A few words about…™ The Long, Long Trailer – in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[cineMANIAC]

The uptick in PQ between the DVD and this new Blu-ray should be quite striking as expected, which is why I'm more excited than I typically would be for a double dip. It's been a few years since I've spun that old DVD but I distinctly remember the color looking somewhat oversaturated. That, along with the fuzzy nature of the DVD format made the film feel its age, if this makes any sense. What I'm expecting from this revisit is a totally different experience and it looks like that's what I'm gunna git. Yeehaw!

 

[Paul Penna]

The film is gorgeous. But as with the case of the trailer on Goodbye, Mr. Chips, the uprezzed standard-def bonus features are vertically squished (or horizontally stretched if you prefer.) I extracted screenshots directly from the disc and found the trailer had an AR of 1.44 and the Pete Smith short Ain't it Aggravatin' 1.48. Right off the bat you can see Lucy is distinctly squat in the trailer and the MGM Leo circle opening the short isn't true round. The Tex Avery Droopy short is true HD and in 1.37.

 

[Lee Sandersen]

Haven't thought about this film in years, but as I recall now, it was a pretty fun flick. Seems to me I have an old VHS of it laying around somewhere. (have not fired up a VHS machine in years, wonder if I have one that will still work? Might just be a good idea to upgrade to this Do I even have analog inputs on my present equipment? Gotta think on that one for a while, no, it would be easier to buy this instead of straining my back trying to get around all my equipment to take a look. Do I even have any RCA cords still lying around?)

 

[Drew Salzan]

I received my copy yesterday and watched it this morning. Stunning presentation. It’s so nice to finally see it in it’s intended AR, including the title sequence, which is shown in open matte on TCM. I’m very pleased.

 

[Bryan^H]

I love Lucy

 

[Nelson Au]

I still don’t always understand RAH’s manner.

I received the new blu ray Wednesday and plan to watch it very soon. I’d only seen the film once on TV ages ago. So what I thought RAH’s comment about the leads could have meant is that audiences were used to seeing Lucy and Desi with Vivian and Fred and not co-starring with the actors in this film. I can see that after decades of seeing Lucy and Desi with Vivian and Fred, it’s disorientating to see them with other actors.

 

[Drew Salzan]

The audio track has great fidelity, but it would’ve been nice had they remixed it in stereo as the original incidental music tracks survive. I have the CD of the film remixed in stereo from the session tapes and they sound phenomenal.

 

[cineMANIAC]

Haven't thought about this film in years, but as I recall now, it was a pretty fun flick. Seems to me I have an old VHS of it laying around somewhere. (have not fired up a VHS machine in years, wonder if I have one that will still work? Might just be a good idea to upgrade to this Do I even have analog inputs on my present equipment? Gotta think on that one for a while, no, it would be easier to buy this instead of straining my back trying to get around all my equipment to take a look. Do I even have any RCA cords still lying around?)

I still have some old camcorder footage on VHS I'd like to revisit but modern TVs have not had analog inputs for years now. I'm either going to have to buy an adapter or pay a service to transfer the tapes to DVD. Welcome to the 21st Century!

 

[Lee Sandersen]

I still have some old camcorder footage on VHS I'd like to revisit but modern TVs have not had analog inputs for years now. I'm either going to have to buy an adapter or pay a service to transfer the tapes to DVD. Welcome to the 21st Century!

Just digitize them on your computer. Amazon I am sure has the connectors. Just RCAs to a USB. Windows will do the rest. MP4s will play well on modern equipment. I did all our family videos like that many years ago and now all our kids and other relatives all have digital copies of our memories. Easy as can be.

 

[KPmusmag]

This is a wonderful disc. I hope Forever Darling is on its heels.

 

[cineMANIAC]

Just digitize them on your computer. Amazon I am sure has the connectors. Just RCAs to a USB. Windows will do the rest. MP4s will play well on modern equipment. I did all our family videos like that many years ago and now all our kids and other relatives all have digital copies of our memories. Easy as can be.

How is the quality of those files? Can I transfer them onto a flash drive type thing? I'm a little behind on tech. I guess I could watch a tutorial on how to do this but I won't bother if everything looks like a pixelated mess or worse than VHS quality.

 

[M90GM]

Wow! Image a FIVE?? I cannot wait!!

When this used to show on TV back in the dark ages, it always looked phenomenal, with that stunning early 50's production design in gorgeous color. The DVD was sorely underwhelming, so I couldn't be any happier to hear this.

Thank you, sir!

More than an expanded I Love Lucy - a top director - Vincent Minelli - a story line with key "events" that keep the laughs rolling ....the featured song Breezin Along with the Breeze was released in stereo - pity the film did not have an available stereo soundtrack...a welcome return to release of more MGM "hit" movies on BD with amazing Warner's amazing restoration attention...there are more coming just announced in February ....Camille a major title...

 

[Will Krupp]

More than an expanded I Love Lucy - a top director - Vincent Minelli - a story line with key "events" that keep the laughs rolling ....the featured song Breezin Along with the Breeze was released in stereo - pity the film did not have an available stereo soundtrack...a welcome return to release of more MGM "hit" movies on BD with amazing Warner's amazing restoration attention...there are more coming just announced in February ....Camille a major title...

Did you mean to respond to me?

 

[The Obsolete Man]

More than an expanded I Love Lucy - a top director - Vincent Minelli - a story line with key "events" that keep the laughs rolling ....the featured song Breezin Along with the Breeze was released in stereo - pity the film did not have an available stereo soundtrack...a welcome return to release of more MGM "hit" movies on BD with amazing Warner's amazing restoration attention...there are more coming just announced in February ....Camille a major title...

Speaking of an expanded I Love Lucy, wasn't it this film that actually did kill the plans for the I Love Lucy movie?

Anyway, I look forward to picking this up on Blu, and I, too, hope Forever, Darling and the rest of I Love Lucy follow it.

 

[LeoA]

Most HDTV's still have composite inputs.

While S-Video is now long extinct and component is now a rarity on new televisions, it's only fairly recently that one could buy a model that was HDMI only without composite inputs.

It's analog tuners that have gone extinct years ago in HDTV's, not analog inputs. With the phaseout of analog OTA broadcasts and cable and satellite providers going all digital, HDTV's of the last decade or so only have an ATSC tuner for reception of OTA digital signals.

So while HDTV's still have a coaxial input, it's only for digital OTA tv. You can't connect a VCR and then tune your tv to channel 3 or 4 and see the VCR's picture since there's no analog tuner on the tv.

For anyone that does need to route an analog composite source to a HDTV that lacks those inputs, most cheap upscalers do a reasonable enough job. It's only with videogames where major issues arise with cheap analog to digital upscalers, such as a noticeable delay when pressing a button before seeing the action happen on the screen. A killer for gaming, but a non-issue for watching an old home movie off VHS tape.

 

[avroman]

I still have very fond memories of this film. I haven't seen it since 1954, when I screened it in my second year of a lifetime as a projectionist. A very fun movie ! Can't wait to get this one.

 

[Lee Sandersen]

How is the quality of those files? Can I transfer them onto a flash drive type thing? I'm a little behind on tech. I guess I could watch a tutorial on how to do this but I won't bother if everything looks like a pixelated mess or worse than VHS quality.

The quality will be as good as your tape is. Sure not HD, but if it is old family memories, does it really matter? A flash drive off your computer would be fine if your TV accepts that, but ideally you could move them over to a phone or laptop and cast them to your TV. I have a whole house network set up with my home theater computer, so I can play those old files (now digital files) on that system. It really is not as difficult as you might think. I am in my 60s but I picked up that knowledge pretty easy. Many places online, and even perhaps here, to help you with it.

 

[warnerbro]

Don't worry, DarkVader. You'll get used to Mr. Harris' acid wit eventually. He keeps things fun and always brightens up our day. This transfer is miraculous, stunning, sharp, bright, beautiful -- okay that's enough adjectives. And do I see Liza Minelli as a little girl running into the shot at 51:50?

 

[cinefan]

And do I see Liza Minelli as a little girl running into the shot at 51:50?

I don't have the disc (yet! these reviews are sorely tempting me) to check but I would not be surprised. Here's a great candid shot of little Miss Minnelli on the set with her Dad and Lucy and Desi.

(I found this on Pinterest -- here's the link: https://pin.it/hvvzWJN)

 

[Joel Arndt]

And do I see Liza Minelli as a little girl running into the shot at 51:50?

That's interesting, so I had to pop my copy in to see. It very well could be as Liza was 7 at the time of filming and the hair style looks similar to what's pictured above.

I read somewhere that she was an extra in the wedding reception scene, but the scene in which she appeared was cut.