The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers 4K UHD (4 Viewers)

[titch]

StudioCanal released these in their Vintage Classics series this week - I was looking forward to revisiting them again, last seen when I was a young whippersnapper at boarding school. Delightfully silly and swashbuckling, the transfers aren't too bad. It looked as though the contrast was blown out initially, but there were many scenes where the picture looks good. Colour looks terrific in some outdoor scenes - so maybe it's down to the initial photography and production? The picture quality otherwise is damage-free and no obvious grain removal.

The first film contains one of the most absurd scenes I've ever seen - a chess game played with animals. And I loved the CGI-free locations - those were the days, eh?

 

[Alan Tully]

Yeah, I've just bought the Blu-rays for now (from Germany, two films in one slim case for a smidgen over £17 delivered, fantastic value), I'll probably buy the 4Ks down the line, but with my 47" telly, I'm not seeing a massive difference right now (but I continue to tweak it). From what I remember seeing the films in the cinema, DOP David Watkin did let the whites blow in some exterior scenes.

 

[Dick]

I am expecting these in the mail on Wednesday (with shipping to U.S. the pair has cost me a bit over $60). THREE MUSKETEERS is one of my favorite adventure films, but is often hilarious. Typical of Richard Lester, there are visual gags galore -- literal slapstick -- and well-enough done to make me laugh out loud (the sight of Roy Kinnear carrying a freaking tree in the dark and nailing someone with it is about as funny as it gets). Yet, the story is quite true to Dumas' story, and there are moments of genuine pathos. Superb film. Glad to hear the grain hasn't been smeared as it was on the Optimum release. I've been waiting since video was born for a really good transfer of this near-masterpiece.

THE FOUR MUSKETEERS retains some of the comedy elements, but necessarily grows more serious in its second half. Like LORD OF THE RINGS, these films together add up to a real epic with a pitch-perfect cast (Raquel Welch had a theretofore untapped comic talent). The music scores, by Michel Legrand and Lalo Schifrin, respectively, are both excellent, arguably high points for both composers.

If these films have somehow remained under your radar, I would urge you to check them out.

 

[Alan Tully]

I think that we have the two new French Musketeer films to thank for this release. The first one, D'Artagnan has had some great reviews, the second one, Milady opens in December. Anyway, so glad to have the Richard Lester films on Blu-ray (I don't count the previous releases, as they looked horrible). I know these things are subjective, but this year could be the best one for catalogue releases in ages (for me anyway).

 

[Baenwort]

Nice to hear!

Do you think there will be a US release eventually?

 

[Konstantinos]

Can anyone confirm this statement?

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[titch]

Nice to hear!

Do you think there will be a US release eventually?

StudioCanal releases rarely get subsequent Stateside releases; there are exceptions, of course. Lionsgate do occasionally release the same masters in the US (e.g. The Man Who Fell To Earth) and Criterion have released the StudioCanal restored 4K UHD Le Cercle Rouge and will be releasing Breathless. But StudioCanal's Vintage Classics 4K UHD The Ladykillers has not been published over the pond. Neither has the 4K UHD of Ran. The 4K UHD Elephant Man is only available in Europe, as well as Don't Look Now. And Criterion passed on the 4K UHD of The Servant.

 

[Sultanofcinema]

I saw The Three Musketeers theatrically when it was released in October 1973 with a friend. That same friend returned with me to the same theater in April of 1974 for The Four Musketeers. I bought the scores for both films, the second did not get an immediate release. These films are near and dear to me. Had purchased the DVD's and then the Optimum blu. The 4k's are beautiful and have incredible sound to them. Got them from Rare Waves 16.02 each on preorder with 4.36 shipping. Since then, they have gone up to almost 30.00 each and are currently out of stock. A close friend of mine has a beautiful 35 mm print of the first film which he just ran last fall. The films are rumored to be coming in the states from ...CRITERION!. We checked with Kino two years ago and they wanted to release Crossed Swords along with both Musketeers films at the same time, but they confirmed another company had picked up both Musketeer films. One sad note, I really wanted to have the friend who I went with initially to the theatrical showings and would have loved to sit down with him for nostalgia and watch them all these years later together. I was notified that he passed away last fall.

 

[titch]

Can anyone confirm this statement?

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I saw both films yesterday and didn't for one second catch that there was anything amiss. Which isn't saying there might be something in the audio pitch, but would not be perceptible to normal human beings. But Michael York sounded exactly as Michael York should sound and Raquel Welsh sounded exactly as Raquel Welsh should.

Checked on a couple of other sites....no, they weren't worried either.

The Three Musketeers & The Four Musketeers UHD review | Cine Outsider

The Three Musketeers (1973) 4K Blu-ray Review

Richard Lester's 1973 classic The Three Musketeers comes to 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Vision HDR, courtesy of Studiocanal UK

www.avforums.com

 

[Konstantinos]

I saw both films yesterday and didn't for one second catch that there was anything amiss. Which isn't saying there might be something in the audio pitch, but would not be perceptible to normal human beings. But Michael York sounded exactly as Michael York should sound and Raquel Welsh sounded exactly as Raquel Welsh should.

Checked on a couple of other sites....no, they weren't worried either.

The Three Musketeers & The Four Musketeers UHD review | Cine Outsider

The Three Musketeers (1973) 4K Blu-ray Review

Richard Lester's 1973 classic The Three Musketeers comes to 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Vision HDR, courtesy of Studiocanal UK

www.avforums.com

well, if there is indeed an audio pitch issue, it's not perceptible if one hasn't got a reference.
The safest way I think is to check if the main titles music is in the same pitch as this:

 

[David_B_K]

These are among my favorite films. Saw both several times during their initial runs. The Optimum Blu-rays are pretty poor. I think there is filtering missing on several scenes, such as when D'Artagnan confronts the Duke of Buckingham in the rain. I remember it as evening/night; looks like daylight on the Blu-ray.

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

well, if there is indeed an audio pitch issue, it's not perceptible if one hasn't got a reference.
The safest way I think is to check if the main titles music is in the same pitch as this:

Soundtrack albums aren't always the best way to judge pitch against the film. In many cases they'll be sourced from 1/4" album masters which don't have sync and run wild. There can be quite a bit of drift. Just the other day I was working on....okay, that's not important, but there was a track on the album master that was noticably fast when played against the film, so I pitch corrected it for the new CD release. It now runs a few seconds longer.

 

[B-ROLL]

I saw The Three Musketeers theatrically when it was released in October 1973 with a friend. That same friend returned with me to the same theater in April of 1974 for The Four Musketeers. I bought the scores for both films, the second did not get an immediate release. These films are near and dear to me. Had purchased the DVD's and then the Optimum blu. The 4k's are beautiful and have incredible sound to them. Got them from Rare Waves 16.02 each on preorder with 4.36 shipping. Since then, they have gone up to almost 30.00 each and are currently out of stock. A close friend of mine has a beautiful 35 mm print of the first film which he just ran last fall. The films are rumored to be coming in the states from ...CRITERION!. We checked with Kino two years ago and they wanted to release Crossed Swords along with both Musketeers films at the same time, but they confirmed another company had picked up both Musketeer films. One sad note, I really wanted to have the friend who I went with initially to the theatrical showings and would have loved to sit down with him for nostalgia and watch them all these years later together. I was notified that he passed away last fall.

When the first one came out I dragged my mom along - or else I'ld be walking to the theater. She did not like it and wanted to know why they put Raquel Welch in the film when "she was clearly too old to play the part!". So then she bought me the source- book. I took it to reading class and advised I was mispronouncing Mr Doomah's name - as we were taught to say the names phonetically. I think the sequel was at a closer theater and I saw without my mother.

 

[titch]

well, if there is indeed an audio pitch issue, it's not perceptible if one hasn't got a reference.
The safest way I think is to check if the main titles music is in the same pitch as this:

Checking anything, using a YouTube video as reference, is not safe at all.

 

[Keith Cobby]

I think that we have the two new French Musketeer films to thank for this release. The first one, D'Artagnan has had some great reviews, the second one, Milady opens in December. Anyway, so glad to have the Richard Lester films on Blu-ray (I don't count the previous releases, as they looked horrible). I know these things are subjective, but this year could be the best one for catalogue releases in ages (for me anyway).

I watched D'Artagnan theatrically, excellent film and highly recommended. Hope there is a 4k release in due course.

 

[Peter Neski]

I didn't notice any Pitch problem at all

 

[Randy Korstick]

The Four Musketeers contains one of Oliver Reed's finest performances if not his best.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

The Four Musketeers contains one of Oliver Reed's finest performances if not his best.

It's good, but doesn't hold a candle to The Devils.

 

[Konstantinos]

Soundtrack albums aren't always the best way to judge pitch against the film. In many cases they'll be sourced from 1/4" album masters which don't have sync and run wild. There can be quite a bit of drift. Just the other day I was working on....okay, that's not important, but there was a track on the album master that was noticably fast when played against the film, so I pitch corrected it for the new CD release. It now runs a few seconds longer.

Well, I don't know, but two people at bluray.com, still insist there is a pitch issue.

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

Well, I don't know, but two people at bluray.com, still insist there is a pitch issue.

I'm not questioning that, only saying the soundtrack album may not be the best reference.

It would be disappointing if the audio is at the incorrect pitch on these discs.