Any reviews for the Great Race (1965)? (1 Viewer)

[BrianP]

The Great Race is supposed to be released June 4 but I have not heard any comments or reviews of the DVD anywhere. Anyone have a copy to comment on or seen a review yet?
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...ref=sr_1_2/103

 

[Jefferson]

Neither have I, and that link doesn't seem to say anything about OAR. I've seen different versions of this, too, one with a "bouncing ball" lyrics on the screen (during Natalie Wood's song). Don't know if that was the original version or not.

 

[BrianP]

Here is the link for the film at DVDEmpire. They seem to have more information on the DVD than Amazon.
Features:
Documentary "Behind The Scenes with Blake Edward's The Great Race"
Interactive Menus
Theatrical Trailer
Cast/Filmmaker Film Highlights
Scene Access
Video:
Widescreen 1.85:1
Audio:
ENGLISH: Dolby Digital 5.1 [CC]
FRENCH: Dolby Digital Mono
Subtitles:
English, Spanish, French, Japanese, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Thai
Release Date: 6-4-2002
Packaging: Snap Case
Disc: SS-DL
Chapters: 44
Item Code: 11091
UPC Code: 085391109129
Actors:
Tony Curtis
Jack Lemmon
Natalie Wood
Peter Falk
Keenan Wynn
Directors:
Blake Edwards
Producers:
Martin Jurow
Writers:
Arthur Ross
Studio:
Warner Bros.
Production Year: 1965
DVD Year: 2002
Length: 160 mins
Rating: NR

 

[Douglas R]

I've seen different versions of this, too, one with a "bouncing ball" lyrics on the screen (during Natalie Wood's song). Don't know if that was the original version or not.

Yes it was in the original version - I remember the scene when I saw the film in Cinerama.

 

[Thomas T]

DVD Empire is in error with The Great Race's ratio. It is not 1.85:1 but filmed in 2.35 Panavision but blown up to 70 millimeter for some first run engagements. Blake Edwards works almost exclusively in the 2.35 ratio.
Hopefully, the DVD release will be the roadshow version that was on the wide screen laserdisc. If not, I'm not upgrading.

 

[Brian G]

Thomas, could you elaberate , what is a roadshow version ?

 

[SteveP]

"Roadshows" were the exclusive reserved-seat plus intermission release pattern of many of the large scale productions from the twenties until the early seventies.

Beginning with "OKLAHOMA!" in 1955, most 70MM films were roadshown in 70MM before a 35MM general release, sometimes a full one year after the 70MM version opened.

Some of the roadshows of the fifties and sixties were:

all films in Cinerama as well as
OKLAHOMA!
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS
SOUTH PACIFIC
WINDJAMMER
PORGY AND BESS
CAN-CAN
BEN-HUR
WEST SIDE STORY
THE LONGEST DAY
CLEOPATRA
MY FAIR LADY
THE SOUND OF MUSIC
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA
KING OF KINGS
THE AGONY AND THE ECSTACY
EL CID
HAWAII
THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE
GONE WITH THE WIND (70MM BLOW-UP)
DOCTOR ZHIVAGO
DOCTOR DOLITTLE
LORD JIM
OLIVER!
CAMELOT
STAR!
HELLO, DOLLY!

AS many of the latter titles were not successful, and the trend of big-budget spectaculars wained in the early seventies, this type of release pattern was discontinued.

When big-budget films returned in the STAR WARS era, the trend was for a broad saturation release in thousands of theatres from opening day.

The last successful roadshow film was FIDDLER ON THE ROOF in 1971-72.

Often, the less successful roadshow films would be shortened for general release, SOUTH PACIFIC, being a prime example of a film still missing (on ALL video releases)
footage from the original roadshow version.

 

[Eric Paddon]

Roadshow presentations also had the aura of going to a Broadway play, with an Overture/Intermission/Entr'acte like a Broadway musical has.

 

[BrianP]

Hopefully, the DVD release will be the roadshow version that was on the wide screen laserdisc. If not, I'm not upgrading.

What is the running time of your laser disc? Is it longer than the 160 minutes listed for the DVD?

 

[Thomas T]

The laser disc running time is 160 minutes which is a good sign though I'm not sure if that 160 includes the overture, intermission, entr'acte and exit music.
The roadshow trimmings (as in accompaniments, not cuttings) do not affect the actual film itself as far as storyline but they do faithfully recreate the orginally intended filmgoing experience.
Roadshows were not limited to the United States. Some films were still roadshown in Europe and Asia even after the format waned in the U.S. My laserdisc copies of Blake Edwards' The Wild Rovers (which has 20 minutes deleted from its U.S. release restored) and John Wayne's The Cowboys include overtures, intermissions, entr'actes and exit music. Which I've been meaning to ask, is The Cowboys DVD the roadshow version? Some films were roadshown in Europe but not in the U.S. My widescreen Where Eagles Dare laserdisc includes the overseas intermission and entr'acte.
Roadshows also had thick glossy paper programs much like a legitimate Broadway productions.
Some films occasionally continued roadshow like trimmings long after the format had died. Gandhi, Heaven's Gate, A Bridge Too Far, Barry Lyndon and Bergman's Magic Flute had intermissions and entr'actes, Reds, Branagh's Hamlet and the uncut Once Upon A Time In America had intermissions, The Black Hole had an overture etc.
Roadshown films left off Steve's list include: The Alamo, Battle Of The Bulge, The Bible, The Blue Max, The Boy Friend, The Cardinal, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Circus World, Diary Of Anne Frank, Duel In The Sun, Exodus, Fall Of The Roman Empire, Far From The Madding Crowd, 55 Days At Peking, Finian's Rainbow, For Whom The Bell Tolls, Funny Girl, Goodbye Mr. Chips (1969), Grand Prix, Great Ziegfeld, Greatest Story Ever Told, Hallelujah Trail, Happiest Millionaire, How The West Was Won, Ice Station Zebra, Is Paris Burning?, It's A Mad Mad World, Khartoum, Man Of La Mancha, the 1935 Midsummer Night's Dream, the 1962 Mutiny On The Bounty, Nicholas And Alexandra, Paint Your Wagon, Patton, Ryan's Daughter, Sand Pebbles, Shoes of The Fisherman, Since You Went Away, Spartacus, Sunrise At Campobello, the 1956 Ten Commandments, Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines, Tora Tora Tora and 2001 A Space Odyssey.
Roadshows pre date the 1955 film version of Oklahoma!. Silent films like The Birth Of A Nation, Intolerance and Napoleon were roadshown and the original Gone With The Wind 1939 release was roadshown, not just the 1967 70 millimeter reisuue. The above list also includes some pre 1955 titles.

 

[Ken Wilson]

Never mind that you Great Leslies of the video world you! I want....SPLAT!!! mmmm.... brandy! ha ha ha! More brandy!!

Ken

 

[BrianP]

Thomas, I own the Cowboys DVD but do not know if it is the roadshow version. It does include overtures, intermissions, entr'actes and exit music and the running time is 134 minutes.

Also I received shipping notice that my copy of the Great Race is on the way. I might get it before any reviews are posted.

 

[Douglas R]

Brian, the fact that the DVD of The Cowboys contains the Overture, Intermission and Epilogue, means that it IS the roadshow version.
Thomas, Barry Lyndon did not contain an Intermission when I first saw it in London but I saw it a little later in Rome where it did have one (and where the film was a huge success unlike london). So it varied according to territory.
I can confirm that Where Eagles Dare was roadshown in the UK. Even Titanic was shown with an Intermission in some local cinemas here.

 

[SpenceJT]

um, not to get back to the topic or anything, but does anyone have a review of The Great Race DVD yet?

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Push The (Play) Button, Max!!

My copy shipped Friday, along with Victor Victoria. With any luck should arrive Monday.

 

[Jonathan Burk]

"Somebody get me a rope" - Mayor, desiring to string up Professor Fate.

"You want a rope? I got a rope in the car."- Max (Professor Fate's assistant), in response to the Mayor's plea.

This is, without a doubt, one of the funniest "epic" films. I can't believe IAMMMMW get's more attention than this film.

 

[Christian R]

Just watched the DVD...it looks and sounds great. It's definitely the ROADSHOW version - with the overture, entr'act and exit music. Hope this is good news for those interested. The print is also BEAUTIFUL - "A new 2001 digital transfer" as it's labeled on the cover - and it shows, IMO!!! Nice 5.1 remix as well. If it wasn't for the hairstyles/makeup and fact that movies like this just aren't (can't be) made anymore...this thing looks like a brandnew film. Definitely recommended.

 

[SpenceJT]

Damn glad to hear it! One more to add to my must buy list! I've been waiting for this to be released since DVDs came into being!

...now if someone would just give the same treatment to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!

 

[BrianP]

Sounds like this is going to be a good disc. Can't wait until my copy arrives within the next few days.

 

[BrianP]

Finally found a site that posted a review of the DVD. Sounds like this is going to be a great disc.
http://www.obisreviews.com/reviews2....fo=WAR11091DVD