UHD Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ - Shane -- in 4k UHD (5 Viewers)

[Robert Harris]

What a wonderful era this is for cinephiles.

I just sampled Paramount's new 4k UHD of George Stevens' Shane, and came away thrilled.

A perfect representation of the film on 4k media.

Best to purchase a extra, as friends will be desirous.

Reference quality. And 1.37 to boot.

Image

Forensic - 10
NSD - 10

Audio – 10

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Makes use of and works well in 4k - 7.5

Upgrade from Blu-ray - Absolutely!

Worth your attention - Yes

Slipcover rating - 2

Very Highly Recommended


RAH

 

[Robert Crawford]

I'm just waiting on my preorder.

 

[SwatDB]

I'm just waiting on my preorder.

I'd I include the Eureka BD [Limited Edition], in case you want to decide for yourself what format suits you best (given the fact that the film was the first film [is it?] to exhibited in 1.66:1 by Paramount [Eureka presents two 1.66:1 options])

And last but not least this Eureka BD contains exclusive extras you won't see on the Kino UHD:

- Video interview with film scholar Neil Sinyard
- Complete Lux Radio Theater adaptation of Shane

Most importantly, (just out of curiosity), do you Robert have a Region Free BD player.

I hope this info proved helpful to you.
Thank you

 

[OliverK]

I am quite happy to read that Paramount respects the wish of the filmmaker for Shane with this release and I believe that this UHD release will be my first viewing of Shane in the correct aspect ratio!

 

[Robert Crawford]

I am quite happy to read that Paramount respects the wish of the filmmaker for Shane with this release and I believe that this UHD release will be my first viewing of Shane in the correct aspect ratio!

You don’t have the 2015 Eureka Blu-ray nor 2013 Paramount Blu-ray? Both of them have the movie in the 1.37 aspect ratio despite the Eureka Blu-ray also having the 1.66 aspect ratio. I have both Blu-rays in my collection and preferred the 1.37 ratio. I can’t wait to see those beautiful Jackson Hole shooting locations in 4K/Dolby Vision. This is one of my all-time favorite movies that I have watched countless times. I’m looking forward to listening to Alan K. Rode’s audio commentary. He's one of my favorite movie commentators. I guess he has an upcoming book about "Shane" which I'll probably purchase because I enjoyed a couple of his prior film books on "Blood on the Moon" and Michael Curtiz. The other commentary with George Stevens Jr. is very familiar to me.

 

[SwatDB]

You don’t have the 2015 Eureka Blu-ray nor 2013 Paramount Blu-ray? Both of them have the movie in the 1.37 aspect ratio despite the Eureka Blu-ray also having the 1.66 aspect ratio. I have both Blu-rays in my collection and preferred the 1.37 ratio. I can’t wait to see those beautiful Jackson Hole shooting locations in 4K/Dolby Vision. This is one of my all-time favorite movies that I have watched countless times. I’m looking forward to listening to Alan K. Rode’s audio commentary. The other commentary with George Stevens Jr. is very familiar to me.

View attachment 255376

View attachment 255377

 

[Robert Harris]

You don’t have the 2015 Eureka Blu-ray nor 2013 Paramount Blu-ray? Both of them have the movie in the 1.37 aspect ratio despite the Eureka Blu-ray also having the 1.66 aspect ratio. I have both Blu-rays in my collection and preferred the 1.37 ratio. I can’t wait to see those beautiful Jackson Hole shooting locations in 4K/Dolby Vision. This is one of my all-time favorite movies that I have watched countless times. I’m looking forward to listening to Alan K. Rode’s audio commentary. He's one of my favorite movie commentators. I guess he has an upcoming book about "Shane" which I'll probably purchase because I enjoyed a couple of his prior film books on "Blood on the Moon" and Michael Curtiz. The other commentary with George Stevens Jr. is very familiar to me.

View attachment 255376

View attachment 255377

You will not be disappointed. This disc is the only one to have final color corrections.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

One of the best westerns ever made and love the photography by Loyal Griggs who won the Oscar for best cinematography.

 

[SwatDB]

One of the best westerns ever made and love the photography by Loyal Griggs who won the Oscar for best cinematography.

And that my folks, Is how the Multi-Ratio (Full Frame/Screen and Matted Widescreen Era) was born [IMO] *

* You may please correct me on this, if you feel I'm inaccurate.

I believe this practice later became a standard in 1954 (I believe), take Columbia Pictures fx. including "On the Waterfront" (1954) *

* No worries, I'm comparing this film's presentation to Shane.

 

[Robert Harris]

And that my folks, Is how the Multi-Ratio (Full Frame/Screen and Matted Widescreen Era) was born [IMO] *

* You may please correct me on this, if you feel I'm inaccurate.

I believe this practice later became a standard in 1954 (I believe), take Columbia Pictures fx. including "On the Waterfront" (1954) *

* No worries, I'm comparing this film's presentation to Shane.

Except that Shane was not meant to be seen in any ratio other than 1.37.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Except that Shane was not meant to be seen in any ratio other than 1.37.

Yup, Shane was filmed in 1951 almost two years before it’s theatrical release date.

 

[SwatDB]

Except that Shane was not meant to be seen in any ratio other than 1.37.

Especially when it's from was released in 1953.

Take a short like the 3D short "Lumber-Jack Rabbit" (1953) [excuse me] was that meant to be shown in Widescreen or Full Frame i.e. Academy Ratio? (2010 LT BB Super Stars DVD showed titles academy and feature in 1.78:1 matted widescreen)

All as I'm wondering, how come they exhibited Shane (1953) in 1.66:1 in selected Cinemas (and Eureka LE BD) when it's not the intended ratio like later Matted Widescreen?

Common knowledge for Spherical 35mm and Horizontal VistaVision titles (for example, [not counting "Shane" as you said]:

Intended (or Theatrical Ratio) during Post-1953 era:

1.66:1 (Early Paramount and later European Ratio)
1.75:1 (MGM and Disney)
1.85:1 (Later Paramount/Columbia and subsequent US Ratio)

I'm not sure if the 2.00:1 counts as well (also Matted Widescreen) as this was suited for Universal and RKO titles for those that had the tradename "Superscope" the classic example of what we would call for "Super Techniscope" (today known as "Super 35" which helps explain why there were Full Screen VHS/LD/DVDs on the market [up until 2011, IIRC])

Do you believe I have read the homework correctly?
Thank you

 

[SwatDB]

Yup, Shane was filmed in 1951 almost two years before it’s theatrical release date.

Sensible.

This piece of info may come in handy, Thank you very much, Robert

 

[David Weicker]

But it won the Oscar for the 1:66 version.

 

[SwatDB]

But it won the Oscar for the 1:66 version.

Please read at Post #10
Thank you

 

[OliverK]

You don’t have the 2015 Eureka Blu-ray nor 2013 Paramount Blu-ray? Both of them have the movie in the 1.37 aspect ratio despite the Eureka Blu-ray also having the 1.66 aspect ratio. I have both Blu-rays in my collection and preferred the 1.37 ratio. I can’t wait to see those beautiful Jackson Hole shooting locations in 4K/Dolby Vision. This is one of my all-time favorite movies that I have watched countless times. I’m looking forward to listening to Alan K. Rode’s audio commentary. He's one of my favorite movie commentators. I guess he has an upcoming book about "Shane" which I'll probably purchase because I enjoyed a couple of his prior film books on "Blood on the Moon" and Michael Curtiz. The other commentary with George Stevens Jr. is very familiar to me.

It was not for lack of content. I watched it twice since taking notes on my movie watching and once I zoomed up my back then DVD to 1.66:1 with the same cover as the Blu-ray you posted and then I watched it again in 1.66 on the German Blu-ray, that was many years ago.

I have a note there for each screening saying theatrical AR so I obviously wanted to replicate the theatrical presentation.

While people mostly saw it in 1.66:1 in theaters back then I will now watch it as intended and completed by George Stevens for the first time since watching it on TV as a kid

 

[Robert Crawford]

It was not for lack of content. I watched it twice since taking notes on my movie watching and once I zoomed up my back then DVD to 1.66:1 with the same cover as the Blu-ray you posted and then I watched it again in 1.66 on the German Blu-ray, that was many years ago.

I have a note there for each screening saying theatrical AR so I obviously wanted to replicate the theatrical presentation.

While people mostly saw it in 1.66:1 in theaters back then I will now watch it as intended and completed by George Stevens for the first time since watching it on TV as a kid

Yeah, my first viewing was in 1968 on TV which was 1.33 but unfortunately with commercials.

 

[SwatDB]

Intended (or Theatrical Ratio) during Post-1953 era:

1.66:1 (Early Paramount and later European Ratio)
1.75:1 (MGM and Disney)
1.85:1 (Later Paramount/Columbia and subsequent US Ratio)

And then of course (in case if I left a part out):

Negative Ratios:

Spherical 35mm: 1.37:1 (or 1.18:1 *)
Horizontal 35mm (VistaVision): 1.50:1

* Just in case if there are so-called "SWOM" [Super Wide Open Matte] on later titles out there [not counting VFX/Logo or credits which are either "Soft-Matte" or "Hard-Matte"].

Like to know what you think of my findings and Homework recap, Thank you

 

[Robert Harris]

And then of course (in case if I left a part out):

Negative Ratios:

Spherical 35mm: 1.37:1 (or 1.18:1 *)
Horizontal 35mm (VistaVision): 1.50:1

* Just in case if there are so-called "SWOM" [Super Wide Open Matte] on later titles out there [not counting VFX/Logo or credits which are either "Soft-Matte" or "Hard-Matte"].

Like to know what you think of my findings and Homework recap, Thank you

1.37 was not a negative ratio. The norm was 1.33, unless the track area was cropped in camera, then c. 1.19-20.

 

[SwatDB]

1.37 was not a negative ratio. The norm was 1.33, unless the track area was cropped in camera, then c. 1.19-20.

As I understand it:

Without Soundtrack: 1.33:1 (Standard)
With Soundtrack added: 1.37:1 (Academy)

I hope I got it right.
Thank you for recap