Fox War Classics - The Blue Max - Released May 20 (1 Viewer)

[Brent Avery]

Just wanted to post the fact that Fox Studios has this title slated for release on May 20, along with some others, the only other one I recall at the moment is Sink The Bismarck.I seem to also recall that the film elements were in need of some restoration, to the degree that it would not be on dvd for awhile, so this was a surprise. I noticed it was retailing for just over $12.00 cdn., which means it most likely may have a trailer if that.Anybody know if it is anamorphic and at least in stereo? ( assuming it was recorded that way ). I have not noticed anyone mention this movie's scheduled release so hopefully I am not repeating what my have already been announced. I guess this means my laserdisc version will collect dust. It looks as though May is going to be a great month for war movie fans and I am very pleased that a very decent selection will finally be on dvd. Thankyou very much Fox and MGM!! ( and anyone else I did not mention ).

 

[CraigF]

So far these have been very good, equal to the Studio Classics in the war genre, though not lavished with so much restoration attention IMO. I picked up Twelve O'Clock High the other week...one of several I've got. Looking forward to The Blue Max, most of these films I hadn't seen since I was a kid. Love the real battle footage in TOCH. At Future Shop these often go for Cdn$10.50 if you buy two of them, pretty hard to beat.

 

[Joe Caps]

Brent, you ask if Blue Max will be stereo (assuming it was recorded that way). You KNOW it ws streo because you mention you have the laser. Early specks say the dvd is 2.0 NOT the original 4.0 Again, FOX - why are we not getting the original sound????
Hope they did much restoration on this film, because it really needs it - the laser looked bad.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Don't trust early specs - it may yet be 4.0. Don't even trust the packaging - Journey to the Center of the Earth's package says it's Dolby Surround, but it's really DD 4.0.

 

[TedD]

you ask if Blue Max will be stereo (assuming it was recorded that way).

The Blue Max release prints were issued in Foxhole 4 track magnetic format, but the surround track had NOTHING recorded on it.

The proper DD format for this title would be 3.0. (LCR)

Ted

 

[Joe Caps]

I was over at Chace Productions when they transferred the sound for the Laserdisc and there was plenty of surround on it. Likewise when I saw this in the cinema in Syracuse, New York in 70mm there was a LOT of surround.
Ted D -where does your information come that it had no surround?

 

[TedD]

From running a 35mm mag print at the Waikiki theater in Honolulu. As I remember, it even came with a information sheet that stated that there was no signal on track # 4.

Ted

 

[Stephen PI]

Peter Apruzzese wrote:
Don't trust early specs - it may yet be 4.0. Don't even trust the packaging - Journey to the Center of the Earth's package says it's Dolby Surround, but it's really DD 4.0.

Has anybody purchased "Blue Max" and "Sink the Bismarck" yet and can can hopefully confirm that the 2.0 audio spec is a mistake.

 

[Douglas R]

Early specks say the dvd is 2.0 NOT the original 4.0 Again, FOX - why are we not getting the original sound????

Just got THE BLUE MAX and I'm pleased to confirm that it IS 4.0 with quite extensive surrounds.

 

[Joe Caps]

big Question - how is the color - the laser looked terrible. The blue layer was gone. You have all those outdooor shots and everything looked lousy. How is the color on the new dvd?

 

[Jack Briggs]

I believe Fox's Peter Staddon mentioned somewhere that The Blue Max was either being cleaned up digitally or that the elements themselves were being restored.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

This is a VERY blue disc. Even the skin tones are bluish at times. They may have overcorrected.

 

[Stephen PI]

Douglas R. wrote:
Just got THE BLUE MAX and I'm pleased to confirm that it IS 4.0 with quite extensive surrounds.

Thanks Douglas, I have ordered "Blue Max" based on your comment. Hopefully "Bismarck" will be 4.0 also.

 

[Thomas T]

Can anyone confirm if the DVD has the roadshow intermission and entracte that were on the laser disc?

 

[Jack Briggs]

About the bluish tint Mark reports:

I post with the disadvantage of not having yet seen the disc (won't arrive until Monday, along with several others). But I saw the film the first week of its release in 1966. Even then, I attributed its pronounced blue-green tint to the DeLuxe Color process. Subsequent prints have exhibited this same blue/green cast. In other words, what you're seeing is probably accurate to the cinematic experience.

The whole effect draws me into the film. Can't wait for the disc! (I'm certain I will look at it before I do Star Trek: Nemesis. )

 

[Douglas R]

- how is the color - the laser looked terrible. The blue layer was gone. You have all those outdooor shots and everything looked lousy. How is the color on the new dvd?

The color is rather dull but hasn't the film always looked that way? I remember thinking the color had a rather muddy look when I saw the film when it first opened theatrically. Otherwise picture quality is very good, free of blemishes if a little soft.

I wrote the above before seeing Jack's post, which confirms my opinion of how the film has always looked.

 

[Randy A Salas]

Can anyone confirm if the DVD has the roadshow intermission and entracte that were on the laser disc?

I have not seen the laserdisc, but the DVD does have an intermission and entre'acte, starting at 1:29:36 and ending at 1:32:20.

And what a great score by Jerry Goldsmith! I'd say it's one of his best, but I seem to say that about most of his scores.

 

[Joe Caps]

actuallyu, at the intermissionh, Blue Max has TWO piecesof music as on the laser - one is technically the exit music for act one- unusual but Fox also did this for diary of
Anne Frank (where is THAT dvd?). then there is a second piece of music to be played before the begining of act Two - does the DVDonly havce one piece of music here? ( shades of the Cleopatra DVD problem - hope their upcoming DVDof Song of Bernadette has the Overture).

 

[Randy A Salas]

actuallyu, at the intermissionh, Blue Max has TWO piecesof music as on the laser - one is technically the exit music for act one- unusual but Fox also did this for diary of
Anne Frank (where is THAT dvd?). then there is a second piece of music to be played before the begining of act Two - does the DVDonly havce one piece of music here? ( shades of the Cleopatra DVD problem - hope their upcoming DVDof Song of Bernadette has the Overture).

As noted previously, the DVD has both the "Intermission" (the exit music for Act 1/intermission) and the "Entre'acte" (intermission/the beginning of Act 2). They are two separate pieces of music, running (together) for the duration that I noted above. The DVD gives them separate chapters, a nice touch. They play while some kind of goldish seal (I don't have the disc with me to describe it better) is displayed against a blue background.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

That 'goldish seal' would be the Blue Max.