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Topic: Dracula 1958 Blu-Ray
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Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God
Posts: 3063
From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012
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posted March 10, 2013 11:35 AM
The missing sequences in the re issue were nearly lost forever, but thanks to the efforts of Simon Rowson and his wife Michiko, who live in Tokyo,were able to locate the legendary Japanese cut to "DRACULA". The film is kept in climate controlled conditions at The National Film Centre in Tokyo, unfortunately there had been a fire there in 1984, and the film was partially ruined, ironically by water damage.Reels 1-5 are damaged beyond repair but the remaining reels 6-9 are still in existence,but not good shape,being warped, marked by white lines and suffering from V.S. Simon was lucky enough to view some footage showing Dracula actually biting Mina,before the cutaway to the owl, and during the disintegration, actually clawing the flesh from his face. Simon is to be congratulated on this no mean feat, but couldn't have done without the help of his wife Michiko, Stuart Hall, Marcus Hearn and Jonathan Rigby, who together with Hammer's Peter Naish, helped him cope with the Japanese red tape.The full story is on the new release DVD but can be read in full in "Little Shoppe of Horrors"#28.
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Timothy Ramzyk
Expert Film Handler
Posts: 220
From: Milwaukee,WI,USA
Registered: Nov 2006
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posted April 18, 2013 05:03 PM
quote: Could be tempted to buy it. I have the Derann release which is the treat to watch. Super 8 gourmet food, dvd/blu-ray the fast food. The Mummy’s Shroud have again Derann's release another one I like. Is this on blu-ray?
Yes, it's a region 2 UK set of DVD and Blu-ray.
quote: am i correct in saying that the hammer horror classics are to be released on BR fully retored with previous censored parts retored back in?
A Japanese print in deplorable condition was found that had footage which was censored from the US and British (and Dreann) prints. The most notable parts being in the disintegration scene. You now get to see Dracula claw some of the mouldering skin from his own face, and more of the bones beneath his pant-leg and sleeve.
It's pretty neat, and kinda bridges what was previously and abrupt shift from Lee to a ashen, skeletal prop. The discovery of the footage was sort of a fortunate fluke that the footage turned up, and won't be typical of future Hammer releases.
I've been waiting on THE MUMMY"S SHROUD, hoping for a US Blu-ray release, but I just couldn't wait on DRACULA.
In the Classic Horror Forum someone posted some Technicolor frame-grabs that revealed that though the BFI restoration wasn't spot-on. The Warner DVD was way off, and that the palette of DRACULA was a good deal cooler than some of the more ornamental colors of films like BRIDES OF DRACULA. My biggest complaint is that I'd like to see it about a stop lighter. [/QUOTE]
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Adrian Winchester
Film God
Posts: 2941
From: Croydon, London, UK
Registered: Aug 2004
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posted April 19, 2013 08:39 AM
This has been an extraordinary saga online, with insults and some people falling out badly. It didn't help that some of the Blu Ray 'screenshots' that appeared before the release looked dreadful and excessively bluish. Some of the 'against' camp are dismayed that the release doesn't have the Technicolor look associated with the film, whilst some of the 'for' camp are enraged by what they consider nitpicking, that fails to give the credit due to a groundbreaking release.
I have only watched part of the new version so far, but I think my conclusion will be that it's a great release with exceptional clarity, but on the other hand at least certain scenes would ideally have benefitted from a brighter, more saturated look. I'm unconvinced that there was a good case to not view the original Technicolor look as definitive, as I'm sure there's no evidence that Terence Fisher or anyone associated with the film was remotely unhappy with this. I find it frustrating that not all of the amazing new footage (from the end of the film) actually appears in the new restoration, although you can see it via the extra featuring the full Japanese footage. This was because it would have caused a 'jump' in the sound but I wonder if a way round this could have been found.
As for whether it's similar to the Derann prints, it depends on which batch your Derann print is from! I have one of the early prints that was remarkably faithful to the original theatrical colours, and the BR/DVD is a bit cooler and less staturated than this. However, it's definitely warmer overall than the bluish Derann prints, which seem to constitute a substantial proportion of the ones in circulation.
Interestingly, the real match with 8mm is the CHC release of the 2007 BFI restoration trailer, as the 2007 release is the basis of the new version, and it also appears on the BR/DVD. When I got the CHC release on 16mm (which had better and more accurate colour than my Super 8 print), I noted the different look and it's the same look that's now evident on the BR/DVD.
It's a must for Hammer fans but you need to see it to make up your mind, considering the diverse responses which range from perfect to unwatchable!
-------------------- Adrian Winchester
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Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God
Posts: 3063
From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012
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posted April 21, 2013 04:51 AM
Isn't it strange that the only release of this film on 8mm, before Deranns' feature release,of which I too was on the waiting list of first buyers, was the little 200' Americom with disc,which was much sought after and I still cherish my own copy today.Somehow I can't see folks getting worked up about a plastic disc in years to come. I don't know why the releasing companies have to play about with colour saturation or original picture ratio's, but they do. I STILL despair at the trailer done for this films re release and bitterly regret parting with my old Thunderbird trl. reel, that picture quality wise wasn't that good, but didn't have those bloody irritating fades.Maybe the lesson is ; up to the minute isn't always up to the mark, as this new release on Blu ray obviously proves.
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Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God
Posts: 3063
From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012
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posted April 21, 2013 04:00 PM
Yes Lee, I'm well aware of the extras on DVD's, and have bought many a title just for the documentary extras.As Derek Simmonds observed, these little extras were thin on the ground when he was releasing films, but are suddenly there for DVD release. I believe they call it ROT, Re used Old Technology.I take on board how much easier and cheaper to view on disc,but I choose film every time over DVD, The last film I purchased was Barbara Steele's "The Spectre" a few days ago, in Italian no less.
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