RAINTREE COUNTY on Blu? (2 Viewers)

[Tony Bensley]

TCM is airing Raintree County tomorrow at 2pm EST and there's good reason to set your DVRs!

A friend of mine was good enough to put me in touch with her friend in TCM's programming department. He confirmed that TCM would be updating their file to the HD version of the film that has been streaming on FilmStruck and aired earlier this year on PBS affiliate stations!

The PVR's now set on our HD Channel for 2 PM EST today! Thanks for the heads up Andrew!

I wonder whether Mr Frezon caught your post, as I'm sure he'd want to catch this particular presentation!

CHEERS!

 

[Andrew Budgell]

Raintree County is in full swing on TCM, and I can confirm that it is indeed the HD version that aired on FilmStruck and PBS!

 

[PMF]

I have Filmstruck and just watched a portion of it and found there is two versions. The short version is in its proper OAR and is in HD. The extended version is in 1.85:1 ratio. I'm assuming TCM is showing the shorter version.
Also, there is no HD designation to "Raintree County" on TCM like there is for "Far From the Madding Crowd" which is coming on right after "Raintree".

With this continued absence of a proper BD, one could easily accuse WAC of being "Far From the Raintree Crowd".

 

[Lord Dalek]

Watching it now. Looks awful. Like an upscale of a laserdisc master.

EDIT: and the film itself is pretty horrible.

 

[GlennF]

Am recording it now, but took a look at part of it. It is definitely an improvement over what TCM has previously shown. The colour, in particular, is much richer. Will watch it later when I have time to do it in one fell swoop

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Yes, it's clearly an upgrade from the old analog master they used to run of the roadshow cut. Nothing "laserdisc master upscale" about it.

 

[Paul Rossen]

Colors appear richer. Overture is missing.

 

[Matt Hough]

I watched the first 1 3/4 hours before taking a break for my afternoon computer surf.

It's by far the best version of the movie I've ever seen. Color is richer and more saturated throughout. More importantly, however, is the steadiness and solidity of the image. No more line twitter in the leaves and tree bark of the backgrounds, and even though the dirt specks and glops of debris infringe on the beauty of the image from time to time, it's still a huge improvement to what TCM has aired before and a giant leap forward from my laserdisc. My cable guide also said it was an HD broadcast, and even though it is on TCM-HD, not everything that is shown gets an HD moniker in the cable guide, so I tend to believe this is an HD transmission. I'll finish the film tonight.

 

[Ed Lachmann]

Watching it now. Looks awful. Like an upscale of a laserdisc master.
EDIT: and the film itself is pretty horrible.

According to your "taste" or definition of what is "horrible", that is.

 

[Jim*Tod]

The version run today on TCM looks better than any version I have seen so far. There was some directional dialog here and there. Not perfect and I have to admit I am not a fan of the film itself, but certainly an improvement. I know quite a while ago I think on the vhs version or maybe an earlier broadcast version from decades ago, the main titles included a credit for MGM Camera 65--Window on the World. Was that ever there or did I just imagine it.

 

[Andrew Budgell]

I watched the first 1 3/4 hours before taking a break for my afternoon computer surf.

It's by far the best version of the movie I've ever seen. Color is richer and more saturated throughout. More importantly, however, is the steadiness and solidity of the image. No more line twitter in the leaves and tree bark of the backgrounds, and even though the dirt specks and glops of debris infringe on the beauty of the image from time to time, it's still a huge improvement to what TCM has aired before and a giant leap forward from my laserdisc. My cable guide also said it was an HD broadcast, and even though it is on TCM-HD, not everything that is shown gets an HD moniker in the cable guide, so I tend to believe this is an HD transmission. I'll finish the film tonight.

Thank you Matt and all who took the time to share your impressions of today's broadcast of Raintree County on TCM! It was fun "watching" it with all of you today.

Out of curiosity, for those of you who have seen both, how would you say today's broadcast of Raintree County compares to Twilight Time's Blu-ray of Hawaii?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Watching it now. Looks awful. Like an upscale of a laserdisc master.

EDIT: and the film itself is pretty horrible.

I disagree, I watched a good portion of it today and thought it looked much better than previous showings on TCM.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I watched the first 1 3/4 hours before taking a break for my afternoon computer surf.

It's by far the best version of the movie I've ever seen. Color is richer and more saturated throughout. More importantly, however, is the steadiness and solidity of the image. No more line twitter in the leaves and tree bark of the backgrounds, and even though the dirt specks and glops of debris infringe on the beauty of the image from time to time, it's still a huge improvement to what TCM has aired before and a giant leap forward from my laserdisc. My cable guide also said it was an HD broadcast, and even though it is on TCM-HD, not everything that is shown gets an HD moniker in the cable guide, so I tend to believe this is an HD transmission. I'll finish the film tonight.

My receiver indicated a 1080i transmission.

 

[Mark McSherry]

If anyone missed it today, I see that TCM has Raintree County scheduled for October 17th, 5:00 AM CST.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Never saw the film so I have it on my dvr and will watch it this week. I also have The Defector (1966) which was Monty's last film so I will watch that too.

 

[Matt Hough]

I finished it this evening, and it continued to impress me with its visual quality right to the very end. Never have those houses with their paneled outsides and tiled roofs been so rock solid without line twitter or aliasing.

There is NO reason Warners couldn't release this transfer at least on a DVD. I know there was too much dirt and debris for them to consider a Blu-ray through Warner Archive, but it's certainly up to the quality of many of the DVDs they've released in their DVD-R program.

 

[Robin9]

There is NO reason Warners couldn't release this transfer at least on a DVD. I know there was too much dirt and debris for them to consider a Blu-ray through Warner Archive, but it's certainly up to the quality of many of the DVDs they've released in their DVD-R program.

Exactly. I've been saying that for ages (and posted the idea here at HTF several times too )

The only gleam of hope I have from Warners' otherwise inexplicable refusal to release this as part of their MOD program is that just possibly they're doing a Seven Brides For Seven Brothers on us: i.e. without telling anyone, they're working on a high definition master.

 

[Matt Hough]

Well, it will stay on my DVR for the foreseeable future.

 

[PMF]

Exactly. I've been saying that for ages (and posted the idea here at HTF several times too )

The only gleam of hope I have from Warners' otherwise inexplicable refusal to release this as part of their MOD program is that just possibly they're doing a Seven Brides For Seven Brothers on us: i.e. without telling anyone, they're working on a high definition master.

Oh, how I hope that Robin9 is onto something.

And, boy, how I hope that 7Bf7B is selling well.

As for "Raintree County", I've avoided any televised viewings. Sometimes I chance upon it and can't help but watch a few minutes of it; but I quickly change the channel to avert my eyes. Yes, I immediately see the many visual possibilities that still remain OCN dormant within its sets, costumes and the work of DP Robert Surtees; but I want that first full impression to come from a BD that presents a restored or digitally cleaned-up image. Try as I will, though, as it's really becoming more and more difficult to keep up this resistance; after all, it's Elizabeth Taylor. And, thus far, it seems that Elizabeth Taylor has already boded well for other BD releases from WAC - to which I've already purchased - such as "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", "Father of the Bride" and "Giant" (which is also Warner's; be it archives or not).

So, really, how can WAC turn their backs on Liz now?

Monies still needed? Why of course, its a 70mm fare.

Well then, give us "National Velvet" for the time being; as surely that'd be a seller, too.

 

[RolandL]

I know quite a while ago I think on the vhs version or maybe an earlier broadcast version from decades ago, the main titles included a credit for MGM Camera 65--Window on the World. Was that ever there or did I just imagine it.

Maybe if you had seen the Pan and Scan version.