A Few Words About A few words about…™ The Harvey Girls – in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Mark Booth]

We watched 'The Harvey Girls' Blu last night. It was my first time to see the entire film (I'd caught bits and pieces of it on TV in the past). We loved it and I'm very pleased with the transfer on Blu-ray. That said, I did notice a very slight bit of shifting of the colors. Particularly when something in the background was red or orange. From time to time, the color was slightly unstable, with the color shifting from more bright to less bright.

The effect was very subtle but I noticed it several times. It did NOT spoil my enjoyment of the film.

Mark

 

[Robert Harris]

I believe the existing 3-strip nitrate negative Mr. Harris referred to is Hollywood Cavalcade.

Precisely, but they may be masters. Don’t recall offhand.

 

[Justin Ray]

I received one of my two copies of The Harvey Girls yesterday, and watched it last night. Pretty sure my partner wanted to throw me out the window if I sang along with one more song, but otherwise, what an amazing experience! I’ve loved the film since a tonsillectomy as a child left me home bound, and my mom rented Easter Parade and The Harvey Girls from Blockbuster to keep me entertained. I’ve owned the film on VHS, DVD, and now Blu ray. WAC’s disc made me feel as I did when I watched and listened to it on tape all those years ago. Definitely a recommended purchase, folks! Thanks to WAC, as always, for making our favorite films come back to life. Happy Holidays, All!

 

[Music lover10]

We watched 'The Harvey Girls' Blu last night. It was my first time to see the entire film (I'd caught bits and pieces of it on TV in the past). We loved it and I'm very pleased with the transfer on Blu-ray. That said, I did notice a very slight bit of shifting of the colors. Particularly when something in the background was red or orange. From time to time, the color was slightly unstable, with the color shifting from more bright to less bright.

The effect was very subtle but I noticed it several times. It did NOT spoil my enjoyment of the film.

Mark

'The Harvey Girls' does look terrific. And I also noticed color shift/saturation shifting beginning around 12:25 until about the 25:00 mark. EQ on these discs seems pretty good. Wasn't sure if it was my 75" A9G OLED. But they were present on second viewing.

 

[Gerani53]

Honestly, I was blown away by this incarnation of THE HARVEY GIRLS. THE PIRATE looked wonderful, as I mentioned in an earlier post, but this... absolutely incredible. Combining the three original Technicolor strip negatives actually replicates the very special, "lit from within" qualities of dye-transfer Technicolor. With solid black, delicate shading, and colors to die for, it elicits gasps like the good old days, when I used to project 16mm Tech. prints to friends. Interesting point about a defect noted -- I'll check it out. For the record, how many pre-1955 Technicolor movies have been prepared in this special three-strip fashion? So far, I know of (and have in my collection) MILLION DOLLAR MERMAID, ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS, FLYING LEATHERNECKS, and now THE HARVEY GIRLS. Coming upon next month will be GOOD NEWS. Have I missed anything (from WB, most likely)?

 

[AnthonyClarke]

Were Adventures of Robin Hood and The Wizard of Oz transferred using a different process? Just curious. I always thought they were transferred using the original colour negatives, which luckily had survived for 'Wizard' although the opening black and white negs were lost.

 

[Robert Harris]

Were Adventures of Robin Hood and The Wizard of Oz transferred using a different process? Just curious. I always thought they were transferred using the original colour negatives, which luckily had survived for 'Wizard' although the opening black and white negs were lost.

Original b/w negatives

 

[RichMurphy]

Honestly, I was blown away by this incarnation of THE HARVEY GIRLS. THE PIRATE looked wonderful, as I mentioned in an earlier post, but this... absolutely incredible. Combining the three original Technicolor strip negatives actually replicates the very special, "lit from within" qualities of dye-transfer Technicolor. With solid black, delicate shading, and colors to die for, it elicits gasps like the good old days, when I used to project 16mm Tech. prints to friends. Interesting point about a defect noted -- I'll check it out. For the record, how many pre-1955 Technicolor movies have been prepared in this special three-strip fashion? So far, I know of (and have in my collection) MILLION DOLLAR MERMAID, ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS, FLYING LEATHERNECKS, and now THE HARVEY GIRLS. Coming upon next month will be GOOD NEWS. Have I missed anything (from WB, most likely)?

Someone (perhaps Mr. Harris) mentioned in the past that these new releases use a technically-advanced version of the Ultra-Resolution process that Warner used to realign images on SINGIN' IN THE RAIN and GONE WITH THE WIND.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ultra-resolution-brings-warner-classics-127120

 

[John Skoda]

Just watched THE HARVEY GIRLS again last light. It looks lovely, but it's definitely not one of the Freed unit's best works.

When there are six people credited as contributing to the screenplay, that's trouble.

There are just too many things stuffed in here. As a musical, all you need to see is the "Atchison" number, which comes early on. Nice to see him, but what is Ray Bolger doing here? In the audio outtakes, there's a catchy song called "Hayride" with Ray and Judy that might have helped. Kenny Baker and Cyd Charisse pleasantly show up for a scene or two and disappear from the story. John Hodiak originally sang in a number with Judy, but it was cut. Angela Lansbury looks lovely, but just sneers through the whole film.

Judging from the outtake footage and musical recordings, a cut of this containing everything shot and recorded might have run 2 1/2 hours or more. Maybe they had an epic in mind originally? I'll have to listen to the George Sidney commentary.

 

[Gerani53]

I dunno... I thought using the real-life Harvey Girls (waitresses sent to the wild west) as the basis for a 1945 Judy Garland musical was a pretty clever idea. All the performers are in fine form, the songs are charming, and the Technicolor photography is stunning. Some MGM musicals, like SUMMER STOCK, seem like thin excuses to showcase the talents of their singing and dancing stars. But HARVEY GIRLS was always better than that to me, being fresher, more original, and stylish.

 

[John Skoda]

Maybe my disappointment with HARVEY GIRLS was colored by having watched MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS again the night before. ST. LOUIS is a movie that only gets better every time you watch it. HARVEY GIRLS is just not in that league.

 

[Gerani53]

Agreed! Top MGM musical tier, imo? WIZARD OF OZ, MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, THE BAND WAGON, HIGH SOCIETY, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, GIGI. Next tier: EASTER PARADE, SHOWBOAT, THE PIRATE, THE HARVEY GIRLS, SILK STOCKINGS, GOOD NEWS, IT'S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER, BELLS ARE RINGING. Third tier: SUMMER STOCK, LES GIRLS, YOLANDA AND THE THIEF, BRIGADOON. That's kinda off the top of my head; I may have forgotten a few.

 

[OLDTIMER]

Someone (perhaps Mr. Harris) mentioned in the past that these new releases use a technically-advanced version of the Ultra-Resolution process that Warner used to realign images on SINGIN' IN THE RAIN and GONE WITH THE WIND.

There is no doubt that these ultra-resolution results look far sharper than the original IB prints because of the much higher accuracy in aligning the sep negs. But the color that we now see is left up to the colorist. There are many variables: The original prints were color balanced for arc lamp projection. The dyes that Technicolor used over the years were changed. (Witness the beautiful – but unnatural – pastel shades of those Technicolor shorts from the 1930s like “Good Morning Eve” or “Service With a Smile” as seen on “Vitaphone Cavalcade of Musical Comedy Shorts” DVD. The color dyes, although pretty stable, did change a little over the years in which the prints were in storage, as did the color of the nitrate base.

So it is impossible to now know exactly how these prints looked as they did in the cinema all those years ago. I suspect that in color balancing from the separation negs, we now go for real-life accuracy whereas in the old days it may have been for Wow factor (or is it the other way around?). Nevertheless, the results we are getting are wonderful!

 

[AnthonyClarke]

Yes, I knew they were original b & w negatives .. .I was just being seasonally sloppy. I just couldn't understand why the correspondent wasn't mentioning these along with many others as being true 3 strip transfers.

 

[Robert Harris]

There is no doubt that these ultra-resolution results look far sharper than the original IB prints because of the much higher accuracy in aligning the sep negs. But the color that we now see is left up to the colorist. There are many variables: The original prints were color balanced for arc lamp projection. The dyes that Technicolor used over the years were changed. (Witness the beautiful – but unnatural – pastel shades of those Technicolor shorts from the 1930s like “Good Morning Eve” or “Service With a Smile” as seen on “Vitaphone Cavalcade of Musical Comedy Shorts” DVD. The color dyes, although pretty stable, did change a little over the years in which the prints were in storage, as did the color of the nitrate base.

So it is impossible to now know exactly how these prints looked as they did in the cinema all those years ago. I suspect that in color balancing from the separation negs, we now go for real-life accuracy whereas in the old days it may have been for Wow factor (or is it the other way around?). Nevertheless, the results we are getting are wonderful!

Reference prints survive.

 

[Nick*Z]

More Technicolor, pretty - very pretty - please!!!! Scaramouche, National Velvet, Blossoms in the Dust, Holiday in Mexico, Small Town Girl, Show Boat, That Midnight Kiss, The Toast of New Orleans, Easy to Love, Bathing Beauty, Fiesta, Take Me Out to the Ball Game, Night and Day, Lullaby of Broadway, Three Little Words, and, a remastered Anchors Aweigh and On The Town. Lots to treasure. Would also love to see The Student Prince (not 3-strip) get some love (the current DVD is suffering from some egregious fading and color implosion in spots).

 

[Garysb]

More Technicolor, pretty - very pretty - please!!!! Scaramouche, National Velvet, Blossoms in the Dust, Holiday in Mexico, Small Town Girl, Show Boat, That Midnight Kiss, The Toast of New Orleans, Easy to Love, Bathing Beauty, Fiesta, Take Me Out to the Ball Game, Night and Day, Lullaby of Broadway, Three Little Words, and, a remastered Anchors Aweigh and On The Town..

I have to say from your list that the best have already been released and now they can move on to the second tier. Sorry if that sounds negative but the movies you list are not in the same league as what is already available. Anchors Aweigh and On The Town are good. With "On The Town," all the Leonard Bernstein songs cut from the Broadway score make it less than great. I saw the most recent Broadway revival and it put the movie version to shame. Unfortunate that it wasn't recorded for showing on PBS "Great Performance"

 

[Andrew Budgell]

I have to say from your list that the best have already been released and now they can move on to the second tier. Sorry if that sounds negative but the movies you list are not in the same league as what is already available. Anchors Aweigh and On The Town are good. With "On The Town," all the Leonard Bernstein songs cut from the Broadway score make it less than great. I saw the most recent Broadway revival and it put the movie version to shame. Unfortunate that it wasn't recorded for showing on PBS "Great Performance"

I’m not sure I’d classify National Velvet or Show Boat “second tier”. Regardless, I hope we’ll see one or both in 2021.

 

[Garysb]

I’m not sure I’d classify National Velvet or Show Boat “second tier”. Regardless, I hope we’ll see one or both in 2021.

I know it has its fans but to me Showboat (1951) is second best to Showboat (1936) which is already available from Criterion. Neither is a complete record of the original musical. There was a recording made of a Papermill Playhouse in New Jersey production of the Broadway musical with Eddie Bracken as Captain Andy that was good. I wish that was made more available to see.

New York Times Review the Eddie Bracken "Showboat"

THEATER; A 'Show Boat' as It's Meant to Be (Published 1989)

www.nytimes.com

 

[Gerani53]

Nice to see some requests for the amazing and now semi-forgotten Mario Lanza. THE GREAT CARUSO, BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE, TOAST OF NEW ORLEANS and THAT MIDNIGHT KISS are all pre-1955, which means the three-strip process can be employed if the original negs still exist. Made later, FOR THE FIRST TIME and THE SEVEN HILLS OF ROME were full widescreen with a single negative, but they'd also be most welcome.