Twilight Time - World of Henry Orient

[PGW]

I watched this new edition from Twilight Time last night, and have to report I'm underwhelmed.

Don't get me wrong.

Great script.
Great casting.
Great acting.
Great score.

Unfortunately, a very mediocre blu-ray (particularly for $30.00). The entire film looked a bit soft, the dust / damage was distracting, at times, and the source print also suffered from flicker. It might be marginally better than the DVD (I didn't A/B them), but it's certainly disappointing quality for a blu-ray.

[obscurelabel]

Originally Posted by PGW

I watched this new edition from Twilight Time last night, and have to report I'm underwhelmed.

Don't get me wrong.

Great script.
Great casting.
Great acting.
Great score.

Unfortunately, a very mediocre blu-ray (particularly for $30.00). The entire film looked a bit soft, the dust / damage was distracting, at times, and the source print also suffered from flicker. It might be marginally better than the DVD (I didn't A/B them), but it's certainly disappointing quality for a blu-ray.

Disappointed to hear. The MGM DVD is very bad - it's non-anamorphic 2.35:1 and interlaced - so I'm thinking that the blu will have to be a significant upgrade just because of those things. I was hoping this would be stellar because it's a big favorite of mine. I'm looking forward to seeing some screenshots. I will still buy it though

[DMRI2006]

If you think the transfer is only "marginally" better than DVD you need a new set up. You have no idea what you are talking about, sorry, because the transfer is quite good and slays the lousy old MGM DVD. Not even a contest.

[PGW]

Was there an earlier DVD you guys are watching? The DVD I have is anamorphic, and the difference in picture quality between that and the blu-ray in minimal - and I know, because I just A/B'd them. It looks like the very same, aged transfer they used for the DVD.

[obscurelabel]

Originally Posted by PGW

Was there an earlier DVD you guys are watching? The DVD I have is anamorphic, and the difference in picture quality between that and the blu-ray in minimal - and I know, because I just A/B'd them. It looks like the very same, aged transfer they used for the DVD.

I must be mistaken about it being non-anamorphic. I just checked the DVD Savant review, he says anamorphic 16:9 and he makes a special note of that in his reviews. BUT it is definitely interlaced and has lots of macroblocking, noise, etc. It almost looks like a PAL conversion. I took some screenshots of it years ago and remember this distinctly.

[Twilight Time]

Just as a matter of accuracy - the master used for the TT Blu-ray is not the one used for the old DVD - the new transfer was generated about 7 years after the DVD's release.

[obscurelabel]

The blu-ray.com review and screenshots are up:

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-W...3/#Screenshots

The screenshots look good to me. I don't have a hugely discerning eye but I don't see anything problematic. Sharpness looks fine for a 'scope film. Doesn't look overly sharpened or DNRed. The review mentions reds that might be a bit orange but the waiter's jacket and the checkerboard look pretty red to me.

I'm pleased, off to order!

[obscurelabel]

DVDBeaver

Looks solid to me!

[Brad1963]

I watched it 2 nights ago. It looked perfectly fine to me.

[obscurelabel]

I watched this again on Monday and I thought it looked great. The movie was even better than I remembered. I really noticed the great Elmer Bernstein score this time around.

Blu-ray.com's review of TWoHO by Jeffrey Kauffman mentioned that "Reds might tip ever so slightly toward the orange side of things at times ...". I thought all the other colors looked fine, but the reds did look a bit orange. I poked around with some screenshots and noticed a few fun things that seem obvious now but I sure missed them when I was watching. I've listed some of the below and spoilered them in case anyone would rather see for themselves.

[Show spoiler]
Almost all of the reds in the film are the deep "Orient red" from Henry's apartment. I think this shade, plus the repetition, might give the impression of orange, especially since there isn't much or any orange in the film. Different "true" red show up in police lights and a traffic signal, but not much anywhere else.



Gil starts out the film with a dark blue and green coat but switches to her red coat and sweater when she goes to Central Park to meet Val (and Henry). At the very end, when they're over Henry, she's back in blue, and Val is in yellow. Two of the three primary colors but no more "Orient red".



The same red and white '63 Plymouth Belvedere sedan shows up near the Boyd townhouse ...



... at Gino's restaurant (with red door) ...



... and outside Henry's apartment building.



At the Boyd's Christmas party, Val wears a dress that is very close in color (but not Orient red) and design to the one that Stella wore while at Gino's. Her corsage also echos Stella's hat. Maybe to link them together as Henry's "victims"??



Two other things I noticed and enjoyed:

• A 3 1/2 minute take of Gil and Val talking when Gil first visits the Boyd townhouse. Lots of dialog that had to be delivered or the take would be ruined.
  
• When Henry is speaking normally, he affects what must be a Middle Eastern accent (he mentions "a thousand Dinars" at one point, the currency of several Islamic countries), in keeping with the whole "Orient/Levant" idea, but when he's agitated he slips back into a Bronx/Brooklyn accent (supposedly based on Stanley Kubrick).

That's about it!

I had a really fun time with the movie. I'll watch it again soon with the commentary.

[Monterey Jack]

Watched the Blu tonight...charming film, and great transfer. And oh, that isolated Elmer Bernstein music...!