Crawdaddy's "Random Thoughts" about Home Video, Film & TV (2 Viewers)

[Robert Crawford]

Olive's Blu-ray Release of The Miracle Worker was viewed in its entirety by me this morning. Overall, I think the audio and video presentations have a grade of 3.5 on a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the highest grade. I did notice some audio issues that RAH mentioned in his thread, but not to extent that he noted. TBH, if I wasn't paying especially close attention to the audio track, I do wonder if I would have noticed anything wrong with the audio track. I just wish this disc had an audio commentary as this great film deserves such bonus material. Great acting performances in this film especially Ms. Bancroft and Ms. Duke. I have to say that Anne Bancroft is another favorite actress of mine along with Stanwyck, Grahame and Trevor.

Also, my first viewing of The Miracle Worker was during its theatrical run with my family. I was a young boy so the film didn't resonate with me until years later when one of my teachers gave me some insight into Helen Keller.

 

[Robert Crawford]

This morning, Split Second was shown on TCM's Noir Alley. This was probably my third time watching this film in its entirety. Not really a film noir, but it's an okay suspense/crime film with a couple of despicable characters played by Stephen McNally and Alexis Smith. Muller's opening commentary was interesting about how the film was made. His closing commentary was nothing that I didn't know beforehand as it's a well documented back story.

 

[Rodney]

I haven't watched Split Second yet, but I did check my TiVo to verify it didn't cut the closing commentary.

Glad to see that it didn't this week.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Added the Region Free Mod Kit to my Oppo 203 in my main HT setup and watched the Arrow Region "B" Blu-ray of Thieves Highway. A great looking disc! Anyhow, I decided to have nothing, but Region Free Oppo players in my three HT setups so I moved my Oppo 103 from my main HT to my Bedroom HT and then moved my Oppo 93 in the Bedroom HT to my Computer Room HT. Now I can mothball my Samsung and LG players as backup players or just sell them.

 

[Robert Crawford]

An interesting article about the Brit DVD Market. I'm sure they meant DVD/Blu-ray market and I feel the same thing is happening here in the States too.

https://www.spectator.co.uk/2017/11/dont-believe-the-sales-figures-dvds-are-thriving/

 

[Matt Hough]

This morning, Split Second was shown on TCM's Noir Alley. This was probably my third time watching this film in its entirety. Not really a film noir, but it's an okay suspense/crime film with a couple of despicable characters played by Stephen McNally and Alexis Smith. Muller's opening commentary was interesting about how the film was made. His closing commentary was nothing that I didn't know beforehand as it's a well documented back story.

I had never seen the movie before watching it yesterday, so it provided quite a number of narrative surprises. I agree that it really didn't seem to be film noir, and there is no question that its point of view and naivete about radioactive fallout are laughable, but it was such a gripping yarn that I didn't care (sort of a poor man's Key Largo in some ways). Yes, Paul Kelly's story is well known to film buffs. Eddie didn't mention that when he returned to the Broadway stage in the late 1940s, he won a Tony Award.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I'm still waiting on He Walked by Night Blu-ray to arrive so I have The Philadelphia Story Criterion disc to keep me busy as I'm going through all of the bonus material including the audio commentary that I never listened to from the previous 2-Disc DVD Release. I'm really looking forward to watching the Dick Cavett interview. An impressive Blu-ray release!

 

[Matt Hough]

The Dick Cavett interview is fascinating (a word Hepburn herself uses several times during her time there), and we are blessed to have it that gives great chunks of lore and advice from the lady. I have watched it many times over the years and always find interesting things that she has to say about her life and career, Hollywood, Broadway, and people she worked with.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Spent some time with the Criterion BD release of Rebecca. Excellent looking disc with some fine bonus material. I have the previous BD release so I'm going to try to compare the two of them.

I will be watching The Window on Noir Alley with Eddie Muller later today. This movie kind of scared me when I first viewed it as a young boy. I might have been around 10 years old.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I skipped this week's Noir Alley showing the American version of Night and the City as I watched the Criterion Blu-ray a year or so ago. I actually viewed both versions of the film during that viewing. It's a great film, but damn, it's a depressing film about a despicable character. I try to watch this film every five years or so. Anyhow, a great cast with Widmark at his best.

I did watch Muller's commentary though and thought it was excellent as usual.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I'm in the middle of watching The Punisher on Netflix. Brutal, brutal television series that is depressing too.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Buying a lot of home video products this week as Black Friday deals are abundant. I was able to secure the Megan Leavey Blu-ray for $9.99. I hope to do the same with several 4K titles including Wonder Woman. Which reminds, I caught a 3-D showing of Justice League this weekend. IMO, it's a good film that is being rated at Rotten Tomatoes a lot lower than it should have been.

 

[Matt Hough]

I'm in the middle of watching The Punisher on Netflix. Brutal, brutal television series that is depressing too.

I haven't started watching it yet, but I'm not surprised by your comments. I had a feeling it would be.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Another article about 4K that I tend to agree with.

According to the MacRumors website, “Apple has updated its iTunes Store on iOS devices and the Apple TV with plenty of 4K movies ahead of the launch of the Apple TV 4K, but has made clear in a recent support document that 4K content from Apple can be streamed, but not downloaded directly on a device. According to Apple, customers can download a local copy of an HD movie … but 4K movies are not available for download and thus can't be watched without an Internet connection. … That means customers who have had their previously purchased iTunes movies upgraded from HD to 4K at no cost can stream those movies in 4K, but can only download HD versions. Newly purchased content is also restricted from download.”

An Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc player, and a stack of discs, seems the perfect solution to this dilemma.

And yet Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc sales face their own set of challenges. According to the Futuresource report, high dynamic range (HDR), the enhanced visual technology that is one of Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc’s key selling points, “remains largely lost on consumers.”

According to Futuresource, the HDR concept is more difficult to relay to consumers than the more straightforward resolution improvements offered by simple 4K, even as those familiar with the technologies peg HDR as the main advantage that 4K has in elevating image quality above conventional high-definition. Without a universally accepted standard, the industry risks devaluing the HDR brand, as there are many poor representations of HDR that fail to demonstrate its effectiveness by offering little to no discernible improvement in image quality.

So what’s the solution? Promote and market the hell out of Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc! Minimize the technical jargon and adopt something that’s easier and simpler for the average Joe to comprehend. Stop trying to explain HDR and instead play up how much closer Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc brings us to the theatrical experience: “You’ll think you’re at the movies, except there’s no annoying guy two rows back who’s constantly yelling at the screen.”

As consumers move more and more into the digital space, the physical disc will continue to serve as a bridge, which is why the combo pack concept works well — especially if you can give consumers a trilogy of value: an Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc, a regular Blu-ray Disc and a digital code.

But just as importantly, the disc remains the optimum viewing platform, with a far better picture than even the best streamed UHD movie — if your system can even handle it.

All we, as an industry, have to do now is figure out how to get this point across to the consumer.

http://www.homemediamagazine.com/tks-take/industry-should-simplify-uhd-awareness-focusing-4k-disc?utm_source=homemedia&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=hmmdaily_11_20_2017&utm_content=industry-should-simplify-uhd-awareness-focusing-4k-disc&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWWpVNVpUaGhPVFEwTkRFNSIsInQiOiJsUHQ3S3lYZEdtVWk2aXJcL1NcL0RnUXBIMWRTT2xOenJ4RVFSTHdsN2t4c3RDSTVjRVBCYXlDWHM4cUFNSjdtd2JXZWM4S2pzdUVaSjRORlwvbU04eElmZ2xkK3BKSWRRMXJxSzZPMHEyREZrYklrQTlcL2xXM25WVE1rMU1pUVwvZjJhIn0=

 

[Robert Crawford]

I did a little research regarding 4K/UHD pricing for new releases:

Warner
MSRP: $44.99
Discounted Pricing: 33% off $44.99

Fox
MSRP: $39.99
Discounted Pricing: 38% off $39.99

Universal
MSRP: $44.98
Discounted Pricing: 40-43% off $44.98

Sony
MSRP: $45.99
Discounted Pricing: 40-42% off $45.99

Paramount
MSRP: $37.99
Discounted Pricing: 33-34% off $37.99

Summit/Lionsgate
MSRP: 42.99
Discounted Pricing: 42% off $42.99

Disney (Only Three 4K/UHD Releases)
MSRP: $39.99-44.99
Discounted Pricing: TBD

 

[Robert Crawford]

Just in case somebody has missed it. Amazon is now selling Steven Spielberg Director's Collection for $23.49! Quite a bargain for eight movies.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Just in case somebody has missed it. Amazon is now selling Steven Spielberg Director's Collection for $23.49! Quite a bargain for eight movies.

You should post a link so we can, you know, support the HTF.

Just a thought.

EDIT: the $23.49 offer is sold out; however, there are other prime eligible offers ranging from $39.96 to $47.09, which is still a bargain.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-lis...7&sr=8-1&keywords=steven+spielberg+collection

 

[Johnny Angell]

You should post a link so we can, you know, support the HTF.

Just a thought.

EDIT: the $23.49 offer is sold out; however, there are other prime eligible offers ranging from $39.96 to $47.09, which is still a bargain.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-lis...7&sr=8-1&keywords=steven+spielberg+collection

They are accepting orders for the $23.49 offer.

 

[Robert Crawford]

You should post a link so we can, you know, support the HTF.

Just a thought.

EDIT: the $23.49 offer is sold out; however, there are other prime eligible offers ranging from $39.96 to $47.09, which is still a bargain.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-lis...7&sr=8-1&keywords=steven+spielberg+collection

They're still taking orders even if they're out of stock.

https://www.amazon.com/Steven-Spiel...65953&creativeASIN=B00LFHYX2I&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

 

[Robert Crawford]

My affinity for newspaper movies goes back to my childhood, long before I ever heard of the word "Watergate". Some of those early films I watched in my childhood were Five Star Final, Deadline U.S.A., His Girl Friday and Calling Northside 777. A few years later while in high school back in the early 1970's, I used to go to my school library and read the NYT every single school day. One news story that fascinated me during those times was the publishing of The Pentagon Papers. Everyday, I would read those published stories and the legal battle that took place over them. I had a personal interest because I had an older brother that served two tours in Vietnam, who luckily survived those two years over there.

When I found out this movie was about the Washington Post involvement in this controversy, I was naturally concern that the NYT wouldn't get the proper credit for being the first newspaper to publish The Pentagon Papers. I'm very happy to say that my concerns were resolved very satisfactorily.

I was one of only four people in my 9:40 p.m. showing. This film captivated my attention and I didn't once look at my phone to see what time was it. The film was well written and directed. Furthermore, it had splendid performances from not only Streep and Hanks, but all of the supporting actors. I'm not a big Streep fan. I don't hate her like some other people hate certain actors because it's not my thing to personalize my feelings towards actors. I just wasn't a fan of many of her movies and especially the ones in which she had some kind of accent. I'm not saying they weren't good films, but some of them weren't my cup of tea. After saying that, I must say she is a great actress and she was wonderful in this film. She really brought to life, Kay Graham and her journey from being a stay-at-home wife/mother to a widow in which circumstances thrust her into running the family business. A business that isn't for the meek in any way. This film isn't just about the fight over The Pentagon Papers, but about some issues that are still being fought today, more than 46 years later. I actually had tears in my eyes the last 5-10 minutes of the film. I walked out of the theater tonight, very proud to be an American.

Newspapers and media aren't right all the time and they make their share of mistakes. However, this film illustrates without a doubt, that they are a necessary ingredient in maintaining our system of government in order to protect the people and our values. I give this film 5 on the basis of a 1-5 grading system with 5 being the best grade. I used my Movie Pass tonight and I'm going to use it again to revisit this film in the coming days.