SANGAREE in 3-D! (1 Viewer)

[Bob Furmanek]

Oh, yes indeed, Mr. Sullivan is quite good in this film - as usual!

 

[Matt Hough]

Oh, yes indeed, Mr. Sullivan is quite good in this film - as usual!

The original Sir Wilfred Robards in Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution on stage in London and New York. He won the Tony Award for his work in the Broadway run.

 

[Charles Smith]

More and more incredible news. Fantastic, Bob.

Don't know this one at all, so I'm REALLY looking forward to what should be one of the best blind buys ever.

 

[MikeDE]

Looks like another must-have!

 

[Bob Furmanek]

We have just received this wonderful quote and photo from Arlene Dahl for the new SANGAREE article:

It was very nostalgic to relive the making of our 3D movie, "Sangaree." Fernando and I had a wonderful time filming it and a great time promoting it.

As a matter of fact, I showed the article to our son, Lorenzo, who revisited that era with me. He was very impressed with what his father and I went through making "Sangaree” together.

Wonderful memories…wonderful times.

Hollywood will never be like it was in the 50’s…

Thank you for sharing a very personal recollection with me.

Arlene Dahl
October 12, 2017

 

[Hillary Hess]

My review:

Recently, I had the good fortune to see a preview of the new SANGAREE 3-D blu-ray, and am delighted to report it is better than anticipated, both in content and in presentation, even though expectations were high due to the reputation of the 3-D Film Archive team.

The film itself was surprisingly engaging, both due to its period spectacle and in no small part to the undeniable allure of the leads. Production design is pure “Hollywood historical,” with its fancifully opulent sets and ostentatious costuming contributing to the expected visual feast. Though not originally conceived for 3-D, the compositions take great advantage of the medium right down to smoke wafting at various distances in the tavern and meeting scenes. At one point, the black and white checkered floor of our screening room seemed to extend directly into that of the Darbys' Savannah mansion, the depth effect was so pronounced! There are a few off-screen effects, well motivated, but the strength of the 3-D here is the tangible presence of the proceedings. This would also include the palpable chemistry between Arlene Dahl and Fernando Lamas, arguably among the most attractive actors in motion pictures, 2-D or 3-D. Understanding they were at the height of their romance during production, one watches their ill-concealed ardor for each other and wonders where or even if there is a line between their acting and genuine physical attraction. Those wanting to get the most out of their 3-D gear shouldn't be disappointed. Even the rear-projection process shots are handled well here!

The blu-ray presentation is solid, and all the more remarkable after seeing the restoration demo extra feature. The original materials looked pretty crispy, and how Greg Kintz and Jack Theakston were able to get the color they did out of them, and have both panels match so well, is testament to their commitment and skill. The colors have the richness one expects from a Technicolor release, but even so, subtleties. such as Miss Dahl's pale green eye shadow, are not lost in the near acrobatic feat of color correction. To bring out both lush saturation and delicate subtlety from such compromised elements is no mean feat. The flesh tones betray no hint of dye fading; a good thing for a film in which the female leads model various low-cut gowns and Lamas spends a fair amount of time bare-chested. Even the opticals integrate reasonably well, with better sharpness than expected. One may spot the usual tip-offs; increased contrast and a change in color balance, but sometimes you have to pay close attention to predict a fade or dissolve. Again, considering the condition of the elements, the results are quite impressive. Regarding sharpness, I don't recall any of the color films from the Golden Age of 3-D looking sharper and more detailed. The patterns in the lace on the costumes as well as the texture of their fabrics, in addition to numerous other fine details, present well. Also, as one expects from the 3-D Film Archive team, the 3-D presentation is superb with perfectly aligned panels and no eyestrain nor ghosting even in some contrasty day-for-night scenes. Plus the image is very clean, thanks to the efforts of Thad Komorowski. The ultimate effect for me was the most transparent presentation of a classic 3-D movie so far, with few limitations of the technology between me and the onscreen action.

In spite of not being among the more anticipated Golden Age 3-D films, SANGAREE turns out to be a fine piece of entertainment from every..ahem..perspective. Wonderful performances, great photography, compelling story, and is that a copious use of the Wilhelm Scream I hear during the scene with the pirate ship? Oh yeah, there's even a pirate ship in the mix! Everything in the movie is enhanced by the excellent 3-D. Bob Furmanek and the 3-D Film Archive crew have once again worked their magic and delivered a winner. After two viewings so far, this one has already become a favorite, and I suspect it will prove popular with others for a variety of reasons.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Agree with everything Hillary says here. It is an excellent 3-D presentation.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Can’t wait to see it!

 

[Matt Hough]

Can’t wait to see it!

Same here!

 

[ahollis]

As with the above comments, I too am so looking forward to this release.

 

[Hillary Hess]

Expanding a bit on my comment regarding the rear projection in SANGAREE. The process shots in "Dial M for Murder" or "Man in the Dark" provide compelling evidence that rear projection is not suitable for 3-D, but it is used to good effect here. Paramount was fortunate to have Farciot Edouart on staff, who not only inadvertently created what became the Paravision 3-D rig used in the film, but also produced some of the best process work seen during Hollywood's Golden Age.

The earliest shots appear to be 2nd unit location of two horsemen riding through the countryside. These shots are flat, and very likely were filmed prior to the production's switch to 3-D filming. As long shots like these show little depth to begin with, it is possible reshoots were deemed unnecessary. However, there is a clever trick which takes us from the 2-D opening to full 3-D. The final exterior shot of the horsemen is rear projected behind a wall guarded by a sentry, as they disappear behind the wall, the camera tilts down to the characters riding in on horseback in full 3-D. A very nice transition, well-timed, and an elegant way to bring us into the film's 3-D world.

Often, the best that can be expected from rear projection is that it doesn't make itself too obvious with mismatched angles, movement, and lighting intensity, hot-spots, grain, etc. In a 3-D production, there is the added liability that it is a rephotographed flat image. SANGAREE is a great example of how to deal with it, thanks to Edouart. The sequence with Dahl and Lamas on the boat has fine process work with the background plate of cypress trees moving along smooth as glass as one would expect if shot on location. Either by luck or understanding of how our binocular vision works, the screen appears to be far enough behind the action to render its 2-D nature moot. We do not perceive stereopsis beyond about 30 feet, so it doesn't matter of the projected image is 2-D as long as the screen is far enough away. In addition, the brightness is a good match for the studio lighting and when thrown slightly out of focus as is the fashion for studio work, the effect is very impressive.

And when seen through doors and windows, the effect is equally convincing. As good as rear projection can get! These screen caps may not show the restoration at its best, but do well to illustrate what one sees, even if only in 2-D here.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I eagerly await this one. Hillary, I’ll definitely keep an eye out for that rear projection, I appreciate your wonderfully insightful write up on the process used.

 

[Hillary Hess]

I'm glad you enjoy my take on the movie, Josh, and I appreciate everyone's feedback on the review. There is so much more to SANGAREE, but it seems when I'm watching how well the 3-D is done, I find myself noticing these other elements which serve both the depth and the story.

 

[Interdimensional]

I find your observations here very insightful and perceptive, and it's not the first time I've felt that way.

Regarding sharpness, I don't recall any of the color films from the Golden Age of 3-D looking sharper and more detailed. The patterns in the lace on the costumes as well as the texture of their fabrics, in addition to numerous other fine details, present well. Also, as one expects from the 3-D Film Archive team, the 3-D presentation is superb with perfectly aligned panels and no eyestrain nor ghosting even in some contrasty day-for-night scenes. Plus the image is very clean, thanks to the efforts of Thad Komorowski. The ultimate effect for me was the most transparent presentation of a classic 3-D movie so far, with few limitations of the technology between me and the onscreen action.

The high water mark for me so far has been Kiss Me Kate, to the point where I'd be very surprised if anything tops that, but I'm very excited about anything that can rival it. I don't think MGM cut their opticals in for whole scenes (just dissolves), and Kate really looked like a 'spare no expense' restoration from WB.

...But those two images you posted are incredibly promising! Colour saturation looks just about perfect and detail is sharp. I love that rich Technicolor glow, and can already get a sense of the screen charisma of the leads in that first image. Like glistening jewels. No wonder there were pirates on the horizon! Looks like this release is going to be a major highlight.

And it's all the more tantalizing knowing some of the titles in the pipeline behind it. I'll be thrilled if Jivaro can look this good.

Either by luck or understanding of how our binocular vision works, the screen appears to be far enough behind the action to render its 2-D nature moot. We do not perceive stereopsis beyond about 30 feet, so it doesn't matter of the projected image is 2-D as long as the screen is far enough away. In addition, the brightness is a good match for the studio lighting and when thrown slightly out of focus as is the fashion for studio work, the effect is very impressive.

And when seen through doors and windows, the effect is equally convincing. As good as rear projection can get! These screen caps may not show the restoration at its best, but do well to illustrate what one sees, even if only in 2-D here.

View attachment 49303 View attachment 49304

Paramount must've had quite a large stage for shooting rear projection, when you consider the depth of the set, the size of screen necessary at that depth, and the further distance needed behind the screen to allow for projection.

A high quality restoration of this film should be a real testament to Edouart, who clearly took his craft seriously and found ways to do things to the highest standards of the time. I wonder was the same Paravision rig used in its original capacity to photograph any of those backdrops early in production prior to the switch to 3-D? Perhaps it wasn't necessary at that point. I presume the reason it was developed those years earlier was to enable larger projected backgrounds with reduced grain. From the examples you provide, it looks like the effort was worth it.

 

[Hillary Hess]

The high water mark for me so far has been Kiss Me Kate, to the point where I'd be very surprised if anything tops that, but I'm very excited about anything that can rival it. I don't think MGM cut their opticals in for whole scenes (just dissolves), and Kate really looked like a 'spare no expense' restoration from WB.

...But those two images you posted are incredibly promising! Colour saturation looks just about perfect and detail is sharp. I love that rich Technicolor glow, and can already get a sense of the screen charisma of the leads in that first image. Like glistening jewels. No wonder there were pirates on the horizon! Looks like this release is going to be a major highlight.

Yes, KMK does look wonderful. What interests me about SANGAREE is that while MGM was able to incorporate what was learned about 3-D production by the time of KMK, the Pine-Thomas and Paramount team was doing some incredible things right out of the box, creating a world of exteriors (real and synthetic), as well as interiors of varying types all representing a time gone by. KMK benefitted from highly controllable studio shooting throughout. Even if SANGAREE doesn't hit each shot out of the park, the overall result is very impressive as the studio's first entry into 3-D and for what is attempted. The technicians, Edouart included, do not appear to have left anything to chance, and did the best with the technology of the time. SANGAREE would be a commendable Hollywood production in 2-D, but noticing the results of the care taken with the 3-D filming have enhanced my appreciation for the efforts of the crew. In this era of conversions of varying quality and effectiveness, I greatly appreciate seeing the work of people who clearly cared about their stereoscopic work.

And I think you'll find the actual blu-ray better than the screen caps I posted from my camera. The entire production is a very enjoyable experience.

 

[Camps]

So you're saying Sangaree will look.... mahvelous...?

 

[Bob Furmanek]

CineSavant Glenn Erickson reviews SANGAREE!

https://trailersfromhell.com/sangaree-3-d/

 

[Interdimensional]

Yes, KMK does look wonderful. What interests me about SANGAREE is that while MGM was able to incorporate what was learned about 3-D production by the time of KMK, the Pine-Thomas and Paramount team was doing some incredible things right out of the box, creating a world of exteriors (real and synthetic), as well as interiors of varying types all representing a time gone by. KMK benefitted from highly controllable studio shooting throughout. Even if SANGAREE doesn't hit each shot out of the park, the overall result is very impressive as the studio's first entry into 3-D and for what is attempted. The technicians, Edouart included, do not appear to have left anything to chance, and did the best with the technology of the time. SANGAREE would be a commendable Hollywood production in 2-D, but noticing the results of the care taken with the 3-D filming have enhanced my appreciation for the efforts of the crew. In this era of conversions of varying quality and effectiveness, I greatly appreciate seeing the work of people who clearly cared about their stereoscopic work.

And I think you'll find the actual blu-ray better than the screen caps I posted from my camera. The entire production is a very enjoyable experience.

While, as I said I think Kiss Me Kate looks incredible, it is a very indoorsy film. The stills you posted above may not have been filmed in the actual outdoors, but visually it's like a breath of fresh air.

One of the things I like about that other Pine-Thomas production Those Redheads from Seattle, is the abundance and diversity of location changes. They seem to have been masters at producing a wide variety of environments and settings mostly just filming on the lot, redressing existing sets and getting the most out of all the resources the studio had to offer.

 

[Interdimensional]

CineSavant Glenn Erickson reviews SANGAREE!

https://trailersfromhell.com/sangaree-3-d/

I wish he'd used actual screencaps. I'm dying to see more of how this looks.

I read with interest your comment about additional Pine-Thomas 3-D productions that never made it. It always seems like a real loss to me that 3-D production was so quickly abandoned, while at the same time I think it's incredible that fifty 3-D features somehow made it through the pipeline. I think no matter what, I'd always be of a mind that wishes for just a few more. Do you know was that Arlene/Fernando project related to the 1967 Richard Egan film of the same title?

 

[RichMurphy]

... It always seems like a real loss to me that 3-D production was so quickly abandoned, ...

Agreed, just like it is a real loss that 3-D capability on television sets was so quickly abandoned. It was only a decade ago that AVATAR began a new interest in 3D capabilities. Artists such as Ang Lee, Martin Scorsese, and Baz Lurhmann showed what stereoscopic imagery could do to enhance a film, but too much gimmickry and too many weak post-production 3D effects sealed its fate for the time being. Even some of the local IMAX theaters back away from showing the 3D versions of new releases.