WA: Les Girls 04-17-18 BD Release (1 Viewer)

[KPmusmag]

Release date is April 17th. Preorder Link Below:

Les Girls

Thanks for the link - I searched for it earlier on amazon and couldn't find it.

 

[Mark-W]

Release date is April 17th. Preorder Link Below:

Les Girls

Ordered via Robert's link.

 

[RobertSiegel]

I am surprised no one has mentioned what a great stereo soundtrack this has. The DVD itself had an incredible sounding track, and this will be remastered and in lossless audio yet. One of the flashbacks is a big production number, where the drums should really work the bass on our systems!

 

[Matt Hough]

A few days before the announcement of the Blu-ray, I had meant to take the DVD off the shelf and play it since I hadn't watched it in several years, but I got sidetracked and didn't get around to it. Now, of course, I'm waiting impatiently for a month for my preorder to finally get filled, mailed, and arrive at my house.

 

[Matt Hough]

I watched Les Girls this afternoon. While I found the image quality good, it's not exceptional, I didn't think. I'd compare it to the very nice picture quality of It's Always Fair Weather but a step below some of the other Cinemascope MGM musicals WA has released during the past couple of years (Brigadoon, Kismet, Bells Are Ringing to me looked a little stronger). But the sound is excellent, and the "girls" of the title all look lovely.

It's never been a great musical (the Cole Porter score isn't one of his finest), but George Cukor is completely comfortable handling the musical chores, and the Oscar-winning costumes look great.

 

[GlennF]

Reading on another site they talked about how, like Silk Stockings, this was shot on Eastmancolor and the problems there are with the yellow layer collapsing. Apparently they used an IP that was in good shape, rather than go back to the negative, to help solve the problem. Might explain why it isn't as stellar as some of the others.

 

[Garysb]

The 7 Brides must be unreleasable by Warner standards for it still to be missing on blu. Of all the missing MGM 1950's musicals it is the crown jewel.

 

[Matt Hough]

Reading on another site they talked about how, like Silk Stockings, this was shot on Eastmancolor and the problems there are with the yellow layer collapsing. Apparently they used an IP that was in good shape, rather than go back to the negative, to help solve the problem. Might explain why it isn't as stellar as some of the others.

That makes sense. If I had to choose between the two, I think Silk Stockings looks better. But I will say that those bright, bright reds used throughout the movie are handled quite nicely in high definition.

 

[Nick*Z]

Personally, I've always found Les Girls a colossal disappointment and a real sour note on which Kelly departed MGM for greener pastures elsewhere. The title number is expertly staged, but Cukor seems really disinterested with the rest of the numbers, especially the love ballad, Ça c'est l'amour, shot flatly and without any visual finesse amidst the rushes and reeds on an obvious back lot (and likely indoor) recreation. Mitzi Gaynor is under-used. In addition to her obvious good looks and superb deportment as a musical star, she also possesses wry comedic timing, barely exposed, much less exploited, in this movie.

Cukor's superb compositions in Cinemascope are always a pleasure to observe. He knows how to render the cinema space so well. The best number in this picture is 'Why Am I So Gone About the Gal' - Kelly's spoof of Brando, and a superb pas deux for Kelly and Gaynor - top musical talents in rare form. A phenomenal dance routine. It's a pity this movie wasn't better. It's occasionally lavish, but mostly absurd treatment of a failed suicide, told from 3 different perspectives (none of which make any sense - remember, the girls lived in a cramped flat. Neither knew the other was home when the gas line ruptured?!?) is a wash; the plot, so threadbare, if it were not for the occasional flights into musical fantasy there would be virtually nothing to recommend it.

WAC's Blu is good, but I'll concur, not up to their usual 'wow' and 'pop'. Again, owing to surviving elements, I think it looks good enough to derive pleasure. But it's not perfect, nor will it ever likely attain such loftier ambitions. Oh well, live with it, I suppose. I have.