Blu-ray Review Doctor Dolittle (1967) Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

[john a hunter]

You're right about that! Blu-ray brings out the very best of Todd-AO and VistaVision when the transfers are done properly.

Don't forget Technirama Matt!!

 

[Matt Hough]

Don't forget Technirama Matt!!

Yes, indeed, Technirama as Auntie Mame and Gypsy well prove. (The Music Man isn't quite in their league for some reason though it looks excellent.)

 

[haineshisway]

The Music Man isn't in their league because it's an ancient yellow scan and travesty - time to revisit that one.

 

[PMF]

The Music Man isn't in their league because it's an ancient yellow scan and travesty - time to revisit that one.

Over a year ago, I wrote a quick note to Warner's concerning The Music Man.
At the time of their initial BD release, I told them that I thought MM looked really great. But I also questioned, with all of the technological advances that have since taken place, if they had any plans for new scans or transfers, et al? The response was that they felt that The Music Man looked fine as it was. Nice to know that haineshisway is also in agreement with me and that I am not alone, on this score.

 

[Jonathan Perregaux]

Of interest to cinephles (I think): Turn to your Blu ray of "Midnight Cowboy". When Joe Buck gets to New Yotk and checks into a hotel, he looks out a window. There, on the side of a building, is the HUMONGOUS marquee for "Doctor Dolittle"!!!!!

*watches X-rated film to catch brief glimpse of ad for G-rated film*

Hey, wait a minute!

 

[Ethan Riley]

Over a year ago, I wrote a quick note to Warner's concerning The Music Man.
At the time of their initial BD release, I told them that I thought MM looked really great. But I also questioned, with all of the technological advances that have since taken place, if they had any plans for new scans or transfers, et al? The response was that they felt that The Music Man looked fine as it was. Nice to know that haineshisway is also in agreement with me and that I am not alone, on this score.

I think it's a mess. I can't watch it!

 

[MatthewA]

*watches X-rated film to catch brief glimpse of ad for G-rated film*

Hey, wait a minute!

You think that's odd? In Rosemary's Baby, there's a glimpse of the Radio City Music Hall marquee as well. The film playing there during shooting was The Happiest Millionaire. With movies shot in New York City, it's easy to tell when they were shot, especially films that have Broadway marquees or ads in them.

 

[B-ROLL]

*watches X-rated film to catch brief glimpse of ad for G-rated film*

Hey, wait a minute!

I believe Midnight Cowboy has been re-rated R
Per Wikipedia
"Upon initial review by the Motion Picture Association of America, Midnight Cowboy received a "Restricted" ("R") rating. However, after consulting with a psychologist, executives at United Artists were told to accept an "X" rating, due to the "homosexual frame of reference" and its "possible influence upon youngsters". The film was released with an X.[16] The MPAA later broadened the requirements for the "R" rating to allow more content and raised the age restriction from sixteen to seventeen. The film was later rated "R" for a reissue in 1971. The film retains its R rating.[16][17]"

 

[OliverK]

The Music Man has been mentioned and indeed is an older scan with issues but it has considerable detail and is less yellow overall than for example Hello, Dolly!

I wanted to bring this up as Warner probably will not release a new version for some time to come so it is what it is and what is cannot be considered perfect but at least watchable, including its colors so don't miss out. Hello, Dolly! is a title that many musical lovers should own so if that one is fine with you with regard to its color timing I'd say The Music Man will be, too.

Short of buying it is probably best to have a look at screen caps with regard to the general color timing of a movie on Blu-ray as they give a very good impression of a paused frame of the movies, best to watch on a calibrated monitor or even better the TV that you watch your movies on, download the jpgs and there you go:

The Music Man:
http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Music-Man-Blu-ray/7513/#Screenshots

Hello, Dolly! :
http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Hello-Dolly-Blu-ray/66015/#Screenshots

Or grab your two Blu-rays and compare them which is what I just did

Hello, Dolly! has a lot more detail but imo colors and contrast look a bit strange and not like the 70mm prints I saw theatrically. So if one is fine with those colors I would say The Music Man should be fine, too as indeed it looks a bit warm but more balanced than Hello, Dolly! Imo it leans more to the reddish side vs Hello Dolly! having more of a yellowish tint but I would not discourage anybody who appreciates the added detail that goes with a Blu-ray from buying.

My first candidate for a large format re-release from Warner is still Mutiny on the Bounty as there is just so little detail in the Blu-ray compared to what could be, it just doesn't have the feel of a large format production with such low resolution, the improvement over the DVD is among the lowest I have seen for a movie shot on 65mm:
https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?a=1&x=727&y=276&d1=534&d2=533&s1=5419&s2=5407&l=0&i=1&go=1

Now back to Dr. Dolittle that gives us a very nice presentation with so far seemingly nobody being unhappy with how it looks. Well done Fox and thanks TT for releasing this one

 

[Robin9]

The Music Man isn't in their league because it's an ancient yellow scan and travesty - time to revisit that one.

. . . along with Gigi, Rio Bravo and The Searchers!

 

[OliverK]

. . . along with Gigi, Rio Bravo and The Searchers!

Can't comment on Gigi but Rio Bravo looks like an old brownish film print with not very much detail improvement over the DVD, I would hope that it can look better than that with regard to both color and detail. The Searchers indeed has some kind of yellow tint, I always forget about that one, it also has magnificent VistaVision cinematography so Warner revisiting this would be very nice.

It is a bit of a shame that my favorite three Duke westerns all suffer from some kind of problem on Blu-ray:

The Seachers: yellowish tint
Rio Bravo: brownish, low detail levels
El Dorado: sharpening, noise reduction

 

[willyTass]

My first candidate for a large format re-release from Warner is still Mutiny on the Bounty as there is just so little detail in the Blu-ray compared to what could be, it just doesn't have the feel of a large format production with such low resolution, the improvement over the DVD is among the lowest I have seen for a movie shot on 65mm:
https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?a=1&x=727&y=276&d1=534&d2=533&s1=5419&s2=5407&l=0&i=1&go=1

Such a great film and the great Trevor Howard

We need Russell Crowe to star in the re make , and warner may bother with something other than a 35 mm ip

 

[Matt Hough]

Many of those early studio films that initially received an X rating including Midnight Cowboy, Myra Breckinridge, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, and A Clockwork Orange were later re-rated R. Doesn't The Devils still have an X?

 

[OliverK]

Such a great film and the great Trevor Howard

Indeed, Trevor Howard is very good in this and I also like the way Brando plays his role a lot. Perhaps he makes the movie more funny at times than it should be but I enjoy it a lot. Not a real masterpiece but I dare to say that it should not have less fans than Dr. Dolittle and Dolittle got the deluxe treatment!

We need Russell Crowe to star in the re make , and warner may bother with something other than a 35 mm ip

That would be a good idea and please give the new version some classic cinematography not the style that makes even movies with classic stories look like they werre shot with a GoPro.

 

[PMF]

[...]My first candidate for a large format re-release from Warner is still Mutiny on the Bounty as there is just so little detail in the Blu-ray compared to what could be, it just doesn't have the feel of a large format production with such low resolution, the improvement over the DVD is among the lowest I have seen for a movie shot on 65mm:
https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?a=1&x=727&y=276&d1=534&d2=533&s1=5419&s2=5407&l=0&i=1&go=1

Now back to Dr. Dolittle that gives us a very nice presentation with so far seemingly nobody being unhappy with how it looks. Well done Fox and thanks TT for releasing this one

I sincerely doubt that what I am about to Post will be of any influence on Warner, be here we go:

1) Mutiny on the Bounty DOES need a re-do.
2) Warner needs to take a look at Dr. Dolittle to compare the majesty of what TT has given us over Warner's existing transfer of Mutiny on the Bounty, as both films have two very important things in common.

a) Both are 70mm: Dr. Dolittle in Todd-AO and Mutiny on The Bounty in Ultra-Panavision.
b) Both were nominated and shot by the great cinematographer Robert Surtees;​

As a matter of fact, Robert Surtees was also nominated for his 70MM work on "Oklahoma!"; which, like Dr. Dollitle, looks and sounds exquisite on BD.
Mutiny on the Bounty seems to be the only hold-out.

When it comes to 70mm excellence, Warner should take their cues as established by Fox, FotoKem and Twilight Time.

 

[OliverK]

To add to this: Warner has already released one anamorphic 65mm title lensed by Mr. Surtees in rather good quality, it is a bit more popular than Mutiny on the Bounty and called Ben-Hur

He is Mr. anamorphic 65mm and incredibly enough he shot a total of 4 and the first 3 movies in that format which is probably a feat that will never be repeated.

So there is also his work on Raintree County and The Hallelujah Trail that is not available to us on Blu-ray, we are missing out on some of his best looking work.

 

[PMF]

To add to this: Warner has already released one anamorphic 65mm title lensed by Mr. Surtees in rather good quality, it is a bit more popular than Mutiny on the Bounty and called Ben-Hur
[...]

I forgot about Ben-Hur, because it remains Warner's one and only, sole and single 70mm fare that actually looked correct, before the advent of Auntie Mame.

Wait, what are we doing here? Why are we talking about Warner?
This is a celebration thread for the work that was done on "Doctor Dolittle".
This is a thread about the excellence of Fox/FotoKem and, most of all, our good friends from Twilight Time.

Hopefully, I've lassoed and corralled this topic back on its rightful course. Phew!! Just in the Nick of Time.

 

[trajan007]

To add to this: Warner has already released one anamorphic 65mm title lensed by Mr. Surtees in rather good quality, it is a bit more popular than Mutiny on the Bounty and called Ben-Hur

He is Mr. anamorphic 65mm and incredibly enough he shot a total of 4 and the first 3 movies in that format which is probably a feat that will never be repeated.

So there is also his work on Raintree County and The Hallelujah Trail that is not available to us on Blu-ray, we are missing out on some of his best looking work.

Leon Shamroy shot these TODD-AO films-- SOUTH PACIFIC --- CLEOPATRA ---- AGONY AND ECSTASY--- PORGY AND BESS.

 

[bujaki]

Oh, Bess, where is my Bess?

 

[PMF]

Leon Shamroy shot these TODD-AO films-- SOUTH PACIFIC --- CLEOPATRA ---- AGONY AND ECSTASY--- PORGY AND BESS.

Shamroy, yes. But, Robert Surtees shot the first 70mm with "Oklahoma!". And he shot the first Ultra-Panavision. But, most of all, Surtees was twice nominated in 1967 for "The Graduate" and yes, you guessed it right..."Doctor Dolittle".