Press Release Warner Archive Press Release: The Great Caruso (1951) (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

NEW 2021 1080p HD Master Sourced from 4K scan of original nitrate Technicolor negatives!

THE GREAT CARUSO (1951)
Run Time 109:00
Subtitles English SDH
Audio Specs MONO - English, DTS HD-Master Audio 2.0 - English
Aspect Ratio 1.37:1, 4 X 3
Product Color COLOR
Disc Configuration BD 50
Special Features: Documentary "Mario Lanza: Singing to the Gods"; Theatrical Trailer (HD)

Bravo, Enrico! Bravo, Mario! Renowned tenor Mario Lanza portrays his longtime singing idol Enrico Caruso in the crowd-pleasing musical that was 1951’s #4 box-office hit. Suggested by Dorothy Caruso’s biography of her husband, The Great Caruso rings out with aural pleasures (27 musical selections) and shines with the grandeur of a life lovingly refracted through the Hollywood biopic lens. The music (by Puccini, Donizetti, Verdi and more) emphasizes works most closely associated with Caruso. The story, spanning Caruso’s Naples boyhood to worldwide acclaim and tragedy-stricken final performance, touches on the down-to-earth character traits that spread the singer’s fame beyond the black-tie society of Metropolitan Opera connoisseurs. Nominated for three 1951 Academy Awards®, the movie won for Best Sound Recording.

 

[Robert Crawford]

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[Joel Arndt]

Great news! This is most definitely in need of an upgrade.

 

[Gerani53]

Another scan from the original three Technicolor negatives? YES!!!

 

[lark144]

It will look amazing, though it's not one of my faves. I'm waiting on "The Toast of New Orleans" which is a lot giddier and also stranger, both the apex as well as the end of the road of the MGM musical.

 

[Gerani53]

Now that I look into the announcement here, and the one just posted on Blu-ray.com, I'm not so sure THE GREAT CARUSO will indeed be a three-strip, three negative combo presentation like GOOD NEWS, HARVEY GIRLS, the upcoming SHOW BOAT, etc. The other announcement just says 4K scan, without mentioning anything about the three negatives. Whenever that's been in the case in the past, the release wasn't a three-neg combo presentation, just a gorgeous version of the film. Indeed, CARUSO may be like the upcoming MY DREAM IS YOURS, which is undoubtedly taken from a beautiful element... you just won't get that unique dye-transfer replication that ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS, taken from the three combined negatives, provides us with. It may be that if you don't see the "three original Technicolor negatives" specifically mentioned in these initial announcements ("three" being the magic word), you're simply not going to get a Technicolor movie presented in this remarkable IB-like process. I'm afraid the jury's still out on CARUSO in that regard, although since the "three" word wasn't mentioned, I imagine it probably won't be joining that exclusive little three-strip club (ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS, MILLION DOLLAR MERMAID, FLYING LEATHERNECKS, THE HARVEY GIRLS, GOOD NEWS, SHOW BOAT, ON MOONLIGHT BAY). Let's hope I'm wrong!

 

[Joel Arndt]

"NEW 2021 1080p HD Master Sourced from 4K scan of original nitrate Technicolor negatives!"

What's shown above in the press release is plural, so I'm guessing it will be from the three negatives. It's the same verbiage as used for the other releases.

 

[bujaki]

Jarmila Novotna in BD! Give us now her amazing performance in Zinnemann's The Search.

 

[Gerani53]

See below:

 

[Gerani53]

"NEW 2021 1080p HD Master Sourced from 4K scan of original nitrate Technicolor negatives!"

What's shown above in the press release is plural, so I'm guessing it will be from the three negatives. It's the same verbiage as used for the other releases.

That was my first response, but I have a feeling the "three" word might make all the difference. And sometimes, it seems, we have to read between the lines when official declarations are made. I believe THE PIRATE is not one of these three-strip combo specials, but the copy on the packaging proudly says "Newly remastered from the original Technicolor negatives!" As I recall, the original PIRATE announcement spoke about 4k but certainly didn't specify "three original negatives." I think the reason why "three" may be the tell-tale word here, is that it's the combination of the three negs that produces the specific dye-transfer look I'm referring to; if WAC is working from one color negative, as with post-1955 Technicolor movies, it'll look gorgeous, but it will never have the specific dimensional effect only the 'combining of three separate elements' process gives you. It's the reason why WAC's ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS embodies this flavor, and their upcoming MY DREAM IS YOURS, not transferred with the three-neg combo, will not, no matter how absolutely breathtaking it looks.

 

[RobertMG]

What year did most of the studios go to the single film stock eliminating the three negs?

 

[RobertMG]

What a year already for classic films dvd an blu are alive and kicking! And a Trailer that does the film justice!

 

[Gerani53]

What year did most of the studios go to the single film stock eliminating the three negs?

That was 1955, for the most part. Things get a little confusing because the three-strip dye transfer printing of Technicolor movies continued on into the mid-'70s (Tech. IB). So that even though post-1955 Technicolor movies were shot no differently than any other single camera/negative system, the Technicolor printing process (for 35mm and 16mm) involved combining the three colors from that single negative into dye-transfer prints. What WAC has found a way to do is to combine the original three separate negative elements, which would have to be from pre-1955 Technicolor movies, when three negatives were actually used to make these movies. The result is the stunning equivalent of a Technicolor IB print, only better, since we're eliminating the need for any kind of print (which always loses a generation, picking up contrast and grain). For those of us who cherished original Technicolor IB prints from the heyday of film collecting in the '70s and '80s, what's happening now is nothing short of nirvana.

 

[RobertMG]

That was 1955, for the most part. Things get a little confusing because the three-strip dye transfer printing of Technicolor movies continued on into the mid-'70s (Tech. IB). So that even though post-1955 Technicolor movies were shot no differently than any other single camera/negative system, the Technicolor printing process (for 35mm and 16mm) involved combining the three colors from that single negative into dye-transfer prints. What WAC has found a way to do is to combine the original three separate negative elements, which would have to be from pre-1955 Technicolor movies, when three negatives were actually used to make these movies. The result is the stunning equivalent of a Technicolor IB print, only better, since we're eliminating the need for any kind of print (which always loses a generation, picking up contrast and grain). For those of us who cherished original Technicolor IB prints from the heyday of film collecting in the '70s and '80s, what's happening now is nothing short of nirvana.

The only disappointing restoration from WB was Easter Parade -- some scenes look Dupey - talking the dvd 2 disc set have not seen the blu --- the old restoration Laser was really sweet!

 

[Trancas]

That was my first response, but I have a feeling the "three" word might make all the difference. And sometimes, it seems, we have to read between the lines when official declarations are made. I believe THE PIRATE is not one of these three-strip combo specials, but the copy on the packaging proudly says "Newly remastered from the original Technicolor negatives!" As I recall, the original PIRATE announcement spoke about 4k but certainly didn't specify "three original negatives." I think the reason why "three" may be the tell-tale word here, is that it's the combination of the three negs that produces the specific dye-transfer look I'm referring to; if WAC is working from one color negative, as with post-1955 Technicolor movies, it'll look gorgeous, but it will never have the specific dimensional effect only the 'combining of three separate elements' process gives you. It's the reason why WAC's ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS embodies this flavor, and their upcoming MY DREAM IS YOURS, not transferred with the three-neg combo, will not, no matter how absolutely breathtaking it looks.

Why do you think The Pirate wasn't a 3-strip digital combine from WA? The original press release said "NEW 2020 1080p HD Restoration from 4K scan of the original nitrate Technicolor negatives THE PIRATE (1948) ".
Look at this Warner Archive clip and think.....If this had been scanned from a single optically "combined" negative:

1. Contrast and grain would be way up and there would be remnants of mis-registration at the edges of Gene's black outfit (as well as everything else).

2. Any optically "combined" single negative wouldn't have been on nitrate (that was gone by the very early 50's). Eastmancolor's print stock (and camera negative stock) only came into being after nitrate was gone. The only reason for a single "combined" negative is to print it (inexpensively) on Eastmancolor print film.

3. Technicolor wouldn't have had anything to do with a single "combined" negative. Their whole business model revolved around color separations and imbibed prints.

 

[Gerani53]

Why do you think The Pirate wasn't a 3-strip digital combine from WA? The original press release said "NEW 2020 1080p HD Restoration from 4K scan of the original nitrate Technicolor negatives THE PIRATE (1948) ".
Look at this Warner Archive clip and think.....If this had been scanned from a single optically "combined" negative:
1. Contrast and grain would be way up and there would be remnants of mis-registration at the edges of Gene's black outfit (as well as everything else).
2. Any optically "combined" single negative wouldn't have been on nitrate (that was gone by the very early 50's).
3. Technicolor wouldn't have had anything to do with a single "combined" negative. Their whole business model revolved around color separations and imbibed prints.

You know, looking over the whole thing, I think you're absolutely right. As I said, I wasn't exactly sure what the status of THE PIRATE was, although I remember it looked wonderful. And the more that I hear about CARUSO, it may actually be the real deal, another reason to rejoice. Guess as long as that plural is applied to the negative word, specifying 'three' negatives, while reassuring in the preparation of three-strip Technicolor movies, really isn't necessary.

 

[Jay_Z_525]

The only disappointing restoration from WB was Easter Parade -- some scenes look Dupey - talking the dvd 2 disc set have not seen the blu --- the old restoration Laser was really sweet!

I’ve been thinking that I wish they’d redo Easter Parade (again). The Blu-ray is beautiful but the saturation seems to be really high- everyone looks as though they spent a little too much time in the sun. It’s a little harsh, especially when you compare it to the newer three-strip releases, which look beautifully balanced.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

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

 

[Waldo Lydecker]

Easter Parade? Yes, it resembles “Kiss Me Kate” back in the day when it’s color was almost over saturated...And then Warner’s remedied it with a gorgeous picture in 3d awhile back...

 

[filmnoirguy]

Mario Lanza won the Photoplay Gold Medal Award for 1951 for The Great Caruso. The same year Show Boat won for Best Picture.