kal
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Location: Ottawa, Canada
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| Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2012 2:39 pm Post subject: Singin' In The Rain: 60th Anniversary Edition [Blu-ray] |
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Another reference disc!
Singin' In The Rain: 60th Anniversary Collector's Edition (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2012)[Blu-ray]
(Hover over link for price, click to purchase and support our forum at no extra cost to you)
| Quote: | What a glorious feeling! 'Singin' in the Rain' at last arrives on Blu-ray, and Warner honors this immortal musical with a fitting ultimate collector's edition that features eye-popping video, excellent audio, and a shower of high-quality extras that will thrill the film's legion of fans. While the enclosed collectible umbrella is an unnecessary bit of swag, the rest of this marvelous set hits the bullseye and is well worth the interminable wait, as well as the hefty price tag. Certain classic movies demand the red-carpet treatment - 'The Wizard of Oz' and 'Gone With the Wind' lead the charge - and 'Singin' in the Rain' is one of them. Filled with humor, great songs, spirited performances, and some of the best dancing you'll ever see on film, this musical icon remains fresh and exhilarating 60 years after its initial release, and demands a spot on every cinema lover's shelf. You'll walk down the lane with a happy refrain every time you experience 'Singin' in the Rain,' especially in 1080p...one more reason this set is a no-brainer must-own!
The Video: Sizing Up the Picture
'Singin' in the Rain' was the first Warner film to be restored using the Ultra-Resolution process back in 2002, and the results were extraordinary. That remaster, however, didn't meet high-def standards, so for this Blu-ray edition, the studio went back to the three-strip Technicolor negatives and struck a 4k scan. Once again, the results are often breathtaking, though I must admit to just a hint of disappointment over this high-def transfer. Don't get me wrong... 'Singin' in the Rain' looks spectacular. Colors, contrast, and clarity are all superb. I just think my own over-inflated expectations set me up for a slight letdown.
Nothing could live up to my imagination of what 'Singin' in the Rain' should look like on Blu-ray, so once I got over that I began to appreciate the finer points of this excellent effort. First of all, not a hint of print debris, no scratches, and no marks sully the pristine image, and no evidence of digital doctoring could be detected, so it's impossible not to immerse yourself in the captivating atmosphere of this film. Grain is only slightly evident, yet the picture retains a remarkable film-like feel, and contrast is perfectly pitched, creating a vibrant, balanced palette. All that bold color could create eye strain if left unchecked, but this transfer makes sure all the hues, despite their garish nature, retain as natural a look as possible.
And what glorious colors they are! Designer Walter Plunkett went the extra mile replicating the outlandish flapper outfits of the late 1920s, and the purples, pinks, emerald greens, and sunny yellows truly pop. Sequins, fringe, and feathers are also beautifully defined, and difficult patterns, such as the green and white plaid suits that O'Connor and Kelly don in the 'Fit as a Fiddle' number, are rock solid and resist shimmering. Kelly's yellow vest and Charisse's sparkly green mini-dress in the 'Broadway Ballet' add pleasing accents to the picture, as do all the costumes of the dance extras, each of which possesses its own distinct sense of retro style.
Black levels are rich and inky, but crush is never an issue, and whites, such as Hagen's outfit in the opening premiere segment, are bright but stable. Fleshtones lean a bit toward the ruddy end of the scale in certain scenes, but on the whole are true to life. Background elements are always easy to discern (the all-important rain is brilliantly clear, with individual drops possessing more clarity than ever before), and close-ups ooze Hollywood glamour without appearing overly artificial. Some scenes look a shade softer than others, but the gradation is so slight, most eyes won't even see it.
Warner has always been careful to present classic films as close to their original look as possible, and with 'Singin' in the Rain' they've done a first-class job. We've waited a long time for this title to be released on Blu-ray, and our patience hasn't been in vain.
The Audio: Rating the Sound
Warner also has done a great job fashioning a high-quality DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix for this musical classic. 'Singin' in the Rain' was produced before the advent of stereo, so naturally most of the sound is front-based, but the fidelity and tonal depth are so crisp and warm, there's a marvelous surround feel to this track. A wide dynamic scale, featuring bright, crystalline highs and weighty lows, maximize vocal and instrumental intensity while showcasing subtleties with ease. Both Reynolds' brassy delivery and Kelly's delicate tenor come across cleanly, and the 'Broadway Ballet' scoring is alternately vibrant and nuanced, as screaming trumpets and swelling strings fill the room without a hint of distortion. Atmospherics, such as the pouring rain, street noise, and movie set ambience, are solid, too - distinct but not overpowering - and every toe tap is crisp and synchronized.
The audio in the early talkie sequences is especially well balanced, possessing the appropriate degree of roughness without delving too far into caricature. The clanking of Lina's pearls, the clomp of footsteps, and the general imperfections of rudimentary sound recording (static, hiss, pops, crackles) are all meticulously rendered. Thankfully, no age-related defects afflict the rest of the picture, as Warner technicians have scrubbed this track clean.
Dialogue is always well prioritized and easy to comprehend, as are song lyrics, and the musical sequences benefit from a slight level boost that enhances the excitement and vigor of each number. For a 60-year-old movie, 'Singin' in the Rain' sounds surprisingly contemporary, and those appreciate Golden Age musicals will be thrilled by this track. |
Kal
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