White Christmas 4K Possibility? (1 Viewer)

[Bouncer]

Has anyone heard rumor of this?

The Blu-ray looks great, but I think 4K would take it to another level.

 

[TonyD]

Welcome to the HTF but this Probably should be in the Blu-ray and UHD section.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Welcome to the HTF but this Probably should be in the Blu-ray and UHD section.

Correct. Moved.

While it's hard to imagine the Blu of White Christmas being bettered...it certainly MIGHT happen if released on 4k/UHD.

 

[dukiejosh54]

Would of been great if Paramount released this on 4k this year instead of another blu-ray release of It's A Wonderful Life.

 

[Bouncer]

Correct. Moved.

While it's hard to imagine the Blu of White Christmas being bettered...it certainly MIGHT happen if released on 4k/UHD.

My bad. Thanks for moving it to the proper section and I appreciate the responses!

I'm thinking that based on the 2010 blu-ray, the source material is in good shape, and since it was filmed in VistaVision it might make as good a candidate for a 4K release as any film from it's era.

I guess it's going to be about money and I understand that (sigh).

 

[Egore]

Not only was White Christmas the first film photographed in VistaVision, but it was printed horizontally to be shown with a special VistaVision projector on a large screen in 1954 at the Radio City Music Hall. I remember reading an article about this showing in Popular Science magazine in 1954. As many of you know, most VistaVision films were never projected in the full VistaVision format, they were printed down to reular 35mm, because it was too expensive to equip the average theater with a new horizontal VistaVision projector. 3-D and CinemaScope had the advantage of using the existing projection equipment and Todd-AO was used for roadshows. My point is, if they can scan an original horizontal VistaVision print in 4K, especially if it's from a Technicolor dye-transfer print, then that will make full use of the high resolution in both formats for the first time. I should point out (before someone else does) , that even when reduced to a 35mm frame and printed by Technicolor's IB process, VistaVision prints were superior to 35mm prints shot on 35mm film stock. And, I should also mention that there were a few other theaters equipped to show the original horizontal VistaVision prints.

 

[RolandL]

Too bad it didn't have stereo sound, or did it?

10/14/54

 

[Will Krupp]

My point is, if they can scan an original horizontal VistaVision print in 4K, especially if it's from a Technicolor dye-transfer print, then that will make full use of the high resolution in both formats for the first time.

Just as an FYI, there were no dye transfer horizontal prints. The print run was too small to be cost effective. I THINK it was only two theaters that projected WC horizontally (the Music Hall in New York and possibly the Warner Beverly Hills [?] for example) and Technicolor made color positive contact prints of the few they needed.

 

[RobertMG]

Too bad it didn't have stereo sound, or did it?

10/14/54
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The Laserdisc notes stated that it was in STEREO but the stems were lost over the years

 

[Daniel_BB]

Too bad it didn't have stereo sound, or did it?

10/14/54
View attachment 116234

Unfortunately, all the movies made in VistaVision are in mono. The stereo track of the "The Ten Commandments" was added many years later. I don't know if the recording sessions of this movie were recorded in stereo.

 

[moviebear1]

White Christmas prints had a Perspecta Soundtrack. Not stereo but still an added effect.

 

[Bouncer]

All interesting stuff, thanks for all of the input. Maybe some other nuggets will come to light.

They still might sneak it in this year but I think rumors will have already spilled out.

 

[RobertMG]

The Laserdisc notes stated that it was in STEREO but the stems were lost over the years

I pulled my Laserdisc this is what was stated about the soundtrack - "To restore the soundtrack, the same care was taken. The original magnetic master had disappeared some time ago and only the optical soundtrack remained. To achieve the brilliance of the original, magnetic music and effects tracks were remixed with the optical track, resulting in a full fidelity soundtrack." For some reason I thought it was stereo oooops!

 

[RolandL]

White Christmas prints had a Perspecta Soundtrack. Not stereo but still an added effect.

The Barefoot Contessa Blu-ray has a 3.0 Perspecta sound mix that had directionalized dialogue and directional effects, That would be cool if they could find the Perspectra track. If not, the 3-D Film Archive has done great work with restoring 3.0 tracks from mono.

 

[Osato]

I’d love to buy White Christmas on 4K Blu-ray!
I hope a release is in the works!

 

[Dave Moritz]

I own White Christmas on blu-ray but would gladly buy it again on 4K blu-ray and feel it would be a great candidate for 4K blu-ray. To bad it was not done in stereo but for it's age the mono track sounds very good to me. Given how close we are to Christmas now I doubt we will see a 4K release this year.

 

[Daniel_BB]

I own White Christmas on blu-ray but would gladly buy it again on 4K blu-ray and feel it would be a great candidate for 4K blu-ray. To bad it was not done in stereo but for it's age the mono track sounds very good to me. Given how close we are to Christmas now I doubt we will see a 4K release this year.

According to what I read in the books, the recording sessions were recorded in stereo (magnetic sound) but they disappeard a long time ago from the vaults of Paramount. So it will be impossible to use the stereo tracks as they did for another Paramount picture, "The Ten Commandments".

 

[RobertMG]

I own White Christmas on blu-ray but would gladly buy it again on 4K blu-ray and feel it would be a great candidate for 4K blu-ray. To bad it was not done in stereo but for it's age the mono track sounds very good to me. Given how close we are to Christmas now I doubt we will see a 4K release this year.

Does NOT make sense why Paramount did not greenlight a 4k release of this by now, oh no don't tell me they are waiting for a anniversary year?

 

[Osato]

Does NOT make sense why Paramount did not greenlight a 4k release of this by now, oh no don't tell me they are waiting for a anniversary year?

I recall reading a 4K disc rumor about this title and WB’s North by northwest. It’s been a while though.

 

[Lord Dalek]

I pulled my Laserdisc this is what was stated about the soundtrack - "To restore the soundtrack, the same care was taken. The original magnetic master had disappeared some time ago and only the optical soundtrack remained. To achieve the brilliance of the original, magnetic music and effects tracks were remixed with the optical track, resulting in a full fidelity soundtrack." For some reason I thought it was stereo oooops!

White Christmas was in Perspecta originally. Steered mono.