Blu-ray Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ - Mr. Lucky -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

Cary Grant's career, for those who track it's history, isn't as easy as most actors in the 1920s - '50s.

There was no easily defined Warner Bros, Columbia, RKO period.

His earliest work was for Paramount, but after that he bounced around from studio to studio and production company to production company - at least until he formed his own.

He was able to do this - for the most part - because he was "Cary Grant," and in high demand.

Mr. Lucky (1943) falls into an RKO period. Sort of. But not really. I believe he made his final for RKO in 1948.

I've been waiting for Mr. Lucky to arrive in quality form since home video arrived, and thanks to Warner Archive, and the results of an OCN scan, we finally have it.

A charming production, co-starring Laraine Day, and a gorgeous disc with rich blacks, a highly resolved image and all the gray scale one's screen can illuminate. From the camera of George Barnes.

Could the 1939 Gunga Din be on the horizon?


Image

Forensic - 8
NSD - 10

Audio – 10 (2-channel Monaural)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Worth your attention - Yes

Slipcover rating - n/a

Looks like Film - 9

Highly Recommended

RAH


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https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Lucky-Blu...8023&sprefix=mr.+lucky+blu-ray,aps,132&sr=8-1

 

[bobclampett]

Have this one on order. Really looking forward to revisiting it. Hope the Gunga Din negative survives. Thanks for the review. (House Boat on order too.)

 

[Robert Harris]

Have this one on order. Really looking forward to revisiting it. Hope the Gunga Din negative survives. Thanks for the review. (House Boat on order too.)

Sequences from GD have been used in the new 4k upgrade of Journey of a Filmmaker, and they look superb.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I watched this Blu-ray yesterday and I concur with your fine opinion about it. I sincerely hope Gunga Din is coming soon. Both films were among my favorites watching Channel 9 back in the day.

 

[cda1143]

Sequences from GD have been used in the new 4k upgrade of Journey of a Filmmaker, and they look superb.

Journey of a Filmmaker?

 

[verneaux]

Just got my 4K of The Talk of the Town. Out of left field - wasn’t expecting a release. At least it lets me retire a Cary Grant dvd collection.

 

[Andrew Budgell]

Journey of a Filmmaker?

I think Mr. Harris might be referring to the 1984 documentary "George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey".

 

[cda1143]

I think Mr. Harris might be referring to the 1984 documentary "George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey".

There’s a new 4K of that? I can not find it.

 

[Robert Harris]

I think Mr. Harris might be referring to the 1984 documentary "George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey".

Thank you. Doing way too many things at the same time.

 

[Robert Harris]

There’s a new 4K of that? I can not find it.

Has not yet been released. It was run at the Film Forum in NY last month. A beautiful upgrade.

 

[Daniel Melius]

There is just something about watching cary grant movies that always puts me in a good mood. I just rewatched the new remasters of talk of the town and mr lucky and they both look beautiful on my 77" lg tv. Im also hopin gunga din will be released soon. I got house boat on preorder from kino but i do like his early stuff better.

 

[Konstantinos]

There is just something about watching cary grant movies that always puts me in a good mood.

I agree.
He's the only actor I have seen his entire filmography.

 

[lark144]

I just received this, and I'm having a great deal of difficulty watching the thing. It's just too beautiful. The whites are like the cream puffs they used to have on display in the window of Hector's cafeteria. I get caught up in the lighting on Laraine Day's face; the interplay of light and shadow, like a cloud of repose, making her resemble a marble bust by Jacques Lipschitz or the perspectives of William Cameron Menzies sets, which seem transposed from the wonderful world of Oz. By far the most extraordinary b&w master that has appeared from Warner Archive thus far. It not only has that nitrate glow; the images seem to be made of spun sugar, hyper-real yet mist-laden. Mr. Harris would no doubt call it "simple"; just take the OCN and voila. But the delicacy of the imagery, also the subtlety, is amazing. The movie ain't bad, either. But with the glory of this master, it almost seems an afterthought. They did miraculous things at RKO back in the day, and because the OCN has survived, we're lucky enough to see it in all its glory. What a difference from the DVD. A different film, entirely.

 

[Robert Harris]

I just received this, and I'm having a great deal of difficulty watching the thing. It's just too beautiful. The whites are like the cream puffs they used to have on display in the window of Hector's cafeteria. I get caught up in the lighting on Laraine Day's face; the interplay of light and shadow, like a cloud of repose, making her resemble a marble bust by Jacques Lipschitz or the perspectives of William Cameron Menzies sets, which seem transposed from the wonderful world of Oz. By far the most extraordinary b&w master that has appeared from Warner Archive thus far. It not only has that nitrate glow; the images seem to be made of spun sugar, hyper-real yet mist-laden. Mr. Harris would no doubt call it "simple"; just take the OCN and voila. But the delicacy of the imagery, also the subtlety, is amazing. The movie ain't bad, either. But with the glory of this master, it almost seems an afterthought. They did miraculous things at RKO back in the day, and because the OCN has survived, we're lucky enough to see it in all its glory. What a difference from the DVD. A different film, entirely.

Simple, possibly, but one needs a colorist with the ability to translate the silver held within the negative.

And THAT is not simple. A top colorist is key.

 

[davidmatychuk]

I just got this and started to play it. Holy cow! The 4K "Talk Of The Town" was in the same box. I might just die with a smile on my face tonight. Please don't blame yourselves.

 

[davidmatychuk]

Just a note to say that I survived consecutive first viewings of the "Mr. Lucky" Blu-Ray and the 4K "The Talk Of The Town", and in a day or two l'll be ready for more. Thank you for your concern.

 

[Jimbo.B]

Simple, possibly, but one needs a colorist with the ability to translate the silver held within the negative.

And THAT is not simple. A top colorist is key.

In response to your comment I’m wondering, never having seen a nitrate print myself, if nitrate prints have a subtle range of color that contributes to that famous nitrate glow, in the same way that polished silver does?