kriegerg69

> {quote:title=musicalnovelty wrote:}{quote} Two others that come to mind right away in which replaced footage stands out because of its inferior picture quality are THE THING (1951) and THE BIG SKY (1952) (both seen regularly on TCM). > > > The same is true with the above-mentioned THE THING and THE BIG SKY - it's interesting to watch those now and see when the picture quality changes and to know that these are the parts that someone years ago considered expendable when it was decided that the movies had to be shortened for reissue. That's the problem with THE THING...KING KONG has had a proper and complete restoration/clean-up, but even though THE THING was reportedly "restored" a few years ago for the DVD release, one STILL can see the difference when the inferior print quality scenes appear.

> {quote:title=helenbaby wrote:}{quote}Since you asked, yes. I don't have a problem with TCM showing films from any decade, but I just don't want to open a can of worms.

> {quote:title=musicalnovelty wrote:}{quote} I believe the explanation in the case of THE SEA HAWK is that the movie was reissued years later in an edited version and then later when the studio tried to restore it back to full length some or all of the cut footage could not be found in good condition. So they had to settle for the best they could find (probably from 16mm sources or foreign uncut prints). So the poor quality scenes we see in the movie now are the parts that were cut years ago for a reissue. KING KONG (1933) was like that for many years, the restored footage coming from 16mm source materials, until several years ago when a proper and complete restoration was done and the restored footage was correctly restored from 35mm materials that were located. I've seen several other films which were similarly restored in this manner, with the restored footage coming from poorer-quality 16mm sources. It's immediately obvious. Sometimes glaringly so. The Spanish version of DRACULA (1931) which was made at the same time as the Lugosi version, was finally restored after it was discovered that Universal only had an incomplete print in their vaults. The remainign footage, in 16mm, was located in a vault in Cuba in the early 90's. The difference in the quality of the footage is VERY obvious...but at least it's been found.

> {quote:title=infinite1 wrote:}{quote}How about this for an idea - TCM should have it built into whatever contract they make with a studio or distributor that if they find themselves stuck with a lousy or cut print, TCM can refuse to pay for said print. You'd be amazed how quickly the problem would be resolved. That would make sense, wouldn't it? B-) UNLESS...before they actually get the print sent to TCM...their contract they agree to stipulates they take what they get, that there may be circumstances beyond their control and the studio can only provide whatever they currently have available to send to TCM. If the contract they have made up doesn't allow TCM such a luxury to stipulate what they WANT, then they may not be able to sign any contract...TCM could end up not getting anything at all from the studio. In which case your suggestion (as good as it may sound in theory) would be useless. :0

Heck, when I was a young 'un, I used to watch Bozo.

> {quote:title=helenbaby wrote:}{quote}Considering the 70's ended 32 years ago, I'd say those films made during that decade are "old." However, I don't want to steer this discussion in that direction, just emphasizing the obvious. Why not? Simply because some people here don't consider the 70's "appropriate" for TCM?

The definition of "old movie" really depends on where one is at any given point in time...for someone born in the past 20 years, a movie from the 70's or even 80's can be considered "old" to them.

> {quote:title=TCMfan23 wrote:}{quote}The first two pictures are right. That means that TCM HD is showing the "open matte" (aka full frame) version of the movie. Really odd they would do that on an HD channel instead of showing a properly matted/cropped version for HD. The picture area (not counting the black bars) seen in the first photo below is how it SHOULD look on TCM HD...but without those black bars, of course. In other words, it should look like THIS on TCM HD:

> {quote:title=rosebette wrote:}{quote}One would think Turner could do better. They could...if Turner had anything to do with it. TCM is stuck with whatever the studio sends them.

TCMfan, just so I understand your description correctly: On TCM (SD, not HD) it looks like this: On TCM HD, you mean it looks like this: Or on TCM HD does it look like this, with black bars on all four sides?

> {quote:title=TCMfan23 wrote:}{quote}Years ago around Halloween , TCM showed a Italian-language version of Black Sunday. The movie had english subtitles. The title of the movie was in red and was in italian. > > I've never seen this version of the movie on DVD. I have the Mario Bava collection box set. Included in the set is the european version - Mask of Satan. This version is in english. Not in italian. > > > I've looked every where for the italian language version of Black Sunday. Can't find it on DVD. I aways hope TCM will show it again. But no luck. Tried looking for it on youtube , but all I can find is the Americanized cut , Black Suday. > > > I hope TCM shows it in October as a TCM import. > > > Black Sabbath : I've seen both versions of the movie. I grew up watching the American version. As I grew up , I discovered the Italian language version , which is like a different movie when compared to the american version. The stories are in a different order. The actors speak in italian. One of the stories are all together cut different and tell a different story. > > > I now enjoy the italian version more than the americanized version. As far as I know , TCM has never shown Black Sabbath. > Are you sure you don't mean they showed the Italian/subtitled BLACK SABBATH? Simply because that's been released on DVD in this country, but not BLACK SUNDAY, which has only been released in the English dubbed version. That's a good question, especially since BLACK SUNDAY is coming out on Blu-ray in September....where is the Italian-language version? The Blu-ray should have included BOTH versions. NOTE: I just looked online and the Italian version IS out on Region 2 DVD in Italy, PAL video format. It has both the Italian and English audio tracks...but only Italian subtitles. It also has an additional brief scene which was not included in the Image Entertainment DVD release, so it's the only true uncut version of the movie. Comparison reviews here: http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare8/blacksunday.htm It also remains to be seen whether the Italian version IS the "original" version...according to what I just read somewhere online, the English language version is considered to be the official version of the movie. Similarly....when Dario Argento (Suspiria, Inferno, etc.) makes a movie he has all the actors speak either English (if they can speak English) or their native language, and afterward does any dubbing that is required to complete the soundtrack, or for various foreign releases. Basically, the English language versions of Argento's movies ARE the "original" official versions. The Italian version is not the original...it has been DUBBED into Italian. This becomes very obvious when watching the Italian-dubbed version of any of his movies (and I have a couple)...the Italian-dubbed voices simply don't match the lips of what the actors are saying.

> {quote:title=cinetech wrote:}{quote} > *TCM is NOT broadcasting in HD. Film already is a high rez format. You do not need to get a HD digital scan master made of the film print. Just take a look at HDNET when they show older films...looks fantastic. They ARE broadcasting in HD. Some of the prints are restored, but not all. No matter how much upconverting you do it will never look as good as true HD.* Yes...and also WRONG. Film itself, by its very nature (as I've mentioned several times) is high definition, but there IS such a thing as doing a Standard Definition (SD) master from film. TCM HD is broadcasting HD but so far it appears to be UPCONVERTED from SD masters. That's not the same thing (although technically it is still HD...it's just not TRUE HD)...the specifications of the upconverted signal match the specs of what HD should be, but they are not using HD masters. As far as HDNET goes...it IS possible to make an outstanding SD master which may LOOK good, or LOOK as though it's HD, but it's NOT.

You said a mouthful there, darkblue. 'Nuff said.

> {quote:title=smitty1931 wrote:}{quote} > A chapter of The Lone Ranger serial at the Boys Club on a Saturday in 1939. We sat on the floor to view this film. That was ahell of a long time ago. Which one? There was a 1938 serial and one made a year later in 1939. I'm not sure that's what he meant by "first old movie"...that sounds as though it was the first movie you ever saw, period. More likely is that he meant what would have been the first movie you saw that was older than yourself.

> {quote:title=hlywdkjk wrote:}{quote} > > I do have the complete list of 16 titles shown if you'd like to know all of them. Just say so. > > Kyle In Hollywood Yes, Kyle PLEASE post it....that's not only what she keeps asking for, but I'm interested in that now. Just POST the list! I couldn't find it anywhere on the site here.

> {quote:title=misswonderly wrote:}{quote}Still, I can't help but be a little surprised, in view of all your posts and comments here about old-school technology and how you prefer it to new ( technology, that is.) That's precisely...in effect...what he's saying when he commented, and based on how he described it, that he PREFERS a widescreen movie which is LETTERBOXED as opposed to seeing that widescreen image FILLING his HDTV screen as it should be . " the picture format is wrong. the black bars are cut off and the picture looks sort of blown up" That makes no sense at all.

What I still don't understand is why TCM doesn't: 1. Get a national tv horror host to do some retro-classic hosting duties on or throughout the Halloween season, and... 2. Have a regular timeslot on the weekends for a horror host to show a double feature. I don't mean someone like Elvira...TCM likely couldn't afford her...but possibly even a rotation of different horror hosts from across the country each week or so? I've read in various places online that many horror hosts would LOVE to do something like this, and some of them would also do it for nothing...just for the fun and the personal exposure of their characters. Many of the hosts these days are stuck with showing Grade Z public domain movies...this would give them a chance to host and intro real CLASSICS.

> {quote:title=calvinnme wrote:}{quote} > > October 30 Tuesday > 6:30AM Cass Timberlane (1949) > 8:30AM Edward My Son (1949) > 10:30AM The People Against O'Hara (1951) > 12:15PM The Last Hurrah (1958) > 4:45PM King of Kings (1961) > CLASSIC HORROR > 8PM The Unknown (1927) > 9:15PM Freaks (1932) > *10:30PM Bedlam (1946)* > *12AM One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1975)* > *2:30AM The Snake Pit (1948)* > *4:30AM Suddenly Last Summer (1959)* > I like those last four films...the horror of insanity/madness and /or mental institutions. Great idea.

> {quote:title=Fedya wrote:}{quote}For me it would be one of *King Kong* (the local library showed it as part of one of its programs for kids) Coincidentally...although not the first time I ever saw it...I also remember going to see KING KONG at our local library on a Saturday afternoon. Also got to see FORBIDDEN PLANET the same way.

> {quote:title=PrinceSaliano wrote:}{quote} How about THINGS HAPPEN AT NIGHT (1948) a British comedy and probably the first film to feature a poltergeist? That movie is right here online: http://archive.org/details/ThingsHappenatNight

> {quote:title=filmlover wrote:}{quote} Extra points for the BBC Test Card. Made me think of Life Is Mars! : ) :^0

> {quote:title=cinetech wrote:}{quote}*Directv claims they are broadcasting in HD. If they are, I doubt it very much. It looks almost upconverted....almost. So what gives? Is it HD or not. I have been in this A/V industry for over forty years! I know what HD looks like...and this is not HD. Sure would be nice to hear the facts about this. TCM claims they do not broadcast any HD content.* Well, just as I've explained several times in other threads about this exact same subject...technically it IS HD, even if it's only an upconverted SD signal that conforms to HD specifications. HOWEVER, it's not TRUE HD, which would mean an actual source either originally shot in digital HD format, or an older movie which HAS had a proper HD digital master made from a film print. Being "in this A/V industry for over forty years" (and HD as it is now certainly hasn't been around for that long), I'm actually surprised you don't know better.

> {quote:title=TCMfan23 wrote:}{quote}Yesterday , I was watching Sex and the single girl. On the HD channel , the movie had the black bars cropped off. On the SD channel , the movie was letterbox (normal). > > I hate it when HD channels always get the picture format wrong. Why can't full screen movies be full screen and letterbox movies be letterbox ? X-( > > > sex and the single girl on HD TCM : black bars cropped off. > > > Sex and the single girl on regular TCM : letterbox > > > I prefer old TCM over HD TCM. > Letterbox is not "normal" depending on how wide the movie was filmed in. Clearly, you didn't bother reading the clear explanation and example pictures I posted below. Letterboxing is only "normal" for widescreen movies ALL of the time when watched on a non-widescreen tv (which is 4x3).. The black bars are there to fill in the EXTRA space above and below the screen image. Those bars were NEVER part of the movie as it was originally filmed and shown theatrically. "Sex and The Single Girl" was filmed in a 1.85:1 ratio...which is the same as a 16x9 HDTV/widescreen tv. What is NORMAL for that movie is that it SHOULD fill that HDTV screen with no black bars seen. Letterboxing and widescreen don't always necessarily go together...an HDTV/HD program IS widescreen. This is really backwards understanding...it's almost like how people used to COMPLAIN about letterboxing BEFORE widescreen tv's existed. They simply didn't understand the PURPOSE of the bars in a letterboxed movie. People would complain that they wanted the movie image to fill their square tv screen.

> {quote:title=clore wrote:}{quote}I see two Mr. Wong movies - *Doomed To Die* and *The Fatal Hour* on the 31st. > > I wish they were Moto films, but i'll settle for these since they don't air very often. They can both be viewed or download online here, being in public domain: http://archive.org/details/feature_films

> {quote:title=finance wrote:}{quote}Wait till Sprocket Man sees the title of this thread. I almost was going to beat him to it, but decided I wouldn't deprive him of the opportunity.