NitrateVille.com

Just got the word that part of the ongoing exclusive release deal MGM Home Video has with Wal-Mart, IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD will have a street date of July 5th on BLU-RAY. If ever there was a movie that needed to be released in a high-definition format, it is this movie!

This is indeed great news--the only other DVD release of this title is an old standard transfer that is below average and muddy on a large screen.

While I'm not a fan of Wal-Mart, I'm glad SOMEONE is getting some of these titles released on Blu-Ray!

They also stock in Blu-Ray several Clint Eastwood classics, John Wayne classics and recently featured the big-budget western THE BIG COUNTRY (1958) on Blu-Ray for $10.

Perhaps all in the latest round of classic releases will have a low pricetag as well?

I very much doubt this will be the restored roadshow version though. It'll be just like the DVD. I LOVE the laserdisc version, though apparently it was restored too much, in that there are some bits that were never in any release version. I never saw the original release, so I don't know; all I know is that this is the version I'm used to and that I love. There is a restoration going on however, and I'm sure that version will eventually make it to home video.

Until then, enjoy the cut version which you can find under the big W (Walmart).

Fred

PS: Walnuts! In bags!

The main feature should be a NEW transfer to High Definition.

I've heard of the restoration in progress for years--some of the cut scenes were shown on either AMC or TCM some years ago, some of the out-takes I've seen would slow down the story.

One can dream that perhaps someone has the presence of mind to do an HD transfer from 70mm elements--the 35mm printdowns were good, but I don't see how they would give gorgeous 1080p resolution--unless they have some master negatives.

I like the outtake where Sylvester (Dick Shawn)
rushes out of his house, jumps into a red
convertible to "rescue" his momma (Ethel Merman)
and his girlfriend (Barrie Chase) rushes
out of the house after him and yells that the
car belongs to her husband.

It is not made explicit, but the weird dancing
Sylvester and his girlfriend does is due to
pot smoking.

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Restoration :


http://events.hometheaterforum.com/madw ... age_1.html


Who knows if the problems was finally solved...
I bet it was not yet...

I'm one of many who saw the roadshow in '63, courtesy of the Mayfair Theatre in Asbury, and all the sequences, road calls and laughter is still in my memory - I want to own a copy of this great film - Here's to it - Cheers, Shorty

Remember... it's under a big dubbah-yah....

R.I.P. Peter Falk

> I very much doubt this will be the restored roadshow version though.

At present time, there is no existing roadshow version, restored or otherwise. The extended LaserDisc that was passed off as the "roadshow" was not. The LaserDisc extended content consisted of mostly outtakes and alternate takes, with a little bit of faded footage from the roadshow. You can tell what was actually from the roadshow on the LaserDisc by the anamorphic un-squeeze not being consistent across the field of vision.

I personally like the shorter theatrical version, and did not like the LaserDisc at all. I know some of the roadshow footage exists, but I do not believe all of it still does. It would be nice to see a Blu-Ray with both the shorter theatrical version and the real roadshow version, so we could take our choice of which version we like best.

My latest soundtrack production:



Here are three familiar chords from the new CD (which is the complete score, plus a second disc with a reissue of the original LP)

http://chelsearialtostudios.com/californias_bravest.mp3

Ray, how does this differ from the previous CD release, other than the LP disc that's included? Is the sound substantially different, or is it more complete?

Fred

Both the previous CD releases WERE the LP recordings. This is the first release of the actual soundtrack score. Unfortunately, since the original music tracks are long gone, the soundtrack was compiled using the music-only surround tracks. Some of them were dubbed low I had to do a lot of volume adjustment and subsequent signal/noise ratio adjustment. It is the complete score as it appears in the 162 minute release (with overture, ent'racte and exit music).

The problem with the film's score is that the movie's theme was played pretty much every time some comic was on the move.......which amounted to a playing time of....well, you figure it out.

Wasn't much information at Walmart's website, other than they claim the runtime is about 161 minutes, so that's the cut theatrical version. They didn't elaborate whether there were extras. Street date is next Tuesday July 5, so run down there and pick it up--suggested retail is only $10 exclusive to Walmart stores.

Thanks for the info Ray! Looks like I'm going to have to pick this up. I love this score (despite the fact that, as has been pointed out, a big portion of it is the same bit).

Fred

PS: I have several of your other CDs already, so keep up the great work!

Just ran to Wal-Mart and got their exclusive release as released today July 5th. This Blu-Ray transfer of MAD, MAD,MAD, MAD world is LIGHT YEARS better than the 10 year old standard DVD which as mentioned before was somewhat muddy.

It's 2:55 aspect ratio so it really looks great on a LARGE screen or projected with a big sound system. Even has the original overture and exit music. The original intermission title card is there, too.

Many years ago I owned a 35mm technicolor print of this movie and had seen Eastman color reissues in theatres, but this BLU-RAY is so good it is no comparison, and certainly looks like 70mm on the screen. There is SO MUCH to see in detail which really adds realism to the movie.

At a $10 price, this is the BUY OF THE MONTH!

Marr&Colton wrote:Just ran to Wal-Mart and got their exclusive release as released today July 5th. This Blu-Ray transfer of MAD, MAD,MAD, MAD world is LIGHT YEARS better than the 10 year old standard DVD which as mentioned before was somewhat muddy.

It's 2:55 aspect ratio so it really looks great on a LARGE screen or projected with a big sound system. Even has the original overture and exit music. The original intermission title card is there, too.

Many years ago I owned a 35mm technicolor print of this movie and had seen Eastman color reissues in theatres, but this BLU-RAY is so good it is no comparison, and certainly looks like 70mm on the screen. There is SO MUCH to see in detail which really adds realism to the movie.

At a $10 price, this is the BUY OF THE MONTH!

Glad for the positive review as I just got it is well. Minor nitpick, you do realize true 70mm is significantly more hi-res than blu-ray? For that matter so is 35mm....

Marr, did you recorder? Walmart site says not available in stores.

ColemanShedman wrote:Marr, did you recorder? Walmart site says not available in stores.

The website says that, but they seem widely available according to a number of HTF posters. Even my local store had it, which is surprising since they usually stock very little that isn't recent vintage.

Mine didn't....ordered site to store.

I picked one up in the local store today.

Buster Keaton must be the on more of my blu-rays than any other actor.

Rick

Cinemax ran the film in HD last night, but like all HBO channels cropped the image to fit the screen (Showtime seems to run films in the original aspect ratio). Nonetheless the picture quality looked very good. No overture or intermission, however. I saw the film on Broadway when it opened and then when it premiered on TV, but not since. I think a comedy of this type benefits from the infectious laughter of a group audience.

Point well taken on 70mm vs. 35mm transfers--whichever the materials used, this transfer is wonderful! The soundtrack also plays well on my surround channels in my home theatre.

One other thing I have noticed about this new series of Blu-Rays from MGM/Fox: Menus and special features NOT accessible on my recent Samsung player---I even upgraded the firmware and on the two specific discs I got from MGM/Fox can access neither menu or special features.

All my other Blu-Ray disc menus work fine....

I also got IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD at Walmart yesterday. It wasn't on their shelves yet by early afternoon, but I asked a clerk about it (he'd never heard of it) and he found it in an unpacked carton sitting on the floor in another aisle, and immediately set out several copies.

For those who like keeping track of such things, the aspect ratio of the feature on the Blu-ray is actually 2.75:1, not 2.55 as listed on the box, although it is the 159-minute version. I haven't had time to watch it all yet but it includes a brief overture and there's an intermission about an hour and a half into it, but the intermission audio show many fans seem to recall nostagically is not there. After the fade to black of the intermission title, the second part just fades in.

Whiile the complete feature is in the original 2.75:1, the original release trailer is transferred at 2.55:1 and the 1970 reissue trailer seems to be about 2.3:1. Both are in full 1080p HD. The approximately hour of alternate scenes are standard-def, letterboxed to 2.4:1 within a 1.33:1 pillarboxed area. There's also a standard-def retropective documentary running about an hour (in 1.33:1), which was produced in 1991 when many cast members were still alive.

Like other recent MGM/UA releases from Fox over the past few months, there is no main menu at all. The movie just starts playing. All bonus features must be accessed through a pop-up menu while the movie is running. The problem is, I've found, that a number of Blu-ray players will play the HD bonuses with no problem, but on standard-def bonuses the player may simply go into "Stop" mode, and pushing "Play" just reloads the disc and starts the feature again. Other players will play the standard-def content but displays it as a tiny 720x480 window up in the top left corner of the 1920x1080 screen.

I've found from experience that Samsung equipment frequently has more problems than any other brand I've used, whether "upgraded" or not, and will no longer consider buying a Samsung product no matter how much cheaper it is than others with comparable features (Some people do like their LCD monitors, however). Insignia and Magnavox and Sylvania (all made by Funai) are decent cheap players, and there are a number of blu-ray brands now in the $100 range plus or minus $20 (even one that says it will play 3-D!).

I'm debating whether to watch all of IAMMMMW sometime in the next week, or to wait until I can get a 10-foot-wide screen instead of my current 8-foot-wide screen. The little bit of the movie I watched is drastically sharper than the fuzzy old DVD that I once checked out of our public library. I've never had the strong affection for this film that some fans seem to, but then I've never seen it in a theatre on a big screen, and I expect a large, sharp picture is almost as much a part of its attraction as the amazing cast of almost every comedian still alive in the early 1960s. In any case, the Blu-ray is an incredible value at only $10!

--Christopher Jacobs
http://hpr1.com/film
http://www.und.edu/instruct/cjacobs
http://www.und.edu/instruct/cjacobs/Old ... BluRay.htm

My two cents...I recall seeing MAD WORLD during its original run when I was about seven years old; the memory of the audience laughing--and screaming!--was such a vivid experience. The Blu-Ray should arrive any time now.

I picked it up at my local Walmart this afternoon. For $10... a great deal. .

Glad everyone is finding and enjoying this great Blu-Ray disc.

I finally figured out how to access the special features--there is a drop-down menu you can access with the title menu button.

Samples of image quality:

http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Its-a-Mad ... creenshots

You can see a halo effect from edge enhancement, in the telephone on table. And details looks soft in eyes bag and eyebrow. what a waste for a disk with more than 25GB. Some ripped videos from quality mastered films with 3GB have more fine details than that...



Edge enhancement and grain reduction combination, killing detail and creating such sad effects. AND THIS FILM IS 65MM, SO THE EXCUSE OF HEAVY GRAIN COULD ANNOY IT'S NOT VALID !!!

Blu Ray, like DVD, despite use bits AND BYTES it's not true digital, but a video signal, FIELDS, video filters... Only very few editions are good. This is not the case of a very good...

HD resolution on Blu Ray resolution it's a lie !!! Many image details are lost in grain reduction, use of filtes, and compression. Many editions looks almost like a interpolation of a quality SD image.
And you are caged in 16:9, and so usae black bars for 4:3 and for 2,2. More waste...

Uhhhn... I think color correction tool are perhaps too good today, in a certain way. Many old films looks so pure in colors, and I bet theses films never really looked like that on original premiere.

And many films get different color, or slight different after each home video edition.
Gone With the Wind Blu Ray look a bit different scene to scene, in terms of color balance, when compared with the DVD from the same 4K digital restoration.

Anyone who use to check reviews and comparisons on DVD Beaver will notice that even films of few or couple years have different color balances in each home video version.

Digital era and there is no true legtime color balance.... ???????
Is that so difficult ??????

Just for your information, the Gone With The Wind Blu-ray did NOT use the same 4K scan from the previous DVD edition. There was a brand new, 8K scan created from the original 3-strip Technicolor. Once in the digital realm, the strips were perfectly aligned with one another using brand new software designed for that purpose. It had previously not been possible to do this, even at the film's premiere, the colors would have been ever so slightly off. The entire image subsequently underwent an enormous 1 million dollar digital restoration (if you doubt this figure, go ahead and check out Warner's corporate website to see the numbers for yourself), utilizing no visible digital noise reduction or edge enhancement. This film is as close to the original vision as it will ever get, and I can assure you any differences you see in the image compared to prior home video releases is solely due to the fact that those releases did not have the Technicolor strips aligned correctly, as they are on the Blu-ray. There is absolutely NO color correction or alterations on the Blu-ray.