What are your favorite restorations? (1 Viewer)

[madfloyd]

I recently got the restored versions of Patton and Spartacus and was blown away at the video quality. Projected on a large screen these look fantastic.

I would like to get more of these classic movies that have similar quality.

Are there more? What are your favorites?

 

[RichMurphy]

I would like to get more of these classic movies that have similar quality.

Are there more? What are your favorites?

The Robert Harris restoration of MY FAIR LADY is mind-boggling. Not only does it look excellent, but it sounds as if Andre Previn and his orchestra are playing in my living room.

I would also look at the LAWRENCE OF ARABIA Blu-ray, also shepherded by Mr. Harris.

And happy birthday!

 

[Alan Tully]

One-Eyed Jacks, Spartacus, Lawrence Of Arabia, Ben-Hur, & all those lovely Universal vintage horror films (the usual suspects). For some reason Fox has never released The Robe & Patton (the latest restoration) in region B.

 

[Race Bannon]

When I saw the title, Spartacus was the one I was going to post.

 

[Race Bannon]

I would say the recent Criterion Collection release of The Graduate (1967) is up there.

 

[Race Bannon]

double post

 

[Stephen_J_H]

If you like silents and/or Oscar winners, Wings (1928) is worth a look.

 

[RichMurphy]

Since you seem to enjoy older epics, I would also recommend the 2011 restoration of THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

 

[madfloyd]

Thanks, everyone. It's not so much that I like older epics as I appreciate beautiful and detailed cinematography. I already have the Universal Monster films (just watched Dracula 1931 for the first time and enjoyed it - great quality for its time).

There are so many films that are 'soft' looking (both old and modern) so it's just a joy for me to find films with great detail and strong transfers.

I just got the new version of Fargo and it's stunning as well (one of my favorite films).

But I've just ordered Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur, Cleopatra, One Eyed Jacks and The Graduate.

I have Lawrence of Arabia (but haven't watched it - looking forward to that one!) and recently saw Vertigo (amazing transfer) and Rebecca (great transfer for older film).

So I'm in discovery mode... fun stuff!

 

[Richard V]

Patton and Heaven's Gate

 

[Alan Tully]

Since you seem to enjoy older epics, I would also recommend the 2011 restoration of THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

...& Samson & Delilah (1949) from those far off days when Paramount used to do the biz...& thinking about Paramount, McLintock! looks very nice.

...& I don't know if you'd call them restorations, but the WAC, She Wore A Yellow Ribbon & Bad Day At Black Rock look ace.

 

[Robin9]

Two Powell and Pressburger films photographed by Jack Cardiff, The Red Shoes and Black Narcissus, are wonderful restorations. The Third Man also looks magnificent in its 4K presentation on Blu-ray disc but I don't know how much restoration was done.

 

[Alan Tully]

I find the Fox restorations can be a bit hit & miss (I'd always want to read a report or two before ordering), but The Egyptian (1954) & Journey To The Centre Of The Earth (1959) look fantastic. And I was forgetting about The Red Shoes ect. there's quite a few great looking catalogue titles been released, I'm very happy to say.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Metropolis & A Star is Born (1954) and read the excellent book "A Star Is Born: The Making of the 1954 Movie and Its 1983 Restoration" by Ronald Haver.

 

[Tony Bensley]

While I've seen woefully few Blu-ray restorations, among Black & White Films, I found DRACULA'S DAUGHTER (1936) from this year's DRACULA COMPLETE LEGACY COLLECTION set visually stunning!

CHEERS!

 

[dpippel]

Thanks, everyone. It's not so much that I like older epics as I appreciate beautiful and detailed cinematography. I already have the Universal Monster films (just watched Dracula 1931 for the first time and enjoyed it - great quality for its time).

There are so many films that are 'soft' looking (both old and modern) so it's just a joy for me to find films with great detail and strong transfers.

I just got the new version of Fargo and it's stunning as well (one of my favorite films).

But I've just ordered Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur, Cleopatra, One Eyed Jacks and The Graduate.

I have Lawrence of Arabia (but haven't watched it - looking forward to that one!) and recently saw Vertigo (amazing transfer) and Rebecca (great transfer for older film).

So I'm in discovery mode... fun stuff!

Lawrence is one of the most stunning restorations currently available IMO.

 

[TravisR]

I already have the Universal Monster films (just watched Dracula 1931 for the first time and enjoyed it - great quality for its time).

While I've seen woefully few Blu-ray restorations, among Black & White Films, I found DRACULA'S DAUGHTER (1936) from this year's DRACULA COMPLETE LEGACY COLLECTION set visually stunning!

Yeah, nearly all of the Universal Monster movies have been big improvements over what was available on DVD (and quantum leaps over what you saw on TV as a kid). The first movies in all of the various Monster series have always pretty good but now even the sequels actually look good on Blu-ray.

 

[Jimbo64]

Definitely The Red Shoes

 

[Keith Cobby]

Generally the large format films (VistaVision/70mm/Todd-AO). One of the very best is The Battle of the River Plate (German blu-ray release Graf Spee).

 

[DP 70]

Lawrence of Arabia (1989) is fantastic.