RAINTREE COUNTY on Blu? (1 Viewer)

[RolandL]

Apparently it was a similar situation with Fall of the Roman Empire.

It was shot in Ultra Panavision but by the time it was released there were very few theaters around that could still show Ultra Panavision in full width as Mutiny on the Bounty had been the last film that was exhibited that way.

So it was only shown in flat prints that cut off 20% of the original cinematography, something that MGM had already anticipated by the way when making plans for the MGM Camera 65 format.

They could have shown it full width at Cinerama theatres but, most were still showing It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World when it was released. Later they changed to Circus World.

 

[OliverK]

They could have shown it full width at Cinerama theatres but, most were still showing It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World when it was released. Later they changed to Circus World.

Did not help that it was released in the US through Paramount who were not really into Cinerama.

 

[RolandL]

Did not help that it was released in the US through Paramount who were not really into Cinerama.

Both were released by Paramount and produced by Samuel Bronston and were financial failures. But, I'm glad to have Circus World on Blu-ray, would love to have Raintree County also on Blu-ray (2.76 AR and roadshow version).

 

[OliverK]

Both were released by Paramount and produced by Samuel Bronston and were financial failures. But, I'm glad to have Circus World on Blu-ray, would love to have Raintree County also on Blu-ray (2.76 AR and roadshow version).

Oh I had forgotten that Paramount also did Circus World in the states. I guess IAMMMW being so successful was an issue and then Fall wasn't your typical Cinerama movie, either.

Fall, Raintree County and Mutiny on the Bounty were all lavish and beautifully mounted productions that were beautifully shot and it is a shame that we cannot at least have proper Blu-rays of them in the 2.76:1 aspect ratio, let alone UHD releases.

Instead we have Circus World available coming from a really good 3k master - not really the title that I expected to have in good quality before the other three!

 

[usrunnr]

Instead we have Circus World available coming from a really good 3k master - not really the title that I expected to have in good quality before the other three!

Which version/issue are you referring to? And where/when can it be purchased?

 

[OliverK]

Which version/issue are you referring to? And where/when can it be purchased?

I think they all come from the same master that was produced by Pinewood some quite some time ago actually. It came from a 2k scan of the Technirama negative which makes the scanning resolution roughly 3k by 2k.

As for which version I own the first French release but the current favorite seems to be the Spanish version but then maybe you thought of some UHD release? None is announced at the moment from what I know.

 

[RolandL]

Which version/issue are you referring to? And where/when can it be purchased?

It's on Amazon.

El fabuloso mundo del circo [Blu-ray]​

 

[RolandL]

Fall, Raintree County and Mutiny on the Bounty were all lavish and beautifully mounted productions that were beautifully shot and it is a shame that we cannot at least have proper Blu-rays of them in the 2.76:1 aspect ratio, let alone UHD releases.

Mutiny on the Bounty Blu-ray is 2.76 and roadshow with Overture, Intermission and Exit music. Picture could be better.

Fall Blu-ray is 2.35, roadshow 185 minutes (missing 3 minutes?) with Overture, Intermission, Exit music. Picture could be better.

Raintree County does not have a DVD or Blu-ray. The TCM broadcast 2.35 and is 166 minutes (should be 188).

 

[OliverK]

Mutiny on the Bounty Blu-ray is 2.76 and roadshow with Overture, Intermission and Exit music. Picture could be better.


Fall Blu-ray is 2.35, roadshow 185 minutes (missing 3 minutes?) with Overture, Intermission, Exit music. Picture could be better.


Raintree County does not have a DVD or Blu-ray. The TCM broadcast 2.35 and is 166 minutes (should be 188).

Picture could be better is clearly not good enough for movies that used to look fantastic nor is the occasional (cropped) TCM HD broadcast doing justice to Raintree County.

Maybe 2022 will bring us at least one of these in decent quality.

 

[ptb2017fr]

There are new releases of Fall and El Cid announced on Amazon.fr but no details yet of extras, though Fall is 2.35:1 again and length at 185 minutes again.

 

[RolandL]

Raintree County on TCMHD 1/31 5pm EST. It says 3h 7m but the next movie starts at 8pm so, its not the roadshow.

 

[benbess]

Here's the song that one of my favorite vocalists, Nat King Cole, recorded for this movie. I think he brought something special to pretty much every song that he did, including this one.



They say in Raintree County there's a tree bright with blossoms of gold.
But you will find the Raintree's a state of the mind, or a dream to enfold.
It was there one day, with the buds of early May,
that you came like a flame from the south.
And I looked into eyes of periwinkle blue and I knew, then I knew
I'd love you in Raintree County, and I'd find what we all seek to know.
We shared the golden dream when we found our true love
in Raintree long ago,
For the brave who dare there's a Raintree ev'rywhere.
We who dreamed found it so, long ago.

 

[RolandL]

 

[OliverK]

Thanks to Chelsearicky for alerting us to an upcoming 35mm screening of Raintree County in NYC:

Edit: This was an old announcement it seems. I also found another one for the 22nd of May at the Lincoln Center but that, too is not for a screening this year according to their calendar that shows no screening of Raintree County for the 22nd of May.

 

[Andrew Budgell]

Thanks to Chelsearicky for alerting us to an upcoming 35mm screening of Raintree County in NYC:

Film Forum · RAINTREE COUNTY

AUGUST 12 WED RAINTREE COUNTY (1957, Edward Dmytryk) Indiana abolitionist Clift dumps high school sweetheart Eva Marie Saint for mentally unstable Southern belle Elizabeth Taylor (Oscar nomination, Best Actress), then finds himself on the wrong side of the Civil War, in an epic attempt at...

filmforum.org

View attachment 138039

Thanks, Oliver! Unfortunately that screening was two years ago to celebrate Monty Clift's centenary. Maybe there will be a screening somewhere to commemorate the film's 65th anniversary this year. Or, even better, a sparklingly restored Blu-ray.

 

[Nick Eden]

Here's hoping for a blu ray release. Not holding out for a 4K.

 

[Andrew Budgell]

We know that Warner and TCM have a multi-year partnership with The Film Foundation. Fingers crossed Raintree is up for consideration.

 

[OliverK]

Thanks, Oliver! Unfortunately that screening was two years ago to celebrate Monty Clift's centenary. Maybe there will be a screening somewhere to commemorate the film's 65th anniversary this year. Or, even better, a sparklingly restored Blu-ray.

Yeah, I saw that and another announcement for the 22nd of May also seems to be from a past screening:

Raintree County

A mentally unstable New Orleans belle (Oscar-nominated Taylor) captures the heart of Montgomery Clift’s abolitionist Northerner in this underrated Civil War epic.NOT ON DVD.

www.filmlinc.org

I would definitely go for a Blu-ray especially if they finally manage to give us the long version in better than bad VHS quality!

 

[RolandL]

With the success of The Wonderful World of The Brothers Grimm Blu-ray, I'm hoping WB works with Dave Strohmaier and friends to restore Raintree County.

 

[RichMurphy]

This is from the Film Forum's Facebook page, posted 14 hours ago:

Mark your calendars! MONTGOMERY CLIFT, a 2-week festival celebrating the iconic actor who forged an independent path in 1940s and ‘50s Hollywood, and redefined masculinity in post-war America, will open on Friday, June 3.
The series includes all of Clift’s major movies, including A PLACE IN THE SUN, RED RIVER, FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, RAINTREE COUNTY, SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER, THE SEARCH, & FREUD.