Blu-ray Review A Few Words About While we wait for A few words about…™ The Johnstown Flood - in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[PMF]

Speaking of waves, will you be able to attend the MWKTM event on 19 Nov?

I will absolutely be there, and I hope PMF responds in the affirmative.

Robert and Charles, thank you so much.

Indeed, yes, and I shall.

An honor to accept.

 

[Robert Harris]

For those who may receive a post- first 1000 copy w/o the booklet, we're preparing to offer it here in the near future, ready for printing.

 

[Robert Harris]

 

[Robert Harris]

 

[Robert Harris]

 

[Robert Harris]

 

[bujaki]

I also enjoyed the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra score very much. They do well by silent films.

 

[Rob W]

Mine arrived on Monday, but just had time to look at it tonight. It really is a treat to see a silent film in such a quality presentation. Long-time silent film buffs are used to seeing silent films on actual film, often contrasty copies of copies of prints , aside from the rare opportunities to see prints made from actual studio negatives. Digital tools have worked wonders cleaning up wear and tear, allowing us to see just how superb black-and-white photography had developed when you can actually see the subtleties in the frame as designed.

But to me , the unsung hero of digital restoration is image stabilization. It was not uncommon watching film prints of silents to see imperfections built in from the (often imperfect) source material with the picture occasionally jumping up and down or intertitles sometimes bouncing on the screen. I usually notice immediately when I see something that's been stabilised because the titles and such are just so rock-steady. I noticed the same thing on the Laurel and Hardy : Year One set. ( Now I am nervously fearing Mr. Harris will drop in and say no image stabilization was used, but I trust my instincts. And if it wasn't used, the results are even more impressive.)

Effects & score were quite impressive too. A great addition to my film library !

 

[Robert Harris]

Mine arrived on Monday, but just had time to look at it tonight. It really is a treat to see a silent film in such a quality presentation. Long-time silent film buffs are used to seeing silent films on actual film, often contrasty copies of copies of prints , aside from the rare opportunities to see prints made from actual studio negatives. Digital tools have worked wonders cleaning up wear and tear, allowing us to see just how superb black-and-white photography had developed when you can actually see the subtleties in the frame as designed.

But to me , the unsung hero of digital restoration is image stabilization. It was not uncommon watching film prints of silents to see imperfections built in from the (often imperfect) source material with the picture occasionally jumping up and down or intertitles sometimes bouncing on the screen. I usually notice immediately when I see something that's been stabilised because the titles and such are just so rock-steady. I noticed the same thing on the Laurel and Hardy : Year One set. ( Now I am nervously fearing Mr. Harris will drop in and say no image stabilization was used, but I trust my instincts. And if it wasn't used, the results are even more impressive.)

Effects & score were quite impressive too. A great addition to my film library !

Your instincts are correct. Hundreds of hours went into clean-up, color and stabilization, with final work being performed at Roundabout.

All instincts were allowing the film element to shine through naturally, as preserved by GEM.

 

[madfloyd]

I was only able to watch the first 10 minutes last night before an interruption forced me to stop, but I was blown away by what I saw. The picture looked fantastic and the story was pulling me in. Can't wait to revisit it - so happy to have this in my collection!

I do have a question - and this comes from curiosity, not a nick-pick or complaint of any kind: I did notice some vertical lines appearing here and there (which from recollection seems rather typical of older film) and was wondering if it is difficult to 'clean these up' with the various digital tools available...?

 

[Robert Harris]

I was only able to watch the first 10 minutes last night before an interruption forced me to stop, but I was blown away by what I saw. The picture looked fantastic and the story was pulling me in. Can't wait to revisit it - so happy to have this in my collection!

I do have a question - and this comes from curiosity, not a nick-pick or complaint of any kind: I did notice some vertical lines appearing here and there (which from recollection seems rather typical of older film) and was wondering if it is difficult to 'clean these up' with the various digital tools available...?

Very difficult without affecting the grain structure.

 

[madfloyd]

Very difficult without affecting the grain structure.

Thank you for the explanation!

 

[RetroGuy]

Watched this tonight and thoroughly enjoyed it! Such a beautiful restoration. A big thank you to Robert Harris and all those who worked to bring this to fruition!

 

[Robert Harris]

Watched this tonight and thoroughly enjoyed it! Such a beautiful restoration. A big thank you to Robert Harris and all those who worked to bring this to fruition!

Thank you for being a part of the journey.

 

[dana martin]

Viewed as part of my Sunday Night Silents, and all i can say is WOW, seriously the most impressive disc that I have seen released this year are silent releases. This and The L&H Year one set, right now should be on many top ten list at the end of this year, for all of the work done to present this as close as intended, I hope that for the other Silent fans on the forum, that the partnership that made this happen, may have their eyes on another possible project

 

[Bert Greene]

I had admittedly high hopes for this release to begin with, but it exceeded my expectations in every department... the film, the restoration, the musical score. All marvelous! And some great extras, too. We even get to hear a vintage audio interview with George O'Brien discussing the movie. Wow! Anyway, I'd been wanting to see "The Johnstown Flood" for over forty years now. It's great to now have it, and in such an optimum presentation. A big thrill!

 

[GerardoHP]

The new restoration of Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much in SuperVistaVision 4k and Perspecta audio.

As far as I remember from the reissues of Vertigo and The Ten Commandments, SuperVistaVision was VistaVision blown up to 70. Have they done a blow-up of TMWKTM? Incidentally, I can hardly wait for the 4K Bluray next week.

 

[Robert Harris]

As far as I remember from the reissues of Vertigo and The Ten Commandments, SuperVistaVision was VistaVision blown up to 70. Have they done a blow-up of TMWKTM? Incidentally, I can hardly wait for the 4K Bluray next week.

Very different beasts. Like 4k, 70mm is merely a bucket for holding data. And aspect ratios are merely numbers.

It is how they are created, and used, that tells the story, and affects different realities.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Fashionably late to the party as usual, but just finally got around to ordering my copy. ETA will apparently be this coming Wed.



_Man_

 

[Mark McSherry]

I see that TCM has THE JOHNSTOWN FLOOD scheduled January 8 on their prime-time slot of 7PM Central. Meaning there will be an intro and an outro.