Your thoughts on Kino-Lorber Blu-rays (2 Viewers)

[Gary16]

Wish list:
Meet Danny Wilson (Sinatra released on dvd in region 2 PAL only)
Here Come The Nelsons (only released on VHS)
Dragnet (1954 - released on dvd but in the wrong aspect ratio)

 

[trajan007]

SAME TIME NEXT YEAR----MAN ON THE MOON please.

 

[timk1041]

Wish list:
Meet Danny Wilson (Sinatra released on dvd in region 2 PAL only)
Here Come The Nelsons (only released on VHS)
Dragnet (1954 - released on dvd but in the wrong aspect ratio)

Meet Danny Wilson was also released on VHS at one time.

 

[skylark68]

I realize it already has a bluray release, but it would be nice to get the TV cut of Midway (1976) out of this deal. I think I saw it elsewhere that there is an existing Japanese (?) release of this.


EDIT: Another one I thought of was A Gathering of Eagles. That would make for a nice bluray release.

 

[Alan Tully]

The (not so) mini-series, Centennial is Universal. I wonder.

 

[Alan Tully]

DVD Beaver on The Great McGinty.

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film8/blu-ray_review_100/the_great_mcginty_blu-ray.htm

 

[Robin9]

Kino's new disc of Ulzana's Raid is excellent with very good 1970s picture quality and an interview with co-star Bruce Davison. Anyone who enjoys tough, unsentimental Westerns should invest in this disc.

 

[Corn Pop]

I just wanted to share how much I enjoyed the KLSC blu-rays that I have purchased over the past year. I wait until there is a big sale and then I buy at least 5 discs so that I qualify for the free shipping over $50. I used to be more of a Criterion Collection buyer, but it’s the value and the included audio commentary tracks in most releases that won me over, plus the quality of the underlying films, of course. For example, I enjoy the Jean-Pierre Melville films Such as Leon Morin, Priest and Un Flic, as the KL blu-rays are so much better than the same movies on Criterion. The blu-ray releases of Last Day at Marienbad and Kundun are absolutely packed with special features. And I’ve really enjoyed the blu-ray of Carol Reed’s film The Man Between. It’s great, and there are some nice special features. I could keep going and list over a dozen other KLSC discs that I’ve really enjoyed such as It Only Rains on Sunday, but you get the idea.

 

[Nick*Z]

One minor quibbling. Just want to know what happened to the transfer on Pool of London. It looks like it was sourced from an old VHS copy, riddled in edge effects, digital noise, etc. Chroma bleeding too. Contrast - feeble. Dirt, damage etc. - everywhere! I know this was a port over from StudioCanal but even then, the quality here is well below par for what we are used to seeing either from Kino or StudioCanal. It really was a letdown for such a fine film.

 

[Robert Crawford]

One minor quibbling. Just want to know what happened to the transfer on Pool of London. It looks like it was sourced from an old VHS copy, riddled in edge effects, digital noise, etc. Chroma bleeding too. Contrast - feeble. Dirt, damage etc. - everywhere! I know this was a port over from StudioCanal but even then, the quality here is well below par for what we are used to seeing either from Kino or StudioCanal. It really was a letdown for such a fine film.

Unfortunately, I think from time to time we're going to experience some substandard releases due to the number of titles Kino releases per month and digging deep into some studio catalog libraries. Thanks for the heads up as this will be one of the first titles I watch next week when my big order of 15 titles is received by me. I love Kino, but, I know going in that most of their releases are not going to match the quality of Warner Archive releases.

 

[AlanP]

How about a Steve Reeves box set ?? Doesn't KL own the old Avco Embassy films ?? Weren't "Hercules" , "Hercules Unchained", and "Duel Of The Titans" Avco Embassy releases ? wouldn't they be in the KL queue ?

 

[rdimucci]

How about a Steve Reeves box set ?? Doesn't KL own the old Avco Embassy films ?? Weren't "Hercules" , "Hercules Unchained", and "Duel Of The Titans" Avco Embassy releases ? wouldn't they be in the KL queue ?

HERCULES and HERCULES UNCHAINED were originally released in the U.S. by Warner Bros. In 1973, Avco Embassy re- released them as a double bill. AFAIK, the rights are still with Embassy (now StudioCanal). DUEL OF THE TITANS was distributed in the U.S. by Paramount, and in 1990, U.S. rights reverted to its production company, Titanus.

 

[skylark68]

I’d be fine with a Hercules, Ursus, Samson, etc box set regardless of the star. Mark Forest was a good substitute for Steve Reeves.

 

[AlanP]

HERCULES and HERCULES UNCHAINED were originally released in the U.S. by Warner Bros. In 1973, Avco Embassy re- released them as a double bill. AFAIK, the rights are still with Embassy (now StudioCanal). DUEL OF THE TITANS was distributed in the U.S. by Paramount, and in 1990, U.S. rights reverted to its production company, Titanus.

Studio Canal has the rights to "Hercules" and "Hercules Unchained" would love to see them get a proper restoration and a release on BLU RAY. Is Studio Canal affiliated with Kino ?

 

[bujaki]

The Night My Number Came Up, an excellent film whose master, supplied to Kino by Studio Canal, is another botched AR fiasco. This is a 1955 film and should not have been transferred open matte. I stretched it to fill my screen and it played beautifully. Otherwise, the film is highly recommended.

 

[Thomas T]

The Night My Number Came Up, an excellent film whose master, supplied to Kino by Studio Canal, is another botched AR fiasco. This is a 1955 film and should not have been transferred open matte. I stretched it to fill my screen and it played beautifully. Otherwise, the film is highly recommended.

You stretched it and it played beautifully? I've never seen a stretched image look good. It distorts the picture. I recall watching Black Narcissus with my sister and the image was stretched and she commented how short David Farrar was for a leading man. I replied that it was the stretched image that made him look short (and slightly squatty). A friend said he watched a stretched image of Laura which made Gene Tierney look like June Allyson! Wouldn't zooming it to approximate a 1.85 ratio provide a better picture simulating its theatrical aspect ratio?

 

[OliverK]

You stretched it and it played beautifully? I've never seen a stretched image look good. It distorts the picture. I recall watching Black Narcissus with my sister and the image was stretched and she commented how short David Farrar was for a leading man. I replied that it was the stretched image that made him look short (and slightly squatty). A friend said he watched a stretched image of Laura which made Gene Tierney look like June Allyson! Wouldn't zooming it to approximate a 1.85 ratio provide a better picture simulating its theatrical aspect ratio?

From what he says I would think he meant zooming. Indeed stretching (i.e. expanding only horizontally or vertically) always looks horrible

 

[bujaki]

You stretched it and it played beautifully? I've never seen a stretched image look good. It distorts the picture. I recall watching Black Narcissus with my sister and the image was stretched and she commented how short David Farrar was for a leading man. I replied that it was the stretched image that made him look short (and slightly squatty). A friend said he watched a stretched image of Laura which made Gene Tierney look like June Allyson! Wouldn't zooming it to approximate a 1.85 ratio provide a better picture simulating its theatrical aspect ratio?

Sorry. I meant zooming.

 

[Nick*Z]

On the one hand, it's gratifying to see so much Universal and owned by Universal 'Paramount' catalog coming down the pike. On the other, I just wish a bit more due diligence was being paid by Uni before slapping these out to disc via Kino's third-party distribution deal. Not saying the results haven't been satisfying - partly. But there have also been a goodly number of misfires along the way - Technicolor misregistration issues that give me a headache and render a movie ugly to watch besides. Realizing Kino has zero control over what master they are given, would just like to see a bit more suggestion on their part to reject video masters they feel are below par for a Blu-ray release, if, in fact, that's possible. Otherwise, keep the good stuff coming. Quality over quantity preferred.

 

[ScottHM]

Am I the only one who's having a long wait to get their Kino order shipped? I ordered ten Blu-rays and two boxed sets on October 15, and it's still "processing" on the 26th. Nothing seems to be on backorder, and this wait seems a bit unusual to me.

---------------