Press Release Warner Archive Collection Press Release: The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962) (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[JoshZ]

Would it have been possible to have done a 4K release of Brothers Grimm? How much more work would that have involved?

Would it have been technically possible? Sure. Would this particular movie have sold enough copies on 4K UHD to justify the expense of doing it? Probably not.

 

[Flashgear]

Very excited about this restoration! A few months ago it aired on TCM and I recorded it. It looked ghastly, absolutely heartbreaking. So, when news of this laborious and expensive restoration and the resulting WAC Blu-ray release was coming, I was astounded!

The magic in that film represents one of those lovely, hazy touchstones of childhood memory, seeing it with your family (in Cinerama, even in my backwoods ville), a little bit scary for my then-6 year old self, but with a big Wow factor!

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Never saw this film. Of course, it will be a day-one blind purchase. Looking forward to the SMILEBOX presentation.

 

[DP 70]

Re the surround channels on this film ,when I saw the only 3 panel print at Bradford a few times I remember hearing the cannon fire at the start come down the sides of the theatre , on a video I have seen the late John Michell re recording
an original 7 track soundtrack of Grimm which has VS on to modern magnetic stock with the channel layout as

1-5 Screen Channels
6 - Right Auditorium
7- Left Auditorium and Rear.

Us Cinerama fans have a lot to thank John Michell for.

 

[OliverK]

Would it have been technically possible? Sure. Would this particular movie have sold enough copies on 4K UHD to justify the expense of doing it? Probably not.

There is a 4k DCP out there so this would not have been too difficult but at the same time can't blame Warner for releasing it on Blu-ray only, at least for now.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Would it have been technically possible? Sure. Would this particular movie have sold enough copies on 4K UHD to justify the expense of doing it? Probably not.

Right, I think George Feltenstein wants to release a classic film on 4K/UHD, but it has to be a title that really sells and justifies its 4K UHD expense. He has mentioned "The Adventures of Robin Hood" in that regard as a possible 4K UHD release, but getting approval from higher management is something else.

 

[Douglas R]

It didn't work for me when I saw How the West Was Won in a Cinerama theater a few months before my 8th birthday. I absolutely noticed the join lines (they had a kind of "rolling" effect when something moved through them or a pan occurred) and the fisheye effect (though had no idea what they were or were called at that time) and spent more time watching those than the actual movie. For some reason I was fascinated by the distortions.

It *was* pretty cool seeing it on that huge screen though. Even though we were in the balcony (at least the front row though) it still mostly filled your vision. It's the one movie I wished my sister and I hadn't insisted on balcony seats or that my dad had said "No. We need to see this one as close to the screen as possible."

Yes, the join lines were very noticeable on How the West Was Won. I also saw the film when it was converted to 35mm and went on general release. It looked appalling - with the joins even more noticeable.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Yes, the join lines were very noticeable on How the West Was Won. I also saw the film when it was converted to 35mm and went on general release. It looked appalling - with the joins even more noticeable.

The join lines will nearly always be visible, no matter how much futzing is done. It's baked in by the optics.

 

[Ross Gowland]

Brilliant news and great to hear that a regular widescreen version will be included as well as a Smilebox one.

 

[JoshZ]

I will undoubtedly buy this for the historical curiosity of the Cinerama aspect. Is it actually a good movie, though?

Would someone who didn't grow up in the early 1960s and doesn't have any particular nostalgia for George Pal Puppetoons or the likes of Buddy Hackett and Jim Backus get much out of this?

Asking sincerely, not trolling. The trailer looks like it could go either way.

 

[Matt Hough]

I will undoubtedly buy this for the historical curiosity of the Cinerama aspect. Is it actually a good movie, though?

Would someone who didn't grow up in the early 1960s and doesn't have any particular nostalgia for George Pal Puppetoons or the likes of Buddy Hackett and Jim Backus get much out of this?

Asking sincerely, not trolling. The trailer looks like it could go either way.

I think the fairy tales are charming, while the Leigh Harline background score is sweet, and the Bob Merrill tunes are appropriately whimsical. The frame story of the brothers themselves is pretty mundane, but the picturesque European locations help abet that somewhat.

 

[KPmusmag]

I have never seen this film, but my parents did before I was born, and they had the deluxe hardcover souvenir book. I looked at that book endlessly as a kid and I am thrilled to be able to see it now in a great presentation. Can't wait.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

I will undoubtedly buy this for the historical curiosity of the Cinerama aspect. Is it actually a good movie, though?

Would someone who didn't grow up in the early 1960s and doesn't have any particular nostalgia for George Pal Puppetoons or the likes of Buddy Hackett and Jim Backus get much out of this?

Asking sincerely, not trolling. The trailer looks like it could go either way.

I think the fairy tales are charming, while the Leigh Harline background score is sweet, and the Bob Merrill tunes are appropriately whimsical. The frame story of the brothers themselves is pretty mundane, but the picturesque European locations help abet that somewhat.

Matt is absolutely on the money in describing this. The framing story is the weakest link in the film, but it's still sumptuously shot and Barbara Eden and Claire Bloom look fantastic. I'm just looking forward to seeing something better than the atrocious P/S VHS version where I saw it for the first time. It physically hurt to watch that.

 

[TallPaulInKy]

Thank you for supporting HTF when you preorder using the link below. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link. As an Amazon Associate HTF earns from qualifying purchases

I tried the link but Amazon says:"
Currently unavailable. We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock." The release date is given as March 29, 2022.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I tried the link but Amazon says:"
Currently unavailable. We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock." The release date is given as March 29, 2022.

It will be active in the near future. I'll post a comment when that happens.

 

[Bill Huelbig]

I will undoubtedly buy this for the historical curiosity of the Cinerama aspect. Is it actually a good movie, though?

Would someone who didn't grow up in the early 1960s and doesn't have any particular nostalgia for George Pal Puppetoons or the likes of Buddy Hackett and Jim Backus get much out of this?

Asking sincerely, not trolling. The trailer looks like it could go either way.

I can't be subjective about this movie. I saw it as a kid and loved it. The story, the performances, the cinematography, the production design, the music - all beautiful. Year after year, I would read about the water damage making it impossible to restore, and that not many people would want to buy it anyway. And yet here it is. Thanks to David Strohmaier and his team, and to Warner for footing the bill. Can't wait to see it!

 

[Ronald Epstein]

It will be active in the near future. I'll post a comment when that happens.

Correct. I put up these placeholders because I can't sit here and check links dozens of times a day to see when they go live.

Amazon often puts up placeholders. So, with placeholders, you can all check it on a daily basis to see when it goes live.

 

[Rob W]

I will undoubtedly buy this for the historical curiosity of the Cinerama aspect. Is it actually a good movie, though?

Would someone who didn't grow up in the early 1960s and doesn't have any particular nostalgia for George Pal Puppetoons or the likes of Buddy Hackett and Jim Backus get much out of this?

Asking sincerely, not trolling. The trailer looks like it could go either way.

I saw this in genuine Cinerama at the last Cinerama film festival at the Cinerama Dome with the last remaining print which went down in the middle of the presentation. Russ Tamblyn was in attendance and got up on stage to talk to the audience while the techs worked to get the film back on screen. If I recall correctly he claimed shooting in Cinerama was "a pain in the ass" which got a big laugh.

As for the film, the sole enjoyment for me was watching the spectacle in this unique format on the huge screen. It's truly from a different era and watching the trailer again I thought that you would be hard-pressed to find kids today who would sit through it. I would never have had the patience for the dance sequences as a kid although of course my taste changed over the years.

That said, you sound very much like me who values all of these Cinerama titles as unique artifacts of a system that we will never see again. I will still buy the blu-ray and watch it again for those reasons. Others will buy it because they genuinely enjoy the film, and that's fine as well.

The absolute worst story-based Cinerama film I sat through was The Golden Head, although it did give me perverse pleasure watching George Sanders (who I love) teamed with Buddy Hackett, of all people. The two are such a mismatch for me I smiled all the way through the film. I supported the blu release of it as well, but can't get through it a second time.

 

[Rick2Hot]

I’m SOOOO looking forward to watching this in Smilebox on my tv! Such a great movie!

Looking forward to seeing it on my 85" Sony 4K TV

 

[RolandL]

The absolute worst story-based Cinerama film I sat through was The Golden Head, although it did give me perverse pleasure watching George Sanders (who I love) teamed with Buddy Hackett, of all people. The two are such a mismatch for me I smiled all the way through the film. I supported the blu release of it as well, but can't get through it a second time.

The Golden Head was never released in the US.