I never pre-ordered a disc as quickly as I did this new release of WHITE CHRISTMAS! Thank you for this great podcast episode and for all your hard work that made this 4K release possible. Additional thanks to whoever decided to use the original poster artwork for the slipcover. Its a STUNNER! I'm hoping the Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire musical FUNNY FACE is on somebody's radar for a restoration and upgrade. My fingers (and the fingers of many others) are firmly crossed! :)
This was fascinating. So thankful for amazing restoration efforts such as this. And what a treasure to hear this conversation that brings one into all the details of this work. Thanks!
Finally sat down tonight to watch the new 4K of White Christmas. You did an incredible job. I've seen this film more times than any other. The details I discovered from your meticulous restoration made me so happy including the detail on the women’s evening gloves. I saw colors during the dance numbers I never saw before. I saw the bejeweled back of Rosemary Clooney’s dress in detail. I even saw Bing Crosby’s eye shadow. Made me fall in love all over again, and yes I cried on queue remembering my childhood and all the folks no longer here. Thank you for your amazing work!
Just got the disc - WOW!!! WOW!! The color grading is amazing and the dynamic range is incredible. Thanks Charlotte for your and the team's work on this!!
One final comment: I'd love to see an episode about the restoration of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. I love that film, and I thought the 4K disc looked amazing.
Really enjoyed this show. Just watched the 4K last night and it was great. I noticed the soft/out of focus spots and it surprised me a bit. Then I watch this episode today and it explained so much. Just really interesting to hear your experience so thanks for sharing. It was a gorgeous transfer so job very well done! 22:17
Wonderful information. Thank you. I hadn't seen that White Christmas had been released as a 4K home video so I'll have to see if I can get a copy before Christmas. If I can do a review in time I need to link into your video here which might help garner a few more followers. It's nice to have someone else able to explain VistaVision because so many people think something magical has been done to this large format films to make them look better on video. They tend to think it's all down to 'the transfer'. I don't know how many times I've pointed out that it's the mastering which is what you've done to make this historic film look as good as it does today. John.
Fascinating video, and the 4K disc is the best this film has ever looked--I love it!! Thanks for the good job you and your team did on the restoration, and thank you for making the transfer from the original negative. I enjoy yours and Adam's videos. They are both entertaining and very informative.
This is fascinating. Thank you for sharing these insights. I loved the note about printing down for night time shots that were filmed in the day. Brilliant work. Thank you for your service in restoring this cherished film!
Thank you so much for talking openly about these processes I find it really fascinating. I'm glad your able to talk about all the effort and creative decisions that go into making these restorations look so fabulous. I'll definitely be getting a copy to watch at Christmas.
I’m not any kind of an expert but I love film and I have watched White Christmas (and many other movies) almost every year of my life that I can remember - (I’m 71 on Dec 30 2024 and I will be watching WC again soon) and I am delighted to hear your conversation about restoring this film and the work that goes into this kind of project. It is something that if i had known was real work when I was a young man I would have loved to do - It would have been my passion - but that was not to be. i am so happy that you do this work and talk about it because I can feel how rewarding this process is for you. I have subscribed to your channel and really look forward to watching some of your past episodes and your future discussions about the making and restoration of film. It is a real pleasure to have found you.
I've been an audio engineer for 25 years, and have been a film buff and general audio buff since I was a kid, and today was the first time I had heard of "Perspecta" audio. Fascinating.
@@PerfDamagePodcast So, not worth getting the Villagers out with pitchforks to get this added, huh? (I kinda enjoyed the Perspecta on Robert Harris' restoration of '55 The Man Who Knew Too Much, but it's no substitute for actual stereo.)
This is my first time watching one of your videos. You guys are great. I am not a technical person but you explained it very simply. Thanks. Love this film. So glad you restored it
Great insight into how the film has been restored. You can appreciate the work gone into making the final 4K special, in particular going back to the negative for the first time. I have the new release and look forward to December to watch it.
I just got my 4K WC disc today, and can't wait to watch it closer to the holidys (only got the 2011 BD last year, lol). This video was quite fascinating. Thanks for the behind the scenes info.
I also only got the 2011 BD last year. And I don’t yet have a 4K system. Been on the fence about upgrading due to the initial expense. I still watch on a 1080p projector and still have only a Blu-ray player. And I have such a huge library of BDs (and DVDs) and I just don’t know if I want to start a new format, though I know it’s better. I’m a disabled vet on a fixed income and hope to start working again soon anyways. But until then, I may just have to stick with the “first world problem” of just watching on the “ancient” technology of Blu-ray. And 1080p (although I do eventually want to upgrade my projector).
Just watched the White Christmas in 4K UHD - WOW!! Must be pretty close to the experience of watching it in 1954 (maybe a little better??)! I was actually distracted by the lack of distractions in the background😂. GREAT JOB!!
I spotted that Pahlmeyer label from a mile away! Very nice. My copy of White Christmas is out for delivery and I can't wait to check it out. I retired after 30 years in the WB Archival Mastering And Restoration Dept. in July. So nice to see you acknowledge the people on your team and the dedication you all have. I hope you all were not part of the recent layoff! I had a customized Perspecta decoder for the Cinemascope titles in our library. On occasion the tracks would be used in a new remix. It was cool technology. Sometimes you can catch the low frequency rumble in a scope film's trailer where the Perspecta tones weren't filtered out. I would love to have a Perspecta track included on the disc as I'm sure many would want to hear what was released theatrically. I just discovered your channel after your appearance on Cereal At Midnight and am starting to dive into your videos. Thank you!!
Restorations are a team effort and I’m doing my best to make sure to point that out. Fortunately everyone on my team made it through the last round of layoffs, but the company is still going through changes. Fingers crossed! Hopefully we’ll start having more guests on soon to talk about other pieces of the process. (Sounds like you might even have some fun tales to share- would love to chat with you about Perspecta!!) I bet we know a lot of the same people. -C
10:50 I hated, hated the DVD transfer with that flickering! The Blu-ray was an awesome upgrade, but for years later, the streaming services still had that old master as their HD stream. This 4k disc marks the 5th time I’ve purchased this movie!
The second copy in 35mm does make sense (even if it didn't happen in this case) because it was done at MGM for Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, and Brigadoon (both 1954, and shot in CinemaScope and "flat" ratios). Not simultaneously but in separate takes.
I just found this channel, I'm so glad!! I’m going to be going to college for film (hopefully I get into the BFA program), I'm in my senior year in high school right now and I can’t wait to be able to listen on my way into school! I’ve recently been very into film restoration and learning more about actual film media stocks/restoration and such on my downtime when I’m not doing college apps or assignments. I’ll be in Happy Holidays/Let Yourself Go as Phil in the big opening number for my schools Winter Concert so that’s another doubly funny thing.
Hi Charlotte. You need to settle an argument we are having over the color of the dresses in the Sisters number. Previous versions of the movie had them in a powder blue but in this 4 k release they seem a bit on the teal side. Even on your still shots they appear as a bit teal? You are the best person who can handle this. Please help.
Got my disc on Monday when it came out here in the UK, and I'm so tempted to watch it straight away, but for me White Christmas is one of those films that I like to leave until just before Christmas or on the day itself, I don't know it just makes me warm and fuzzy inside!! But after watching this, and the work Charlotte and her team did on this it sounds like it's going to be spectacular! Thanks again for such a great video, full of insight, charm and comedy. Dean
HI JUST CAME ACROSS YOUR CHANNEL, LOVE IT I AM A MOVIE FAN OF OLD MOVIES IT IS GREAT WHAT YOU DO. KEEP IT UP THE GREAT WORK HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU BOTH FROM IRELAND
Thanks for the much-needed diversion today (Election Day)! I'm definitely looking forward to seeing this restoration on the big screen with friends this December! (Thanks Classic Cinemas / Tivoli Theater in Downers Grove, IL!) And yes, the 4K release is on my Christmas list. 😉👍🏻
Hi Charlotte! WOW what a GREAT VIDEO!! Thumbs up! (David Alp and Flossie-Doggy from England here again. ) I must first of all THANK YOU SO MUCH for answering my prior question on the previous Video about the 1954 "A STAR IS BORN". And the missing 27 minutes. I never expected a personal reply -- so YOU HAVE MADE MY DAY! And my little Flossie sends her love across the Atlantic too, & isn't that awesome that your Mother used to call you Flossie, as its such a unique name. I love your 'find' regarding "White Christmas" about how you asked Chuck [Guru] Woodfell (or is Woodfall?) to seek out the 4 seconds of OCN for the car arriving!! WOWZA!! NOW THAT is TRUE DEDICTION to Film Restoration!! Oh Charlotte I WISH you worked at Warner's (as well) so you could give "A Star Is Born" this same LEVEL of dedication and passion and expertise. With you on-board at Warners, I just "know" you'd find the FULLY UNCUT "Star Is Born". Paramount are so LUCKY to have you!! And yeah - show THIS MESSAGE to your boss, and make her give you a rise! (Andrea Kalas - give this lady a BONUS for her dedication). Just to add, that back in 1983, Ronald Haver used the very same "tricks" as your Chuck Woodfell to obtain a few "stock shots" from the Warner Library. And hey presto one of these "stock shots" actually featured & revealed Judy as a car-hop in one of the cut scenes. The "Stock-Shots" department had failed to throw out the bit where Judy comes into shot and reads out the menu, so this gave us an extra 20 seconds of newly discovered footage, however because it was a silent-out-take - Warner's had to sync up the sound to the mono soundtrack, and try to make it match the sound to the original take (which is still lost) The link is below th-cam.com/video/rnexfzbijTA/w-d-xo.html
Wow! That is so cool. Can you send us an email? You should be able to find it in the About section on TH-cam or its on our website perfdamage.com - we have something to share with you! -C
Only a trained eye (like yours) would recognize these subtle discrepancies (being a film nerd, I do too). Missed previous podcasts re this film. That being said my favorite scene is Bing and Danny doing the sisters number. Staged or not, it seemed absolutely spontaneous based on the way Bing was laughing. Also watching Rosemary's waistline and how it grew over the ensuing years. Also, Vera-Ellens legs in one of her dance numbers looked so bird-like. She was a great dancer for all those who hated my bird-leg remark. Great Americana film....beautifully made.
There were absolutely some spontaneous hijinks going on in the Sisters number! Bing can’t keep it together and his face is pure joy. You can’t fake that! It’s definitely one of the best scenes in the film. Thanks for watching! -C
Hasn’t it just been covered to death at this point? Plus, any of the cool stuff I’d want show that hasn’t been seen would require legal sign-off which I don’t think I could get. -C
This was a fascinating conversation and it’s great to hear all the work that went into this new restoration. Unfortunately, for now, I’m stuck in the Blu-ray world. But I intend on seeing that theatrical release that Fathom Event with this 4K restoration. And someday, I might upgrade to a 4K system.
A really enjoyable video on the restoration process of a classic. (I am constantly amazed how many of these service companies are here in Burbank) . As a big collector of Blu-ray and 4K , I have noticed so many soft focus / out of focus shots in some of my favorite films. It must have been quite the process to get stuff in focus before video assist.
I would love to see an in depth program on movie producer Walter Lippert (the king of the b's). He was one of a kind. He even joined forces with Hammer Studios for joint English/American movies.
Thanks! It may be a little while before we have another restoration video like this. It just depends on what titles I worked on that Paramount is releasing. However, we hope to start having more of my coworkers and colleagues on to share more archival stories on the regular. -C
Just curious id the 1954 prints were Technicolor dye transfer prints? Also were you able to redo the optical (fades and dissolves) or did you have to use the 1954 dupes?
Even if we did get Perspecta sound on the disc, how would we decode it? The most legacy surround tech that any disc player or AV receiver's going to have is Dolby Pro Logic (i e., Dolby Surround).
That's really interesting about how they shoot 'day-for-night' - I always thought they used a filter rather than leaving lights on and just printing down from the negative. Speaking of negative, Charlotte mentions that White Christmas is in the correct aspect ratio of 1.85:1 (same for To Catch a Thief), but what's the aspect ratio of a VistaVision negative? Was the negative also 1.85:1 or was the format intended to be matted to that aspect ratio?
The blurriness of the film, on my home TV, didn't matter, back in the sixtys/seventys. Now days, lots of earlier films seem blurry on my android 5X7 inch screen. 😁 💜
I'm nitpicking, but locomotive headlights are always on. Amazingly, the actors magically switch from Santa Fe to Southern Pacific Railroads - both well known for their service on the East Coast (!), like they annoyingly do when showing a montage of airliners taking off, in flight, landing, and airlines and the plane models switch according to what stock footage was available.
Somewhat ashamed to admit it, but I have never seen white Christmas how that is possible I do not know after listening to your podcast. I think this year I’m going to make it a must watch film. I’m thinking that perhaps you might want to start a film series for Christmas movies similar to Your horror film festival screenings in October. Maybe something to consider
It's definitely worth a watch. I'd recommend seeing it on the big screen, possibly in an old, vintage movie theater if you can. Fathom Events is re-releasing it this December, so you can check their website for that info. 👍🏻 And bring tissues. You know, not for you but for the person next to you. 😉
a.co/d/dMGIZWl Please note the Blu-ray they included in this set is the OLD transfer, but the 4K UHD and the Digital Copy are both the new 2024 restoration.
Now we need that "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" restoration episode-just sayin'! 😉🖖 And speaking of "To Catch A Thief," my 4K CE should be arriving today (maybe?) so I'm definitely excited to check that out.
I have been the person, like when Aragorn kicks the helmet, to explain this Vista vision and the extra 35 mm camera that they had running the whole movie. Devastated to find out it's not true! I don't know if I'll stop telling the story though... Lol. Or maybe I just got a new denouement for the story.
From a preservation perspective, do you keep a raw digital scan so that people don’t have to start over from square one? While I understand during a restoration, there our choices that you have to make to foster the enjoyment of the film, make it sellable, etc. That you might not want to modify permanently from a preservation perspective. Do restoration companies have any ability to help archivists in this type of way?
I’m curious about the color timing and printing process from back in the day. I have heard that black and white films were often printed from the original negatives as duping/intermediate stock was so poor. How did this work during the Eastman stock era when printing was not handled via Technicolor imbibition printing - is that when timed interpositives came into use? Do exposure sheets/timing notes exist for films to recreate timing? I’ve seen releases on Blu-ray scanned from negatives but without all of the timing recreated, resulting in color and contrast that changes between shots. I wonder how the matching was accomplished with color films if not using the interpositive to internegative step.
A few topics were raised in the video that weren't followed up on: a) was there anything done to correct the soft focus shots b) could anything be done that wasn't in the name of not over-altering the film? c) re: no one would go the wasteful expense of shooting a film twice in two different formats, that's just what they did with Oklahoma d) was the opening scene adjusted at all? Made even a little darker? e) Was the day for night exterior of the train "correected" in the new transfer--aka making the rest of the shot darker while isolating the train's headlight and keeping it bright?
A) no, it would be a fools errand to attempt to try and sharpen those out of focus shots. B)not sure I understand your question C)-this is the problem with editing dialogue- we actually did end up talking a bit about how this had been done before for foreign versions and Oklahoma and we discussed it at length, but wasn’t relevant to white Christmas so we cut it and you got what you got.. we ramble a lot. D) yep, but not too much, you want to stay true to director approved intent E) yep, it’s a night shot, as much as it can be.
Enjoyable episode, thank you. Interesting about finding that piece of stock footage, makes me wonder just how specific you have to be in cataloguing footage so it can be found ie is footage numbered with a reference phrase such as “white car at train station “ or similar
Some of us always want the historical/theatrical audio mixes and will always listen to those as the default! But those seem to go by the wayside in favor of a 5.1 or (now) Atmos remix, especially if it's an older multi-channel format. Still infuriated that the original six track mix of Apocalypse Now (one of the films that essentially created the 5.1 format) was reconstructed and only got put on to the standard Blu-ray but NOT the UHD. The disks have so much space, we'll even take a lossy version if it just means that it makes it on to the physical release!
Shooting a film twice is not at all unheard of. The Robe shot a flat version as well as a CinemaScope version, and there are two different edited prints of that film. Oklahoma shot a Todd-AO version and a CinemaScope version and again there are two different edited versions of that film.
We actually trimmed out part of that conversation where we doubled back and talked about that a bit more (we even mentioned Oklahoma) because it was getting too far off topic and we wanted to wrap up the episode. Don’t think I’ve heard that about The Robe- interesting! -C
@@PerfDamagePodcast I suspect it may have had something to do with the fact that it was a very popular film and a lot of prints were made from the scope version. I don't know if that would increase the possibility of fading as opposed to a negative that sat in the vault the whole time. It's also possible that the flat version was sent to a different laboratory to be processed. Fox was busy with three major films going on at the same time and it's possible they didn't have the capacity to process the extra film. Deluxe, which was the Fox laboratory was notorious for not doing particularly good work.
My question is: Why don't the studios also put out the new 4K file on HD as well? Because there is no "new" HD file, and if streamers or networks only grab the HD file, they're getting an inferior picture (also in the wrong 1.78 aspect ratio).
Something I have noticed in very recent UHD HDR Dolby Vision video ( I admit I am streaming) is that there is a lot of detail in the focus area of the shots but if you look to the edges of the shots things like feet or scenery become very soft - blurry. Is that intentional or a limitation of the technology being used to capture these films and shows?
I'm always interested in restored classics, especially musicals. I particularly would like to see Perspecta sound restored on films that used it, especially if they were originally released in mono only. I am curious to know if WHITE CHRISTMAS opened originally with discrete multi-channel sound. It's obvious that the former blu-ray features what they used to call "electronically enhanced stereo", so is the new 4k-UHD going to have a brand-new discrete multichannel soundtrack? That would be great! Also, is there any chance that HD versions of LI'L ABNER (1959 VistaVision) or the Rosemary Clooney vehicle RED GARTERS (1954) will be available on physical media? Keep up the good work because your TH-cam videos are terrific.
So why did the "really-pretty-good" (2011 Blu-Ray Version you mentioned?) print used in the past several years on Netflix not get ported over to Amazon Prime Video, which is streaming it this year? It looked pretty bad!
Was this an Eastman color print? If there were any, how about the technicolor IPverison? If it still exists, how about the 3-strip technicolor negative of it?
Just a quick question... during the restoration... Did you do any ADR or realignment on the out of sync blooper dialogue on the Sisters number to match their actual voices.or the clear Danny Kaye vocal scramble during his cocker-spaniel excuse about getting himself snared.. it's clearly replaced audio that sounds Off...
We do slight adjustments to ADR when possible but I don’t recall anything major being done. That “cocker spaniel” line of Danny Kaye’s is just BAD. We did the best we could to make it match, but there’s only so much you can do! -C
I've been enjoying your channel thought it was cool that movieguy365 mentioned your videos on this title, also is the anniversary of vista vision the reason for the 1956 the searchers in December
love this! as a fan of this movie for more than a decade, this was fascinating to listen to (and see - those 1954 negatives are incredible!) in regards to consumers and “just because something isn’t public doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist” i have one question… do you know if there is a negative that includes deleted scenes, or have those been lost to time? i only bring this up because there is a promotional picture of danny and vera that is not in the movie, and i’ve never been able to find anything about it on the internet! the two of them are kissing on stage in casual clothes (not their santa costumes from the ending), and you can see the white chairs from the minstrel number in the background. i’m assuming there may be more information about this in the herrick library with the production notes and payroll that you’ve mentioned, and i’ve seen a bit of that online (such as injury reports for the dancers), but never anything about that particular scene! however i’m unable to confirm this myself since i don’t live in LA. again, thank you for all your hard work in restoring this film! can’t wait to buy it - and ask for perspecta sound too ;)
Another great episode from my favourite restoration team! Add my vote for Perspecta soundtracks, as I have never heard one. Any chance you might do any work on Sunset Boulevard?
First of all… Big Fan! I love perf damage… I have a question about opticals (more specific transitions and titled elements) was there no common practice back in the day to keep the original negative of transitions and titled elements around for later? Because most of the time if i watch a new 4k restoration i have to wait until the opening credits are over until the actual 4k spectacle starts. Same with transitions i always know there is a transition coming because of the drop in quality… Why are these moments not taken from the original negative and rebuilt? i know sometimes they are but most of the time they are not…
It just depends on if the elements exist or not. For the opening titles, a lot of times, we’ll have the textless backdrops but not the text. So the only option then would be to recreate the vintage text from scratch, which can be extremely costly and it never looks quite the same. That’s why we usually end up going with the original opticals. Most of the VistaVision films were made as A/B negatives so we can recreate most the opticals (we’ll be explaining this in detail a future episode) but they always sneak a few montage shots in that we can’t fix like you saw in white Christmas. It sounds like you may be like us watching the opticals, yelling CUT! CUT! CUT!!! As you wait for it to change to negative. -C
@@PerfDamagePodcast Thank you so much for the reply! Yeah, i am definitely that guy yelling „cut already!!!“ Good example for this being the 4k of Groundhog Day… The whole drive from Pittsburgh to Punxsutawney with the weatherman song playing runs through the credits… including a lot of areal and wide shots which as you know suffer the most… it goes on forever…🤯 I would have definitely redone the titles on that to keep the original Neg… the titles are pretty ordinary. Other than that the 4k is amazing… so the credits thand out quite a bit…
I just got my restoration Bluray. The shaky "Blue Skies" number looks rock solid on the restoration, but the stardard Bluray is shaky again. They must have not used the restored version for the standard HD version. Shame!
That is the case with most new releases. Only the 4k version is the new one. For the Blu-ray they just use the old one. However sometimes this can be a positive because if the old version is different and you like it more you get both..
But, without having seen this version yet, l'll bet they stiil haven't corrected one tiny ( and I mean insignificant ) little detail in the sound mix. In the earliest home formats - VHS, then laserdisc - one small fragment of a sound effect could still be heard. But since it was remastered for dvd, and ever since, it's gone missing. During the "Minstrel" number, as Rosemary Clooney sings " Mr. Bones, Mr. Bones, how do you feel Mr. Bones?", she claps her gloved gands four times. The first two claps are silent, the second two are audible. ( I told you it was insignificant ).
Love these videos and appreciate all the work you do but is there someway you can let the people in charge of encoding at paramount that they are doing absolutely terrible work? So many of these restorations are hobbled with really awful compression artefacts especially in the brighter areas of the image. There’s random drops in bit rates too. The open scene of The Firm drops to single digit DVD bit rates and all the fine detail is destroyed. The strangest part is that then discs like Scrooged will come out with absolutely impeccable encoding jobs. Almost like there are two separate teams doing the encoding. There’s a lot of talk online about how disappointing these releases are because of this so hopefully this is something you can address with those in charge.
Couldn't agree more. All the great work gone into these restorations almost gone to waste as you end up with something that's technically on par with streaming - which is not why we buy physical media. We buy physical media because we love films and want to see these restorations see their greatest potential in our homes. We don't want to be experiencing what happens when a studio doesn't care enough to get the job done properly.
Your feedback, when you provide it directly to these groups, will always be more powerful than mine. But more than that, I don’t want this channel to become a sore point for other departments at Paramount. By this I mean, me feeding complaints or concerns to other departments that are brought up in our user comments. We started this podcast/channel independently of Paramount, as a way to share stories and to bring fellow film fans information that they weren’t getting on the disc or in the press releases. I’m here to celebrate the films and releases, not to create issues for anyone I work with. I dearly love my job, and I want to keep it for as long as possible. -C
@@PerfDamagePodcast Thanks, that's clear! The encoding issues are very real, though. Therefore, do you have any pointers how we can reach these groups directly, for providing this feedback?
Too bad a restoration couldn't have included the missing bit of footage from near the end of the "Mandy" number. It was always clear that there was an abrupt cut to the end of the scene. But we can now hear the music from that section on the 2022 remastered soundtrack cd.
What?! I’ll have to go check that out! I feel I’ve slacked on some of my research. We haven’t found that footage though, but now I’m so curious! I’ve always been curious about that weird cut near the end of the song where Rosemary, who was standing in the back of the set is suddenly down playing the tambourines with Bing and Danny. Is that where the cut/additional music is? Thanks for the tip! -C
@@PerfDamagePodcastThat's the spot. Vera Ellen is dancing front and center. Next thing you know, Bing, Danny and Rosemary are up front with the tambourines.
Your podcast is like porn to me!!!! Film restoration, especially for large negative films and classic Hollywood films, sparks my projector bulb! So much fine work has been done at Paramount that I mourn the sale of their pre-1950 back catalogue to Universal. Although… I dream of a 4K release of Sunset Boulevard or any release of Blake Edwards’ Gunn, the latter of which is tied up by music clearance rights.
Where does one demand that Perspecta or other original audio formats be included on disc releases? It's honestly one of the reasons I'm hesitant to grab new 4ks because so many just include remixes. Consumers want options.
I’m not sure. It would be some sort of Home Media or Marketing contact but I haven’t found a generic email address yet. I did confirm the 4K UHD disc includes our new 5.1 mix and our newly restored mono mix, despite what many reviewers are saying.
The encoding team at Paramount is really letting you and us down. Beautiful restoration only goes so far if the encoding is bad. Massive bit rate drops, swirling/trailing grain, DNR etc. For every well encoded title, there is one that is equally bad. SAD
One of my favourite movies, had it on VHS, DVD, Bluray 2x and now UHD, Watched it over 30x
I never pre-ordered a disc as quickly as I did this new release of WHITE CHRISTMAS! Thank you for this great podcast episode and for all your hard work that made this 4K release possible. Additional thanks to whoever decided to use the original poster artwork for the slipcover. Its a STUNNER!
I'm hoping the Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire musical FUNNY FACE is on somebody's radar for a restoration and upgrade. My fingers (and the fingers of many others) are firmly crossed! :)
This was fascinating. So thankful for amazing restoration efforts such as this. And what a treasure to hear this conversation that brings one into all the details of this work. Thanks!
Finally sat down tonight to watch the new 4K of White Christmas. You did an incredible job. I've seen this film more times than any other. The details I discovered from your meticulous restoration made me so happy including the detail on the women’s evening gloves. I saw colors during the dance numbers I never saw before. I saw the bejeweled back of Rosemary Clooney’s dress in detail. I even saw Bing Crosby’s eye shadow. Made me fall in love all over again, and yes I cried on queue remembering my childhood and all the folks no longer here. Thank you for your amazing work!
Just got the disc - WOW!!! WOW!! The color grading is amazing and the dynamic range is incredible. Thanks Charlotte for your and the team's work on this!!
You are so welcome! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the new restoration. -C
Thank you for going the extra mile and getting that stock shot back from the original source!
I‘ll buy that 4k just for that alone… Thank you!!!
Thank you!! I’m so glad to hear that there are people out there who care about little things like that too!! -C
One final comment: I'd love to see an episode about the restoration of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. I love that film, and I thought the 4K disc looked amazing.
Heath Holland did a great episode about the Director's Edition in 2023 th-cam.com/video/ydtdiVPbTeQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=_qn_mUtF5WWtmDLW
☝🏼
Agreed!
Yes please.
Really enjoyed this show. Just watched the 4K last night and it was great. I noticed the soft/out of focus spots and it surprised me a bit. Then I watch this episode today and it explained so much. Just really interesting to hear your experience so thanks for sharing. It was a gorgeous transfer so job very well done! 22:17
Last comment - I love your dog. Mine is asleep beside me and I know just how all dog lover feel when they see you guys interact with yours.❤
Wonderful information. Thank you. I hadn't seen that White Christmas had been released as a 4K home video so I'll have to see if I can get a copy before Christmas. If I can do a review in time I need to link into your video here which might help garner a few more followers. It's nice to have someone else able to explain VistaVision because so many people think something magical has been done to this large format films to make them look better on video. They tend to think it's all down to 'the transfer'. I don't know how many times I've pointed out that it's the mastering which is what you've done to make this historic film look as good as it does today.
John.
Fascinating video, and the 4K disc is the best this film has ever looked--I love it!! Thanks for
the good job you and your team did on the restoration, and thank you for making the transfer from the original negative. I enjoy yours and Adam's videos. They are both entertaining and very informative.
how much better can it look?
Thank you so much. What an incredible episode. I'd love a Star Trek Episode from you guys!
This is fascinating. Thank you for sharing these insights. I loved the note about printing down for night time shots that were filmed in the day. Brilliant work. Thank you for your service in restoring this cherished film!
Thank you so much for talking openly about these processes I find it really fascinating. I'm glad your able to talk about all the effort and creative decisions that go into making these restorations look so fabulous. I'll definitely be getting a copy to watch at Christmas.
I just ordered the 4K disc😊 Thank you for the great work❤
I was thinking about passing on this 4K (I have the 65th anniversary bluray) but this video convinced me to upgrade.
I’m not any kind of an expert but I love film and I have watched White Christmas (and many other movies) almost every year of my life that I can remember - (I’m 71 on Dec 30 2024 and I will be watching WC again soon) and I am delighted to hear your conversation about restoring this film and the work that goes into this kind of project. It is something that if i had known was real work when I was a young man I would have loved to do - It would have been my passion - but that was not to be. i am so happy that you do this work and talk about it because I can feel how rewarding this process is for you. I have subscribed to your channel and really look forward to watching some of your past episodes and your future discussions about the making and restoration of film. It is a real pleasure to have found you.
Welcome! We’re so happy you’re here! -C
This was delightful! Loved how informative and accessible and nerdy it was. Cannot wait to see this 4K!
THANK YOU!!!! I just received mine, and I’ve been waiting for this for 2 years!! Saving it for the holidays! 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
I've been an audio engineer for 25 years, and have been a film buff and general audio buff since I was a kid, and today was the first time I had heard of "Perspecta" audio. Fascinating.
No offense to Perspecta but you haven’t been missing out on too much! -C
@@PerfDamagePodcast Sure, but it was an interesting attempt at "stereo" and worthy of an honorable mention in terms of tech history.
@@PerfDamagePodcast So, not worth getting the Villagers out with pitchforks to get this added, huh? (I kinda enjoyed the Perspecta on Robert Harris' restoration of '55 The Man Who Knew Too Much, but it's no substitute for actual stereo.)
Such an amazing wealth of bts restoration info. Tysm
I've never seen White Christmas, but I am sure excited to see it now!
Thanks Adam and Charlotte, another fantastic show. I've just ordered a 4K Blu-ray of White Christmas, and I'll be looking out for Bob Fosse!
How in the world can you find the correct version of to buy online. Or is it streaming
Super interesting to hear about the pressure to make the 4k version "visible better" vs the already great Blu-ray..
I got the 4k, it's incredible. Great job team!
This is my first time watching one of your videos. You guys are great. I am not a technical person but you explained it very simply. Thanks. Love this film. So glad you restored it
What a Great Profession which benefits everyone and Movie History
Great insight into how the film has been restored. You can appreciate the work gone into making the final 4K special, in particular going back to the negative for the first time. I have the new release and look forward to December to watch it.
I just got my 4K WC disc today, and can't wait to watch it closer to the holidys (only got the 2011 BD last year, lol). This video was quite fascinating. Thanks for the behind the scenes info.
I also only got the 2011 BD last year. And I don’t yet have a 4K system. Been on the fence about upgrading due to the initial expense. I still watch on a 1080p projector and still have only a Blu-ray player. And I have such a huge library of BDs (and DVDs) and I just don’t know if I want to start a new format, though I know it’s better. I’m a disabled vet on a fixed income and hope to start working again soon anyways. But until then, I may just have to stick with the “first world problem” of just watching on the “ancient” technology of Blu-ray. And 1080p (although I do eventually want to upgrade my projector).
was the Blu-ray not good enough?
Nice podcast and cute doggie!
Just watched the White Christmas in 4K UHD - WOW!! Must be pretty close to the experience of watching it in 1954 (maybe a little better??)! I was actually distracted by the lack of distractions in the background😂. GREAT JOB!!
Thank you!! So glad to hear you enjoyed it!!! -C
I spotted that Pahlmeyer label from a mile away! Very nice. My copy of White Christmas is out for delivery and I can't wait to check it out. I retired after 30 years in the WB Archival Mastering And Restoration Dept. in July. So nice to see you acknowledge the people on your team and the dedication you all have. I hope you all were not part of the recent layoff!
I had a customized Perspecta decoder for the Cinemascope titles in our library. On occasion the tracks would be used in a new remix. It was cool technology. Sometimes you can catch the low frequency rumble in a scope film's trailer where the Perspecta tones weren't filtered out. I would love to have a Perspecta track included on the disc as I'm sure many would want to hear what was released theatrically.
I just discovered your channel after your appearance on Cereal At Midnight and am starting to dive into your videos. Thank you!!
Restorations are a team effort and I’m doing my best to make sure to point that out. Fortunately everyone on my team made it through the last round of layoffs, but the company is still going through changes. Fingers crossed!
Hopefully we’ll start having more guests on soon to talk about other pieces of the process. (Sounds like you might even have some fun tales to share- would love to chat with you about Perspecta!!)
I bet we know a lot of the same people.
-C
@ hopefully Paramount keeps your essential department intact.
I would love to talk to you anytime.
Send us an email! You can find our contact in the about section on TH-cam or on our website at PerfDamage.com
10:50 I hated, hated the DVD transfer with that flickering! The Blu-ray was an awesome upgrade, but for years later, the streaming services still had that old master as their HD stream. This 4k disc marks the 5th time I’ve purchased this movie!
The second copy in 35mm does make sense (even if it didn't happen in this case) because it was done at MGM for Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, and Brigadoon (both 1954, and shot in CinemaScope and "flat" ratios). Not simultaneously but in separate takes.
I just found this channel, I'm so glad!! I’m going to be going to college for film (hopefully I get into the BFA program), I'm in my senior year in high school right now and I can’t wait to be able to listen on my way into school! I’ve recently been very into film restoration and learning more about actual film media stocks/restoration and such on my downtime when I’m not doing college apps or assignments. I’ll be in Happy Holidays/Let Yourself Go as Phil in the big opening number for my schools Winter Concert so that’s another doubly funny thing.
Great news! Now let’s get Paramount to do a proper restoration of “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever” while the star is still around to contribute!
Hi Charlotte. You need to settle an argument we are having over the color of the dresses in the Sisters number. Previous versions of the movie had them in a powder blue but in this 4 k release they seem a bit on the teal side. Even on your still shots they appear as a bit teal? You are the best person who can handle this. Please help.
Outstanding .thanks guys
Got my disc on Monday when it came out here in the UK, and I'm so tempted to watch it straight away, but for me White Christmas is one of those films that I like to leave until just before Christmas or on the day itself, I don't know it just makes me warm and fuzzy inside!!
But after watching this, and the work Charlotte and her team did on this it sounds like it's going to be spectacular!
Thanks again for such a great video, full of insight, charm and comedy.
Dean
HI JUST CAME ACROSS YOUR CHANNEL, LOVE IT I AM A MOVIE FAN OF OLD MOVIES IT IS GREAT WHAT YOU DO. KEEP IT UP THE GREAT WORK HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU BOTH FROM IRELAND
Wow, another great one. I also know my next purchase. I love all the background information on restoration. You make it understandable
Thank you!! We try to make it as accessible as possible. -C
Great work , best wishes from Germany !!!!
Thanks for the informative podcast and the wonderful work on White Christmas! We're going to try to catch the Fathom Event and the disc is on the way!
Just bought the 4k, can’t wait to check it out tonight! Thanks for the great episode. Love to hear about the cool behind the scenes
Glad you enjoyed it! -C
Great video and thanks for working on the new release of White Christmas. Hey, what's perspecta audio?
Thanks for the much-needed diversion today (Election Day)!
I'm definitely looking forward to seeing this restoration on the big screen with friends this December! (Thanks Classic Cinemas / Tivoli Theater in Downers Grove, IL!)
And yes, the 4K release is on my Christmas list. 😉👍🏻
Another great episode. Keep up the good work! Ignore the haters. Hope to have my copy of To Catch A Thief soon. Can’t wait 😅
Thank you!!! I’m doing my best to do just that! -C
Hi Charlotte! WOW what a GREAT VIDEO!! Thumbs up! (David Alp and Flossie-Doggy from England here again. ) I must first of all THANK YOU SO MUCH for answering my prior question on the previous Video about the 1954 "A STAR IS BORN". And the missing 27 minutes. I never expected a personal reply -- so YOU HAVE MADE MY DAY! And my little Flossie sends her love across the Atlantic too, & isn't that awesome that your Mother used to call you Flossie, as its such a unique name. I love your 'find' regarding "White Christmas" about how you asked Chuck [Guru] Woodfell (or is Woodfall?) to seek out the 4 seconds of OCN for the car arriving!! WOWZA!! NOW THAT is TRUE DEDICTION to Film Restoration!! Oh Charlotte I WISH you worked at Warner's (as well) so you could give "A Star Is Born" this same LEVEL of dedication and passion and expertise. With you on-board at Warners, I just "know" you'd find the FULLY UNCUT "Star Is Born". Paramount are so LUCKY to have you!! And yeah - show THIS MESSAGE to your boss, and make her give you a rise! (Andrea Kalas - give this lady a BONUS for her dedication). Just to add, that back in 1983, Ronald Haver used the very same "tricks" as your Chuck Woodfell to obtain a few "stock shots" from the Warner Library. And hey presto one of these "stock shots" actually featured & revealed Judy as a car-hop in one of the cut scenes. The "Stock-Shots" department had failed to throw out the bit where Judy comes into shot and reads out the menu, so this gave us an extra 20 seconds of newly discovered footage, however because it was a silent-out-take - Warner's had to sync up the sound to the mono soundtrack, and try to make it match the sound to the original take (which is still lost) The link is below
th-cam.com/video/rnexfzbijTA/w-d-xo.html
Wow! That is so cool. Can you send us an email? You should be able to find it in the About section on TH-cam or its on our website perfdamage.com - we have something to share with you! -C
My copy of the 4K is on its way. Really looking forward to watching it.
Thank you for all your inputs to this restoration.
Hope you enjoy it! -C
Only a trained eye (like yours) would recognize these subtle discrepancies (being a film nerd, I do too). Missed previous podcasts re this film. That being said my favorite scene is Bing and Danny doing the sisters number. Staged or not, it seemed absolutely spontaneous based on the way Bing was laughing. Also watching Rosemary's waistline and how it grew over the ensuing years. Also, Vera-Ellens legs in one of her dance numbers looked so bird-like. She was a great dancer for all those who hated my bird-leg remark. Great Americana film....beautifully made.
There were absolutely some spontaneous hijinks going on in the Sisters number! Bing can’t keep it together and his face is pure joy. You can’t fake that! It’s definitely one of the best scenes in the film. Thanks for watching! -C
Excellent video. And please do on Star Trek The Motion Picture, one of my faves (the restoration is amazing!)
Hasn’t it just been covered to death at this point?
Plus, any of the cool stuff I’d want show that hasn’t been seen would require legal sign-off which I don’t think I could get.
-C
This was a fascinating conversation and it’s great to hear all the work that went into this new restoration.
Unfortunately, for now, I’m stuck in the Blu-ray world. But I intend on seeing that theatrical release that Fathom Event with this 4K restoration.
And someday, I might upgrade to a 4K system.
A really enjoyable video on the restoration process of a classic. (I am constantly amazed how many of these service companies are here in Burbank) . As a big collector of Blu-ray and 4K , I have noticed so many soft focus / out of focus shots in some of my favorite films. It must have been quite the process to get stuff in focus before video assist.
I would love to see an in depth program on movie producer Walter Lippert (the king of the b's). He was one of a kind. He even joined forces with Hammer Studios for joint English/American movies.
Very informative Video :) I would love more. Both thumbs up
The 4K is ordered, TcaT is of course already in the collection ;)
Thanks! It may be a little while before we have another restoration video like this. It just depends on what titles I worked on that Paramount is releasing. However, we hope to start having more of my coworkers and colleagues on to share more archival stories on the regular. -C
Any thoughts on the Brutalist? Amazing to see a new movie shot on VistaVision
Just curious id the 1954 prints were Technicolor dye transfer prints? Also were you able to redo the optical (fades and dissolves) or did you have to use the 1954 dupes?
Even if we did get Perspecta sound on the disc, how would we decode it? The most legacy surround tech that any disc player or AV receiver's going to have is Dolby Pro Logic (i e., Dolby Surround).
That's really interesting about how they shoot 'day-for-night' - I always thought they used a filter rather than leaving lights on and just printing down from the negative. Speaking of negative, Charlotte mentions that White Christmas is in the correct aspect ratio of 1.85:1 (same for To Catch a Thief), but what's the aspect ratio of a VistaVision negative? Was the negative also 1.85:1 or was the format intended to be matted to that aspect ratio?
Got the White Christmas 4K UHD - but it seems a little dark? Wondering why?
The blurriness of the film, on my home TV, didn't matter, back in the sixtys/seventys.
Now days, lots of earlier films seem blurry on my android 5X7 inch screen.
😁
💜
I'm nitpicking, but locomotive headlights are always on. Amazingly, the actors magically switch from Santa Fe to Southern Pacific Railroads - both well known for their service on the East Coast (!), like they annoyingly do when showing a montage of airliners taking off, in flight, landing, and airlines and the plane models switch according to what stock footage was available.
Somewhat ashamed to admit it, but I have never seen white Christmas how that is possible I do not know after listening to your podcast. I think this year I’m going to make it a must watch film. I’m thinking that perhaps you might want to start a film series for Christmas movies similar to Your horror film festival screenings in October. Maybe something to consider
It's definitely worth a watch. I'd recommend seeing it on the big screen, possibly in an old, vintage movie theater if you can. Fathom Events is re-releasing it this December, so you can check their website for that info. 👍🏻
And bring tissues. You know, not for you but for the person next to you. 😉
You should come down and see it with us at the Fathom event!
Is the Blu-ray that is included with the new 4k version also new, or is it the old version? thank you
@@GenX_in_the_wild Unfortunately the bluray is the old transfer. Only the 4K disc and digital copy are the new transfer. -A
@@PerfDamagePodcast Thank you for the quick reply :D
Thanks for doing this video. Can you provide an Amazon link? There are several Blu-ray versions listed and I want to be sure I get the right one.
a.co/d/dMGIZWl
Please note the Blu-ray they included in this set is the OLD transfer, but the 4K UHD and the Digital Copy are both the new 2024 restoration.
Now we need that "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" restoration episode-just sayin'! 😉🖖 And speaking of "To Catch A Thief," my 4K CE should be arriving today (maybe?) so I'm definitely excited to check that out.
Regarding ST:TMP, I feel like talking about that restoration has already been covered in detail by Dave Fein and Mike Massino. -C
I have been the person, like when Aragorn kicks the helmet, to explain this Vista vision and the extra 35 mm camera that they had running the whole movie. Devastated to find out it's not true! I don't know if I'll stop telling the story though... Lol. Or maybe I just got a new denouement for the story.
From a preservation perspective, do you keep a raw digital scan so that people don’t have to start over from square one? While I understand during a restoration, there our choices that you have to make to foster the enjoyment of the film, make it sellable, etc. That you might not want to modify permanently from a preservation perspective. Do restoration companies have any ability to help archivists in this type of way?
I’m curious about the color timing and printing process from back in the day. I have heard that black and white films were often printed from the original negatives as duping/intermediate stock was so poor. How did this work during the Eastman stock era when printing was not handled via Technicolor imbibition printing - is that when timed interpositives came into use? Do exposure sheets/timing notes exist for films to recreate timing? I’ve seen releases on Blu-ray scanned from negatives but without all of the timing recreated, resulting in color and contrast that changes between shots. I wonder how the matching was accomplished with color films if not using the interpositive to internegative step.
Any chance there will be a restoration of the vista vision musical LI’L ABNER?
A few topics were raised in the video that weren't followed up on: a) was there anything done to correct the soft focus shots b) could anything be done that wasn't in the name of not over-altering the film? c) re: no one would go the wasteful expense of shooting a film twice in two different formats, that's just what they did with Oklahoma d) was the opening scene adjusted at all? Made even a little darker? e) Was the day for night exterior of the train "correected" in the new transfer--aka making the rest of the shot darker while isolating the train's headlight and keeping it bright?
A) no, it would be a fools errand to attempt to try and sharpen those out of focus shots.
B)not sure I understand your question
C)-this is the problem with editing dialogue- we actually did end up talking a bit about how this had been done before for foreign versions and Oklahoma and we discussed it at length, but wasn’t relevant to white Christmas so we cut it and you got what you got.. we ramble a lot.
D) yep, but not too much, you want to stay true to director approved intent
E) yep, it’s a night shot, as much as it can be.
Enjoyable episode, thank you. Interesting about finding that piece of stock footage, makes me wonder just how specific you have to be in cataloguing footage so it can be found ie is footage numbered with a reference phrase such as “white car at train station “ or similar
How do we contact marketing?
Some of us always want the historical/theatrical audio mixes and will always listen to those as the default! But those seem to go by the wayside in favor of a 5.1 or (now) Atmos remix, especially if it's an older multi-channel format. Still infuriated that the original six track mix of Apocalypse Now (one of the films that essentially created the 5.1 format) was reconstructed and only got put on to the standard Blu-ray but NOT the UHD. The disks have so much space, we'll even take a lossy version if it just means that it makes it on to the physical release!
Shooting a film twice is not at all unheard of. The Robe shot a flat version as well as a CinemaScope version, and there are two different edited prints of that film. Oklahoma shot a Todd-AO version and a CinemaScope version and again there are two different edited versions of that film.
We actually trimmed out part of that conversation where we doubled back and talked about that a bit more (we even mentioned Oklahoma) because it was getting too far off topic and we wanted to wrap up the episode.
Don’t think I’ve heard that about The Robe- interesting!
-C
@@PerfDamagePodcast on The Robe blu ray the have clips from the flat version. The color on that version is MUCH better than the scope.
Oohhhhh… The archivist in me is considering all the reasons why that could be. We don’t have the Blu-ray and now we have to track down a copy.
@@PerfDamagePodcast I suspect it may have had something to do with the fact that it was a very popular film and a lot of prints were made from the scope version. I don't know if that would increase the possibility of fading as opposed to a negative that sat in the vault the whole time. It's also possible that the flat version was sent to a different laboratory to be processed. Fox was busy with three major films going on at the same time and it's possible they didn't have the capacity to process the extra film. Deluxe, which was the Fox laboratory was notorious for not doing particularly good work.
@@PerfDamagePodcast Hi, I did here (not sure if it is true) that MGM did the same with 'Knights of the Round Table' its first cinemascope film.
When will the 2024 6k restoration be released and will it include a new blue-ray version as well?
Today!!!
N.b.c would play it every Christmas. It was restored before on DVD
My question is: Why don't the studios also put out the new 4K file on HD as well? Because there is no "new" HD file, and if streamers or networks only grab the HD file, they're getting an inferior picture (also in the wrong 1.78 aspect ratio).
Something I have noticed in very recent UHD HDR Dolby Vision video ( I admit I am streaming) is that there is a lot of detail in the focus area of the shots but if you look to the edges of the shots things like feet or scenery become very soft - blurry. Is that intentional or a limitation of the technology being used to capture these films and shows?
I'm always interested in restored classics, especially musicals. I particularly would like to see Perspecta sound restored on films that used it, especially if they were originally released in mono only. I am curious to know if WHITE CHRISTMAS opened originally with discrete multi-channel sound. It's obvious that the former blu-ray features what they used to call "electronically enhanced stereo", so is the new 4k-UHD going to have a brand-new discrete multichannel soundtrack? That would be great! Also, is there any chance that HD versions of LI'L ABNER (1959 VistaVision) or the Rosemary Clooney vehicle RED GARTERS (1954) will be available on physical media? Keep up the good work because your TH-cam videos are terrific.
So why did the "really-pretty-good" (2011 Blu-Ray Version you mentioned?) print used in the past several years on Netflix not get ported over to Amazon Prime Video, which is streaming it this year? It looked pretty bad!
Was this an Eastman color print? If there were any, how about the technicolor IPverison? If it still exists, how about the 3-strip technicolor negative of it?
Just a quick question... during the restoration... Did you do any ADR or realignment on the out of sync blooper dialogue on the Sisters number to match their actual voices.or the clear Danny Kaye vocal scramble during his cocker-spaniel excuse about getting himself snared.. it's clearly replaced audio that sounds Off...
We do slight adjustments to ADR when possible but I don’t recall anything major being done. That “cocker spaniel” line of Danny Kaye’s is just BAD. We did the best we could to make it match, but there’s only so much you can do! -C
I've been enjoying your channel thought it was cool that movieguy365 mentioned your videos on this title, also is the anniversary of vista vision the reason for the 1956 the searchers in December
love this! as a fan of this movie for more than a decade, this was fascinating to listen to (and see - those 1954 negatives are incredible!) in regards to consumers and “just because something isn’t public doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist” i have one question… do you know if there is a negative that includes deleted scenes, or have those been lost to time? i only bring this up because there is a promotional picture of danny and vera that is not in the movie, and i’ve never been able to find anything about it on the internet! the two of them are kissing on stage in casual clothes (not their santa costumes from the ending), and you can see the white chairs from the minstrel number in the background.
i’m assuming there may be more information about this in the herrick library with the production notes and payroll that you’ve mentioned, and i’ve seen a bit of that online (such as injury reports for the dancers), but never anything about that particular scene! however i’m unable to confirm this myself since i don’t live in LA.
again, thank you for all your hard work in restoring this film! can’t wait to buy it - and ask for perspecta sound too ;)
Another great episode from my favourite restoration team! Add my vote for Perspecta soundtracks, as I have never heard one. Any chance you might do any work on Sunset Boulevard?
I plead the fifth.
First of all… Big Fan!
I love perf damage…
I have a question about opticals (more specific transitions and titled elements)
was there no common practice back in the day to keep the original negative of transitions and titled elements around for later?
Because most of the time if i watch a new 4k restoration i have to wait until the opening credits are over until the actual 4k spectacle starts. Same with transitions i always know there is a transition coming because of the drop in quality…
Why are these moments not taken from the original negative and rebuilt? i know sometimes they are but most of the time they are not…
It just depends on if the elements exist or not. For the opening titles, a lot of times, we’ll have the textless backdrops but not the text. So the only option then would be to recreate the vintage text from scratch, which can be extremely costly and it never looks quite the same. That’s why we usually end up going with the original opticals. Most of the VistaVision films were made as A/B negatives so we can recreate most the opticals (we’ll be explaining this in detail a future episode) but they always sneak a few montage shots in that we can’t fix like you saw in white Christmas.
It sounds like you may be like us watching the opticals, yelling CUT! CUT! CUT!!! As you wait for it to change to negative.
-C
@@PerfDamagePodcast
Thank you so much for the reply!
Yeah, i am definitely that guy yelling „cut already!!!“
Good example for this being the 4k of Groundhog Day…
The whole drive from Pittsburgh to Punxsutawney with the weatherman song playing runs through the credits… including a lot of areal and wide shots which as you know suffer the most… it goes on forever…🤯
I would have definitely redone the titles on that to keep the original Neg… the titles are pretty ordinary. Other than that the 4k is amazing… so the credits thand out quite a bit…
I just got my restoration Bluray. The shaky "Blue Skies" number looks rock solid on the restoration, but the stardard Bluray is shaky again. They must have not used the restored version for the standard HD version. Shame!
That is the case with most new releases. Only the 4k version is the new one. For the Blu-ray they just use the old one. However sometimes this can be a positive because if the old version is different and you like it more you get both..
But, without having seen this version yet, l'll bet they stiil haven't corrected one tiny ( and I mean insignificant ) little detail in the sound mix. In the earliest home formats - VHS, then laserdisc - one small fragment of a sound effect could still be heard. But since it was remastered for dvd, and ever since, it's gone missing. During the "Minstrel" number, as Rosemary Clooney sings " Mr. Bones, Mr. Bones, how do you feel Mr. Bones?", she claps her gloved gands four times. The first two claps are silent, the second two are audible. ( I told you it was insignificant ).
Everyone knows a new 4K restoration was needed because I purchased the blu-ray a few months before the 4K was announced.
Thank you for your service! -C
Love these videos and appreciate all the work you do but is there someway you can let the people in charge of encoding at paramount that they are doing absolutely terrible work? So many of these restorations are hobbled with really awful compression artefacts especially in the brighter areas of the image.
There’s random drops in bit rates too. The open scene of The Firm drops to single digit DVD bit rates and all the fine detail is destroyed.
The strangest part is that then discs like Scrooged will come out with absolutely impeccable encoding jobs. Almost like there are two separate teams doing the encoding.
There’s a lot of talk online about how disappointing these releases are because of this so hopefully this is something you can address with those in charge.
Couldn't agree more. All the great work gone into these restorations almost gone to waste as you end up with something that's technically on par with streaming - which is not why we buy physical media. We buy physical media because we love films and want to see these restorations see their greatest potential in our homes. We don't want to be experiencing what happens when a studio doesn't care enough to get the job done properly.
Your feedback, when you provide it directly to these groups, will always be more powerful than mine.
But more than that, I don’t want this channel to become a sore point for other departments at Paramount. By this I mean, me feeding complaints or concerns to other departments that are brought up in our user comments. We started this podcast/channel independently of Paramount, as a way to share stories and to bring fellow film fans information that they weren’t getting on the disc or in the press releases. I’m here to celebrate the films and releases, not to create issues for anyone I work with. I dearly love my job, and I want to keep it for as long as possible.
-C
@@PerfDamagePodcast Thanks, that's clear! The encoding issues are very real, though. Therefore, do you have any pointers how we can reach these groups directly, for providing this feedback?
Too bad a restoration couldn't have included the missing bit of footage from near the end of the "Mandy" number. It was always clear that there was an abrupt cut to the end of the scene. But we can now hear the music from that section on the 2022 remastered soundtrack cd.
What?! I’ll have to go check that out! I feel I’ve slacked on some of my research. We haven’t found that footage though, but now I’m so curious!
I’ve always been curious about that weird cut near the end of the song where Rosemary, who was standing in the back of the set is suddenly down playing the tambourines with Bing and Danny. Is that where the cut/additional music is?
Thanks for the tip! -C
@@PerfDamagePodcastThat's the spot. Vera Ellen is dancing front and center. Next thing you know, Bing, Danny and Rosemary are up front with the tambourines.
Your podcast is like porn to me!!!! Film restoration, especially for large negative films and classic Hollywood films, sparks my projector bulb! So much fine work has been done at Paramount that I mourn the sale of their pre-1950 back catalogue to Universal. Although… I dream of a 4K release of Sunset Boulevard or any release of Blake Edwards’ Gunn, the latter of which is tied up by music clearance rights.
I'd love to hear about the restoration of Mary Poppins and why people's skin changed to look like gray putty.
Where does one demand that Perspecta or other original audio formats be included on disc releases? It's honestly one of the reasons I'm hesitant to grab new 4ks because so many just include remixes. Consumers want options.
I’m not sure. It would be some sort of Home Media or Marketing contact but I haven’t found a generic email address yet.
I did confirm the 4K UHD disc includes our new 5.1 mix and our newly restored mono mix, despite what many reviewers are saying.
The encoding team at Paramount is really letting you and us down. Beautiful restoration only goes so far if the encoding is bad. Massive bit rate drops, swirling/trailing grain, DNR etc. For every well encoded title, there is one that is equally bad. SAD
Well I'll up grade
It’s a duh adding the Perspecta track. Any additional feature that they have should be included. How mud more does it really cost?
Mutual, I’m sure