RAINTREE COUNTY on Blu? (2 Viewers)

[AlanP]

It's really unbelievable that "Raintree" is still MIA on digital format........

 

[willyTass]

Frankly, I was disappointed One Eyed Jacks did not retain the original VistaVision or Paramount credit. The fanfare plays over the Universal logo. Not good. Not authentic to the original release.

Thank you

 

[Thomas T]

It's really unbelievable that "Raintree" is still MIA on digital format........

Why? it's been pretty much explained to us in detail why Warners hasn't released a HD print on disc. It's a no win situation. They could put out what they have but there will be a vocal segment complaining about the quality and whining it is not the complete uncut roadshow version. A cost prohibitive restoration seems out of the question as there's no way Warners could make its money back (hey, it is a business, not a charity for film buffs). And let's be honest, outside of some hardcore fans here at the HTF, who else is breathlessly awaiting a release of Raintree County?

 

[marcco00]

i would have held on to my 2pk vhs pan & scan edition of "Raintree County" if i had known

things would get to this

 

[Andrew Budgell]

i would have held on to my 2pk vhs pan & scan edition of "Raintree County" if i had known

things would get to this

Can you DVR TCM's upcoming broadcast at the end of the month? It's in widescreen and HD, and looks leaps and bounds better than the laserdisc and VHS...

 

[Matt Hough]

I have some Warner HD streaming transfers of older movies, and what TCM broadcasts for Raintree County is as good or better than some of those transfers (Ziegfeld Follies, A Free Soul, Romeo and Juliet). They should release this transfer to iTunes/Vudu so I can clear it from my DVR.

 

[Robin9]

Why? it's been pretty much explained to us in detail why Warners hasn't released a HD print on disc. It's a no win situation. They could put out what they have but there will be a vocal segment complaining about the quality and whining it is not the complete uncut roadshow version. A cost prohibitive restoration seems out of the question as there's no way Warners could make its money back (hey, it is a business, not a charity for film buffs). And let's be honest, outside of some hardcore fans here at the HTF, who else is breathlessly awaiting a release of Raintree County?

There's no good reason why they can't release it on a DVD-R. Many of Warner Archives MOD discs come from seriously inadequate material. Judging by the comments from those who have seen TCM's showing, it is inconceivable that a DVD-R of Raintree County would be worse than, say, Saratoga Trunk or The Time, The Place and The Girl.

 

[Andrew Budgell]

I have some Warner HD streaming transfers of older movies, and what TCM broadcasts for Raintree County is as good or better than some of those transfers (Ziegfeld Follies, A Free Soul, Romeo and Juliet). They should release this transfer to iTunes/Vudu so I can clear it from my DVR.

There's no good reason why they can't release it on a DVD-R. Many of Warner Archives MOD discs come from seriously inadequate material. Judging by the comments from those who have seen TCM's showing, it is inconceivable that a DVD-R of Raintree County would be worse than, say, Saratoga Trunk or The Time, The Place and The Girl.

I agree with both of you.

I recall WAC's announcement of a Beau Brummell (1954) DVD years ago. It was abruptly cancelled, saying that the master wasn't up to par, but was still released to streaming platforms. Just this year, a beautiful Blu-ray was finally released. The HD version of Raintree is miles ahead of that ancient Beau Brummell master that's still on streaming platforms, and I think that making Raintree available to purchase digitally would be a good compromise.

 

[marcco00]

Can you DVR TCM's upcoming broadcast at the end of the month? It's in widescreen and HD, and looks leaps and bounds better than the laserdisc and VHS...

i pulled the plug on cable, got amazon prime for new stuff, then youtube.

on youtube this week i've seen 'turn the key softly' 1953 with joan collins,

'tread softly stranger' 1958 with diana dors and an italian biblical epic from

1958 with yvonne decarlo as mary magdalene.

the actors in the dors film knocked it out of the park, and dors herself was just

sensational!!!!

 

[Nick*Z]

For me the most disconcerting part of Mr. Feltenstein's podcast commentary regarding Raintree was that the original elements had turned 'purple' nearly 14 years ago. And while restoration is costly, my only question to Mr. Feltenstein would be, what are we waiting for?

Another 14 years to pass until no such preservation of ANY kind will be possible? I am of the opinion that, as Mr. Feltenstein put it, Raintree County is not a very good movie. I'll concur with that assessment. It's sincerely flawed and very leaden in spots. Does that mean I think it should be allowed to fall to pieces until it is completely lost to us for all time? Absolutely NOT!!!

Perhaps, and this is just a presumption on my part, a partial restoration might be undertaken, as in, each year a certain portion of funds is allocated to the preservation and restoration of Raintree.

So, each year, the master gets some fine tuning, using funds that won't strain the studio's coffers because it isn't being spent all at once. Stock holders are happy, studio execs are happy, bottom line is absorbed - hopefully by output of theatrical product, rentals, and home video sales, and, fans get what they want - another old movie salvaged from the brink of oblivion. Personally, I don't mind waiting for perfection if it finally comes down the pike at some point, even though I am aging rapidly.

Spreading out a restoration over say 3-5 years might allow the movie to be restored incrementally - as in 40 minutes at a time - until, the entire film is restored in a print suitable for DVD/Blu-ray release.

So, instead of spending a million plus right now and hope to hell Raintree can recoup it in sales, why not spend say, $150,000 this year, $150,000 next year, and so on, until the work that needs to get done, gets done? Something worth considering, rather than just letting already badly decaying elements decay a little further with no real/reel plan on how to address the issue at hand. Just a thought. Interested in others too.

 

[mark brown]

good idea but is warner listening?

 

[redhotandbluetechnicolor]

For me the most disconcerting part of Mr. Feltenstein's podcast commentary regarding Raintree was that the original elements had turned 'purple' nearly 14 years ago. And while restoration is costly, my only question to Mr. Feltenstein would be, what are we waiting for?

Another 14 years to pass until no such preservation of ANY kind will be possible? I am of the opinion that, as Mr. Feltenstein put it, Raintree County is not a very good movie. I'll concur with that assessment. It's sincerely flawed and very leaden in spots. Does that mean I think it should be allowed to fall to pieces until it is completely lost to us for all time? Absolutely NOT!!!

Perhaps, and this is just a presumption on my part, a partial restoration might be undertaken, as in, each year a certain portion of funds is allocated to the preservation and restoration of Raintree.

So, each year, the master gets some fine tuning, using funds that won't strain the studio's coffers because it isn't being spent all at once. Stock holders are happy, studio execs are happy, bottom line is absorbed - hopefully by output of theatrical product, rentals, and home video sales, and, fans get what they want - another old movie salvaged from the brink of oblivion. Personally, I don't mind waiting for perfection if it finally comes down the pike at some point, even though I am aging rapidly.

Spreading out a restoration over say 3-5 years might allow the movie to be restored incrementally - as in 40 minutes at a time - until, the entire film is restored in a print suitable for DVD/Blu-ray release.

So, instead of spending a million plus right now and hope to hell Raintree can recoup it in sales, why not spend say, $150,000 this year, $150,000 next year, and so on, until the work that needs to get done, gets done? Something worth considering, rather than just letting already badly decaying elements decay a little further with no real/reel plan on how to address the issue at hand. Just a thought. Interested in others too.

^^maybe this is what Warner’s has been doing all along and that’s what they did on Beau Brummell. They can be some pretty sneaky little buggers when they want to be. But who knows ‍

 

[Thomas T]

There's no good reason why they can't release it on a DVD-R. Many of Warner Archives MOD discs come from seriously inadequate material. Judging by the comments from those who have seen TCM's showing, it is inconceivable that a DVD-R of Raintree County would be worse than, say, Saratoga Trunk or The Time, The Place and The Girl.

Of course they could! But the title of this thread is "Raintree County on blu?", not "Raintree County on MOD?". Personally, I'd be content with Raintree County on MOD (though I agree with Nick Z that it's a pretty stodgy piece of film making but I'll watch anything with Eva Marie Saint) but that wouldn't stop a thread like this one, wondering why it isn't on blu ray yet.

 

[Robin9]

on youtube this week i've seen . . . . 'tread softly stranger' 1958 with diana dors . . . . .

the actors in the dors film knocked it out of the park, and dors herself was just

sensational!!!!

It's high time I uploaded some pictures of Diana Dors into the Blondes thread!

 

[ptb2020]

It's high time I uploaded some pictures of Diana Dors into the Blondes thread!

Last week on UK tv there was a Dors film from the early 50s Passport to Shame in which she played the number one “escort” in a brothel. Considered so shocking at the time they gave the film a warning introduction by a Scotland Yard police inspector! She stole the film hands down!

 

[marcco00]

i haven't seen many of her films, but i am really, really impressed with her.

i'm planning to watch all of her films that i can find.

aaah, some benefits to this lock down!!

 

[ptb2020]

i haven't seen many of her films, but i am really, really impressed with her.

i'm planning to watch all of her films that i can find.

aaah, some benefits to this lock down!!

she was a talented lady. Took a long time for people to realise this, thinking her as little more than a British Marilyn Monroe look a like. Her performance in Yield To The Night was the eye opener For many. She played woman about to be hanged for killing her lover in crime of passion, like real life Ruth Ellis, last woman hanged In Britain. Dors is terrific in the powerful anti death penalty film.

 

[marcco00]

my current laptop wallpaper...... we can always dream!!

 

[ptb2020]

What beautiful art work. Wonder if Elizabeth got to keep the painting.

 

[Andrew Budgell]

Reminder: TCM will air Raintree County on Sunday, August 30th at 12.30 am ET. The film is part of their Summer Under the Stars salute to the great Eva Marie Saint!