What have they done to Darby O Gill and the Little People? (1 Viewer)

[ahollis]

Sorry for my comment. I apologize to Chuck and the HTF forum.

 

[Henry Gondorff]

It isn’t good to gaslight people. I can’t understand how anyone could look at this release and all prior releases and even production photos and think that this is a quality release.

I’m going to contact Scott MacQueen, who I believe was involved in Disney’s restoration and preservation program in decades past. I wonder if his opinion might sway yours since your eyes don’t.

I eagerly awaited this release and, as Chuck has clearly demonstrated, the densities are off and the color is uneven and often muddy when compared to the earlier HD master and dvd. It looks like they did a quick scan of a faded negative without much color work, rather than an actual restoration involving separations. They don't claim it's been restored, only a "Brand-new digital master". I'm not trying to convince people who are satisfied with the blu ray that they shouldn't be, but considering the expense and high level of technical expertise Disney devoted to this film, it should have been a gorgeous blu ray and it is far from that.

 

[Chuck Pennington]

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Every time I see this thread's header, this comes to mind:

 

[Capt D McMars]

Every time I see this thread's header, this comes to mind:

View attachment 133758

 

[marshman1138]

Looks pretty good to me.

 

[Nick*Z]

I have and will keep the DVD. My wife and I watched the Blu-ray and enjoyed it- I’m happy it’s available in that format. People were giving their opinion here and I gave mine. I honestly don’t go crazy over this stuff .I watched the Blu-ray , filed it away until next viewing. It’s beyond my control as to quality variations on these releases. If it gets corrected or upgraded I’ll obtain that new version as well.
The release of Darby has me hopeful that more classic pre-1970 Disney will be released on Blu-ray, and that would be a good thing.

Dear Lou:
I can completely understand your opinion here, and gratitude for having this release in hi-def at long last. However, I am of the opinion that every permutation of a time-honored movie being released and re-released, then re-re-released in whatever format is the current format du jour, warrants a distinct notice of improvement.

Otherwise, exactly what is the point to reissuing movies looking less and less as they did theatrically or ought to, in a newer format, promising improvements that never materialize, but simply to lay claim and check off the 'win' column as another movie merely to arrive in that format?

My late mother was of the opinion it didn't matter how she saw a movie as long as she saw it. For her, an old analog TV broadcast on The Wonderful World of Disney, commercially interrupted, would have sufficed. She never understood my verve to collect. So, two schools of thought here - the first, glad to have it in HD, whatever the master and source, and the other, what on earth happened to color density, contrast and tonality - all of which lean to an obscure source being used with little improvement to speak of.

In Darby O'Gill's case I would sincerely argue for a quantum step back. Flesh tones are pasty and the backgrounds, which sported distinct colors on the DVD, now have been universally bathed in a pinkish tint. This isn't merely an oversight. It's awful.

The Mouse House of late has had a horrendous asset management record with Walt's live-action classics to hi-def.

Darby O'Gill is merely the latest travesty. Others include Something Wicked This Way Comes and The Watcher in the Woods. While one may argue neither of the latter is a 'classic' and certainly not from Walt's era, the abysmal fact is that none of us is getting any younger - and that includes the movies and film stocks.

So, archival restoration, preservation and remastering on the latest digital platforms is no longer a 'ho hum, when there's time and money for it' but a 'time is of the essence to ensure optimal quality for generations of film goers yet to discover these gems. You can't do that once you've lost the image through generations of neglect and shoddy mastering. Just saying.

 

[LouA]

I agree with just about everything you’re saying , BUT at this point what chance is there that this will be remastered and reissued? Not much , so I’ll keep the DVD and the Blu-ray, and enjoy them . If Darby gets corrected, I get that as well!

 

[Nick*Z]

I agree with just about everything you’re saying , BUT at this point what chance is there that this will be remastered and reissued? Not much , so I’ll keep the DVD and the Blu-ray, and enjoy them . If Darby gets corrected, I get that as well!

I see. But the point I was making is that remastering ought to have occurred prior to this getting slapped to disc. Not as an 'oh well, we'll fix it next time' if there is a next time. I pray there is a next time. This one is certainly on the short list of contenders for a 'next time'. Best.

 

[Nick*Z]

View attachment 133732

Too much red push in the remaster, and it bleeds into every color in the spectrum and completely wiped out the blues. Ugly. Disappointing. And wrong!

 

[Capt D McMars]

Dear Lou:
I can completely understand your opinion here, and gratitude for having this release in hi-def at long last. However, I am of the opinion that every permutation of a time-honored movie being released and re-released, then re-re-released in whatever format is the current format du jour, warrants a distinct notice of improvement.

Otherwise, exactly what is the point to reissuing movies looking less and less as they did theatrically or ought to, in a newer format, promising improvements that never materialize, but simply to lay claim and check off the 'win' column as another movie merely to arrive in that format?

My late mother was of the opinion it didn't matter how she saw a movie as long as she saw it. For her, an old analog TV broadcast on The Wonderful World of Disney, commercially interrupted, would have sufficed. She never understood my verve to collect. So, two schools of thought here - the first, glad to have it in HD, whatever the master and source, and the other, what on earth happened to color density, contrast and tonality - all of which lean to an obscure source being used with little improvement to speak of.

In Darby O'Gill's case I would sincerely argue for a quantum step back. Flesh tones are pasty and the backgrounds, which sported distinct colors on the DVD, now have been universally bathed in a pinkish tint. This isn't merely an oversight. It's awful.

The Mouse House of late has had a horrendous asset management record with Walt's live-action classics to hi-def.

Darby O'Gill is merely the latest travesty. Others include Something Wicked This Way Comes and The Watcher in the Woods. While one may argue neither of the latter is a 'classic' and certainly not from Walt's era, the abysmal fact is that none of us is getting any younger - and that includes the movies and film stocks.

So, archival restoration, preservation and remastering on the latest digital platforms is no longer a 'ho hum, when there's time and money for it' but a 'time is of the essence to ensure optimal quality for generations of film goers yet to discover these gems. You can't do that once you've lost the image through generations of neglect and shoddy mastering. Just saying.

 

[Henry Gondorff]

I see. But the point I was making is that remastering ought to have occurred prior to this getting slapped to disc. Not as an 'oh well, we'll fix it next time' if there is a next time. I pray there is a next time. This one is certainly on the short list of contenders for a 'next time'. Best.

Since the quality of their blu rays is generally very good, it's very disheartening that this is the film they botched. I'm going to let tell them on chat, not that I expect it to do much good, but they should know that they dropped the ball and that there are disappointed buyers.

 

[Henry Gondorff]

I explained the problem to one of their reps on chat, adding that I wasn't looking for a replacement or refund and that it was a mastering/restoration (or lack thereof) issue. They said my message would be passed on to the proper channels, for what that may be worth. It might be of some help if other disappointed buyers also made their feelings known directly to DMC.

I also understand that for those who are casual buyers or who bought it simply to fulfill their commitment, this disk may be adequate to their needs. But for me, this film has always been a very unique and special part of the Disney legacy. The blu ray proved, if nothing else, that the picture needs to be restored. It hasn't been.

 

[Capt D McMars]

I explained the problem to one of their reps on chat, adding that I wasn't looking for a replacement or refund and that it was a mastering/restoration (or lack thereof) issue. They said my message would be passed on to the proper channels, for what that may be worth. It might be of some help if other disappointed buyers also made their feelings known directly to DMC.

I also understand that for those who are casual buyers or who bought it simply to fulfill their commitment, this disk may be adequate to their needs. But for me, this film has always been a very unique and special part of the Disney legacy. The blu ray proved, if nothing else, that the picture needs to be restored. It hasn't been.

Agreed, it seems that Disney is so focused on thier current aquisitions that these proporties hold more value than the decades of Film & Tv history in thier own vaults!!!
They are consistently sleep walking thur these releases, hoping that no one will notice...but WE DO NOTICE, and don't mind calling them on it!!

Will this do any good? Probably not, but with enough of us calling out "the naked emperor" the better for the buyers of these titles and the industry. Where's thier classic title The Prince and the Pauper with Guy Williams? And so many others hidden in plain sight!! Next thing you know, everything will be on MOD formats only!!!

 

[Rodney]

To add further discussion and confusion, I went back to my copy from Vault Disney shown on TCM back on March 15, 2015 and it looks just like the blu-ray to my eyes.

 

[B-ROLL]

To add further discussion and confusion, I went back to my copy from Vault Disney shown on TCM back on March 15, 2015 and it looks just like the blu-ray to my eyes.

But that version is "new to blu-ray"

 

[Jeff Fearnside]

I read the mixed reviews of the Blu-ray for this title, but I wanted to pick it up and judge it for myself. I watched it first without comparing it to the old DVD. (Now, I know DVDs are not the standard for comparison, but I'll get to my point with it eventually.) It was obvious the Blu-ray was "off" in color. Anyone who grew up watching Disney knows what Disney colors looked like from that time in theaters (I saw some of these films in reruns), on posters and in ads, and yes, even on The Wonderful World of Disney on TV. And those colors did not have a grayish wash over them--that's entirely in line with a contemporary look favored today. It definitely wasn't the vintage Disney look. Someone mentioned too much of a red push in this new Blu-ray skewing the colors, particularly blues, so maybe that's the culprit in giving everything an almost washed-out look. Blue skies are no longer blue, green grass no longer emerald--most of the time. Sometimes things look nicely balanced, primaries pop the way they should. The Blu-ray is more detailed, as it should be, though surprisingly not as much as I expected when I next compared it to the DVD. To me, the DVD clearly has the better colors. It looks more like a representation of a Disney film from that time. I don't mind the 1:33.1 negative aspect ratio because I grew up watching so many of these old films on TV, though the 1:66.1 theatrical ratio of the Blu-ray is preferred. Which version will I watch more often? I don't know! If only Disney could have gotten the old colors with the 1:66.1 widescreen, as it appeared they did for the 2004 HD master. Why that master wasn't transferred more accurately to Blu-ray is anybody's guess. Bottom line: the Blu-ray is perfectly watchable but a missed opportunity. If you want a little extra detail and prefer the widescreen, then go for it. It's fine enough. However, if you're sensitive to colors, particularly when a contemporary palette has been applied to an older film that originally had a different look, the DVD is probably closer to being accurate in that regard.

 

[roxy1927]

The film is free on YouTube. I would like to know your opinion of the images and colors. Do they match the DVD?
I think these young people do not know what these Disney films looked like in theaters. And they don't care obviously. Many many years ago I saw a new print of In Search of the Castaways at MOMA. That old Disney Technicolor was so beautiful and dazzling. I understand the Blu-ray is a disappointment.

 

[Capt D McMars]

The same can be said of the botched Blu ray release of " Something Evil This Way Comes", handled by Disney inc. I was so looking forward to seeing a restored edition on Bluray, since I had the older dvd, hoping for a clearer, more balenced image. When the DVD outshines the Blu ray you feel ripped off!!! I'd hate to see them try for Swiss Family Robinson today for Blu ray...just something else to mess up!!!

 

[Jeff Fearnside]

The film is free on YouTube. I would like to know your opinion of the images and colors. Do they match the DVD?
I think these young people do not know what these Disney films looked like in theaters. And they don't care obviously. Many many years ago I saw a new print of In Search of the Castaways at MOMA. That old Disney Technicolor was so beautiful and dazzling. I understand the Blu-ray is a disappointment.

There are a lot of versions of this film uploaded on YouTube, and it's hard to know what everyone's sources were. I did find a nice comparison between the 2004 HD master used for the DVD and the 2022 Blu-ray, and when you see it toggled back and forth like that, a couple more things become apparent: the 2004 HD master (and thus the DVD) looks warmer, more accurately so, and the 2022 Blu-ray image has something of an odd harshness to it, almost like it was filtered and then maybe over-sharpened, or maybe had the contrast boosted a little too much.

I'm bummed to hear about In Search of the Castaways, as I just picked it up!