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HTF REVIEW: "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) (with screenshots) (1 Viewer)

Ken_McAlinden

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I finally watched this one last night. Extras shmextras. :) The film looks great and it is encoded at a Superbit-high data rate. The opening credits look so-so, but from the first edit after the title opticals are over (also the first shot of Jo Van Fleet), it is a beautiful film-like presentation. The audio is very clean, but sounds like they possibly went a bit heavy on the digital noise reduction. Dynamic range is very nice from whispers to gunshots. The price is right, too. :emoji_thumbsup:

Regards,
 

Jeff_HR

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I just finished watching my copy. A really wonderful western. Lancaster & Douglas are excellent as usual. I thought the video presentation was very nice. :) It was also nice to see DeForest Kelley act in something other that Star Trek. An extra like a featurette would have increased my enjoyment. Paramount's policy about this is going to be a really irritating & continuing disappointment.:thumbsdown: :thumbsdown:
 

Scott Varney

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Has anyone else noticed a flickering in this transfer? Most pronounced during bright, outdoor shots.

It is just this disc as well because I just put in Catch Me If You Can and it looks perfect.
 

William Miller

Second Unit
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Robert Harris has pointed out in another thread that this transfer is from a fifth generation copy and is in need of digital restoration.

The flickering is horrendous. The screen credits made me want to vomit.

I can't believe there has not been more of an uproar about this DVD. I think it is extremely weak. Many other Paramount DVD's suffer from the same flickering problem. Just watch some of the Elvis Presley titles they released earlier this year. And of course, the champion flickerer of them all...White Christmas.

Paramount has issued some beautiful DVD's and they should be commended for that. But so many of them look awful. And of course, not many extras. At least they have dropped the list price and that helps a little bit but they have to more consistent in the picture quality.

TV prints and the VHS of Gunfight at the O.K. Corral have always looked bad and I was hoping that finally the DVD would show us this beautiful movie in all it's technical glory. But it looks like the same transfer to me and the DVD format has only accentuated it's deficiencies.
 

William Miller

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There are many, many older films on DVD that do not flicker.

Many films from the 30's look just as good as films from the 90's when they are properly restored.I realize that older films need more work but just look at Warner who are issuing great dvd's from all eras and are going to the extra expense to remaster them for DVD's. Paramount is not. Or if they are, they are doing an erratic job. There's no excuse for a major company to issue DVD's that look like Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

I am not a technical person. Someone in the past has posted on this forum that some companies use some kind of automatic system to remaster DVD's and that's what causes the flickering in backgrounds. Is it called DNR or something like that? I wish someone would clarify this for me again.

I am just so disappointed in the way Gunfight looks on DVD. I have seen a 35MM print in a theater and just let me tell you the DVD is on the ratty side.

I would love for Robert Harris to expound more on his feelings on this DVD or exactly what causes background flickering.
 

Robert Crawford

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If you think "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" was bad then stay away from some of the catelogue titles that Columbia has released recently except for "In a Lonely Place". As stated, my opinion about this dvd presentation is not nearly as critical as yours which is fine.
 

William Miller

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I agree 100% about the Columbia titles. They are just as guilty as Paramount with their very erratic DVD's.

I think Warner has really spoiled me lately as they have been pulling out some real miracles on their DVD's. I used to think it was a hopeless case for many older movies but now I know that anything is possible. Now we all know why Warner has been so slow in releasing titles from their vast catalog. They are taking the time to do it right. And it's probably just as well because if they would go on a rampage of releasing catalog titles, I would be heading for the poorhouse very quickly.
 

Ken_McAlinden

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Robert Harris has pointed out in another thread that this transfer is from a fifth generation copy and is in need of digital restoration.
That's not what he said. His comment about digital restoration and fifth generation element applied only to the first three minutes (and 19 seconds or so). That segment is several generations down due to the title opticals. After that, (from the first shot of Jo Van Fleet onward) it is an exceptional transfer marred by only some mild flickering from the film source. I also strongly agree with RAH's designation of this DVD as a film worthy of purchase on DVD in his recent Digital Bits column.

Regards,
 

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