UHD Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ - Funny Girl -- in 4k UHD (1 Viewer)

[Noel Aguirre]

I was hoping Barbra would intervene on this release and have Sony or whoever reinstate all the cut Ann Francis scenes which would flesh out her character more but <sigh> no such luck.

 

[Noel Aguirre]

This Criterion release doesn’t have a commentary track by any historian- musical or otherwise? That’s a major disappointment and down grades this release for me. And no isolated soundtrack?
This film cries out for both. A William Wyler musical with Barbra Streisand’s historic debut? Unbelievable that neither is included here

 

[Malcolm Bmoor]

I was hoping Barbra would intervene on this release and have Sony or whoever reinstate all the cut Ann Francis scenes which would flesh out her character more but <sigh> no such luck.

I don't think you quite understand the caring, sharing nature of Ms S. Those scenes are well known to have been cut because of Ms S's jealousy that someone other than her was being featured.

The other similar story is that during the NY stage run of FUNNY GIRL she was about to take a break and be replaced by her understudy. She sat in on understudy rehearsals and cancelled her holiday out of fear that the understudy's performances would attract too good notices.

 

[Noel Aguirre]

I was hoping Barbra would intervene on this release and have Sony or whoever reinstate all the cut Ann Francis scenes which would flesh out her character more but <sigh> no such luck.

I don't think you quite understand the caring, sharing nature of Ms S. Those scenes are well known to have been cut because of Ms S's jealousy that someone other than her was being featured.

The other similar story is that during the NY stage run of FUNNY GIRL she was about to take a break and be replaced by her understudy. She sat in on understudy rehearsals and cancelled her holiday out of fear that the understudy's performances would attract too good notices.

I was basing it upon the attention and care she gave to the recent The Way We Were release by inserting more of herself into it even upon its deceased director’s prior disapproval!
As to the “understudy” you’re talking Lanie Kazan!

 

[TravisR]

This Criterion release doesn’t have a commentary track by any historian- musical or otherwise?

Criterion has all but abandoned new commentaries.

 

[willyTass]

a hard blu ray to beat but they did

thanks to kobe

Funny Girl (1968) - Sony BD vs. Criterion UHD BL+FEL - 203 nits | Slowpoke Pics

Slowpoke Pics image comparison service

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[Garysb]

I was hoping Barbra would intervene on this release and have Sony or whoever reinstate all the cut Ann Francis scenes which would flesh out her character more but <sigh> no such luck.

I don't think you quite understand the caring, sharing nature of Ms S. Those scenes are well known to have been cut because of Ms S's jealousy that someone other than her was being featured.

The other similar story is that during the NY stage run of FUNNY GIRL she was about to take a break and be replaced by her understudy. She sat in on understudy rehearsals and cancelled her holiday out of fear that the understudy's performances would attract too good notices.

Such nonsense. Who was Streisand in 1967 and 1968 that she could dictate how a picture was cut? If she was so powerful, why did she have to sign a 5-picture deal with Ray Stark, which she did not want to do, in order to ensure she would be cast in the movie, "Funny Girl." She was unwilling to risk losing the role by refusing to sign the 5-picture deal. Even Anne Francis apologized to Streisand in later years for the accusation of Streisand having anything to do with her part being cut.

 

[Ethan Riley]

That's a canard that Anne's scenes were cut due to Babs' jealousy. They were making the Fanny Brice story, not the Georgia James story. And that movie would have over 3 hours long if they'd kept everything in.

 

[Allansfirebird]

Anyone notice that the Directed by William Wyler documentary on this disc has been remastered? Prior version I've seen on other discs have been murky, probably taken from old VHS masters from the 90s. This one is so much clearer and cleaner! I think even the on-screen titles were recreated to bring the whole transfer up to date.

 

[Noel Aguirre]

Criterion has all but abandoned new commentaries.

Disappointing as this film cries out for one for many reasons. It should have been the exception as they rarely release classic musicals.
And I wouldn’t be surprised if Sony does one in the future and also isolates the music score for a future release of their own ie in a Classics’ box release to get a double dip. I still don’t understand why this hasn’t been already in one already considering Annie. Would Sony have paid for this mastering or Criterion? I understand Prime has been showing one without Dolby vision a few years now.

 

[Noel Aguirre]

Such nonsense. Who was Streisand in 1967 and 1968 that she could dictate how a picture was cut? If she was so powerful, why did she have to sign a 5-picture deal with Ray Stark, which she did not want to do, in order to ensure she would be cast in the movie, "Funny Girl." She was unwilling to risk losing the role by refusing to sign the 5-picture deal. Even Anne Francis apologized to Streisand in later years for the accusation of Streisand having anything to do with her part being cut.

Firstly I never said she cut anything. No need to “bold face” my quote.
Secondly I was joking hence the (sigh) and based upon her penchant for adding more of herself into The Way We Were.
Jeesh

 

[Noel Aguirre]

That's a canard that Anne's scenes were cut due to Babs' jealousy. They were making the Fanny Brice story, not the Georgia James story. And that movie would have over 3 hours long if they'd kept everything in.

Understood. However these were scenes of Fanny and Georgia together that were cut as were scenes with Eddie which might have added to the boring second half of the film and flesh out Fanny’s determination for her trying to save her doomed marriage. I was hoping they could be available as an extra but I suspect they must have been destroyed.

 

[DapperDoug]

So does the included Blu-ray contained the new 4K scan, just downscaled to 1080p?

 

[Robert Crawford]

So does the included Blu-ray contained the new 4K scan, just downscaled to 1080p?

The Blu-ray is derived from the same 4K scan but is in 1080p.

 

[Nick*Z]

Regarding this 4K presentation VS. the Blu-ray, which was, in and of itself, a superior mastering effort of vintage catalog that continues to hold up. For those interested, the 4K has a slightly cooler appearance that suggests a more natural image.

This, however, should not be considered as muted colors or a reimagining of the original cinematography or Technicolor processing.

Because it's not.

Harry Stradling's cinematography is as bold and vibrant as ever.

I think sometimes memory suggests otherwise, because we become accustomed to previous viewings, in whatever condition we may have seen a movie.

Lest we forget, not even 'all' first run movie houses project a film identically. To say nothing of second and third run venues, art houses, etc.

Point is, unless we all went to the same theater on the same night in same city and sat approximately the same distance to the screen, we're all bound to have slightly different interpretations of what Funny Girl is supposed to look like.

Also, digital presentations of vintage film differ from seeing a movie 'projected' from an actual film source. So, how best to judge whether the new 4K of Funny Girl is 'faithful' to the intent of Wyler and Stradling?

Well, does it reproduce an image with competent to 'better than' overall clarity, color density, contrast and grain structure?

Check. And double check.

Is this Funny Girl as those fortunate enough to be alive in 1968 saw it theatrically on it's opening night?

No. Nothing is, or can be.

Is it Funny Girl as those involved in its creation would have sincerely wished for, expertly curated by a studio business acumen that values artistic integrity and strives to preserve it for future generations to appreciate, admire, study and enjoy?

Absolutely!

Enough said...at least, by me.

 

[JimMiller]

I just received "Funny Girl" and couldn't wait to watch it. My Panasonic DP-UB820 started reading the disc and a banner stating "Copyright Violation" flashed on the screen and It wouldn't play. I have never, ever had this happen before. The blu-ray plays fine. Did I just luck out and get a defective disc?

 

[Cineman]

I just received my 4K UHD copy today. I only played the Overture, the opening credits and the first 5 minutes and I must say this version looks, sounds and feels as close to my several 1968 Egyptian Theatre Hollywood experiences as I have ever enjoyed in my home theater. Love it.

However, I must point out that for anybody needing or wanting to choose the Subtitles option and would like their home theater screening to be as smooth and uninterrupted as possible, it looks to me that Criterion has reversed the Yes/No selection for them in the menu.

Unless I am not understanding it or I have an oddball production copy, you need to choose the No option if you want Subtitles and the Yes option if you don't want Subtitles.

Of course, I didn't know that until "Hello, gorgeous", at which point I had to scramble to fumble with the remote control, go back into the menu to reverse my choice from Yes Subtitles to No Subtitles. Kinda' spoils the flow, the moment and the mood.

Subtitles are important to me because I have a frequent movie buddy for whom English is a second language and it turns out being able to read certain words and phrases as well as hearing them spoken along the way greatly improves her understanding of the dialog. So I am glad I checked this option before we sat down for her first time watching it.

The blu-ray version in this set has the same issue, btw.

 

[Konstantinos]

I assume the songs are subtitled too, right?

 

[Mark-P]

Sometimes disc menus highlight the menu choice by darkening the words rather than underlining or brightening them. Not saying this is the case here, but sometimes I get confused thinking the wrong thing is selected.

 

[Cineman]

Sometimes disc menus highlight the menu choice by darkening the words rather than underlining or brightening them. Not saying this is the case here, but sometimes I get confused thinking the wrong thing is selected.

Yes, I thought that might be the case too. But this time the black, bold highlighted choice IS the choice to access Movie, Chapters and Subtitles in the Menu (and on the blu-ray, Supplements), for everything other than the Yes/No choice for Subtitles or no Subtitles. On that one option only is it the reverse on both the 4K UHD disc and the blu-ray disc in this set.

The Default setting is "Subtitles Yes" but, of course, playing the disc right out of the box without accessing the Subtitles option In the Menu at all means it will play without Subtitles.

I suppose I could be misreading or misunderstanding what the black, bold Menu options are telling me. This one just seemed oddball or mistakenly reversed compared to how it works for every other Menu option.