RYAN’S DAUGHTER: Discussions for a BD Release (2015 - 2024) (1 Viewer)

[trajan007]

Criterion should release it as well as a number of quality films that Warner seems to have no desire to release.

 

[PMF]

Criterion should release it as well as a number of quality films that Warner seems to have no desire to release.

Yes, a "Ryan's Daughter" disc from Criterion would look superior to the current HD rentals;
to which I've seen twice and was left with the impressive sight of its unfulfilled possibilities.

 

[PMF]

Apparently Warner was not happy with the HD version they have - it is supposed to be pretty good and available on vudu for example.

If this comes out in 4k I'll buy it.

OliverK, since your above posting from September 5, 2015 has there been any known changes or improvements to the HD version? Of the two times I viewed it in HD, I found it to be off the mark from its true splendor. I, myself, could only imagine that a BD release of "Ryan's Daughter" would still outshine all existing formats; short of a 70mm presentation.

 

[Thomas T]

Criterion should release it as well as a number of quality films that Warner seems to have no desire to release

That is a gross assumption. Just because requested titles like Around The World In 80 Days, Raintree County, High Society or Ryan's Daughter haven't been released (or released as quickly as you want) doesn't mean Warners has no desire in releasing them. Do you honestly think Criterion would give them the loving restoration needed that Warners can? Not to mention the cost. Criterion is a boutique label. Why would Warners spend all that money on restoration and then toss it over to a small independent label?

 

[OliverK]

That is a gross assumption. Just because requested titles like Around The World In 80 Days, Raintree County, High Society or Ryan's Daughter haven't been released (or released as quickly as you want) doesn't mean Warners has no desire in releasing them. Do you honestly think Criterion would give them the loving restoration needed that Warners can? Not to mention the cost. Criterion is a boutique label. Why would Warners spend all that money on restoration and then toss it over to a small independent label?

I agree that it is not about releasing but about restoring for three of these four titles and if Warner was to do extensive new work on these I am sure that they would not hand over the new masters to Criterion but they would prepare Blu-ray and possible DVD releases themselves.

Warner could however let Criterion have Ryan's Daughter, High Society and Around the World in 80 Days in their current digital form and let Criterion face whatever blame they receive for putting the older masters on Blu-ray. I expect that if Criterion was open about things they would not face any blame at all as long as they still look significantly better than the DVD's which is the case. This would give fans the titles they desire and Warner would not have something that they supposedly deem to be below their high standards or where they may not expect high enough sales.

Now the question is of course if Criterion would even be interested in such an arrangement but I strongly doubt they will be interested to pay the expenses for producing a brand new master for any of these and then give that to Criterion.

As for Warner doing justice to the titles as they certainly can this is all moot if they don't do it and I would be surprised if in the next three years they revisit more than one of these four titles that you mention above so I am in favor of Criterion making the best out of what is available for the titles that Warner does not want to release in the near future.

 

[OliverK]

OliverK, since your above posting from September 5, 2015 has there been any known changes or improvements to the HD version? Of the two times I viewed it in HD, I found it to be off the mark from its true splendor. I, myself, could only imagine that a BD release of "Ryan's Daughter" would still outshine all existing formats; short of a 70mm presentation.

I am not aware of any changes having been made to the underlying master but improvements with the streaming services may result in a slightly improved presentation or Warner may have changed their delivery format. You are correct that a really good Blu-ray would look stunning, better than Ben-Hur, Lawrence of Arabia or Spartacus.

 

[Thomas T]

Warner could however let Criterion have Ryan's Daughter, High Society and Around the World in 80 Days in their current digital form and let Criterion face whatever blame they receive for putting the older masters on Blu-ray.

I have just two words for you, Oliver ..... Lost Highway

 

[PMF]

Criterion should release it as well as a number of quality films that Warner seems to have no desire to release.

That is a gross assumption. Just because requested titles like Around The World In 80 Days, Raintree County, High Society or Ryan's Daughter haven't been released (or released as quickly as you want) doesn't mean Warners has no desire in releasing them. Do you honestly think Criterion would give them the loving restoration needed that Warners can? Not to mention the cost. Criterion is a boutique label. Why would Warners spend all that money on restoration and then toss it over to a small independent label?

I understand both posts and points from trajan007 and Thomas T. Could it be that many of us may be seeing Criterion as the adoptive parents of other studios? Case in point, Grover Crisp and his fantastic team that worked on their annual releases of the Frank Capra films were all put out by Sony; yet, with one exception: Criterion's "It Happened One Night". (That was a great double-shot year for us Capra fans, as Sony also released a Capra title, as well.)

Meanwhile Thomas T, whomever may or may not release "Ryan's Daughter", would you elect to have this title on a BD or are you good with the current HD streaming format?

P.S. My condolences to everyone on all matters concerning "Lost Highway".

 

[Thomas T]

Meanwhile Thomas T, whomever may or may not release "Ryan's Daughter", would you elect to have this title on a BD or are you good with the current HD streaming format?

Since I don't stream or download, obviously I'd be over the moon with a good HD transfer on blu ray.

 

[OliverK]

I have just two words for you, Oliver ..... Lost Highway

Yes, I can see what you mean but I doubt that the director of Ryan's Daughter will show some extremely weird behaviour when it gets released on Blu-ray by first refusing to work on a new master and then blaming Criterion for it

 

[KeithDA]

You are correct that a really good Blu-ray would look stunning, better than Ben-Hur, Lawrence of Arabia or Spartacus.

Why? Were the film stock and lenses for RD so much better in 1970 compared to LoA in 1962?

 

[OliverK]

Why? Were the film stock and lenses for RD so much better in 1970 compared to LoA in 1962?

Please note that I said better, not much better. Ben-Hur and Lawrence of Arabia had some production and negative related problems and as for Spartacus it has a smaller negative compared to Ryan's Daughter. On top of that Ryan's Daughter has been shot on better film stock than these three and the lenses were surely an improvement over what was used for Ben-Hur and Spartacus. Not sure about Lawrence of Arabia but in about 8 years there may have been some improvements. So it is a number of factors that come to mind.

 

[Robert Harris]

Please note that I said better, not much better. Ben-Hur and Lawrence of Arabia had some production and negative related problems and as for Spartacus it has a smaller negative compared to Ryan's Daughter. On top of that Ryan's Daughter has been shot on better film stock than these three and the lenses were surely an improvement over what was used for Ben-Hur and Spartacus. Not sure about Lawrence of Arabia but in about 8 years there may have been some improvements. So it is a number of factors that come to mind.

Ben and Spartacus would both have been on the same stock - 5248. Keep in mind that optics used for both were different than Law and Ryan.

Only difference between Law and Ryan was stock - 5250 vs 5254 - two generations. 5254 had the same basic image structure as 5251, so yes, Ryan had a slightly more highly resolved image that Lawrence, and even better in that regard to the earlier films. Ben went into production in 1957, using the C65 system - same as Raintree.

All large format prints would have originally been struck from the EKs.

 

[OliverK]

Ben and Spartacus would both have been on the same stock - 5248. Keep in mind that optics used for both were different than Law and Ryan.

Only difference between Law and Ryan was stock - 5250 vs 5254 - two generations. 5254 had the same basic image structure as 5251, so yes, Ryan had a slightly more highly resolved image that Lawrence, and even better in that regard to the earlier films. Ben went into production in 1957, using the C65 system - same as Raintree.

All large format prints would have originally been struck from the EKs.

Thanks for filling in the film stocks, I was sure about Ben-Hur having been shot on 5248 and Lawrence on 5250 but I was not quite sure about Spartacus as it was produced when Kodak introduced 5250.

From all the 70mm prints that I have seen of major Hollywood productions Ryan's Daughter and Cheyenne Autumn probably impressed me the most with regard to detail and clarity and sadly both have not yet been released on Blu-ray.

 

[PMF]

Ah, sweet mysteries of life.
Albeit, still unknown for another week, Criterion will be unveiling a title that will become Spine #1,000.
On the Criterion thread there have been many predictions, hopes and speculations.
And many that make perfect sense.
Still, the films of David Lean do factor well into the Criterion MO.
Hopefully, "Ryan's Daughter" is one of their nominees.

 

[OliverK]

Ah, sweet mysteries of life.
Albeit, still unknown for another week, Criterion will be unveiling a title that will become Spine #1,000.
On the Criterion thread there have been many predictions, hopes and speculations. And many that make perfect sense.
Still, David Lean films do factor well into the Criterion MO.
Hopefully, "Ryan's Daughter" is one of their nominees.

Hopefully it will be a really big title that we almost did not expect to come out on Blu-ray any more - not some obscure title by an auteur kown to about 3 users on the Criterion forum (no offense meant to lovers of more obscure gems of cinema). Obviously Ryan's Daughter would fit that description and if not I hope to be blown away by an equally worthy candidate

 

[Angelo Colombus]

There is speculation that a Godzilla box set will be spine #1000...I hope that won't happen.

 

[PMF]

There is speculation that a Godzilla box set will be spine #1000...I hope that won't happen.

Such a selection for #1,000 would be monstrous;
and yet, as far as major spines do go, Godzilla's is up there.

 

[Astairefan]

There is speculation that a Godzilla box set will be spine #1000...I hope that won't happen.

But will it happen, though? The impression I have been getting is that there is a planned Godzilla set that should be announced at Comic-Con (which I thought is going on now), and Criterion said they would be announcing spine #1000 NEXT week, so, unless I'm missing something, it doesn't seem like that will be the case (at least, that's what I'm hoping).

 

[PMF]

On the topic of other David Lean titles awaiting its transition from DVD to Blu, I often wonder about Criterion.
After all, they've released the DVDs to "Great Expectations" (1946), "Oliver Twist" (1948); "Hobson's Choice" (1954) and"Summertime" (1955); but never took it to Blu.

One has to wonder if its about the renewal of rights, issues over proper transfers or is just simply other priorities.
The tremendous "Ingmar Bergman's Cinema" with its 39 discs has done fabulously well;
and they've just released their 15-discs of "Godzilla: The Showa-Era";
and there's even rumor of a Fellini centennial set from Criterion;
and, oh yes, there was Criterion's concise offering of "David Lean Directs Noel Coward" on Blu.

One can only hope that the delay of these four aforementioned works by David Lean will be part of something more. Let's say, a box of those "New to Blu" titles plus "The Passionate Friends" (1949) and "Madeline" (1950). I'd even say "The Sound Barrier" (1952), but StudioCanal already has it in Blu on the other side of the pond; which may more than likely tie things up in matters of gaining something so complete.

Well, Criterion, at least you could throw us David Lean's work as a film editor, by releasing a BD of "The 49th Parallel" (1941);
as surely this would satisfy your P & P market, while also giving us the visuals of DP Freddie Young.

As for WAC and "Ryan's Daughter"?
No, I have not forgotten.
But I'm laying off of these goodly folks until the year of 2020.
And why? Because they've given us some damned good distractions in lieu of my cause.
Yes, I am speaking of "Jezebel", "Footlight Parade", "Gaslight", "The Letter", "The Sea Hawk",
"Summer Stock", "The Thin Man", "The Days of Wine and Roses" and; for added good measure;
Glenda Jackson's Oscar winning turn in "A Touch of Class" and Peter O'Toole in "My Favorite Year".

Truly, who could fault WAC for releases such as these?