"Cabaret" "Mister Roberts" blu-ray upgrades (1 Viewer)

[adklz]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2012/04/12/arts/ap-us-film-cabaret-renewed.html?ref=aponline&pagewanted=print

 

[Steve...O]

Another vote for a properly restored BD of Mr. Roberts. This is a terrific film all around and the fact it boasts never-better performances from William Powell, Jimmy Cagney, and Jack Lemmon makes it hold up under repeated viewings.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Originally Posted by adklz /t/309177/cabaret-mister-roberts-blu-ray-upgrades#post_3915952
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2012/04/12/arts/ap-us-film-cabaret-renewed.html?ref=aponline&pagewanted=print

That sounds promising, Jim. Thanks for posting.

 

[Nick Eden]

It's about damned time. What good is sitting alone in a vault?

So apt and so funny. Made me laugh at loud. Very good.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

This is the closest I saw that we had a thread for "Mister Roberts," a film that I watched for the first time last night. Although there isn't a Blu-ray available, nor an HD streaming version, I was able to rent an SD version from iTunes that was at least in widescreen. The video quality left a bit to be desired (it probably would have looked better if I hadn't tried to play it on my projector), but the movie itself was quite good. It definitely retained a bit of a "stagey" feel, which makes sense considering its origins. I enjoyed the movie a lot. I did find myself distracted occasionally by the "video" look to the transfer. I should be able to look past this stuff and usually I can, but there's something about the combination of an older video master along with the compression added by streaming that can keep me a little bit at arm's length. I feel like I might have gotten into the movie more had I been watching either a 35mm print or an HD transfer that retained a film-like look. The movie certainly deserves it. But this SD widescreen version was better than nothing, and I don't regret watching it.

Earlier in the year, I read an extraordinary book by Scott Eyman titled "Hank and Jim: The Fifty-Year Friendship of Henry Fonda and James Stewart" and Eyman spent a good deal of time discussing both the stage and film versions of Mister Roberts, and the tremendous effect they had on Fonda both personally and professionally. I had been eager to see the movie since then, and last night seemed like as good of a night as any for it.

Hopefully Warner Archive will surprise us with a BD one of these days.

 

[Johnny Angell]

TCM shows Mr Roberts once in a while and I recall it looked pretty good. Talk about one of your “stands the test of time” movies.

 

[Tino]

Terrific film.

John Ford was replaced during filming for basically being drunk too much and punching Henry Fonda in the face for a disagreement. Their friendship never recovered.

 

[Tino]

From the book The Searchers: The Making Of An American Legend.

“Ford, who dominated his film sets the way Louis XIV presided over the court at Versailles, could not help but notice Fonda’s worried expression. At the end of the day, producer Leland Hayward arranged for a clear-the-air meeting in Ford’s room in the bachelor officers’ quarters. Ford was sprawled on a chaise longue with a tall drink in his hand. The conversation was short. “I understand you’re not happy with the work,” said Ford. Fonda tried to be diplomatic. “Pappy, you know I love you,” Fonda began, and then went on to explain that the play had special meaning for him and Hayward. “It has a purity that we don’t like to see lost. And I’m confessing that I’m not happy with that first scene with Powell.” Ford had heard enough. Without warning, he sprang from the lounge chair, reared back, and punched Fonda in the face. The actor fell backwards, knocking over a pitcher of water, got up, and fled the room in stunned silence. Fifteen minutes later, Ford knocked on Fonda’s door and stumbled through a tearful, abject apology. Fonda says he accepted on the spot, but things after that were never the same.”

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Terrific film.

John Ford was replaced during filming for basically being drunk too much and punching Henry Fonda in the face for a disagreement. Their friendship never recovered.

The Eyman book I mentioned goes into great detail about that. It's definitely worth a look if you have the time.

In addition to the credited work of John Ford and Mervyn LeRoy, Joshua Logan also worked on the film uncredited (Logan directed the original stage production as well).

 

[Robin9]

Terrific film.

John Ford was replaced during filming for basically being drunk too much and punching Henry Fonda in the face for a disagreement. Their friendship never recovered.

In his interview in Playboy, Henry Fonda said John Ford did not really punch him but only pushed him. That interview is still worth reading.

 

[Alan Tully]

Ha, I'm sure I'm not the only one who looked at the header & thought, great, Mister Roberts on Blu-ray at last! Oh well, you never know, it could be announced this month. Of course the book to read about all the shenanigans on this film is Joseph McBride's, Searching For John Ford, but if you're a John Ford fan you should have read it already.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Now that I’ve paid to watch it in SD, it will probably be on the fast track to getting a Blu-ray

 

[Tino]

Now that I’ve paid to watch it in SD, it will probably be on the fast track to getting a Blu-ray

By the way the standard DVD looks much much better than the streaming SD version. I own both.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

By the way the standard DVD looks much much better than the streaming SD version. I own both.

I’m sure - these streaming codecs seem to have real issues with old school standard definition transfers so nothing I saw was a surprise to me. But it was $3 to watch it right then and there, or about $15 and half a week’s wait to get the disc. For once I acted like a regular viewer and not a home theater guy! Price and convenience won out over quality.

 

[TheSteig]

Im hoping for Mister Roberts and Somebody Up There Likes me from WAC

 

[Sadsack]

I'm not finicky about dvds since they're usually an upgrade over vhs, but the retail dvd of MISTER ROBERTS is pretty soft and kind of crappy, more like a vhs tape. Hard to believe it still hasnt gotten an upgrade.

 

[Tino]

I'm not finicky about dvds since they're usually an upgrade over vhs, but the retail dvd of MISTER ROBERTS is pretty soft and kind of crappy, more like a vhs tape. Hard to believe it still hasnt gotten an upgrade.

I actually think it looks pretty good. Better than the SD digital versions available on Vudu and iTunes.

 

[Sadsack]

I read your post about that and was surprised. Either the streaming versions are even worse, or my dvd is somehow a bootleg.

 

[RICK BOND]

Mister Roberts, Helen of Troy, and Day's of Wine and Roses. All 3 of these movies should be on Bluray !! ?? : ( Where are they already ???

 

[Tino]

I read your post about that and was surprised. Either the streaming versions are even worse, or my dvd is somehow a bootleg.

The DVD Of Mister Roberts that I have is the Warner Bros flipper in a snap case. Widescreen on one side and pan and scan on the other.