What Blu-Ray did you watch last night?

[Graham Ritchie]

Thanks Ed regarding Gerald Butler way back in 2005 not to sure exactly, but we went to a art house cinema in town they were running a 35mm print of "Dear Frankie", this is a far cry for the action packed films like Plane and another good one "Hunter Killer" plus a few more on blu-ray. Also starring is Emily Mortimer who I had watched just lately in The Ghost and the Darkness.

Back to "Dear Frankie", its a Scottish film, filmed in Greenock over looking the Clyde and also filmed in Glasgow. Its very good and did very well at Film Festivals. I have the 35mm trailer and thankfully the voice over is a Scottish youngster. The trailer on you-tube is done by a youngster trying to do a Scottish accent noooooo sorry it does not work, but I guess it was added for the American and English market, who have trouble understanding Scottish, sad eh! .

Anyway I watched it again on DVD its not out on blu-ray, but hopefully someone will give it the blu-ray treatment it deserves one day.

A couple of past screen shots from the DVD projected with the Panasonic

[Mike Newell]

Mike, did you watch it in the Smilebox or scope format? I favor the Smilebox, but the 2.89:1 scope version is also stunning.

Hi Ed

Yes , more by accident than design. Both formats are stunning.

Mike

[Ed Gordon]

How the West was Won. Nice remastered print with dividing line digitally removed. Make a big difference

Mike, did you watch it in the Smilebox or scope format? I favor the Smilebox, but the 2.89:1 scope version is also stunning.

[Ed Gordon]

Thanks Ed, If there was one opening to a film that has always stood out in my memory, it was when I went to the cinema to watch "The Sand Pebbles" around I think 1966. Jerry Goldsmith score was brilliant. The music starts quietly then builds up as the camera moves in, what a great way to start a film. I have it on blu-ray its a long film, but a good one, thankfully like many films back then it had a Intermission.

Graham, I like the way the bluray starts with a black screen as the overture plays, and then the fox logo fades in (the clip you posted above) at about 2 minutes. Yes, it is a long movie. The bluray version runs 182 minutes. There are longer versions that were produced:

History: (pre June 5, 2007) Twentieth Century Fox began editing the 195 minute Roadshow version of the Sand Pebbles soon after its December 20, 1966 premiere at the Rivoli and eventually pared the film down to what is now referred to as the "theatrical" 182 minute version. This was accomplished without any input or consent from Robert Wise. Thanks to the contributions of fans like Jean-Maurice Tremblay (JMT)...Geoff Toole (GT) and Stuart Gray (SG) a list of missing scenes was established. Video files were contributed by Cyrille (France) and Thomas Booch (Germany) to prove that the scenes still existed in other countries.

On June 5, 2007 Fox finally released the 70mm Roadshow version of the film on DVD, however, after 40 years of neglect the Roadshow print was badly faded and perhaps beyond the point of restoration. Time will tell.

In addition, there was also a 200 minute audience test version of the film that was previewed in Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Dallas prior to the movie's official premiere in New York City. A few copies of this longer version were distributed to roadshow venues in cities like Detroit and San Francisco. Surprisingly, a fan has reported that this extended 200 minute version was shown on a New York City television station in the 1970's. Description of these audience test scenes are also included here. - CG

Source: https://www.thesandpebbles.com/roads..._audience.html

The website (www.thesandpebbles.com) is loaded with interesting information on the film.

The complete soundtrack album is available on Youtube:

[Mike Newell]

How the West was Won. Nice remastered print with dividing line digitally removed. Make a big difference

[Graham Ritchie]

Thanks Ed, If there was one opening to a film that has always stood out in my memory, it was when I went to the cinema to watch "The Sand Pebbles" around I think 1966. Jerry Goldsmith score was brilliant. The music starts quietly then builds up as the camera moves in, what a great way to start a film. I have it on blu-ray its a long film, but a good one, thankfully like many films back then it had a Intermission.

[Ed Gordon]

Watched the blu-ray of this one not so long ago I will have to search out the soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith its brilliant. Ed I agree, sometimes you just want to be entertained "Outland" is another one for me its always stuck in my mind since I saw it at the cinema when it was first released.

Outland - Film Soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith is available on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI7lg5yfie4

[Graham Ritchie]

Watched the blu-ray of this one not so long ago I will have to search out the soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith its brilliant. Ed I agree, sometimes you just want to be entertained "Outland" is another one for me its always stuck in my mind since I saw it at the cinema when it was first released.

[Ed Gordon]

Last night I watched A Christmas Carol (1984) with George C. Scott. This version of the Dickens classic is my favorite. It is available to stream free on Youtube.


Link to full movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd31WpkEi_8

[Ed Gordon]

Watched the blu-ray of "Plane" two nights ago good movie with lots of action.

Graham, I agree you on this one. I saw it last year and did not expect much, but it turned out to be very entertaining.

As one reviewer said:

Now that's entertainment!

I love films like this where there's no confusing plot, no hidden agendas, no shock twists. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy those kind of films as well, but sometimes I just want to sit back and enjoy a movie for it's entertainment value instead of doing in-depth analysis.

...'Plane' is fast-paced and became more and more intense by the minute. There's loads of action, gunfire, and suspense, and very good character development. This is also a very physical role for Gerard Butler, and I thought he did it wonderfully. Mike Colter also makes a credible hero.

Fair enough, the film probably won't be winning any awards, but this is an entertaining movie well worth seeing.

[Graham Ritchie]

Watched the blu-ray of "Plane" two nights ago good movie with lots of action.

[Graham Ritchie]

Just reading that actor Richard Briers passed away in 2013 this scene with him and that parrot in the above 2003 film is brilliant. Who remembers the BBC series from the 1970s called The Good Life?, it was very popular out here in NZ at the time. One DVD I had watched lately with Richard Briers in it as the poor house buyer in the 1965 comedy was "A Home Of Your Own" you can see it in full on you-tube from a blu-ray source.

Anyway back to Peter Pan and that parrot

[Graham Ritchie]

Watched the blu-ray of the "Peter Pan 2003". Of all the Peter Pan films, including Hook and Disney, this one I consider the best screen version. One thing I do remember was, that when we ran the 35mm print at the cinema it was one of the best quality prints I had put together. The music, the cast, and special effects all looked great. I still have the flat trailer on 35mm however the Scope Super 8 trailer of this film I got from Derann in the Scope format is excellent.

Anyway, rather than include the trailer here, I thought I would include instead "Jason Isaacs" home move instead...enjoy.

Blu-ray picture and sound quality is one of the best transfers I have projected using the Panasonic VP.

[Graham Ritchie]

Two nights ago on blu-ray "Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines" this was a import from Germany and its excellent. Shot in Todd AO the screen ratio on the blu-ray is 2.20:1 a nice ratio for my screen, it fills it right up sound is English 5:1, what a cast.

Last night and something this time a bit different, after watching the excellent Super 8 Derann print of "Holiday Camp" that gave me the idea to watch this one below. Its out on blu-ray but don't have it at the moment, but do have the DVD so projected it using the Panasonic VP. "Holiday On The Buses" came out way back in 1973. This below scene is when Stan is in a hurry to drive the bus back and takes a short cut. Its typical British humor all the way.

[Ed Gordon]

Now he needs to apologize to Wilson for screwing up so badly.