Best Quality "public domain" DVD titles/releases thread? (1 Viewer)

[DeWilson]

I was thinking about all the different threads here for stuff like the Warner Archive,and the R2 releases,etc. So why not one for the public domain DVD titles out there?


There are many enjoyable public domain titles out there but there's also many different releases on these titles and figuring out who has the best quality is hit or miss.


Not only quality of print,but bitrate as well as annying stuff like logos,new titles,edited prints.


So, are there enough people out here who collect these titles/films/sets to start a round up of the film titles in one thread?

 

[Ernest]

My experience is the few "public domain" movies on DVD I purchased are of very poor quality. I avoid buying titles that are obtained through "public domain" because the copy of the movie given to the distributor is normally VHS quality.

 

[Charles Smith]

The places I like to read through comments to help determine which editions of PD (or any) movies are going to be best for me are: Amazon, the IMDB boards for a particular film -- and of course you can search on a title right here.

 

[Dick]

On the other hand, there are a few PD titles that have been done right:


HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (Warner Bros, 16x9)

CHARADE (Criterion, Blu on the way)

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (Paramount, Blu available)

and several others.


I'm hoping Paramount and/or Criterion can rescue ONE-EYED JACKS from PD hell. THE JUNGLE BOOK (1942) could use a quality release similar to that given to another Korda classic, THIEF OF BAGDAD.


Public domain status does not preclude great transfer work. I fear such releases will be fewer and farther between due to the general decline in catalog sales, but we can keep requesting them from the studios and hope they get more of them out.

 

[Richard--W]

Originally Posted by Dick

I'm hoping Paramount and/or Criterion can rescue ONE-EYED JACKS from PD hell.

I surveyed a dozen different editions of ONE-EYED JACKS (meaning I bought them all). Front Row Features released the best-quality DVD, now out of print, but still obtainable on the cheap if you look for it. It says "Front Row Features" across the top.. Brentwood's is almost as good, released individually and as part of various sets. Individually the cover art had a photo of Brando from THE MISSOURI BREAKS pointing a gun. Both the Front Features and the Brentwood are ports of Paramount's laser disc, and about the same quality. All the other editions are crap.


Paramount issued ONE-EYED JACKS in France under the title LA VENGEANCE AUX DEUX VISAGES. I have that. When the Paramount DVD went out of print, it was re-issued by Les Film de Ma Vie. Have that, too. Picture quality is very nice, too good to be a port of the laser disc, although it must be sourced from the same transfer as the laser disc. Widescreen but not anamorphic and in stereo. France also has its share of PD editions, but I didn't bother checking those.


Right now I'm looking for a good quality edition of JANE EYRE (1970) with George C. Scott and Susannah York. The best quality so far is the Ventura DVD which says "Platinum Edition" across the top. It is at least complete. This film deserves to be treated with more respect. Note the early masterpiece of a score by John Williams.