Blu-ray Review A Few Words About A few words about…™ The Hallelujah Trail (Redux) – in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Blimpoy06]

 

[Kino Lorber Insider]

No need to discuss a great deal about the film.

In short The Hallelujah Trail is a huge production, released in 1965 in Ultra Panavision 70 - 2.76. Originally 165 minutes. The new Blu-ray is derived from a 35mm scope IP at 2.35, and is the shortened 156 minute version, inclusive of music.

There was an earlier release in 2018 by Olive, which was close to VHS quality, so I presume readers would like to know if the Kino is any better or the same transfer.

Not a simple answer, as it may be based upon the same transfer, but all similarities end there.

Kino's new release is a high quality affair with audio in 5.1 as opposed to 2.0 stereo, and the data throughput is a "bit" higher.

I spot-checked one section of the Olive which was running at around 9-10,
vs the Kino which constantly runs in the mid-20s.

Bottom line, the difference is night and day. I believe most viewers will be thrilled with Kino's new effort.

Image – 4

Audio – 5 (DTS-HD MA 5.1)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Upgrade from earlier Blu-ray – No contest!

Works up-rezzed to 4k - Yes

Recommended

RAH


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See on Amazon

The Amazon link you shared is for the old Olive version.

 

[uncledougie]

The Amazon link you shared is for the old Olive version.

Horrors! Night and day difference! Get the Kino!

 

[Capt D McMars]

Thank you Robert, although I didn't purchase the Olive edition, I am glad to have the Kino one. A fun film but you have to be in the right mood to fully enjoy it.

 

[SwatDB]

I like MS Tiffin in "State Fair" working opposite Bobby Darrin. And I believe she got to sing the Academy Award Winning Song "It Might As Well Be Spring" ( or someone sang for her; can't remember). It's a lovely performance.

View attachment 163588

Mrs. Tiffin's singing voice was dubbed by "The Golden Harp" [Anita Gordon] from Fun and Fancy Free (1947)

 

[SwatDB]

Lee Remick, Pamela Tiffin and great 65mm outdoor cinematography - what's not to like?

View attachment 163572

Yeah, the colors are fancy indeed. Except that MGM stretched the 2K Master from the 35mm IP, vertically from 2.5:1 (evident on the HDnet presentation) to 2.35:1, the Amazon Prime and Kino BD [https://www.hometheaterforum.com/co...l-redux-in-blu-ray.377713/page-2#post-5189956].

I have plans to make a full comparison of this film, while preparing screenshots, but it's too extensive. At the moment, we still need 6-Track reels (both for General Release Version [Film Version of Main Titles, not the Album Version supplied by Paul Scrabo since 1991] and Roadshow trims) and more picture info expansion from the 65mm/70mm elements (anamorphic).

I'm still totally unconvinced by MGM's treatment of large format films on Home Video.

 

[OliverK]

Yeah, the colors are fancy indeed. Except that MGM stretched the 2K Master from the 35mm IP, vertically from 2.5:1 (evident on the HDnet presentation) to 2.35:1, the Amazon Prime and Kino BD [https://www.hometheaterforum.com/co...l-redux-in-blu-ray.377713/page-2#post-5189956].

I have plans to make a full comparison of this film, while preparing screenshots, but it's too extensive. At the moment, we still need 6-Track reels (both for General Release Version [Film Version of Main Titles, not the Album Version supplied by Paul Scrabo since 1991] and Roadshow trims) and more picture info expansion from the 65mm/70mm elements (anamorphic).

I'm still totally unconvinced by MGM's treatment of large format films on Home Video.

Both black levels and geometry have seemingly been tinkered with. Not sure what is going on here but I can adjust for both and I have the streaming version to adjust to if needed.

From another studio one would hope to at least get good quality Blu-rays with a 2.76:1 aspect ratio of TGSET and Hallelujah Trail but with MGM we can be happy that Hallelujah, while cropped, does not look like TGSET.

 

[SwatDB]

Both black levels and geometry have seemingly been tinkered with. Not sure what is going on here but I can adjust for both and I have the streaming version to adjust to if needed.

From another studio one would hope to at least get good quality Blu-rays with a 2.76:1 aspect ratio of TGSET and Hallelujah Trail but with MGM we can be happy that Hallelujah, while cropped, does not look like TGSET.

A: See my captures below compared to Vern Dias [white filter-like pics] (note the frame-capture #2 may not be identical)

Vern's capture of the Kino BD:

My capture:

HDnet [2.5:1]: (refering to the Video Scope made by Vern):

Vern's capture:

My capture (frame to match the 2.5:1 HDnet cap):

HDnet [2.5:1]: (refering to the Video Scope made by Vern):

I hope the color differences has given you an idea what the captures look like, compared to Verns "white layered captures" of the Kino BD,

B: If Eric K. Federing was Mad Mad Mad Mad about the resurrection of the Roadshow Version, then I'm Mad Mad Mad Mad about large format of films of any large format that haven't received a puristic deluxe treatments (including TGSET [1965]) as long as the current major studio have the OG picture (Horizontal 35mm 8-perf/65mm/70mm 5-perf) and sound (4/6-Track Mixes) elements along with expressed interest and affordable budget and return it's investment (earn a profit thanks to the people/Home Video collectors like us buying the deluxe presented BD/UHDs [Uncommon/Rare when it comes to little known catalogue titles]) regardless of what tier of difficulty/interest/praise from film fans, the film in question it is placed on.

Inconclusion: I personally think that any film should receive a considerable praise (since I not a fan of bashing films and relish film purism) and deluxe treatment (Picture and sound presentations and Extras-wise), but a required heart (about releasing recent restored and remastered transfers to 4K UHD/New BDs) from the Film studios (mostly Disney-TCS / MGM Studios, Inc., as I have a minimum concern regarding on George Feltenstein and his team at Warner Bros. since I believe they [along with Grover Crisp and his team at Sony (Colorworks) Pictures, etc.] have faith on film preservation and restoration in recent times [as they make sure to play their cards when to kickstart new restorations and remasters at a proper time]) play a huge role along with patience from film fans/collectors.

Once again, thank you for your response and rest my case.
..For now.

 

[OliverK]

Thanks for the caps, I have saved them for later.

Large format movies like this one and TGSET may not have been that successful but they looked and sounded fantastic and therefore they deserve at least to be properly represented on Blu-ray.

As of now we have a long way to go in that regard and by the way also with Sony and Warner that have given us not that much from their large format library, at least in the quality that we have come to expect from them.