had the pleasure to view. In it, the point is made that the audio for The Front Page was harvested directly from the metal master used to strike the original disc master for the film.
Another extra of note, is a superb featurette in which historian David Bordwell guides us through the background and history of Mr. Hawks and the making of His Girl Friday.
This is a set of discs that one should not be able to turn down. For those who may have somehow missed His Girl Friday, the film is quintessential Grant and Russell, and not to be missed.
Image
His Girl Friday - 5
The Front Page - 3
Audio - 5
4k Up-rez
His Girl Friday - 5
The Front Page - 3.5
Pass / Fail - Pass
Very Highly Recommended
RAH
