"The Alamo"s Status? (1 Viewer)

[Randy Korstick]

1999 was the last year for Laserdisc Players in the US. I believe 2000 was the last year in Japan. The players are still easy to find on ebay. I had four and sold 2 of mine along time ago. One of my remaining 2 is acting up a bit, it skips scenes occasionally on certain discs. I did a quick cleaning of the laser and that seems to have fixed it on all but one disc. I still have around 1,000 of my original 2,500 Laserdisc and still enjoy them. I collected them from 1986-1999. I was surprised that sending the signal through my Sony receiver improved the picture a bit on my 70" LED I purchased last year so I have started watching them on a more regular basis again.

Maybe not. There aren't too many working laser discs players out there any more. When did the stop making the ? Around 1998?

 

[mark brown]

Watched it a couple of years ago and it looked only fair! No longer have AC3 capability but that is the least worry for Alamophiles!

 

[Capnvid]

So where is "The "Alamo Director's Cut" Blu-Ray? Does anybody know besides somebody selling a letterboxed LD on eBay? Yeah, it looks grand, but not good enough. BDR-DL Blu-Rays made from the LD don't make it without considerable noise on 4K TVs. Any real hope or despair to share?

 

[Reed Grele]

These are some raw, unmanipulated snapshots (not screen grabs) that I took a few years ago of my Alamo LD. From my Pioneer CLD704, upconverted through my Yamaha receiver, and output via HDMI to my Panny 7000 1080p projector. Screen size approx. 120" diagonal. Not too shabby imho.

 

[Dr Griffin]

More than acceptable, especially since it is projected.

 

[rsmithjr]

Not only does the LD look reasonable, it has LD sound. LD sound was almost always better than DVD sound and sometimes even better than Blu-ray sound.


The Alamo makes much more sense as a film from the LD version. I saw it in 35mm 4-track magnetic in the original release--beautiful dye-transfer--but the film didn't work for me then. Far improved in the complete LD version.

 

[LouA]

I haven't followed this thread much recently. Just wondering , is there anyone working on a Blu-ray version of the roadshow at this point ?

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I haven't followed this thread much recently. Just wondering , is there anyone working on a Blu-ray version of the roadshow at this point ?

There unfortunately have not been any real updates on the roadshow version recently, which I take to mean that there's been no progress to report.

 

[LouA]

There unfortunately have not been any real updates on the roadshow version recently, which I take to mean that there's been no progress to report.

For some reason, I was under the impression that Criterion was working on THE ALAMO for a potential BD release. I don't recall where I heard or read that ,but assuming that's correct , I would think it would probably be the short version - and I'm just guessing here.

 

[JoeDoakes]

For some reason, I was under the impression that Criterion was working on THE ALAMO for a potential BD release. I don't recall where I heard or read that ,but assuming that's correct , I would think it would probably be the short version - and I'm just guessing here.

When Mr. Harris tried his last attempt to restore the film (early 2014 I think), there was some talk (perhaps just from fans) that the restored film could show up on Criterion. Unfortunately, that didn't pan out when he could not get any cooperation from MGM. MGM announced that it would release its own blu-ray of the film at a future date after it had completed some work on it, but since then they have not said anything more.

 

[Dr Griffin]

I don't even think MGM would put the necessary funds into properly restoring the extra roadshow footage for integration into the general release now that I'm sure they have discovered the undeniable reality of the state of the film. RAH reported the film smelled of vinegar in the early 2000s, so by now it must be almost unusable without big bucks. It may no longer be usable at all. They declared the film elements were in fine shape and were "restoring" the extra 20 minutes of roadshow footage, which is an under-estimation of the actual amount of extra footage, I think about 30 minutes or so is more likely. It is truly a horror story: the complete roadshow found at a Canadian film distributor in the early 90s; RAH contacted by the fellow that discovered it; RAH trying to see to it that the film elements ended up at AMPAS, but somehow ending up at MGM; MGM making Laserdisc and VHS transfers, then giving the film a chemical bath that actually accelerated its distruction, then improperly storing it for the next 10 years (early 90s-early 00s); Rah re-inspecting the elements in the late(?) 00's and after MGMs inability to commit funds to its restoration, RAH attempting to fund it himself with other outside monies; and ultimately MGMs refusal of this outside funding. Now that once complete, and most likely only, vesion of the roadshow may now be history. I read the Dust to Dust article recently, and the above information was from memory of that article, so any corrections are most welcome, but I'm fairly sure that is the gist. The fact that there hasn't been a peep about this film from MGM in 18 months should speak volumes.

 

[cinemiracle]

Maybe MGM consider that they will lose to much money on any restoration .Let us not forget that the film was a flop in it's original release. I saw it in 70mm in 1960 . What did impress me was the academy award winning best sound.The music and songs were also unforgettable but the film was overlong and very tedious. The finale battle scenes were brilliantly filmed. There are far better films that deserve to be restored.The Alamo does exist in it's 192 minute version ( without overture and exit music etc) I have it on dvd. Someone somewhere,a film collector may have a 70mm version in their collection but won't say.

 

[Allansfirebird]

There are far better films that deserve to be restored.

This isn't a question of the quality of the film. The problem is the original elements of the film are now at the end of their usable lives - it deserves to be restored because it MUST be restored, otherwise the roadshow version of the film will be lost to time. Just because it's not a top-tier John Wayne movie doesn't mean we should consign it to the scrap heap like the current MGM management is probably doing now.

 

[Tom St Jones]

"Restored" with quotation marks, you mean. By now, a full restoration is pretty much impossible, according to Mr. Harris.

 

[Richard V]

Thinking about how glorious RAH could have made that Todd A-O film look, but never got the chance due to foolishness, makes me simultaneously angry and despondent.

 

[Robert Harris]

Maybe MGM consider that they will lose to much money on any restoration .Let us not forget that the film was a flop in it's original release. I saw it in 70mm in 1960 . What did impress me was the academy award winning best sound.The music and songs were also unforgettable but the film was overlong and very tedious. The finale battle scenes were brilliantly filmed. There are far better films that deserve to be restored.The Alamo does exist in it's 192 minute version ( without overture and exit music etc) I have it on dvd. Someone somewhere,a film collector may have a 70mm version in their collection but won't say.

One cannot lose money on something has no cost.

The loss of The Alamo has nothing to do with funding.

It's about ego and hubris.

RAH

 

[Richard Gallagher]

1999 was the last year for Laserdisc Players in the US. I believe 2000 was the last year in Japan. The players are still easy to find on ebay. I had four and sold 2 of mine along time ago. One of my remaining 2 is acting up a bit, it skips scenes occasionally on certain discs. I did a quick cleaning of the laser and that seems to have fixed it on all but one disc. I still have around 1,000 of my original 2,500 Laserdisc and still enjoy them. I collected them from 1986-1999. I was surprised that sending the signal through my Sony receiver improved the picture a bit on my 70" LED I purchased last year so I have started watching them on a more regular basis again.

I still have a working Pioneer Elite LD player. The last time I used it was to watch Song of the South. I have to remember to take the batteries out of the remote after I use it. I don't want them to leak and possibly ruin the remote.

 

[ahollis]

I still have a working Pioneer Elite LD player. The last time I used it was to watch Song of the South. I have to remember to take the batteries out of the remote after I use it. I don't want them to leak and possibly ruin the remote.

I still have three players. I picked up two players at the end of the laser Era knowing they would eventually dissapear.

 

[bujaki]

MGM's new battle cry: FORGET THE ALAMO!

 

[JoeDoakes]

One cannot lose money on something has no cost.

The loss of The Alamo has nothing to do with funding.

It's about ego and hubris.

RAH

Indeed, it wasn't going to cost MGM anything.