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

[Gary16]

Amazon is selling the deluxe version with the book today for $25.
Also, I noticed that when TCM ran WSS this past week it was the "fade to black" version.

 

[Michael1]

So sorry to hear about the bad experience of WSS at Bryant Park. I too have never had an experience like that at those screenings in the park. I guess, for some reason, all the assholes decided to attend on that particular night ;-)
As for the sticky adhesive residue left behind when security stickers, etc. are removed from DVDs, CDs, etc., I agree it's annoying, but fortunately there is an easy solution: Buy a small spray bottle of WD-40 at your local hardware store, spray a small amount of it on a tissue, and wipe the affected area. That will immediately remove the residue without harming the packaging.

 

[ChrisOC]

My strangest experience with West Side Story was watching it on a Spanish language station. I don't speak Spanish, but I figured it'd be interesting to hear the voices in that language. The movie was pan-and-scanned and the print horribly faded, but neither was a particular surprise; I figured it was a dub done about 40 years earlier.
The strange part, though, was that the songs were cut out. Completely. Later it occurred to me that it may have been too expensive at the time to dub the songs in Spanish, but still, it was very strange.

 

[Chuck Pennington]

1998/2003 DVD

2011 Blu-Ray

Split-Screen (I'm pretty sure these are scaled down from the original HD dimensions when I upload them here, but you get the idea.)

 

[adklz]

The problem with using WD-40 or GooGone to remove the sticky residue is that the packaging then smells like WD-40/GooGone. I usually take a razor and cut the sticky strip down the middle along the gap between the front and back covers. Then I peel the two sections off from the middle. The strips are more likely to come off intact and cleanly this way then if you try peeling them off from the outer edges.

 

[GlennH]

The problem with using WD-40 or GooGone to remove the sticky residue is that the packaging then smells like WD-40/GooGone. I usually take a razor and cut the sticky strip down the middle along the gap between the front and back covers. Then I peel the two sections off from the middle. The strips are more likely to come off intact and cleanly this way then if you try peeling them off from the outer edges.

Use un-du. No residue, no odor left behind.

 

[AbbyNormal]

I usually use lighter fluid to remove price stickers and whatnot-the residue goes and the smell disappears rather quickly (learned it when I was used in the book business and had to remove many a price sticker from many tomes).

 

[TonyD]

Don't these removers leave any residue or damage the paper?

 

[AbbyNormal]

Never had a problem with lighter fluid-Ronsonol is the best, by the way.

 

[ChrisOC]

Chuck, thanks for the screen shot comparisons. The difference in hue is striking, and I'm sure I'll be picking up the BD set now that the overture "correction" has been made.

 

[TonyD]

Chuck, thanks for the screen shot comparisons. The difference in hue is striking, and I'm sure I'll be picking up the BD set now that the overture "correction" has been made.

Go back to post 708 and read that first.

 

[Chuck Pennington]

Go back to post 708 and read that first.

Yeah, there is still a weird faded during the end of the overture, and, yes, I have the reissued disc where it goes a dark green rather than completely fade to black, but it far from ruins the rest of the film.
I'm not going to leave WEST SIDE STORY out of my collection for how ever many years, waiting and hoping that it will get corrected in some future anniversary reissue.
What people should REALLY be more up in arms about is the state of the dupe sections, which looked better (though still ragged) in the 70mm print I saw last month than how they appear on the Blu-ray. Those sections have always looked bad, and maybe they don't look any worse than they ever did save for the resolution of Blu-ray highlighting how poor they are, but I'm sure A BIT of additional color correction or processing could have helped smooth their inclusion in the overall film. If they can greatly enhance the opticals and dupes in PILLOW TALK, I should hope the same could be done for WEST SIDE STORY.

 

[Cees Alons]

Originally Posted by adklz /t/315747/a-few-words-about-west-side-story-in-blu-ray/690#post_3925355
The problem with using WD-40 or GooGone to remove the sticky residue is that the packaging then smells like WD-40/GooGone. I usually take a razor and cut the sticky strip down the middle along the gap between the front and back covers. Then I peel the two sections off from the middle. The strips are more likely to come off intact and cleanly this way then if you try peeling them off from the outer edges.

I never use any fluid anymore (since my first disaster, long ago).
I do like Jim does, and then use the parts of the strip itself to "pick" the residues up (quick short 'take-up' movements). You need to go on and on, if necessary, but you WILL finally get everything off. Do not be satisfied too easily, it needs a lot of patience, sometimes, but that will be rewarded.


Cees

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

I saw this in 70mm the other night and paid attention to the Overture. There is no green and no fade to black. During the transition to the final color before the title reveal the color does get very intense, almost obscuring the Saul Bass graphic, but it never fully does and the Blu-ray and DVD certainly don't look like this. Maybe someday they'll get it right. My Blu-ray is now in my Amoeba pile.

There were many shots that didn't have opticals in them that looked like dupes throughout the movie.

The audio was DTS and I suspect it's the new six-track restoration. It sounded fantastic.

 

[Dick]

So sorry to hear about the bad experience of WSS at Bryant Park. I too have never had an experience like that at those screenings in the park. I guess, for some reason, all the assholes decided to attend on that particular night ;-)
As for the sticky adhesive residue left behind when security stickers, etc. are removed from DVDs, CDs, etc., I agree it's annoying, but fortunately there is an easy solution: Buy a small spray bottle of WD-40 at your local hardware store, spray a small amount of it on a tissue, and wipe the affected area. That will immediately remove the residue without harming the packaging.

Olive oil will achieve this same outcome but without the WD-40 odor.

 

[Garysb]

TCM is showing West Side Story as I write this. The fade to black was there. I guess this will be the new normal for future showings on TV and elsewhere where digital instead of film prints are used. Changing history.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Garysb /t/315747/a-few-words-about-west-side-story-in-blu-ray/720#post_3938276
TCM is showing West Side Story as I write this. The fade to black was there. I guess this will be the new normal for future showings on TV and elsewhere where digital instead of film prints are used. Changing history.

Well that is just about the most depressing news I've heard all week.

 

[Doug Otte]

I saw this in 70mm the other night and paid attention to the Overture. There is no green and no fade to black. During the transition to the final color before the title reveal the color does get very intense, almost obscuring the Saul Bass graphic, but it never fully does and the Blu-ray and DVD certainly don't look like this. Maybe someday they'll get it right. My Blu-ray is now in my Amoeba pile.
There were many shots that didn't have opticals in them that looked like dupes throughout the movie.
The audio was DTS and I suspect it's the new six-track restoration. It sounded fantastic.

Thanks for the review, but what's an "Amoeba pile"?

 

[Matt Hough]

Originally Posted by Doug Otte /t/315747/a-few-words-about-west-side-story-in-blu-ray/720#post_3938394
Thanks for the review, but what's an "Amoeba pile"?

I'm assuming that is a pile of discs to be taken to Amoeba to trade in for credit or other discs.

 

[Brian Sharp]

Should be an interesting night out. Wish I could make it.
http://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/west-side-story/default.aspx