Around The World In 80 Days (1956) (1 Viewer)

[OliverK]

I wonder if we had to choose one for restoration between 80 Days and Raintree, what the choice would be?

Who wants to choose - I want them all

Clearly ATWI80D is more popular than Raintree County but personally I would go with Raintree County as actually the HD streaming version of ATWI80D is already quite good and the potential improvements over the best currently available version of Raintree County would be a lot bigger. We are talking about going from an old SD source to seeing the movie for the first time in its 2.76 aspect ratio on Blu-ray or even UHD disc - that is a huge difference.

 

[john a hunter]

If the transfer of 80 Days was from the 30fps version I would have to choose that.
Interesting as Raintree is in many respects , I have found it a little more than ponderous, at its current length, and doubt whether even more footage would help.

 

[Paul Rossen]

If the transfer of 80 Days was from the 30fps version I would have to choose that.
Interesting as Raintree is in many respects , I have found it a little more than ponderous, at its current length, and doubt whether even more footage would help.

Agree. 80 Days is a delightful entertainment topped off by Victor Young's Award Winnin score. Raintree County is tough going at either length. That feeling may change if a proper version ever makes it to Blu Ray.

 

[Robert Harris]

If the transfer of 80 Days was from the 30fps version I would have to choose that.
Interesting as Raintree is in many respects , I have found it a little more than ponderous, at its current length, and doubt whether even more footage would help.

Unfortunately, the 24fps version is a bit of a technical freak. I'm unable to watch it.

 

[john a hunter]

So lets all keep our fingers(and toes) crossed for a nice 4K UHD(am being very optimistic here guys) of 80 Days from the 30 fps version.
Only ever saw it once in a reissue in 70 about 1968 and I have no idea which version was screened.

 

[OliverK]

Unfortunately, the 24fps version is a bit of a technical freak. I'm unable to watch it.

Why is the 24fps version a technical freak? Just because they also shot a 30 fps version or because of different camera positions?

 

[OliverK]

If the transfer of 80 Days was from the 30fps version I would have to choose that.
Interesting as Raintree is in many respects , I have found it a little more than ponderous, at its current length, and doubt whether even more footage would help.

I watched both theatrically in the last 10 years and I have to say that the 2 1/2 hours of Raintree County passed surprisingly fast. It works a lot better imo when presented properly.

 

[Patrick McCart]

Why is the 24fps version a technical freak? Just because they also shot a 30 fps version or because of different camera positions?

A lot of the footage without sync dialogue in the 24fps version is from the 30fps camera. It's most obvious in the opening scene after the prologue. Note how the guards all look slowed down when they march.

 

[OliverK]

A lot of the footage without sync dialogue in the 24fps version is from the 30fps camera. It's most obvious in the opening scene after the prologue. Note how the guards all look slowed down when they march.

I notice that they seem to march slowly but with old movies I always chalk it up to everything being a bit slower than usual!
I would have thought that naturally camera angles must be different - or takes - between the versions but this is really funny

 

[OliverK]

Something I noticed today: On the box office mojo list of all time US box office adjusted for inflation this is the first movie on the list that is not available on Blu-ray and the only movie from the top 50 that is not available:
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm

 

[john a hunter]

will try again. will give up!!!!!!

 

[Tom St Jones]

Last I heard (if memory serves), ATWI80D on Bluray was, at least for the foreseeable time, out of the question due to elements being simply not up-to- par for HD. Yet I continue to hear rumors around the net and other places - taken with a grain of salt, always - of a digital restoration supposedly having occurred and recent theatrical showings at revival houses around the globe.

The film's 60th anniversary has come and gone (not that that's ever been a problem for studios, ofcourse - eg. "The Nutty Professor" 50th Anniv. edition set came out a year late), WB's own 95th anniversary isn't for another year or so, and I know of no new version in the pipeline - although 2004's Jackie Chan version ultimately bombed at box office, it's existence is basically what got us the '56 version on DVD - so the possibilities of a HD or UHD home media reissue in the near future don't exactly appear stratospheric. I guess my question is, where do things stand exactly with regards to the film and why (beyond possible business/ marketing factors already discussed to death elsewhere on forum)?

 

[cinemiracle]

I watched both theatrically in the last 10 years and I have to say that the 2 1/2 hours of Raintree County passed surprisingly fast. It works a lot better imo when presented properly.

RAINTREE COUNTY was filmed in 65mm and as such, it has never been presented properly properly (i.e. in 70mm)

 

[Robert Harris]

Last I heard (if memory serves), ATWI80D on Bluray was, at least for the foreseeable time, out of the question due to elements being simply not up-to- par for HD. Yet I continue to hear rumors around the net and other places - taken with a grain of salt, always - of a digital restoration supposedly having occurred and recent theatrical showings at revival houses around the globe.

The film's 60th anniversary has come and gone (not that that's ever been a problem for studios, ofcourse - eg. "The Nutty Professor" 50th Anniv. edition set came out a year late), WB's own 95th anniversary isn't for another year or so, and I know of no new version in the pipeline - although 2004's Jackie Chan version ultimately bombed at box office, it's existence is basically what got us the '56 version on DVD - so the possibilities of a HD or UHD home media reissue in the near future don't exactly appear stratospheric. I guess my question is, where do things stand exactly with regards to the film and why (beyond possible business/ marketing factors already discussed to death elsewhere on forum)?

Don't listen to rumors. Huge problems, huge expense.

 

[OliverK]

RAINTREE COUNTY was filmed in 65mm and as such, it has never been presented properly properly (i.e. in 70mm)

I give 35mm a pass as it was the intended format for Raintree County when it was released.

Which doesn't mean that I wouldn't love to see a 70mm presentation or now a Blu-ray release of a wider version. (at least 2.5:1 aspect ratio)

 

[OliverK]

Last I heard (if memory serves), ATWI80D on Bluray was, at least for the foreseeable time, out of the question due to elements being simply not up-to- par for HD. Yet I continue to hear rumors around the net and other places - taken with a grain of salt, always - of a digital restoration supposedly having occurred and recent theatrical showings at revival houses around the globe.

I guess that a digital screening of what Warner has now might look better to patrons then an old 35mm print. Other than that there are several 70mm prints in circulation, both 24 and 30 frames per second, so you will read of a screening of those, too.

 

[Robert Harris]

I give 35mm a pass as it was the intended format for Raintree County when it was released.

Which doesn't mean that I wouldn't love to see a 70mm presentation or now a Blu-ray release of a wider version. (at least 2.5:1 aspect ratio)

Not certain whether 35 was intended, or if 70 theaters were unavailable

 

[Jimbo64]

Weren't the original 35mm scope prints matted to the old 2:55 ar like they were for Ben-Hur?

 

[John Morgan]

I wonder if we had to choose one for restoration between 80 Days and Raintree, what the choice would be?

80 Days for me.

 

[Andrew Budgell]

It's ironic that Raintree County and Around the World in 80 Days, two films so bound up with the short, fiery relationship/marriage of Elizabeth Taylor and Mike Todd--he courted her via telephone while she was on location with Raintree, and the two would spend much of the little time they would have together traveling around the globe promoting Around the World--both require expensive restorations that appear to make Blu-ray releases of these films prohibitive.