John Wayne: Angel & The Badman / John Wayne on Film
12-22-99, 05:06 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Boulder
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Last night I watched the new Laserlight/Delta DVD titled "John Wayne: Angel & The Badman / John Wayne on Film". I really wanted a good DVD of this classic b&w western.
This isn't it.
The back cover of this DVD states it was "digitally mastered from the best available sources for the highest quality possible." That's a blatant lie. The first half is unsharp. Midway, on my set anyway, the screen goes to blue for a second!?! The second half looks a bit better but has a strange dark blue/purple tint to it.
And isn't "the highest quality possible" right now mean 16x9 enhanced? This isn't.
The featurette is ok with some interesting stills and JW facts but it's composed cheifly of soft-looking JW trailers for Stagecoach, Fort Apache, The Alamao, and The Searchers. My guess is that Laserlight/Delta didn't want to pay WB or Republic to copy their sharp transfers. I'm going to try sending this one back for false advertising.
If you want a good print of "Angel and the Badman", stay clear of this one and look elsewhere.
Next, I plan to buy a Roan DVD of this title. They claim their DVD is "mastered from pristine 35mm materials". I'll find out.
This isn't it.
The back cover of this DVD states it was "digitally mastered from the best available sources for the highest quality possible." That's a blatant lie. The first half is unsharp. Midway, on my set anyway, the screen goes to blue for a second!?! The second half looks a bit better but has a strange dark blue/purple tint to it.
And isn't "the highest quality possible" right now mean 16x9 enhanced? This isn't.
The featurette is ok with some interesting stills and JW facts but it's composed cheifly of soft-looking JW trailers for Stagecoach, Fort Apache, The Alamao, and The Searchers. My guess is that Laserlight/Delta didn't want to pay WB or Republic to copy their sharp transfers. I'm going to try sending this one back for false advertising.
If you want a good print of "Angel and the Badman", stay clear of this one and look elsewhere.
Next, I plan to buy a Roan DVD of this title. They claim their DVD is "mastered from pristine 35mm materials". I'll find out.
12-22-99, 08:16 PM
#2
DVD Talk Limited Edition
I would get The Searchers for J.Wayne movie. I found it really good or the Cowboys. I watched The War Wagon last night, it was okay but I found the above 2 titles much better from Warner Bros. I almost bought a ROAN title once but I think there titles are Pan & scan.
12-23-99, 05:18 PM
#3
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Boulder
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Searchers, Cowboys and War Wagon are all fine films. And thanks to WB and Universal, they're presented in their original aspect ratios. I really enjoy the interaction bewteen Wayne and Douglas in War Wagon. It looks like they had a grand time working on that one. Notice the way Douglas NEVER gets on his horse twice the same way?
Keep in mind that prior to the arrival of CinemaScope in the mid-50s, widescreen films were virtually non-existant. Angel and the Badman is late 40s so its original format is the boxy 1.33. Casablanca, Gone with the Wind, Wizard of Oz, everything was lensed at the standard "Academy Ratio" of 1.33. That's the way it was.
If Roan has a decent transfer of Angel and the Badman I wouldn't hesitate to buy it.
Keep in mind that prior to the arrival of CinemaScope in the mid-50s, widescreen films were virtually non-existant. Angel and the Badman is late 40s so its original format is the boxy 1.33. Casablanca, Gone with the Wind, Wizard of Oz, everything was lensed at the standard "Academy Ratio" of 1.33. That's the way it was.
If Roan has a decent transfer of Angel and the Badman I wouldn't hesitate to buy it.
