A Few Words About A few words about...™ Atlantic City -- in Blu-ray (2 Viewers)

[titch]

I compared it to the iTunes HD version. The French Blu-ray does not have a Paramount logo, instead it’s Gaumont. The opening sequence is shorter as all credits are about 3 minutes into the film.... Atlantic City USA. The Paramount logo version extends the opening scene with Susan Sarandon an Burt Lancaster and has credits of the main cast and the title ......then the credits resume three minutes later.
The French Blu-ray is superior. All artifacts and blemishes have been removed. The colors are stronger.

I have the US Paramount blu ray and I've just ordered the French Gaumont 2016 blu ray, based on your recommendation. I'll be able to compare the two next week. There are now many European releases that are superior to the US versions. The StudioCanal version of Paris, Texas, available in Germany, has a substantially better video master than the Criterion.

 

[Bartman]

My impression (as a consumer) is that Paramount were strong in home video right thru the DVD era and then lost interest, all but for their best selling titles, during the Blu-ray era. I don't know the reason why.

So hold onto your DVD copy of Sorry Wrong Number, as I did, apparently the Aussie Blu-ray is not much of an upgrade (especially at the high price asked), because it may be a while, if ever, that a Region A upgrade appears.

 

[battlebeast]

I have a blu ray of the restored “Atlantic City” which I purchased in Paris a couple of years ago.
There is a 2 minute short about the restoration.
Good news .....all region and has removable subtitles and the quality is excellent!

I have this one too, and it is very very good.

 

[Charles Smith]

Received my notice from Deep Discount that it's once again available, so I'm ordering now because it's been too many years since I've seen it, and I will of course stay informed here.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

My impression (as a consumer) is that Paramount were strong in home video right thru the DVD era and then lost interest, all but for their best selling titles, during the Blu-ray era. I don't know the reason why.

What happened was that all the studios put tons of money into DVD editions and not everything sold. They spent money on new transfers and elaborate special features and while some things were giant hits, it wasn’t automatic like the studio thought. Lots of things didn’t sell well. When Blu-ray came out, those sold less well from the start, so studios were disinclined to spend on product that wasn’t in high demand.

 

[cda1143]

I compared it to the iTunes HD version. The French Blu-ray does not have a Paramount logo.. The opening sequence is shorter as all credits are about 3 minutes into the film.... Atlantic City USA. The Paramount logo version extends the opening scene with Susan Sarandon an Burt Lancaster and has credits of the main cast and the title ......then the credits resume three minutes later....

Just to be sure: the French Blu is shorter? Paramount logo version (on iTunes) has a longer opening sequence?

 

[Ken Koc]

Just to be sure: the French Blu is shorter? Paramount logo version (on iTunes) has a longer opening sequence?

I have to look at it closer but I think "Susan and the lemons is repeated" for the few credits that are presented then. The French bluray shows a running time of 1 hr 45 min. The Paramount US version is listed as 1hr 44 minutes.

 

[titch]

Interesting. I purchased the Paramount from Amazon.com in June 2020. Both the Amazon-purchased disc and cover have the blu-ray logo. I compared the first ten minutes with the Gaumont from France. These are obviously two different prints, as the editing in the opening sequences are quite different. The titles in the US Paramount extend the scene with Susan Saradon and Burt Lancaster in the opening - the Maria Callas singing goes on for longer. The Gaumount has a scene with the young couple in a broken down car, which is not shown on the US version (instead, more people are seen entering the phone booth). On the Gaumont, the titles start with the couple on the bridge and Burt Lancaster is not given top billing.

The picture quality is noticeably superior on the French version - the US version looks overly bright and there is slight print damage, with speckling, which is absent from the Gaumont. Also, the colours look more natural on the French print. I tried taking some screen pictures but the iPhone is limited in conveying the difference in motion. I'm glad Ken recommended the Gaumont.

 

[Charles Smith]

Meanwhile, the fun never stops at Deep Discount. It had been on back order and I got my email from them saying it was back in stock, and I ordered it. The shipment arrived in great time. Sadly, what I received was a set of Harry Potter films, which, according to the packing slip, should have been sent -- from Best Buy, not Deep Discount -- to a customer in another state.

I sent a note about the mistake, got a return authorization, and asked when I can expect to receive the correct item.
The reply:

Please be advised the item is currently on back order or discontinued to issue a replacement please let us know if you prefer a refund or to wait for the backordered item
Again, thank you for writing DeepDiscount.com. We appreciate your business.

And it is indeed showing on back order again. I replied to the note, and just to cover my bases I went to request the email telling me when they have it back in stock...again. I mean I tried to. The popup where you would enter your email address now has no input field; i.e., no place to write. Tried a different browser. Same thing. And so it goes.

 

[Robert Harris]

Meanwhile, the fun never stops at Deep Discount. It had been on back order and I got my email from them saying it was back in stock, and I ordered it. The shipment arrived in great time. Sadly, what I received was a set of Harry Potter films, which, according to the packing slip, should have been sent -- from Best Buy, not Deep Discount -- to a customer in another state.

I sent a note about the mistake, got a return authorization, and asked when I can expect to receive the correct item.
The reply:

Please be advised the item is currently on back order or discontinued to issue a replacement please let us know if you prefer a refund or to wait for the backordered item
Again, thank you for writing DeepDiscount.com. We appreciate your business.

And it is indeed showing on back order again. I replied to the note, and just to cover my bases I went to request the email telling me when they have it back in stock...again. I mean I tried to. The popup where you would enter your email address now has no input field; i.e., no place to write. Tried a different browser. Same thing. And so it goes.

Should have kept the Potters. Better audio.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Last year i placed a order for some Blu-ray's and right before DeepDiscount were to ship one of them out they canceled my order because "they could not stock that certain title". A week later it was back in stock. I did order Atlantic City from them and received it on time so i guess i was lucky!

 

[CobraVerde]

I always hoped it would get a new scan and handled by Criterion, but I think this is it for now.

It did get a fabulous new scan for the French Gaumont disc in 2016. The problem was, it was tealed to death, with the entire film looking blur-green in that Ritrovata style. This grading on that scan would be the ultimate edition.

 

[CobraVerde]

Interesting. I purchased the Paramount from Amazon.com in June 2020. Both the Amazon-purchased disc and cover have the blu-ray logo. I compared the first ten minutes with the Gaumont from France. These are obviously two different prints, as the editing in the opening sequences are quite different. The titles in the US Paramount extend the scene with Susan Saradon and Burt Lancaster in the opening - the Maria Callas singing goes on for longer. The Gaumount has a scene with the young couple in a broken down car, which is not shown on the US version (instead, more people are seen entering the phone booth). On the Gaumont, the titles start with the couple on the bridge and Burt Lancaster is not given top billing.

The picture quality is noticeably superior on the French version - the US version looks overly bright and there is slight print damage, with speckling, which is absent from the Gaumont. Also, the colours look more natural on the French print. I tried taking some screen pictures but the iPhone is limited in conveying the difference in motion. I'm glad Ken recommended the Gaumont.

The colors on the Gaumont are a travesty. See Lancaster's white shirt is now teal? Sand on the beach is now teal. Even Lancaster's white hair is teal. The US disc is much more accurate in terms of color, even though the Gaumont has the better (new) scan, it's unwatchable if you care about an accurate presentation of the film.

 

[Charles Smith]

So, almost a month - and a few emails and false starts and time outs (on Deep Discount's part) - later, I have just received the correct movie, and I look forward to watching this for my first time in years. Yes, the disc is replicated, from Deep Discount, and while I wish the quality of the release could have earned a top rating from RAH, it will be a gratifying viewing.

 

[Ken Koc]

Everyone has different TV monitor brands and different calibrations , I am happy that my blu ray of the French blu ray of Atlantic City , Burt Lancaster's shirt is white.
Vilmos Zsigmond taught me that years ago.