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

[B-ROLL]

I was specifically asking about the titles found in the box sets rather than the titles from the poll that they released as stand alones but I appreciate you answering me. I had looked them up already and the only JERRY MAGUIRE I was able to locate was a version from Hong Kong rather than Europe so I wasn't counting it.

It still seems random to me as to which titles were made available as stand alones and which are "offered" only as part of a bundle but to each his own. If everyone else is happy then I surely am.

Just to be the mosquito ... the titles are each meant to be representative of a decade from the 1950s-to 2010 in the history of Columbia/Sony ... While I would easily pay the asking price for just Oliver! getting 4k versions of Anatomy of a Murder, Taxi Driver,(Ang Lee's) Sense and Sensibility and the completely digital The Social Network is a bonus ... besides,the essay for AoaM is written by Julie Kirgo!

 

[David Norman]

Strangelove is a easy one

See on Amazon
See on Amazon

See on Amazon
See on Amazon


Gandhi has several released or coming soon

League of Their Own I haven't found a standalone

Lawrence of Arabia 4K is supposed to have an Indian 4K on Nov 1, but getting it outside India is tricky. $40USD current price plus shipping or Ebay fees

 

[SIBIE]

As most people are aware, the musical Oliver!, which appeared first in London and then on Broadway in 1963, after a London run three years earlier, is based upon David Lean's 1948 Cineguild production Oliver Twist, with a screenplay b Stanley Haynes.

The 1968 film, based upon the musical play, is a magnificent affair in all regards.

It has now been brought back to fighting shape by Grover Crisp and his team, based substantially upon the original 35mm negative, which had been used to strike 70mm prints for the original release.

The most important point to recognize is that one would never know that the original elements had been put through optical printers.

The new 4k release, which is part of Columbia's second 4k collection of "greatest hits," is a magnificent affair pictorially, with audio brought up to Atmos standards.

Color, grain structure, stability, black levels, all beautifully rendered.

In projection, it all looks and sounds superb.

One of the great filmed musical entertainments.


Image – 5 (HDR)

Audio – 5 (Dolby Atmos)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Makes use of and works well in 4k - 4

Very Highly Recommended

RAH

Such a great review! I just got the Columbia 2 box set, based of the many positive reviews. That they included 'Oliver!' in it is amazing. The team that made 'Oliver!' would go on to try and recreate the magic with a lesser known film, 'Melody' (originally S.W.A.L.K), which was Alan Parker's first film. It once again teamed up Mark Lester and Jack Wild, but in a contemporary setting (1970s London) set to early Bee Gees music (i.e. Melody Fair). While Japan released a Bluray of that film, I doubt we'll see it in the US. Sadly, both Lester and Wild were underrated actors -- and Wild did not end well.

 

[Bartman]

Such a great review! I just got the Columbia 2 box set, based of the many positive reviews. That they included 'Oliver!' in it is amazing. The team that made 'Oliver!' would go on to try and recreate the magic with a lesser known film, 'Melody' (originally S.W.A.L.K), which was Alan Parker's first film. It once again teamed up Mark Lester and Jack Wild, but in a contemporary setting (1970s London) set to early Bee Gees music (i.e. Melody Fair). While Japan released a Bluray of that film, I doubt we'll see it in the US. Sadly, both Lester and Wild were underrated actors -- and Wild did not end well.

The Japanese Blu-ray may play fine in your US player. Just check the technical specs for the disc. I bought the Japanese Cross Of Iron Blu-ray, before it became available from other sources, and it played fine.

 

[Chewbabka]

I'll be the fly in the ointment. I loathe that these are exclusive bundles of movies that have nothing in common except that they're available in 4K. As much as there are certain titles I want, I'm not going to have Sony (or anyone else) tell me what I have to buy and I'm not adding anymore oversized boxes to my shelves.

There, I said it.

(Don't mind me, I'll just be sitting over here on the bitter couch)

You don’t have to. Individual snap cases for each movie. I shelved the movies individually from set 1 and plan to do the same with 2.

 

[SFMike]

I really enjoy Oliver but the decision to have a 20 year old woman dub Mark Lester's voice grated on me every time I hear it. There are thousands of talented chiorboys out there that could have done the job and actually sound like a bou singing instead of a woman doing it only passably. Movie nepotism at it's worst as the woman was "Kathe Green - daughter of the film's musical director John Green - who 36 years after the event, admits she was the voice of Oliver." Such a bad decision.

 

[Mark-P]

I really enjoy Oliver but the decision to have a 20 year old woman dub Mark Lester's voice grated on me every time I hear it. There are thousands of talented chiorboys out there that could have done the job and actually sound like a bou singing instead of a woman doing it only passably. Movie nepotism at it's worst as the woman was "Kathe Green - daughter of the film's musical director John Green - who 36 years after the event, admits she was the voice of Oliver." Such a bad decision.

This is the most bizarre criticism I've heard of the movie. Are you saying that without knowing, you can actually tell the age and gender of a voice artist? It must drive you nuts that Bart Simpson is voiced by a 60 year old woman. Frankly I never even noticed that Mark Lester was dubbed in Oliver. It sounded perfectly natural to me.

 

[David Norman]

The Japanese Blu-ray may play fine in your US player. Just check the technical specs for the disc. I bought the Japanese Cross Of Iron Blu-ray, before it became available from other sources, and it played fine.

Why wouldn't every Japanese disc play in any US player -- Japan is also region/zone A

 

[trajan007]

I heard it was Mark Lester's sister that did his singing.

 

[dukiejosh54]

I heard it was Mark Lester's sister that did his singing.

The daughter of Johnny Green who orchestrated and conducted the music dubbed Mark Lester's singing.

This is the most bizarre criticism I've heard of the movie. Are you saying that without knowing, you can actually tell the age and gender of a voice artist? It must drive you nuts that Bart Simpson is voiced by a 60 year old woman. Frankly I never even noticed that Mark Lester was dubbed in Oliver. It sounded perfectly natural to me.

I've always thought Oliver's voice sounded a bit weird, even before i found out he was dubbed by a 20 year old girl. It seems like a weird decision when I'm sure it would of been easy to find an actual boy to dub Oliver's singing. It doesn't totally destroy the movie for me though, This is still one of my favorite musical films.

 

[Ross Gowland]

Using women to dub boys was fairly common in British films of this era. An example that Americans would be familiar with is Village of the Damned, although I suppose you could say it adds to the eeriness of the film.

Usually I hate it though and find it very distracting. I call it the “Don’t forget the fruit gums, mum” effect after this famous ad.



Thankfully Lester keeps his voice when he talks, but the singing bits always sound a bit off to me. Not to the extent that it spoils the film, though. But if you’re casting an unknown boy for a musical, why not find one that can sing?

 

[AnthonyClarke]

It was Johnny Green's daughter who dun it. Johnny was leader of the orchestra who paired with Fred Astaire for his classic 30s recordings. He also just happened to write 'Body and Soul' ...

 

[Noel Aguirre]

There have been repeated assertions that this is just some random selection of titles - it is not. Before Vol 1 and Vol 2, Sony held polls (which also were also posted on this website) with over 90 titles with elements available for 4K UHD. All the titles in these box sets were on the polls and several titles have subsequently been released separately. No surprise then that the sets and titles sell well. And the boxes fit on a standard DVD/blu-ray shelf.

Ok so it’s based on poll results of the masses which I myself and many on here are not part of as we have a distinct appetite for elite movies of a certain caliber.

 

[Noel Aguirre]

I really enjoy Oliver but the decision to have a 20 year old woman dub Mark Lester's voice grated on me every time I hear it. There are thousands of talented chiorboys out there that could have done the job and actually sound like a bou singing instead of a woman doing it only passably. Movie nepotism at it's worst as the woman was "Kathe Green - daughter of the film's musical director John Green - who 36 years after the event, admits she was the voice of Oliver." Such a bad decision.

This is the most bizarre criticism I've heard of the movie. Are you saying that without knowing, you can actually tell the age and gender of a voice artist? It must drive you nuts that Bart Simpson is voiced by a 60 year old woman. Frankly I never even noticed that Mark Lester was dubbed in Oliver. It sounded perfectly natural to me.

It used to drive me nuts that Rocky Squirrel was voiced by a human female but I eventually got over it.

 

[usrunnr]

I don't care who dubbed Oliver's singing voice, but I can't stand it. The tone or the performance. Otherwise I love the film. It is sad to me, and I can't forget about it every time Oliver opens his mouth to sing.

 

[Robin9]

It was Johnny Green's daughter who dun it. Johnny was leader of the orchestra who paired with Fred Astaire for his classic 30s recordings. He also just happened to write 'Body and Soul' ...

. . . plus several other marvellous songs. A major talent, Mr. Green.

 

[sbjork]

I don't care who dubbed Oliver's singing voice, but I can't stand it. The tone or the performance. Otherwise I love the film. It is sad to me, and I can't forget about it every time Oliver opens his mouth to sing.

If you haven't already seen it, I suggest that you give Bugsy Malone a wide, wide berth!

 

[John Maher_289910]

I was specifically asking about the titles found in the box sets rather than the titles from the poll that they released as stand alones but I appreciate you answering me. I had looked them up already and the only JERRY MAGUIRE I was able to locate was a version from Hong Kong rather than Europe so I wasn't counting it.

It still seems random to me as to which titles were made available as stand alones and which are "offered" only as part of a bundle but to each his own. If everyone else is happy then I surely am.

I'm not happy.

 

[roxy1927]

It certainly would have been more appropriate for Columbia to make these box sets more by genre or even era rather than such a grab bag of different types of films from such disparate periods. I'm not saying it would be possible because of elements available and the ultimate market of each individual film but a 4k box of films like Oliver!, Funny Girl, Bye Bye Birdie, Pal Joey, 1776 and the like would have been very appealing. Or of major Columbia films from the 60s.

 

[Chewbabka]

It certainly would have been more appropriate for Columbia to make these box sets more by genre or even era rather than such a grab bag of different types of films from such disparate periods. I'm not saying it would be possible because of elements available and the ultimate market of each individual film but a 4k box of films like Oliver!, Funny Girl, Bye Bye Birdie, Pal Joey, 1776 and the like would have been very appealing. Or of major Columbia films from the 60s.

There is a pattern, though. Anatomy = 50s, Oliver! = 60s, Taxi Driver =70s, Stripes = 80s, Sense and Sensibilty = 90s, Social Network = 2000s