Blu-ray Review Laurel & Hardy – The Definitive Restorations Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

[Arthur Powell]

I've only had time to check out the commentaries on The Battle of the Century and Sons of the Desert, but the only negative I've thus far encountered is possibly the most frustrating menu screen I have ever experienced. I thought my player had seized up. It was only when I placed my face up to the TV that I could barely discern the most subtle distinctions in whatever option I had selected. Is it really that difficult to make the colors of the lettering change to a completely different color or to highlight the selected option with thick white or black borders? Other than that, I've been happy with the set. I even saw some grain on the films.

 

[Mysto]

I don't know what went on in the other threads and if I am not allowed to offer an opinion on my own forum then go ahead and delete this.

I just watched THE MUSIC BOX and WAY OUT WEST

My big complaint is that while these films look better than they have before (and I owned them on 8mm), they have been overly scrubbed of grain. They look as if they were shot on digital. Mind you, they don't look horrific. They just don't look like film anymore.

I think most of us are in agreement. They are better but...

 

[OLDTIMER]

I wish someone could post a frame grab from the new set - especially , say, from THE MUSIC BOX, so it could be compared with the frame grab from the 2011 DVD that I posted on the other thread. As a reminder:

 

[Robbie^Blackmon]

I wish someone could post a frame grab from the new set - especially , say, from THE MUSIC BOX, so it could be compared with the frame grab from the 2011 DVD that I posted on the other thread. As a reminder:
View attachment 75049

Here ya go, bud! Blu Ray cap:

 

[Robert Harris]

Here ya go, bud! Blu Ray cap:

Thank you for that. It looks positively Pattonized next to the earlier version.

 

[Tony Bensley]

The above Blu-ray screenshot looks fine to me, but that's just my opinion.

I'm more concerned about the reported out of sync issue (Reportedly really badly out of sync in the second reel!) with the BERTH MARKS (1929) 1936 reissued music score adorned audio!

CHEERS!

 

[Robbie^Blackmon]

The above Blu-ray screenshot looks fine to me, but that's just my opinion.

I'm more concerned about the reported out of sync issue (Reportedly really badly out of sync in the second reel!) with the BERTH MARKS (1929) 1936 reissued music score adorned audio!

CHEERS!

For the re-issue version on the dvd and the Blu, everything looks fine to me, until 11:28, where Ollie says, "I wish I'd checked you with the baggage!" The audio is right about 1 second ahead of the video at this point. If I adjust the sync for this scene, things play well until the boys are just about to leave the train and everything shifts again. with the audio just a tad too late.

Leave it all alone, and the sound and picture stay way out of sync until, at the end of the film at the train station, where the audio is just milliseconds ahead of the video.

The original soundtrack plays fine, as far as I can tell, on both platforms.

 

[Mark-P]

For the re-issue version on the dvd and the Blu, everything looks fine to me, until 11:28, where Ollie says, "I wish I'd checked you with the baggage!" The audio is right about 1 second ahead of the video at this point. If I adjust the sync for this scene, things play well until the boys are just about to leave the train and everything shifts again. with the audio just a tad too late.

Leave it all alone, and the sound and picture stay way out of sync until, at the end of the film at the train station, where the audio is just milliseconds ahead of the video.

The original soundtrack plays fine, as far as I can tell, on both platforms.

1 second? That’s 1000 milliseconds. No players or receivers have the range to compensate for 1000 milliseconds.

 

[OLDTIMER]

I see grain in the 2011 DVD scan but not in the Blu! This supports what Mr Harris has been saying all along. It's interesting that the light scratch appears in both versions.

 

[Robbie^Blackmon]

1 second? That’s 1000 milliseconds. No players or receivers have the range to compensate for 1000 milliseconds.

To make such a drastic adjustment would mean the files would have to be on a hard drive and run through something like Avid-- something I would never, ever do because it is very naughty, indeed.

 

[Robbie^Blackmon]

Right, so what I've "found", here, is an interesting, quite innocent and not naughty example of this sync business from the new Sprocket Vault dvd. The first part of the clip is the film as presented on the dvd, the second is the sync shifted to correct the issue, and the third part is both the bits of audio together with the picture, further illustrating the offset of the elements.



It really is quite drastic, and the problem is exactly the same on the Blu Ray.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Right, so what I've "found", here, is an interesting, quite innocent and not naughty example of this sync business from the new Sprocket Vault dvd. The first part of the clip is the film as presented on the dvd, the second is the sync shifted to correct the issue, and the third part is both the bits of audio together with the picture, further illustrating the offset of the elements.



It really is quite drastic, and the problem is exactly the same on the Blu Ray.

Even without the third part with the two separate audio tracks combined, that poor sync job is quite noticeable. What a shame!

Thank you for your post, Robbie!

CHEERS!

 

[Tony Bensley]

The Essential Collection transfer, which features the 1936 reissue soundtrack (As did ALL known extant versions, prior to the UCLA Restoration efforts and all home video editions prior to the new "Definitive Restorations" release!) has a running time of 19:24, and IS in sync! There's also a rather noticeable squiggly scratch that waves through the frame during the illustrated bit!

While obviously not exactly elegant, perhaps we could toggle between the two soundtracks, staying on the original 1929 soundtrack for all but the opening titles and the playing of the orchestral "Dance of the Cuckoos" opening scene; and the closing scene with the simpler early 1930s arrangement (Which I suspect may have been lifted from THE LAUREL-HARDY MURDER CASE (1930) closing scene.

CHEERS!

 

[sbeamish]

The above Blu-ray screenshot looks fine to me, but that's just my opinion.

I'm more concerned about the reported out of sync issue (Reportedly really badly out of sync in the second reel!) with the BERTH MARKS (1929) 1936 reissued music score adorned audio!

CHEERS!

Totally agree. For my money THIS is a problem worth griping about. (Unless you're like a hearing impaired friend of mine who would only order the set after I confirmed that the subtitles were present and functioning.)

Fortunately it seems pretty isolated and confined to a short that is, even among Laurel and Hardy films, highly visual.

If it was more pervasive, I'd likely be looking for a refund and suggesting that people cancel their orders.

 

[Tony Bensley]

The above Blu-ray screenshot looks fine to me, but that's just my opinion.

I'm more concerned about the reported out of sync issue (Reportedly really badly out of sync in the second reel!) with the BERTH MARKS (1929) 1936 reissued music score adorned audio!

CHEERS!

Totally agree. For my money THIS is a problem worth griping about. (Unless you're like a hearing impaired friend of mine who would only order the set after I confirmed that the subtitles were present and functioning.)

Fortunately it seems pretty isolated and confined to a short that is, even among Laurel and Hardy films, highly visual.

If it was more pervasive, I'd likely be looking for a refund and suggesting that people cancel their orders.

100% agree! If this problem had to occur with any of the shorts or features, thank goodness it was THIS one, and at least there is an alternate in sync soundtrack!

If this had happened on SONS OF THE DESERT (1933) or WAY OUT WEST (1937), I'd be absolutely livid!

CHEERS!

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I noticed a slight out-of-sync issue in WAY OUT WEST at the start of their dance number in front of the projected screen. It's when the Avalon Boys are singing. The guy that does the low-end yodels is out of sync for a few seconds.

It's very slight. Didn't put much thought to it until you guys brought up sync issues.

 

[TheSteig]

The set so far IMHO is worth it. From what Ive seen so far the image has been cleaned up, polished. I havent seen a waxy face yet. So far to me it's a great upgrade. I hope more volumes come out so I can retire the DVD set which has atrocious packaging

I have not watched Berth Marks yet... so I cant comment on that

 

[Mysto]

I noticed a slight out-of-sync issue in WAY OUT WEST at the start of their dance number in front of the projected screen. It's when the Avalon Boys are singing. The guy that does the low-end yodels is out of sync for a few seconds.

It's very slight. Didn't put much thought to it until you guys brought up sync issues.

Come on Ronald - that's not just some guy - that's Chill Wills
Cheers

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Come on Ronald - that's not just some guy - that's Chill Wills
Cheers

 

[Tony Bensley]

The set so far IMHO is worth it. From what Ive seen so far the image has been cleaned up, polished. I havent seen a waxy face yet. So far to me it's a great upgrade. I hope more volumes come out so I can retire the DVD set which has atrocious packaging

I have not watched Berth Marks yet... so I cant comment on that

See post #31 for a 45 second video/audio illustrator!

Thankfully, it only affects the Reissued 1936 soundtrack version.

CHEERS!