Press Release Criterion Press Release: Written on the Wind (1956) (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[david hare]

The French Elephant Blu Ray is in 2.00 :1 and IMO it's the correct ratio. Unlike Magnificent Obsession two years earlier which was generally released masked to 2.00 as well which suffers from a number of compositional compromise issues, in particular the last couple of reels in which Metty's meticulous pin lighting of headroom is lost in the matte which seem regrettable. But as Sirk said in the Halliday interviews, they were still leaning how to handle a multiplicity of widescreen ratios as well as 3D. Written on the Wind has no such problem and it would look frankly ridiculous in open matte. Mountainously too much head and foot room down to barely dressed studio floors. I don't know from whom Criterion is taking its framing advice from but it ain't me and it definitely ain't Bob Furmanek. Contrary to some here I think the disc has terrific color saturation and grain and is obviously taken from a high quality (Probably 2K) master from Universal. I am unaware that they have done another remaster since the one used for the Elephant disc. Criterion might add more bitrate but frankly it won't give you much more detail or grain management. Only the extras I imagine. A representative from the Hollywood Academy brought two first gen IB Tech archive prints to screen at a Ritrovata Bologna festival a few years ago, now 2016 and 2017 I think. ATHA was screened in 1.85. And Written was screened in 2.00. The color values were identical to the Elephant/Uni encode although the prints (which were projected with carbon arc) looked just slightly faded.

 

[Lord Dalek]

I don't think Lord Dalek is disputing Written On The Wind was intended to for wide screen exhibition but rather the aspect ratio of 1.85 versus 2:1.

I should have made that clearer yes. There's barely any difference between 1.85:1 and 2.00:1 other than the black bars being a smidge thicker.

For what its worth, the clip on Criterion.com is famed at 1.85:1 which is still different from their previous dvd (at about 1.77:1).

 

[Keith Cobby]

I also have the French release which is a nice blu ray with good colour, although I'm not entirely convinced by the 2.00:1 AR, it looks a little tight in places. Will be interesting to see comparative reviews to see if a double dip is necessary. This should be a candidate for a 4k disc.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I also have the French release which is a nice blu ray with good colour, although I'm not entirely convinced by the 2.00:1 AR, it looks a little tight in places. Will be interesting to see comparative reviews to see if a double dip is necessary. This should be a candidate for a 4k disc.

To somewhat quote RAH, why? The restoration was done in 2K.

 

[Claude North]

Ever since I first saw this movie, I've been hoping someone would call me a filthy liar...

Looking forward to adding this to my collection!

 

[Will Krupp]

As I'm not a Criterion fan boy, I don't expect this disc to be an improvement over the French disc I bought eighteen months ago.

In fairness, though, one doesn't have to be a "Criterion fanboy" to say "I'm going to keep an open mind and upgrade IF it's an improvement." You may have bought the French disc 18 months ago but it was released in 2016, the new disc may or may not be a better transfer.

I'm tempted to upgrade simply because the writing on the spine (under the French title ECRIT SUR DU VENT) is facing the opposite way from all the other titles on my shelf. I finally had to flip it upside down because it's been MOCKING me every time I glance over there for three years now!

 

[david hare]

Oh those wacky French!

 

[Paul Penna]

I'm tempted to upgrade simply because the writing on the spine (under the French title ECRIT SUR DU VENT) is facing the opposite way from all the other titles on my shelf. I finally had to flip it upside down because it's been MOCKING me every time I glance over there for three years now!

Must be A French Thing. My Patrick Brion book Tex Avery (Paris, 1984) and French Blu-ray of Les Triplettes de Belleville are also spined à la française.

 

[david hare]

C'est la mode francaise. SImplement.

 

[Will Krupp]

C'est la mode francaise. SImplement.

Yeah yeah, well je n'aime pas du tout, toots!

 

[Robin9]

In fairness, though, one doesn't have to be a "Criterion fanboy" to say "I'm going to keep an open mind and upgrade IF it's an improvement." You may have bought the French disc 18 months ago but it was released in 2016, the new disc may or may not be a better transfer.

I am keeping an open mind. I haven't declared there is no chance of an improvement. I just don't assume the new disc will inevitably be better merely because it comes from Criterion.

 

[bujaki]

Yeah yeah, well je n'aime pas du tout, toots!

I'm used to used since it's also the Spanish way (maybe the European way?). But I agree with you that it's disconcerting when all your books and discs have spines with titles going down, and suddenly a few titles go up.

 

[Will Krupp]

But I agree with you that it's disconcerting when all your books and discs have spines with titles going down, and suddenly a few titles go up.

Lol. Well, it wouldn't be so bad if not for the unusual way I organize my discs. I organize them chronologically by release date on my bookshelf, starting on the left and working my way right. The shelf is deep enough to fit two rows on each so I continue in the front row and also work left to right. The way the discs fall depends on when the film was released and it JUST SO HAPPENS that the period of the mid-50s happens to be slightly under eye level in the front so that title catches my eye EVERY time I walk out of the room. I have two other French titles that aren't as egregiously placed as that one. I HAD to flip it!

 

[Jenny Peerey]

I have this movie. Don't have a Blu-Ray player so I know nothing about difference Blu-Ray over regular. This movie is one of my very favorites in my movie library! I wish they could make movies today like this! I suppose that era is way gone!

 

[roxy1927]

Bacall didn't like it. When an interviewer who was obviously a Sirk fan wanted to discuss it with her she practically rolled her eyes and clearly did not want to discuss it. She seemed ashamed by it. Overwrought soap opera.

 

[KeithDA]

I finally had to flip it upside down because it's been MOCKING me every time I glance over there for three years now!

I always do that to keep them all looking the same - it only comes as a surprise when you take it off the shelf and find the case back to front.
Same with CDs.

 

[Will Krupp]

Bacall didn't like it. When an interviewer who was obviously a Sirk fan wanted to discuss it with her she practically rolled her eyes and clearly did not want to discuss it. She seemed ashamed by it. Overwrought soap opera.

Someone may correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember reading (or hearting) somewhere that that was Bogart's opinion of the movie and his influence may have rubbed off on her when she looked back on it.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Someone may correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember reading (or hearting) somewhere that that was Bogart's opinion of the movie and his influence may have rubbed off on her when she looked back on it.

Perhaps, but "Written on the Wind" was released the same month that Bogart died of cancer. I'm not sure Bogart even saw the picture as he was a very sick man after filming was done for that movie.

 

[Gerani53]

I love how Robert Stack was given the role of his career (Eliot Ness aside), an emotional train wreck, and he aced it. The Region 2 disc is gorgeous, btw. I'm sure this new version will be just as good, if not a tad better.

 

[bujaki]

Perhaps Bacall disliked it because everybody else in the cast outshone her, even Hudson...