A Few Words About While we wait for A few words about...™ Lawrence of Arabia -- in 4k/UHD Blu-ray (2 Viewers)

[Lord Dalek]

I thought it was the old clothbound dvd that had the problem.

 

[Stephen PI]

I thought it was the old clothbound dvd that had the problem.

You are referring to the "Adulation" music cue when Lawrence parades on the roof of the train.

 

[Robert Harris]

You are referring to the "Adulation" music cur when Lawrence parades on the roof of the train.

Precisely. That was recut, as was another bit during the fishbowl sequence.

 

[Stephen PI]

Absolutely NOT during the '88 restoration. We had the best people, and David was with us during the mix.

That would probably be a part of Chace's extraordinary clean-up work, which changed two of the music cues.

Made it all the way to the re-issued DVD.

They also removed the 3 pop coming into reel 1a and some generator noise. But that was okay, except I still miss the 3 pop.

I checked the cloth bound and superbit dvd versions and, yes, I now hear what I was missing on the blu-ray (and the 4k on Amazon Prime!!).
I listened to the Criterion Laserdisc and the sound effects in question seem more distinctive to me than the dvd's!
I now wish I'd checked these before I posted.
Lastly, I checked the old pan & scan laserdisc and, like the blu-ray, is inaudible.
While checking the LD, I spotted something amusing that I hadn't noticed before. On the long shot cut of Ali prior to Lawrence slow walk and slip and his dialog "Who is he?", I am sure we see Ali's camel taking a dump right on the cut!
I miss the 3 pop too. It was part of the original experience of seeing Lawrence in London at the Metropole, Victoria.
The reason for the late location for the 3-pop is, if I am correct, because of the late change in decision of the use of the high angle shot, filmed in Spain, for the title background as an alternative to the way it is described in the script of the lower half shot of the motorcycle and Lawrence's entrance.

 

[Stephen PI]

Precisely. That was recut, as was another bit during the fishbowl sequence.

Could you please elaborate the location of the 'fishbowl' scene. Can't seem to figure this one out.

 

[Robert Harris]

I checked the cloth bound and superbit dvd versions and, yes, I now hear what I was missing on the blu-ray (and the 4k on Amazon Prime!!).
I listened to the Criterion Laserdisc and the sound effects in question seem more distinctive to me than the dvd's!
I now wish I'd checked these before I posted.
Lastly, I checked the old pan & scan laserdisc and, like the blu-ray, is inaudible.
While checking the LD, I spotted something amusing that I hadn't noticed before. On the long shot cut of Ali prior to Lawrence slow walk and slip and his dialog "Who is he?", I am sure we see Ali's camel taking a dump right on the cut!
I miss the 3 pop too. It was part of the original experience of seeing Lawrence in London at the Metropole, Victoria.
The reason for the late location for the 3-pop is, if I am correct, because of the late change in decision of the use of the high angle shot, filmed in Spain, for the title background as an alternative to the way it is described in the script of the lower half shot of the motorcycle and Lawrence's entrance.

The 3 was the actual 3 pop for the head of 1A, after the MT.

Keep in mind Lawrence was positive cut, and then sounded, thusly.

The first projection reel,was made of five printing units.

1A leader, after being cut from head of 1A, and re-cut to Overture,Overture (with or w/o prologue), Logo, MT, 1A body, 1B.

 

[Robert Harris]

Could you please elaborate the location of the 'fishbowl' scene. Can't seem to figure this one out.

A thousand Arabs with a thousand rifles...

Bob Bolt smoking pipe at doorway.

 

[Stephen PI]

Thank you!

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

OK, please forgive my confusion here. Are you saying the Blu-Ray is missing sound effects that are present on the DVD and other video versions?

 

[Stephen PI]

OK, please forgive my confusion here. Are you saying the Blu-Ray is missing sound effects that are present on the DVD and other video versions?

Yes. Apparently, Chace did some kind of additional sound processing that further diminished the noise floor which affected any low level audio in that range. Most notably, Ali's camel hooves which should have been clearly audible after Tafas' dialog "Bedou!", during the scene at the well. Only the blu ray and the 4K broadcast are affected!!

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Thanks for the information.

 

[Robert Harris]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/life...m_term=.ee9e4414821c&wpisrc=nl_rainbow&wpmm=1

 

[Robert Harris]

http://leonardmaltin.com/carrie-fisher-remembered/

 

[Charles Smith]

Wonderful.
Her work in script doctoring is particularly interesting.

 

[Robert Harris]

http://www.indiewire.com/2017/01/ro...and-moff-tarkin-cgi-princess-leia-1201766597/

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

http://www.indiewire.com/2017/01/ro...and-moff-tarkin-cgi-princess-leia-1201766597/

Thanks for that link. As a big fan of Mr. Cushing it's great to see how much effort and thought went into re-creating him for the movie. There was a video segment last week on Nightline as well with behind-the-scenes clips:

 

[Charles Smith]

"Any attempt to find a print of Porgy and Bess turns into an epic exercise in bafflement and frustration. The movie is coveted by aficionados even though few see outstanding artistic merit in it ... The history of Porgy is a tangled tale of good artistic intentions gone awry and lasting recriminations among the Gershwin and Goldwyn factions ... Still, that does not explain why prints of the film have all but vanished. It turns out finding the rarest studio movie of all time is easier than unraveling that mystery..."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/fe...grail-missing-movies-977567?facebook_20170223

 

[Michel_Hafner]

I have seen the pink 70mm print over a decade ago. I don't remember the pink, though.

 

[Robert Harris]

"Any attempt to find a print of Porgy and Bess turns into an epic exercise in bafflement and frustration. The movie is coveted by aficionados even though few see outstanding artistic merit in it ... The history of Porgy is a tangled tale of good artistic intentions gone awry and lasting recriminations among the Gershwin and Goldwyn factions ... Still, that does not explain why prints of the film have all but vanished. It turns out finding the rarest studio movie of all time is easier than unraveling that mystery..."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/fe...grail-missing-movies-977567?facebook_20170223

This really isn't about prints. A print is merely a MacGuffin.

Prints are irrelevant toward any restorative efforts, except as reference for color and density, where condition also is of no import.

Interesting article, which sets the situation as a storm in a teacup.

Restoration would not be horribly expensive, and relatively easy.

I've not run a budget recently, but certainly moderate six figures.

RAH

 

[Mike Frezon]

Fascinating story.

Thanks for the link, Charles.