Josh's Blind Buys: Watching The Unseen Collection (2 Viewers)

[Bob Furmanek]

Variety had stopped listing AR data in the mid-50's when 1.85 became more or less the non-anamorphic standard. That clipping is from Boxoffice.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

#93 - The Barefoot Contessa (1954)
Viewed on: May 17th, 2017
Viewing Format: Blu-ray (Twilight Time)

Sorry for getting to this late. May has been a less disciplined viewing month for me; I've gone out to the theaters a couple times, and rewatched some movies on disc, as well as streamed some titles. So I had discs I had never watched but that weren't blind buys, and movies I had never seen before but only rented or saw at a theater, so not blind buys either. And Twin Peaks is back, and a refresher course on the old series and film was necessary. But I do have some stuff on the shelf I'd like to see, so as soon as time permits, I hope to be a little more active on this thread.

But I watched Barefoot Contessa! This was purchased as part of my unofficial "you put a Bogart/Jimmy Stewart/Cary Grant movie on Blu-ray, and I'll buy it" policy. I didn't know anything about it other than that Joseph L. Mankiewicz wrote and directed it, and that it explored Hollywood as he had in other films. Ava Gardner plays the title character, who starts as an unknown nightclub dancer in Spain until she's discovered by an entourage that Bogart's movie director character is a part of. As told in flashback by attendees of her funeral (including Edmond O'Brien as a publicist), her Hollywood story had its ups and downs until it reached an untimely and mysterious end.

The Bogart-narrated sequences were by far my favorite, with the O'Brien sequences an enjoyable runner up. I liked the movie but didn't love it; there were a lot of moving parts, and I think sometimes more is just more. The movie was a bit of a downer, but I didn't feel its observations were particularly new or extra insightful. Ava Gardner holds the screen, and Bogart brings a cynical charm to it, but there were stretches that seemed a little dull absent that combination. I'm glad to have it, but it's far from the best Bogart film I've seen.

The transfer from MGM on this Twilight Time disc is unfortunately an uninspired effort on their part. It's not as sharp or detailed as I'd like, and worse, there are registration issues throughout. It's watchable but thoroughly unspectacular. The audio, on the other hand, is a bit more interesting. Three options are offered: a DTS-HD MA 5.1 remix, a 3.0 Perspecta track, and a mono track. I sampled all but vastly preferred the Perspecta with its panning effects. The disc also offered a commentary and a trailer which I didn't sample.

The Barefoot Contessa wasn't a bad film, but it wasn't the great film its makers were clearly aspiring for. There were a lot of bits and pieces I enjoyed, but they didn't add up to as much as I would have liked. The transfer isn't really worth the price of admission in and of itself, but the Perspecta audio is a nice touch. Bottom line, if you're a Bogart collector, it's essential. If you're not, your mileage may vary.

 

[Robert Crawford]

If you knew the history of this film releases on previous video formats, your video grade wouldn't be as harsh. This Twilight Time BD release is the best I ever seen on any video format. Sure, it's not a 5.0 video grade, but in my opinion. it looks very good considering it's video format history. If viewed on a projector screen I can see it would be problematic for some. I'm thankful Twilight Time released it on Blu-ray. As to the film itself, I first viewed it back in the 1960s so I'm a big fan of it, but I can see why younger viewers watching this film for the first time might not care for it. It's slow and character driven dialogue isn't for everyone.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I didn't mean for the video grade to come off so harsh; ultimately, I think the outstanding audio makes up for any shortcomings in the video department. I also agree wholeheartedly that while much of MGM's output doesn't match with what other studios are doing, they are still the best transfers these films have ever seen in any home video format. That's the dilemma I have with all of these different MGM releases; I know it's not likely to look outstanding but it's also likely to be so much better than the previous DVD edition. I'm happy to have it.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

[edit - disc has been claimed]

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Josh,

My wife and I felt similar to you regarding The Barefoot Contessa -- we both sort of liked it, but it is far from being a favorite Bogart film that we would revisit again and again. The Twilight Time version was a blind buy for me, as well.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

#94 - Those Redheads From Seattle 3D (1953)
Viewed on: May 23rd, 2017
Viewing Format: Blu-ray 3D (Kino)

I always look forward to whatever the 3D Film Archive is working on, and Those Redheads From Seattle is no exception to that. If anything, I was especially looking forward to this title because I'd been hearing about it for about a decade, but never had a chance to see it before. Even on a day where I theoretically had other movie "plans," I just couldn't let this one wait another day. My first idea had been to rewatch the previous Pirates Of The Caribbean film in preparation for the new one tomorrow. Then, when the passing of Roger Moore was announced, I thought I had to watch one of his 007 movies. But the disc for Redheads showed up in the afternoon, I couldn't settle on which 007 movie to watch, and thought I was a little tired to try a two-and-a-half-hour Pirates movie. I think deep down I just wanted to see the new Redheads disc. I get asked fairly often how I pick whatever movie I'm going to watch next. My mom asks me that a lot; whenever we get together, as the visit is nearing an end, she'll inevitably ask, "So, what are you watching tonight?" And the truth is, I very rarely know. Because if you had asked me yesterday morning, I would have said Pirates. If you had asked me in the afternoon, I would have said Moonraker. And it obviously wasn't either of those.

Those Redheads From Seattle is notable for a few technical reasons; it's the first 3D musical (beating Kiss Me Kate by over a month), and Paramount's first (non-anamorphic) widescreen film. The story was actually far more engaging than I had anticipated. Agnes Moorehead plays the family matriarch, raising four daughters while her husband works in Alaska as a newspaper publisher during the 1898 gold rush. When Moorehead gets a letter from her husband suggesting that he needs some help, Moorehead packs up the family and they all travel north. Sadly, the husband has been killed before they arrive, as part of an intimidation effort to get the newspaper closed. Now in Alaska with no money and rent to pay. Moorehead and her brood take on a variety of jobs, from dressmaking to singing, before eventually deciding to assume control of the newspaper. It's up to them to discover the identity behind the husband/father's murderer, and they hope to be able to use the paper to achieve that goal. Though the movie is a musical, it's the type of musical where when someone sings, their character is signing too - it's not like West Side Story where people are expressing their inner thoughts through song. I'm not the world's biggest musical fan, though I don't hate them either; for this particularly story, I liked how the songs were integrated into the movie. It never felt to me like they were stopping the movie for a song.

There was really a lot to like here. Start with Agnes Moorehead as the matriarch; I'm currently watching the B&W seasons of Bewitched, so it's a real contrast to see Moorehead both in color and as a pleasant individual. Ronda Fleming leads the cast of reheaded sisters (the "redheads" of the title), and the chemistry is good amongst the family actors. I really enjoyed all of the characters and their Alaskan adventure. Despite the heaviness that sets the plot in motion, for the most part it's a lighthearted and pleasant affair. As I watched the movie, I kept thinking that I'd love to see it on a double feature with the Jimmy Stewart western The Far Country. There aren't that many films in this little western subgenre I'd called the "Alaskan Adventure" (John Wayne's North To Alaska is another) but I'd say Those Redheads From Seattle could qualify as one.

I was enormously satisfied with the transfer on the Kino disc, provided by the 3D Film Archive. Though there is some very occasional and non-distracting debris and occasional minor fluctuation in color from faded dupe sections, none of these things are ever distracting; if I hadn't been on the lookout in the first place, I'm not sure that I would have spotted them. Don't listen to my nitpicking; this transfer looks and sounds miraculously good. The 3D alignment is flawless. The film's staging takes good advantage of the 3D effect, using a nice mix of subtle pop-outs and outstanding layering and depth. It's a more immersive 3D effect than most modern 3D films use, and it's incredibly comfortable to watch. This may be one of the most comfortable viewings of a 3D title I've ever had. The audio is fantastic. Though the original three-track stereo has been lost to time, a reconstruction of that track is presented here, and it sounds great. (There's also a mono track included.) Bonus features include a commentary, a restoration demo, and some featurettes. I only had a chance to view the restoration demo, but it's stunning to see the "before and after" - and even more stunning when Greg Kintz reminds the viewer that all of this work was done in three months and for a fraction of what a major studio restoration usually costs. Maybe it's just my opinion, but it seems that on some posts here and in the restoration demo, the 3D Film Archive is going out of their way to let us know this one was done faster and cheaper than usual and might not look as good, and if that was their reasoning for the disclaimers, it was unnecessary - this disc looks great to me, no other explanation necessary. I really can't state enough how physically comfortable I found the 3D viewing on this disc to be and how flawless the alignment was.

Those Redheads From Seattle is a must-buy for any 3D enthusiasts! I'd also say that there's some value here for 2D fans who like Alaskan westerns or vintage musicals or Rhonda Fleming. This was a light, pleasant, fun movie, with characters that were easy to relate to and a story that was fun to follow. If it might seem quaint to some by today's standards, the phrase I'd prefer to use would be that the film was like a breath of fresh air.

 

[Matt Hough]

I haven't read your review of this one yet, Josh, because it's in my queue for review tomorrow, but after I post mine, I'll head back here to read your opinions. Looking forward to the movie and to reading your thoughts about it.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Matt: in short, spoiler free, there's a lot to like! Hope you like it as much as I did

 

[Joel Arndt]

So pleased to read your positive comments about Those Redheads From Seattle. I received my ship notification yesterday, so now I can't wait to get it.

I think Agnes Moorehead was fabulous in about any role she ever played. Always enjoy watching her and, of course, my first exposure to her was as Endora in Bewitched which is still one of my favorite sitcoms of all time.

Not only Moorehead as Elizabeth Montgomery's Mother, but the great Maurice Evans played her Father. Just a great supporting cast throughout the run of the series, Alice Pearce, George Tobias, Marion Lorne, Reta Shaw, Estelle Winwood, Paul Lynde, Alice Ghostley, Mabel Albertson, Bernard Fox, etc. would "pop up" over the years.

 

[Matt Hough]

Enjoyed your review, Josh, and I was very pleased with the restoration of both the color, sound, and 3D. A winner all around, especially for fans of 3D. Those varying pop out main titles were super!

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Agreed on all counts and especially the titles, I had a feeling just from those first couple minutes that the movie was going to be a great 3D experience.

One thing that I wanted to mention but forgot while writing my review - there's a very film-like quality to the restorations the 3D Film Archive has given us so far that's very pleasing to me. I haven't seen this particular title in dual-strip 35mm, but I have seen a number of films that way, the look and feel of this transfer is very similar to 35mm dual-strip 3D projection. Which is not to say that Warner's vintage titles look terrible (they don't!) but they don't necessarily feel like film to me when I watch them. And yet, the 3D on those Warner discs isn't quite as comfortable for me as it is on the 3D Film Archive's releases.

I find that I'm preferring the overall look and feel of the releases from the 3D Film Archive more than the vintage titles from other studios. It's hard to explain exactly why, but their discs have the same feel as those 35mm prints did (without the alignment issues).

I liked Those Redheads From Seattle more than Kiss Me Kate, which I realize is some kind of heresy. Kiss Me Kate is about twenty minutes longer, and it feels it. And there were a few times in KMK where the frequently of musical numbers started pulling me out of the picture; I just wanted them to get on with it at a certain point. KMK might have more examples of stuff thrown at the screen, but the 3D in Redheads seems more natural. I found KMK to be a little slow and a little stiff -- still an enjoyable movie overall, and one I'm glad to own, but I can imagine revisiting Redheads more.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

#95 - Dark Country 3D (2009)
Viewed on: May 25th, 2017
Viewing Format: Blu-ray 3D (Metropolitan - France Import/Zone B Locked/Forced Subtitles)

Dark Country is a movie I've heard about since the beginning of the most recent 3D revival. Directed by and starring Thomas Jane (his first film behind the camera), it's an atmospheric road trip gone wrong type b-movie that's pretty interesting. The story concerns a newlywed couple who met and married impulsively in Vegas and are now driving across the desert for their honeymoon. Deciding to drive at night to avoid the heat, they end up lost and nearly hit a pedestrian who had been left for dead in the middle of the road. Though the couple take him into their car and try to find a hospital (no cell phone signal to call for help where they were), the passenger isn't as grateful as you might think, and it gets very tense very quick.

I'm shortchanging the description and review because the disc was an absolute chore to watch. I don't mind the Zone B region locking, but this French import will only play one of two ways: dubbed in French, or with the original English language track and forced French subtitles. I'm not against subtitles and if it were a 2D film, I wouldn't complain too much, but the subtitles combined with the 3D really messed with my head. It's one of thing if the subtitles are integrated into the film's 3D space (like in Avatar), but when the player generates them, they sit weirdly in front of the 3D space and for me, that was uncomfortable. I'm too stubborn. The rational response probably would have been to turn the disc off, but I was determined to see the movie, even if watching it this way ultimately impacted my enjoyment of it. With that being said, the movie itself was atmospheric and interesting, and I wished I had a better copy of it to view. Back in the days of DVD, I would have known how to make a backup copy of the disc in such a way to disable those forced options and returning control to the remote. But I don't have any knowledge of Blu-rays in that way nor any way to do such a thing. Would be a great project for someone capable of it, but sadly, that's not me. (If someone knows how to get the movie without the subtitles, please feel free to chime in or PM me.) But your mileage may vary on this front - I can sometimes be a little too sensitive about things that go unnoticed by most.

Because of the subtitle issue, it's hard for me to give this transfer a fair grade. There were a lot of shots that didn't appear right that I suspect was more about me having issues with the 3D space and subtitles and less about Thomas Jane's filmmaking choices, which seem spot on. The audio was sufficiently atmospheric, and when the film had scenes without dialogue (actually a fair portion of the film), it was pretty delightful to look at.

I can't really recommend this edition of Dark Country, but I can say it's a film worth seeing if you get a better opportunity to do so.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I have some Blu-rays that I'm looking to sell - these were all blind buys (all reviewed here except one, which I watched before the thread started). Shipping is included in the prices and I can give a small discount if you purchase more than one.

-The Big Trail (1930) - includes Blu-ray and DVD, watched once, like new - $7
-The Other (1972) - Twilight Time Blu-ray out of print, watched once, like new - $15
-Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) - Twilight Time Blu-ray out of print, watched once, like new - $25

I also have "Marvel's Agent Carter - Season 2" on BD, it's a brand new sealed region-free UK import (no U.S. release), asking $15 for that.

For payment, I would prefer an Amazon email gift certificate (so I can turn it into my next blind buy), but I can also accept PayPal.

PM me if interested. (Mention that you're a reader of this thread and I'll take $1 off each item.)

**would also be willing to trade for other OOP TT releases**

 

[Josh Steinberg]

#96 - The Dish (2000)
Viewed on: May 26th, 2017
Viewing Format: Blu-ray (Village Roadshow - Australian Import/Zone B Locked)

The Dish was part of the wonderful gift package I received from Ramin highlighting his native Australia, and I'm pleased to say that it was just as enjoyable as the first film I watched, The Castle. And that's no surprise, as it was written, produced and directed by the same group of people. I've always thought Australia seemed like a cool place (and possibly for the dumbest of reasons, because U2 did a live Pay-Per-View worldwide broadcast of their 1993 concert there and it was the most amazing show I've ever seen at home), and these movies are giving me an even better reason to hold Australia in high regard. I hope one day to visit, but until then, these movies have been like taking a great trip.

The Dish tells a fictionalized version of the true story of how the Apollo 11 moonwalk was broadcast live to the world. Australia had a satellite dish that was in a better position to receive and retransmit the signal than anyone else. Though the crew of at the station doesn't have experience with anything this major, they are a resourceful and competent crew, led by Sam Neill in a performance that has tremendous appeal. Patrick Warburton plays the NASA liaison assigned to supervise. Of course, since we've all seen the footage from the moon landing, we know that they ultimately succeed. But the movie makes a compelling story out of the how, and there are moments of comedy and suspense as we see the satellite crew encountering and overcoming obstacles in both their professional and personal lives. Like the plaque left behind on the moon that proclaimed the voyage had been "for all mankind," the movie shows how it took contributions from heroes big and small from around the world to accomplish this amazing feat. In many ways, this movie is a great companion to Hidden Figures and would be a great double feature.

I'm a huge fan of space movies and movies about our space programs. I can't imagine how amazing it must have been to live through this period of history and have experienced the wonder and excitement of mankind reaching beyond the Earth. Living now instead of then, I can't help but feel cheated that we're not continuing the journey that those pioneers started. I love the idealism of Star Trek, that suggests that mankind can unite and leave behind its divisions and struggles by looking forward toward space. I love the near future suggested by The Martian, which is notable not just for Matt Damon's rescue mission but for the idea that their mission to Mars wasn't the first and that mankind had already begun exploring the planet. I want to live in a world where those things are possible. The Dish was so wonderful to watch because it brought me back to a time where those things were possible. Furthermore, the lead characters aren't conceited geniuses or unrelatable supermen. They're ordinary people, good people, good at their jobs, who find themselves in the middle of an extraordinary moment. Watching this movie, it's not only easy to imagine anything being possible, it's easy to imagine that each of us could contribute in some small way to something great, if only given the opportunity. It is a movie that filled me with nostalgia and joy and even optimism for a future that this movie makes seem within reach.

As wonderful as the movie is, the transfer on this Zone B-locked disc doesn't quite live up to the film itself. Before I nitpick, I want to be clear that it's absolutely watchable and that the vast majority is quite fine. The case notes that the transfer was based on the U.S. theatrical edit. I did a little research and discovered that The Dish, like The Castle before it, was slightly altered from its original Australian version for the U.S. audience. It seems Warner has the U.S. rights and at some point created an HD master of the U.S. version. It appears that Village Roadshow (the Australian studio putting out the disc) recreated the original Australian version using the HD scan of the U.S. version as the basis, and filling in the missing pieces from an older (probably SD) master. It's most obvious during the opening titles and some brief transition scenes throughout, but it didn't seem to be more than about five minutes in total. If the choice was between presenting the film this way, or putting the edited version in HD and relegating the original version to an SD bonus feature, I'm glad they went this way. Criterion had to do something similar with the original theatrical version of Red River. It's totally watchable but it's just a shame that a better transfer wasn't available; the film itself is worthy of it. I noticed some compression artifacts in a couple places, but nothing terrible, and I would guess that if you watched this on a TV instead of a projector, it wouldn't show up. Happily, the audio is clear and easy to understand. Subtitles are also available. As far as bonus features, I didn't get around to them yet but are said to include a trailer and a making-of featurette. If this isn't the very best transfer I've ever seen, it's very watchable and doesn't hinder enjoyment of the film in any way.

The Dish was an absolutely wonderful film that perfectly balanced a true life inspirational story with great characters and some great humor. I had never heard of it before Ramin sent it to me, and after watching it and seeing how perfectly it fit my tastes, I don't know how it never hit my radar before. If you've never seen the movie before and any of this sounds remotely interesting, do yourself a favor and find a copy to watch; you won't regret it.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Nice review of THE DISH, Josh! I saw the film in a small art house theater in Eugene, OR back when it first came out in the U.S., and enjoyed it very much. I have fond memories of seeing some of these wonderful Australian films in the theater back then, like this one, PROOF, THE EFFICIENCY EXPERT, SIRENS and a particular favorite, FLIRTING (the latter two both directed by John Duigan...what's he been up to lately?). Good times.

 

[bujaki]

I totally agree with Josh's assessment of The Dish. Ditto with Jeff's post about the other Aussie films. They are all excellent.

 

[RMajidi]

#96 - The Dish (2000)
Viewed on: May 26th, 2017
Viewing Format: Blu-ray (Village Roadshow - Australian Import/Zone B Locked)

The Dish was part of the wonderful gift package I received from Ramin highlighting his native Australia, and I'm pleased to say that it was just as enjoyable as the first film I watched, The Castle. And that's no surprise, as it was written, produced and directed by the same group of people. I've always thought Australia seemed like a cool place (and possibly for the dumbest of reasons, because U2 did a live Pay-Per-View worldwide broadcast of their 1993 concert there and it was the most amazing show I've ever seen at home), and these movies are giving me an even better reason to hold Australia in high regard. I hope one day to visit, but until then, these movies have been like taking a great trip.

The Dish tells a fictionalized version of the true story of how the Apollo 11 moonwalk was broadcast live to the world. Australia had a satellite dish that was in a better position to receive and retransmit the signal than anyone else. Though the crew of at the station doesn't have experience with anything this major, they are a resourceful and competent crew, led by Sam Neill in a performance that has tremendous appeal. Patrick Warburton plays the NASA liaison assigned to supervise. Of course, since we've all seen the footage from the moon landing, we know that they ultimately succeed. But the movie makes a compelling story out of the how, and there are moments of comedy and suspense as we see the satellite crew encountering and overcoming obstacles in both their professional and personal lives. Like the plaque left behind on the moon that proclaimed the voyage had been "for all mankind," the movie shows how it took contributions from heroes big and small from around the world to accomplish this amazing feat. In many ways, this movie is a great companion to Hidden Figures and would be a great double feature.

I'm a huge fan of space movies and movies about our space programs. I can't imagine how amazing it must have been to live through this period of history and have experienced the wonder and excitement of mankind reaching beyond the Earth. Living now instead of then, I can't help but feel cheated that we're not continuing the journey that those pioneers started. I love the idealism of Star Trek, that suggests that mankind can unite and leave behind its divisions and struggles by looking forward toward space. I love the near future suggested by The Martian, which is notable not just for Matt Damon's rescue mission but for the idea that their mission to Mars wasn't the first and that mankind had already begun exploring the planet. I want to live in a world where those things are possible. The Dish was so wonderful to watch because it brought me back to a time where those things were possible. Furthermore, the lead characters aren't conceited geniuses or unrelatable supermen. They're ordinary people, good people, good at their jobs, who find themselves in the middle of an extraordinary moment. Watching this movie, it's not only easy to imagine anything being possible, it's easy to imagine that each of us could contribute in some small way to something great, if only given the opportunity. It is a movie that filled me with nostalgia and joy and even optimism for a future that this movie makes seem within reach.

As wonderful as the movie is, the transfer on this Zone B-locked disc doesn't quite live up to the film itself. Before I nitpick, I want to be clear that it's absolutely watchable and that the vast majority is quite fine. The case notes that the transfer was based on the U.S. theatrical edit. I did a little research and discovered that The Dish, like The Castle before it, was slightly altered from its original Australian version for the U.S. audience. It seems Warner has the U.S. rights and at some point created an HD master of the U.S. version. It appears that Village Roadshow (the Australian studio putting out the disc) recreated the original Australian version using the HD scan of the U.S. version as the basis, and filling in the missing pieces from an older (probably SD) master. It's most obvious during the opening titles and some brief transition scenes throughout, but it didn't seem to be more than about five minutes in total. If the choice was between presenting the film this way, or putting the edited version in HD and relegating the original version to an SD bonus feature, I'm glad they went this way. Criterion had to do something similar with the original theatrical version of Red River. It's totally watchable but it's just a shame that a better transfer wasn't available; the film itself is worthy of it. I noticed some compression artifacts in a couple places, but nothing terrible, and I would guess that if you watched this on a TV instead of a projector, it wouldn't show up. Happily, the audio is clear and easy to understand. Subtitles are also available. As far as bonus features, I didn't get around to them yet but are said to include a trailer and a making-of featurette. If this isn't the very best transfer I've ever seen, it's very watchable and doesn't hinder enjoyment of the film in any way.

The Dish was an absolutely wonderful film that perfectly balanced a true life inspirational story with great characters and some great humor. I had never heard of it before Ramin sent it to me, and after watching it and seeing how perfectly it fit my tastes, I don't know how it never hit my radar before. If you've never seen the movie before and any of this sounds remotely interesting, do yourself a favor and find a copy to watch; you won't regret it.

A very wonderful review of a very wonderful film - thanks, Josh.

This news article provides a little more background to the events which form the focus of The Dish:

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20161207-inside-the-big-dish-that-brought-us-tv-from-the-moon

My Blu-ray copy also arrived last week, but I haven't had a chance to watch it yet. The following email from JB Hi-Fi dampened my hopes for the disc quality, which your review reinforces:

Recently you purchased a copy of The Dish on Blu-ray from www.jbhifi.com.au , unfortunately our supplier has made us aware they are unhappy with the quality of this production and have decided to recall all stock.

Roadshow films have issued an official statement and have stated ‘We apologise that The Dish on Blu-ray was of inferior quality and did not meet your expectations. The current conversion of the original 35mm film onto Blu-ray is disappointing... and certainly not befitting one of Australia’s most cherished and admired films.’

Due to the issues with quality we are offering a full refund for all of our customers, please feel free to return your copy to any JB Hi-Fi Store with your invoice which you can reprint online. If you are unable to return your copy to a store, arrangements can be made to return this by mail.

Hopefully a new version will be available in the near future.​

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I'm glad mine squeaked through before the recall! No, it wasn't the best transfer I've ever seen, but it was far from the worst. There are some movies that are difficult to enjoy if the presentation isn't perfect (like trying to watch "2001" in fullscreen) but thankfully this wasn't one of them. I will cherish my copy of The Dish, and if it ever gets reissued, I'll jump off that bridge then.

I really don't know how I hadn't heard of it until now! So very grateful to have had this movie brought to my attention.

 

[Flashgear]

Wonderful and evocative review, Josh...The Dish is a beautiful little film...it puts a smile on my face just thinking of it now, although I haven't seen it since it's debut on home video...so, the charming warmth of that treasure persists in my memory to this day...it recaptured some of the bliss of youthful memories that I have from the '60s space race...other films have also conveyed some of the magical excitement of the early space age...The Right Stuff and October Sky come to mind...

I was a 13 year old NASA nerd on July 20, 1969...for people who were likewise afflicted with my obsession, NASA ground stations like "Goldstone" (California), "Jodrell Bank" (UK), "Diego Garcia" (Indian Ocean) and most importantly, "Woomera" (South Australia) were part of our lexicon...as important as Mission Control at the Johnson Space Flight Center in Houston...Australia was important, with Parkes Observatory, Honeysuckle Creek and Woomera test range...loved the sound of that place...wonderfully exotic...