A Few Words About A few words about...™ Hello, Dolly! -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Stephen PI]

Well I'm going to nick-pick. I agreed with the person about the blooming whites etc. I'm going to return my disc tonight. I'll settle with the HD broadcast.

 

[OliverK]

The HD broadcast has about half as much detail as the Blu-ray, there is just no comparison. I have a hard time understanding why you would settle for that? By lowering gamma and color temperature on your display you can get the Blu-ray to look much closer in those areas to the broadcast and you get to keep the fantastic detail.

 

[lukejosephchung]

I've been reading this and the other related threads regarding this musical chestnut and find it difficult to comprehend the problems other members are having with the simple concept of properly calibrating their screens to a set standard, such as THX or ISF...personal preference settings are not necessarily the best way to be viewing hi-def content, if it causes the problems we're hearing about!!! My screens ARE ISF-calibrated professionally, btw, and I've seen this BD on both of them, encountering no such gamma/contras/color pallete issues as have been complained about so vociferously...

 

[haineshisway]

I've been reading this and the other related threads regarding this musical chestnut and find it difficult to comprehend the problems other members are having with the simple concept of properly calibrating their screens to a set standard, such as THX or ISF...personal preference settings are not necessarily the best way to be viewing hi-def content, if it causes the problems we're hearing about!!! My screens ARE ISF-calibrated professionally, btw, and I've seen this BD on both of them, encountering no such gamma/contras/color pallete issues as have been complained about so vociferously...

Enough of us are not seeing these problems, including Mr. Harris, and so, I, like you, would question how this disc is being viewed, but we've all said that ad nauseum, haven't we? I watched it again and it's just a thrilling thing to see, IMO.

 

[Robert Harris]

Enough of us are not seeing these problems, including Mr. Harris, and so, I, like you, would question how this disc is being viewed, but we've all said that ad nauseum, haven't we? I watched it again and it's just a thrilling thing to see, IMO.

What many of us seek in a Blu-ray presentation, are two things, and I include you in this group. Color and density that mimic the look of an original approved print, and transparency to the original. Hello, Dolly! has that in spades. In the final reel, I believe I'm seeing a couple of shots taken from seps, although it may be the way those shots were originally taken. That's transparency, along with a quality FotoKem scan.RAH

 

[Robert Crawford]

Do we want the BD to look as close to the original film or to what prior video or TV presentations have shown us? We always have a variety of opinions regarding each and every BD release due to differences in eye sight, film knowledge, expectations, equipment and viewing environment.

 

[haineshisway]

You've hit on the biggest problem, Robert Crawford. So many compare the Blu-ray to the previous video incarnations, and somehow just assume the previous was somehow correct. Happened recently with Dracula (Hammer), and also with Westworld. What everyone should want is a transfer the is as close to the original film as can be. And that's why I love the Dolly transfer.

 

[lukejosephchung]

Previous home video incarnations sucked eggs in terms of picture quality compared to the new BD...the naysayers who are dismissing out of hand the newly minted image harvest are, imo, referencing their opinions from improperly-calibrated or adjusted screens/projectors...

 

[Chuck Pennington]

I'm very happy with how stable and detailed the image is on the HELLO, DOLLY! Blu-ray. It sure seems like the contrast and brightness levels are off compared to anything I'd ever seen before, but I've only ever seen a ratty 35mm print projected. Maybe the image is supposed to be that hot in the lighter parts of the frame. I do find the differences between this new master and a previous HD master (available on iTunes) used to make the DVD striking. There is no denying that the new master is miles ahead in clarity and detail.

I know people don't like screen captures, but there is no other way for me to adequately show what I'm talking about. All were taken using VLC with the same settings. The first picture is from the iTunes HD version (admittedly compressed all to hell) and the second from the Blu-ray.

 

[haineshisway]

See my post in the other thread - these caps are horrible - the Blu-ray looks nothing like what you've posted here - these caps from the Blu-ray are all yellow.

Furthermore, don't make the assumption that because the DVD was darker and dreary-looking that that is the film's correct look.

 

[Chuck Pennington]

Those caps are direct from the Blu-ray I received.

See my post in the other thread - these caps are horrible - the Blu-ray looks nothing like what you've posted here - these caps from the Blu-ray are all yellow. Furthermore, don't make the assumption that because the DVD was darker and dreary-looking that that is the film's correct look.

 

[Rob_Ray]

Even taking these screen caps at face value with their yellow bias (which does not appear on my set), the blu-ray looks like a veil has been lifted from the lens. Watching the DVD is like looking at the world through eyes needing cataract surgery.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Here we go again. For whatever reason on every release there seems to be differences in opinion regarding the disc presentation. Most of the time it's the video portion of the presentation. If most people are happy with the presentation then so be it. Furthermore, I've come to accept those that disagree with that opinion and feel the presentation is lacking in some way. Anyhow, this disc is on the way to me and I'm pretty sure I'll be happy with it even if there are those that aren't happy with this disc.

 

[Mark-P]

I'm all set to move on to Funny Girl arguments next week.

 

[haineshisway]

Those caps are direct from the Blu-ray I received.

It doesn't matter - what matters is that they show up here with way too much yellow that is not representative in any way of what's on the disc, just as Rob Ray says, too. But Rob Ray is right - it's like a veil has been lifted. You simply cannot judge this against a DVD and/or HD broadcast of the old transfer because that transfer was - BAD.

 

[Mark-W]

There are times when a RAH review is just enough of a nudge to push me to purchase a Blu-ray I might otherwise hold off on.

I have never seen this film from start to finish. But there it was, sitting in the box at Costco. $11.99.
And then I remembered this review...

Pulled the trigger. Watched it Sunday. Really enjoyed it. Worth every penny and beyond.
Thanks Mr. Harris!

Gene Kelly's 1969 Hello, Dolly! is one of those magnificent musical entertainments that seems to age like the finest wine. It gets better with every viewing. Mine initial viewing was in early 1970, in 70mm.

A bit of background from the technical side. The film was photographed by Harry Stradling, cut by William Reynolds, with production design by John De Cuir. Take a look at the audio credits, and you'll see Murray Spivack.

Do a bit of quick research on these names, and you'll find that Hello, Dolly! is cinematic royalty.

There are so many times, when so much quality and talent goes into a production, and then it hits home video, and the work of so many professionals is lost.

I'm thrilled to find that this is not the case here. Fox's archival and mastering team, with necessary requisite surviving elements at hand, has been doing masterful work. Hello, Dolly! tops everything that has come before.

As a 65mm production, I feared that it might be problematic, or possibly just imperfect, but all of the right hands have touched this one. Beginning with Schawn Belston and his staff at Fox, to the creation of a new large format film element, and the necessary scanning and color by the team at FotoKem, this particular Hello, Dolly! deserves the exclamation point.

Everything has been performed to perfection. The scanning is so precise, that one can see the final long shot over the Hudson match dissolve into the final credit roll.

An absolutely clean image, but with all of the proper grain structure in place, we have a final result that is totally cinematic.

Color, resolution, black levels (red levels!), shadow detail. Everything is as it should be.

Watching and listening to it just made me smile.

There has been quite a bit of discussion recently regarding the future of home entertainment, and specifically 4k. If it ever occurs, and by that I don't refer to faux 4k, but rather a disc running full 4096, Hello, Dolly! should be on the first short list of product to be released. This master is that good.

While viewing, one of those strange thoughts went through my mind. Something that happens all too often, when people go to see a musical. As I was watching the huge Hello, Dolly! production number, I could almost hear someone a few seats away, whispering to their companion...

"Oh, is that from this?"

An iconic piece of entertainment.

A perfectly produced Blu-ray.

We'll be seeing this film discussed early next year, when votes come in for Best Catalog title of 2013.

Image - 5* (the * denotes something extraordinary and superb)

Audio - 5

Just perfect!

Very Highly Recommended.

RAH

 

[Will Krupp]

Those caps are direct from the Blu-ray I received.

I'm sorry I must have missed these last few exchanges back in April and I apologize for bumping this so late but Chuck, whenever i hear about a yellow bias I have to ask if you are sure you are using the correct color space for your monitor?

I had the same issue with my 2009 Samsung where everything seemed to have a slight (but not always unpleasant) golden/yellow cast to it. No amount of tinkering made the colors (too bright and unnatural) or contrast quite "right" even though my calibration disc told me everything was set correctly. It wasn't until Spears & Munsill made me realize that my 2009 Samsung doesn't actually pass 4:4:4 correctly (a lot of monitors don't but our blu-ray players don't necessarily know that) that I realized that this was the issue. If you're having contrast and color issues with this disc I would recommend calibrating with the RGB color space. Keep in mind it's a much "lighter" color space (and at first glance the colors will appear washed out because the black level is so much lighter) but don't use the LOW black level setting use the NORMAL and calibrate from there (my brightness was optimally 47 when I was using 4:4:4 but went down to 33 with RGB) and you will see almost every problem disappear. The yellow will go away, the saturation levels are perfect and the color is finally "right." Also, if your blu-ray has the option of turning "off" Deep Color, do so. Nothing today actually uses Deep Color so, theoretically there shouldn't be any difference in the picture but, for some reason there is. Your colors will be much cleaner and the whites won't be blown out.

Honestly, not to belabor the point but those caps really don't represent anything on the disc. Good luck!

 

[KPmusmag]

I just had to share this fascinating film clip, I really wasn't sure where to post this, but this film has footage of the real 14th street parade from Dolly's era. It is also a tribute to moving pictures and their ability to freeze moments in time.

 

[trajan]

These TODD-AO blurays are really great. Bring on DOCTOR DOLITTLE and STAR!

 

[Noel Aguirre]

It doesn't matter - what matters is that they show up here with way too much yellow that is not representative in any way of what's on the disc, just as Rob Ray says, too. But Rob Ray is right - it's like a veil has been lifted. You simply cannot judge this against a DVD and/or HD broadcast of the old transfer because that transfer was - BAD.

His screw caps prove my point - the sky was once blue and now it's white. The prior version was not a fake Blu and the new version is a fail as it appears almost white. This blows the theory out of water where it was stated it was an overcast day. The Hudson valley has glorious skies. Case closed.
Same for the LA shots- I'm sure all that money on HD wouldn't be wasted on a smog sky day.