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Post by garbulky on Jun 3, 2013 13:51:16 GMT -5
Something I've been doing lately is revisiting really old movies that I'd never bother to see otherwise on blu-ray.....and on some the picture quality is just stunnin for such old material. That intense restoration work combined with old-school cinema style and colors make me feel like I'm experiencing it with a richness that simply wasn't available to people - even those that watched it in theaters. The detail in the actors faces and their emotions finally come through with the clarity they tried to deliver but failed due to the quality of equipment at the time.
So I would like to start this thread to get some suggestions going for me and everyone else that are interested. What old films have you watched that looks or sounds stunning for its age after HD-restorations? I'll start. South Pacific. -Really showed off the color changing work and some of the old-school cockpits Lion King - I know not that old but gorgeous everything). Grapes of Wrath -Wow. Moody, great screen hamming monologues. Good detail. Gone with the wind. (Watched on DVD, amazing quality). To ki a mockingbird - Gregory Peck was just outstanding in this. The scene where he stood there while Ewell spit on him. That's just class. Grease - pretty decent. Not the last word but enhanced detail. Saturday night fever. - YES! This was like seeing a 70's movie on a modern day budget with a modern day "remake" look. The disco scenes were so clearly that I could nearly get the 3d effect that some modern blu-ray films can portray with their resolutions. Wasn't expecting that at all.
I hope to see the old old phantom of the opera (the 30's was it?) To the moon (original color film from way back).
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Post by ÈlTwo on Jun 3, 2013 14:10:11 GMT -5
My dad's favorite movie was the Errol Flynn 'Robin Hood.' I'd seen it so many times while growing up that I'd lost count.
In late 2008 I got a copy of the movie on Blu-ray, and invited my dad over so we could watch it together, and so I could see what the movie looked like when he first saw it in the theater. We were not disappointed.
It's also a particularly fond memory for me, since my dad passed away a year later.
I would also suggest Casablanca. Although in black and white, the clarity is stunning.
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Post by chaosrv on Jun 3, 2013 14:41:13 GMT -5
I recently picked up The Great Escape on blu ray. I have seen it many many times over the years - the transfer was brilliant.
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Post by dcg44s on Jun 3, 2013 14:50:34 GMT -5
I recently picked up The Great Escape on blu ray. I have seen it many many times over the years - the transfer was brilliant. I'm looking forward to seeing that one again myself.I have to wait a bit though as mine just shipped yesterday (UK Steelbook).
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Post by vinylfreak on Jun 3, 2013 14:54:03 GMT -5
+1 For Casablanca! If you haven't already seen it Lawrence of Arabia on Blu ray , is pretty mind-blowing.
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Post by chaosrv on Jun 3, 2013 15:20:43 GMT -5
Spartacus was another great movie with a transfer to match!
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Post by chaosrv on Jun 3, 2013 15:24:47 GMT -5
+1 For Casablanca! If you haven't already seen it Lawrence of Arabia on Blu ray , is pretty mind-blowing. I just bought Lawrence of Arabia the other day, I'm dying to pop it in the player. Just need a few hours when the girlfriend isn't home. She'd never be able to sit through the entire thing.. unless it had zombies. She loves zombies. Some people (meaning me) would say too much.
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Post by garbulky on Jun 3, 2013 15:31:03 GMT -5
My dad's favorite movie was the Errol Flynn 'Robin Hood.' I'd seen it so many times while growing up that I'd lost count. In late 2008 I got a copy of the movie on Blu-ray, and invited my dad over so we could watch it together, and so I could see what the movie looked like when he first saw it in the theater. We were not disappointed. It's also a particularly fond memory for me, since my dad passed away a year later. Sorry to hear about your dad. I saw the DVD transfer and I thought it was really good at the time. I too would like to see it on blu-ray.
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Post by ÈlTwo on Jun 3, 2013 18:52:02 GMT -5
Sorry to hear about your dad. Thanks, but the thread brought back a fond memory, so thank you.
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Post by zenithblue67bug on Jul 8, 2013 7:40:08 GMT -5
I just watched Cleopatra on blu and it was stunning. I also enjoyed tora tora tora and midway. Though both of these are not as good as the Cleopatra transfer but are pretty decent with tora tora tora being the better visually out of the two, but I think midway has a better soundtrack.
My reference classic blu ray transfer title still remains to be alien....absolutely stunning in every way. I do have lawrance of Arabia sitting in my to be watched pile and will comment on it once I find time to watch it.
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Post by stads77 on Jul 8, 2013 8:02:46 GMT -5
it is not that old, but "Top Gun" on bluray looks amazing and the HD Master audio is also superb.
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Post by mpower on Jul 8, 2013 8:55:32 GMT -5
A few months ago - I picked up a box set of the full Planet of the Apes movies and also picked up the two newest versions. The old movies transferred very well and look great thru an Oppo 95 and PJ.
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hemster
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Post by hemster on Jul 8, 2013 9:55:31 GMT -5
it is not that old, but "Top Gun" on bluray looks amazing and the HD Master audio is also superb. This is one my my all-time fav movies. Nice soundtrack and the planes seem to roar in the home theater!
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Post by stads77 on Jul 8, 2013 9:57:16 GMT -5
it is not that old, but "Top Gun" on bluray looks amazing and the HD Master audio is also superb. This is one my my all-time fav movies. Nice soundtrack and the planes seem to roar in the home theater! you cannot beat that openning sequence on the aircraft carrier
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Post by zenithblue67bug on Jul 8, 2013 12:17:10 GMT -5
A few months ago - I picked up a box set of the full Planet of the Apes movies and also picked up the two newest versions. The old movies transferred very well and look great thru an Oppo 95 and PJ. This was one of my most favorite titles back in the olden days with laser disc. I don't remember the blu being that impressive...of course I don't remember when I last watched it....I just may have to put it on later today.
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Post by The Mad Norseman on Jul 8, 2013 12:37:50 GMT -5
One not mentioned yet is Hitchcock's "North By Northwest", which looks AMAZING on Blu-ray! Also the old B&W "The Twilight Zone" TV series - wonderful sharpness, as they used film and not crappy video tape... And, "Citizen Kane", just wonderful... One not so old but with terrific video AND audio is "The Sound of Music", really GOOD on both!
Yeah, the audio tracks are all mono (except the sound of music), but cleaned up as well as can be, and sound good considering the source material. Too bad that these old movies - that had essentially - an HD video source in film quality, didn't also have more attention paid to the sound then.
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Post by garbulky on Jul 8, 2013 12:46:31 GMT -5
A few months ago - I picked up a box set of the full Planet of the Apes movies and also picked up the two newest versions. The old movies transferred very well and look great thru an Oppo 95 and PJ. This was one of my most favorite titles back in the olden days with laser disc. I don't remember the blu being that impressive...of course I don't remember when I last watched it....I just may have to put it on later today. Ahhh laserdiscs. I really wish I had one of those. They were just so special. One not mentioned yet is Hitchcock's "North By Northwest", which looks AMAZING on Blu-ray! Also the old B&W "The Twilight Zone" TV series - wonderful sharpness, as they used film and not crappy video tape... And, "Citizen Kane", just wonderful... One not so old but with terrific video AND audio is "The Sound of Music", really GOOD on both! Yeah, the audio tracks are all mono (except the sound of music), but cleaned up as well as can be, and sound good considering the source material. Too bad that these old movies - that had essentially - an HD video source in film quality, didn't also have more attention paid to the sound then. I think I watched sound of music on blu-ray. If I recall correctly the sound quality was very good. I remember watching some of these old movies in theaters and IMO the blu-ray just looks so much clearer than what I remember
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Post by drtrey3 on Jul 8, 2013 13:22:08 GMT -5
Those movies were the height of analog recording, and there is tons of information on those little frames of film! The problem with analog is that it does not copy well, too much degradation for each copy. Digital copies great on the other hand, but is bandwidth limited. Analog originals with digital copies seems the way to go. But more on topic, I think all the Criterion collection movies are done with wonderful transfers. And lets not forget Disney. I watched Dumbo with the fam this weekend and it is stunning on blu ray, as is Sleeping Beauty.
Trey
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Post by jevans64 on Aug 10, 2013 13:15:58 GMT -5
Lawrence of Arabia is my favorite transfer so far, but I do not yet own Cleopatra. How the West Was Won is probably the worst transfer I own but they had to convert it from three-projector Cinerama to a flat screen. I thought the transfer of The Final Countdown came out better than I thought it would. The first two Planet of the Apes movies were done well but the transfers aren't anything special for the last three movies.
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Post by The Mad Norseman on Aug 10, 2013 16:02:44 GMT -5
A revived thread! Okay then, I'll add a couple more oldies that look wonderful on Blu-ray: - Doctor Zhivago
(There's no helping these 1960s/1970s soundtracks for the most part though... - Patton(The newly remastered version).
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