*** Official Warner Archive DVD Review Thread (1 Viewer)

[Tim Tucker]

Glenn Erickson has a review of Berlin Express up over at DVD Talk. He mentions the following glitch:


"Curiously, on my copy of Berlin Express the film begins abruptly, cutting off the fade-up of the RKO logo."

Has anyone else seen the same problem?

 

[ahollis]

My copy also begins with "An RKO" already visible and "Radio Picture" continuing to appear letter by letter. It is abrupt, but I did not find it that irritating, though it does start in the middle of a music note.

Not sure if it is the fault of the company that produces the DVD-r or if that is the condition of the transfer given to them. Other than that I found the transfer to be in great shape with little wear and tear, and a very enjoyable film. The powers that be a WA seem to be releasing a lot of Robert Ryan films which is very appreciated as he is an actor that has not gotten the attention that he deserves.

 

[Marcel H.]

Originally Posted by Ken_McAlinden

Here are the remaining titles that I have available to review. Any preferences? I am personally leaning towards "Pride of the Marines" next, but would like your input...
Regards,

Is it possible for you, to include maybe 2-3 screenshots of the transfers in your Archive reviews?

Just in general, till the end of the year I'll have the French pressed discs of "Mr. Lucky", "The Search", "Berlin Express", "The Mad Miss Manton" and "Experiment Perilous" + the Italian DVD of "The Fallen Sparrow". If you're interested I can make screenshots and maybe someone's out there who owns the Archive discs and we can make a comparison.
Already with me is the French Warner DVD of "Party Girl".

 

[Hoppy]

Has anyone received a copy The Mortal Storm yet? They finally posted a clip on the website and it doesn't look very promising, kinda looks like they recycled the old video master.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by Hoppy

Has anyone received a copy The Mortal Storm yet? They finally posted a clip on the website and it doesn't look very promising, kinda looks like they recycled the old video master.

I received and watched my copy yesterday and last night. It is on par with the other Archive transfers. Not the best, but certainly much better than On Borrowed Time, The Mad Miss Manton, and The Big House. I checked out the website and that clip does looks a little soft while the DVD-r was much crisper. It is one hell of a film and Frank Morgan and Jimmy Stewart are just great to watch.

I do think you are right in that most of the films are video masters and this is something that we will have to somehow live with, especially with the TCM/Universal news.

By the way, does anyone else think it is odd that TCM and Universal got together for this.

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

I would actually prefer not to since Warner is now adding text to all of their review screener cover materials saying we are not supposed to distribute screen shots. I doubt it would be a problem (DVDBeaver is still in business, after all), but I do not want to tempt fate.

Originally Posted by Marcel H.




Is it possible for you, to include maybe 2-3 screenshots of the transfers in your Archive reviews?

 

[GlennH]

Originally Posted by Ken_McAlinden

I would actually prefer not to since Warner is now adding text to all of their review screener cover materials saying we are not supposed to distribute screen shots. I doubt it would be a problem (DVDBeaver is still in business, after all), but I do not want to tempt fate.

In my opinion, that's a fairly lousy request on their part, and it speaks volumes. To me it shows that they'd prefer not to let people get a look at how bad some of these "as-is" transfers actually are (but actually some of the more recent ones I've seen like The Tall Target look quite decent). I guess we'll have to check reviews from those who actually purchase them and can freely post a few screen shots under "fair use" without fear of being cut off.

I find myself liking Warners and the way they're doing business less and less.

 

[ahollis]

Originally Posted by GlennH



In my opinion, that's a fairly lousy request on their part, and it speaks volumes. To me it shows that they'd prefer not to let people get a look at how bad some of these "as-is" transfers actually are (but actually some of the more recent ones I've seen like The Tall Target look quite decent). I guess we'll have to check reviews from those who actually purchase them and can freely post a few screen shots under "fair use" without fear of being cut off.

I find myself liking Warners and the way they're doing business less and less.

While I agree with you and would love to take a look at screen shots, and I do a DVD Beaver, I have seem some really bad screen shots of DVD's that were not nearly as bad as the shots indicated. The one I remember the most are recent shots of Zombies On Broadway. The transfer was not perfect, but a heck of lot better than the screen shots indicated.

I certainly trust Mr. McAlinden knowledge to get it right, but not sure about a lot of other people. With so much being talked about the transfers of the Warner Archive, I can understand their side of the story and would like a shot that is equal to the transfer. Screen shots just depend on the software used and can be manipulated. I know no one would do that.

I am agreement in your comment on TALL TARGET, it is a good transfer and I have found that the past few titles I have gotten, the transfers are much better.

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

To be clear, Warner has the "no screen shots" boilerplate language on the cover letters for all of their screeners. As a matter of fact, the Warner Archive titles are the only ones I sometimes receive without a cover letter. To be safe, I am operating under the assumption that the policy applies to everything they send me. I think it is mainly a matter of them being able to control the promotional images used for their product, especially when it is released in advance of street date, but I will not know for sure unless they elaborate further at some point.

In other news, my latest Archive review is now posted: HTF DVD REVIEW: Pride of the Marines (Warner Archive)

Originally Posted by GlennH



In my opinion, that's a fairly lousy request on their part, and it speaks volumes. To me it shows that they'd prefer not to let people get a look at how bad some of these "as-is" transfers actually are (but actually some of the more recent ones I've seen like The Tall Target look quite decent). I guess we'll have to check reviews from those who actually purchase them and can freely post a few screen shots under "fair use" without fear of being cut off.

I find myself liking Warners and the way they're doing business less and less.

 

[GlennH]

Thanks for the explanation. I mistakenly assumed it was unique to the Archives review copies.

For what it's worth, I really like to see reviews with screen shots. I think they help sell the product for the studios. It's not so much that you can gauge the picture quality, because as it's been pointed out that can be problematic (although I believe you can make some conclusions even from small screen shots). Rather, something about seeing a few good frame captures really piques my interest for the film.

 

[DeWilson]

Originally Posted by ahollis

By the way, does anyone else think it is odd that TCM and Universal got together for this.

Yes, but i'm thinking Movies Unlimited Might have brought the two parties together.

But then TCM has never limtied itself to just the WB Owned WB/MGM/RKO/Monogram Library

Heck,even some classic 20th Century Fox films are turning up on TCM!

 

[slannes]

ANYBODY ELSE EXPERIENCING DAMAGED CASES?

RE: Order No. 7131970 (They Won't Forget, Penthouse, Confessions of a Nazi Spy)

All three received and all three cases broken --crushed and split -- as occurred with order No. 239002705845900 never replied to:

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Case broken
Date: Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:43:57 -0700
From: >
To: [email protected]

Re: order No. 239002705845900
Item 883316165447 "Reducing" DVD case cracked and broken pieces of case in envelope. Should I return entire DVD or just case? If replacement blank case sent I can slip artwork out of broken case sleeve and into new.

Sincerely,

Thus, end of buying from WBshop.

Sincerely,

 

[David_B_K]

Yes, I received an order months ago with a smashed case. The movie was OK, and I was going to replace it with a slimline anyway. It's like the Archive cases are a more brittle plastic.

 

[slannes]

RESOLVED

Thank you for your reply. I had some exact black cases and slid out artwork (taped "Confessions of Nazi Spy' which was cut by broken case and reinserted and ran blue ink to match artwork over taped cut gap) so everything OK. No need to credit. I do appreciate your reply and hope my advise of damage prevents damage in other shipments. Cases are quite brittle.

Thank you and
Best Regards,

[email protected] wrote: Hello Stephen,

Thank you for your recent inquiry.

I am sorry to hear your DVD cases were damaged. Unfortunately, we do not carry the DVD cases individually. I would like to offer you a 15% off of these titles. If you accept this offer, we will issue your account credit for 15%. The credit will post onto you account within 2-5 business days. Please reply (directly to this email) if you would like the 15% credit or if you would like the exchange information.

I look forward to you reply.

Regards,

Cayci
www.WBshop.com
1-866-373-4389

RE: *Order No. 7131970*

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

It may be a while before I get them written up, but for those interested, I would consider Wonder Bar and Mary Mary to be safe purchases. The image is more than acceptable.

Wonder Bar has occasional shots that look a little bit soft and "dupey", but otherwise looks much like many of the other 1930s titles released on pressed disc give or take a couple layers of digital clean-up (i.e. you get a bit more speckling and artifacts like vertical scratches). Grain is a bit coarse, but detail is generally good aside from the sporadic shots mentioned. The audio was exceptional for a film of this vintage. There are occasional rough patches (such as Jolson's first number - did they record him live?) where overload on loud passages results in distortion, but for most of the film's running time, fidelity is surprisingly good.

Mary Mary also looks acceptable with perhaps a little fade to its early 1960s color scheme and a bit more grain than I expected, but not a lot of other problems.

Both titles have noticeable film grain which occasionally gives the compression algorithm fits, but not so much that it looks bad from a reasonable viewing distance. I had no issues with combing or composite video artifacts on either title.

 

[ahollis]

Ken - agree with your quick assessment of Wonder Bar and Mary, Mary. I also found Never Too Late and Any Wednesday to be acceptable and safe to buy, along with both being enjoyable films with Any Wednesday a hoot.

I look forward to your full thoughts on the above films.

Thanks.

 

[Larry Sutliff]

I took my first dip into the WB Archives this week. Being a fan of the great James Whale, I purchased THE GREAT GARRICK. I watched it a few nights ago, and found the quality to be acceptable. The picture was a little light, but there was plenty of detail. Sound was fair; I used Sennheiser headphones, and the right audio channel would drop out ocassionally(being a mono film, this wouldn't matter much if viewed through a regular television speaker or a properly set up home theater system). There were light stress lines and cue marks, which doesn't bother me much since I like to know I'm looking at something from a film based source. The film itself was delightful, with a great cast and wonderful dialogue.

I just ordered TARZAN'S GREATEST ADVENTURE and TARZAN THE MAGNIFICIENT. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that these two titles are properly mastered.

 

[Paul_Scott]

Finally broke down and folded some archive titles into my GWTW order- the same two Tarzan's that Larry ordered (and that some people are getting bad copies of apparently) as well as Under The Rainbow, The Grasshopper, Any Wednesday, and Who Is Killing The Great Chefs of Europe.
I'll be watching these on a 1080p pj on a 96" wide screen and will post a few thoughts afterward.

 

[Bob Cashill]

I had no problems playing GREATEST ADVENTURE (received today, shipped last Thu) on my Sony. What library was sold to get this Paramount-logoed title into the Warner Archive?

 

[Douglas R]

Originally Posted by Bob Cashill

What library was sold to get this Paramount-logoed title into the Warner Archive?

I wondered about that as well. The Tarzan films were all Sol Lesser productions, who presumably held the rights, separate from Paramount's distribution rights, and which Warner Bros then acquired (although many Sol Lesser productions seem to have gone into the public domain).